Valve says it’s still waiting for better chips to power Steam Deck 2

In light of Valve's recent unveiling of new living room and VR hardware, many gaming enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating news about a more advanced version of the Steam Deck, which has been on the market for nearly four years. However, in a recent interview with IGN, Valve Software Engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais shared that the technology for portable gaming chips has not yet reached a point that would warrant the development of a next-generation device. Griffais emphasized the company’s commitment to ensuring that any upgrade for the Steam Deck 2 is significant enough to stand alone as a worthy product. "We’re not interested in a situation where performance improves by only 20, 30, or even 50 percent without enhancing battery life," he remarked, indicating that Valve is aiming for a more substantial leap in performance. He elaborated that the team has been closely monitoring advancements in silicon technology and architectural design, stating they have a clear vision for the future of the Steam Deck. However, he noted, there are currently no viable System on a Chip (SoC) options that would deliver the next-level performance they aspire to achieve. At first glance, Griffais' statements may appear contradictory, especially when considering the rapid advancements in portable gaming devices. For example, the recently launched ROG Xbox Ally X features a powerful eight-core Zen 5-based AMD chip, significantly outpacing the four-core Zen 2 chip found in the Steam Deck. The newer model can effectively deliver 1080p graphics at reasonable frame rates for many contemporary games, something the original Steam Deck often struggles to accomplish. Nevertheless, Griffais pointed out that Valve is focused on achieving such performance enhancements while maintaining the same battery life. The ROG Xbox Ally X’s battery is 50 percent larger than that of the Steam Deck, yet it still drains quickly—lasting only about two hours under heavy gaming conditions in “Turbo” mode. This highlights the challenges Valve faces in balancing power and efficiency as they consider the future of their handheld gaming lineup.