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Steam Deck

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Steam Deck
DeveloperValve Corporation
ManufacturerQuanta Computer
TypeHandheld personal computer
Gaming computer
Release dateDecember 2021
Introductory price
MediaDigital distribution
Operating systemSteamOS 3.0
System on a chipAMD custom APU
CPUZen 2, 4-core, 8-threads,
variable frequency @ 2.4–3.5 GHz
Memory16 GB LPDDR5 @ 5500 MT/s
Storage
  • Base model: 64 GB eMMC
  • Mid model: 256 GB NVMe SSD
  • Top model: 512 GB NVMe SSD
  • All models use M.2 2230 interface
Removable storagemicroSD/SDXC/SDHC
Display
  • 7-inch, 1280 × 800 LCD, native 720p @ 60Hz
  • Docked: Up to 8k @ 60Hz or 4k @ 120Hz
GraphicsRDNA 2 with 8 CUs,
variable frequency @ 1.0–1.6 GHz
Sound
Input
  • 2 × analog sticks with capacitive touch
  • 2 × trackpads
  • 2 × shoulder buttons (L1, R1)
  • 2 × analog triggers (L2, R2)
  • 4 × grip buttons (L4, R4, L5, R5)
  • D-pad
  • A/B/X/Y buttons
  • View/Menu buttons
  • Steam button
  • Quick access button
  • Volume +/− buttons
  • Power button
CameraAmbient light sensor
TouchpadMulti-touch capacitive (x2)
Connectivity
Power40 Wh Lithium-ion battery
Online servicesSteam
Dimensions298 mm × 117 mm × 49 mm (11.7 in × 4.6 in × 1.9 in)
Mass669 grams (1.475 lb)
Websitewww.steamdeck.com

The Steam Deck is an upcoming handheld gaming computer developed by Valve Corporation. It is expected to be released in December 2021.[1]

History

Valve's first foray into hardware was with Steam Machines, a computer specification based on the Linux-derived SteamOS that could be adopted by any computer manufacturer as to make systems optimized for running Steam and games from it. Introduced in 2015, the platform did not sell well, and Valve quietly pulled back on it by April 2018, though stated the company remained committed to providing some type of open hardware platform.[2] Steam Deck designer Steve Dalton said "There was always kind of this classic chicken and egg problem with the Steam Machine", as it required the adoption of Linux by both gamers and game developers to reach a critical interest in the machines to draw manufacturers in making them.[3] The lack of Linux game availability during the lifetime of Steam Machines led Valve to invest development into Proton, a Linux-based compatibility layer to allow most Microsoft Windows-based applications and games to be run on Linux without modification.[3]

Other factors from the Steam Machine line worked their way into the conception of the Steam Deck. The Steam Controller was developed by Valve as part of the Steam Machine line. Some of the early prototypes of the controller included a small LCD screen within the middle of the controller which could be programmed as a second screen alongside the game that the user was playing. One idea from this prototype was to include the Steam Link, a hardware device capable of streaming game content from a computer running Steam to a different monitor, here routing that output to the small LCD on the controller. This was later considered by Valve a very early concept behind the Steam Deck.[3] Further, their experience with trying to convince other manufacturers to produce Steam Machines led Valve to realize that it was better to develop all their hardware internally. Dalton said "More and more it just became kind of clear, the more of this we are doing internally, the more we can kind of make a complete package."[3]

As Valve considered options for bringing a handheld device to market, they set a priority that the device had to be able to play nearly the entirety of the Steam game library, and rejected possible hardware that moved away from the standard x86-based processing structure that would have been easier to implement in handheld form but would have limited what games would be available. Only through recent discussions with AMD and their current product lines was Valve able to identify a technical approach that would meet the goal of a handheld device capable of playing all Steam games without overtaxing the processor unit.[4] The developers considered the Steam Deck to be future-proof. While the specifications are modest compared to high-end gaming computers, they felt that the performance was at good place that would be acceptable for many years, while still looking at newer software improvements, such as the addition of AMD's FidelityFX.[5] Though they do not have any current designs for a "Steam Deck 2", Valve has stated that there will likely be future iterations of the hardware in years to come, but expect the timing of releases to depend on the current state of processor technology and handheld device limitations, rather than a regular upgrade cycle.[4]

