A PC Gamer author hopes the Steam Deck 2 will be close to the size of a PSP while maintaining the original's performance level, with improvements to battery life and portability. The original Steam Deck launched in 2022; in the author's view, the sequel remains purely speculative, and AI-related memory supply pressures make it seem even more distant.
The author believes that some high-priced handheld PCs released after the original launch failed to address his concerns. He notes that these devices often cost over $1,000, have bulky bodies, and suffer from unsatisfactory fan noise and power consumption during operation; most run on Windows, which also doesn't align with his preferences for handheld gaming.
When it comes to game selection, the author isn't interested in using a handheld to barely run the latest AAA titles. He places more value on indie games, titles from the PS4 era or earlier, and emulation. Therefore, he envisions that the Steam Deck 2 doesn't need a significant performance boost, with battery life and size being higher priorities.
The author looks back at the smaller handhelds of the past, citing the PSP and Game Boy Advance as examples. He hopes the Steam Deck 2 can fit in a pocket, or at least come as close to that size as possible without compromising grip comfort.