Valve has recently revealed a new model of Steam Deck with an OLED display and several other features. The most notable feature is the boost in battery life with Valve has estimated a 25% improvement in the battery capacity. Gamers must note that this is not Steam Deck 2 and we may not see Steam Deck 2 until 2025 as stated by the company.
This OLED Steam Deck model introduces new features and replaces some in the previous iteration of the console. Valve has released two new models of Steam Deck OLED with varying storage capacities, 512 GB and 1 TB. However, the company has not revealed any information regarding its availability in India. So, in this article, we will discuss when and where Indians can buy the new Steam Deck OLED gaming console.
Steam Deck OLED Price and Availability in India
According to Rishi Alwani, The Steam Deck OLED is expected to arrive in India unofficially next week via grey market and parallel import outlets. In the worst-case scenario, it is expected to hit the Indian market by the end of the month or early December.
The official price of the handheld gaming console is $549 for the 512 GB variant and $649 for the 1 TB variant. Converting it into INR, we may expect the 512 GB variant would cost between Rs 55-60000 while the later variant would charge between Rs 65-70000. This is a probabilistic price range and not the exact price while you may get discounts in offline stores.
For those who want to buy it online, do check out the following online retailers:
Steam Deck OLED Specifications and Features, Limited Edition
Steam Deck OLED should hit India unofficially via grey market and parallel import stores next week. Worst case (since supply chains for this are informal and at times unreliable), by end of the month or beginning next month. #SteamDeckOLED #India #PCGaming #Steam
— 0xSkeptic | Cringe Connoisseur (@RishiAlwani) November 18, 2023
The brand-new variant will come with a 7.4-inch HDR OLED screen which replaces the 7-inch LCD touchscreen display on the original version. A noteworthy improvement is the use of a new 50Wh battery, which outperforms the previous model’s 40Wh battery.
Unfortunately, the current edition does not provide any performance improvements over its predecessor. The new OLED screen, on the other hand, has a refresh rate of 90Hz while preserving a native resolution of 1280×800 pixels. It also has the Wi-Fi 6E module, which enables up to three times quicker download speeds or increased performance when online gaming.
The general form factor is essentially the same, however, the new Steam Deck OLED is around 30 grams lighter than its predecessor. It also claims to be cooler than the original Steam Deck, which was known for running hot, owing to updated thermal systems.
Furthermore, the company has released a limited edition Steam Deck OLED with a transparent design. This model is only available to consumers in the United States and Canada, and it comes in a 1TB format and it costs $679.
The original 64 GB and 512 GB devices have been retired, with the 256 GB LCD model becoming the new base model. As a result, the 256GB LCD variant will be priced at $399 (about Rs 33,000), down from $529 (roughly Rs 45,000). Unfortunately, there is no information on its availability in the Indian market at this time.
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