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00:00I have to be honest, I never really loved the original Steam Deck.
00:04Controversial, I know, but the somewhat dull display and the pretty rubbish battery life
00:09meant I didn't really enjoy gaming on it all that much.
00:12I know it was the first one out the gate and it spawned these guys, but I'm here to talk
00:17about this.
00:18The new Steam Deck OLED.
00:19I've been using it for the best part of a month now and it is so much better.
00:24I absolutely love this.
00:26To the point where, despite the Orogy Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go here offering better
00:30performance and new bells and whistles, and yes, even a kickstand, which I am very jealous
00:35of, I think this still may be the best one to go for.
00:39So think of this as the Steam Deck 1.5.
00:42Valve have tweaked or upgraded almost every part and while we still get basically the
00:46same chunky plastic design, this new one fixes most of my issues I had with the original.
00:52This new OLED screen is absolutely gorgeous.
00:54I mean, it's OLED for a start rather than LCD so you get those nice deep inky blacks
00:59as the cliche goes, it's brighter, it supports HDR and they've bumped the refresh rate from
01:0460 to 90Hz which makes everything feel a whole lot smoother.
01:07Well, assuming the game you're playing does actually hit 90fps, which is easier said than
01:12done.
01:13Battery life is just ridiculously better, like up to 50% better thanks to the bigger
01:1850Wh battery and a more power efficient display and 6nm processor.
01:23And while on paper performance should be roughly the same as before, it's using the same chip
01:27even if it's a slightly more efficient version of it and it does not compete with the much
01:31faster Z1 Extreme from AMD that we get in the ROG Ally and Legion Go, sadly these are
01:36more powerful and we'll talk more about that in a minute, actually the frame rates on this
01:40are actually far more stable than before, meaning fewer frame drops and just a much
01:44smoother overall experience.
01:46Plus it's cooler, it's quieter, it's about 5% lighter, they've redesigned the thumbsticks
01:51which make them more comfortable and what else have we got, Wi-Fi 6E is quite a nice
01:55jump from Wi-Fi 5 that we had on the old one.
01:58There is also a new Bluetooth antenna which supports multiple controllers so you can play
02:02split screen on here and it also now means you can use your Bluetooth earphones or headphones
02:06as a microphone for chatting in-game, which bizarrely you can't on that.
02:11And most importantly, the power button is now orange.
02:14So it's a genuine end-to-end refinement and just makes this feel a bit, well, prototype-y
02:20in comparison.
02:21This is what it should have been the whole time, I understand that it just wasn't possible
02:24to get a good 90Hz OLED screen back when this launched a few years ago, but it just feels
02:29like this has unlocked the potential the Steam Deck always had.
02:34Now you have a couple of options, there's a 512GB or 1TB OLED option and also the updated
02:39LCD version which now gets a 256GB SSD which is a massive upgrade from the base 64GB eMMC
02:46that we used to have and that's kept the same price as before.
02:49So storage on the new OLEDs has doubled versus last year with only a £20-ish bump on the
02:54mid-spec and the same price at the top spec, which now gets a much more usable 1TB.
02:59And to be honest, I think that's pretty good value, but still, for me, I would go with
03:03the 1TB as it's only about £90 more for double the storage, plus you get this anti-glare
03:08etched glass and you also get this carry case which inside has a much more compact liner
03:13that you can pull out which makes this whole thing a lot less cumbersome to carry around.
03:17Whichever model you go for though, you can expand the storage via microSD but that will
03:22be slower than the internal storage and also still cost you a few quid, so probably best
03:26just to go for the 1TB.
03:27So like the older Steam Deck, this is a handheld gaming PC to basically just play your Steam
03:33library.
03:34And given the gaming performance is solid, if not perhaps amazing, it's better suited
03:38for indie games, especially if you want to hit that 90Hz, or AAA titles if you're happy
03:43to hit 30-40fps, or maybe some console emulation of your old favourites.
03:47Now the fact that this runs SteamOS is both the best thing and possibly the worst thing
03:52about it.
03:53It's based on Linux and SteamOS is incredibly slick and easy to use, but it does only give
03:58you access to your Steam library.
04:00Although if you're happy to get your hands dirty, you can access and install other game
04:04libraries via the Linux desktop via the power menu, but it's a bit clunky and not nearly
04:08as easy as accessing other game stores on these guys, which run Windows 11.
