Valve’s Steam Deck LCD kickstarted the PC handheld craze. Now it’s done

Valve has decided to end production of the Steam Deck LCD, the cheapest version of the company’s handheld gaming computer, reports Windows Latest.

As part of the Steam Winter Sale, Valve added a note to the Steam Deck page saying that once the last stock of the LCD model are sold, it will no longer be available for purchase — and it’s now sold out. Launched in 2022, the Steam Deck LCD played an important role in establishing Steam Deck as a popular option in the handheld gaming PC market, launching at an affordable $399.

Going forward, Steam Deck OLED will be the only version Valve sells. That model has a starting price of $549 and offers, among other things, improved screen technology and longer battery life.

Valve has not commented on why production of the LCD model is being discontinued, but one possible explanation could be rising prices for components such as memory and storage. The company recently said a potential Steam Deck 2 remains a long way off.