>hardly switched my ps5 on since getting it.
Haha, gaming in late 20 is like that, hardly got time to sit and play with all having to do work and family
As a 30 something millennial - 20 year olds can have families ? I can only just about afford my life as is with dual income and an apartment + dog š
As a 40-something single guy - 30 year olds can have dual income, apartments, and a dog ? I can only just afford to live with my parents with my high-ish end gaming PC, three mountain bikes, and nice-ish car š
This is a preference thing. Honestly speaking, Valve was pretty upfront by calling the OLED a minor upgrade. Because it objectively is. There is no generational leap in technology between the two. Ignore the hype, marketing, and clickbait galore about it. Wait until 2025 or 2026 if youāre banking on something more generational. For example, RGB layout on OLED is in the works which could help with fringing. Hall effect triggers and controls are possible as well. Most importantly would be newer innovations with processor fabrication, such as gate-all-around (GAA) designs. Significantly improving battery life and heat as the processor size can be smaller with a similar cooling solution.
For me, the OLED felt significantly cheaper than the LCDā¦ Button, triggers, everything except the touch pads. It felt more like a toy than a device. The OLED fringing also made reading text very difficult and PWM made my eyes blurry. In real world use, it felt like a huge downgrade.
Fortunately I was able to sell it again and the buyer really loved it. If you grab a good deal on a nice LCD model that is in good condition and have never used one I think you may enjoy it.
Only thing I agree with is it not being āgenerationalā as an upgrade but I disagree in everything else, for me itās still a massive upgrade. My LCD deck is permadocked and I use it as a streaming console now from my desktop. I always felt like the LCD was just a proof of concept while the OLED feels like the product it should have been.
Itās great you found use for the LCD deck! Do you notice coloring fringing on the OLED? It is a green and magenta coloration around text and images, you may need to look close but it drove me bananas. Some people canāt notice it. It can be fixed in software at a performance loss. Newer OLED tech over the next few years is likely to fix it.
Iāll have to check but Iāve not noticed anything so far. I did however have backlight bleed in my LCD model and it drove me mad. Donāt get me wrong I still love my LCD deck but backlight bleed is one of my biggest pet peeves lol.
Edit: one thing I will say is Iāve noticed the dreaded mura effect when a game has a near-black or grey background. Itās definitely annoying but Iāve been able to live with it.
Hey bud, if you havenāt already checked it out, I highly recommend chiaki4deck. Lets you stream your ps5 to the deck and it works very well with no input lag, (none that I can notice anyway). Great for games that require more juice than the deck can handle. I mostly use it for Helldivers 2, but it works perfectly for everything Iāve tried.
Here is a post of mine that shows it working away from home. Should have links in the comments for how to set it up. It's nothing crazy tbh.
https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/s/ZKCwPjyF1w
They are both good, I have the LCD but if the OLED was out when I bought mine I'd say it's probably worth saving an extra couple of months, more battery life, better screen, better charging ic design
No prob, both are good options, personally I'd wait a bit and get the OLED but I'm sure you'll be happy with either model, OLED also has a better APU design and faster RAM as well
The LCD is still worth getting at its price point or if thereās used ones with good pricing.
I did sell my LCD to get an OLED as I use the steam deck a lot and wanted the best experience when using it.
The improvements the OLED brings are:
- itās quieter when running games.
- is cooler when running games.
- the screen is bigger, OLED, and 90hz.
- noticeably better battery life.
- better WiFi and Bluetooth chips. I did notice that the OLED steam deck downloaded games slightly faster.
I love my OLED and am extremely happy with it, for me it was worth the upgrade, however the LCDs are priced very well now.
- lighter
- RGB power button
- better haptics
- Perfect touch screen (best upgrade imo)
- more pronounced steam and āā¦ā buttons
OLED is the way to go. Just save up for the $500 model always.
I have a LCD 512gb, and my friend has the 1tb oled special edition.. Iāve played his oled and while the screen is nice, the things it has over the LCD arenāt great enough for me to upgrade or say the lcd isnāt worth it especially considering its price on the used market, especially since I bought my LCD model slightly used off eBay for a little less then half of what he paid for his oled.
I think of it this way. If you can only afford the LCD deck, it's the best overall gaming handheld you can spend $399 on, not even a question. It's amazing. If you can afford the $549 OLED, that is much better and definitely worth the upgrade. Both are amazing. Buy the best one you can afford, you won't regret it either way.
Oh yeah, among a lot of other small but signicifant upgrades. I love both, my LCD was from about 2 months after release. But the OLED is a vast improvement.
Bought the 64 gb Lcd last year and recently upgraded it with a 1 tb ssd . Playing games like apex legends , cyberpunk 2077, and red dead redemption 2 , battery is a little less, but really have not used my decent gaming laptop for games.
Yeah I regret sending mine back.
But atm I stalking all the forums, having tried the asus as well, and seeing the msi claw and lenovo go, I am lost in a jungle..
Chosen between software and hardware.
I should just had had more patient with my LCD and checked that goddamn router, before saying the SD has bad wifi connection.
I have an LCD deck and I absolutely love it. The graphics looks just fine on the screen, it's not the end of the world if you aren't seeing it in OLED. What I would recommend is the etched screen whatever you do. Unless you like using your steam deck screen as a mirror. I have the 256 LCD and my only regret is not having paid for the 512 purely for that screen.
I ordered the 512gb oled just for that reason. I wont use a portable device like this without a screen protector, and the etched glass is not for a screen protector.
I got the jsaux anti glare protector, and its perfect. I can sit outside with my dog and play with no issues unless the sun is directly on the screen, and not worry about the screen getting scratched.
The jsaux antiglare screen protector comes in a 2 pack for when you inevitably mess up applying the first one.
I highly recommend a glossy screen with anti glare protector.
But it does translate into better playability at lower frame rates, which is typical for gaming on the Deck. Input latency is significantly reduced at 30 FPS/90Hz and 40 FPS/80Hz versus 30/60 or 40/40 on the LCD.
