Key Takeaways
1. Engineering Sample 34, a Steam Deck prototype, was sold for $2,000 on eBay and features an AMD Picasso-based APU with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.
2. The prototype was initially uncertain to resurface but was acquired by Bradley Lynch and is now with Bringus Studios for preservation.
3. Bringus Studios has uploaded a Linux probe and successfully run Bazzite on the prototype, which was finalized in February 2020 but produced in November 2019.
4. The APU in Engineering Sample 34 is a modified Ryzen 7 3700U, utilizing four Zen+ CPU cores and an integrated Radeon RX Vega 10 GPU with over 5 GB of shared RAM.
5. The performance of Engineering Sample 34 is about one-third that of the Ryzen Z1 Extreme found in current gaming handhelds, leading to difficulties in running many games.
Around two months have passed since a unique Steam Deck prototype was sold on eBay. Just to summarize, ‘Engineering Sample 34’ was purchased for $2,000 by an unidentified buyer on eBay. The listing indicated that Valve had been testing the Steam Deck with an AMD Picasso-based APU, along with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage nearly two years before they released the handheld device we are familiar with today.
Discovery and Ownership
Initially, there was uncertainty about whether Engineering Sample 34 would ever surface again. However, the eBay listing was acquired by none other than Bradley Lynch, who runs the SadlyItsBradley YouTube channel. Reportedly found at a Seattle Goodwill, Engineering Sample 34 has now landed in the possession of Bringus Studios, which has begun the process of preserving the device.
Technical Insights
For example, Bringus Studios has already uploaded a Linux probe to the internet. Additionally, the YouTuber has succeeded in getting Bazzite to run on the prototype, and you can check out the walkthrough in the video below. While the prototype was finalized in February 2020, it appears Valve actually produced it months earlier in November 2019. Bringus Studios further shows that the APU powering the sample is indeed the Ryzen 7 3700U, though it is a modified version of it.
Performance Comparison
Consequently, Engineering Sample 34 utilizes four Zen+ CPU cores along with eight threads and a Radeon RX Vega 10 integrated GPU that has access to just over 5 GB of shared RAM. Therefore, the performance of the prototype is roughly one-third that of the Ryzen Z1 Extreme, which powers contemporary gaming handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally (currently priced at $639.99 on Amazon). It’s not surprising that Engineering Sample 34 has difficulties running many games, even more so than Pierre-Loup Griffais hinted at a few years ago. Be sure to watch the video below for further details.
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