If you look at the 3 console manufacturers, you’ll notice a pattern. Switch OLED was announced 3 months before release. Ps4 pro was announced 2 months before its release. Xbox one x was announced 5 months before release.
The steam deck OLED? 7 days
The reason that manufacturers give consumers at least a couple months before a release of a new device is so they can feel they made an informed decision on their purchase, and not feel burned when the next iteration is released. No, the device they currently have doesn’t lose inherent value to them. However, knowing that the next thing is coming out in just a couple weeks could make informed consumers hold off for the sale of the now outdated model.
Also inb4 people say “but it’s not a console…”, PC manufacturers have pretty consistent hardware release schedules as well, so the comparison stands.
The fact is this is an established norm for other manufacturers and that valve went against just comes across as anti consumer. And I think that just surprised a lot of people since Gabe’s whole “piracy is almost always a service problem…” Take and the return policy on games make the company appear as super consumer centric, however this release feels out of character.
I waited FOREVER to get my steam deck. I got it on the most recent sale. I don’t regret it, but I do think they should allow options to make the existing decks out in the wild more easily upgradable - especially in terms of things like processor specs, storage and battery life. OLED always seems like a gimmick to me. It’s certainly not essential for what I end up usually playing on my Steam Deck. It’s a nice flashy carrot to dangle in front of a consumer, but I don’t need it.
I honestly just want to be able to upgrade my deck at some point to have better storage and battery life w/o totally destroying it in the process.