Steam Deck 2 Has a Missing Key Component That is a Critical Hit to Valve’s Aspirations for Creating a Flawless Switch 2 Rival

Debuted in 2022, Valve’s Steam Deck has been crucial to reviving the handheld gaming space. Within a year of release, more than one million units were shipped to customers, and that number has grown since then, as have the number of handheld competitors from Nintendo, Asus, Lenovo, and more.

Last year, Valve refreshed its Steam Deck with an OLED version that brought various upgrades to the system. However, fans have been wondering if the company is working on a Steam Deck 2. While Valve is committed to the successor of the original Steam Deck, it’s still missing a crucial component that is hampering its development.

Steam Deck 2 is Missing Performance Upgrades Unlike Switch 2

Even though the OLED model isn’t the Steam Deck 2, it packs some impressive improvements just beyond its upgraded display. The handheld has already introduced major upgrades that players demanded from Steam Deck 2, including bigger battery life, storage options, and better cooling. Not to mention, the console comes at the same price point as the original Steam Deck.

With all these improvements, players can’t help but wonder what Steam Deck 2 would look like. In a conversation with Dexerto, Valve’s Hardware Engineer Yazan Aldehayyat and Designer Jay Shaw opened up about the next handheld.

While acknowledging that Valve is indeed working on Steam Deck 2, Aldehyyat stated that it’s going to be long before it hits the shelves because the company still hasn’t found a substantial leap in hardware.

We need to have a generational jump in performance before we make it. We’re just waiting on that, is what it comes down to.

As for when this generation’s jump in the handheld’s performance might happen, it is anyone’s guess, but it should happen sooner rather than later. PC Hardware enthusiasts are currently waiting for AMD’s upcoming Z2 Extreme chipset, where performance will jump massively.

AMD has also stated that battery life will be a big focus for Z2 Extreme, which aligns perfectly with Valve’s ideology of Steam Deck 2. It wouldn’t be shocking if Valve and AMD collaborated on a variant of the Z2 Extreme for the Steam Deck 2.

However, if Valve doesn’t manage to find the performance upgrade it seeks for its next handheld, Nintendo might end up taking control of the market. Its upcoming Switch 2 is looking to be a massive upgrade and will make the best use of its first-party games with upgraded capabilities. Let’s hope Valve figures out the future of Steam Deck soon.

What Could Steam Deck 2 Look Like?

While Valve still hasn’t revealed anything related to Steam Deck 2’s hardware, it hasn’t stopped the rumor mill. Leaks suggest that the next handheld from Valve will be powered by the AMD Zen 5 Hawk Point process, using 16C GPU as its central component. This alleged configuration will pack quite a punch and support nearly all modern games.

AMD’s RDNA 4 architecture will be the powerhouse for the console. We could also see a massive resolution upgrade to 900, allowing you to run games at 1440x 900, supporting a 16:10 aspect ratio.

With such upgrades, Steam Deck 2 will undoubtedly see a jump in price. However, that would be justifiable for gamers who want to have a handy console capable of running all AAA titles on the go. It’s crucial to take these spec rumors with a pinch of salt, as Valve still has not officially stated anything.

With that, would you like to see any particular improvement with Steam Deck 2? Let us know in the comments below.