I'm glad to finally be able to address one of the biggest questions I've received. Hope this helps! Steam Deck OLED Playlist: ruclips.net/p/PL9lafQPiMYh6-tBRxhU2Q4BX5kSbT8oQy *Featured Games* Gunfire Reborn Half-Life Alyx Sanabi Final Fantasy 7 Reborn Stray Metroid (NES / Mesen) Final Fantasy Crisis Core Reunion Windbound Kena and the Bridge of Spirits Amid Evil Cloudpunk
Hey, would you be able to add the code from about 8:20 to the description or this comment? That way people can just copy and paste the code rather than manually typing. Ps, thanks for the great content!
what do you mean by "i live in a country where you can't get this" ? your youtube profile says you are in the United States. did you lie to RUclips about your location?
I've bought the 1 TB OLED model, mostly because I wanted the extra SSD storage from the off but also because I know how annoying reflections can be on a glossy OLED display from using my LG B9 TV. I will likely use the Steam Deck for 50% of the time during the day and the rest at night so I feel the etched glass is the preferred option anyway for me. Good video though. No-one else has done this kind of comparison as far as I am aware so this is useful information. Thanks.
Just dropping my summary here that I made somewhere else: The etched screen on an OLED is an issue that needs to be looked at in three different uses cases: - dark room - low light - high (direct) light In addition the effect of the etched screen needs to be clarified: It disperses light. That means that a strong light the hits the screen from one side is not reflected off of it to the other side without the user noticing. Instead the entire screen reflects some part of each light into the user's eye. This is good for things that would reflect the light into the users eye anyway, because this light is lessed. But it means that all light is in part reflected into the users eye. So what the user sees at any part of the screen is a mixture of the dispersed light, AND the light coming from the screen at this part. And if you want to enjoy OLED blacks (where the screen is basically turned off) that's BAD, isn't it? But is it? Let's look at dark room usage first. There is no light to disperse. The etched screen will not look any different from the non-etched screen, aside from some minor loss in sharpness. And that would be really hard to notice, especially if we are still talking about an 800p screen. You'll basically loose sharpness to see distinct pixels. Low light will be the most important one, because it's the use case most will encounter. This can be a lit room, but it can also be outside, where you have light in the environment, but nothing that casts tons of light directly at the screen. Here things get interesting, because we have two different things to look at: Bright parts of the screen, and dark parts of the screen. The environment will have a lot of dim to medium lit objeckts behind the user, there is no way to avoid this. The oled screen is very bright, so the bright parts will overcome the direct reflections on the non-etched screen of those pretty well, BUT they will also overcome the etched screen's light dispersement even better than the single highlights. Now for the dark parts of the image. These will show the dreaded light dispersement of the etched screen. The OLED's black, but also dark colors can go very very dark, and there will not be any light, by design, to overcome the dispersed light. But let's look at what that means for the non etched screen. Turn on your phone, and hold it right up, so that your face is reflected in it. Do you see many reflections? No, too much light coming from the display that overcome the very low light direct reflections on the glass. Turn it off. Now you see EVERYTHING, reflected like a mirror, because no light is coming from the device to overcome these veeery slight direct reflections. This is what all dark parts of the OLED image would look like, and this is the real difference to the LCD deck: The LCD deck ALWAYS emits light that overcomes these slight reflections, so on the non-etched LCD screen, these aren't that noticable. Now turn to the OLED screen, which is OFF in black parts, and even the smallest of reflections return. This means that no matter how low light the objects in your environment are, the black pixels will NEVER overcome their reflections. Black parts of the screen will always reflect everything, no matter how low light you go. It might even happen in total darkness, when parts of the screen light up your face, while the black parts then perfectly reflect your face. And this could NOT have happened on the LCD deck. Now for high (direct) light conditions. This is basically studio light, like in youtube videos. A very bright light shines directly on the screen, leading to tons of dispersed light being reflected into the eye/camera. In the worst case scenario, there are also no other objects but the deck being lit, so the non-edged screen shows just a small amount of reflections, while the etched screen is overall BRIGHT. This is not likely to happen in real life, where a very bright light in the environment would usually lead to an overall bright environment. That means the non-etched screen would likely be showing reflections that cannot be overcome even by the bright OLED screen. Black parts of the screen would reflect even more heavily here as well, leading to a more realistic tradeoff between OLED black levels and reflections. Again, the bright parts of the screen will overcome the dispersed light, those are not a problem here. So TLDR: If you hated reflections on then LCD, you are likely to LOATH them on the OLED. If you want true blacks on your etched OLED screen, you are still going to get them in low light environments.
We ordered a 512gb and an LE. I just spent 2 hours playing and comparing, and Taki is completely correct. Both screens are brilliant and no matter which one you choose you will love it. I can barely see any difference, aside from the etched handling reflections better. If there is any difference it’s like 1% or something. Seriously, Valve hit a home run with the SD OLED. Nuff said, time to go play more. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Thx. I had the edged glass lcd but ordered the glossy oled but I bother myself with reflections now so I’m going with the edged glass version again. Never thought this would be a problem for me but having an edged glass device changed my mind
For those curious, I have the 512gb MATTE finish on my old Steam Deck. Even when I would have light on the screen, I would move my hands slightly to remove the light completely just like I would with a glossy finish. So even though the matte diffuses better, I always remove that annoying light from view completely anyway so it makes no difference which OLED I'd get.
Yeah it seems like both screens are very reflective no matter what option you take. A soft computer monitorish screen would have the best picture but its durability wouldn't be great.
@@rixiorx plus $300? probably not. imagine what you can get if you keep the $300 and the lcd. i traded in my lcd after buying the oled, and got a switch oled out of it (...because i was gonna get peanuts for it in normal cash and decided to get a game token instead) but i never play on that switch oled. i probably wouldve been better off keeping the lcd or buying a bunch of games with the token. now, the increased value for money of the 1tb vs the 500gb is worthwhile, but paying $700 for a new deck so soon after getting the first one, it felt wrong to me. so i got the 512gb like my lcd because it was a bit cheaper.
First of all, I have to say that your comparison and analysis were so good that it was worth watching the first half of the video, which was more focused on providing context. To be honest, I almost skipped your video when no comparison was being made in the first 9 minutes. Second of all, and most importantly, I truly appreciate all the work invested. Now I have a clear idea of both versions. Subscribed. :)
Dude thank you for calming my tits about this issue. Bought the limited edition and have been second guessing it since reading about all the screen drama online. Thank you for comparing the two and being so thorough about it.
Putting on a glossy screen-protector would have the same effect as getting a glossy model, if you still care about it. A good quality one as cheaper ones reduce the contrast in a similar way.
Same, man. In the end I decided to trust Valve since they almost always make smart decisions with their engineering and it looks the etched glass is no exception.
@@Beastw1ck They also chose to keep potentiometer based sticks, for their better accuracy. I've heard rumours of the hall effect replacements have a larger deadzone, so this might again be Valve choosing right. On my Deck I halved the deadzone setting, making them unusually accurate for now. As the sticks are easy to replace, it also isn't a problem if the originals do wear out.
Absolutely. Funny thing is, on OLED TV's, screens with no anti gloss are much cheaper. If Valve put this on the highest end, it was for a reason. I took ordered the special edition, should be here Friday!
