The handheld PC market has gained much attention since Valve debuted their highly popular Steam Deck in early 2022. The Steam-powered company quickly kicked off a trend throughout the industry, with notable names like ASUS throwing their hat into the ring shortly after. While the hype may not be at an all-time high, the demand for on-the-go PC gaming still seems to be steady. And now Valve has lowered the cost of entry for prospective buyers, thanks to a new initiative.
Valve has announced the debut of their certified refurbished Steam Decks, promising the “same high standards as our retail units” at up to 20% off. The rigorous testing carried out on these units ensures that the AMD-driven device’s performance at least meets, if not exceeds, that of a retail unit even if cosmetic blemishes may be present.
To further put your mind at ease if you are considering picking up a discounted Steam Deck, here’s the rundown from Valve themselves:
Every device goes through a complete factory reset, software update, and an extensive examination involving over 100 tests at one of Valve’s facilities. Among the tests are all controller inputs, the audio system, the screen, and internals. Battery health is also assessed to ensure proper functionality and longevity.
Furthermore, refurbished units still come packed with a 1-year warranty, a refurbished power supply, a carrying case and a Quick Start guide. At the time of writing, the cheapest 64GB model is sold out, which isn’t surprising given that it is selling for $319. The 256GB and 512GB variants are both readily available with price tags of $419 and $519, respectively.
If you have been looking to take advantage of Steam’s ever-growing list of fully verified Steam Deck titles, such as the recently-released hit Baldur’s Gate 3, there has never been a better time to pick up this handheld PC.
