Head-to-head · Best Handheld Gaming PCs

Steam Deck OLED vs Valve Steam Deck OLED

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Steam Deck OLED comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.5 vs 4.4). The gap is mostly about Visual quality enthusiasts — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Handheld Gaming PCs

Steam Deck OLED

4.5

$1,074.87as of Jul 6

The Steam Deck OLED represents a significant visual upgrade over its predecessor, with reviewers praising the OLED screen's color accuracy, HDR support, and 90Hz refresh rate. Birchtree noted the display's superiority over the original LCD model, calling it 'spectacular' and 'eye-searingly delightful.' The device also features improved Wi-Fi 6E, slightly better battery life, and quieter fans. However, some reviewers noted that the fan noise remains audible in quiet settings, and the battery improvement is modest. This model appeals to users seeking enhanced visual quality and performance over the original Steam Deck, though those prioritizing battery life or silent operation may find it lacking.

Strengths

— OLED screen delivers exceptional color reproduction and HDR support with 1,000 nits max brightness
— 90Hz refresh rate improves game smoothness and reduces input latency
— Quieter fans compared to the original Steam Deck model

Watch-outs

— Fan noise still audible in quiet environments, though improved from original
— Battery life improvement is marginal and not as good as Nintendo Switch

$1,074.87 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #2 in Best Handheld Gaming PCs

Valve Steam Deck OLED

4.4

$924.98as of Jul 6

The Valve Steam Deck OLED represents a significant visual upgrade over its predecessor, with an OLED display that delivers vibrant HDR images and 1,000 nits peak brightness. Reviewers noted that the OLED screen alone makes the device feel notably better, with excellent color reproduction and 90Hz refresh rate. The device also features improved battery life, quieter fans, and Wi-Fi 6E support. While the AMD APU hardware shows its age with some newer games, the Steam Deck remains capable of delivering immersive gaming experiences with titles like Diablo 4 and God of War Ragnarök. This is a solid upgrade for users seeking better display quality and performance improvements.

Strengths

— OLED display delivers vibrant HDR image with 1,000 nits peak brightness and 110% P3 color gamut
— Improved battery life with 50Whr battery and 6nm AMD APU for better efficiency
— Quieter fans compared to original Steam Deck model

Watch-outs

— AMD APU hardware shows age with some recent big-budget games
— Still uses sub-1080p resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels which may seem like a downgrade

$924.98 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Steam Deck OLED

The Steam Deck OLED excels in display quality over the Valve Steam Deck OLED with its vibrant HDR and 1,000 nits peak brightness, though the latter offers better battery life and a more refined overall experience. Compared to the MSI Claw 8, it lacks the larger 8-inch screen and superior battery capacity, but provides a more polished SteamOS experience.

Valve Steam Deck OLED

The Valve Steam Deck OLED improves upon the original Steam Deck OLED with better battery life and quieter fans, but lags behind the MSI Claw 8 in terms of hardware performance and battery capacity. It also doesn't match the Lenovo Legion Go S's Z1 Extreme chipset or the ASUS ROG Ally X's Xbox UI integration.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Steam Deck OLED	Valve Steam Deck OLED
Processor	Revised AMD 'Van Gogh' 6nm	Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz
Display	7.4" OLED	7.4" OLED, 1280 x 800
Memory	16GB LPDDR5 6400MT/s	16 GB LPDDR5
Storage	512GB and 1TB options	1TB NVMe SSD
Graphics	8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.6GHz	8 RDNA 2 CUs, 1.6GHz
Refresh Rate	90Hz	Up to 90Hz
Battery	50Whr battery	50Whr battery

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