OMG! Thank you so damn much for THIS great comparison. I was so confused witch one i should order. You explained all the details and differences! Thank you 1000 times. Best vid on YT for the Display comparison! 👍👍👍
Thank you so much for considering how non-light sources reflect on the screen (14:57), and for actually taking them outside and comparing them in natural light (15:28). Seemingly every other video is just someone aiming a light directly at the screen in a controlled studio which does not reflect real world usage. I'm not so much concerned about how the screen looks with a light shining directly on it since I will make every possible effort to position the device to avoid that kind of direct light exposure. It's going to be distracting and have a significantly adverse effect on the viewing experience no matter which type of screen you get, and it's relatively easy to avoid in most scenarios by just sitting/holding the device a little differently. I also expect that the environments I play in will likely not be anywhere near as "clean" or controlled as a studio, so those kinds of demonstrations aren't actually very helpful to me as they are effectively a non-factor. Rather, I'm concerned with how reflective the surface is in general and how much things are going to show up on the screen when light is bouncing off other things in the environment around or behind you. You can avoid having a light shining directly on the screen, but in a brightly lit environment (like the waiting room at a doctor's office, or as a passenger in a vehicle) with a lot more things around you, there's still going to be a ton of light reflecting off of different surfaces that can still show up on the screen if it's extremely reflective. That's when I want to know how the screen looks just reflecting the environment around you, which in real world applications are going to be vastly "busier" with more chaotic light than in a studio test where the device is sitting flat on a table looking up at flat, empty ceiling with nothing else to possibly reflect on screen except for the test light. Your video comparisons suggest to me that the etched screen is the superior option, speaking as someone who would only intend to use the Steam Deck as an actual portable gaming device while away from home. I'm sure the glossy screen is technically better and probably looks better under ideal conditions, but those reflections you showed of your hand and the tree canopy really stood out in comparison to the etched screen where they were far less noticeable.
Totally agree with you!!! I just bought a steam deck oled 512GB because of what I read online regarding the superiority of the glossy display and unfortunately I was bamboozled with it! My use case is indoor with normal lights not a strong studio light so I assumed the gloss will definitely be better, but it is the complete opposite! The reflections of my face or any object behind is extremely distracting when the oled is showing black colors! It is kinda dumb that people are claiming the glossy to be better for a handheld because how black will look, but what’s the point when the oled blackness becomes a mirror to your face and surroundings! Totally kills the immersion. I am trying to return my 512GB to upgrade to the etched glass one. When I tried the rog ally the reflection handling is so awesome that the glossy deck is distracting to play with, but the screen, battery life and user experience are much better on the steam deck oled.
Amazing video with incredible detail and real world scenarios, this is exactly the type of video I’ve been looking for to justify purchasing the LE OLED Steam Deck.
I don't expect I will be upgrading to the OLED as I don't use my steam deck a ton, but it's good to know there isn't a huge difference. I personally would go with etched every time as it makes the deck more usable in all conditions and you really aren't losing much detail.
Great video, well thought out commentary and pros and cons of each. Someone on the Steam Deck reddit was basically insulting anyone who got the etched version this week.
Thanks for this comparison! I had the OG 512GB Etched Glass Deck (also with a glossy screen protector as a etched one wasn't available at it's launch). I was thinking about all the recent comments from people stating that the standard glossy screen was better. Good to know the etched glass still has some good advantages in brighter environments like in a vehicle or outside.
Thanks for uploading this! Honestly made me much calmer about the etched display, I think I will keep it without a glossy screen protector as the OLED will seemingly still look phenomenal even with the anti-glare. Although very afraid of receiving a BOE Panel as I have never had a good experience with their displays in the past on standard LCD monitors...
This really calms my anxiety. I ordered the anti-glare 1TB version for the extra stuff it comes with + the storage and then started reading comments about how the screen sucked and got really worried. Now I'm just excited :D
I'm getting the glossy one so I can have a screen protector on. I have refrained from having a screen protector on my etched LCD because a glossy protector on an etched screen isn't 100% the same as glossy on glossy and etched on matte would be even worse. And it have been a point of worry ever since I got it. With the glossy OLED I can throw any screen protector on, matte or glossy, and it won't be worse than the ethched without a protector.
Yep, most don't think of this and that's exactly 1p0% accurate. Putting a matte on matte will look horrid. Get the close and update to a 1tb for the same price as the already 1tb steamdeck and you can make it matte with a screen protector if you want.
I’ve tried to explain this exact trade off to people who talk bad about the etched screen. Thanks for taking the time to make a video showing it off. The reflection issue was not really about direct light sources, but about the mirror effect. I prefer matte screens because of this, I rather lose a little perceived vibrancy and not be able to see myself looking back at me in the screen.
I think it really depends on the person. For whatever reason, my mind just automatically "filters out" mirrored stuff on glossy screens. I wonder if it has something to do with having worn thick glasses my entire life, causing me to just automatically ignore most reflections.
@@BenkaiDebussy I’ve worn glasses all my life and constantly adjust them to not see my own eyeballs in them. 30 years later still can’t get used to looking directly into my own eyes in my glasses lol.
@@RedMageGaming Damn, I guess it is just a thing where different people react very differently. I guess having poor "attention to detail" is finally helping me out! The weird thing is that having any sort of smudge on my glasses *does* drive me crazy, to the point where I can't even concentrate until I've cleaned them. It's just reflections specifically that I can ignore.
You guys really gotta start investing on better lenses... I always had my glasses made with quality anti-refleaction coatings and only in direct sunlight at very specific angles would I notice my eyes getting reflected. My newest glasses, made in 2021 with latest Essilor lens coating, I can't even notice any reflections at all, plus it now also repels water so, when they get dirty, all I gotta do is clean them with water and hand soap, rinse and they don't even need to be dried with a cloth afterwards anymore, avoiding potential scratches! I really just can't understand why they don't put these amazing coatings on screens as well...
I get why someone would get the more premium deck model, but as a casual user here's my take: I see and respect the benefits of the 1tb version, but I'm probably going for the base model OLED because I can see myself upgrading the storage myself if I need to. And I'll probably get an anti-glare screen protector sense I'm buying one either way.
One thing to note, anti glare screen protector is different from engineered etched glass like the 1tb model. Screen protectors /film tend to have a higher rate of diffusion this resulting in fuzzier lights.
@@realmisr I just got my Deck today, but I've only used the JSAUX anti-glare protector from Amazon. I plan on trying their glossy one. Their reviews are good, they're currently on sale, and the bracket it comes with makes install very easy.
Pros and Cons. I love the etched glass on the top of the line. I don’t care about deep blacks on an 8 inch screen on a handheld device I’ll play 95 percent of the the time with lights on.
Yeah, no one is saying it is bad but a regular glass OLED display will always have better, crisper and more vibrant color reproduction. Not even a conspiracy theory lol, it's basic wave optics in physics and refractive index of frosted glass vs regular glass.
The concern was enough for me to skip out on it. Money is no issue for me thankfully, but personally I chose against the Limited Edition due to the anti-glare. I pre-ordered the top model for the original Deck and the etched screen is great on that one. But for OLED Deck I felt like etched screen wouldn't even be needed and maybe even be unwanted under some circumstances. Also an extra $100 for 512gb wasn't worth it imo, so I went with the 512gb. I'm really digging it so far, the black backlight feels so bright on the original LCD now
I’d be more concerned about the LE BOE screens versus the Samsung on the lower models. As a LE purchaser I came to the realization I have a dead pixel. The BOE panels seem to have more flaws versus the Samsung models and it’s disappointing but it’s time to start the RMA process.
Thanks for the info on the shell swap, I was very curious about it. I’m keeping my launch 512 GB Deck; I did an Extreme Rate shell swap to trans black and I’m super proud of the work. I nearly got the limited edition but I can make that again with the proper shell when it’s available
Thanks for taking the time to put this video together! I've been on the fence about which to get because I heard a lot of folks complaining about the colors not comingthrough as vibrantly on the etched glass model but it really doesn't look as bad as it was originally made out to be.
This is the video that everyone was waiting for. Amazing job on the presentation! And incredible work by Valve. My 12 year old brain would never be able to wrap my head around the idea of something like the Steam OLEDeck!
I would love to see a deep dive video comparing the Samsung vs. BOE panel. Hopefully this isn't another panel lottery game where 1 version is clearly superior to the other. The fact that you received both Samsung panel Decks makes me think that Valve are cherry-picking the "best" versions to send out to reviewers, but that's just a conjecture.
Apple use Samsung and BOE pannels on iPhones and they virtually indistinguishable. If they both produced on same specification they should be indentical.