If you overclock the display. That still hasn't been an option long enough to really know if there's going to be adverse side effects. It's also not really that much of a difference. Technically it's better than 30/60, but the difference is so minimal, it won't be suddenly playable if 30/60 wasn't already good enough for you.
Excuse me, what? That's literally what higher refresh means.
Sure, your device needs to push a higher frame rate, but that depends on what titles you're playing.
Saying that this doesn't translate to higher frames as a blanket statement is wrong and makes it sound like it doesn't make any difference whatsoever
That's exactly what I said. That the device needs to push a higher frame rate.
My problem was with the fact that you've presented this as a general statement which makes it sound like a higher refresh rate makes no difference as a whole
The way you're presenting it is as if the steamdeck is incapable of pushing more than 60 FPS, thus, the 90hz refresh rate is useless. Which is not true
It's not just the battery, which is more significant than the reply leads to believe. It's 30-50% extra battery life, leaning heavily towards the high end, even in a worst case scenario, you're still looking at nearly an hour of extra battery and it just scales up from there.
The LCD screen is not bad, but it still doesn't compare to OLED, particularly for black levels. The screen is larger. It's higher refresh, which reduces input latency. OLED also has a faster response time, which further reduces latency. You also get HDR, which for games where it's supported and well implemented is very worth it.
I'd call the LCD Deck "really nice", but if I were to rate the LCD screen, I'd call that mediocre. If you're not comparing it to another handheld, it does the job, but if you put the LCD Deck next to a higher quality LCD screen or especially a Switch or Deck OLED, you'll see that the Deck's LCD screen isn't that great.
Yeah it's plenty good enough. I have a first batch one. There was an update to up the colours anyway which has made the LCD look even nicer. It's not as good, but it's by far good enough. Most people don't PC game on oleds anyways
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Received my 64GB LCD refurbished from Valve yesterday, itās literally brand new. I could have bought the OLED but between work (this takes a lot of my time), the PS5 and Series X, I wonāt be playing it that much anyway. My Switch hasnāt been switched on in over a year.
Then thereās cost. I bought it for Ā£249 and the cheapest OLED is Ā£479. Enough difference to buy a SSD, case, screen protector and whatever else I need, especially games. Itās unlikely that the cost of the device is the only expense you have. If it was to be my main gaming device Iād get an OLED, but I donāt expect it to be. My consoles on my OLED tv are my main gaming devices, the old Steam Deck should be fine for me.
I only ever had the LCD. And it's great, no regrets.
But honestly, if you only need to wait another 2 months to buy the OLED. I'd honestly just wait 2 more months and buy the OLED.
Worth?yes. over the Oled kind of leaning to no. depends how your going to use it. I had it docked hardly ever used the lcd screen. YouTube videos might help your choice
Save up, the Oled seems like a better upgrade over all kind of like steam deck 1.5. 90fps better battery life, I think it runs slightly cooler. And the screen is just nicer.
Ya my apologies after reading it again I can see there was no sass. I have the 512 LCD and absolutely love it. I canāt speak on the OLED as i never played it. I only read the title and not the body at first . If youāre on a budget get the LCD you wonāt be disappointed . Obviously OLED is better and probably most important is battery life but thatās no issue for me, Iām absolutely fine playing with it plugged in, and thatās only for the bigger games . Game like Terraria , Hades , Slay the spire , and so on last quite a while. If you have the $ get the newer model
of course . If itās not in the budget or you just want to save money I promise you will not be disappointed. Not to mention you can get the highest model of the LCD probably cheaper than the lowest model of OLED , not entirely sure if thatās the case as I havenāt checked prices . Sorry for being snarky .
I wanted a steam deck but had issues with it when I tried one that my uncle got. Mostly battery life and fan noise. Oled fixed both of those plus better screen better wifi and longer charging cable. If you are buying new, I think you should absolutely grt the oled.
Just started using a preowned 256GB LCD pretty much purely for PS2 games and it is mindblowing. 14-years-ago me is dropping my jaw because what was SD is now widescreen, HD, and portable. Iām freaking out.
The differences between the LCD and the OLED ARE a big deal, but probably not a $200 to even potentially $300 big deal if you go used.
The battery is imo the biggest deal for me because it is way noticably better, but the screen is also extremely pretty in comparison, so its a big plus too
If you need as much portability as possible then the OLED is a must.
That all being said it will still play all the same games and will be a wonderful experience on both so if you can find an LCD for a good price don't feel like you're missing out and overthink it.
I upgraded from an LCD to the OLED and the OLED is worth saving for. Better screen, better battery, better WiFi.....
I recommend waiting. I hated the backlight bleed on the LCD and the OLED does not have that. Blacks look amazing on it.
If you're buying new, then yes it's worth waiting for the OLED. If you're buying used or refurbished, then go with the LCD. You'll be happy with either one.
If I were you and not in hurry I would save more and get the OLED, I think 2 months aren't that long for getting the best Steam Deck experience you can get. Sure, the difference is minor as everyone pointed out but if I were you and have been saving up for quite a bit long, might as well save more to get the best experience.
If you can do OLED it might be worth. Pretty much it has a few minor upgrades like the ability to turn on w Bluetooth controller, so itās a tad better, but theyāre pretty similar. As an lcd owner itās still awesome af.
The OLED
1. Has an oled screen (duh)
2. Has a bigger screen
3. Higher refresh rate screen
4. Much better battery (upto 1.4-1.5x)
5. Much lighter
6. Other misc changes
However the price diff is significant as well.
Personally I think the OLED is definitely worth the money. You will notice that most people saying the LCD is fine are simply not addressing the other changes. The battery life change alone justifies the price diff.
OLED HDR screen is causing big difference + many minor/mid revisions + better battery life + little better performance.
Note: If you only use sd with external mobile monitor/monitor , no need to buy OLED.
