Despite the fact it looks like we’re going to have to wait a long time until Steam Deck 2 launches, that hasn’t stopped speculation about what specs Valve’s rumored new handheld will rock beneath its case. And while the latest reports don’t exactly seem the most reliable, they do highlight several features that may well end up in a finished Steam Deck 2.
In a translated message from a Chinese forum thread on Chiphell (thanks, NotebookCheck), the headline rumor is that Valve’s latest gaming handheld will feature a 900p OLED screen with a refresh rate of 90Hz. While the latter figure is the same as that of the Steam Deck OLED, the rumored bump up to 900p (1600 x 900) would be a significant boost. Both the original Steam Deck and the OLED model sport 1280 x 800 screens, putting them slightly above 720p due to the 16:10 aspect ratio of both handheld gaming PCs.
Those rumored Steam Deck 2 screen specs are still below the likes of the Lenovo Legion Go, with its 2560 x 1600 panel that packs a 144Hz refresh rate. Then again, Valve’s stance has never been to try and outgun the handheld competition when it comes to brute power. Instead, its backpack-friendly machines have become so popular because SteamOS is such a breeze to use. Oh, and obviously because the OLED screen on the updated model is an utter stunner.
Rumored Steam Deck 2 specs
In what looks like a reference to the Steam Deck 2’s processor, the translated Chiphell forum post suggests Valve will go with a “6-cylinder fourth generation gasoline engine”, which is hopefully nowhere near as flammable as that sounds. There’s speculation this CPU could use Zen 4 architecture, which would represent a major upgrade over the Zen 2 processors both the OG Deck and Steam Deck OLED use.
There’s also talk of a next-gen “16 CU (8 WGP) GPU in conjunction with LPDDR5X 8,533”, though no other rumored details are given about the graphics card. Currently, the Steam Deck OLED houses a GPU with 8 RDNA 2 CUs clocked a 1.6GHz
You’ll probably be playing GTA 6 on a PS5 Pro before you get your hands on Valve’s latest baby"
The post then goes on to speculate that we will indeed have quite the wait to endure for Steam Deck 2, with the poster stating it will be released in “Q3-Q4 in 2026”. Basically, you’ll probably be playing GTA 6 on a PS5 Pro before you get your hands on Valve’s latest baby if you lend any credibility to this post.
Finally, the translated message goes on to say that “the price should increase a lot” — currently the most expensive version of the Steam Deck OLED goes for $649/$569 — but that “many existing models will continue to be sold as low-end configurations. This part makes sense, as Valve slashed the price of the original Deck as soon as the OLED edition was released.
To be clear, you shouldn’t just take this with a pinch of salt, you should go out, buy a truckload of sodium chloride and bury the details of this story with it. The source is hardly reliable, and if any of the speculated specs happen to be on the money, it’ll most likely be down to lucky guesswork, rather than any insider info.
More from Tom's Guide