Newell said of the Steam Deck's approach, "As a gamer, this is a product I've always wanted. And as a game developer, it's the mobile device I've always wanted for our partners."[6] According to Newell, they wanted to be "very aggressive" on the release and pricing strategy as they considered the mobile market as their primary competitor for the Deck. However, their focus was on the unit's performance; Newell stated "But the first thing was the performance and the experience, [that] was the biggest and most fundamental constraint that was driving this."[7] Newell recognized that the base pricing was somewhat higher than expected and "painful", but necessary to meet the expectation of gamers that would want the Deck.[7] Newell continued that he believed this was a new product category of personal computer hardware that Valve and other computer manufacturers would continue to participate in if the Steam Deck proved successful, and thus it was necessary to keep the unit's price point reasonable to demonstrate viability.[8] Openness of the system was also a key feature according to Newell, as that is a defining "superpower" of the personal computer space over typical console systems. Newell did not want to have any limitations on what the end user could do with the hardware, such as installing alternate non-Steam software on it.[9]

Announcement and release

Rumors that Valve was working on a portable gaming unit had emerged in May 2021, based on updates made within the Steam code pointing towards a new "SteamPal" device, and comments made by Valve's CEO Gabe Newell related to Valve developing games for consoles. Ars Technica had been able to confirm that new hardware was in development at Valve.[10]

Valve revealed the Steam Deck on July 15, 2021. The Deck, to be released in three different models based on internal storage option, is expected to ship in December 2021 to the US, Canada, the EU and the UK, with other regions to follow in 2022.[1] However, due to its popularity, some pre-order purchasers were informed that latter shipments of the 64 GB model and 256 GB NVMe models would in Q2 2022, and the 512 GB NVMe model by Q3 2022.[11]

Pre-orders for the Steam Deck were opened on the day after its announcement, on July 16, 2021.[1] Pre-orders were limited to those with Steam accounts opened before June 2021 to prevent resellers from controlling access to the device.[1] First day pre-orders reservations through the Steam storefront briefly crashed the servers due to the demand.[11] By September 2021, development kits for the Steam Deck were shipping to developers.[12]

Hardware

The Steam Deck includes a custom accelerated processing unit (APU) built by AMD based on their Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architectures, with the CPU running a four-core/eight-thread unit and the GPU running on eight compute units with a total estimated performance of 1.6 TFLOPS. Both the CPU and GPU use variable timing frequencies, with the CPU running between 2.4 and 3.5 GHz and the GPU between 1.0 and 1.6 GHz based on current processor needs.[13][14] Valve stated that the CPU has comparable performance to Ryzen 3000 desktop computer processors and the GPU performance to the Radeon RX 6000 series.[15] The Deck includes 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM in a quad channel configuration.[14][16]

The unit will ship in three models based on internal storage options. The base model will include 64 GB eMMC internal storage unit, running over PCI Express 2.0 x1. A mid-tier model will include 256 GB of storage through a NVMe SSD device, while the high end unit will include a 512 GB NVMe SSD storage unit, with the latter two both shipping with drives that run PCI Express 3.0 x4. All 3 SKUs utilize the same M.2 2230 interface for internal storage.[14] Valve has stated that the built-in storage is not meant to be replaceable by end-users, though can be replaced as necessary for repair.[17] Additional storage space is available through a microSD card slot, which also supports microSDXC and microSDHC formats.[1][13]

The Deck's main unit is designed for handheld use. It includes a 7-inch (180 mm) touchscreen LCD display with a 1280x800 pixel resolution with a fixed 60 Hz refresh rate; games will be configured to use vertical synchronization (v-sync) where possible.[18] The unit's input set features two thumbsticks, a directional-pad, ABXY buttons, two shoulder buttons on each side of the unit, four additional buttons on the rear of unit, as well as two trackpads under each thumbstick.[1][13] The thumbsticks and trackpads use capacitive sensing, and the unit further includes a gyroscope to allow for more specialized controls on the handheld mode.[13] The unit also includes haptic feedback.[14]