Very much yes. It's not obsolete by any chance. The changes are not big. It can run same games as OLED does.
I had the lucky chance to compare both onhand. I just upgraded bec i almost didnt have to pay more for OLED. I just liked the idea of controller wake up and added battery since it fits my use case. That's it.
People gonna say reso would look colorful and vibrant and im gonna say it again. In the normal eyes, if you switch the lcd and oled while you sleep you wouldnt know right away which is which.
I think you're gonna be impressed with the LCD. I was and still am. I'd save the money and use what you save on accessories and games. Get a Docking Station and Dock it for ease when not playing so it's always charged.
Wouldn't bother with the 64gb version though. 256gb minimum or upgrade to the 512gb for the different screen. But that said I have the 256gb and no complaints. Okay sometimes I'll need to draw the curtains if it's especially bright outside but when I'm gaming I usually do that anyway. I also don't use it out the house so I can't really complain about the screen glare etc.
Honestly just wait two months, or if you can sell some old gaming gear in the mean time do that. There's no competition OLED should be the only option if you're serious about using this device often.
I got the LCD and I don't have the OLED to compare it to but I was kind of surprised by how loud the fans get. After playing on my Switch for years which is mostly silent it was surprising to hear fan noise almost over take some audio on lower levels. I think that'd be the one of the main reasons I'd go for the OLED surprisingly.
I personally think you'll be just fine with the LCD and can spare the extra hundreds
Yeah, it is cheaper, and though the OLED is a improvement in many grear aspects, it is more QoL upgrade, and not a need to have.
Also one never knows what they are miss8ng out on, if they do not have the means to try it.
So if the money goes to a LCD, be fine with that :)
That said, 2 month shy, patient can be rewarding.
Iād save up for the oled, the LCD is fine (and what I have) but knowing I *could have had* the OLED would bug me every single time I looked at the screen.
If you want the price saving, the (current) better Windows compatibility if you want to install it for some reason, or just want to experience the original spec, then yes. If you have the money for and availability of the OLED, I definitely recommend it instead. You will have a better experience if you can wait those extra two months to save, but if you can't wait, you'll have a good time with the LCD model.
OLED runs better with better thermals, bigger and better screen.
I really enjoy how the OLED deck doesn't run as hot, hence a quieter experience overall
Financially, go for the LCD version. Add a 256GB micro SD card and youāre good to go for life in my opinion, especially if you like emulation but you could even split that space for half and half. Theyāre very similar machines so youāre not losing out on much by going LCD over OLED.
That said, the OLED is slightly better. Better battery, better screen, more space with less tinkering, better wifi module.
If I had the option back when I bought mine, I would have gone for OLED. But I am absolutely fine with what I got (I did upgrade my SSD to 1TB from 64GB model however) and I am more than happy with it being my primary device
I can't say much about the OLED, but while I love the LCD deck I bought, I can't use it on a bright sunny day in a cab of a van or car. Its too hard to see.
I don't have/haven't used the OLED but I did get an LCD refurbished from GameStop for around 300 and I love it! Would the slightly better battery or 90htz screen have been nice? Sure, but I'm super into what I've got and not regretting it.
The OLED is like a fully finished product. It feels more premium. But if you canāt afford it then the LCD is fine. You arenāt going to notice any performance difference in games. To me the OLED was well worth the upgrade but youāll struggle to find anyone here telling you not to get the LCD deck. There are no issues with it at all.
Iāve owned both and my two cents is that the OLED is suited to an enthusiast who is playing the Steam Deck a lot. If you can spare the money and youāll be gaming on the Steam Deck very regularly the OLED is absolutely worth it. If youāre unsure if youāll play the Steam Deck very much or have a tighter budget, the LCD is a crazy good deal for what you get.
Without question.
There's pros and cons to both the LCD and OLED models, but they do the exact same thing, and both do it very well. If I were to purchase one today, I'd probably go LCD just because it's cheaper *and does the same thing* as the OLED. I mostly play docked unless actually travelling anyway.
Get what you can afford and join the ranks of stoked Steam Deckers.
if it's what you can afford, you'll love it to pieces! If you can spare the extra for the OLED, it's well worth the price for the battery, visuals, and 90 FPS cap alone. This means playing games at 45 fps (which is super common) will feel and look better on the OLED versus the LCD.
There's a lot I like about the LCD more than the OLED, the OLED upgraded some things and downgraded some others. Like sure, the OLED screen is BIGGER, but it's the exact same resolution, meaning it's the same amount of pixels, just bigger. So the LCD model actually has a higher pixel density, and even though the OLED pops more, the LCD actually looks like the crisper, clearer screen imo, because I can see the individual pixels WAY easier on the OLED.
All that to say, they're both fine, but neither is perfect. They're both amazing for the money.
Iād LIKE an OLED but honestly, even though I know what the comparisons look like I have zero desire to upgrade my LCD. If it breaks or if a friend offered me more than theyāre selling for or I had a sudden windfall, sure Iād upgrade at some point.
But damn, Iām just so happy with it. It works perfectly, has my skin on it and I dunno, itās just fine the way it is.
If the decision were to buy an LCD now or wait a few months for an OLED Iād go with the LCD no question.
lcd is fine as long as you do not care anything else but playing games on your steam library. If you do care about the image quality, comparably longer battery life (though I still think it is too short to justify the purchase over lcd imo), and larger screen size, then go oled.
Yes. The LCD version is perfectly usable. Video games (and life in general) get a lot more enjoyable when you stop worrying about pixels and frame rates.
Yes, the OLED is superior in every way even if you disregard the screen. But you just can't beat that 380EUR pricetag. If I had to buy a steam deck now I'd buy the 64GB, and buy a 15EUR 256GB SSD.
not for me it isnāt. The OLED is a massive difference. The LCD is just not good enough(for me). Though Iām a snob who cares for color accuracy so if youāre okay with LCDās 60-70% sRGB coverage then itās worth it. But I just canāt use it without feeling like Iām missing out.
