Summary
Valve has currently discounted certainSteam DeckLCD models by 15% as part of its annual Summer Sale. TheSteam Deckhandheld gaming PC has been a major success for the company, allowing players to carry their Steam libraries anywhere and enjoy games at above-serviceable performance.
The Nintendo Switch revolutionized the concept of handheld gaming consoles in 2017, and the Steam Deck did the same for the handheld gaming PC market when it launched in 2022. Prior to the Deck, the space was dominated by boutique brands like Ayaneo that offered far more expensive options. TheSteam Deck was a big commercial successthanks to a near-halved price tag, a bespoke SteamOS operating system, and Valve’s renowned customer support. Since then, the handheld gaming PC market has seen several new entrants, namely Asus, Lenovo, MSI, Zotac, and Adata, compete with the Steam Deck so far.
While Valve’s competitors may offer stronger systems with Windows 11 support,many players still prefer the Steam Deckthanks to its effortless, console-like user experience. Now, Valve has good news for those who have been waiting to snag a Steam Deck at the lowest possible price, as the upcoming Steam Summer Sale will levy a 15% discount on the 64GB and 512GB variants of theSteam Deck LCD, bringing their values down to all-time lows of $296.65 and $381.65 respectively. The sale is currently active and lasts until 10 AM PT on July 11, but interested players may want to act quickly as these models are stock-constrained.
Select Steam Deck LCD Models Are On Discount, But Buyers Should Act Quick
After theintroduction of the Steam Deck OLEDin late 2023, Valve officially discontinued production of the 64GB and 512GB versions of the LCD model and rearranged the lineup to have the 256GB Steam Deck LCD as the entry point. Therefore, it seems likely that Valve is discounting the 64GB and 512GB trims to clear the remaining stock, and that the 256GB LCD and OLED variants possibly won’t see price cuts during the 2024 Steam Summer Sale.
The Steam Deck OLED offers several improvements and refinements over the LCD model, so it’s unfortunate that it won’t be discounted during the promotional period. However, the LCD model (particularly the 512GB) being available at a lower cost than the starting 256GB variant would no doubt be compelling for those who don’t mind the slightly older hardware. Even without the OLED’s benefits, theSteam Deck’s growing library of verified gamesand easy user experience make it an option worth exploring, especially at its lowest price so far.
