Prototype Steam Deck Sells for $2,000 on eBay Featuring 6-Year-Old AMD Picasso APU with Zen+ and Vega

When engineering samples of popular gaming consoles or accessories hit the market, they often come with hefty price tags. That’s precisely what happened when a Steam Deck prototype recently appeared on eBay, capturing the attention of a keen-eyed Reddit user from the r/SteamDeck community.

This particular prototype, resembling images previously released by Valve, boasts an AMD APU featuring Picasso silicon from 2019. Initially, the asking price was a steep $3,000, but the final sale went through at $2,000.

Bearing the identifier “Engineering Sample 34,” this version of the Steam Deck stands apart from the standard model. It sports blue accents, a curvier design, distinctive circular trackpads, and a sensor located on the right joystick.

In a classic case of rules meant to be bent, the unit’s back cover prominently displays a “Not for resale” sticker—yet that didn’t deter the determined seller.

Valve, during the Steam Deck’s development phase, crafted numerous engineering samples for internal assessments. The use of an older APU suggests this particular model focused more on its physical design rather than final specifications, likely dating it back to 2019 or 2020.

The seller noted that the prototype lacks an operating system, specifically SteamOS. Images of the BIOS, as captured by Notebookcheck, unveiled several intriguing details: Valve had tested earlier prototypes utilizing an unnamed AMD Picasso (Ryzen 3000 mobile) chip. It features up to four Zen+ cores alongside a GCN 5.0 (Vega 3/8/11) integrated GPU, setting it notably apart from the retail versions of the Steam Deck.

This unit’s 8GB of RAM coupled with a 256GB SSD is also on the lesser side compared to the current models available, yet it stands above the 64GB eMMC variant. Compared to modern configurations, with AMD’s Aerith and Sephiroth APUs, this setup would be considered outdated.

We’re all curious about who managed to snag this unique piece. If it turns out to be a reviewer or hardware analyst, there’s hope for in-depth analyses examining this custom Picasso chip and gaining insights into how the Steam Deck evolved. On the flip side, if it’s destined for a collector, it might just quietly become part of their cherished hardware hoard.

As for future developments, Valve has made it clear that gamers expecting a new version of the Steam Deck will have to hold out until more advanced processors make their entrance onto the scene.