Steam Deck: SteamOS of the handheld shrunk to only 10 GB

Even though Valve’s handheld Steam Deck is still a bit longer in coming than originally planned, the manufacturer keeps providing new details that make us want to see the device. The latest update revolves around the SteamOS 3.0 operating system, which takes up less storage space thanks to a slimming diet.

Steam Deck: SteamOS shrunk from 24 GB to 10 GB

Especially pre-orderers of the cheapest variant of the handheld Steam Deck with 64 GB of internal main memory should be happy about this circumstance. With the current SteamOS image build 20211120.2, the size of the operating system could be reduced from 24 GB to around 10 gigabytes. Thus, buyers have significantly more storage space available for games and apps.

But there are many more improvements in the latest SteamOS update. Among other things, the touchscreen’s functionality at every start has been improved, the WLAN performance has been optimized, a problem with the HDMI output has been fixed and the kernel drivers for the GPU, audio and WLAN have been updated.

Interesting: The Steam Deck ships with two different BIOS variants. Depending on whether a memory controller from Samsung or Micron was installed.

Steam Deck development not yet complete

Furthermore, Valve reveals that they are still testing the Steam Client UI sounds on the Steam Deck, but that they are currently still “work in progress”. Pre-orderers of the handheld, which is expected to ship in February 2022, should therefore probably be prepared for some updates and patches at launch.

The Steam Deck will be released in three different variants. The entry-level handheld with 64 GB eMMC storage starts at 419 Euros. The variant with 256 GB NVMe SSD is positioned above that for 549 Euros. The top model with 512 GB NVMe SSD is priced at 679 Euros. Apparently, an improved display (“high-quality anti-reflective & etched glass”) and a virtual keyboard with an exclusive design are added here.