Its really nice to know that you can just swap the SSDs. It would make it a lot easier to transfer my data and pass down my current one to a sibling when I eventually upgrade.
i seen Dave2D do it and it appears to be the exact same look as the glossy screen, and glossy screen protectors cost like 7 bucks for a pair, i dont think anyone should really worry at all with what version they get. Better to get the 1tb version for the storage and put on a glossy screen protector than to get a 512gb just because it comes with a glossy screen by default.
@@gersongaete1574I've seen it too. There was another video where someone put it on and didn't like it so they took it off. Not sure if it was Retro Game Corp. As for upgrading. I rather get the 512GB one then upgrade to 2TB for around $120. So I only $20 for double the storage of 1TB. You would only miss out on the upgraded case and items.
I'm partial to the glossy, especially on OLEDs but honestly I'm impressed with Samsung here, they did a great job on both. I always play in a room with dim lights so never have reflection problems and almost never use the touchscreen, I prefere typing with the trackpads so I'll go with the least expensive option for sure.
one reason why you might have no problems with reflections is that the lcd deck emits light even in the black parts of the screen. So there is always light coming from the screen to overcome the reflections on the glass. When the oled black pixel are off, you might actually see more reflections than previously.
Glossy looks better no discussion... if you play mostlly indoor take the glossy one hands down, OLED will always look better on glossy vs matt (see the monitor rew. also...). Cheers!
I have a glossy screen OLED Switch and an etched Steam Deck OLED. I've also tried a matte screen protector on my Steam Deck. Here's my conclusion. Anti-glare (higher is better): Level 1: Glossy Level 2: Etched Level 3: Matte Screen clarity (higher is better): Level 1: Matte Level 2: Etched Level 3: Glossy The glossy screen suffers from glare whenever I use it in public transit. I can't control the light environment like at home. Therefore, anti-glare is important to me. The matte screen protector does the best job at anti-glare. The sacrifice made with a matte screen is the clarity. The screen looks foggy, which reduces the color pop. Also, the texts are slightly blurry. The etched screen glare level is between the glossy and matte. It gives enough glare reduction without a noticeable drop in clarity. I was satisfied with the etched screen, so I removed the matte protector from my Steam Deck. I would only recommend the matte screen protector to those who bought the glossy screen and started gaming outdoors frequently like me. If you haven't bought a Steam Deck yet and love gaming outdoors, consider the etched model. Switching the storage from 512 GB to 1 TB only costs slightly less than simply getting the higher tier.
I’m glad I went with the limited edition etched. Minor differences but if I’m ever in a well lit room or outside I’ll be glad I have the etched. Plus more on board storage and special case / colors
@@RannekoPlays yes and when there's only part of the screen getting light all the etched screen looks like an LCD while the glossy has great blacks on the rest of the screen. When in total light the reflections are disturbing in the same way. The only edge of the etched is outdoors
@@Tonno7 Conterpoint is that you would want to see the entire screen not just the parts that don't have reflections on them with which the etched screens helps a lot
THANK you so much for showing the hand reflection difference. Everyone is focusing on the color vibrancy and general light diffusion between the two, but you're the first reviewer I've seen whose brought up an actual real-life issue I have with glossy screens, which is having to see my own dumbass face staring at me every time a game gets dark.😆To me the slight haze and loss of color depth isn't a huge distraction since I play at night, but light bouncing off my own pale face can be.
Thanks but I wish you would've done the test with half of the etched screen being under a glass screen protector to see if there are any differences and also compare it to the fully glossy version. That would've been the ultimate end goal.
thank you Taki... im thinking about getting the Steam Deck OLED... more likely the 512GB... i appreciate your detailed and thorough feedback on both the new and original Steam Deck... i appreciate you man... thanks again! 👍🏽👍🏽
Great video! I’m trying to figure out which Deck to get. Like the idea of not spending quite as much but also know I’d run into storage problems sooner rather than later. I think I’m pretty much sold on the 1TB Deck.
Every reviewer got 1TB etched model and they were all astonished. Maybe except for one youtuber, who didn't like "fuzziness" that apparently was introduced by etched screen. Anyone who believed the etched screen would "ruin the display" was very strange for me. Even if there was noticeable difference - 1TB is still getting you the display everyone loved. But it's nice to see decent tests of everything. Good job!
I’m at 7:34 in the video, just ran the command, I have 04 30. Hopefully that is good :) edit: I originally had the 256gb LCD deck, so I was super nervous ordering the etched glass screen. I don’t know what causes this, but on camera, it looks horrible. Every single video I’ve watched has made me question my decision. Now that my etched glass OLED is actually here, it’s like night and day. I dunno what’s going on with the videos I’m watching, but I can attest that the etched glass looks truly fantastic. It has none of that weird greasy smearing look that it gets under studio lighting on camera. Don’t panic if you’re waiting on your etched glass version and questioning your life’s choices
Thanks for this! I almost thought about returning my 1tb but now that I see these tests, I will keep it (when it arrives). I play mostly at night so I am glad I wont be impacted much.
Here's my question... why would you be playing your Steam Deck OLED in a bright setting to even need the etched glass? Overall I think the glossy clear OLED screen is superior.
Super helpful comparison here! Glad I went with the limited edition. Was worried that some vibrancy would be lost but its really just a difference of how to handle non-ideal lighting environments.
The issue I had with the etched screen is putting a screen protector on it did no favours. If you put a matte screen protector on the etched screen it looked blury, and putting a glossy SP on it defeated the purpose of the etched screen.
Best video I've seen on this. Another popular RUclipsr mentioned that the 1TB looks noticeably hazy when you put a glossy screen protector on it, but I've found this to be totally false--and I've owned both the 512gb model and two 1TB models. With the glossy protector it looks just like my 512gb did.
My Special Edition arrived yesterday. I was worried about the glossy vs matte and in person that OLED panel is so much of an upgrade from the LCD I am in love with it. Couldn’t care less that I don’t have the glossy panel. For everyone that was on the fence it’s personal taste for sure and to each their own. I love it.
Of course you are going to say that, you are basing it off your bias of having only that option. You'd say the same thing about the glossy OLED, only difference is that you truly wouldn't get any degradation to any brightness/colors.
@@c-tothefourth4879 Not everyone has studied physics/wave optics or were good at it. 😜 As they say, the best way to convince a fool is to let him have his own way.
I truly think glare and reflections as a problem are over exaggerated. Most people’s phones are OLED and they only come glossy, how often is that ever a problem for anyone?
Thanks for the video - my final question is, if we put a matte protector on the etched - does it give the same picture quality as putting a matte on the normal glass, or does it infact give it 'twice as much haze'
I bought the limited edition steam deck OLED and had a little bit of FOMO with not having the glossy screen. After this video I feel way more confident with my purchase. I use my deck in a lot of uncontrolled lighting situations and I am happy to know there is not as much quality difference in controlled lighting.
From what I've read, Valve didn't go as glue happy on the screens with the OLED model, so doing anything that would require removing the screen (i.e. front shell swap) *should* be easier!
I got etched glass on the first model and regretted it. Seemed like it was harder to clean the screen than my other device screens and looked gross when my daughter got ahold of it. Also I was always jealous when seeing someone else with the glossy screen because it just looked better to me. If I could go back I’d have gotten the 64 and upgraded ssd. At the time though 2230 ssd were not widely available. This time I went for the 512 just for the glossy screen and giving my old one to my husband.
I gave my 1tb limited edition oled to my gf because and kept the 512gb glossy oled for myself because it just looks so dang beautiful with that glossy screen!
