Steam Deck 2 wishlist: What we want from Valve's next-gen handheld

Even though Valve is even now doing work on fulfilling Steam Deck orders for people who reserved a person very last year, it’s not also early to get started thinking about a prospective Steam Deck 2.

Immediately after all, Valve itself has verified that new Steam Decks are coming, referring to the handheld gaming Personal computer as a “multi-generational product or service line” with “improvements and iterations to components and software.” And whilst I’m individually a happy Steam Deck person, I can imagine loads of ways in which Valve may well enhance the hardware in potential variations.

So let us indulge in a bit of wishful wondering. Centered on my encounter with the Steam Deck so considerably, here’s what I’d appreciate to see in future-generation Steam Deck components:

The standard things

Jared Newman / Foundry

Let’s get the obvious enhancements out of the way first: A upcoming-era Steam Deck should really be speedier, more battery effective, and maybe a little bit smaller sized and lighter.

This may seem like no little feat supplied what Valve has reached with its present hardware—it’s a moveable gaming Pc that flawlessly operates Elden Ring, right after all—but maintain in intellect that the Deck’s tailor made AMD APU is based mostly on Zen 2 architecture dating back to 2020. A leap to Zen 3+ (or even Zen 4) seams possible and would give long run Steam Decks place to improve each effectiveness and battery existence.

Enhanced thumbstick ergonomics

Jared Newman / Foundry

When I’m holding the Steam Deck, my thumbs always want to rest a bit outside the house the space the place the real thumbsticks reside, nearer to my fingers. Even though match controller comfort and ease can differ from one particular person to the next, I suspect everyone who’s accustomed to keeping an Xbox controller will come to feel the similar way.

The obstacle for Valve will be to enhance its thumbstick positioning without having doing away with its trackpads, which can be beneficial for mouse-controlled online games and desktop method. But if Valve is refreshing its components structure close to a new processor, it might have a chance to strengthen the ergonomics as properly.

Much better monitor(s)

The current Steam Deck’s display is the 1 detail that really screams “first-technology merchandise.” When it is undoubtedly shiny sufficient, and the resolution of 1280×800 appears adequately sharp on a 7-inch show, the display screen is marred by several patches of light-weight bleed close to the edges, and contrast amounts could be better.

A better-high quality LED screen—or much better however, an possibility for OLED—should be significant on Valve’s priority checklist for foreseeable future Steam Decks. Even though we’re at it, let’s see Valve include a scratch-proof coating on all designs, not just the priciest one.

Much easier battery repair

Jared Newman / Foundry

Valve has performed an admirable career supporting Steam Deck repairs, partnering with iFixit to offer you alternative sections and do-it-by yourself maintenance guides.

So it is a letdown that the Steam Deck’s battery—arguably the primary issue you are going to want to swap out in the future—is hard to take out owing to the quantity of adhesive keeping it down. The Steam Deck 2 must have a battery substitution course of action that doesn’t demand a heat gun.

Extra color options

Poke all-around the Steam Deck subreddit, and you will uncover some wonderful examples of individuals customizing their handhelds with aftermarket adhere-on skins—along with some problems about the annoyances of applying explained skins.

Valve can be forgiven for offing only monotonous black plastic in the Steam Deck’s to start with iteration, in which components provide was constrained sufficient as-is. But for future designs, let us see Valve branch out into much more shade choices that give the Steam Deck some more character devoid of the careful application of stickers.

Jared Newman / Foundry

This one’s likely a arrive at, but owning a 2nd MicroSD card slot would arrive in handy for people that want to twin-boot a next working process such as Windows on the Steam Deck. That way, you could use one particular card slot for your added functioning system and still have a slot to spare for excess match storage. (And even if you are not dual booting, getting two storage slots would be a simple way to expand your sport library above time.)

A Change-like form variable

Whilst Valve is operating on a docking station for the Steam Deck—and you can now invest in 3rd-celebration docks on Amazon—the firm should just go all-in on copying the Nintendo Change with removable gamepads as well.

The fantastic detail about the Switch’s Joy-Drawbacks is that they make regional multiplayer easy, getting rid of the need to shop for extra controllers. With Steam’s wide collection of couch co-op online games, a Switch-like Steam Deck could quickly become the ideal get together console about.

A straight-up activity console

Most likely the up coming Steam Deck shouldn’t be a Steam Deck at all, but relatively a dedicated house sport program centered on Steam OS, one that can run the hottest Computer games without having the constraints of transportable components.

Certainly, Valve has currently tried using to invade the residence console market as soon as with Steam Equipment, and it was a colossal failure, but points have modified due to the fact then. Valve’s Proton compatibility layer has vastly enhanced the range of video games that can run on SteamOS, and the enterprise now has a lot more hardware experience to implement toward building its possess console, rather than farming the work out to generally disinterested Personal computer makers.

At its main, the allure of the Steam Deck is about becoming in a position to extend your whole Laptop video game library to more areas. Now that Valve has created a practical transportable, bringing SteamOS’s existence into the living home would be a natural next step.