Valve has started selling refurbished Steam Decks, at discounts of up to $130 off the retail price.

As with other companies that sell refurbished goods, a refurbished Steam Deck is a unit that can no longer be sold as new, for a variety of reasons. For example, they may have been purchased and opened but then returned, thereby making them second-hand.

Because the device is technically no longer brand new, refurbished devices are usually cheaper than new retail units. This is also the case with Valve’s refurbished Steam Decks.

The company is selling refurbished models for the following prices:

64 GB model – $319 / £279 (was $399 / £349)
256 GB model – $419 / £369 (was $529 / £459)
512 GB model – $519 / £459 (was $649 / £569)

According to the new Steam Deck Refurbished page on the Steam store: “Each Certified Refurbished Steam Deck has been thoroughly tested to the same high standards as our retail units.

“Every device goes through a complete factory reset, software update, and an extensive examination involving over 100 tests at one of Valve’s facilities. Among the tests are all controller inputs, the audio system, the screen, and internals. Battery health is also assessed to ensure proper functionality and longevity.

“All refurbished units meet or even exceed the performance standards of new retail units. Although they may have minor cosmetic blemishes, they provide a reliable, high-quality gaming experience at a lower cost.”

All refurbished Steam Decks bought from Valve include the standard one-year warranty (unless the laws in the user’s country require a longer one), a refurbished power supply, a carrying case and a Quick Start guide.

Valve has spoken openly about potential future iterations of the machine, which the team says will likely focus on improved battery life, rather than hardware such as an OLED screen.

In an interview with Famitsu last September, Steam Deck developer Pierre-Lou Griffais stated that battery life was the main thing Valve wanted to improve in the next iteration of the Steam Deck.



Posted: Aug 12, 2023 12:24 am
Related Forum: PC Gaming Forum

Source: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/valve-is-now-selling-refurbished-steam-decks-at-discounts-of-up-to-130/