Though the original Steam Deck hardware is getting on a bit in years, Valve's handheld gaming PC remains a pretty transformative bit of kit. A great big chunk of your Steam library, on the go—and it costs nowhere near as much as a full rig.
As for Valve's upcoming PC-for-the-TV, the Steam Machine, we can only theorise how much that will cost when it finally drops in early 2026. Even though it will be six times faster than the handheld, the eventual price proposition may mean many folks would still rather pick up the original handheld—and at 20% off when you buy the 256GB LCD model directly from Valve, who could blame them?
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A little under $320 is definitely not a bad price for the hardware, and that's why the Steam Deck continues to hold on to the crown of best budget handheld gaming PC. Add to that the Steam Deck will be interoperable with the Steam Machine via a dedicated antenna plus the option to use the same MicroSD card full of games on both devices, and anyone hoping to go all in on Valve's hardware ecosystem is looking at a particularly sweet deal.
To be super clear, the 20% off discount only applies to the most basic model of the Steam Deck you can still buy directly from Valve. As such, 256GB of storage is not a whole lot of space to play with (though I may have a MicroSD card deal that might interest you), and an LCD screen simply pales in comparison to the vibrancy of the OLED models.
Still, even in this most basic of packages, you can enjoy a 60 Hz refresh rate on the 1280 x 800 LCD screen and between two to six hours of uninterrupted gaming. I mean, you're probably not going to have the absolute best experience playing, say, Cyberpunk 2077 on this thing but historically a lot of folks have ventured to Night City that way. Portability really is a game changer—and even our own Andy has seen the light.
I'm not sure playing Cyberpunk in bed is really my preferred cosy gaming experience, but it's hard not to see the appeal (to say nothing of what good company Valve's handheld is throughout a 10-hour monster makeup routine). Add to that the fact Valve generously includes a carrying case within the price of its chunky handheld, and this bit of kit really is pitched for gaming adventures on the go—beyond just your bed.
The fact of the matter is that PC gaming remains an expensive hobby, but an affordable handheld that can play a good chunk of games available on Steam is definitely an accessible entry point. If you're really not sure about what to play or how to even best manage a mere 256GB of space, don't worry—our best Steam Deck games guide takes that all into account.
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1. Best overall:
Lenovo Legion Go S SteamOS
2. Best budget:
Steam Deck
3. Best Windows:
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X
4. Best big screen:
Lenovo Legion Go
5. Best compact:
Ayaneo Flip DS
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