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Since its announcement, the Steam Deck has certainly been a hot topic of discussion, more so than Valve anticipated if current reservations are anything to go by.
Where folk reserved the console were previously getting a three-month window in which to expect delivery of the highly anticipated handheld system, PC Gamer noticed that new reservations for the smaller 64GB and middling 256GB models now simply list âafter Q2 2022â as an order availability estimate.
If you opt for the larger 512GB SSD model then the date is now listed as Q2 2022 at the time of writing rather than the previous âQ3 2022â, though itâs worth noting that the dates are listed as expected availability windows rather than a predicted fulfillment date, meaning you might not get your Steam Deck in the timeframe youâre expecting.
[ul]
[li]Weâll show you how to build a PC[/li][li]AMD vs Nvidia: who makes the best graphics card?[/li][li]Valve claims the Steam Deck can handle any game you throw at it[/li][/ul]
[IMG alt=âSteam Deck reservation section of websiteâ]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R2...kruX2ZrNa4.jpg
(Image credit: Valve)
[HEADING=1]Steam Deck orders require patience[/HEADING]
The broadness of âafter Q2 2022â is vague, but unsurprising. This could just mean that there is some uncertainly regarding orders will be ready for Q3 or Q4 of 2022, and it would make sense that Valve doesnât want to make fulfillment promises it canât keep in the ongoing component shortages, but until we get further confirmation itâs better to simply not expect anything for the foreseeable future.
The handheld PC will be utilizing a new AMD APU (Team Redâs term for a GPU/CPU combination) that should allegedly see similar performance to Ryzen 3000-series desktop processors and powerful Radeon RX 6000-series graphics, as well as LPDDR5 RAM, a speedy memory type typically used in high-end smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S20 series.
This is a lot of in-demand tech, and Valve canât just magic these components out of thin air â its supplier TSMC also has to provide chips for other market giants such as AMD CPUs and graphics cards, and consoles like the Sonyâs PS5 and Microsoftâs Xbox Series X/S. In short, thereâs a long line of other companies already in the queue and Valve will simply have to wait its turn.
[HEADING=1]Analysis: keep your expectations in check[/HEADING]
[IMG alt=âWoman playing PUBG on Steam Deckâ]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9a...TtTbKsri9P.jpg
(Image credit: Valve/Future)
The ongoing chip shortage isnât going to vanish overnight, so this is something weâre going to live with for a while. The high demand for this tech isnât surprising given that even cars and kitchen appliances now sometimes use computing technology so almost every corner of the market is crying out for components.
This does make estimated fulfilment dates difficult to rely on, given the high risk of them being pushed back. While Valveâs washy dates may feel frustrating if youâre especially excited to get your hands on a Steam Deck, itâs absolutely the right approach. Keep things vague and avoid making any promises you canât keep.
The Steam Deck launch isnât too dissimilar to how a crowdfunding campaign operates, and anyone who has helped fund a project on Kickstarter will have likely experienced delays and late shipment dates because the system for these launches is a careful balancing act. If a single manufacturer canât fulfil an order, or a key piece of machinery breaks down then the entire operation needs to be reshuffled and dates need to be pushed.
The alternative is that Valve sticks to a rigid date and risks providing a subpar product due to cutting corners to hit targets. Weâd certainly rather wait a little longer and get a great piece of tech rather than a disappointing result.
While we hope that âafter Q2 2022â is sooner rather than later, thereâs every possibility that some of us wonât hold our Steam Deck until much later than that, but thatâs just the nature of the beast. Valve appears to be a victim of its own success on this, but if youâre looking to reserve one for yourself now then be prepared to wait â Valve is as much at the mercy of component shortages and post-Covid working environments as the rest of us.
[ul]
[li]Check out the best gaming PCs currently out there[/li][/ul]
Continue readingâŚ
Where folk reserved the console were previously getting a three-month window in which to expect delivery of the highly anticipated handheld system, PC Gamer noticed that new reservations for the smaller 64GB and middling 256GB models now simply list âafter Q2 2022â as an order availability estimate.
If you opt for the larger 512GB SSD model then the date is now listed as Q2 2022 at the time of writing rather than the previous âQ3 2022â, though itâs worth noting that the dates are listed as expected availability windows rather than a predicted fulfillment date, meaning you might not get your Steam Deck in the timeframe youâre expecting.
[ul]
[li]Weâll show you how to build a PC[/li][li]AMD vs Nvidia: who makes the best graphics card?[/li][li]Valve claims the Steam Deck can handle any game you throw at it[/li][/ul]
[IMG alt=âSteam Deck reservation section of websiteâ]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R2...kruX2ZrNa4.jpg
(Image credit: Valve)
[HEADING=1]Steam Deck orders require patience[/HEADING]
The broadness of âafter Q2 2022â is vague, but unsurprising. This could just mean that there is some uncertainly regarding orders will be ready for Q3 or Q4 of 2022, and it would make sense that Valve doesnât want to make fulfillment promises it canât keep in the ongoing component shortages, but until we get further confirmation itâs better to simply not expect anything for the foreseeable future.
The handheld PC will be utilizing a new AMD APU (Team Redâs term for a GPU/CPU combination) that should allegedly see similar performance to Ryzen 3000-series desktop processors and powerful Radeon RX 6000-series graphics, as well as LPDDR5 RAM, a speedy memory type typically used in high-end smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S20 series.
This is a lot of in-demand tech, and Valve canât just magic these components out of thin air â its supplier TSMC also has to provide chips for other market giants such as AMD CPUs and graphics cards, and consoles like the Sonyâs PS5 and Microsoftâs Xbox Series X/S. In short, thereâs a long line of other companies already in the queue and Valve will simply have to wait its turn.
[HEADING=1]Analysis: keep your expectations in check[/HEADING]
[IMG alt=âWoman playing PUBG on Steam Deckâ]https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9a...TtTbKsri9P.jpg
(Image credit: Valve/Future)
The ongoing chip shortage isnât going to vanish overnight, so this is something weâre going to live with for a while. The high demand for this tech isnât surprising given that even cars and kitchen appliances now sometimes use computing technology so almost every corner of the market is crying out for components.
This does make estimated fulfilment dates difficult to rely on, given the high risk of them being pushed back. While Valveâs washy dates may feel frustrating if youâre especially excited to get your hands on a Steam Deck, itâs absolutely the right approach. Keep things vague and avoid making any promises you canât keep.
The Steam Deck launch isnât too dissimilar to how a crowdfunding campaign operates, and anyone who has helped fund a project on Kickstarter will have likely experienced delays and late shipment dates because the system for these launches is a careful balancing act. If a single manufacturer canât fulfil an order, or a key piece of machinery breaks down then the entire operation needs to be reshuffled and dates need to be pushed.
The alternative is that Valve sticks to a rigid date and risks providing a subpar product due to cutting corners to hit targets. Weâd certainly rather wait a little longer and get a great piece of tech rather than a disappointing result.
While we hope that âafter Q2 2022â is sooner rather than later, thereâs every possibility that some of us wonât hold our Steam Deck until much later than that, but thatâs just the nature of the beast. Valve appears to be a victim of its own success on this, but if youâre looking to reserve one for yourself now then be prepared to wait â Valve is as much at the mercy of component shortages and post-Covid working environments as the rest of us.
[ul]
[li]Check out the best gaming PCs currently out there[/li][/ul]
Continue readingâŚ