Valve recently announced that joining the handheld gaming market with the new Steam Deck, launching at the end of this year, and technical specifications like its battery power and life came with it. As its namesake suggests, the platform will support the library of games currently available in Steam. Players will gain access to their Steam library from their Steam Deck handhelds, though the quality of the gameplay on this handheld PC has yet to be fully experienced. In addition to gameplay, the quality of the Steam Deck will also likely be decided by the battery's life after each charge.
There are few handheld gaming consoles in the market currently, with the Nintendo Switch and Switch OLED being the Steam Deck's biggest competitors. Each of these has (or will have) access to a vast collection of titles, so the technical specifics are what really set them apart from one another. Given the size of Steam's general library, everyone will likely be able to find plenty of games that appeal to them, but the amount of time they will be able to spend with their Steam Deck away from an outlet is likely to vary based on the unit's battery life and the intensity of the software that's being run
This naturally means that the potential battery life of a handheld device is one of the most important considerations for potential buyers. Perhaps the greatest appeal of a handheld gaming tool is being able to play games away from a TV or PC setup. The Nintendo Switch, the Steam Deck's main competitor, has an average battery life of 4.5 to 9 hours for both the OLED model and its original unit, or 3 to 7 hours for the Switch Lite, according to Nintendo. Valve's current specs for the Steam Deck place its battery life at approximately 2 to 8 hours, though this time will also vary depending on the intensity of the games played, which is a factor that bears more consideration given the wider variety of software (particularly where system requirements are concerned) available on Steam.
Valve's Steam service is home to a vast collection of games, produced by AAA companies and indie developers alike, so the power drain from some of these titles will be more significant than others. Some of the more demanding games available on Steam such as DOOM Eternal or Horizon Zero Dawn will undoubtedly not allow the Steam Deck to maintain its maximum charge of 8 hours. However, smaller indie games and others with less power cost will more likely come closer to hitting the upper range of 7 or 8 hours of battery life.
The Steam Deck will also be able to make use of Bluetooth and WiFi functions, allowing users to connect devices such as headphones, keyboards, and mice. The Steam Deck's battery life as it relates to peripherals is currently unknown, though those who plan to use many accessories will likely use them primarily with a dock for the Steam Deck and a dedicated power source.
Valve's Steam Deck is advertised to release at some point in December of 2021, just in time for the holiday season. Preorders for Steam Deck purchases are already being taken for a small reservation fee of $5 that will go toward the full price of the reserved unit. Those with significant Steam libraries who also struggle to find time to sit down at their PCs could potentially see a lot of benefit from the Steam Deck, provided the retail release proves to provide enough battery power for them.
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