The Steam Deck is still regarded as the benchmark that all handheld gaming PCs aspire to be like, and if you’ve been looking to get one, now might be the best time to do so as it has been discounted by 20%. At a time when gaming hardware has gotten more expensive over time, getting a Steam Deck for just $319 is a pretty good deal overall. This pre-Steam Fall Sale deal saves you $80 off the regular price of the 256GB LCD screen model, making it cheaper than the original Switch console in comparison.
$319 (was $400)
This discount will only be available from now through October 6, and it doesn’t include other models like the OLED screen version. While this handheld is almost four years old, it’s still a versatile handheld that is compatible with an impressive number of games thanks to SteamOS and it offers rock-solid performance. Ideally, this can function well as a go-to machine for indie games, but it can handle more visually demanding titles reasonably well.
On top of that, filling up your gaming library is quite affordable through Steam, and with the Steam Fall Sale around the corner, there’ll be some great discounts to take advantage of. If you do want some more technical bang for your buck, the 512GB OLED Steam Deck is priced at $550 and the 1TB version is $650, making these worthwhile competitors to the upcoming Xbox Ally ROG and the expensive Lenovo Legion Go 2. While you are losing out being able to access multiple gaming storefronts–the Steam Deck rivals use a Windows operating system–SteamOS is still a great platform if you don’t mind being locked into a Steam ecosystem.
Essential Steam Deck accessories
Since you’re saving quite a bit on this purchase, you can put some of that cash to good use by protecting your new gaming investment and enhancing it. The iVanky docking station is Steam Deck compatible, and it can be used to connect the machine up with a TV screen. You’ll also charge your Steam Deck through it, and if you decide to expand your handheld gaming PC collection, this can also be used with Asus ROG Ally, Steam Deck OLED, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw handhelds. Normally $40, it’s on sale for $27 as part of a limited-time deal.
There’s also the Jsaux charging dock for $30 (was $40), and like the iVanky, you’re getting fast-charging, you can turn your Steam Deck into a gaming PC on your TV, and it’s compatible with other hardware as well. These are also much cheaper–and actually better–than the official Steam Deck dock, and these come with a wide variety of I/O ports, including HDMI, USB-C, Ethernet, and USB-A 3.0 slots, and they also support 4K resolutions with high refresh rates.
You’re also going to want to look at expanding your Steam Deck storage capacity, because that 256GB storage will get filled up very quickly. Fortunately, an upgrade is as simple as inserting a microSD card, and there are some good options here. We’d recommend the Samsung Pro Plus microSD cards, as these offer rapid read and write speeds of up to 180/130MB/s. You can choose from a 512GB card for $42 (was $62) or a 1TB card for $90 (was $115).
Finally, the best investment you can make with your Steam Deck is a screen protector. Jsaux offers a pretty good reinforced tempered glass screen protector for just $9, but what makes this one worth picking up is that it comes with a guiding frame. This means that you can get edge-to-edge coverage that perfectly aligns with the screen.
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