Right now, we are in a structural shortage that probably won't see relief for a good couple of years. As a result, so much consumer hardware feels like it's vanishing. With budget gaming PCs disappearing, Nvidia's Super Series potentially in jeopardy, and the Steam Machine currently in limbo too. The silver lining of all of this is that this crisis might force a software revolution where developers have to finally stop being lazy with RAM optimization. For now, the hardware we want is sitting on a shelf in a designer's drawer, waiting for the prices to drop to make it accessible for the averag
DRAM prices have tripled, and three products are paying the priceCost is a major consideration when it comes to handhelds, and to pretend otherwise would be folly. In the aspect of pricing, Steam Deck OLED continues to decisively pull ahead of the competitors, and there's a special reason for this, which I have talked extensively about in the past. Valve has an ability to sell its handhelds at cost because of a structural advantage that no other handheld manufacturer does. Unlike ASUS or Lenovo, Valve isn't primarily in the hardware business. As a storefront operator collecting a commission on every purchase made through Steam, Valve can afford to price har
3 reasons I still prefer the Steam Deck OLED over Windows 11 gaming handhelds
… Related The Steam Machine may be the biggest hardware con in 2026 It wants to be in your living room, but it can't explain why The Steam Machine was already not worth the hardware inside it Valve is banking on SteamOS It was great to see Valve announce not only a new Steam Machine, but also the Ste… …
… With its unrivaled storefront, iconic game franchises, SteamOS, the Steam Deck, and even the company culture, Valve is a bit of a unicorn. The upcoming Steam Machine is set to join the Steam Deck and Steam Controller in Valve's gaming hardware lineup. …
… In recent months, Valve has been working on three hardware releases: the Steam Machine, the Steam Frame, and the Steam Controller, but things haven't been going well for their release. …
… Valve has a renowned history of shelving products that don't meet their fixed hardware target. If RAM prices don't normalize by 2027, then these devices might be canceled in favor of a singular and more expensive Steam Deck 2. …
… Unlike ASUS or Lenovo, Valve isn't primarily in the hardware business. As a storefront operator collecting a commission on every purchase made through Steam, Valve can afford to price hardware generously and recover margins as well, and this advantage is passed down to the consumer. …
… The worsening market conditions have already started taking a toll on hardware manufacturers. …
… See at Steam Related SteamOS desktop mode is the most convincing Linux pitch Valve never intended to make It was never meant for desktops, but it spawned a great amount of interest in Linux But other handhelds proved that SteamOS can fly higher It's not even a contest Steam Deck's hardware was alwa… …
… This is largely because of the RAM crisis that struck just as Valve intended to ship its new batch of hardware, including the Steam Machine. This delay has given people the chance to make their own take on the Steam Machine, but not everyone ends up selling what they've made. …
… In February 2022, the month the Steam Deck launched, Steam's hardware survey showed that only 1.02% of players were using Linux. …
… Sign in to your XDA account With the way prices are, grabbing a portable PC gaming handheld like the Lenovo Legion Go S isn't such a bad idea. While the Steam Deck might be a top choice for a lot of people, we think the Legion Go S is going to be another fantastic option. …
