A newly surfaced video has sent shockwaves through the handheld gaming community by showcasing an extremely rare, early prototype of Valve’s Steam Deck. The device, significantly different from the final retail version, reportedly operated at just one-third the power of popular competitors like the Asus ROG Ally. This glimpse into Valve’s development process highlights how drastically the handheld evolved before its 2022 launch.
The prototype, featured in a detailed teardown and analysis by tech historian Pierre-Loup Griffais (Valve’s Steam Deck designer), reveals a bulkier chassis, different button layouts, and an unrefined thermal solution. Most notably, power testing shows the device capped at a mere 5-7W—far below the ROG Ally’s 15-25W range—resulting in substantially lower performance. This early design prioritized battery life and thermals over raw horsepower, a philosophy Valve later balanced more aggressively for the final product.
Watch the full reveal and teardown here
Why This Prototype Matters
- Evolution Insight: The prototype underscores Valve’s iterative design challenges, particularly in cooling and power management. Early thermal constraints forced lower wattage, limiting game compatibility.
- Performance Gap: At 5W, this prototype would struggle with modern AAA titles, whereas the ROG Ally leverages higher power for smoother gameplay.
- Market Context: Valve ultimately chose a 15W TDP for the retail Steam Deck—tripling this prototype’s output—to better compete with rivals.
The ROG Ally Advantage
For comparison, the Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme model) dominates in raw performance, thanks to its higher power ceiling and AMD’s Zen 4 architecture. Its 1080p display and 120Hz refresh rate further outpace the Steam Deck’s 800p/60Hz screen.
👉 Check out the Asus ROG Ally on Amazon
Final Thoughts
While this prototype is a fascinating relic, it validates Valve’s critical compromises. The final Steam Deck’s balance of battery life, performance, and price ($399) cemented its success, even if rivals like the ROG Ally offer more brute force. For collectors and tech historians, this video is a rare peek into the handheld revolution’s trial-and-error genesis.
Image credits: Pierre-Loup Griffais/YouTube
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