@@itsdtxjd I disagree with this. I just bought a steam deck oled 512GB because of what I read online regarding the superiority of the glossy display and unfortunately I was bamboozled with it! My use case is indoor with normal lights not a strong studio light so I assumed the gloss will definitely be better, but it is the complete opposite! The reflections of my face or any object behind is extremely distracting when the oled is showing black colors! It is kinda dumb that people are claiming the glossy to be better for a handheld because how black will look, but what’s the point when the oled blackness becomes a mirror to your face and surroundings! Totally kills the immersion. I am trying to return my 512GB to upgrade to the etched glass one. When I tried the rog ally the reflection handling is so awesome that the glossy deck is distracting to play with, but the screen, battery life and user experience are much better on the steam deck oled.
I'm sure Dave2D had good intentions when he compared the etched screen vs a glossy screen protector, but imo, that was a lousy comparison. It gave the impression that the etched glass downgraded the OLED quality. I and many others ended up getting the glossy screen for that reason. I'm still glad I managed to get an OLED, but I would've certainly gotten etched like I did with LCD
i mean he did say to just put on a screen protector to fix it. Now you have to spend $80 to get that 1tb storage while you coudlve just gotten the 1tb and a $8 glossy screen protector pack.
It was always his own opinion that glossy is better for richness of colors and contrast. He realized this on his video bout glossy gaming monitor (eve/dough spectrum monitor). His statement isn’t false, there is an element of washed outness on matte screens vs glossy. It’s just a matter of whether it matters to you
me personally, i hate matte screens with all the fibres of my soul and i didnt even have to listen to anyones opinion on this. if u liked matte lcd, tgan should have gone with oled as well
I'd like to point out something that I don't see anyone talking about: how easy the screen is to keep clean. I've had so many problems keeping the previous 512GB model clean because of the etching. Doesn't matter if you use the cloth the Deck came with or screen cleaning fluid. It may not bug some but for this reason I've gone for the mid 512GB OLED this time around.
@@PlanetSuj ah okay I got you. Were you able to find a reliable way to clean it? I have the etched version otw. Cleanliness bothers me more than the differences of either panel lol
@@ralphsantos6251 I just sit there for 20mins rubbing the screen furiously with the cloth it came with and hope it goes, tried screen cleaner which seems like it works until you use the cloth in the direction 90 degrees from the direction you cleaned in. Wish I had good news.....
Damn that sucks Dude, hopefully it'll be an easy replacement! By the looks of it the LE is the ones with the BOE display (Judging by the comments at least)
This is interesting to watch, but something to consider is this; don’t worry about the screen, if you plan on getting a screen protector (you should) then you can pick and choose what you want. You want 1Tb model but not the glass? Get a clear screen protector. You want the 512gb but want etched glass? Get an etched glass screen protector. That should remove some of the choice
I don't regret it. I'm looking to customize the shell and put 2tb of storage into it, so the cheaper option is good for people like me. The case would have been cool, but a cheap 10 dollar slim case can do the same job. I see it as a nothing burger.
Thanks for this review, after ordering my 1TB oled SD I started to read the same as you, the screen is trash and I got really worried then your review just took that out of my mind
Mainly its about the blacks vs both. Id be more curious about etched with screen protector vs non etched with screen protector and if there is ANY noticeable differences whatsoever.
@dtoodlez513 I think your right. That light showing on the front when charging was good to see. I'm ganna play it safe and order both and pick the one that works best for me
I completely disagree to the point you make at 14:10. Where you say that you have a better experience with the Etched glass when the light gets directly on to it and bounces as with the glossy version. I feel like it's opposite day here. It is the COMPLETE opposite in my opinion. The diffused light on the etched one that bounces all over the screen is awful in comparison to the glossy where it only reflect what gets shined on to it and nothing more. Edit: Wait, and then you actually say the complete opposite just a few seconds later?? "In all the testing that I did, if you go to an area where the light would diffuse those elements look much better on the glossy screen" Which in my opinion happens like, all the time, but still you say it's not a big deal as if this is rare. You confuses the heck out of me.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm glad to finally be able to address one of the biggest questions I've received. Hope this helps!
Steam Deck OLED Playlist: ruclips.net/p/PL9lafQPiMYh6-tBRxhU2Q4BX5kSbT8oQy
*Featured Games*
Gunfire Reborn
Half-Life Alyx
Sanabi
Final Fantasy 7 Reborn
Stray
Metroid (NES / Mesen)
Final Fantasy Crisis Core Reunion
Windbound
Kena and the Bridge of Spirits
Amid Evil
Cloudpunk
Kinda sad I couldn’t get the limited edition from Japan 😢
Hey, would you be able to add the code from about 8:20 to the description or this comment?
That way people can just copy and paste the code rather than manually typing.
Ps, thanks for the great content!
Thank you!!
Can you share the link of that gundam skin?
what do you mean by "i live in a country where you can't get this" ? your youtube profile says you are in the United States. did you lie to RUclips about your location?
I've bought the 1 TB OLED model, mostly because I wanted the extra SSD storage from the off but also because I know how annoying reflections can be on a glossy OLED display from using my LG B9 TV. I will likely use the Steam Deck for 50% of the time during the day and the rest at night so I feel the etched glass is the preferred option anyway for me.
Good video though. No-one else has done this kind of comparison as far as I am aware so this is useful information. Thanks.
The screen comparison video I’ve been waiting for!👍
Just dropping my summary here that I made somewhere else:
The etched screen on an OLED is an issue that needs to be looked at in three different uses cases:
- dark room
- low light
- high (direct) light
In addition the effect of the etched screen needs to be clarified:
It disperses light. That means that a strong light the hits the screen from one side is not reflected off of it to the other side without the user noticing. Instead the entire screen reflects some part of each light into the user's eye. This is good for things that would reflect the light into the users eye anyway, because this light is lessed. But it means that all light is in part reflected into the users eye. So what the user sees at any part of the screen is a mixture of the dispersed light, AND the light coming from the screen at this part. And if you want to enjoy OLED blacks (where the screen is basically turned off) that's BAD, isn't it? But is it?
Let's look at dark room usage first. There is no light to disperse. The etched screen will not look any different from the non-etched screen, aside from some minor loss in sharpness. And that would be really hard to notice, especially if we are still talking about an 800p screen. You'll basically loose sharpness to see distinct pixels.
Low light will be the most important one, because it's the use case most will encounter. This can be a lit room, but it can also be outside, where you have light in the environment, but nothing that casts tons of light directly at the screen.
Here things get interesting, because we have two different things to look at:
Bright parts of the screen, and dark parts of the screen. The environment will have a lot of dim to medium lit objeckts behind the user, there is no way to avoid this. The oled screen is very bright, so the bright parts will overcome the direct reflections on the non-etched screen of those pretty well, BUT they will also overcome the etched screen's light dispersement even better than the single highlights.
Now for the dark parts of the image. These will show the dreaded light dispersement of the etched screen. The OLED's black, but also dark colors can go very very dark, and there will not be any light, by design, to overcome the dispersed light. But let's look at what that means for the non etched screen. Turn on your phone, and hold it right up, so that your face is reflected in it. Do you see many reflections? No, too much light coming from the display that overcome the very low light direct reflections on the glass. Turn it off. Now you see EVERYTHING, reflected like a mirror, because no light is coming from the device to overcome these veeery slight direct reflections. This is what all dark parts of the OLED image would look like, and this is the real difference to the LCD deck: The LCD deck ALWAYS emits light that overcomes these slight reflections, so on the non-etched LCD screen, these aren't that noticable. Now turn to the OLED screen, which is OFF in black parts, and even the smallest of reflections return. This means that no matter how low light the objects in your environment are, the black pixels will NEVER overcome their reflections. Black parts of the screen will always reflect everything, no matter how low light you go. It might even happen in total darkness, when parts of the screen light up your face, while the black parts then perfectly reflect your face. And this could NOT have happened on the LCD deck.
