Valve Steam Deck will start shipping on February 28

[Shawn Knight]

In brief: Valve’s Steam Deck has a firm launch date. After announcing the handheld last summer with a scheduled ship date of December 2021 then delaying the launch by two months, Valve will now move forward with the order process late next month.

Starting February 25, Valve will contact the first batch of reservation holders in the same order reservations were made. Customers will have three days from the receipt of their order e-mail to complete their purchase before their spot goes to the next person in line.

Buyers will only be able to order the Steam Deck model they originally reserved. All money put up as part of the reservation deposit will be applied to the final price of the Steam Deck, we’re told.

Paid for units will start shipping out on February 28, meaning the first batch likely won’t make it into the hands of their new owners until early March. Valve said it plans to send out new order e-mail batches on a weekly basis.

Press samples will also start going out to eligible publications soon. The full review embargo is set to lift on February 25, but don’t be surprised to see some preview coverage and first impressions hit the web before then.

Valve is still accepting reservations for the Steam Deck, but expected order availability is listed as “after Q2 2022” meaning a lengthy wait is likely in the cards. Some early adopters will no doubt look to flip their units on eBay and the like, but expect to pay a significant premium to grab one.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/93155-valve-steam-deck-start-shipping-february-28.html

 

[sagbobbit]

Does anyone know if this is the release date for SteamOS 3.0 as well?

 

[Burty117]

Does anyone know if this is the release date for SteamOS 3.0 as well?

Last I heard, Valves official word was "SteamOS 3.0 will be made available shortly after the Steam Deck Launch".

So probably not the release date for SteamOS 3.0, hopefully soon after though.

 

[scavengerspc]

While I am grossly under informed on this subject, I'm curious as to even one or two reasons why someone should get a Steam Deck and give up the Switch. Is it all just because it opens up the entire steam library?

 

[Burty117]

While I am grossly under informed on this subject, I'm curious as to even one or two reasons why someone should get a Steam Deck and give up the Switch. Is it all just because it opens up the entire steam library?

Giving up the Switch? There's no pre-requisite to trade in your Switch!
The Steam Deck is for the PC gamer crowd that want to be able to take their games on the go. Something you can do today but almost all the devices out their cost well over a grand.

Vs the Switch it has:
-Considerably more powerful hardware
-Runs an open operating system
-Has joysticks that won't drift after 5 seconds of use (and can be replaced)
-The USB-C port can be used for pretty much anything
-Bluetooth isn't locked down so headphones can be used
-Comes out of the box with access to Steams Library of games (10,000+)
-Installing Windows will give you access to all other stores
-From early hands-on, its more comfortable to hold than a Switch

The bad stuff:
-Double the thickness of the Switch and slightly bigger in most dimensions
-Probably not quite as easy as the Switch to use

The "Meh" stuff:
-720p screens on both, its ok, not earth shattering, makes sense
-SDcard for game storage for both, neither use faster SDcard standards

Basically, You buy a Switch for the games, Nintendo's game library is unique in that way.

You buy a Steam Deck if you want to take your PC with you, That's really the jist of it.

Of course, the potential other use case up the Steam Decks sleeve is it might be pretty good at emulation. So older titles from before the X360/PS3 days probably run fine on it as well.

 

[scavengerspc]

Giving up the Switch? There's no pre-requisite to trade in your Switch!
The Steam Deck is for the PC gamer crowd that want to be able to take their games on the go. Something you can do today but almost all the devices out their cost well over a grand.

Vs the Switch it has:
-Considerably more powerful hardware
-Runs an open operating system
-Has joysticks that won't drift after 5 seconds of use (and can be replaced)
-The USB-C port can be used for pretty much anything
-Bluetooth isn't locked down so headphones can be used
-Comes out of the box with access to Steams Library of games (10,000+)
-Installing Windows will give you access to all other stores
-From early hands-on, its more comfortable to hold than a Switch

The bad stuff:
-Double the thickness of the Switch and slightly bigger in most dimensions
-Probably not quite as easy as the Switch to use

The "Meh" stuff:
-720p screens on both, its ok, not earth shattering, makes sense
-SDcard for game storage for both, neither use faster SDcard standards

Basically, You buy a Switch for the games, Nintendo's game library is unique in that way.

You buy a Steam Deck if you want to take your PC with you, That's really the jist of it.

Of course, the potential other use case up the Steam Decks sleeve is it might be pretty good at emulation. So older titles from before the X360/PS3 days probably run fine on it as well.

Ok Burty quit holding back

But seriously, thanks for the detailed response. I'm better tuned in to this now. I can see where the Steam Deck has a spot for itself for a lot of people.

 

[Burty117]

Ok Burty quit holding back

But seriously, thanks for the detailed response. I'm better tuned in to this now. I can see where the Steam Deck has a spot for itself for a lot of people.

Yeah definitely, It won't eat into Nintendo's sales as it's not really aimed to be a Switch competitor, it's far more than that.

It also makes the Switch looked overpriced. But I guess that's the price of entry to get Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing, Pokemon etc...

 

[ZedRM]

The most anticipated handheld since the Nintendo Switch

This statement is a bit of a stretch.

It also makes the Switch looked overpriced.

No it doesn't. That's a laughable statement. Many of the games on Steam will not play on the Steam Deck due to compatibility(Steam Deck runs Linux) and a lack of specs(the hardware in the Steam Deck is lacking in performance power).

