Valve has unveiled the Steam Deck OLED in its certified refurbished offerings, providing gamers a chance to snag this enhanced variant directly from the company at a significant markdown. These refurbished OLED models are priced 20% lower than the brand-new versions.
Currently, the refurbished array encompasses the 1TB and 512GB Steam Deck OLED models. The 1TB version is available for $519, while the 512GB one is priced at $439. To put that in perspective, purchasing a new 1TB OLED unit would set you back $649, and the 512GB version comes at $549. This translates into savings of $120 on the 1TB model and $110 on the 512GB one. Essentially, the refurbished 1TB OLED costs $30 less than a fresh 512GB OLED.
In the grand scheme of things, the only fresh Steam Deck option that can beat the refurbished OLED prices is the earlier 256GB LCD model, selling for $399. Although Valve offers certified refurbished LCD Steam Decks, they’re currently all out of stock — covering the 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB versions. Moreover, you can’t find the 512GB and 64GB LCD models as new any longer.
When diving deeper into what the Steam Deck OLED offers, it’s clear that the benefits go beyond just a switch from LCD to OLED. The display has been enhanced considerably, boasting a 90Hz refresh rate, a 7.4-inch size, HDR support, and the capacity to reach 400 nits in regular brightness, or an astonishing 1000 nits with HDR on. This is quite an upgrade from the older LCD variant, which was limited to a 7-inch screen, 60Hz refresh rate, and no HDR support.
Inside, the differences continue. The OLED version enjoys a more robust battery, jumping from a 40Whr to a 50Whr unit. Valve suggests this upgrade means the OLED Deck can last between 3 to 12 hours, contingent on what game you’re playing. In contrast, the LCD Deck offers a battery range of 2-8 hours. Additionally, the RAM has been enhanced from a 5500MT/s LPDDR5 to a faster 6400MT/s LPDDR5, and there’s a noteworthy shift in the AMD APU’s process node from 7nm to a more efficient 6nm.
These refurbished Steam Deck OLEDs are primarily available in select regions, such as Canada, the EU, the UK, and the US. Remarkably, these refurbished units include the same one-year warranty you’d get with a brand-new purchase, with the potential of an extended warranty, depending on your location.
