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

Though Valve is still performing on satisfying Steam Deck orders for individuals who reserved one particular final calendar year, it’s not much too early to start out contemplating about a likely Steam Deck 2.

Right after all, Valve itself has verified that new Steam Decks are coming, referring to the handheld gaming Pc as a “multi-generational solution line” with “improvements and iterations to components and software program.” And whilst I’m personally a content Steam Deck user, I can think about a lot of methods in which Valve may well make improvements to the hardware in future variations.

So let us indulge in a bit of wishful pondering. Primarily based on my expertise with the Steam Deck so significantly, here’s what I’d like to see in upcoming-era Steam Deck hardware:

The standard stuff

Jared Newman / Foundry

Let us get the clear improvements out of the way initially: A future-technology Steam Deck really should be faster, far more battery productive, and perhaps a bit scaled-down and lighter.

This may perhaps seem to be like no compact feat supplied what Valve has realized with its present hardware—it’s a transportable gaming Personal computer that flawlessly operates Elden Ring, soon after all—but keep in head that the Deck’s tailor made AMD APU is primarily based on Zen 2 architecture dating back again to 2020. A bounce to Zen 3+ (or even Zen 4) seams feasible and would give long run Steam Decks room to strengthen both equally overall performance and battery daily life.

Enhanced thumbstick ergonomics

Jared Newman / Foundry

When I’m keeping the Steam Deck, my thumbs normally want to relaxation a bit outdoors the room where by the actual thumbsticks reside, closer to my palms. While match controller consolation can change from one man or woman to the subsequent, I suspect anybody who’s accustomed to holding an Xbox controller will truly feel the very same way.

The problem for Valve will be to improve its thumbstick positioning without the need of removing its trackpads, which can be beneficial for mouse-controlled online games and desktop manner. But if Valve is refreshing its components style and design around a new processor, it could have a opportunity to make improvements to the ergonomics as properly.

Greater display screen(s)

The recent Steam Deck’s exhibit is the one point that definitely screams “first-generation product or service.” Even though it is unquestionably bright plenty of, and the resolution of 1280×800 seems sufficiently sharp on a 7-inch display, the monitor is marred by quite a few patches of light bleed all over the edges, and distinction degrees could be better.

A greater-high-quality LED screen—or greater nonetheless, an possibility for OLED—should be significant on Valve’s precedence record for upcoming Steam Decks. Although we’re at it, let’s see Valve involve a scratch-evidence coating on all types, not just the priciest one.

Less complicated battery fix

Jared Newman / Foundry

Valve has finished an admirable position supporting Steam Deck repairs, partnering with iFixit to supply replacement components and do-it-yourself restore 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 difficult to remove thanks to the volume of adhesive keeping it down. The Steam Deck 2 ought to have a battery alternative course of action that doesn’t call for a warmth gun.

Far more coloration solutions

Poke about the Steam Deck subreddit, and you’ll discover some gorgeous examples of persons customizing their handhelds with aftermarket adhere-on skins—along with some grievances about the annoyances of making use of claimed skins.

Valve can be forgiven for offing only boring black plastic in the Steam Deck’s to start with iteration, in which hardware source was constrained adequate as-is. But for foreseeable future versions, let’s see Valve branch out into much more color alternatives that give the Steam Deck some added character without the cautious software of stickers.

Jared Newman / Foundry

This one’s in all probability a access, but possessing a second MicroSD card slot would appear in handy for folks that want to twin-boot a 2nd operating procedure these kinds of as Home windows on the Steam Deck. That way, you could use one particular card slot for your further working procedure and nevertheless have a slot to spare for extra game storage. (And even if you’re not twin booting, obtaining two storage slots would be a straightforward way to expand your sport library about time.)

A Swap-like form component

Whilst Valve is functioning on a docking station for the Steam Deck—and you can previously buy third-social gathering docks on Amazon—the firm should really just go all-in on copying the Nintendo Switch with detachable gamepads as nicely.

The fantastic point about the Switch’s Pleasure-Drawbacks is that they make local multiplayer easy, eradicating the require to store for additional controllers. With Steam’s extensive selection of sofa co-op online games, a Switch-like Steam Deck could quickly become the most effective get together console all-around.

A straight-up video game console

Most likely the next Steam Deck should not be a Steam Deck at all, but rather a devoted property video game method primarily based on Steam OS, 1 that can operate the newest Computer video games without having the limitations of moveable components.

Sure, Valve has presently experimented with to invade the residence console sector at the time with Steam Machines, and it was a colossal failure, but items have modified considering the fact that then. Valve’s Proton compatibility layer has vastly amplified the variety of game titles that can run on SteamOS, and the organization now has far more hardware abilities to implement towards developing its possess console, alternatively than farming the position out to generally disinterested Computer system makers.

At its main, the attract of the Steam Deck is about being able to lengthen your full Computer system sport library to more destinations. Now that Valve has constructed a practical portable, bringing SteamOS’s existence into the dwelling area would be a purely natural following move.