Steam Deck back in stock, with higher pricing
(store.steampowered.com)
Steam HardwareSteam Deck OLED 512GB: Now $789 USD; CAD 1,129; EUR 779; GBP 649; AUD 1,199; PLN 3,279
Steam Deck OLED 1TB: Now $949 USD; CAD 1,349; EUR 919; GBP 779; AUD 1,429; PLN 3,879
They wrecked the economy so hard that game consoles are appreciating in value.
Steam Deck OLED is awesome. Fantastic screen, excellent controls, insane ergonomics, light for long play sessions... even now, with older internal hardware and lessening power versus new games, it's still the best stream-to-around-the-house device on the market, and it's not really close.
But I can't see it still being $789 / $949 USD awesome. My guess is that Valve has decided that they aren't going to run out of Steam Decks again and have priced these accordingly.
My understanding is that Valve was hoping they could wait it out and not have to raise the price. Guess they decided that selling expensive Steam Decks would be better than selling none.
Better buy the Steam controller quickly before AI companies decide TMR sticks are essential to feed the AI machine.
Ouch, that's rough.
I mean, this is technically better than it just not being available. But those prices are hard to swallow, makes me really glad to already have mine. Really hope nothing happens to it.
The bright side is that Valve partnered with iFixit with the Steam Deck, so if certain parts need replacing, you can do it yourself without it costing too much. If anything happens to higher end guts, though, yeah, that would be very bad!
Well, here goes the hope for a sub-1000€ Steam machine.
Th 512GB OLED model still cost under 800 Dollars. Steam Machine does not include any OLED display, controller or battery. And it does not need to fit in small size. So there are things that help the Steam Machine compared to a handheld. Let's say you have already a controller and decide to get the cheapest 512GB model of Steam Machine.
Instead of a battery + USB power supply, you have a "normal" power supply. The controller parts of the Deck are basically in the Steam Controller, plus the dock/dongle. The Machine has a huge chunk of metal on the chips to dissipate the additional heat, which also adds to the cost. All of this still needs to fit in an incredibly small form factor and has better, more expensive components plus more RAM in total. Add ~20% VAT because that's how prices are calculated in the EU.
I say the cheapest we might see for a variant with included contoller is 900€ and that's probably if we're lucky.
The big costs are memory, that affects ram and SSDs. Not having a screen is not going to lower the price much.
Not having a screen is not going to lower the price much.
Off course not having a screen will lower the price much, especially if we talk about OLED. It does not affect the price as much as memory, but it helps not having it. And that is not even the only thing. Yes, the Steam Machine has some other stuff going on over the Steam Deck, like 8GB of additional VRAM (oof) and bigger and better CPU. I am aware of that and that was not my point. I was talking about all the other non memory stuff, that combined still has impact on the price.
Yeah, but I was saying that it will not offset the price increase from memory related expenses.
I wasn't arguing that? I feel like there is some disconnect in our discussion?
The conversation so far has been (paraphrasing) ...
- Lemmchen: "Wow steam machines are gonna be expensive", on a thread specifically about a massive price hike on Steam Decks (due to memory pricing)
- You: "Well maybe not, machines won't have OLED screens, battery, and optional controller"
- Femtek: "yeah but those things aren't why steam Decks are having this huge price hike. They are going up because of memory" memory is a shared component between Decks and machines.
- You: "yes, those things will impact the price, but these other things that the machine won't have will also impact the price."
- Femtek: "not by the same amount"
- You: "I wasn't arguing that"
What point were you trying to make if not that having no screen/optional controller would offset the increased memory prices?
Ahh, I see. Sorry about that.
I thought a controller was generally included with consoles?
It will probably come with and without gamepad. As you can use other gamepads too and maybe you have one already. At times like these, having the choice of buying without gamepad to get it 100 Dollars / Euros cheaper is worth a lot.
I absolutely get that it makes sense that a new console comes without a controller, many people already have controllers.
But a controller is also pretty essential, and controllers get worn out too. So a bundling price of the 2 could also be more attractive for most.