The Deck supports Bluetooth connectivity for input devices, and includes integrated WiFi network support to meet IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards.[19][14] The Deck supports stereo sound out via a digital signal processor, and includes both an integrated microphone and a headphone jack.[14]

The Deck includes a 40 watt-hour battery, which Valve estimates that for "lighter use cases like game streaming, smaller 2D games, or web browsing" can last between seven and eight hours.[1] Valve estimated that by keeping frame rates to around 30 frames per second (FPS) more intensive games such as Portal 2 could be played for five to six hours.[19] The system's software will include an optional FPS limiter that will balance a game's performance to optimize battery life.[18]

Initial Steam Decks will be manufactured in a black casing as to reduce the cost of production, though Valve stated that they have considered introducing other case colors or themes in the future.[20]

A dock unit will be released for the Deck, available separately. The dock unit can be connected to an external power source to power the Deck, and to an external monitor via either HDMI or DisplayPort protocols to route output from the Deck to that monitor.[14] Though limited by the processor speed, the display output from the Deck via the dock can reach as high as 8k resolution at 60 Hz or 4k resolution at 120 Hz;[14] this resolution boost can also be achieved by attaching the Deck directly through a USB to HDMI adapter without the use of the docking station.[4] There is no other change in performance of the Steam Deck whether docked or when used in portable mode.[21] The dock will also support Ethernet network connectivity and support for USB connections for controllers or other input devices.[1] The Deck can also work with any third-party docking station that supports similar type of interfacing for portable devices.[19]

Software

The storefront page for the Steam client used on the Steam Deck

Steam Deck will run a modified Arch Linux called SteamOS v3.0. While SteamOS had been previously developed for Steam Machines using Debian Linux, Valve stated that they wanted to use a rolling upgrade approach for the Deck's system software, a function Debian was not designed for but was a feature of Arch Linux.[22] An application programming interface (API) specific for the Steam Deck will be available to game developers, allowing a game to specify certain settings if it is being run on a Steam Deck compared to a normal computer.[23]

The SteamOS software includes support for Proton, a compatibility layer that allows most Microsoft Windows games to be played on the Linux-based operating system.[24] According to ProtonDB, a user-run database that compiles information on game compatibility of Steam games within Linux using Proton, several of Steam's more popular game releases were not yet compatible with Proton primarily due to anti-circumvention and anti-cheat controls or digital rights management (DRM). Valve stated they were working with vendors of these middleware solutions to improve Proton support while also encouraging Linux-specific versions to be developed.[25] Epic Games' Easy Anti-Cheat, one of the more popular DRM options for developers, was made available for MacOS and Linux systems in September 2021, which Epic stated that developers could easily transition for the Proton layer.[26] Another popular DRM solution, Battleye, also affirmed their software was ready to work with the Proton layer and only required developers to opt-in to enable it.[27] Valve has stated that in testing games otherwise currently available on Linux or compatible with the Proton layer, they had yet to find a game that failed to meet a minimum 30 frames-per-second performance on the handheld, a performance metric comparable to the consoles of the eighth generation.[15]

The Steam client on the Deck will run a revised version of the current Steam client for desktops. Unlike Steam's Big Picture mode for use on television screens, which was treated as a separate software branch within Valve, the Deck version of the Steam client will stay consistent with the desktop version, adding functions and interface elements to make navigating through Steam easier with controller input, and indicators typical for portable systems such as battery life and wireless connectivity.[28] Valve anticipates phasing out the Big Picture mode in Steam with the Steam Deck user interface in the future.[29] The version of Steam on the Deck will otherwise support all other functions of Steam, including support for user profiles and friends lists, access to game communities, cloud saving, and Steam Workshop support.[19] The Deck Steam client will also includes the Steam Remote Play feature, allowing the user to stream games running from a personal computer on the same network to the Deck.[30] Remote Play will also allow the Steam Deck to be used as a controller for a game running on a computer, providing additional control options beyond traditional keyboard and mouse or common controller systems.[31] The Steam software on the Deck will also support suspending a game in progress, a feature that Valve wanted to add from the start and took time, effort, and discussions with AMD to get functioning properly.[28] Otherwise, games that do not take advantage of the Steam Deck API will have the handheld's controller input automatically converted for them. For example, the touch-sensitive controllers on the Deck will translate input appropriately for games that typically rely on keyboard and mouse controls.[4]