Now for high (direct) light conditions. This is basically studio light, like in youtube videos. A very bright light shines directly on the screen, leading to tons of dispersed light being reflected into the eye/camera. In the worst case scenario, there are also no other objects but the deck being lit, so the non-edged screen shows just a small amount of reflections, while the etched screen is overall BRIGHT. This is not likely to happen in real life, where a very bright light in the environment would usually lead to an overall bright environment. That means the non-etched screen would likely be showing reflections that cannot be overcome even by the bright OLED screen. Black parts of the screen would reflect even more heavily here as well, leading to a more realistic tradeoff between OLED black levels and reflections. Again, the bright parts of the screen will overcome the dispersed light, those are not a problem here.
So TLDR:
If you hated reflections on then LCD, you are likely to LOATH them on the OLED. If you want true blacks on your etched OLED screen, you are still going to get them in low light environments.
Great writeup thank you 🫡
Great comment! Your description of the screen differences was very helpful.
Thanks
Brilliant comment. Making me feel better about strongly considering 1tb etched OLED model purchase very soon!
We ordered a 512gb and an LE. I just spent 2 hours playing and comparing, and Taki is completely correct. Both screens are brilliant and no matter which one you choose you will love it. I can barely see any difference, aside from the etched handling reflections better. If there is any difference it’s like 1% or something. Seriously, Valve hit a home run with the SD OLED. Nuff said, time to go play more. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Some other reviewer said in a darker room or at night (not pitch black) the glossy screen looks allot better. Is this the case?
@@hummel003 I don’t think so. They’re both great. Deep blacks and rich colors on both. Look about the same to me in a dark room.
Thx. I had the edged glass lcd but ordered the glossy oled but I bother myself with reflections now so I’m going with the edged glass version again. Never thought this would be a problem for me but having an edged glass device changed my mind
@@hummel003 That's my experience.
no, the 512 gb oled screen has a mura effect that has been reported in every samsung panel so far... the boe screen does not have that
Looks like either one is fine. I prefer glossy myself but you can't go wrong either way.
For those curious, I have the 512gb MATTE finish on my old Steam Deck. Even when I would have light on the screen, I would move my hands slightly to remove the light completely just like I would with a glossy finish. So even though the matte diffuses better, I always remove that annoying light from view completely anyway so it makes no difference which OLED I'd get.
Yeah it seems like both screens are very reflective no matter what option you take. A soft computer monitorish screen would have the best picture but its durability wouldn't be great.
@@tipsy634Do you think worth it trade my LCD 512 deck plus 300$ for the 1tb version oled?
@@rixiorx plus $300? probably not. imagine what you can get if you keep the $300 and the lcd.
i traded in my lcd after buying the oled, and got a switch oled out of it (...because i was gonna get peanuts for it in normal cash and decided to get a game token instead) but i never play on that switch oled. i probably wouldve been better off keeping the lcd or buying a bunch of games with the token.
now, the increased value for money of the 1tb vs the 500gb is worthwhile, but paying $700 for a new deck so soon after getting the first one, it felt wrong to me. so i got the 512gb like my lcd because it was a bit cheaper.
Sometimes it's just not possible to remove that pesky sun from your screen. In a train for example.
First of all, I have to say that your comparison and analysis were so good that it was worth watching the first half of the video, which was more focused on providing context. To be honest, I almost skipped your video when no comparison was being made in the first 9 minutes.
Second of all, and most importantly, I truly appreciate all the work invested. Now I have a clear idea of both versions.
Subscribed. :)
Dude thank you for calming my tits about this issue. Bought the limited edition and have been second guessing it since reading about all the screen drama online. Thank you for comparing the two and being so thorough about it.
Putting on a glossy screen-protector would have the same effect as getting a glossy model, if you still care about it.
A good quality one as cheaper ones reduce the contrast in a similar way.
Same, man. In the end I decided to trust Valve since they almost always make smart decisions with their engineering and it looks the etched glass is no exception.
@@Beastw1ck They also chose to keep potentiometer based sticks, for their better accuracy.
I've heard rumours of the hall effect replacements have a larger deadzone, so this might again be Valve choosing right.
On my Deck I halved the deadzone setting, making them unusually accurate for now.
As the sticks are easy to replace, it also isn't a problem if the originals do wear out.
Absolutely. Funny thing is, on OLED TV's, screens with no anti gloss are much cheaper. If Valve put this on the highest end, it was for a reason. I took ordered the special edition, should be here Friday!
I have the special edition.. the brightness is not great compared to my G2 oled. Might not matter to some but for me it's been a bad experience.
OMG! Thank you so damn much for THIS great comparison. I was so confused witch one i should order. You explained all the details and differences! Thank you 1000 times. Best vid on YT for the Display comparison! 👍👍👍
Lights off: both look the same.
Inside the house: Glossy wins.
Outside the house: Etched wins.
I have been watching videos on this topic all day, and you just so happened to come out with this, you are the goat man
What version did you get?
Thank you so much for considering how non-light sources reflect on the screen (14:57), and for actually taking them outside and comparing them in natural light (15:28).
Seemingly every other video is just someone aiming a light directly at the screen in a controlled studio which does not reflect real world usage. I'm not so much concerned about how the screen looks with a light shining directly on it since I will make every possible effort to position the device to avoid that kind of direct light exposure. It's going to be distracting and have a significantly adverse effect on the viewing experience no matter which type of screen you get, and it's relatively easy to avoid in most scenarios by just sitting/holding the device a little differently. I also expect that the environments I play in will likely not be anywhere near as "clean" or controlled as a studio, so those kinds of demonstrations aren't actually very helpful to me as they are effectively a non-factor.
Rather, I'm concerned with how reflective the surface is in general and how much things are going to show up on the screen when light is bouncing off other things in the environment around or behind you. You can avoid having a light shining directly on the screen, but in a brightly lit environment (like the waiting room at a doctor's office, or as a passenger in a vehicle) with a lot more things around you, there's still going to be a ton of light reflecting off of different surfaces that can still show up on the screen if it's extremely reflective. That's when I want to know how the screen looks just reflecting the environment around you, which in real world applications are going to be vastly "busier" with more chaotic light than in a studio test where the device is sitting flat on a table looking up at flat, empty ceiling with nothing else to possibly reflect on screen except for the test light.
Your video comparisons suggest to me that the etched screen is the superior option, speaking as someone who would only intend to use the Steam Deck as an actual portable gaming device while away from home. I'm sure the glossy screen is technically better and probably looks better under ideal conditions, but those reflections you showed of your hand and the tree canopy really stood out in comparison to the etched screen where they were far less noticeable.
Totally agree with you!!! I just bought a steam deck oled 512GB because of what I read online regarding the superiority of the glossy display and unfortunately I was bamboozled with it! My use case is indoor with normal lights not a strong studio light so I assumed the gloss will definitely be better, but it is the complete opposite! The reflections of my face or any object behind is extremely distracting when the oled is showing black colors! It is kinda dumb that people are claiming the glossy to be better for a handheld because how black will look, but what’s the point when the oled blackness becomes a mirror to your face and surroundings! Totally kills the immersion. I am trying to return my 512GB to upgrade to the etched glass one. When I tried the rog ally the reflection handling is so awesome that the glossy deck is distracting to play with, but the screen, battery life and user experience are much better on the steam deck oled.
@@thephantom9080 I'm looking to buy the Steamdeck, so I"m deciding between the 1TB and 512GB OLED model. I was worried about the etched glass as well.
Amazing video with incredible detail and real world scenarios, this is exactly the type of video I’ve been looking for to justify purchasing the LE OLED Steam Deck.
This is exactly the breakdown i was hoping to see. Thank you!
I don't expect I will be upgrading to the OLED as I don't use my steam deck a ton, but it's good to know there isn't a huge difference. I personally would go with etched every time as it makes the deck more usable in all conditions and you really aren't losing much detail.
Agreed! Etched looks the same in medium and low lit environments with the added bonus of being more visible in a high lighting environment.
Great video, well thought out commentary and pros and cons of each. Someone on the Steam Deck reddit was basically insulting anyone who got the etched version this week.
I'm pretty happy I went with the 512GB. I do prefer the screen coating and I also saved $100 that I spent on games. Win, win, win.
