Valve is still determining the timing and approach for the Steam Deck 2.
With Valve rolling out its complete 2026 hardware lineup — including the Steam Controller, Steam Machine, and the newly launched Steam Frame — the question on everyone’s mind is whether we’re any closer to a next-gen Steam Deck handheld. Valve isn’t ready to spill the beans just yet. According to designer Pierre-Loup Griffais, the team is still figuring out “how and when we can deliver something like that.”
For years, Valve has been clear about two things: 1) a Steam Deck 2 is definitely in the works, and 2) it won’t arrive until the right chip is found. The original Steam Deck struck a perfect balance of price, performance, and battery life, and Valve has emphasized that it won’t compromise on efficiency for the sequel.
Griffais mentioned in 2023, “We also don’t want more performance to come at a significant cost to power efficiency and battery life,” expressing a desire for a “leap” in technology — though he hinted that such a leap might still be a couple of years away.
Earlier this year, there was a glimmer of hope when Griffais indicated that the team was “hard at work” on the next Steam Deck in an interview. However, he didn’t provide a timeline, likely due to the ongoing challenges posed by RAM shortages that had already forced the company to delay and adjust pricing for the Steam Machine and Steam Frame headset.
When asked if the current hardware shortage has influenced Valve’s approach to developing the Steam Deck 2, Griffais responded, “Not really.” This could be promising news for eager gamers, or it might suggest that Valve is biding its time until the RAM situation stabilizes before diving back into the silicon supply chain. Initially, Valve aimed to create a “far more affordable” headset, but faced tough negotiations that ultimately led to a hefty $1,059 price tag.
The pressing question remains: Has Valve pinpointed the future chip that will power the Steam Deck 2? The company will base its hardware design on the availability of that chip.
I recently tested Intel’s Panther Lake handheld chip in the MSI Claw 8 EX AI Plus, which comes close to the “generational leap” Griffais has mentioned. However, these Panther Lake handhelds are quite pricey, and my tests showed that the Intel chip isn’t a perfect solution. Still, it’s likely that Valve is keeping an eye on the future offerings from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm, hoping one of them will fit the bill.
I’m optimistic that a Steam Deck 2 could usher in a new golden age of handheld gaming, but I worry it might come with a price tag that’s too steep for many.
