When it comes to rare gaming merchandise, like early console prototypes, it’s no surprise they often command lofty sums. Case in point, a rare Steam Deck prototype recently appeared on eBay, catching the attention of a sharp-eyed member from the r/SteamDeck community.
This intriguing piece of hardware, which closely mirrors the early images Valve shared, initially carried a steep asking price of $3,000. However, it found a new owner for a slightly reduced $2,000. The prototype, labeled internally as “Engineering Sample 34”, isn’t just any Steam Deck—it’s sporting some unique features like blue accents, a notably curved design, circular trackpads, and what seems to be an interesting sensor positioned on the right joystick.
Despite a sticker brazenly stamped on the back warning “Not for resale,” this didn’t deter the adventurous seller. Valve had crafted numerous protoypes during development stages, making it tough to pinpoint the precise age of this unit. Yet, the inclusion of an older AMD APU hints at a pre-production model focused on testing mechanical features, likely dated back to 2019 or 2020.
Now, the seller did note this prototype lacks a pre-installed operating system (SteamOS). In images snagged by Notebookcheck from the auction, the listing’s BIOS reveals some juicy specs. Valve had been fiddling with this unnamed AMD Picasso chip, a Ryzen 3000 mobile processor packed with up to four Zen+ cores and a GCN 5.0 Vega-based integrated GPU. These early architectural choices are miles apart from what ended up in the mass-produced Steam Decks.
On the hardware front, this unit is equipped with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD—quite modest compared to the 16GB and 512GB options available now, unless you’re snagging the 64GB eMMC variant. Modern AMD Aerith and Sephiroth APUs would outperform this older set-up considerably.
As of now, it’s all eyes on who the buyer turns out to be. Should it end up in the hands of a tech reviewer or hardware guru, we might get an intriguing breakdown of the custom Picasso chip and the Steam Deck’s evolutionary journey. Alternatively, it could slip into the shadowy vault of a private collector. Meanwhile, for those eager for a Steam Deck sequel, Valve advises patience, as it’ll take some remarkable advancements in processing power to make the next big leap.
