Steam Deck is an awesome portable PC, and 1 of nan best handheld gaming consoles. But now that nan caller Steam Deck OLED is present it’s dormant to me. I tolerated (and was moreover pleasantly surprised) by its LCD sheet astatine times, but I’m each astir OLED, truthful upgrading to Valve’s refreshed exemplary is nan biggest of no-brainers to me.
I’ve been obsessively testing a full bunch of immoderate of nan best Steam games complete nan past fewer months since Mega Modz sent maine a civilization Deck, and galore of these titles person performed acold amended than I was expecting them to. Thanks to Valve’s useful framework complaint limiters that fto you fastener successful a unchangeable 60, 40 aliases 30 fps pinch dependable framework pacing depending connected really demanding a crippled is, I really sweat in-game capacity connected my Deck little than I do pinch my RTX 4090-powered mega rig.
To beryllium clear, I’ve not gone hands-on pinch Steam Deck OLED yet, but my workfellow Tony Polanco’s Steam Deck OLED hands-on review points to a surface that ticks each container this integrated light-emitting diode obsessive has been dreaming about.
With that said, I’ve put together a database of games I’m assured will look phenomenal connected Steam Deck OLED’s caller 7.4-inch display. The titles beneath each execute good connected nan 2022 motorboat model, which is partially why this database is curated nan measurement it is. Factor successful nan vastly improved opposition capacity of nan caller handheld PC — coupled pinch nan truth it’s tin of hitting highest HDR brightness of 1,000 nits successful supported titles — and it intends nan pursuing postulation of games should look jaw-droppingly vivid connected Steam Deck OLED.
Cyberpunk 2077
Night City should travel live connected Steam Deck OLED. While capacity is simply a spot wobbly connected nan original Deck (and astir apt will beryllium connected nan caller exemplary too, seeing arsenic they stock nan aforesaid APU), nan sparkling lights emanating from that futuristic cityscape should opposition beautifully pinch nan peerless blacks OLED screens provide. Cyberpunk 2077 has already gone done nan eventual redemption arc acknowledgment to countless patches and nan fantabulous Phantom Liberty description . I can’t hold to suffer myself to Night City’s seedy pleasures each complete again connected Steam Deck OLED.
Resident Evil 4 (2023)
Resident Evil Remake is simply a awesome crippled sloppy of platform, but it genuinely shines (pun intended) connected nan Steam Deck OLED. As a survival-horror game, Capcom's spooky title makes effective usage of shadows and acheronian environments — some of which make bully usage of nan Steam Deck's OLED display. In summation to its gorgeously horrific graphics, Resident Evil Remake is simply an wide enjoyable acquisition that honors nan original. This is perfectly 1 of nan champion games of 2023.
Alien: Isolation
One of nan champion scary games ever made is simply a devoted (utterly terrifying) emotion missive to Ridley’s Scott’s seminal sci-fi scarefest. Alien: Isolation already looks and plays good connected nan original Deck, but there’s nary uncertainty it’s going to radiance truthful overmuch much connected nan OLED model. I’ve played Isolation connected nan Nintendo Switch OLED, and this gripping first-person, perpetually gloomy endurance scary perfectly sings connected that awesome small screen. I can’t hold to revisit Amanda Ripley’s nerve-shredding hike-and-seek Xenomorph quest connected Valve’s latest handheld.
Batman Arkham trilogy
Technically this is simply a trio of games, truthful we’re really dealing pinch a database of 12 titles that should look astonishing connected Steam Deck OLED, not 9. Regardless, it was easier to lump this awesome bid into a azygous entry, arsenic I reckon it’s nan astir seamless video crippled trilogy of each time. The evolving narration betwixt Bats and Joker is impeccably handled passim Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and nan criminally underrated Batman: Arkham Knight. I’ve precocious vanished these Caped Crusader capers connected my Deck, and they each tally smoothly pinch insignificant settings tweaks — I managed to fastener Asylum successful astatine 60 fps, City astatine 40 fps and Knight astatine a reliable 30 frames per second. Each crippled looks bully connected my handheld’s LCD screen, truthful I tin only ideate really overmuch much eerie and convincing Gotham will look bathed successful OLED blacks.
Ori and nan Will of nan Wisps
Combining fluid platforming pinch Metroidvania elements, Ori and nan Will of nan Wisps is some challenging and charming. This soulful Xbox and PC exclusive looks stunning connected nan best OLED TVs, and fewer games person handled HDR pinch specified startlingly vivid care. There aren’t galore titles that popular rather for illustration this fantabulous sequel, truthful I’d beryllium amazed if this doesn’t look unthinkable connected Steam Deck OLED’s HDR screen. Thanks to nan caller handheld’s 90Hz refresh rate, this should consciousness a full batch smoother to play than connected nan vanilla Deck, too.
My 3rd favourite video crippled of each clip — Super Mario 64 and Grand Theft Auto 5 conscionable separator past it, successful lawsuit you’re wondering — runs highly good connected Steam Deck. The Fox Engine was ever a good optimized portion of tech, truthful it’s nary astonishment you tin play MGS5 astatine a locked 60 fps connected nan original Deck. The nighttime scenes that hap successful this sensational sandbox do look washed retired connected its LCD panel, though, truthful Steam Deck OLED should make that memorable infirmary prologue and those dread-inducing transportation achromatic espionage missions connected nan Angola-Zaire separator representation look overmuch richer.
Doom Eternal
iD Software’s motor is truthful good optimized, I wouldn’t beryllium amazed if Doom Eternal takes afloat advantage of Steam Deck OLED’s 90Hz display. Playing 1 of nan smoothest (and astir brutal) shooters astir astatine a considerably higher framework complaint than nan LCD Deck’s 60Hz surface is tin of should make an all-time awesome blaster that overmuch better. OLED screens mostly grip fast-moving action superbly, truthful I afloat expect this incredibly gory first-person shooter will supply a stellar acquisition connected Steam Deck OLED.
Inside
The belief successor to Limbo is different haunting introspection of puerility trauma. It besides looks nan business connected an OLED display. I’ve played done some nan PC type connected an LG C2 OLED and nan well-handled larboard connected Switch OLED, truthful judge maine erstwhile I show you this is simply a crippled that goes to different level erstwhile knowledgeable connected an OLED display. Inside is perpetually soaked successful noir-tinted shades of grey, and these acheronian environments — beryllium they spooky forests aliases twisted factories — should compression nan champion retired of Steam Deck OLED’s screen.
Little Nightmares 2
You’re noticing a shape here, right? Yes, this is yet different spooky crippled recommendation, because daze horror: this genre loves acheronian levels. This inventive, different nerve-shredding sequel — hold until you get to nan series pinch that schoolhouse coach — is almost ever bathed successful perpetual darkness. On a regular Deck, Little Nightmares 2 tin look washed retired and drab, but it should look truthful overmuch much punchy and atmospheric pinch Steam Deck OLED’s cleanable achromatic levels.
More from Tom's Guide
- Steam Deck OLED hands-on review: The champion handheld conscionable sewage moreover better
- Expect a agelong hold for a existent Steam Deck 2
- I emotion nan Steam Deck but I’m ditching it for Steam Deck OLED — here’s why