The Steam Deck Got Expensive: The 5 Best Alternatives in 2026
The Steam Deck OLED now costs around $789 — when you can find one. Here are the five smartest alternatives in 2026, matched to why you wanted a Deck in the first place.
By PickGrade AI Research · AI-powered product analysis, transparently
June 10, 2026 · Openly AI-powered
The Steam Deck spent years as the easy recommendation: the cheapest serious handheld PC with the best software. In 2026, that math broke. Component shortages — driven largely by AI data centers gobbling up memory supply — pushed the Steam Deck OLED 512GB to roughly $789 and the 1TB model toward $949, and even at those prices stock comes and goes. The LCD model is discontinued.
So what should you do? It depends on why you wanted a Deck in the first place.
If you wanted SteamOS: Lenovo Legion Go S
The Legion Go S is the first non-Valve handheld with official SteamOS, and it inherits everything that made the Deck beloved: boot-to-library simplicity, instant sleep and resume, and Proton compatibility. You trade Valve's trackpads for a bigger, sharper 8-inch 120Hz screen and adjustable triggers — and crucially, you can actually buy one. For most people priced out of the Deck, this is the answer.
If you wanted value: ROG Xbox Ally
At $599, the ROG Xbox Ally now undercuts a new Deck OLED by nearly $200 while running full Windows — every launcher, Game Pass, and the anti-cheat multiplayer games SteamOS can't touch. The Xbox full-screen interface keeps Windows mostly out of sight. It's the new value benchmark in handheld PC gaming, a sentence nobody expected to write two years ago.
If you wanted cheap: Valve certified refurbished
Valve's refurbished program quietly became the best entry point into SteamOS. Refurbished LCD Decks around $359 carry a one-year warranty and the complete software experience, and refurbished OLED units appear periodically at meaningful discounts. Stock is sporadic — check often, buy fast.
If you mostly play older or retro games: Retroid Pocket 6
Be honest about your backlog. If it's emulation-era classics and indies, a $229 Retroid Pocket 6 with its AMOLED screen handles everything through PS2 and GameCube flawlessly, streams from your PC or console, and fits in a pocket. Spending $789 to play 15-year-old games is the most common handheld-buying mistake of 2026.
If you just want Nintendo games: Switch 2
No PC handheld plays Mario or Zelda. At $499 with zero setup, the Switch 2 remains the simplest handheld purchase there is — and after the Deck's price hike, it's also one of the cheaper ones.
Should anyone still buy a Steam Deck OLED?
Yes — if you find one at or near MSRP and you specifically value the trackpads, the HDR OLED panel, and Valve's unmatched software polish. It is still arguably the most refined handheld ever made. It's just no longer the default.
Not sure which camp you're in? Take the two-minute handheld quiz and we'll rank the options against your library and budget.