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Steam Deck OLED Now Costs Up to $949: The May Price Jump Recapped

Valve raised prices by $240 and $300 in May. With a Steam Machine and Steam Frame also priced high, here's the state of Valve's hardware lineup.

September 16, 2026·Source: Engadget

Valve’s handheld got a lot more expensive this year, and with the Steam Frame reservation queue in the news, it’s worth recapping where the whole lineup sits.

The Steam Deck increase. On May 27, Valve raised US prices for the Steam Deck OLED. The 512GB model went from $549 to $789, up $240. The 1TB model went from $649 to $949, up $300. VGC calculated those as increases of 43 and 46 percent respectively.

Refurbished units. Per Engadget, refurbished OLED models were priced at $629 for 512GB and $759 for 1TB.

Valve’s explanation. Valve attributed the change to “rising memory and storage costs.” In its announcement, the company said: “Steam Deck itself hasn’t changed; these new prices reflect the current state of component costs and other global logistical challenges across the industry as a whole.” It added that it would “keep you updated if anything changes.”

The rest of Valve’s lineup. The higher prices carry across Valve’s new hardware.

  • Steam Machine: According to PCGamesN, it is priced at $1,049 for the 512GB model and $1,349 for 2TB, with versions including a Steam Controller at $1,128 and $1,428. Specs listed include a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU, semi-custom RDNA 3 GPU, 16GB of DDR5 and 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM. Sales began with a queue and random draw system.
  • Steam Frame: Engadget reports $1,059 for 256GB and $1,299 for 1TB, with reservations open through September 17.

The industry backdrop. VGC noted the Steam Deck increase came after Nintendo’s Switch 2 hike and Sony’s PS5 increases, and Microsoft followed with Xbox increases effective August 1. Valve’s own February statement said the memory and storage shortages “have rapidly increased” since its November announcement.

What it means. At $789 and up, the Steam Deck OLED now sits in a different price bracket than it did a year ago, and Valve has not announced any change beyond the May adjustment. Engadget’s report lists refurbished OLED units as a lower-priced option.

Bottom line. Valve’s whole hardware family is now priced at levels that would have seemed unlikely a year ago. The company says the reason is component costs, not the hardware itself.