Steam Deck OLED | Review Thread

[John Elden Ring]

Critic Reviews:​

Engadget - Recommended

After testing and reviewing every console mentioned below, some more than once, we tried to categorize the 10 best gaming consoles for specific needs. You’ll find all of the big players represented and two best "high-end consoles," each for different reasons. We hope by the end of this guide, you’ll be much closer to deciding on the console with the perfect specs and functionality for you.

Polygon - Recommended

I suppose that’s the question, really. If you already have a Steam Deck, is the OLED technically an incremental improvement? Yes. But you might find that the screen and the battery justify the double dip. For someone like me, who puts hundreds of hours into the Steam Deck each year, the upgrade is inescapable.

The Verge - 8.0/10.0

It fixes my biggest complaints about Valve’s original handheld gaming PC and then some, without any new catch. Starting at $549 for 512GB of storage, it only costs $20 more than last year’s model with half that capacity — or you can pay the same $649 as last year’s 512GB to get 1TB now

Gizmodo - 4.0/5.0

While I am quite fond of the Steam Deck OLED, part of me still yearns for a more streamlined or mini version of the handheld. It’s great that it’s lighter, but for those who found the original model bulky and heavy. You’ll have the same complaints.

PCGamer - 89/100

The Steam Deck OLED refines an already fantastic handheld gaming PC. While it may not push the performance higher, the OLED screen, improved battery, and larger storage make it the most valuable device available.

Eurogamer - Recommended

Across its lifespan, Steam Deck has outstripped expectations - and with Steam Deck OLED, Valve is set to do it again. This is an exceptional piece of kit

IGN - 9.0/10.0

The Steam Deck OLED brings a fantastic, vibrant screen to Valve's handheld gaming PC, but its most impressive upgrade is the much-improved battery life. Combined with all its other small but altogether significant improvements, not to mention more storage at the same price, and it's enough to tempt even current Steam Deck owners into upgrading.

Wired - Recommended

As a current Deck owner, I'm on the fence about whether it's a recommendation-worthy upgrade to other owners. After all, if you have your Deck set up the way you like it, and the screen doesn't irk you, and you're fine with the battery life, why upturn the apple cart? The core experience, for better or worse, is incredibly similar between the Steam Deck OLED and the original flavor. But if you're new to gaming handhelds and want to try one, the Steam Deck is my number one pick for its unbeatable mix of software support and efficiency. It just so happens that the little changes make the Steam Deck OLED a better machine for those new to this exciting hardware category.

Tom's Hardware - 4.0/5.0

In many ways, the Steam Deck is catching up to the Asus ROG Ally, which has a brighter screen and lighter weight. If you want Windows 11 preinstalled, that may be the way to go, though you'll want to keep the charger with you. And the ROG Ally, at $699, is still more expensive than the 1TB Steam Deck, with less storage but a higher-resolution display. (The Ally, however, has gone on sale recently for less, so we'll see if that's something that eventually sticks.)

USAToday - Recommended

The first generation of Steam Decks felt more like a hodgepodge of off-the-shelf parts that Valve cobbled together to hit a super low price point. The Steam Deck OLED, on the other hand, finally feels like a PC gaming handheld that was built from the ground up.

Comparassion and Bechmarks:


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