Valve downplays the impact on handheld performance of using different SSDs in newly shipped Steam Decks. The change was first spotted by German publication HardwareLuxx, which noted that the 256GB and 512GB versions of the Steam Deck now come with either dual- or quad-lane PCIe G

Valve downplays the impact of using different SSDs in newly shipped Steam Decks on handheld performance.

The change was first spotted by German publication HardwareLuxx, which noted that the 256GB and 512GB versions of the Steam Deck now come with either dual- or quad-lane PCIe Gen 3 SSDs . Prior to this, these versions were equipped with faster quad-channel SSDs.

When asked for comment by PC Gamer, Lawrence Yang, product designer for Valve, said that Valve "determined there was no performance impact between the two models" and that there would only be a difference between the two drives in "extremely uncommon circumstances." the difference.

While this change may initially seem deceptive, sourcing components from multiple manufacturers to create a secure and robust supply chain is standard industry practice.

"Many Steam Deck components come from multiple vendors to increase redundancy and production capacity," Lawrence Yang explained. "One of our SSD vendors offers PCIe Gen 3 x4 NVMe SSDs, while another offers x2 SSDs. "

Lawrence Yang added: "Our team has conducted extensive testing of both components and determined that there is no difference in performance between the two models. "

Valve also warns those who want to replace the internal SSD. Users should not do this to keep the device robust.