Yup! Save!
Half as many games.
Is there an etched screen protector that can help?
Jsaux has one
Thanks for this comparison! I had the OG 512GB Etched Glass Deck (also with a glossy screen protector as a etched one wasn't available at it's launch). I was thinking about all the recent comments from people stating that the standard glossy screen was better. Good to know the etched glass still has some good advantages in brighter environments like in a vehicle or outside.
I was team glossy before saw this video. I think you addressed everything the community discuss, well done!
Thank you for clearing it up for everyone. great review been waiting for this since release
Thanks for uploading this! Honestly made me much calmer about the etched display, I think I will keep it without a glossy screen protector as the OLED will seemingly still look phenomenal even with the anti-glare. Although very afraid of receiving a BOE Panel as I have never had a good experience with their displays in the past on standard LCD monitors...
This really calms my anxiety. I ordered the anti-glare 1TB version for the extra stuff it comes with + the storage and then started reading comments about how the screen sucked and got really worried. Now I'm just excited :D
I'm getting the glossy one so I can have a screen protector on. I have refrained from having a screen protector on my etched LCD because a glossy protector on an etched screen isn't 100% the same as glossy on glossy and etched on matte would be even worse. And it have been a point of worry ever since I got it.
With the glossy OLED I can throw any screen protector on, matte or glossy, and it won't be worse than the ethched without a protector.
Interesting, thanks for the input.
Yep, most don't think of this and that's exactly 1p0% accurate. Putting a matte on matte will look horrid. Get the close and update to a 1tb for the same price as the already 1tb steamdeck and you can make it matte with a screen protector if you want.
I’ve tried to explain this exact trade off to people who talk bad about the etched screen. Thanks for taking the time to make a video showing it off. The reflection issue was not really about direct light sources, but about the mirror effect. I prefer matte screens because of this, I rather lose a little perceived vibrancy and not be able to see myself looking back at me in the screen.
I think it really depends on the person. For whatever reason, my mind just automatically "filters out" mirrored stuff on glossy screens. I wonder if it has something to do with having worn thick glasses my entire life, causing me to just automatically ignore most reflections.
@@BenkaiDebussy I’ve worn glasses all my life and constantly adjust them to not see my own eyeballs in them. 30 years later still can’t get used to looking directly into my own eyes in my glasses lol.
@@RedMageGaming Damn, I guess it is just a thing where different people react very differently. I guess having poor "attention to detail" is finally helping me out!
The weird thing is that having any sort of smudge on my glasses *does* drive me crazy, to the point where I can't even concentrate until I've cleaned them. It's just reflections specifically that I can ignore.
@@BenkaiDebussy oh smudges are evil. Or my least favorite. The speck of dust you can’t seem to get rid of. That drives me bonkers.
You guys really gotta start investing on better lenses... I always had my glasses made with quality anti-refleaction coatings and only in direct sunlight at very specific angles would I notice my eyes getting reflected. My newest glasses, made in 2021 with latest Essilor lens coating, I can't even notice any reflections at all, plus it now also repels water so, when they get dirty, all I gotta do is clean them with water and hand soap, rinse and they don't even need to be dried with a cloth afterwards anymore, avoiding potential scratches!
I really just can't understand why they don't put these amazing coatings on screens as well...
I get why someone would get the more premium deck model, but as a casual user here's my take:
I see and respect the benefits of the 1tb version, but I'm probably going for the base model OLED because I can see myself upgrading the storage myself if I need to. And I'll probably get an anti-glare screen protector sense I'm buying one either way.
One thing to note, anti glare screen protector is different from engineered etched glass like the 1tb model. Screen protectors /film tend to have a higher rate of diffusion this resulting in fuzzier lights.
“I can see myself” lol pun not intended?
@@TheWorldMaker There's anti-reflective coating and there's also anti-glare. Sound the same, but they're very different.
@@MAKExEVILinteresting…do you have one that you would recommend for the gloss screen?
@@realmisr I just got my Deck today, but I've only used the JSAUX anti-glare protector from Amazon. I plan on trying their glossy one. Their reviews are good, they're currently on sale, and the bracket it comes with makes install very easy.
I was waiting for an in-depth comparison of the two screens. Thanks a lot for this :)
Thank you so much!
If the etched glass was that bad, there's no way valve would have put it on the top model.
Its all about the conspiracy theories that folks love to hear lol
Pros and Cons. I love the etched glass on the top of the line. I don’t care about deep blacks on an 8 inch screen on a handheld device I’ll play 95 percent of the the time with lights on.
No one is saying it’s bad but glossy OLED will always look better than matte. Just wish they gave us the option to choose glossy on 1TB model.
Yeah, no one is saying it is bad but a regular glass OLED display will always have better, crisper and more vibrant color reproduction. Not even a conspiracy theory lol, it's basic wave optics in physics and refractive index of frosted glass vs regular glass.
The concern was enough for me to skip out on it. Money is no issue for me thankfully, but personally I chose against the Limited Edition due to the anti-glare. I pre-ordered the top model for the original Deck and the etched screen is great on that one. But for OLED Deck I felt like etched screen wouldn't even be needed and maybe even be unwanted under some circumstances. Also an extra $100 for 512gb wasn't worth it imo, so I went with the 512gb. I'm really digging it so far, the black backlight feels so bright on the original LCD now
I’d be more concerned about the LE BOE screens versus the Samsung on the lower models. As a LE purchaser I came to the realization I have a dead pixel. The BOE panels seem to have more flaws versus the Samsung models and it’s disappointing but it’s time to start the RMA process.
I just realized I have a BOE screen....
They said boe on limited only@@gdpiscopo
Thanks for the info on the shell swap, I was very curious about it. I’m keeping my launch 512 GB Deck; I did an Extreme Rate shell swap to trans black and I’m super proud of the work. I nearly got the limited edition but I can make that again with the proper shell when it’s available
Nice test ! I bought the 1to 🎉
Thanks for taking the time to put this video together! I've been on the fence about which to get because I heard a lot of folks complaining about the colors not comingthrough as vibrantly on the etched glass model but it really doesn't look as bad as it was originally made out to be.
You are the hero we need. Those reddit forum discussions were cracy.
This is the video that everyone was waiting for. Amazing job on the presentation! And incredible work by Valve. My 12 year old brain would never be able to wrap my head around the idea of something like the Steam OLEDeck!
I would love to see a deep dive video comparing the Samsung vs. BOE panel. Hopefully this isn't another panel lottery game where 1 version is clearly superior to the other. The fact that you received both Samsung panel Decks makes me think that Valve are cherry-picking the "best" versions to send out to reviewers, but that's just a conjecture.
Apple use Samsung and BOE pannels on iPhones and they virtually indistinguishable. If they both produced on same specification they should be indentical.
@@aimmlegate Absolute fake news
Apple dropped them
This is the best comparison video i found, not limiting at weird unplayable light scenarios
Its really nice to know that you can just swap the SSDs. It would make it a lot easier to transfer my data and pass down my current one to a sibling when I eventually upgrade.
A sibling, that's cute
You’re the man. Thanks for being so comprehensive. Also definitely gonna play Metroid on it !
If you would slap a screen protector on the etched, would it match the non-etched one? Just curious.
nah
17:11
@@TakiUdon That's what I get for not finishing the last minute, sorry! xD
i seen Dave2D do it and it appears to be the exact same look as the glossy screen, and glossy screen protectors cost like 7 bucks for a pair, i dont think anyone should really worry at all with what version they get. Better to get the 1tb version for the storage and put on a glossy screen protector than to get a 512gb just because it comes with a glossy screen by default.
@@gersongaete1574I've seen it too. There was another video where someone put it on and didn't like it so they took it off. Not sure if it was Retro Game Corp. As for upgrading. I rather get the 512GB one then upgrade to 2TB for around $120. So I only $20 for double the storage of 1TB. You would only miss out on the upgraded case and items.
