Here’s the first proof a refreshed Steam Deck is nigh
www.theverge.com
Valve put a new Steam Deck through the FCC in August.
  • CaptDust@sh.itjust.works
    69·
    1 year ago

    Gonna laugh hard if valve is just sourcing wireless chips from a different vendor and tracking under a new sku

    • Deconceptualist@lemm.eeEnglish
      32·
      1 year ago

      That’s basically all this is, same as they did for other components like fans and SSDs already.

      The new wifi chip might be faster or support more recent standards, but that’s hardly worth even calling it a product refresh.

      I’m disappointed the Verge published these claims of “OMG this is a stealth upgrade!!1” with literally no other evidence.

      • Big P@feddit.ukEnglish
        25·
        1 year ago

        Evidence for: new WiFi chip
        Evidence against: valve literally said they weren’t going to do it

        Conclusion: steam deck 2!!!1!!

        • M500@lemmy.mlEnglish
          1·
          1 year ago

          I do not believe that Valve would say they were not going to do it then do it.

          I just bought a SteamDeck as they said they were not going to release any upgrades. I do not care if it is just minor stuff, but if they release SteamDeck2 with a new CPU, I would be a little frustrated with Valve.

    • Fubarberry@sopuli.xyzOPMEnglish
      22·
      1 year ago

      We know Valve has two upcoming devices using the Steam Deck APU with different internal code names, so probably a revised deck and a VR device.

    • Fubarberry@sopuli.xyzOPMEnglish
      51·
      1 year ago

      Valve has two different products coming up, I think we’re getting both a Deck refresh and a new VR headset. Possibly announced together.

      • Lenny@lemmy.zipEnglish
        4·
        1 year ago

        I hope so. I was looking to get an Index but then saw rumors online about a possible new version, so I figured I’d wait a little longer for the new tech. That was two years ago 💀

  • ultrasquid@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    111·
    1 year ago

    If its slightly smaller and has an OLED screen, then it’ll be great. Those are really the only things the current Steam Deck needs.

  • spiderkle@lemmy.ca
    102·
    1 year ago

    Valve just recently announced they weren’t planning a refresh “any time soon” but that doesn’t mean they are ignorant about Nintendo apparently trying to close the gap with a new switch, that’s supposed to be at least as powerful a PS5/XBS. Competition is good for the consumer.

    • BolexForSoup@kbin.social
      37·
      1 year ago

      that’s supposed to be at least as powerful a PS5/XBS.

      I think anyone who truly believes that is huffing paint lol

      • Alto@kbin.social
        2·
        1 year ago

        Didn’t it tuen out that it was literally just the same architecture? Doesn’t really mean shit

        • BolexForSoup@kbin.social
          4·
          1 year ago

          Honestly the biggest barrier is nintendo’s policy of making profit on hardware. Microsoft loses $100-$200 per console and the XSX still costs $500. Is nintendo really ready to charge $600 or even $700 for a console that matches what was released 3 years ago? 4 probably by launch?

          • Alto@kbin.social
            1·
            1 year ago

            It’s not going to be, it’s (from what I’ve seen) simply the same architecture. It’ll probably be what’s essentially a very cut down and underpowered (as in literally uses less power) version of it. Still a massive step up from the switch, which was already well outdated when it launched, but it’s not going to touch PS5 performance

    • Fubarberry@sopuli.xyzOPMEnglish
      2·
      1 year ago

      They said they’re not releasing a more powerful deck, and we already know from leaks that the upcoming valve hardware has the same APU.

      This doesn’t rule out other changes, like a new screen, different form factor, etc.

    • MDKAOD@lemmy.ml
      7·
      1 year ago

      It’s been almost 2 years.

      *edit: I don’t mean to say the deck needs a refresh. Just stating that its been 18 months. Phones get refreshed every year but most people cycle every 2.

        • Phanatik@kbin.social
          1·
          1 year ago

          Not sure what they’re counting as the release date. For some people, it was a good 6 months after the first set of Decks were sent before they saw their own. By December, Valve had gotten through so many orders, they had surplus.

          • MDKAOD@lemmy.ml
            1·
            1 year ago

            The release date is the release date, the hardware was set and orders were being shipped. It doesn’t matter when people got hands on the device, that doesn’t change or shift the date the product was finished and officially for sale. It’s been 18 months since the deck released.

    • euphoric_cat@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      3·
      1 year ago

      because it is, a new model they said wouldn’t come out until 2025 or later. these bullshit articles just take the most vague information and try sensationalise it as much as possible

    • Fubarberry@sopuli.xyzOPMEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Yeah, I haven’t had an issue with this but it sounds scary. The case I use (Spiggan) does have a part of the case that sticks above the bumpers, so I’m hoping that will protect me if I drop it.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    7·
    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    The mystery “Valve 1030” that went through South Korea’s National Radio Research Agency has now been definitively identified as a Steam Deck, and it’s our first proof the hardware’s potentially close enough to release to justify showing it to regulators.

    Quectel filed for a Class II Permission Change to simply allow its certified Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth chip, the FC66E, to retroactively work in a new Steam Deck, too.

    It’s a clever technique — as you can see in the document above, Valve’s supplier is able to argue that the new Steam Deck has a weaker antenna, so its radio emissions don’t need to be retested.

    Valve can hide whatever new features it likes behind the Wi-Fi chip certification because these agencies only tend to regulate radio emissions, not other specs.

    I have to admit it could simply be an existing Steam Deck with a refreshed radio chip if its previous supplier, Realtek, ran out.

    Lynch continues to find code snippets that suggest a wireless PC VR headset is also on the way — I wouldn’t be surprised if Valve announces both items simultaneously.

    The original article contains 355 words, the summary contains 184 words. Saved 48%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

      • woelkchen@lemmy.world
        3·
        1 year ago

        Is USB4 able to use an external GPU?

        Yes but it would be BS to use one with a power-contrained CPU like the Deck’s.

        • vividspecter@lemm.ee
          1·
          1 year ago

          Yes but it would be BS to use one with a power-contrained CPU like the Deck’s.

          You could bump up the resolution and graphical settings at least, even if you’re constrained in framerate and in CPU limited games. Although I believe the eGPU support on Linux isn’t great at this point either.

      • krolden@lemmy.ml
        21·
        1 year ago

        yes, USB4 has thunderbolt in the spec. The cpu on the deck is just fine for games but the gpu with shared memory is really it’s biggest bottleneck.