I've been enjoying some quality time with the office Steam Deck. Between finally checking out Mouthwashing and giving 1000XResist another playthrough, I'm not really putting the hardware through its paces. Still, it's hard to argue with that gorgeous OLED screen or the promise of portability for combatting my ever-growing back log.
However, when it comes to taking the plunge and picking up a unit myself, the consistent sticking point is the price. Almost 600 bucks to keep enjoying that OLED screen alongside a decent amount of space? I'm not sure I'm yet ready for that level of commitment (even if it is great for a night out on the town). Well, Valve seems to have caught wind of my whining.
Refurbished Steam Decks certified by Valve are now available, and someone somewhere was able to scoop a refurbished 512 GB OLED Steam Deck for as little as $439 (£389). If you don't mind a glossy screen without the anti-glare coating, that's still a sizeable saving of $110 off of a brand new unit's $549 price tag. However this, and all other options, were consistently out of stock on the UK storefront at time of writing.
Otherwise, refurbished Steam Deck units are now theoretically available in the US, Canada, the EU, as well as the UK. On the US storefront, the 512 GB and 1 TB OLED models are in stock, though who knows for how long. So, what are you getting for your money? Valve explains that each of their certified refurbished units go through a meticulous process including, "a complete factory reset, software update, and an extensive examination involving over 100 tests." Rest assured, thumbsticks are thoroughly waggled and controller drift rooted out. Valve says their process is so rigorous that "all refurbished units meet or even exceed the performance standards of new retail units."
The only thing to bear in mind is that as these are second hand units, a refurbished Steam Deck may come with small scuffs or otherwise "minor cosmetic blemishes." Still, each one gets a refurbished power supply, plus its own carry case and a one year warranty at least (though this lattermost point may vary depending on where you live). It's not hard to see why these second hand offerings have been so popular.
The Steam Deck debuted first with an LCD screen back in 2022, before the OLED model lit up our world in 2023. It's the later OLED Steam Deck which remains our top budget pick when it comes to best handheld gaming PCs—which just goes to show how pricey an arena portable gaming can be. When it comes to handhelds though, this isn't as quiet a stage as it once was; the Asus ROG Ally X offers not only stiff competition, but also the eye-watering price tag of close to $800 (£799) for the 1 TB model.
You know what, that really puts the state of play into perspective for me. Guess I'll be saving my pennies and hitting refresh on Valve's certified refurb page—after all, the Steam Deck 2 is still a ways off.
