The Linux kernel has been updated for some new hardware that still includes the AMD Van Gogh APU, which is currently only used in the Steam Deck. Popular speculation is that Valve will release an updated Steam Deck, one that still uses the same APU (so same performance), but had other changes to the hardware. Possibly different screen, larger battery, etc.
Possible code name for the hardware is Galileo.
If you want more/better info, I’d recommend reading the linked article.
I’d buy a new Steam Deck. My wishlist is: more seamless docking experience, eGPU support, slightly more comfortable/grippy back buttons, less mushy Steam/QAM buttons, OLED screen.
Seamless docking would be ideal, but I’d hate to have to use a proprietary POGO connection. Just fixing the proprietary dock so I don’t have to power cycle it so often would also be nice :/
I think adding a second USB C port on the bottom would solve that, as well as other gripes. You would still have a “more seamless docking experience” because you can just set the device in the dock on the upward-facing USB C interface (like a Switch), as opposed to the current method of setting it in the dock and then plugging in a cable with a separate action. Then you would also have a second USB port (no longer requiring the use of a hub in some situations) and using a USB port on the bottom is oftentimes better than on the top.
Wild speculation: Might this be for the Deckard instead? While I would expect that to run on a newer processing unit, I’d expect the Deckard to come before any hardware refresh.
Not sure if there is a world where this makes sense, though. Perhaps they are using that APU internally for prototypes? Not sure if it would be added to the kernel for that…
Edit: Reading more detailed rumours and speculation, Deckard or Deckard-related tec seems to be the most plausible explanation.
It may be possible to run VR extremely well on the Steam Deck’s APU if Valve uses eye-tracked foveated rendering.
Doesn’t that require the game to support it though? Won’t do much for the existing vr library
No, foveated rendering doesn’t need the game to support it I use it all the time
I sure hope so.
SteamVR development also picked up pace the last few months and VR support was added to gamescope a while back. So something must be coming, and it’s Linux based.
That’s not wild speculation, just normal speculation. It’d also maybe possible that the refreshed sephiroth chip that’s also been found recently could be used in both a deck refresh and deckard.
Valve does tend to re-use hardware between different products when it makes sense anyways. The watchman dongle for SteamVR controller data was just a Steam Controller dongle. You can actually flash the firmwares between each.
I kid you not! My steam deck got delivered today, after I was on the fence about it for a few months. :’-)
FOMO aside, really excited about setting it up and taking it for a spin! :-)
It’s a great device, I don’t think you’ll regret going ahead and getting it.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
With the Linux 6.6 sound changes the Van Gogh machine driver has been extended to support a new variant based on the Nuvoton NAU88L21 codec and Analog Devices MAX98388 Speaker Amplifier.
A few patches were needed for adding the MAX98388 support as to this point the AMD Van Gogh sound machine driver was just setup to use the NAU8821 and CS35L41.
These sound patches were authored by Cristian Ciocaltea of Collabora, the open-source consulting firm that has done work for Valve among other clients.
It’s also possible Valve Galileo may just be some reference board / developer hardware around the Steam Deck, but in any event it’s curious to see these Van Gogh additions coming in Linux 6.6.
If it is a new variant/refresh, it’s rather modest sticking to Van Gogh rather than going for the Ryzen Z1 series with the Zen 4 CPU cores and RDNA3 graphics.
As for the rest of the new sound hardware support in Linux 6.6, sound subsystem maintainer Takashi Iwai sums it up as: “Support for AMD Van Gogh, AMD machines with MAX98388 and NAU8821, AWInic AW88261, Cirrus Logic CS35L36 and CS42L43, various Intel platforms including AVS machines with ES8336 and RT5663, Mediatek MT7986, NXP i.MX93, RealTek RT1017 and StarFive JH7110” Notable on the Intel side is the HDMI codec ID for Intel Lunar Lake and the HD audio PCI ID has also been added for Arrow Lake S processors.
The original article contains 452 words, the summary contains 236 words. Saved 48%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
Using the same chip is disappointing, but if they release a smaller model with OLED it will still have a lot of customers I bet.
I just got my steam deck a month or so ago during the summer sale but I think it’d be an instant upgrade for me.
I love the thing and anything it improves on I’d want. Even better if they make the upgrade/migration seemless so I can just “clone” my existing deck to the new one.
Nintendo Switch 2 vs Steam Deck 2 is going to be very interesting.