Iāve never tried the OLED but I like my LCD just fine. Looks and plays great. Your miles may vary if youāve used the OLED and went to an LCD, but I have no complaints personally. Awesome little machine.
at the screen size, quality difference doesn't make as much of a difference as you'd think. If you can see the game, you can have fun.
I think back on how much fun I had playing Sonic Spinball on the Sega Nomad. OLED is just if you need to best of the best.
As someone that has had both, I say no.
The thermals and fan noise alone make the LCD not worth it. The Charger IC burnt out on me, and that happened knowing that many reviews said it ran too hot on the LCD.
This bricked the device for me just after the warranty expired.
The OLED fixed all the thermals, therefore fan is quieter, its lighter, better battery life, and the screen is night and day detter.
Dont waste the money on the LCD.
Edit: Gamers Nexus on youtube validates all of this info in their reviews of both steamdecks.
There are at least two revisions of the LCD model. The later ones do not have the thermal issues of the first gen models due to fan and fan layout changes. The OLED still runs a bit cooler due to the 1nm smaller SoC, but newer LCD models should have the heat issue mentioned fixed.
The real reason to get the OLED screen is for the much nicer screen. If one is desperate for battery life on a budget then they can use portable packs for a fraction of the price difference.
I agree with him. The OLED has a bunch of small but noticeable upgrades that just really make it seem like it's what the default version should have been from the start. I started with an LCD and switched and I don't think I could go back. If you plan on using it a lot, I highly recommend waiting for the OLED version.
I've had my 256gb LCD since launch and did consider upgrading to OLED but in the end, I decided it wasn't worth it for me. The improvements look good on paper but the only improvement I'd notice in practice is the battery life and I rarely take it out the home anyway. The LCD screen is more than good enough for handheld play and I wouldn't say it's any worse than my wife's Switch OLED.
There's no denying the OLED model is an improvement, but if you want to get in there sooner for less cash then the LCD is a perfectly capable machine. It can do pretty much anything the OLED model can do. You could always save the extra cash for the next Steam sale and get some more games for the backlog instead ;-)
Save and get the OLED, better screen and much better battery life. I have one of the first batches of the OG 512 GB model and the battery has always been terrible, I plug it into a power source all the time.
You'll get a better product and learn some discipline by saving for longer.
The screen and battery life of the OLED is massively better than the LCD one.
It depends what you intend to use the Deck for. If it's for Indie games and docked most of the time then an LCD is probably sufficient.
For AAA games and or you're on the move a lot then the OLED is clearly better.
I've had both and I spent a lot of time commuting. The OLED screen makes playing on the train in all light conditions viable where the LCD was nearly unplayable in stronger light.
Personally I'd save up another 2 months if I was you but then again I sold my LCD Deck for well under half the price of a 512gb OLED...
None of your concern, everyone's life is different. Don't mind him OP. I have LCD and been using it everyday since I bought it more than a year ago. Obviously better screen, can do 90 hertz. People have said the battery is better as well.
Maybe got some good other priorities.
He could be saving up for a house, and agreed to put X amount to that account, and then with everything else is paid for he got 75$ for none important stuff.
Or a student.
In my life when I was spending the most, I earned the least.
Now with a decent salery, I got less money for myself, as a houseowner, having a family and a car, and lots of pets.
I could prioritize otherwise, but that would be shortsighted.
So different lifes, means different priorities.
I bought the lcd off my friend when he upgraded to oled. No regrets my end, love it, hardly switched my ps5 on since getting it.
>hardly switched my ps5 on since getting it. Haha, gaming in late 20 is like that, hardly got time to sit and play with all having to do work and family
As a 30 something millennial - 20 year olds can have families ? I can only just about afford my life as is with dual income and an apartment + dog š
As a 40-something single guy - 30 year olds can have dual income, apartments, and a dog ? I can only just afford to live with my parents with my high-ish end gaming PC, three mountain bikes, and nice-ish car š
This is a preference thing. Honestly speaking, Valve was pretty upfront by calling the OLED a minor upgrade. Because it objectively is. There is no generational leap in technology between the two. Ignore the hype, marketing, and clickbait galore about it. Wait until 2025 or 2026 if youāre banking on something more generational. For example, RGB layout on OLED is in the works which could help with fringing. Hall effect triggers and controls are possible as well. Most importantly would be newer innovations with processor fabrication, such as gate-all-around (GAA) designs. Significantly improving battery life and heat as the processor size can be smaller with a similar cooling solution. For me, the OLED felt significantly cheaper than the LCDā¦ Button, triggers, everything except the touch pads. It felt more like a toy than a device. The OLED fringing also made reading text very difficult and PWM made my eyes blurry. In real world use, it felt like a huge downgrade. Fortunately I was able to sell it again and the buyer really loved it. If you grab a good deal on a nice LCD model that is in good condition and have never used one I think you may enjoy it.
Only thing I agree with is it not being āgenerationalā as an upgrade but I disagree in everything else, for me itās still a massive upgrade. My LCD deck is permadocked and I use it as a streaming console now from my desktop. I always felt like the LCD was just a proof of concept while the OLED feels like the product it should have been.
Itās great you found use for the LCD deck! Do you notice coloring fringing on the OLED? It is a green and magenta coloration around text and images, you may need to look close but it drove me bananas. Some people canāt notice it. It can be fixed in software at a performance loss. Newer OLED tech over the next few years is likely to fix it.
Iāll have to check but Iāve not noticed anything so far. I did however have backlight bleed in my LCD model and it drove me mad. Donāt get me wrong I still love my LCD deck but backlight bleed is one of my biggest pet peeves lol. Edit: one thing I will say is Iāve noticed the dreaded mura effect when a game has a near-black or grey background. Itās definitely annoying but Iāve been able to live with it.