04:14On the other hand, SteamOS easily beats Windows with an app overlay for ease of use and bugs.
04:20This thing is responsive, everything is easy to find, and you do still have a few options
04:23to tweak performance, scaling and framerate locks.
04:26But if you just want an easy life to play your Steam library, then this definitely makes
04:29sense.
04:30Although, not all games play nicely with the deck's controls by default, so there's a
04:33handy deck verified, playable and unsupported labels to tell you how well each game works.
04:39Verified or playable games remap controls to the deck's layout automatically and it
04:43gives you a nice overview of the controls as you launch each game.
04:46But then games that have been untested are listed as unknown, although you can then build
04:50a custom layout yourself.
04:52But let's talk about this gorgeous OLED display.
04:55As I say, I've got the 1TB here so it's got that etched glass so it does cut down on reflections
05:00a little bit.
05:01It's pretty similar to the original Steam Deck.
05:04Compared with the LCD on the regular deck, the colours, the blacks, the extra clarity,
05:09especially off-angle, the viewing angles are much improved.
05:11The screen is a massive upgrade, but you do kind of need to see it with your own eyes.
05:15I feel like the difference just doesn't come across that well on camera.
05:19It's also brighter, going from 400 to 600 nits in SDR and also now with a 1000 nit option
05:24for HDR.
05:25Although, of course, the brighter you go, the faster it will drain your battery.
05:28And also, for any game that can max out that 90Hz refresh rate, or at least get anything
05:32over 60fps, that extra smoothness on top of the OLED image quality bump is a night and
05:37day difference.
05:38And the response times are also 10ms faster on this OLED display compared to the previous
05:43LCD and also the reduced system input lag makes everything just feel a lot snappier.
05:48So OLED is obviously very nice, but it doesn't have a 120 or 144Hz refresh rate like we do
05:53with these guys.
05:54Also, these support VRR, or Variable Refresh Rates, which can help smooth out your framerate
05:58So while this is more stable and will come to performance in a second, it would have
06:01been nice to have a VRR screen.
06:03So in some ways, these are better gaming displays, even if they're not OLED, but then they also
06:08have that beefier Z1 Extreme processor to really take advantage of that higher refresh.
06:12And on the Steam Deck, you can make everything feel more consistent by locking the framerate
06:16to 30 or 60.
06:17Also, the new HDR mode, especially in games like Spider-Man Remastered, is where this
06:21new panel looks its absolute best.
06:24The problem is, though, HDR is limited to HDR-enabled games, which is disappointing
06:29as there aren't a ton of these on PC.
06:31In terms of design, this hasn't really changed much compared to this guy.
06:34Yes, we have the orange power button and slightly refined joypad thumbstick things, but on the
06:39outside it's largely the same.
06:41And in terms of size, it's pretty much a halfway house between the ROG Ally and the Lenovo
06:48Legion Go.
06:49This is a big boy.
06:51Although I would say, in terms of what feels most premium, I think I have to give it to
06:56the Ally.
06:57It's got that sort of compact size, it's got the nice RGB lighting, it just feels a bit
07:01nicer to hold.
07:02And of course, the Lenovo is a bit of a monster, actually.
07:05We've got the biggest screen, and you can also detach the controllers on the Legion
07:09Go, which gives you a bit more, well, versatility if you want a game like this.
07:13So between the three, I think the ROG Ally is probably my favorite in terms of design
07:16and feel, but the Steam Deck is close behind.
07:19And while it is a bit sort of plasticky and engineering, prototype-y feeling, it is very
07:24comfortable to hold in your hand, and I do appreciate how much cooler and quieter it
07:28is now compared to the old one.
07:30The new Steam Deck is also 27 grams lighter, which is just about noticeable, and while
07:35the thumbsticks have had a bit of a redesign to be a little bit chunkier and grippier,
07:38the touchpads and the buttons are all the same as the old deck.
07:41My B button did stick sometimes, and I would like a bit more haptic feedback.
07:46They're also using new Torx screws, which makes it much simpler for opening this up
07:49for modding or repairing.
07:51And you can even replace the M.2 drive if you want more or faster storage, instead of
07:55bunging in a microSD.
07:58Let's see what this can do, and how much faster it is, if at all, than the old one.
08:02My main takeaway is that performance is a lot more consistent, with fewer frame drops
08:06in more demanding games like Baldur's Gate 3 or Cyberpunk.
