I also can’t help but wonder if the device could have had a larger screen if the bezels were thinner. While images look crisp, the large bezels surrounding the screen are something of an eyesore. I can't speak to how well the model with the anti-glare screen works outdoors. If you plan to play outside, you'll want to remain in a shaded spot. In real-world usage, though, it's bright enough so long as you're indoors. Numerically, the screen isn't all that bright. The latter figures fall short of the desired 100% or above target. It produces 68.5% of the sRGB color gamut and registers 48% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. In our Tom's Guide testing, we found that the display reached an average of 169.7 nits of brightness. Many modern games have a 16:9 aspect ratio, however, meaning that you’ll lose some real estate above and below the game screen. The 16:10 aspect ratio works well when navigating through the SteamOS interface. Games look phenomenal on the Steam Deck’s 7-inch 1280 x 720 LCD touchscreen. Large bezels take up precious real-estate.

It’s clear that Valve put a lot of thought into the user experience, even going so far as to place the USB-C port on the top so you can easily play while plugged in. Button spacing and weight distribution make the unit comfortable to use for extended periods. The Steam Deck’s design isn’t wildly different from other handhelds, but it looks great regardless.

The $649 unit’s carrying case has gray lining on the inside, and also comes with a cleaning cloth. All configurations come with a black carrying case that has a Steam Deck logo on top. The latter model also has an anti-glare etched-glass display. Storage options include 64 GB for $399, 256 GB for $529 and 512 GB for $649.

Aside from different storage and display options, all three units are identical. The Valve Steam Deck has three configurations. All configurations pack 'Van Gogh' APU and 16 GB of RAM.Steam Deck review: Price and availability But even in its current form, this handheld is exactly what I wanted.

In fact, Valve even revealed that it has been making some slight hardware upgrades under the radar as issues are discovered. Valve can (and likely will) address some of these issues via future updates. The battery life also leaves something to be desired. You can’t play every game in your Steam library, and the touch-based controls aren’t as precise as I would have hoped. Despite its virtues, Steam Deck is still something of a work in progress.

Stream deck console price