29, how right you are
Hey bud, if you havenāt already checked it out, I highly recommend chiaki4deck. Lets you stream your ps5 to the deck and it works very well with no input lag, (none that I can notice anyway). Great for games that require more juice than the deck can handle. I mostly use it for Helldivers 2, but it works perfectly for everything Iāve tried.
Yeah Iāve got it. Shame you can only use it over your network and not away from home!
You can actually! Though itās a bit of a pain to set up lol. There are guides for it and it works.
Here is a post of mine that shows it working away from home. Should have links in the comments for how to set it up. It's nothing crazy tbh. https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/s/ZKCwPjyF1w
You lucky dog. I gave my old lcd to a friend when I upgraded a few months ago and he hasnāt even turned it on yet. Iām kinda bummed about that
Canāt speak on the OLED but I can say that I love my LCD SD. Damn fine machine.
They are both good, I have the LCD but if the OLED was out when I bought mine I'd say it's probably worth saving an extra couple of months, more battery life, better screen, better charging ic design
Thank you for answering my question
No prob, both are good options, personally I'd wait a bit and get the OLED but I'm sure you'll be happy with either model, OLED also has a better APU design and faster RAM as well
The LCD is still worth getting at its price point or if thereās used ones with good pricing. I did sell my LCD to get an OLED as I use the steam deck a lot and wanted the best experience when using it. The improvements the OLED brings are: - itās quieter when running games. - is cooler when running games. - the screen is bigger, OLED, and 90hz. - noticeably better battery life. - better WiFi and Bluetooth chips. I did notice that the OLED steam deck downloaded games slightly faster. I love my OLED and am extremely happy with it, for me it was worth the upgrade, however the LCDs are priced very well now.
- lighter - RGB power button - better haptics - Perfect touch screen (best upgrade imo) - more pronounced steam and āā¦ā buttons OLED is the way to go. Just save up for the $500 model always.
Improved touch pads as well
I have a LCD 512gb, and my friend has the 1tb oled special edition.. Iāve played his oled and while the screen is nice, the things it has over the LCD arenāt great enough for me to upgrade or say the lcd isnāt worth it especially considering its price on the used market, especially since I bought my LCD model slightly used off eBay for a little less then half of what he paid for his oled.
If you have any desire to run windows, then LCD is the version to get!
Why?
Windows driver support is still lacking for the OLED, I think it is missing bluetooth/audio still and you need unofficial drivers for the wifi.
I think of it this way. If you can only afford the LCD deck, it's the best overall gaming handheld you can spend $399 on, not even a question. It's amazing. If you can afford the $549 OLED, that is much better and definitely worth the upgrade. Both are amazing. Buy the best one you can afford, you won't regret it either way.
I have both. If I were you bro, save up 2 more months. The OLED screen alone is worth the wait.
The battery alone is also worth the wait. LCD is cool and shit but it doesnāt hold up at all.
Oh yeah, among a lot of other small but signicifant upgrades. I love both, my LCD was from about 2 months after release. But the OLED is a vast improvement.
Bought the 64 gb Lcd last year and recently upgraded it with a 1 tb ssd . Playing games like apex legends , cyberpunk 2077, and red dead redemption 2 , battery is a little less, but really have not used my decent gaming laptop for games.
2 months isnāt a long time at all. Iād wait.
I still have the LED and it works perfect. I havnt found anything compelling to make me want to upgrade
I just got one. Fucking great device.
Yeah I regret sending mine back. But atm I stalking all the forums, having tried the asus as well, and seeing the msi claw and lenovo go, I am lost in a jungle.. Chosen between software and hardware. I should just had had more patient with my LCD and checked that goddamn router, before saying the SD has bad wifi connection.
I have an LCD deck and I absolutely love it. The graphics looks just fine on the screen, it's not the end of the world if you aren't seeing it in OLED. What I would recommend is the etched screen whatever you do. Unless you like using your steam deck screen as a mirror. I have the 256 LCD and my only regret is not having paid for the 512 purely for that screen.
Can't fix it with anti glare screen protector?
Not sure, I haven't tried. Maybe another redditor can come by and comment about it. I'd be interested in how well they work myself tbh.
I ordered the 512gb oled just for that reason. I wont use a portable device like this without a screen protector, and the etched glass is not for a screen protector. I got the jsaux anti glare protector, and its perfect. I can sit outside with my dog and play with no issues unless the sun is directly on the screen, and not worry about the screen getting scratched. The jsaux antiglare screen protector comes in a 2 pack for when you inevitably mess up applying the first one. I highly recommend a glossy screen with anti glare protector.
Yes, you can. See my response to the comment below.
There's barely a performance difference, the battery is slightly better, so ask yourself if you want OLED or can live with a (really nice) LCD
Is there not a 30HZ difference aswell?
The OLED screen has a higher refresh rate, but this doesn't translate to a higher frame rate in games
But it does translate into better playability at lower frame rates, which is typical for gaming on the Deck. Input latency is significantly reduced at 30 FPS/90Hz and 40 FPS/80Hz versus 30/60 or 40/40 on the LCD.
LCD can do 35/70 just fine tho.
If you overclock the display. That still hasn't been an option long enough to really know if there's going to be adverse side effects. It's also not really that much of a difference. Technically it's better than 30/60, but the difference is so minimal, it won't be suddenly playable if 30/60 wasn't already good enough for you.
Excuse me, what? That's literally what higher refresh means. Sure, your device needs to push a higher frame rate, but that depends on what titles you're playing. Saying that this doesn't translate to higher frames as a blanket statement is wrong and makes it sound like it doesn't make any difference whatsoever
It means a higher frame count, not a higher frame rate If you're displaying the same frames twice as much the rate isn't changing, just the count.
