You can now pay to have your Steam Deck screen upgraded, but I’m not sold on the idea

PlatformsYou can now pay to have your Steam Deck screen upgraded, but I’m not sold on the ideaWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. PlatformsYou can now pay to have your Steam Deck screen upgraded, but I’m not sold on the ideaWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton) The fact there’s a 1200p Steam Deck screen out there isn’t news, but the company behind the upgrade is now offering an installation service. The amenity will naturally save you poking around inside the pricey portable yourself, all while still being able to ramp up visuals beyond full HD. However, testing the latest handhelds has convinced me this isn’t a foolproof idea, and it’s important to consider the caveats before laying down any cash. Thebest gaming handheldbattlefield is anything but standardized, and the Steam Deck and its competition all boast different specs. There are some similarities to be found between contenders, like the fact they all for the most part feature an array of buttons surrounding some sort of touch screen. Naturally, that’s where the common ground ends, as portable PC guns for a different performance and resolution target, which ultimately affects how your games will look and feel on the go. (Image credit: DeckHD) Steam Deck specs are a balancing act Just so we’re clear, I’m not here to outright tell you not to upgrade your Steam Deck screen. As someone who likes tinkering with hardware old and new, I completely get the appeal. What I do want to avoid is anyone thinking the upgrade will both come with no strings attached and magically giveValve’s handheld the same punch as theAyaneo 2SorAsus ROG Ally. Ultimately, swapping your Steam Deck screen out for a 1200p panel is no different than pairing a modestgaming PCwith one of thebest 4K gaming monitors. Doing so won’t cause any inherent issues, not least until you try and actually run games at native resolution. Simply put, sticking with a display resolution that suits the rig attached matters, as you’ll otherwise have to deal with less-than-stellar performance and an additional inability to boost fps when required. This is actually something I experienced recently during myLenovo Legion GO review, as I’d argue the handheld’s 1600p 144Hz display isn’t a great match. Don’t get me wrong, there are a bunch of older games out there that you’ll be able to run at QHD to make sure of the higher resolution, but for the most part, it felt like I had to scale things back to 800p to achieve an enjoyable level of performance. (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton) Rather than trying to get the Steam Deck to perform tricks it wasn’t really designed for, I’d instead suggest picking up a portable that’s already capable. You only need to hook up Valve’s handheld to thebest Steam Deck dockto realize it doesn’t like venturing beyond 1080p in most recent games. Adding a beefier display to the device will also place more strain on its already limited battery life, in turn hampering portability to a hilarious degree. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more If you’re planning on solely playing some PC classics or low-spec indies on your Steam Deck, then opting for a DeckHD upgrade could still be worthwhile. After all, the panel also offers enhanced sRGB coverage and improved touch responsiveness. Otherwise, it’s best not to disrupt Valve’s carefully balanced specs, and there are plenty of alternatives out there for those of you craving to roam with higher resolutions in hand. It’s worth hammering home that this screen is designed for the original Steam Deck LCD model. Not I can imagine anyone wanting to ditch the new OLED version’s punch panel for something that’s just higher res, but it’s worth touching on just in case. Today’s best handheld gaming PC dealsLenovo Legion Go$549ViewSee all pricesASUS ROG Ally$550$490ViewSee all pricesValve Steam Deck 64GB$499$469.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best handheld gaming PC dealsLenovo Legion Go$549ViewSee all pricesASUS ROG Ally$550$490ViewSee all pricesValve Steam Deck 64GB$499$469.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best handheld gaming PC dealsLenovo Legion Go$549ViewSee all pricesASUS ROG Ally$550$490ViewSee all pricesValve Steam Deck 64GB$499$469.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best handheld gaming PC deals Lenovo Legion Go$549ViewSee all pricesASUS ROG Ally$550$490ViewSee all pricesValve Steam Deck 64GB$499$469.99ViewSee all prices Lenovo Legion Go$549ViewSee all prices Lenovo Legion Go$549ViewSee all prices Lenovo Legion Go Lenovo Legion Go $549View $549 $549 See all prices ASUS ROG Ally$550$490ViewSee all prices ASUS ROG Ally$550$490ViewSee all prices ASUS ROG Ally ASUS ROG Ally $550$490View $550$490 $490 See all prices Valve Steam Deck 64GB$499$469.99ViewSee all prices Valve Steam Deck 64GB$499$469.99ViewSee all prices Valve Steam Deck 64GB Valve Steam Deck 64GB $499$469.99View $499$469.99 $469.99 See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Looking for something with a portable punch? Check out thebest gaming laptopfor a selection of powerhouse rigs. 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magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So 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review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1 Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”