Valve’s Steam Deck is back in stock after months, but you won’t like it

After a prolonged absence from the market, Valve’s Steam Deck handheld gaming device is finally back in stock, much to the excitement of gamers. However, this return comes with a hefty price tag that may leave potential buyers feeling disheartened. Since mid-February, the Steam Deck has been difficult to acquire due to ongoing shortages in RAM and storage, which have impacted many consumer electronics. Now, available on Valve’s official site, the OLED model featuring 512GB of storage is retailing for a staggering $789. This marks a significant increase of $240 from its previous cost of $549. Additionally, the 1TB version, which boasts features like an anti-glare screen, an upgraded case, and exclusive startup animations, is now priced at $949—an increase of $300 from its prior price of $649. Meanwhile, the base model with 256GB of storage and an older LCD screen has been discontinued, a change that was announced prior to these price revisions. These escalated prices are particularly striking for a device that has been on the market for nearly three years, despite being an iteration of a handheld PC that has been around for over four years. The silver lining for Valve is that many competing handhelds from brands like Asus and Lenovo are also facing similar price hikes, often exceeding $1,000. Among the major competitors, only the Asus ROG Ally, priced at $600 and equipped with an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor akin to the Steam Deck’s custom AMD chip, stands as a more affordable alternative.