There's A New Steam Deck OLED Coming: Here's Why You'll Want To Upgrade

Valve has announced a new OLED model of its Steam Deck portable gaming machine that will be available on November 16. The new model comes not only with a bigger and brighter 7.4-inch 1,280 x 800 HDR OLED screen but also some new internals, including a tri-band Wi-Fi 6E radio for significantly faster download and streaming speeds than the prior model. Additionally, battery life has been improved, and capacity has been bumped to 50 watt-hours. According to technical specifications, battery life is around three to 12 hours of playtime compared to the LCD-screen model's two to eight hours of runtime. 

A new screen, battery, and Wi-Fi aren't the only changes under the Steam Deck's hood. The processor itself has been worked over and will reportedly handle thermals better than the previous generation. Valve also touts that Steam Deck's hardware is now easier to disassemble and upgrade by reducing the number of screw types used.

As far as price is concerned, the previous 256GB model with an LCD screen is priced at $399. The new OLED 512GB model retails for $549. The 1TB OLED model, which also sports anti-glare etched glass, will set you back $649, while the limited edition model that features a translucent chassis goes for $679. With the announcement, previous models of the Steam Deck are now less expensive. The base model 64GB LCD model has been dropped to $349, while the previously top-of-the-line 512GB Steam Deck is now $449.

Valve is amping up the Steam Deck's abilities not only just in time for the holiday shopping rush but also to give the platform a leg up on the competition. When the Steam Deck first launched, it was the only serious name in the game; now, it has the likes of models like the ASUS ROG Ally to contend with. The handheld console fight is heating up.