At planned release, users will have to download games onto the Steam Deck to store on either the internal storage or SD card, each storage device treated as a separate Steam Library for games. This allows SD cards with different Steam Libraries to be swapped in and out. Valve is exploring the ability to pre-load games on an SD card outside of the Deck, such as through a personal computer.[32]

While the Deck will be designed for playing Steam-based games, it can be loaded with third-party software, such as alternative storefronts like Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, or Origin.[33] The user can also choose to replace SteamOS with a different operating system entirely.[13] Xbox Game Studios' Phil Spencer affirmed that the built-in browser supports Xbox Cloud Gaming, allowing those with Xbox Game Pass subscriptions access to that library of games.[34] The Steam Deck will support multi-booting from different operating systems, as well as booting from an operating system loaded on the microSD card.[31]

Reception

Initial reaction on the announcement of the Steam Deck was positive. Epic Games' Tim Sweeney and Xbox Game Studios' Phil Spencer complimented Valve on the Steam Deck, with Sweeney calling it an "amazing move by Valve!"[35] Spencer congratulated Valve "on getting so many of us excited to be able to take our games with us wherever we decide to play".[36]

Many outlets compared the unit to that of the Nintendo Switch, generally recognized as the first true hybrid video game console. Valve stated that they did not really consider the Switch in designing the Deck, as they "tried to make all the decisions really in Steam Deck that targeted that audience and that served the customers that were already having a good time interacting with the games that are on that platform, on our platform", and that by happenstance, came out with a device that was similar in function to the Switch.[37] The Verge stated that generally, the Steam Deck was a more powerful machine compared to the Switch, but that power came with a tradeoff in battery life which was greater with the Switch. Further, The Verge recognized that the specifications of the Deck were more comparable to the power of the consoles of the eighth generation like the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, though using more recent compute/micro- and graphics architectures than that which powered those older systems.[33] Kotaku stated that while the Deck and Switch may be similar in concept, the two were not competing devices due to their target demographics, with the Switch aimed more at a broad audience machine, while the Deck was geared towards more "hardcore" gamers.[38] Digital Foundry identified that while the Deck's hardware may be more powerful, developers are not necessarily able to get low-level access to the CPU/GPU as developers working on the Switch can. While Switch games can be heavily optimized for that system, optimizing games for the Deck may be hampered, according to Digital Foundry, furthering these two systems in terms of competition.[39]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Peters, Jay (July 15, 2021). "Valve's gaming handheld is called the Steam Deck and it's shipping in December". The Verge. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  2. ^ Phillips, Tom (April 4, 2018). ""It's true Steam Machines aren't exactly flying off the shelves"". Eurogamer. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d Marks, Tom (July 30, 2021). "Valve Explains How The Failure of Steam Machines Helped Build The Steam Deck". IGN. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d Castle, Katherine (August 24, 2021). "The Steam Deck interview: Valve's designers on all things hardware, software, and knowing when to stop". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  5. ^ Purslow, Matt (July 29, 2021). "Valve Says Steam Deck Is Future Proof, But Could Add New Generations". IGN. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  6. ^ Schreier, Jason (July 15, 2021). "Nintendo Switch Gets New Rival With Valve's Portable Steam Console". Bloomberg News. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Bailey, Kat (July 15, 2021). "Gabe Newell: Hitting Steam Deck Price Was 'Painful' but 'Critical'". IGN. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  8. ^ Chalk, Andy (July 15, 2021). "Gabe Newell expects Steam Deck to sell 'millions of units' but the pricing was 'painful' to pick". PC Gamer. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  9. ^ Skrebeles, Joe (July 28, 2021). "Gabe Newell Pushes Back Against Closed Platforms, Says Openness is 'PC's Superpower'". IGN. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  10. ^ Mackovech, Sam (May 25, 2021). "Exclusive: Valve is making a Switch-like portable gaming PC". Ars Technica. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Yin-Poole, Wesley (July 17, 2021). "Steam Deck expected order availability now Q1 2022 (64GB) and Q2 2022 (256GB/512GB)". Eurogamer. