Whereas the common, LCD-bound Steam Deck has been getting huge enhancements as of late as nicely, it’s arduous to disclaim that Valve’s new Steam Deck OLED is the star of the present. The machine’s HDR OLED show is certainly its strongest characteristic, however there’s extra to it than simply that.

Extra particularly, the graphics and tech evaluation authority Digital Foundry has carried out some in-depth testing of the Steam Deck OLED. “In receiving a powerful improve to its show, Steam Deck OLED assaults enter lag seemingly on two fronts,” says Digital Foundry’s Richard Leadbetter.

Leadbetter explains that not solely is the OLED “usually” about 10 milliseconds sooner than the outdated LCD show throughout common use, however that its 90Hz refresh price additionally performs into this, as a sport that’s been capped at simply 30 FPS can be refreshed thrice on it. This, by default, results in additional enter lag reductions, and way more responsive gameplay.

Why does Steam Deck OLED have a lot decrease enter latency?

Leadbetter has supplied not solely his testing methodology to drive his level dwelling, but additionally a complete suite of tables evaluating the Steam Deck to the Steam Deck OLED in numerous video games at numerous body charges. As an example the important thing takeaway in Doom Everlasting working on the common 40 FPS candy spot, the OLED deck has a whopping 22.0ms benefit. This interprets to a lot decrease enter latency, making the sport really feel snappier and extra reactive in a like-for-like situation.

“Whenever you’re speaking about 10ms and particularly 20ms reductions in enter lag,” says Leadbetter,”I’m wonderful in saying that there’s tangible enchancment to the gameplay expertise, although the extent to which the consumer might discover might differ relying on their very own experiences with enter lag – and the enhancements might change on a game-by-game foundation.”

Naturally, this doesn’t even bear in mind the truth that the OLED mannequin of the Deck can run video games at 90 frames per second, which is a 50% uplift in comparison with the unique 60Hz show. Notice, after all, that this received’t all the time be possible, but it surely’s an excellent characteristic to have even should you aren’t actively utilizing it.

It’s not all doom and gloom for the house owners of the common, LCD mannequin of the Deck, nevertheless: “Valve did share with me that they’re trying to enhance enter lag,” stated Leadbetter. “Assuming these older firmware outcomes aren’t an issue of my LCD Steam Deck, it appears that evidently house owners of the present machines ought to be seeing a pleasant enchancment to response, notably when these all-important frame-rate caps are used.”

One thing to bear in mind right here is that the OLED mannequin of the Deck was sooner even when each it and the LCD mannequin had been working on equal system {hardware} when Digital Foundry ran its checks. OLED was nonetheless, by default, “noticeably sooner to reply.” With a Steam Deck 2 nonetheless years away, it’s straightforward to see why some would possibly take into account OLED to be vital even for LCD Deck house owners, in any case.