Valve has unveiled a fresh iteration of its highly-acclaimed handheld console, swapping out its all-black design for a sleek white and grey model that features a stunning OLED display. Despite sharing the same underlying hardware, the perceptible distinction between the machines is striking, primarily due to the stark contrast between the vibrant colored casing and the dark screen.
While this may not be the most prominent white portable device, it still holds significance. While the Asus ROG Ally is available in a standard white version, along with other devices, Valve’s tendency to stick to its Model T Ford color palette for the Steam Deck is refreshing, if not altogether unexpected. While our previous review praised the Steam Deck’s OLED display and SteamOS over Windows, this handheld gaming PC remains the top choice due to its exceptional display and intuitive operating system, despite other devices boasting more processing power.
The highly anticipated White Steam Deck OLED model has an official release date: March 9, 2023.
When it’s expected to roll out globally in phases.
White Steam Deck OLED value
, priced at $30 more than its standard black counterpart with the same specifications. The white mannequin also includes a comprehensive set of accessories within its package, featuring an identical white carrying case and a white cleaning cloth that matches perfectly.
White Steam Deck OLED specs
| White Steam Deck OLED | |
| AMD Ryzen 7 4800U (4 cores / 8 threads) | |
| AMD RDNA 2 (8 CUs) | |
| 16GB LPDDR5 (6,400MT/s) | |
| 7.4-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1,280 by 800 pixels and a high refresh rate of 90Hz, supporting High Dynamic Range (HDR). | |
| 50WHr | |
| 1TB NVMe SSD | |
| 640g | |
| 298 x 117 x 49mm |
Warning signs exist for the limited-edition white Steam Deck OLED, as Valve specifies it as a restricted version machine, with no indication of additional shipments following the initial release. Valve emphasizes that this will be a limited edition: “Once we’re gone, we’re gone.” The corporation is only allowing each customer to purchase one unit, reserved exclusively for individuals who have made at least one Steam purchase prior to November 2024.
Each region will receive a designated allocation of separate inventories, rather than drawing from a single collective pool, resulting in the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, and Australia each receiving a distinct batch of the latest white Steam Decks.
When it comes to efficiency, the white Steam Deck’s OLED specifications are identical to those of the 1TB black model. The package comes with a generous 1TB NVMe SSD, providing ample storage capacity for your gaming needs, accompanied by a highly-regarded 7.4-inch OLED display boasting a crisp resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels.
The top-of-the-line model features a quad-core AMD Ryzen Zen 2 CPU and an AMD Radeon RDNA 2 GPU with eight compute units, identical to the bottom Steam Deck variant. The OLED models feature more RAM than their base counterparts, boasting 16GB of 6,400MT/s LPDDR5 memory that enhances performance by allowing it to be utilized as virtual RAM by the graphics processing unit (GPU).
Valve has ventured into uncharted territory before, releasing a smoky translucent Steam Deck OLED earlier, which served as an experiment to gauge interest in alternative colour schemes – and there was considerable curiosity. The new white Steam Deck OLED model can be seen as another experiment of sorts, with Valve expressing a desire to see how consumers react, noting that it will leverage this feedback to inform future decisions on potential new colour variants down the line?
If the initial white Steam Deck OLED variant sells out quickly, Valve may consider producing the Steam Deck 2 in both black and white options, potentially featuring distinct colour schemes.
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Looking for a power boost beyond the Steam Deck? Check out our comprehensive assessments of the Asus ROG Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go – top-of-the-line Windows handhelds that deliver unparalleled performance. Since you already own a Steam Deck, consider learning more about our top picks for expanding its storage by exploring the best microSD cards on our page?
