Sales of Valve’s Steam Deck OLED have resumed in the US after the handheld was listed as sold out for weeks due to the memory shortage.
Valve’s website and the Steam Store are now selling the 512GB and 1TB models. And surprisingly, there’s no price increase, despite the rising cost of RAM.
(Credit: Valve)
Interested consumers should act fast. Valve’s website had the 512GB model up for sale earlier in the day, only for it to sell out. But it looks like the company has loaded more inventory. Valve’s site adds, “Reservation Servers are busy, please try again,” suggesting that would-be buyers are overwhelming the site.
In some bad news, the Steam Deck will get a price hike in Asia, effective March 6, according to Japanese distributor Komodo. Interestingly, though, Komodo isn’t blaming the price increase on the memory shortage. “Due to increased logistics costs and shifting exchange rate conditions that have persisted since the initial launch of Steam Deck, Komodo has made the difficult decision to raise the price of Steam Deck OLED in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan,” it says.
In Japan, the prices of the Steam Deck OLED 512GB and 1TB models are rising by about $100. In Korea, it’s only about $40, while Taiwan will see a $16 price bump. Komodo also noted: “The price in Hong Kong will remain the same as the region has been less impacted by these factors.”
Recommended by Our Editors
The memory shortage has also caused Valve to delay the release of the Steam Machine and VR-focused Steam Frame. The company still plans on shipping both products during the first half of the year, although users can expect a price increase.
Get Our Best Stories!
Your Daily Dose of Our Top Tech News
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.