The Steam Deck has arguably become gaming’s new favorite toy since it was first released in 2022. Over the years, it’s been widely adopted and praised for its versatility and power, being capable of running a shocking amount of high-intensity games at nominal levels on a handheld device. In lieu of getting a costly PC or console, many people have simply picked up a Steam Deck instead, since it has such an extensive library of games thanks to Steam, Valve’s PC storefront. Now, Valve is once again slashing the prices on some of its cheapest models, making the Steam Deck an even easier investment.
To celebrate Steam’s 21st birthday, Valve is specifically discounting two models of Steam Decks with LCD screens. The 64 GB version of the LCD Steam Deck is currently going for $US296.65, meaning it’s about 15 percent off at the moment. The 512 GB model, meanwhile, has been discounted to $US336.75.
These models are some of the oldest Steam Decks around and are being phased out in favor of the more expensive OLED versions, which is probably why they’re available at such steep discounts until September 26. For those prices, the Steam Deck is nearly as affordable as most versions of the Nintendo Switch, and comes with a much more massive library of games. It also performs significantly better.
The biggest thing going for the Steam Deck is its huge catalog of games. Since its release, Valva has put tremendous resources into verifying games that can run comfortably on the device. In turn, many of these games have experienced spikes in popularity on Steam due to Deck players picking them up, which has had a bit of a domino effect. Every other week, you’re seemingly hearing news of a developer announcing that one of its titles is now Steam Deck verified because there’s a sizable audience there that’s hungry for even more games.
In the meantime though, the Steam Deck isn’t particularly hurting. Games like this year’s surprise hit Balatro are a perfect fit for the handheld system, but it can also comfortably play more demanding titles like Diablo 4 if you so choose. The Steam Deck has also enjoyed a healthy mod scene, which has turned the device’s versatile hardware and software options into a blessing. The sky’s the limit here.
So if you’ve been dragging your feet about getting a Steam Deck, now is kind of the perfect time to jump onboard. You’re not going to find a better deal for a while, and even these cheaper models of the device can be modified and made into powerhouses for relatively little money and effort. In return, you get a hell of a handheld PC with a constantly expanding catalog of games available. Especially if you’re simply looking to dip your toes into the PC ecosystem, or just want to take advantage of all those games you preemptively bought on sales, the Steam Deck is your best bet at these prices.
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