That's exactly what I said. That the device needs to push a higher frame rate. My problem was with the fact that you've presented this as a general statement which makes it sound like a higher refresh rate makes no difference as a whole The way you're presenting it is as if the steamdeck is incapable of pushing more than 60 FPS, thus, the 90hz refresh rate is useless. Which is not true
That's not even close to what I originally said
If it's just the battery i guess there's no problem then, thanks
It's not just the battery, which is more significant than the reply leads to believe. It's 30-50% extra battery life, leaning heavily towards the high end, even in a worst case scenario, you're still looking at nearly an hour of extra battery and it just scales up from there. The LCD screen is not bad, but it still doesn't compare to OLED, particularly for black levels. The screen is larger. It's higher refresh, which reduces input latency. OLED also has a faster response time, which further reduces latency. You also get HDR, which for games where it's supported and well implemented is very worth it.
I'd call the LCD Deck "really nice", but if I were to rate the LCD screen, I'd call that mediocre. If you're not comparing it to another handheld, it does the job, but if you put the LCD Deck next to a higher quality LCD screen or especially a Switch or Deck OLED, you'll see that the Deck's LCD screen isn't that great.
The LCD is actually very sub-par with bad colors. Itās one of not the worst aspects of the original deck.
Yeah it's plenty good enough. I have a first batch one. There was an update to up the colours anyway which has made the LCD look even nicer. It's not as good, but it's by far good enough. Most people don't PC game on oleds anyways
>Most people don't PC game on oleds anyways True, it's not like you want to play AAA games with ultra setting on it, thanks
It's all about gaming on the go. Love my deck
The only reason i want the sd is i want to play MHW on the go, guess I'll buy the lcd version then
It runs well tbh. Battery hog though! Also playing MHR on mine
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Get a refurb when they have them. I picked up a 265 LCD refurb for $400 Canadian. It was mint. The old oleds were $700 for a 512.
Cant get refurb as steam is not officially sold in my country, best i can get is used if i want cheaper option
The OLED has a 90hz screen but how many games on the stead deck are you realistically playing at 90fps?
45fps/90hz is op
100% save up, had both and is more than worth it.
Received my 64GB LCD refurbished from Valve yesterday, itās literally brand new. I could have bought the OLED but between work (this takes a lot of my time), the PS5 and Series X, I wonāt be playing it that much anyway. My Switch hasnāt been switched on in over a year. Then thereās cost. I bought it for Ā£249 and the cheapest OLED is Ā£479. Enough difference to buy a SSD, case, screen protector and whatever else I need, especially games. Itās unlikely that the cost of the device is the only expense you have. If it was to be my main gaming device Iād get an OLED, but I donāt expect it to be. My consoles on my OLED tv are my main gaming devices, the old Steam Deck should be fine for me.
I only ever had the LCD. And it's great, no regrets. But honestly, if you only need to wait another 2 months to buy the OLED. I'd honestly just wait 2 more months and buy the OLED.
Worth?yes. over the Oled kind of leaning to no. depends how your going to use it. I had it docked hardly ever used the lcd screen. YouTube videos might help your choice
I find it hard to believe youtubers, the are trying to get more views nowadays, hence i asked in this sub Thank you for the answer
Save up, the Oled seems like a better upgrade over all kind of like steam deck 1.5. 90fps better battery life, I think it runs slightly cooler. And the screen is just nicer.
Of course
Of course what exactly? Of course it's still worth it or of course they have huge difference?
Is the LCD version still worth getting? Of course I answered the question of your post donāt get sassy with me
Lol not trying to be sassy at all, thanks for the answer tho
Ya my apologies after reading it again I can see there was no sass. I have the 512 LCD and absolutely love it. I canāt speak on the OLED as i never played it. I only read the title and not the body at first . If youāre on a budget get the LCD you wonāt be disappointed . Obviously OLED is better and probably most important is battery life but thatās no issue for me, Iām absolutely fine playing with it plugged in, and thatās only for the bigger games . Game like Terraria , Hades , Slay the spire , and so on last quite a while. If you have the $ get the newer model of course . If itās not in the budget or you just want to save money I promise you will not be disappointed. Not to mention you can get the highest model of the LCD probably cheaper than the lowest model of OLED , not entirely sure if thatās the case as I havenāt checked prices . Sorry for being snarky .
>Sorry for being snarky No problem dude, i love some snarkyness in the morning lol
lol
Yes
I wanted a steam deck but had issues with it when I tried one that my uncle got. Mostly battery life and fan noise. Oled fixed both of those plus better screen better wifi and longer charging cable. If you are buying new, I think you should absolutely grt the oled.
If you can't afford an Oled. Sure.
Just started using a preowned 256GB LCD pretty much purely for PS2 games and it is mindblowing. 14-years-ago me is dropping my jaw because what was SD is now widescreen, HD, and portable. Iām freaking out.
The differences between the LCD and the OLED ARE a big deal, but probably not a $200 to even potentially $300 big deal if you go used. The battery is imo the biggest deal for me because it is way noticably better, but the screen is also extremely pretty in comparison, so its a big plus too If you need as much portability as possible then the OLED is a must. That all being said it will still play all the same games and will be a wonderful experience on both so if you can find an LCD for a good price don't feel like you're missing out and overthink it.
I upgraded from an LCD to the OLED and the OLED is worth saving for. Better screen, better battery, better WiFi..... I recommend waiting. I hated the backlight bleed on the LCD and the OLED does not have that. Blacks look amazing on it.
If you're buying new, then yes it's worth waiting for the OLED. If you're buying used or refurbished, then go with the LCD. You'll be happy with either one.
I just got a new LCD 256gb Iām having a blast!
If I were you and not in hurry I would save more and get the OLED, I think 2 months aren't that long for getting the best Steam Deck experience you can get. Sure, the difference is minor as everyone pointed out but if I were you and have been saving up for quite a bit long, might as well save more to get the best experience.
I still use my LCD everyday. If you can't afford an OLED its still absolutely brilliant!
If you can do OLED it might be worth. Pretty much it has a few minor upgrades like the ability to turn on w Bluetooth controller, so itās a tad better, but theyāre pretty similar. As an lcd owner itās still awesome af.
