There are plenty of gaming handhelds to choose from these days, but the Steam Deck is undoubtedly a fan favorite. Just as the Nintendo Switch brought the world of console gaming on the go, the Steam Deck was the pioneer in bringing PC gaming to a portable format, even if it pushes the definition of “handheld.” Part of the Steam Deck’s initial appeal is its price: while you can choose an upgraded model with an OLED display and expanded internal storage, you can also purchase an LCD model with a 256GB SSD for a reasonable $399. For less than the price of a Switch 2, you could have something that plays the entire Steam library, with sound huge variation in games. It’s a lot, maybe too much.
If you go to Valve’s official Steam Deck site and scroll down to see your hardware choices, you’ll notice something interesting: while there appear to be plenty of 512GB and 1TB OLED Steam Decks in stock, ready to purchase, the entry-level LCD model is “out of stock.” Of course, hardware sales aren’t uncommon: other popular devices like the Switch 2 sell out quickly and can sometimes be hard to find. So the assumption is that Valve will make more LCD Steam Decks, so players can purchase the rig without spending the extra $150 for the 512GB OLED model.
However, it doesn’t look like the LCD Steam Deck will be returning anytime soon, if at all. While it’s easy to miss if you just look at the purchase links themselves, scroll a little further on Valve’s site and you’ll see the following footnote: “We are no longer producing the Steam Deck LCD 256GB model. Once sold out, it will no longer be available.” And given that the item is currently listed as out of stock, it seems fair to say that the LCD Steam Deck is no more.
Valve doesn’t have an official reason why it’s discontinuing the LCD Steam Deck, but some believe the root cause is rising component prices, namely RAM and storage costs. The price of these computer parts is skyrocketing, which could cause companies like Valve to reduce their hardware selection. Why waste expensive resources on a $399 machine, when you could push some of those potential buyers toward the $549 machine instead?
What do you think of it so far?
Can you buy the LCD Steam Deck elsewhere?
The short answer? Yes, but I encourage you not to do it. The most reliable seller to buy a Steam Deck from is Valve itself. Otherwise, you risk paying too much for your Steam Deck or, potentially, getting ripped off. Take for example this Amazon listing where the model appears to cost $459.99. The seller misspelled the name of the device and labeled it under “Clothing.” While it might be tempting to save $90 over the official 512GB OLED model, I’d skip the Amazon option. Another questionable Amazon seller is offering the 256GB model for $829.99, while selling the 512GB OLED model for $899.99. Once again, this is either highway robbery or a good old scam.
If you’re determined not to spend $549 on a new Steam Deck, you can look to the second-hand market, but even then things are tough. People don’t really sell these things, and when they do, they sell them for a pretty high price. You might have some luck on a site like eBay, where I’m currently seeing OLED Steam Decks selling for around $400. But buyer beware: Buying used items through a third-party seller can be risky. Without the proper safety nets, you might be better off turning to official Valve hardware.