After watching tons of videos and being unsure, this is finally the one to relax me and make me sure of my purchase. Thank you!!!
I'm partial to the glossy, especially on OLEDs but honestly I'm impressed with Samsung here, they did a great job on both.
I always play in a room with dim lights so never have reflection problems and almost never use the touchscreen, I prefere typing with the trackpads so I'll go with the least expensive option for sure.
one reason why you might have no problems with reflections is that the lcd deck emits light even in the black parts of the screen. So there is always light coming from the screen to overcome the reflections on the glass. When the oled black pixel are off, you might actually see more reflections than previously.
Finally someone does this comparison on video. Great video, it’s perfect.
Glossy looks better no discussion... if you play mostlly indoor take the glossy one hands down, OLED will always look better on glossy vs matt (see the monitor rew. also...). Cheers!
I have a glossy screen OLED Switch and an etched Steam Deck OLED. I've also tried a matte screen protector on my Steam Deck. Here's my conclusion.
Anti-glare (higher is better):
Level 1: Glossy
Level 2: Etched
Level 3: Matte
Screen clarity (higher is better):
Level 1: Matte
Level 2: Etched
Level 3: Glossy
The glossy screen suffers from glare whenever I use it in public transit. I can't control the light environment like at home. Therefore, anti-glare is important to me.
The matte screen protector does the best job at anti-glare. The sacrifice made with a matte screen is the clarity. The screen looks foggy, which reduces the color pop. Also, the texts are slightly blurry.
The etched screen glare level is between the glossy and matte. It gives enough glare reduction without a noticeable drop in clarity. I was satisfied with the etched screen, so I removed the matte protector from my Steam Deck.
I would only recommend the matte screen protector to those who bought the glossy screen and started gaming outdoors frequently like me. If you haven't bought a Steam Deck yet and love gaming outdoors, consider the etched model. Switching the storage from 512 GB to 1 TB only costs slightly less than simply getting the higher tier.
I’m glad I went with the limited edition etched. Minor differences but if I’m ever in a well lit room or outside I’ll be glad I have the etched. Plus more on board storage and special case / colors
Yeah, you'll get a marginally better experience in the 0.1% of times you are outside. On the other hand, you get washed out colors 99.9% of the time.
@@jc74435Did you watch the video?
@@jc74435watch the video there’s virtually no difference
@@RannekoPlays yes and when there's only part of the screen getting light all the etched screen looks like an LCD while the glossy has great blacks on the rest of the screen. When in total light the reflections are disturbing in the same way. The only edge of the etched is outdoors
@@Tonno7 Conterpoint is that you would want to see the entire screen not just the parts that don't have reflections on them with which the etched screens helps a lot
THANK you so much for showing the hand reflection difference. Everyone is focusing on the color vibrancy and general light diffusion between the two, but you're the first reviewer I've seen whose brought up an actual real-life issue I have with glossy screens, which is having to see my own dumbass face staring at me every time a game gets dark.😆To me the slight haze and loss of color depth isn't a huge distraction since I play at night, but light bouncing off my own pale face can be.
Thanks but I wish you would've done the test with half of the etched screen being under a glass screen protector to see if there are any differences and also compare it to the fully glossy version. That would've been the ultimate end goal.
thank you Taki... im thinking about getting the Steam Deck OLED... more likely the 512GB... i appreciate your detailed and thorough feedback on both the new and original Steam Deck... i appreciate you man... thanks again! 👍🏽👍🏽
User preference, i prefer the glossy but both are fine and are up to the use case and preference of the end user
Thank you!!!
Wow. You are amazing!
Respect to both screen choices. We don’t need war in the community!
Great video! I’m trying to figure out which Deck to get. Like the idea of not spending quite as much but also know I’d run into storage problems sooner rather than later. I think I’m pretty much sold on the 1TB Deck.
Every reviewer got 1TB etched model and they were all astonished. Maybe except for one youtuber, who didn't like "fuzziness" that apparently was introduced by etched screen. Anyone who believed the etched screen would "ruin the display" was very strange for me. Even if there was noticeable difference - 1TB is still getting you the display everyone loved.
But it's nice to see decent tests of everything. Good job!
Pure bias I tell you.
Best comparison I've seen!! Excellent job!!
I’m at 7:34 in the video, just ran the command, I have 04 30. Hopefully that is good :)
edit: I originally had the 256gb LCD deck, so I was super nervous ordering the etched glass screen. I don’t know what causes this, but on camera, it looks horrible. Every single video I’ve watched has made me question my decision.
Now that my etched glass OLED is actually here, it’s like night and day. I dunno what’s going on with the videos I’m watching, but I can attest that the etched glass looks truly fantastic. It has none of that weird greasy smearing look that it gets under studio lighting on camera. Don’t panic if you’re waiting on your etched glass version and questioning your life’s choices
What OLED Deck version do you have?
@@TakiUdon 1TB LE
Thanks for this! I almost thought about returning my 1tb but now that I see these tests, I will keep it (when it arrives). I play mostly at night so I am glad I wont be impacted much.
I'm ugly as hell so I'm buying etched glass 💀
You can buy an ectched glass screen protector and save your money
This comment deserves a lot more chuckles than it seems to have received!😅
😂😂😂😂
I'm quite handsome
@@mrcheesefries not as good. Protector will really hurt the colors even more then the etched glass.
You earn my subscription, amazing video!
Great video taki. Been waiting on someone to do this, but I still prefer the gloss it has nothing to do with my finances.
OMG, the screen looks soooo goood, even in this filming-with-a-camera-and-uploading-to-RUclips situation!
Here's my question... why would you be playing your Steam Deck OLED in a bright setting to even need the etched glass? Overall I think the glossy clear OLED screen is superior.
I like sunlight. Playing backlit screens in darkrooms gives me a headache
it's a mobile gaming handheld to be played on the go. On the go can mean outside, not just vehicles.
@@Freezorgium It's a handheld Linux PC that is well integrated with Steam. I wouldn't call it a mobile gaming handheld.
Can confirm I have a 04:30 BOE panel. I’m an enthusiast, but can’t tell anything of a difference. So far, so good!
Do you have the LE?
I can also confirm I have the BOE panel. I have the LE.
@@maxm6239Yes
@@Pyloneertwins 😮
@@zaneharding4208 Same LE over here too
Super helpful comparison here! Glad I went with the limited edition. Was worried that some vibrancy would be lost but its really just a difference of how to handle non-ideal lighting environments.
I trust your opinion and what Valve has done with their models, so I'm now happier about my 1TB model arriving from Amazon today. Thank you
seems like madnes to me to put an etched screen in front of an OLED panel. Glossy 100%
yes dude thanks for making this vid I really wanted to see the diference between these!
The issue I had with the etched screen is putting a screen protector on it did no favours. If you put a matte screen protector on the etched screen it looked blury, and putting a glossy SP on it defeated the purpose of the etched screen.
Best video I've seen on this. Another popular RUclipsr mentioned that the 1TB looks noticeably hazy when you put a glossy screen protector on it, but I've found this to be totally false--and I've owned both the 512gb model and two 1TB models. With the glossy protector it looks just like my 512gb did.
My Special Edition arrived yesterday. I was worried about the glossy vs matte and in person that OLED panel is so much of an upgrade from the LCD I am in love with it. Couldn’t care less that I don’t have the glossy panel. For everyone that was on the fence it’s personal taste for sure and to each their own. I love it.
Could care less?
He must mean couldn't care less.
@@james_917 bingo.
Of course you are going to say that, you are basing it off your bias of having only that option.
You'd say the same thing about the glossy OLED, only difference is that you truly wouldn't get any degradation to any brightness/colors.
@@Slayer-33 But you'd get yourself staring back at the screen.
Great video! Thank you for making an informative test
Yea i assumed the ppl who were saying the etched glass "ruins" the colors were full of shit
OLED TVs are glossy or matte?
@@c-tothefourth4879you don’t carry around your TV outside and use it in public.
