The most affordable Steam Deck, the $399 LCD model, is not available in the US. And, according to the Steam Deck site, it won’t be coming back. Underneath the listings for the various models is a note that says:
We are no longer producing the Steam Deck LCD 256GB model. Once sold out, it will no longer be available.
And, well, it’s no longer in stock on the US site.
Valve’s decision to phase out the Steam Deck LCD is disappointing. That means the most affordable Steam Deck is now the 512GB OLED model, which costs $549, quite a bit more than the former entry-level version.
We’ve reached out to Valve for comment, but have yet to hear back. Without an official explanation from the company, we’re left to speculate about why the Steam Deck LCD was discontinued. Andy Hales at Windows Central suggests that rising RAM and storage prices (thanks, AI) have made it difficult to continue offering a handheld at that price point.
The PC gaming handheld market is much more robust than it was when the Steam Deck first debuted in 2022, but it’s hard to see any of the other players, like Lenovo, ASUS, or GPD, filling that entry-level void.