Key Takeaways
- Valve now sells officially refurbished Steam Decks on its store.
- These Steam Decks are rigorously tested to ensure they’re as good as new.
- They may feature cosmetic blemishes, but come with a $70-90 discount.
Recycling hardware is always better than throwing it away. Sometimes, all it takes is for a single part to be swapped out, and a device that was doomed to landfill is suddenly almost as good as new. If you like grabbing refurbished second-hand hardware, you can now grab a Steam Deck for less. And best of all, the units have been repaired and managed by Valve itself.
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The Steam Deck is an excellent portable handheld gaming console, though it’s not perfect for everyone.
Valve now has officially refurbished Steam Decks for sale
With the refurbishment program, Valve takes up any Steam Deck given to them second-hand and refurbishes them so they’re ready to sell again. It’s natural to be skeptical about the quality of used hardware, especially if some of the parts have been worn down or the battery’s lifespan has been reduced due to prior use. However, Valve is adamant that every refurbished Steam Deck it sells is the best it can be:
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.
Valve also mentions that a refurbished Steam Deck must “meet or even exceed the performance standards of new retail units” before it’s allowed to be sold on its store page. The one thing Valve can’t guarantee, however, is that you’ll get a Steam Deck free of “minor cosmetic blemishes”. However, given how buying an official refurbished Steam Deck knocks $70-90 off the retail price, some people will gladly take a small superficial scratch or two to score a powerful PC gaming handheld at a great price. Plus, you also get a one-year warranty, a carrying case, a quick star guide, and a power supply to get you going.
If you want one, head over to the Steam Deck refurbished website to learn more.