Valve Launches Limited Edition White Steam Deck OLED
“Once we are sold out, we will be sold out.”
Valve has launched a new, limited-edition Steam Deck OLED, a year after it first announced the upgraded version of it’s game-changing handheld.
Arriving just in time for the holidays, the new device pulls an Uno reverse card on the original Deck’s all-black palette and features a seasonally appropriate, mostly white makeup. This is complimented by accents of grey that find their way onto the device’s triggers, analog sticks, and buttons on both the front and back, with a single pop of orange on the power button breaking up the monochrome.
Known simply as “Limited Edition White”, the new model features the same specs found on the 1TB version of the Steam Deck OLED, meaning users can expect to find the improved 50Whr batteries that Valve debuted with the OLED model last year. These new batteries brought with them a 10Whr improvement over those found in the LCD models, providing OLED model users with a 3-12 hour battery life (depending on the kind of games you play). It also means that users of the new edition will be treated to the same visually stunning 7.4-inch, 1280 x 800 HDR OLED display found on the original, with its vibrant colors, super-contrasty blacks and a 90Hz refresh rate for incredibly smooth gaming. Best of all, though, this display – found only the 1TB OLED models – uses premium anti-glare etched glass, unlike the standard glass found on the 512GB model. The etched glass on the 1TB model reduces reflections and glare from the sun, allowing gamers to play in much brighter environments more comfortably.
Like all Steam Deck OLED models, the new special edition white and grey model has a Wi-Fi 6E module that provides a faster wireless internet connection compared to the Wi-Fi 5 module found on the LCD models. This should help to improve the overall user experience when it comes to web-related activities like cloud gaming and downloads, as well as simply future-proofing the device a bit more owing to the newer technology being used.
The new model also comes with a brand new and exclusive white carrying case, as well as featuring a startup video and virtual keyboard theme that are unique to this new model. Other accessories include in the box are a 45W power supply, 2.5m (8.2ft) cable, and a special microfiber cleaning cloth in, you guessed it, white.
Valve has been really emphasizing the limited nature of this new model, stating that it “will not be making more of this particular design” once it has sold through its existing stock, adding somewhat emphatically that “once we are sold out, we will be sold out.” Owing to this, Valve is restricting purchases to just one per Steam account, and – as a further measure to combat scalpers and resellers – it has said that “accounts must have made a Steam purchase before November 2024 and be in good standing to be eligible.”
The “Limited Edition White” Steam Deck OLED is available now worldwide now directly via Steam priced at £599 GBP / $679 USD / €719 EUR. Fans in Asia can purchase via Komodo.
