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Good night, my sweet portable prince.
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The Steam Deck LCD model's days are now numbered, as Valve has discontinued the handheld that started it all. The good news is that the portable PC plug isn't being immediately pulled, but with the storefront giant now "no longer producing" the 256GB version, I suspect it won't be around for long in the new year.
In a note added to the Steam Deck landing page, Valve says it is "no longer producing the Steam Deck LCD 256GB model. Once sold out, it will no longer be available." While you could argue it's been a long time coming since it entered the best gaming handheld ring back in 2022, it's still the portable I point most players towards thanks to its approachable $399 / £349 price tag.
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I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, but the Steam Deck's LCD is one of the few handhelds available for under $400. When it heads into retirement, you'll be fully relying on sales to get either the OLED version of rivals like the white ROG Xbox Ally for the same price, and the fact that the Asus ROG Ally is also discontinued means there aren't very many options that aren't $1,000.
Look, some of you will be gunning to boost fps as far as possible on something like the ROG Xbox Ally X and have the cash to splash. I'm also pretty sure that most players looking at handhelds in the $400 price range will end up with a Nintendo Switch 2, as while its access to third-party biggies isn't a given, it has proven its worth as a 1080p option for playing even the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 (albeit with some AI upscaling assistance), and its 4K docking abilities make the struggles of portable PCs look a little silly.
That said, I do think we're sailing into choppy waters with the art of price-appropriate handheld gaming PCs. The Steam Deck OLED is still good value, and there's still a chance Valve could discount it in the future. But, I suspect that $400 is becoming an impossible price point to maintain in an unforgiving world of absurd US tariffs and an AI industry that's sending component prices like RAM to the stars.
Let's just say that in 2026, I'll be holding out for a budget-friendly handheld hero. Perhaps Valve will rescue me from my tower once the Steam Machine is officially out next year, but since we haven't even got a price for the mini PC, I'm not getting my hopes up.
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ NewsletterContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.- More gaming handhelds at Best Buy
- Steam Deck accessories at Amazon
Already got Valve's portable? Swing by the best Steam Deck accessories and best Steam Deck docks for excellent add-ons. You'll also want to peek at the best retro handhelds for great ways to play the classics.
Phil HaytonSocial Links NavigationHardware EditorPhil is currently the Hardware Editor at GamesRadar+ who specialises in retro gaming, the best gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck, and more modern components like graphics cards. Having spent years offering up classic console advice and over a decade as a gaming journalist for big names like TechRadar, The Daily Star, the BBC, Den of Geek, and many more, Phil now dedicates their days to covering the latest news and offering up invaluable setup advice.
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Looks like the Asus ROG Ally just got discontinued, but it's at least down to a price I'd pay
Valve hasn't unleashed any Black Friday deals yet, so I'm glad Lenovo's souped-up Steam Deck is under $500
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