Steam Deck Faces RAM Shortage, Stock Now Limited
▼ Summary
– Valve has delayed new hardware releases and faces stock shortages for existing products like the Steam Deck due to industry-wide memory and storage shortages.
– All new and refurbished Steam Deck configurations are currently unavailable for purchase in some regions because of these supply issues.
– The entry-level 256GB LCD Steam Deck model has been formally discontinued, raising the device’s effective starting price from $399 to $549.
– Despite being four years old, the Steam Deck’s performance remains competitive with newer, often more expensive handheld PCs using Ryzen Z1/Z2 chips.
– When available, the Steam Deck continues to offer strong value with compelling performance and specifications for its price point.
Valve’s popular Steam Deck handheld gaming PC is experiencing intermittent stock shortages in various regions, a direct result of ongoing industry-wide constraints on memory and storage components. This supply chain issue, which has already impacted the launch timeline for other Valve hardware, is now affecting the availability of the established Steam Deck, leaving all new and refurbished configurations currently listed as unavailable for purchase.
The company has placed a notice on the official Steam Deck store page, alerting customers that inventory will be unpredictable. While no price increases have been announced for the remaining models, the effective entry cost for the system has risen. This is because the most affordable 256GB LCD model has been formally discontinued after selling out, a move Valve previewed in December. Its removal shifts the starting point for a new Steam Deck from $399 to the $549 price of the 512GB OLED version.
Despite celebrating its fourth anniversary, the Steam Deck maintains a strong value proposition in the competitive handheld PC market. While newer devices boast more advanced chips and sharper screens, their performance gains are not always transformative, and their prices are frequently much higher. For its cost, the Steam Deck continues to deliver a compelling blend of capability and affordability, whenever units can be found. The current shortage underscores the persistent challenges in the global electronics supply chain, impacting even well-established products with steady demand.
(Source: Ars Technica)
