Steam Deck 2: A Prolonged Wait for Valve’s Upcoming Handheld Console
The gaming community is buzzing with recent leaks indicating that a follow-up to the Steam Deck, Valve’s favored handheld gaming device, won’t be available for at least another three years. This revelation comes as a shock to many, particularly given the swift progress in mobile console technology and various competitors already launching second-generation models.
Valve’s Steam Deck was introduced roughly three and a half years ago, representing a pivotal shift in the gaming sector. The company displayed exceptional vision, as the Steam Deck’s success has encouraged other manufacturers to delve into the possibilities of mobile consoles. Nevertheless, Valve seems to be adopting a more measured strategy regarding the development of the Steam Deck 2.
What’s Causing the Delay?
A trustworthy leaker, Kepler_L2, who provided information on the NeoGAF forum, revealed that the Steam Deck 2 is not anticipated until 2028. Although the leaker did not elaborate on specific reasons, earlier comments from Valve designers shed some light. Lawrence Yang, one of the design team members for the Steam Deck, stated that Valve is not aiming for yearly updates. Rather, they are awaiting a “generational leap” in the performance of the underlying APU, ensuring that battery life remains uncompromised.
This leap is expected to be associated with the next series of AMD processors, specifically those built on Zen 6 and RDNA 5 architectures. Recent leaks indicate that AMD is developing “AT3” and “AT4” dies, intended for handheld devices and tablets, which could potentially align with Valve’s standards for a notable performance enhancement.
Upcoming Technological Innovations
The forthcoming AMD chips are predicted to contain considerably more shader units than the current Steam Deck APU, which utilizes the six-nanometer “Sephiroth” chip with 512 FP32 units. These new chips, likely produced using TSMC’s N3 process with a three-nanometer node, promise improved performance and steady battery life.
Manufacturing of these UDNA GPUs is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2026, in conjunction with the Zen 6 architecture for CPUs. This schedule coincides with the anticipated launch of next-gen consoles like the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Next, which are expected to leverage these advancements.
Valve’s Calculated Patience
Considering Valve’s track record for delivering high-quality products, it seems reasonable they are choosing to wait for the RDNA 6 (or UDNA 2) generation, projected for 2028, to guarantee stability and performance. This strategic patience might enable Valve to maintain its position in the competitive realm of handheld gaming consoles.
Though the delay for the Steam Deck 2 might be longer than expected, it underscores Valve’s dedication to innovation and quality. As the gaming community eagerly anticipates further news, the prospects for an extraordinary successor to the Steam Deck remain promising.
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