Valve Begins Phasing Out the Original Steam Deck LCD

The Original Steam Deck Is Being Retired and It Signals a Bigger Shift

Valve’s decision to re-enter hardware with the Steam Deck fundamentally reshaped the handheld PC landscape. By offering a relatively affordable, open platform for PC gaming on the go, the device not only sold in significant numbers but also legitimised an entire category of portable PC devices that competitors quickly rushed to emulate.

Now, the very model that kickstarted that movement is being quietly retired.

Valve has confirmed that production and sales of the original LCD model are ending, marking a subtle but meaningful shift in the company’s handheld strategy.

Steam Deck LCD Approaches End of Life

The change was first spotted through updated messaging on the official Steam store page, which now states that the LCD model will no longer be available once remaining stock is sold out. While Valve has not made a formal announcement, the wording leaves little room for interpretation.

Importantly, Valve has reassured existing owners that support will continue as normal. Software updates, SteamOS improvements, and customer service will remain fully available to current Steam Deck LCD users, even after the model is removed from store listings.

The LCD variant originally launched in 2022 as the most accessible entry point into the handheld ecosystem, predating the OLED by roughly a year.

Signs Point to a Global Phase-Out

The move does not appear to be region-specific. Similar “last stock” notices have already appeared on the UK store, suggesting that Valve is winding down LCD availability internationally rather than performing a limited-market adjustment.

In Japan, Valve’s official partner KOMODO has confirmed an OLED restock planned for January 2026, but notably made no mention of the LCD model. That omission strongly suggests the LCD version is being phased out across Asian markets as well once remaining inventory is depleted.

Taken together, the signs point toward a coordinated global sunset rather than a quiet pause.

Why Valve May Be Letting the LCD Model Go

Valve has not publicly explained the reasoning behind the decision, but industry context offers some clues. Rising costs for key components such as RAM and storage — driven in part by global demand from AI-focused industries — have made low-margin hardware increasingly difficult to sustain.

The Steam Deck LCD was long positioned as one of the most aggressively priced handheld PCs on the market. As component costs rise, maintaining that price-performance balance may no longer be viable. By contrast, the Steam Deck OLED offers clearer value differentiation, improved margins, and stronger long-term positioning, making it a more logical focus for Valve moving forward.

With the LCD model exiting the market, the Steam Deck OLED effectively becomes Valve’s flagship handheld PC. Featuring a larger and more vibrant display, improved battery life, and refined internals, the OLED version represents the company’s more mature vision for portable PC gaming.

While the original Steam Deck LCD will be remembered as the device that normalised handheld PC gaming, its quiet retirement signals a transition into the next phase of Valve’s hardware ambitions.