Is Steam Deck CPU better than 6800U?
No, the custom AMD APU powering the Steam Deck is not more powerful than the Ryzen 7 6800U. The 6800U has clear advantages in CPU cores, threads, GPU compute units and clock speeds.
However, for a handheld gaming device, the Steam Deck performs remarkably well by optimizing its hardware design for the form factor and power limitations.
Steam Deck vs 6800U Raw Performance
Looking at the specs, the Ryzen 7 6800U in devices like the AYA Neo Next plainly beats the Steam Deck chip:
- CPU: 8 cores/16 threads vs 4 cores/8 threads
- GPU: 12 RDNA 2 CUs vs 8 RDNA 2 CUs
- Max CPU Frequency: 4.7 GHz vs 3.5 GHz
- TDP: 15-28W vs 4-15W
The 6800U has twice the number of CPU cores, double the threads, 50% more GPU compute units and around 30% higher clock speeds.
It‘s almost twice as powerful in raw processing capabilities.
But there‘s a catch…
Thermal and Power Constraints
The 6800U is designed for thin and light laptops with more room for cooling fans and larger batteries.
Being crammed into a handheld like the Steam Deck means:
- Less space for heat dissipation from compact cooling solutions
- Lower TDP ceilings before overheating
- Shorter battery life from smaller capacity batteries
This requires efficiency focused customizations to balance performance and portability.
Custom APU Advantages
By tailoring the APU design specifically for the Steam Deck, Valve made sensible tradeoffs:
- Efficient 4 core Zen 2 CPU sufficient for most games
- Capable 8 CU RDNA 2 GPU targeting 800p gaming
- Lower frequencies optimized for 15W power budget
- Enough oomph for modern titles at 30 fps or more
While it narrows the raw performance gap, it is still not as fast as the Ryzen 7 6800U – but delivers good portable performance.
Conclusion
The Ryzen 7 6800U is the outright winner for processing power and speed. But considering handheld constraints, the custom Steam Deck APU punches above its weight by focusing heavily on efficiency rather than chasing desktop-class performance.