There is absolutely nothing necessary about the steam controller. Everything can be done with other controllers or input methods. We have steam input available.
I’ve used the deck and Linux in general on TVs and in desktop setups. I pretty much always need a keyboard and mouse handy for specific things or specific games. Just makes it easier.. like it’s always faster to type text on an honest to god keyboard than any other input methods from voice to motion to touch to sign language. A wireless keyboard is about the same price as a pizza where I live.
A controller is not essential for a PC / Steam Machine. Who says everyone wants to use a controller for the Steam Machine? One could just use mouse and keyboard and that is not wrong. Or another one already purchased the Steam Controller standalone (or has other controllers that could be used). On a console, usually you need the official controller as most controllers won't work. I mean if you have a Xbox or Switch controller, it would not work on a Playstation. But most controllers work on a PC / Steam Machine.
In example, if I were to buy a Steam Machine, I would choose one without controller. Why? Because I have multiple, even a Steam Controller already. There is 0 value for me to pay 100 Euros extra for a controller I would not need. Valve tries to get the price down as much as possible, and having that option is a simple way.
Yes of course you could use it as a PC on a desktop with mouse and keyboard.
I just don't think that will be the typical use, but more with a TV sitting in an armchair or on the couch.
Maybe I'm wrong?
The value in having the controller included default, would only be if the price is lower for the bundle. Since the latest retailed for 99 €, it obviously shouldn't cost 100 € as a bundled part.
I am not arguing that most people will use mouse and keyboard only. But nothing speaks against it and having the option to buy without controller makes sense to me. Even if it costs 70 Euros more with controller, why would I buy it with one? And I am surely not in the minority of having a controller already, and not everyone wants to use a Steam Controller anyway.
All I am saying is, that there will be an option to buy it without controller probably, which helps Valve keep the price down as possible. Which is a very important factor, so that will happen for sure.
Daaaaaamn. If I didn't have one already, I would not consider buying it at that price anymore. And I got the cheaper 512 gb model.
I still have the first generation, first pre-order 256GB LCD model, + 512GB microSD. It still rocks. The Steam Deck is not my main machine, so therefore I have nothing to complain. Seeing the new prices really hurts to watch go online. And I thought the Xbox Series X price is bad enough.
I got a refurbished 512GB for $439 a year ago, that is nuts.
What's even available that's competitive? Legion Go 2 prices are absolutely bonkers, maybe the first gen at $849?
MS still had launch MSRP for the ROG Xbox Ally models.
Protecting my deck with my life...
Yeah it sucks but imagine spending a good chunk of that on a Nintendo Switch that has built in planned obsolescence and will be a poorly supported brick in a couple of years limited to never surpass the potential the original Nintendo developers could see in the device at an architectural level and set into stone by the mass armadas of copyright weapons that Nintendo deploys.
Does the price difference matter as much when you see it in that light? You can always use your Steam Deck as a computer in any way you want to. You can load stuff onto it using the sd card.... the nonsense is astronomically less with the Steam Deck I just can't imagine thinking the Steam Deck wasn't worth it over the Switch when you actually think about the value either device brings to your life longterm. One is disposable, the other is not.
I hope it doesn’t upset you too much that I own a switch instead of a steam deck and enjoy it
It is ok, your mom already told me about it.
Sorry, I just thought it was really funny that you look at a massive steam deck price increase and your reaction is to shit on the switch
You aren't wrong, but it just feels right, is this what being an Apple fan is like?
Ouch. I don’t think they’re worth it at those prices, sadly.
Isn't that more than 50% extra compared to when the OLED version came out, I think it was 2023?
I bought my 1TB OLED for 679 euros end of 2024. So at least for that is 35% price increase.
Considering the increase in price, that turned out to be a very good deal. 👍
Rough. Unfortunately Valve can’t shake the RAM or SSD shortage.
So glad I got mine on sale last year
I wish the old LCD models were still available, especially the 64GB model. We needed that more than ever.
