Valve has made waves by adding the Steam Deck OLED to its certified refurbished lineup, offering gamers the chance to snag one of these sought-after devices at a significant discount. This move makes the OLED version much more accessible with prices slashed by 20% compared to buying brand new.
In the mix, both the 1TB and 512GB OLED models have been included in the refurbished program. The 1TB version is quite a steal at $519, while the 512GB follows suit at $439. To put it in perspective, if you wanted a newly minted 1TB version, it would set you back $649, and the 512GB, $549. That’s a cool $120 and $110 saved respectively on the 1TB and 512GB models. Interestingly, with the refurbished pricing, you can get a 1TB OLED for $30 less than what the brand-new 512GB OLED would cost.
As things stand, the only new Steam Deck option priced lower than these refurbished OLEDs is the older 256GB LCD version, priced at $399. While Valve does offer refurbished LCD models, they are currently out-of-stock across the 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB options. It’s worth noting that new purchases for the 512GB and 64GB LCD models are no longer available.
Let’s not be fooled by the simple name swap—upgrading to the Steam Deck OLED is a much bigger leap than it might initially seem. The transition from an LCD screen to the vibrant OLED is just the starting point. The OLED model boasts a larger 7.4-inch display with a swift 90Hz refresh rate, HDR support, and an impressive 1000 nits of peak brightness in HDR mode, compared to the LCD’s 7-inch screen with a 60Hz refresh rate.
Beneath the surface, the upgrades continue. A more robust 50Whr battery replaces the 40Whr from the LCD model, promising playtime ranging from 3 to 12 hours, tailored by the game being played. In contrast, Valve advertises a 2-8 hour span for the older LCD version. The OLED’s RAM also sees a boost from 5500MT/s LPDDR5 to a faster 6400MT/s LPDDR5, and the AMD APU gets a technology update with a shrink in process node from 7nm to 6nm.
Those eager to get their hands on a refurbished Steam Deck OLED will find them available in select areas, including Canada, the EU, the UK, and the US. Each refurbished unit comes with a one-year warranty, matching that of a new unit, although this may vary slightly depending on local laws.
