As someone who recently invested in a Steam Deck LCD, I can safely say that even with the announcement of the new Steam Deck OLED model, there’s no buyer’s remorse on my end, and here’s why you shouldn’t feel any either.
Embrace the Classics on LCD
For enthusiasts like myself, who primarily enjoy indie titles and reliving the glory of past gaming eras through emulations from consoles such as the PS2 and PSP, the Steam Deck LCD model is more than sufficient. The graphical intensity of these games is relatively modest, and the LCD’s capabilities are well in line with the requirements to provide a great gaming experience.
A Look at the Specs
APU and CPU: Both versions sport the same AMD Zen 2 architecture with 4 cores and 8 threads, which means you’re getting the same processing power.
GPU: The same AMD RDNA 2 architecture and clock speed mean indie and emulation games will run just as smoothly on both.
RAM: While the OLED model has faster LPDDR5-6400 RAM, the difference in performance for non-intensive games is negligible. The LCD’s LPDDR5-5500 RAM is plentiful and fast enough for our gaming purposes.
Display: Sure, the OLED offers a slightly larger screen and a higher refresh rate, but the LCD’s display is crisp, vibrant, and has a charm of its own, especially when you’re playing pixel-art indie games or older titles.
Storage: Options for storage are ample in both models. Games from past generations and indie titles don’t usually demand as much space, so even the base model’s storage is adequate.
Network: Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 are more than capable of handling the download speeds required for the games I play. The upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E and BT 5.3 in the OLED model is a nice-to-have but not a necessity.
Battery Life and Portability
Battery: The LCD’s 40Wh battery is sufficient for extensive gaming sessions, and since indie and emulated games are less demanding, you’ll likely find yourself charging less often than you’d think.
Weight: The LCD is marginally heavier, but when you’re engrossed in a game, that difference is hardly noticeable.
Price and Availability
Let’s not forget the price point. The LCD model is often more wallet-friendly and getting your hands on the newer OLED model might mean a long wait.
Personal Preferences and the Emotional Factor
Lastly, there’s something to be said for the joy of owning a device that you’ve been eyeing for a while like I did. If the Steam Deck LCD has met or exceeded your expectations and brings you joy, that alone can outweigh the benefits of any new features.
Conclusion
The new Steam Deck OLED certainly has its allure, but for those of us who have recently purchased the LCD model and are happily gaming away on our indie and retro titles, the current experience is already top-notch. So, rest easy fellow gamers, your Steam Deck LCD is still a fantastic portal to the games you love.
cope
but basically a lot of the OLED proponents don’t mention that the screen is only available on the $500+ models, in keeping with the “basic model is loss leader and grabs attention but more expensive models are what consumers want” sales tactic. I would say it’s an improved strategy over the old 64GB paradigm; consumers can’t replace screens as easily as storage.