Steam Deck Jumps to $789 as Handheld Gaming Loses Its $399 Entry Point
Updated
Updated · The Verge · May 28
Steam Deck Jumps to $789 as Handheld Gaming Loses Its $399 Entry Point
12 articles · Updated · The Verge · May 28
$789 now buys the entry Steam Deck, up from $399 in 2022, undercutting the low-cost appeal that helped make portable PC gaming mainstream.
Rising memory and storage costs, tariffs and higher oil prices have pushed up hardware prices across gaming, while chipmakers increasingly prioritize AI servers over consumer devices.
Nintendo's handheld baseline is also climbing: the original $299 Switch has given way to a $499 Switch 2, leaving fewer affordable options in the category.
$1,000-plus rivals such as the Xbox Ally X, MSI Claw and Lenovo Legion line now look less like niche outliers and more like the new pricing norm for premium handhelds.
The shift suggests handhelds are moving from impulse-friendly gaming gadgets toward luxury purchases, echoing a broader trend of consoles and PCs becoming harder to afford.
As the AI boom consumes vital chips, is the era of affordable gaming gadgets gone for good?
With handhelds becoming luxury items, will smartphones and cloud gaming conquer the portable market?
Beyond gaming, is the AI industry's resource hunger turning all personal technology into luxury goods?
As of early 2026, Valve raised Steam Deck OLED prices by 35%, making the device much more expensive and raising the barrier for new users. This significant price hike changed the Steam Deck’s market position, moving it away from being an affordable entry point for portable PC gaming. Other major companies like Sony, Nintendo, and Lenovo also increased prices for their consoles, marking a rare moment where gaming hardware prices rose instead of falling during a generation. These changes reflect a broader industry trend, fundamentally altering how consumers access and perceive gaming devices.