Recently, a rare piece of gaming hardware caught everyone’s attention, especially among those with an eye for collectible tech. This was a fascinating event involving a prototype version of the Steam Deck, Valve’s handheld gaming device, which was spotted for sale on eBay. Initially asking for $3,000, the seller eventually let it go for a slightly lower price of $2,000.
This prototype looked quite similar to images Valve had previously shared, featuring an AMD chip known from 2019 as Picasso silicon. It had internal designation “Engineering Sample 34” and showcased a few unique design elements that set it apart from the commercial version. Notably, it included blue accents, distinct curved lines, and circular trackpads. Some users even noticed a mysterious sensor on the right joystick.
Despite the prominent “Not for resale” notice on the back, it didn’t stop someone from putting it up for auction. Such prototypes are often produced in multiple versions during development, making it challenging to pinpoint the exact origin date of this model. However, using the specific older APU gives a hint towards it being from around 2019 to 2020 when featured specifications were being fine-tuned before finalizing the retail version.
The seller noted that this prototype didn’t come pre-installed with SteamOS. Photos from the online listing, highlighted by Notebookcheck, revealed that Valve had originally been experimenting with these units using an unnamed AMD Picasso chip. This chip was part of the Ryzen 3000 mobile line, offering up to four Zen+ cores and a GCN 5.0 (Vega 3/8/11) integrated GPU, which describes a significant performance gap from the versions available to consumers now.
This particular unit also had modest specs—8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD—compared to current models, which boast up to 16GB and 512GB configurations. In contrast, the newer AMD Aerith and Sephiroth APUs now deliver far superior performance.
It’s still unclear who ended up buying this piece. If it’s someone in the tech-review field, we might anticipate a deep dive into how this early model’s custom Picasso chip influenced the Steam Deck’s evolution to its current form. Alternatively, a private collector might simply lock it away, more interested in its unique history than in sharing its secrets.
Valve, on its part, has hinted that fans eager for a next-gen Steam Deck need to sit tight. They are waiting for more advanced processors before they consider bringing a new iteration to the market.
