Steam Deck (LCD).

The Gavler Review.

Steam Deck (LCD) Review: Discontinued New, Still Worth Buying Used

The Steam Deck (LCD) ranks number 6 on Gavler's Best Gaming Handhelds list with an 8.8 — a genuinely high score for hardware Valve no longer sells new. The company discontinued the LCD model in December 2025, leaving the OLED as its sole current entry-level device, but the original Deck hasn't gone anywhere as a product: it lives on through Valve's own refurbished program and a healthy used market, and the core experience that made it a phenomenon is fully intact. Tom's Hardware's original take still applies in full: it's "a powerful, flexible gaming handheld that feels great and lets you take your games on the go." Buy a refurbished unit if you want the cheapest legitimate way into SteamOS handheld gaming. Skip it if you specifically want the newer OLED screen and longer battery life that the current-generation model offers — new stock of this exact configuration simply doesn't exist anymore.

What it is

The original Steam Deck pairs a custom AMD Zen 2 and RDNA 2 APU with 16GB of LPDDR5 memory and up to 512GB of storage across its tiers, driving a 7-inch 1280x800 LCD touchscreen at 60Hz. It runs SteamOS, Valve's Linux-based, controller-first operating system that boots directly into your Steam library rather than a general-purpose desktop — the single biggest reason the Deck earned its reputation as the handheld to beat in the category's early years. Physical controls include dual thumbsticks, a D-pad, full ABXY buttons, four rear grip buttons, and two trackpads, giving it both traditional gamepad input and mouse-style precision for games that need it.

Since Valve discontinued new sales in December 2025, the only ways to buy one are Valve's own certified-refurbished storefront or the secondhand market — new-in-box units of this specific model are no longer being manufactured or sold through official retail channels.

In use

What made the Deck matter in the first place wasn't raw power — it's a modest APU by current standards — but the software wrapped around it. The Verge's review put it succinctly: "The Steam Deck wasn't born ready, but it's ready now," a verdict that captured how much early software polish Valve delivered through updates after a rough initial software experience. That software-first advantage is exactly what still separates SteamOS from Windows-based rivals years later: booting straight into your library, navigating menus with a controller that actually feels designed for it, and having Proton compatibility handle the vast majority of the Windows-native Steam catalog without extra setup.

Tom's Hardware's broader assessment praised the same fundamental strength: a device that "feels great and lets you take your games on the go" — comfortable in the hand, intuitive to navigate, and genuinely portable in a way that early handheld PCs from other manufacturers weren't. That comfort and software polish are exactly why the LCD Deck still holds an 8.8 on Gavler's list even after being discontinued new — the hardware underneath a great software experience doesn't stop being good just because a newer screen technology exists in a pricier sibling.

The honest limitation, and the reason Valve moved on to the OLED as its flagship, is the screen itself: a 60Hz LCD panel that looks noticeably flatter and dimmer next to the OLED model's 90Hz HDR display, and battery life that trails the newer hardware's efficiency gains. None of that makes the LCD Deck a bad handheld in 2026 — it makes it a clearly positioned budget option now that a superior sibling exists at a higher price.

Strengths

• The full SteamOS experience at the lowest available price. Everything that made the Deck a phenomenon — the boot-to-library software, the controller-native navigation, Proton compatibility — is intact on the discontinued LCD model.
• Genuinely comfortable, well-considered ergonomics. Dual trackpads, four rear grip buttons, and a shape built specifically around long handheld sessions.
• "Feels great and lets you take your games on the go," per Tom's Hardware. A verdict about the core experience that hasn't changed since it was written.
• Valve's own refurbished program. A safer route to used hardware than third-party resale, with official backing and warranty terms.
• A real price gap below the current OLED flagship. Even used or refurbished, it undercuts the newer model significantly for buyers who don't need the screen upgrade.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

• You can't buy it new anymore. Valve discontinued the LCD Deck in December 2025 — every purchase now is refurbished or secondhand, with the inherent condition uncertainty that implies outside of Valve's own certified program.
• The 60Hz LCD screen is a real step down from the OLED model. Dimmer, less vivid, and capped at a lower refresh rate than the Steam Deck OLED's 90Hz HDR panel.
• Shorter battery life than the newer hardware. The OLED-generation efficiency gains don't apply here — expect meaningfully less runtime per charge than Valve's current flagship.
• Modest raw performance by 2026 standards. The Zen 2/RDNA 2 APU is aging against newer Ryzen Z2-class chips in rival handhelds, and demanding recent releases will need significant setting reductions to run well.

How it compares

Higher up the same list, the Steam Deck OLED is the direct successor and Valve's current entry point — the same SteamOS experience with a substantially better 90Hz HDR screen and longer battery life, for a real price premium after Valve's own 2026 cost increase. It's the device to buy if you want current Valve hardware rather than a discontinued model; the LCD Deck is the device to buy if minimizing cost matters more than the screen upgrade.

One rank above, the Asus ROG Ally X represents the Windows alternative — stronger raw performance and full PC software compatibility, for real money more, with the Windows-desktop friction that SteamOS was built specifically to avoid.

The Gavler verdict

An 8.8 that reflects genuinely durable hardware, not sentimental scoring. The original Steam Deck's discontinuation doesn't erase what made it good — The Verge's and Tom's Hardware's original verdicts about comfort, portability, and software polish remain accurate today, and the SteamOS experience underneath is identical to what ships on the pricier OLED model. If you want the cheapest legitimate way into serious handheld PC gaming and don't mind buying refurbished or used, this remains one of the smartest picks in the category — you're just buying it through a different channel than you would have a year ago.

Common Questions

Is the original LCD Steam Deck still worth buying in 2026?

Yes, on the refurbished or used market — it's no longer sold new. It ranks number 6 on Gavler's Best Gaming Handhelds list with an 8.8, and The Verge's assessment still applies: 'The Steam Deck wasn't born ready, but it's ready now.' At well under the OLED model's price, it remains the most affordable legitimate entry into SteamOS handheld gaming.

Why did Valve discontinue the LCD Steam Deck?

Valve stopped selling the LCD model new in December 2025, positioning the Steam Deck OLED as its sole current entry-level device. The LCD lives on only through Valve's own refurbished program and the broader used market.

What's the real difference between the LCD Deck and the OLED Deck?

The OLED model adds a brighter, more vivid 7.4-inch HDR OLED screen at 90Hz versus the LCD's 60Hz 1280x800 panel, plus a lighter chassis and longer battery life. The core hardware architecture and SteamOS experience are otherwise the same — you're paying the OLED premium specifically for the screen and battery upgrades.

Is a refurbished Steam Deck a safe purchase?

Valve sells certified refurbished units directly through its own store with the same warranty terms as new hardware, which is the safest route if buying used. Third-party used units carry more risk around stick drift, screen condition, and battery health, so buying from Valve directly or a reputable retailer is the safer path.