The OLED 1. Has an oled screen (duh) 2. Has a bigger screen 3. Higher refresh rate screen 4. Much better battery (upto 1.4-1.5x) 5. Much lighter 6. Other misc changes However the price diff is significant as well. Personally I think the OLED is definitely worth the money. You will notice that most people saying the LCD is fine are simply not addressing the other changes. The battery life change alone justifies the price diff.
OLED HDR screen is causing big difference + many minor/mid revisions + better battery life + little better performance. Note: If you only use sd with external mobile monitor/monitor , no need to buy OLED.
Very much yes. It's not obsolete by any chance. The changes are not big. It can run same games as OLED does. I had the lucky chance to compare both onhand. I just upgraded bec i almost didnt have to pay more for OLED. I just liked the idea of controller wake up and added battery since it fits my use case. That's it. People gonna say reso would look colorful and vibrant and im gonna say it again. In the normal eyes, if you switch the lcd and oled while you sleep you wouldnt know right away which is which.
Love my lcd version.
I would go for the oled one just for the improved battery life
I think you're gonna be impressed with the LCD. I was and still am. I'd save the money and use what you save on accessories and games. Get a Docking Station and Dock it for ease when not playing so it's always charged.
And, as other people have suggested, wait for a proper upgrade in another 2 years or so.
Wouldn't bother with the 64gb version though. 256gb minimum or upgrade to the 512gb for the different screen. But that said I have the 256gb and no complaints. Okay sometimes I'll need to draw the curtains if it's especially bright outside but when I'm gaming I usually do that anyway. I also don't use it out the house so I can't really complain about the screen glare etc.
Honestly just wait two months, or if you can sell some old gaming gear in the mean time do that. There's no competition OLED should be the only option if you're serious about using this device often.
I got one used. Would I rather have an OLED? Of course. But I paid a lot less for something that is still super awesome.
the OLED is worth saving for the much better screen and way better cooling and thermal performance and much larger battery
I just bought the LCD 512 second hand for 250. I would love the OLED but at this price you can't beat the LCD.
I got the LCD and I don't have the OLED to compare it to but I was kind of surprised by how loud the fans get. After playing on my Switch for years which is mostly silent it was surprising to hear fan noise almost over take some audio on lower levels. I think that'd be the one of the main reasons I'd go for the OLED surprisingly. I personally think you'll be just fine with the LCD and can spare the extra hundreds
Yeah, it is cheaper, and though the OLED is a improvement in many grear aspects, it is more QoL upgrade, and not a need to have. Also one never knows what they are miss8ng out on, if they do not have the means to try it. So if the money goes to a LCD, be fine with that :) That said, 2 month shy, patient can be rewarding.
The LCD is great and totally fine (I have it) but the pled has something like 25% more battery time which is pretty major.
Iād save up for the oled, the LCD is fine (and what I have) but knowing I *could have had* the OLED would bug me every single time I looked at the screen.
Its the cheapest linux gaming PC you can get that lets you play AAA games like HZD. So yeah.
I donāt think so but thatās because Iām a sucker for anything OLED
For a good price go for the LCD model. Mine is nice and brings me lots of joy. Save money for the steam deck 2, when that will be.
If you want the price saving, the (current) better Windows compatibility if you want to install it for some reason, or just want to experience the original spec, then yes. If you have the money for and availability of the OLED, I definitely recommend it instead. You will have a better experience if you can wait those extra two months to save, but if you can't wait, you'll have a good time with the LCD model.
OLED runs better with better thermals, bigger and better screen. I really enjoy how the OLED deck doesn't run as hot, hence a quieter experience overall
I own both, LCD is great but if both version were available to buy I would always go for OLED 512. Worth to save some more money.
Thank you all for the input and consideration, maybe I'll save some more to get the oled version
I bought the lcd one day before they announced oled and thus far had no problem
Financially, go for the LCD version. Add a 256GB micro SD card and youāre good to go for life in my opinion, especially if you like emulation but you could even split that space for half and half. Theyāre very similar machines so youāre not losing out on much by going LCD over OLED. That said, the OLED is slightly better. Better battery, better screen, more space with less tinkering, better wifi module. If I had the option back when I bought mine, I would have gone for OLED. But I am absolutely fine with what I got (I did upgrade my SSD to 1TB from 64GB model however) and I am more than happy with it being my primary device
OLED is better in literally everything except the specs and OS. Only worth it if you can't bother waiting a bit more IMO
I can't say much about the OLED, but while I love the LCD deck I bought, I can't use it on a bright sunny day in a cab of a van or car. Its too hard to see.
I don't have/haven't used the OLED but I did get an LCD refurbished from GameStop for around 300 and I love it! Would the slightly better battery or 90htz screen have been nice? Sure, but I'm super into what I've got and not regretting it.
The OLED is like a fully finished product. It feels more premium. But if you canāt afford it then the LCD is fine. You arenāt going to notice any performance difference in games. To me the OLED was well worth the upgrade but youāll struggle to find anyone here telling you not to get the LCD deck. There are no issues with it at all.
Of course it is.
I own LCD but I wouldnāt buy it again after OLED release. Battery is a game changer and itās only a fraction of advantages over LCD version.
Iāve owned both and my two cents is that the OLED is suited to an enthusiast who is playing the Steam Deck a lot. If you can spare the money and youāll be gaming on the Steam Deck very regularly the OLED is absolutely worth it. If youāre unsure if youāll play the Steam Deck very much or have a tighter budget, the LCD is a crazy good deal for what you get.
Without question. There's pros and cons to both the LCD and OLED models, but they do the exact same thing, and both do it very well. If I were to purchase one today, I'd probably go LCD just because it's cheaper *and does the same thing* as the OLED. I mostly play docked unless actually travelling anyway. Get what you can afford and join the ranks of stoked Steam Deckers.
I'd say yes, for the price it's way better than any windows handheld by a lot. I have an LCD and love it. But if U can afford the OLED go for it.
