All Steam Deck models are currently out of stock, and the reasons are as expected. According to Valve, due to the continued shortage of memory chips, this handheld console may be unavailable for a period of time. Valve notes on the Steam Deck store page: "Due to the shortage of memory and storage chips, the Steam Deck OLED model may be intermittently out of stock in some areas." The page also reminds that the Steam Deck LCD model has been confirmed to be discontinued in December, and this version will not be re-listed.
Valve previously sold the 256GB LCD version of the Steam Deck for $399. In comparison, the 512GB OLED version costs $549 and the 1TB version costs $649.
The global memory crisis stems from the continued rise in demand for memory chips from artificial intelligence and data center companies, which has led to concerns that this will lead to higher prices for consumer electronics. This "memory catastrophe" has affected the release of Valve's Steam Machine, delaying the announcement of the device's launch time and price, but the product is still expected to be launched in the "first half of the year."
It’s unclear when the Steam Deck will be restocked or how long it will be available for sale after restocking. Valve also sells a refurbished version of the Steam Deck, priced from $279 to $519, but this version is also sold out.
In addition to Valve, the memory shortage is said to also affect game console manufacturers. Analysts speculate that the crisis could delay the release of Sony's next-generation PlayStation and could prompt Nintendo to raise the price of the Switch 2.