When Valve Corporation released the Steam Deck in February 2022, it was groundbreaking. It was as if the gaming computer and Nintendo Switch had a child, with the mammoth device capable of running a variety of games—from PC, PlayStation, and Xbox games—all in one handheld console. For the first time, PC gaming had become portable.
But while it was every hardcore gamer’s dream come true, it was also very unstable. The handheld was filled with bugs upon release, and many complained about its disappointing battery life. But Valve did not stop there—it continued to improve the device, and hundreds of updates later, the Steam Deck became a gaming powerhouse, with users clamoring for a second-generation model.
Nearly two years later, Valve heeded its fans’ call: it announced the arrival of the Steam Deck OLED, a refreshed and overhauled model that also promises to be the ultimate version of the original Steam Deck. But for those who already own the original, is it still worth the upgrade? Let’s take a look at all the updates and changes.
A larger, brighter OLED screen
From Steam Deck Official Website
As the name implies, this upgraded version features an incredible display, swapping out the original IPS screen with OLED panels. It’s an improved visual experience, with the deeper blacks and more vibrant colors helping the games pop on the screen. The bump from a 60Hz refresh rate to 90Hz also leads to smoother gameplay.
Better battery life
From Steam Deck Official Website
With the switch to OLED, Steam Deck’s screen became thinner, which meant Valve could fit a thicker heatsink, larger fan, and a higher capacity battery pack into the handheld. Thus, this overhauled version has a 50wh (watt-hour) battery versus the original’s 40wh, claiming three to 12 hours of battery life compared to the original’s two to eight-hour gameplay.
A more efficient chip
From Steam Deck Official Website
While the Steam Deck uses the same custom AMD processor and RDNA 2 GPU as before, AMD shrunk down their chip from 7nm to a 6nm process, resulting in minor performance bumps that are very much welcome, such as the GPU clock speed remaining at 1.6 GHz instead of fluctuating between 1.0 and 1.6 GHz. It also gained 6400 MT/s (mega transfers) memory compared to the original’s 5500 MT/s, which enables it to reach around 102.4 GB/s of peak bandwidth, while the original could only achieve around 88 GB/s. All of this makes for a more power-efficient handheld, with slightly higher frame rates and fewer frame time spikes when playing.
Quiet gaming
From Steam Deck Official Website
With the enhancements, the OLED version is said to have less fan noise, with online reviews saying the new system is "much quieter” and the handheld “runs cooler” and does not get “uncomfortably hot.” Valve also redesigned thermals to improve the heat spread across the device.
Is it worth the upgrade?
From Steam Deck Official Website
Apart from the noticeable improvements, Valve has also made minor adjustments to improve the user’s overall experience, from a WiFi 6E upgrade for faster downloads, a 29-gram weight difference, a dedicated Bluetooth antenna, a more responsive touchscreen and touchpad, and clickier buttons and better thumbsticks. All of these make the OLED a better handheld than the original, and if you’re thinking of getting one for the first time, this is the version you should choose.
As for upgrading from the older model, we think it’s still worth it if the budget permits. After all, the OLED version is a bit more expensive, with just the 256GB and 1TB models available, compared to the original’s 64GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB variations. But there’s no shame in hanging on to your Steam Deck for a few more years. After all, it’s a glorious handheld that continues to be a game-changer, and when paired with a fiber-fast Internet connection, your gaming experience will be unstoppable.