Anyone truly purchased that $3,000 Steam Deck prototype off eBay, then they let a YouTuber crack it open to see what's inside
Tech YouTuber Bringus Studios has printed a 36-minute video analyzing, testing, and disassembling the prototype Steam Deck that offered on eBay in April. Bringus’ evaluation exhibits it to be a a lot much less highly effective machine than what we in the end received, however surprisingly near the retail unit when it comes to format.
Although Bringus Studios printed the teardown and efficiency evaluation, fellow video-maker SadlyItsBradley was the machine’s deep-pocketed purchaser, lending it to Bringus for the video. There is no doubt as to the prototype’s legitimacy: Externally, it is an ideal match for a prototype mannequin showcased by Valve programmer Pierre-Loup Griffais again in 2022—the lead picture for this text is from Griffais’ showcase—and its distinctive software program could be nearly unattainable to faux.
As for the machine’s provenance, your guess is nearly as good as mine for a way the engineering pattern made it to on-line retailer Storm Metropolis Retro to in the end promote it on eBay. Although it initially appeared to not have an working system put in, Bringus Studios was truly in a position to boot it right into a prototype model of SteamOS that we have by no means seen in motion earlier than.
Griffais described this mannequin’s unreleased Picasso APU from AMD as having “about half” of the retail Steam Deck’s GPU grunt. Bringus Studios’ testing of video games like Counter-Strike 2 and Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga was even worse than that, although, seemingly attributable to a scarcity of drivers for the experimental silicon.
Cracking the dangerous boy open, the prototype’s format is definitely similar to the ultimate Steam Deck, although the battery has a unique form and the entire shebang has far more of an off-the-shelf, jury-rigged really feel to it.
The extra rounded, bulbous industrial design of it’s already weirdly retro, calling to thoughts Steam Machines or the OG Steam Controller. That is nonetheless 2010s Valve design language, we have not graduated to 2020s Valve vibes but.
Regardless of the aesthetic gulf, the precise format of all the pieces is nearly 1:1 with the ultimate Deck. Notably, the prototype has a 16:9, 720p display as an alternative of the ultimate Deck’s 16:10, 800p one. It is a seemingly small change, however I’ve at all times cherished how the retail Deck’s display lends itself to 4:3 retro gaming.
I’m additionally very glad that, as Bringus Studios factors out, Valve upgraded this prototype’s Swap-like, “cellular” high quality analogue sticks to the full-fat, gamepad-style ones on the retail Deck.
Finally, like so many video games trade prototypes, onerous or software program, it is a fascinating little bit of historical past and a worthwhile look into Valve’s course of for designing and iterating on its {hardware}. I additionally actually respect SadlyItsBradley’s generosity in facilitating such an instructive take a look at the {hardware} after spending a lot cash on it. This prototype may simply as simply have disappeared into a personal assortment with out relinquishing its secrets and techniques.
Editor’s word: This text initially reported the prototype as having a 16:10 display primarily based on Bringus Studios’ feedback early within the video.