Move over Switch 2, the Steam Deck 2 just leaked
The world is in a frenzy, wondering what comes next in the all-important video game console world. While all eyes have naturally flocked to Nintendo, let's not forget others on the scene.
Nintendo is expected to reveal the successor to the almighty Switch this year, but with so many competitors entering the handheld space in the 2020s, it's sure to have some stiff competition.
The leading competitor is (obviously) the Steam Deck - the handheld PC that gives players the truest freedom imaginable when it comes to gaming. And now, it looks like we could know a little more about the console attempting to usurp it.
Steam Deck 2 specs leak on Reddit
As shared to Reddit, the Chinese forum Chiphell has a (now archived) post that includes a slew of details for what we can expect from the upcoming Steam Deck 2.
The thread claims that the console will come with a horizontal OLED screen with a 90hz refresh rate, as well as a wealth of fresh parts. It's supposed to come packed with a new custom APU from AMD, a hefty GPU, super-fast RAM speeds and more.
The thread is fascinating but draped in PC-builder-speak, so it's most valuable to those who know what they're talking about when it comes to the parts that make a good PC. Still, it seems like a pretty strong upgrade from its predecessor if this sketchy leak is to be believed.
Steam Deck 2 is estimated for a 2026 release
Click to enlargeWe don't know anything concrete about a release window for the next console in the Steam Deck lineage, but the leak claims that Valve is currently working towards a release date of Q3-Q4 in 2026. This would line up with what Valve's Pierre-Loup Griffais said to The Verge, reiterating a release would be "years" away.
In September 2023, Griffais explained, "It's important to us that the Deck offers a fixed performance target for developers, and that the message to customers is simple, where every Deck can play the same games.
"As such, changing the performance level is not something we are taking lightly, and we only want to do so when there is a significant enough increase to be had." This pointed to a late 2025 or 2026 release, although he promised Valve is "monitoring innovations."
It's some time to wait, but given that the Steam Deck only recently graced the gaming world, it's fair enough. In fact, it's impressive that we've got our hands on a leak like this so early in development. We'll certainly take what we can get.
