There was a huge price hike for the Steam Deck OLED in May 2026, putting the 1TB model at $949. That’s a staggering $300 increase over the price consumers saw the last time this highly sought-after handheld was in stock. Of course, the increase in costs can be explained by the increase in component prices; It’s so bad that a YouTuber decided to make RAM at home. What’s really shocking about this situation is that despite the fact that the most expensive Steam Deck model costs almost $1,000, it still sold out within 24 hours of going on sale at that price.
Valve announced the renewed availability of the Steam Deck OLED on May 27. The next day, the product was listed as “out of stock” in storefronts across the United States and Canada. The laptop continues to be available in Europe, Asia and Australia, but there’s no doubt that the Steam Deck still has enough appeal to fly off the shelves.
At the time of writing, it is unclear how many units Valve has produced for this latest production run. It’s possible that despite running out of stock, there weren’t many Steam Deck units this time around initially. Despite this, it’s clear that people see a reason to continue buying it at almost any price. Reddit users expressed that this may have come from trust in Valve, appreciation of an ergonomic product, and seamless integration with an existing Steam game library.
Why people buy a Steam Deck instead of a Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 has a lot in common with the Steam Deck: it’s a portable gaming console, it has a passionate fan base, and its price recently underwent a hike. However, the Nintendo Switch 2 price increase (also in May 2026) was only $50. This brought its price to $499.99 from $449.99. For gamers looking for the best value handheld, it’s hard to make a case for the nearly $1,000 Steam Deck over the Switch 2. The Switch 2 is a major upgrade over the original console in several ways.
However, PC gaming enthusiasts can argue that the Steam Deck also provides access to a larger game library, video game mods, and other PC features. People who buy a Steam Deck instead of a Switch 2 are probably interested in owning a versatile device that can do more than just play video games – and they’re willing to pay a lot of money for it.
Other Laptops May Be Alternatives to Steam Deck
After the successful release of the Steam Deck in 2022, other manufacturers have jumped into the “portable PC” craze. Some of them are even intended to be as gaming-focused as the Steam Deck itself. We reviewed the ROG Xbox Ally Like other ROG Ally devices, it also functions as a full-fledged Windows 11 computer.
And while the ROG Xbox Ally This once again raises the question of why people buy Steam Decks for almost $1,000. The answer lies in simplicity, intuitiveness and a price which, although high, remains slightly lower than that of other laptops. The “out of stock” signs don’t lie; surely people believe that the Steam Deck is still worth it in 2026.
