Valve has unveiled the Steam Deck handheld game console. This is the second attempt by the company to enter the gaming console market. In 2013-2015, Valve planned to release Steam Machines, but failed due to relationships with manufacturers and the use of the Linux distribution SteamOS as an operating system without support for most games developed for Windows.
The Steam Deck runs on SteamOS 3.0, but has the ability to run Windows games using Proton, a fork of Wine. The distro is now based on Arch Linux and uses KDE Plasma as a shell. Previous versions were based on Debian and had a GNOME interface. Installation of other operating systems is supported.
“The Steam Deck runs your games on a non-desktop operating system. This is a new version of SteamOS that’s designed with the Steam Deck in mind, optimized for handheld gaming devices, and includes a Proton compatibility layer that lets your games, most likely, no porting required, ”says the Steam Deck website.
The device has an AMD processor on the Zen 2 microarchitecture with a clock frequency of 2.4-3.5 GHz, 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, a 7-inch touch screen with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels.
The console will be available in three versions:
- With 64GB eMMC and $ 399 case.
- Includes 256GB SSD, case and “Exclusive Steam Community Profile Pack” for $ 529.
- With 512GB SSD, Exclusive Carrying Case, “Exclusive Steam Community Profile Kit”, Exclusive Virtual Keyboard Theme, “Premium Chemically Etched Anti-Reflective Glass” for $ 649
Shipping will begin in December 2021 in the US, Canada, EU and UK, and in 2022 in other regions. Now the console can be added to the wishlist. A docking station with USB and ports for connecting an external display will be available separately.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
