Recently, Valve has rolled out the Steam Deck OLED as part of its certified refurbished program, offering gamers a chance to snag this sleek device at a notably reduced price. With the introduction of refurbished models, the OLED variants are now available at a 20% discount compared to their brand-new counterparts from Valve.
For those interested in the refurbished program, both the 1TB and 512GB Steam Deck OLED models are up for grabs. The 1TB version will set you back $519, while the 512GB is priced at $439. This translates into a $120 savings on the 1TB model and a $110 deduction for the 512GB model compared to buying new. Interestingly, this makes the refurbished 1TB OLED model even $30 cheaper than buying a brand-new 512GB OLED model.
It’s worth noting that the only Steam Deck version that has a lower new retail price than the refurbished OLED is the older 256GB LCD variant, which sells for $399. Although Valve offers certified refurbished LCD versions, namely the 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB, all are currently out of stock. Additionally, new purchases for the 512GB and 64GB LCD variants aren’t available anymore.
While the OLED tag might suggest only a display upgrade, there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye. The transition from LCD to OLED comes with several enhancements. The display now boasts a 90Hz refresh rate, is slightly larger at 7.4 inches, and includes HDR support, offering a peak brightness of 1000 nits in HDR mode and 400 nits as standard. This is a leap from the previous 7-inch, 60Hz display with no HDR support.
Underneath the surface, Valve has fine-tuned other elements too. The OLED version sports a beefier battery, moving up from a 40Whr to a 50Whr unit. This upgrade promises a playtime ranging between 3 to 12 hours, depending on the game, compared to the 2-8 hour range advertised for the LCD model. The RAM has also seen an upgrade, jumping from 5500MT/s LPDDR5 to 6400 MT/s LPDDR5, and the AMD APU has benefited from a reduction in process node size from 7nm to 6nm.
If you’re considering grabbing a refurbished Steam Deck OLED, they are available in select regions such as Canada, the EU, the UK, and the US. These units come with the same one-year warranty as their brand-new counterparts, although this may vary depending on your location.