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  12. ^ Campbell, Ian Carlos (September 14, 2021). "Valve's Steam Deck is now real enough to send to developers". The Verge. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  13. ^ a b c d e Moore, Bo (July 15, 2021). "Steam Deck: The First Hands-On With Valve's Handheld Gaming PC". IGN. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h Phillips, Tom (July 15, 2021). "Valve announces Steam Deck, a £349 handheld PC". Eurogamer. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  15. ^ a b Weatherbed, Jess (July 23, 2021). "Valve claims the Steam Deck can handle any game you throw at it, including AAAs". TechRadar. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  16. ^ Loeffler, John (July 21, 2021). "Steam Deck gets a spec update, and it's good news for gamers". techradar. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  17. ^ Moore, Bo (July 21, 2021). "Steam Deck SSD is Upgradeable, But It Won't Be Easy". IGN. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  18. ^ a b Hollister, Sean (July 25, 2021). "The Steam Deck has an 'optional built-in FPS limiter' for better battery life". The Verge. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  19. ^ a b c d McCaffery, Ryan (July 15, 2021). "Steam Deck FAQ: Valve Answers the Biggest Questions". IGN. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  20. ^ Wickens, Katie (August 6, 2021). "Valve says there is 'tons of opportunity' around different colours for future Steam Decks". PC Gamer. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  21. ^ Ridley, Jacob (August 8, 2021). "The Steam Deck will not boost performance while docked". PC Gamer. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  22. ^ Dexter, Alan (August 9, 2021). "This is why Valve is switching from Debian to Arch for Steam Deck's Linux OS". PC Gamer. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  23. ^ Ridley, Jacob (August 6, 2021). "Valve is creating a Steam Deck API for devs to quickly optimise games". PC Gamer. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  24. ^ Duckett, Chris (July 16, 2021). "Steam Deck is an AMD-powered handheld PC from Valve that runs KDE on Arch Linux". ZDNet. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  25. ^ Clayton, Natalie (July 16, 2021). "Unless something changes, Steam Deck won't run Destiny, Apex, PUBG or Siege". PC Gamer. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  26. ^ Hollister, Sean (September 23, 2021). "One of the Steam Deck's biggest hurdles just disappeared: EAC has come to Linux". The Verge. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  27. ^ "BattlEye anti-cheat confirms Steam Deck support". PC Gamer. 2021-09-25. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  28. ^ a b Marks, Tom (July 19, 2021). "Steam Deck: How SteamOS Bridges the Gap Between Console and PC". IGN. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  29. ^ Prescott, Shaun (July 20, 2021). "Steam's Big Picture mode will be replaced by Steam Deck's UI". PC Gamer. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  30. ^ Marshall, Cass (July 15, 2021). "The cheapest Steam Deck has a great price, but you're gonna need more storage". Polygon. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  31. ^ a b Geblick, Jordan (September 22, 2021). "Valve answers all your burning Steam Deck questions in new FAQ". GamesRadar. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  32. ^ Jimenez, Jorge (July 23, 2021). "Valve explains how removable Steam Libraries will work on Steam Deck". PC Gamer. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  33. ^ a b Gartenberg, Chaim (July 15, 2021). "How does Valve's Steam Deck compare to the Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5?". The Verge. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  34. ^ Robinson, Andy (August 14, 2021). "Phil Spencer has been testing Steam Deck and says Xbox games 'work well'". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  35. ^ Chalk, Andy (July 15, 2021). "Tim Sweeney: Steam Deck is 'an amazing move by Valve'". PC Gamer. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  36. ^ Watts, Steve (July 16, 2021). "Microsoft "Always Excited" About Things Like Steam Deck, But No Game Pass Commitment Yet". GameSpot. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  37. ^ Bailey, Kat (July 23, 2021). "Steam Deck: Valve Says It Never Really Compared Its Handheld to Switch". IGN. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  38. ^ Hernandez, Patricia (July 16, 2021). "The Steam Deck Isn't Competing With The Nintendo Switch". Kotaku. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  39. ^ Leadbetter, Richard (July 20, 2021). "Spec Analysis: Steam Deck - can it really handle triple-A PC gaming?". Eurogamer. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
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