The Steam Deck will be a fun novelty, but little more.

 

[Burty117]

No it doesn't. That's a laughable statement. Many of the games on Steam will not play on the Steam Deck due to compatibility(Steam Deck runs Linux)

Oh yeah, I guess it's a really good thing it's a PC then and I could just install windows and fix that entire complaint of yours

and a lack of specs(the hardware in the Steam Deck is lacking in performance power).

And yet the Switch is MUCH, not just a little bit, it's substantially lower in spec and based on early hands on of the Steam Deck, it definitely plays video games better. It'll be interesting to do side-by-side comparisons of games that exist on both. Because you'll find you'll be eating your words.

And I'm sorry but the Switch is overpriced, even once you get over the £310 of the console, you have to spend another £80 for controllers (that will drift way earlier than should be legal) however much on an SD card, the games are £45-55, then you need an online subscription to play multiplayer. It is just too expensive, and I haven't got into the annoying limitations like the fact you can't use Bluetooth headphones with it.

This coming from someone who owns the Switch, I'm not nagging out of nowhere.

 

[ZedRM]

Oh yeah, I guess it's a really good thing it's a PC then and I could just install windows and fix that entire complaint of yours

That is not guaranteed to be available. Valve is likely to have locked the bootloader, which means you are running SteamOS and ONLY SteamOS.

And yet the Switch is MUCH, not just a little bit, it's substantially lower in spec and based on early hands on of the Steam Deck

And this where you fail to context. Games for the Switch are developed and designed to run on....wait for it.... The Nintendo Switch! Yeah. Games on Steam are developed and designed for the PC. So instead of games being written and optimized for the designed platform, Valve is trying to shoe-horn games written for MUCH more powerful hardware into a platform that is lacking by comparison to the general hardware specs the games are made for.

You were saying?

And I'm sorry but the Switch is overpriced

You got part of that right..

 

[Burty117]

That is not guaranteed to be available. Valve is likely to have locked the bootloader, which means you are running SteamOS and ONLY SteamOS.

Have you actually done any research into this? Shall I link you to the Valve interview where they claim it's completely unlocked and they've actively worked with Microsoft so Windows works on the Deck or did you want to find it yourself?

And this where you fail to context. Games for the Switch are developed and design to run on....wait for it.... The Nintendo Switch! Yeah. Games on Steam are developed and designed for the PC. So instead of games being written and optimized for the designed platform, Valve is trying to shoe-horn games written for MUCH more powerful hardware into a platform that is lacking by comparison to the general hardware specs the games are made for.

Shall we put a bet down? Test games like Apex Legends, Rocket League, Witcher 3, Doom, Skyrim, Bioshock, Wolfenstein and Metro Redux.

I would be astounded if the Switch plays any of those better than the Deck.

 

[ZedRM]

Have you actually done any research into this? Shall I link you to the Valve interview where they claim it's completely unlocked and they've actively worked with Microsoft so Windows works on the Deck or did you want to find it yourself?

No thanks. I don't care. I have no interest in playing Steam games on a handheld that has a mere fraction of the performance my gaming PC has on offer.

Shall we put a bet down? Test games like Apex Legends, Rocket League, Witcher 3, Doom, Skyrim, Bioshock, Wolfenstein and Metro Redux.

I would be astounded if the Switch plays any of those better than the Deck.

Understanding context just isn't your strength is it? I doubt the Switch could play those games, even if they were recompiled for the ARM platform. But then again, the Steam Deck isn't going to play them very well either.

I'll stick with my gaming focused PC and laptop, thank you very much.

Oh, just an FYI there sparky, I own a Switch too. Love it! But I'm not so silly as to compare it to something that is vastly different, even though the form factor is similar.

 

[scavengerspc]

Thing is though guys the Steam Deck is only going to display at 720P so gaming PC power isn't a necessity.

Right?

 

[Burty117]

Oh, just an FYI there sparky, I own a Switch too. Love it! But I'm not so silly as to compare it to something that is vastly different, even though the form factor is similar.

But you're the one who did that! Read the comments back, I only did a list of Switch vs Deck for scavenger, I noted they aren't competitors and the sales of the Switch won't be impacted by the Deck.

You're the one coming in here directly comparing them, I then leant into it with actual facts and you're just here moaning because the Deck is something you seem to have a personal hatred for.

Which is fine btw, if you don't see the usefulness of the Deck, so be it. I though, see the Deck as an extension to my PC, I can take my games away with me, instead of having to choose Zelda or Pokémon when I travel for work, I can instead bring my Deck and continue playing Horizon Zero Dawn for example.

You've done such little research at all, you said:

I doubt the Switch could play those games, even if they were recompiled for the ARM platform. But then again, the Steam Deck isn't going to play them very well either.

I specifically chose those games because they're already on the Switch so you can actually make a direct comparison to the Deck (when it releases of course).

Even worse, you're agreeing with my point about the Deck being considerably more powerful over the Switch which is the first thing you "defended".

So everything you've said up to this point was based on a "feeling" rather than any facts or research at all...

 

[ZedRM]

So everything you've said up to this point was based on a "feeling" rather than any facts or research at all...

Thank You for proving the point about context that was made earlier... Good luck with that in future.

 

[ZedRM]

Thing is though guys the Steam Deck is only going to display at 720P so gaming PC power isn't a necessity.

Right?

While that might help, it's still not going to be a stellar performance for a lot of the Steam library.