@@c-tothefourth4879 Not everyone has studied physics/wave optics or were good at it. 😜 As they say, the best way to convince a fool is to let him have his own way.
Outstanding analysis brother. Thank you!
I'll take an itty bit less brightness rather than a lot more glare and reflections.
I truly think glare and reflections as a problem are over exaggerated. Most people’s phones are OLED and they only come glossy, how often is that ever a problem for anyone?
thanks a lot, perfect explanation and finally I made my decision for the 1 TB version
Thanks for the video - my final question is, if we put a matte protector on the etched - does it give the same picture quality as putting a matte on the normal glass, or does it infact give it 'twice as much haze'
Twice the haze, makes it slightly blurred. Tried it with my LCD etched model.
Been waiting for this! Thanks
sadly glossy is also fingerprinty... thanks for the vid, very helpfull
came here just to see the screens compared - ended with disassembling my deck following instructions! 😁👍 good deep content
I bought the limited edition steam deck OLED and had a little bit of FOMO with not having the glossy screen. After this video I feel way more confident with my purchase. I use my deck in a lot of uncontrolled lighting situations and I am happy to know there is not as much quality difference in controlled lighting.
From what I've read, Valve didn't go as glue happy on the screens with the OLED model, so doing anything that would require removing the screen (i.e. front shell swap) *should* be easier!
I got etched glass on the first model and regretted it. Seemed like it was harder to clean the screen than my other device screens and looked gross when my daughter got ahold of it. Also I was always jealous when seeing someone else with the glossy screen because it just looked better to me. If I could go back I’d have gotten the 64 and upgraded ssd. At the time though 2230 ssd were not widely available. This time I went for the 512 just for the glossy screen and giving my old one to my husband.
I gave my 1tb limited edition oled to my gf because and kept the 512gb glossy oled for myself because it just looks so dang beautiful with that glossy screen!
@@itsdtxjd I disagree with this. I just bought a steam deck oled 512GB because of what I read online regarding the superiority of the glossy display and unfortunately I was bamboozled with it! My use case is indoor with normal lights not a strong studio light so I assumed the gloss will definitely be better, but it is the complete opposite! The reflections of my face or any object behind is extremely distracting when the oled is showing black colors! It is kinda dumb that people are claiming the glossy to be better for a handheld because how black will look, but what’s the point when the oled blackness becomes a mirror to your face and surroundings! Totally kills the immersion. I am trying to return my 512GB to upgrade to the etched glass one. When I tried the rog ally the reflection handling is so awesome that the glossy deck is distracting to play with, but the screen, battery life and user experience are much better on the steam deck oled.
Awesome, you convinced me to buy the anti glare version. Thank you.
I'm sure Dave2D had good intentions when he compared the etched screen vs a glossy screen protector, but imo, that was a lousy comparison. It gave the impression that the etched glass downgraded the OLED quality. I and many others ended up getting the glossy screen for that reason. I'm still glad I managed to get an OLED, but I would've certainly gotten etched like I did with LCD
i mean he did say to just put on a screen protector to fix it. Now you have to spend $80 to get that 1tb storage while you coudlve just gotten the 1tb and a $8 glossy screen protector pack.
It was always his own opinion that glossy is better for richness of colors and contrast. He realized this on his video bout glossy gaming monitor (eve/dough spectrum monitor). His statement isn’t false, there is an element of washed outness on matte screens vs glossy. It’s just a matter of whether it matters to you
@gersongaete1574 That doesn't change the fact people will make that decision based on what he said about the etched
yea not sure what Dave's angle was but he basically said the etched screen was worse if you wanted the best screen, which was just his (bad) opinion.
me personally, i hate matte screens with all the fibres of my soul and i didnt even have to listen to anyones opinion on this. if u liked matte lcd, tgan should have gone with oled as well
Wow. What a video! Thank you for your hard work :)
I'd like to point out something that I don't see anyone talking about: how easy the screen is to keep clean.
I've had so many problems keeping the previous 512GB model clean because of the etching. Doesn't matter if you use the cloth the Deck came with or screen cleaning fluid. It may not bug some but for this reason I've gone for the mid 512GB OLED this time around.
Yeah I just feel better with a smoother screen personally
Interesting - bc I had the opposite experience with the glossy LCD. Found myself constantly cleaning it cause it was a fingerprint magnet
@@ralphsantos6251 it's not so much how frequently fingerprints and grease get on the screen, it's more that it's difficult to clean if there is
@@PlanetSuj ah okay I got you. Were you able to find a reliable way to clean it? I have the etched version otw. Cleanliness bothers me more than the differences of either panel lol
@@ralphsantos6251 I just sit there for 20mins rubbing the screen furiously with the cloth it came with and hope it goes, tried screen cleaner which seems like it works until you use the cloth in the direction 90 degrees from the direction you cleaned in. Wish I had good news.....
Thank you so much. You've cleared up many of my concerns. :)
Didn't know they had two different suppliers for the display, thanks.
What game are you playing @8:45?
Sanabi
Whew i was feeling a wee bit worried cause i impulsively bought the limited edition. Wonderful breakdown, cant wait till it comes in the mail.
Great review of this topic. Thanks!
For anyone wondering if you should go with the lesser version, if you put a glossy glass screen protector, the problem is solved.
A glossy screen protector onto the etched screen 1 tb models?
@@Yangjo yep if its the case, if someone regrets buying the etched one. In my case I preffer the etched screen.
My LE has the BOE panel. It also has 3 dead pixels so I reached out to valve for a replacement. Curious to see if all LE decks have BOE panels
Damn that sucks Dude, hopefully it'll be an easy replacement!
By the looks of it the LE is the ones with the BOE display (Judging by the comments at least)
At 6:42 both decks lined up, the OLED colored screen above the other on screen both appear exactly the same size.
This is interesting to watch, but something to consider is this; don’t worry about the screen, if you plan on getting a screen protector (you should) then you can pick and choose what you want. You want 1Tb model but not the glass? Get a clear screen protector. You want the 512gb but want etched glass? Get an etched glass screen protector. That should remove some of the choice
I finally found a better comparison of these screens. Thanks
At the very least I don't feel too bad for getting the cheaper option. I hate to miss out on that case though..
yes, my only regret is the case...
I don't regret it. I'm looking to customize the shell and put 2tb of storage into it, so the cheaper option is good for people like me. The case would have been cool, but a cheap 10 dollar slim case can do the same job. I see it as a nothing burger.
does the 512gb doesnt come with a case?
@@fallenrequiem3108 yes, but it doesn't have a detachable part as the 1tb version
Thanks for this review, after ordering my 1TB oled SD I started to read the same as you, the screen is trash and I got really worried then your review just took that out of my mind
Mainly its about the blacks vs both. Id be more curious about etched with screen protector vs non etched with screen protector and if there is ANY noticeable differences whatsoever.
I think the answer you’re going to get is that the difference is so tiny it’s practically unnoticeable.
@dtoodlez513 I think your right. That light showing on the front when charging was good to see. I'm ganna play it safe and order both and pick the one that works best for me
I have both of them sitting next to me and I can't tell any real difference in the black levels.
@@AlexysRM thanks. Is the light coming from the front when charging annoying?
Incredibly detailed vid, thank you!
I completely disagree to the point you make at 14:10. Where you say that you have a better experience with the Etched glass when the light gets directly on to it and bounces as with the glossy version. I feel like it's opposite day here. It is the COMPLETE opposite in my opinion. The diffused light on the etched one that bounces all over the screen is awful in comparison to the glossy where it only reflect what gets shined on to it and nothing more.
Edit: Wait, and then you actually say the complete opposite just a few seconds later??
"In all the testing that I did, if you go to an area where the light would diffuse those elements look much better on the glossy screen"
Which in my opinion happens like, all the time, but still you say it's not a big deal as if this is rare.
You confuses the heck out of me.
This is not a video comparison this is science! Great video!