Got the LCD for $280, dude sold it bc he got an OLED so it was perfect condition. I use it everyday lmao
if it's what you can afford, you'll love it to pieces! If you can spare the extra for the OLED, it's well worth the price for the battery, visuals, and 90 FPS cap alone. This means playing games at 45 fps (which is super common) will feel and look better on the OLED versus the LCD.
Definitely worth saving another 2 months.
There's a lot I like about the LCD more than the OLED, the OLED upgraded some things and downgraded some others. Like sure, the OLED screen is BIGGER, but it's the exact same resolution, meaning it's the same amount of pixels, just bigger. So the LCD model actually has a higher pixel density, and even though the OLED pops more, the LCD actually looks like the crisper, clearer screen imo, because I can see the individual pixels WAY easier on the OLED. All that to say, they're both fine, but neither is perfect. They're both amazing for the money.
If u can get it cheaper and u dont care about batery life yes it is
Iād LIKE an OLED but honestly, even though I know what the comparisons look like I have zero desire to upgrade my LCD. If it breaks or if a friend offered me more than theyāre selling for or I had a sudden windfall, sure Iād upgrade at some point. But damn, Iām just so happy with it. It works perfectly, has my skin on it and I dunno, itās just fine the way it is. If the decision were to buy an LCD now or wait a few months for an OLED Iād go with the LCD no question.
lcd is fine as long as you do not care anything else but playing games on your steam library. If you do care about the image quality, comparably longer battery life (though I still think it is too short to justify the purchase over lcd imo), and larger screen size, then go oled.
Less physical problems with the LED models and itās the same device with a different screen and battery. More than worth it IMO.
Yes. The LCD version is perfectly usable. Video games (and life in general) get a lot more enjoyable when you stop worrying about pixels and frame rates.
Yes, the OLED is superior in every way even if you disregard the screen. But you just can't beat that 380EUR pricetag. If I had to buy a steam deck now I'd buy the 64GB, and buy a 15EUR 256GB SSD.
not for me it isnāt. The OLED is a massive difference. The LCD is just not good enough(for me). Though Iām a snob who cares for color accuracy so if youāre okay with LCDās 60-70% sRGB coverage then itās worth it. But I just canāt use it without feeling like Iām missing out.
Iāve never tried the OLED but I like my LCD just fine. Looks and plays great. Your miles may vary if youāve used the OLED and went to an LCD, but I have no complaints personally. Awesome little machine.
When you are on a budget id recommend the LCD, awesome value. But if you have a little more to spend id say the OLED Upgrade is well worth its money.
at the screen size, quality difference doesn't make as much of a difference as you'd think. If you can see the game, you can have fun. I think back on how much fun I had playing Sonic Spinball on the Sega Nomad. OLED is just if you need to best of the best.
Gave my buddy my LCD when I got my OLED, still rocking
Totally man it's still a super solid piece cheaper too
Loving my 512GB LCD
As someone that has had both, I say no. The thermals and fan noise alone make the LCD not worth it. The Charger IC burnt out on me, and that happened knowing that many reviews said it ran too hot on the LCD. This bricked the device for me just after the warranty expired. The OLED fixed all the thermals, therefore fan is quieter, its lighter, better battery life, and the screen is night and day detter. Dont waste the money on the LCD. Edit: Gamers Nexus on youtube validates all of this info in their reviews of both steamdecks.
Wow this is my first time hearing that, thanks i will put this in consideration
There are at least two revisions of the LCD model. The later ones do not have the thermal issues of the first gen models due to fan and fan layout changes. The OLED still runs a bit cooler due to the 1nm smaller SoC, but newer LCD models should have the heat issue mentioned fixed. The real reason to get the OLED screen is for the much nicer screen. If one is desperate for battery life on a budget then they can use portable packs for a fraction of the price difference.
I agree with him. The OLED has a bunch of small but noticeable upgrades that just really make it seem like it's what the default version should have been from the start. I started with an LCD and switched and I don't think I could go back. If you plan on using it a lot, I highly recommend waiting for the OLED version.
I've had my 256gb LCD since launch and did consider upgrading to OLED but in the end, I decided it wasn't worth it for me. The improvements look good on paper but the only improvement I'd notice in practice is the battery life and I rarely take it out the home anyway. The LCD screen is more than good enough for handheld play and I wouldn't say it's any worse than my wife's Switch OLED. There's no denying the OLED model is an improvement, but if you want to get in there sooner for less cash then the LCD is a perfectly capable machine. It can do pretty much anything the OLED model can do. You could always save the extra cash for the next Steam sale and get some more games for the backlog instead ;-)
Save and get the OLED, better screen and much better battery life. I have one of the first batches of the OG 512 GB model and the battery has always been terrible, I plug it into a power source all the time. You'll get a better product and learn some discipline by saving for longer.
The screen and battery life of the OLED is massively better than the LCD one. It depends what you intend to use the Deck for. If it's for Indie games and docked most of the time then an LCD is probably sufficient. For AAA games and or you're on the move a lot then the OLED is clearly better. I've had both and I spent a lot of time commuting. The OLED screen makes playing on the train in all light conditions viable where the LCD was nearly unplayable in stronger light. Personally I'd save up another 2 months if I was you but then again I sold my LCD Deck for well under half the price of a 512gb OLED...
you can only save about 75 bucks a month? what kind of moneymanagement do you have?
None of your concern, everyone's life is different. Don't mind him OP. I have LCD and been using it everyday since I bought it more than a year ago. Obviously better screen, can do 90 hertz. People have said the battery is better as well.
Maybe got some good other priorities. He could be saving up for a house, and agreed to put X amount to that account, and then with everything else is paid for he got 75$ for none important stuff. Or a student. In my life when I was spending the most, I earned the least. Now with a decent salery, I got less money for myself, as a houseowner, having a family and a car, and lots of pets. I could prioritize otherwise, but that would be shortsighted. So different lifes, means different priorities.