Valve has recently added the Steam Deck OLED to its lineup of certified refurbished products, offering a promising option for gamers who want to get their hands on this impressive device without paying full price. These refurbished OLED models come at a significant discount—20% less, to be exact, than their brand-new versions.
If you’re eyeing the 1TB OLED model, it’s available in this refurbished program for $519, while the 512GB version comes in at $439. To give you a clearer picture, purchasing a new 1TB model would typically cost you $649, and the new 512GB would set you back $549. So, you’re looking at a neat $120 discount on the 1TB model and saving $110 on the 512GB model. Interestingly, buying the refurbished 1TB OLED means you’ll actually spend $30 less than purchasing a new 512GB OLED.
For those considering alternatives, the only new Steam Deck version that beats the refurbished OLED in price is the older 256GB LCD model, retailing for $399. Valve does have refurbished LCD models in its catalog, but currently, all variations—the 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB—are out of stock. Don’t expect to find the 512GB and 64GB LCD models new, either, as they’re no longer available in that condition.
Now, it’s worth noting that the Steam Deck OLED offers more upgrades than just an improved display. Yes, the transition from LCD to OLED is significant enough, but there’s more to it. The display not only steps up to a 90Hz refresh rate and expands to a 7.4-inch size, but it also supports HDR, boasts 400 nits of brightness, and can reach up to 1000 nits in HDR mode. Compared to the 7-inch LCD version, which topped out at 60Hz and the same 400 nits without HDR support, this is quite the advancement.
Underneath the screen, there are other enhancements too. Valve has upgraded the battery from 40 Whr to a robust 50 Whr. This means you can now enjoy gaming on the OLED Deck for a span ranging from 3 to 12 hours, game depending—with the LCD version offering between 2 and 8 hours. Beyond battery life, the RAM has been bumped up from 5500 MT/s LPDDR5 to a faster 6400 MT/s LPDDR5, and they’ve made an upgrade to the AMD APU, shifting from a 7nm to a 6nm process node.
These refurbished Steam Deck OLEDs are available in select regions, such as Canada, the EU, the UK, and the US. They come with the same one-year warranty as the new units, though this might extend depending on your country’s policies.
So, whether you’re venturing into portable gaming for the first time or looking for an upgrade without breaking the bank, the Steam Deck OLED, especially at these refurbished prices, is definitely worth considering.