08:09But the big surprise for me was how this does give you a few extra FPS, and that's down
08:13to having 16% more memory bandwidth, and also the more efficient 6nm processor, which
08:19uses less power, so it can maintain higher GPU clock speeds for longer, less throttling.
08:24In Baldur's Gate 3, I averaged a couple of FPS higher at native 800p, but it was the
08:28lack of stutter and frame drops that was the most obvious, although considering the Origi
08:32Ally with the Z1 Extreme chip can hit similar FPS at 1080p, shows just how much more power
08:38that thing has to offer.
08:40The new Steam Deck OLED also averaged a 12% higher frame rate in Spider-Man Remastered,
08:44and as with Baldur's Gate 3, FSR2 upscaling is great to keep things feeling smooth.
08:49In Cyberpunk, I only got one extra FPS, although I'll take it, but again less stutter means
08:54it doesn't feel like it's struggling so much.
08:56And this thing looks awesome, running what was a PC-breaking game just a couple of years
09:00ago.
09:01But one of the biggest differences was in Street Fighter, where the Steam Deck OLED
09:05managed a consistent 60FPS, while the older model only averaged 53.
09:10This is the kind of game where the Deck OLED shines.
09:12And also, going from 60 to 90Hz means you get an automatic 50% boost in performance,
09:17and in F1-22, the high refresh meant I averaged 86FPS rather than being locked to 60.
09:22And again, it's just unlocking the potential the Steam Deck always had.
09:26Like in Rocket League, where the jump in playability is huge.
09:29I mean, sure the Ally and Legion get closer to 100FPS at the same settings, but if you
09:33are leaning towards the Deck, this is another reason to grab the OLED model.
09:37And as with the original, you can use this frame limit slider to limit your FPS to minimise
09:42stutter, and it will automatically double if you play below 30FPS.
09:46So it's a much smoother gaming experience, but the other big upgrade is with the battery.
09:50Somehow, despite being the same design overall, they've crammed in a 25% bigger battery
09:55and improved heatsink and cooling.
09:57Which is why this runs quieter and feels cooler as well.
10:00The screen draws half a watt less than the LCD, and in my tests, the CPU drew around
10:052-3 watts less than the old deck, depending on the game.
10:08All that means the OLED lasted between 25 and 50% longer.
10:12Case in point, it managed 3.5 hours of Wreckfest versus just 2 hours on the regular Deck.
10:1750% longer.
10:19And it lasted just over 25% longer in Rocket League, and that was running at 90FPS.
10:24So with 50% more frames.
10:26Now I am also going to do a full comparison video comparing these three handheld gaming
10:30PCs, because there are pros and cons for each of them.
10:34I think if you want the best, most powerful gaming experience, the most versatility, the
10:38highest frame rate, the best performance, probably the most future-proofing as well
10:41just in terms of the specs, these two possibly are a better option.
10:45The main issue I have with the Legion Go, as nice as it is, it's just too expensive.
10:49It's just come out, so actually ROG have discounted this and it's like a couple of hundred pounds
10:53cheaper than the Go.
10:55So without jumping too far ahead of my upcoming comparison video, my personal opinion is that
11:00it's between these two, and I don't think you can go wrong with either.
11:03But certainly for a simpler, less clunky, just easier experience, the Steam Deck OLED
11:09is probably the one to go for.
11:10So to wrap up, the Steam Deck OLED looks better, it runs better, it runs for longer, even at
11:15higher FPS, downloads are faster, it's cooler, it's quieter, it's lighter, it's a heck of
11:20a mid-life upgrade.
11:21And it just doesn't feel as compromised as the original.
11:24And it's enough that I actually want to pick it up and play every time I see it.
11:27It does have some tough competition, and for the most recent AAA games, if you want higher
11:31settings, you are going to have to get used to 30 FPS, and I would also very much like
11:35an auto-resume feature on this, as currently you have to do a full cold boot every time
11:40you open a new game.
11:41But what do you think?
11:42Are you tempted to buy one of these?
11:43Have you already bought one?
11:44And if so, let me know what your experience is below, or would you be tempted to buy one
11:47of these?
11:48Thank you so much for watching, guys.
11:49If you do enjoy this video, a like and subscribe would be fantastic, and I'll see you next
11:52time right here on The Tech Chap.
11:54Alright, let's play some Monkey Island.
12:01Monkey Island.
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