Steam Deck is Valve’s answer to the Switch, released in December

Steam Deck is a new portable gaming device from Valve that looks and functions exactly like a Nintendo Switch. Models start at $ 400 and will release in December 2021, Valve announced today on Steam.

“We have partnered with AMD to create the custom Steam Deck APU, optimized for handheld games. It’s a Zen 2 + RDNA 2 powerhouse, delivering more than enough performance to run the latest AAA games in a highly efficient power envelope, ”the company writes. The Steam Deck analog sticks are designed for “extended play sessions” and the owner’s entire Steam library will be available when they log in. There’s even a docking station (sold separately) for connecting to TVs and computer monitors.

The device will sport a 7 “display, which puts it on par with Nintendo’s recently announced OLED Switch, and just ahead of the existing Switch and Switch Lite in terms of size. The controllers don’t appear to be detachable like the Joys. -Cons., but that maybe means they won’t have any drift either.

Here are some tech specs that at first glance look like an iteration of what’s in the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5:

• Processor: Zen 2 4c / 8t, 2.4-3.5 GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32)
• GPU: 8 CU RDNA 2, 1.0-1.6 GHz (up to 1.6 TFlops FP32)
• 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM (5500 MT / s)
• 1280 x 800px (16:10 aspect ratio)
• 7 “LCD with optical link
• Bluetooth 5.0 (support for controllers, accessories and audio)
• Dual band Wi-Fi radio, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, 2 x 2 MIMO, IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac

And here are the current models:

• $ 400 for 64 GB internal storage
• $ 530 for 256 GB SSD storage and a “Steam Community Exclusive Profile Set”
• $ 650 for 512 GB SSD storage and an “anti-reflective etched glass” screen.

There is a catch, however. To have a real chance of getting any of these things when it releases, you’ll need to pay Valve $ 5 at reserve a place in line to pre-order. Reservations open Friday, July 16 at 1 p.m. ET.

“The primary reason for reservations is to ensure an orderly and fair ordering process for customers when Steam Deck inventory becomes available,” Valve written in an FAQ. “The additional charge gives us a clearer signal of purchase intention, which gives us better data to balance supply chain, inventory and regional distribution before launch.”

Fortunately, the reservation fee will go towards the total sale price of the equipment.

News that Valve was working on a Switch-type laptop was first reported back in May by Ars Technica.