Valve has now added the Steam Deck OLED to its certified refurbished lineup, giving gamers a chance to snag the OLED version at a significant discount. These refurbished models are available directly from Valve and are priced 20% lower than their brand-new counterparts.
Available in the refurbished program are the 1TB and 512GB OLED Steam Deck models. The 1TB model is being offered for $519, while the 512GB version is priced at $439. If you were to buy them new, the 1TB model would set you back $649, and the 512GB version goes for $549. That’s a $120 savings on the 1TB model and a $110 discount on the 512GB variant. Interestingly, this pricing means you can get the refurbished 1TB OLED model for $30 less than a brand-new 512GB model.
The only new Steam Deck variant that beats these refurbished OLED prices is the older generation 256GB LCD model, currently sold for $399. Although Valve also offers certified refurbished versions of the LCD Steam Deck, none of the 64GB, 256GB, or 512GB models are currently in stock. You also can’t purchase the 512GB and 64GB LCD models brand new anymore.
It’s easy to underestimate the upgrades the Steam Deck OLED version brings, simply going by its name. Apart from the switch to an OLED display, the newer model features a 90Hz refresh rate, a larger 7.4-inch screen with HDR support, 400 nits of brightness, and an impressive 1000 nits peak brightness when in HDR mode. Compared to this, the LCD version offered a 7-inch screen that only supported 60Hz and lacked HDR support.
Under the hood, there are some notable improvements as well. The battery jumps from a 40Whr unit to a more robust 50Whr unit. Valve suggests that this newer battery can deliver between 3 to 12 hours of gameplay, depending on the game, whereas the older LCD model advertised a 2-8 hour battery life. The RAM has also been boosted, moving from 5500MT/s LPDDR5 to a faster 6400 MT/s LPDDR5, and the AMD APU now uses a smaller 6nm process node, down from the 7nm in the LCD version.
Right now, refurbished Steam Deck OLED units are available only in select regions, including Canada, the EU, the UK, and the US. They come with a standard one-year warranty just like new units, though warranty periods might vary based on your location.
