Valve's Steam Deck OLED handheld gaming console pricing has increased significantly due to ongoing DRAM and NAND Flash shortages affecting supply chains worldwide. The price of the 512 GB edition of the Steam Deck OLED has risen from $549 to $789, a $240 increase, while the 1 TB version has jumped from $649 to $949, a substantial $300 hike. When the Steam Deck was first launched, it included a 256 GB version with an LCD panel, but Valve discontinued that model in late 2025, removing it from their lineup entirely. The LCD version had a MSRP of $399 and was the most affordable way to enter the Steam Deck ecosystem. Now, there are no relatively inexpensive options, with the lowest-priced Steam Deck being the 512 GB OLED version at $789.

This situation isn't surprising given that NAND Flash, the primary storage component, has seen prices skyrocket, with a staggering 500% increase over the six-month period ending in March. This increase is likely even higher now, as AI data center expansion has consumed much of the available storage. Like many consumer electronics manufacturers, Valve probably had a long-term agreement with storage suppliers for NAND Flash memory pricing that expired recently. Once their stock of NAND Flash purchased at previous prices was depleted, the company had to update its pricing policy on its website. The second picture is old pricing with the old LCD model still available.

Considering that most gamers prefer larger SSD capacities like 512 GB and above, as noted by Lexar, they are likely to absorb these costs rather than switch to alternative handheld consoles or seek out aftermarket Steam Deck LCDs with 256 GB. Anyway, let us know in the comments if this now makes Steam Deck a handheld console worth getting still or not.