Steam Deck is Valve’s handheld gaming PC, currently in its second generation, and we’ve just received word that it will be officially released in Australia. that’s right. After plaguing Valve for over two years, Steam Deck is set to ship to Australia from November 2024.
The announcement was made in mid-October, with official prices in Australia ranging from AU$649 for the 256GB LCD model to AU$1,049 for the 1TB OLED model. These are reasonably priced compared to gray market prices, so I found it was worth the wait to buy directly from Valve (though not without a bit of FOMO!).
This is the official list of Australian Steam Deck prices. All shipping charges included.
256GB LCD: AU$649512GB OLED: AU$8991TB OLED: AU$1,049
But what’s the difference between the LCD and OLED models? Following the launch of the OG Steam Deck in 2022, Valve released the Steam Deck OLED last year, which is said to be a huge improvement over the original. Proven. “Steam Deck OLED makes an already great handheld gaming PC even better,” writes Tyler Colp. “Although it doesn’t offer a performance boost, its OLED screen, improved battery, and larger storage make it the best value of any device available.”
Since Steam Deck’s February 2022 launch, the unit has only been shipped to the US, UK, Canada, and European Union. Then, in August 2023, Valve partnered with Komodo to make Steam Deck available in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea.
Do I need to purchase Steam Deck through a third party in Australia?
It’s possible to buy a Steam Deck in Australia without ordering directly from Valve, and given Valve’s expansion into Australia, it could be worth it if you’re looking to offload inventory from a number of gray market sellers. It may turn out.
Retailers such as Amazon, eBay, Kogan, Dick Smith, Catch, and even Woolworths have listings for Australians to purchase Steam Deck, but none of these reputable retailers actually offer We do not sell directly. All Steam Deck listings come from third-party sellers.
We’re not the only ones warning you to be careful. Valve itself says to be careful. in Tweet from January 11thSteam Deck’s official account says: “The only official way to purchase a Steam Deck is directly from Steam (US, Canada, EU, UK) or Komodo (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong). Please note that the Steam Deck website and retail store are unofficial.
Should I buy Steam Deck through a third-party seller in Australia? It’s a risk, but it might be worth it if the price ends up being somehow cheaper than Valve’s own. yeah. When purchasing via eBay using PayPal, there must be safeguards in place.
I decided to ignore all precautions and purchase Steam Deck through a third party. Where is it cheap now?
Below are the current best prices for all Steam Deck OLED models, including the 512GB and 1TB models. Again, check out the seller and check out the reviews before you take the plunge and buy.
When is Steam Deck’s official release date in Australia?
Steam Deck will begin shipping directly from Valve to Australia starting November 2024. It looks like there are no pre-orders available. When I try to purchase it from Steam, it says “Coming Soon.” button. That means the deal will likely be delayed until November.
(Image credit: Future)
How much does a steam deck cost in Australia?
Now that Valve has announced the official pricing for Steam Deck in Australia, the previous gray market price looks a little exorbitant, but in most cases it’s only around AU$100. Steam Deck’s official prices in Australia are: These prices include shipping.
256GB LCD: AU$649
512GB OLED: AU$899
1TB OLED: AU$1,049
This is pretty much in line with how we predicted Valve would price Steam Deck in Australia. We were expecting AU$920 for the 512GB OLED and AU$1,080 for the 1TB OLED. So we were close!
Are there any steam decking alternatives available in Australia?
The ASUS ROG Ally is the first major device to compete with Steam Deck and, unlike Valve’s devices, is available in Australia. In his review of the ROG Ally, Dave James wrote, “The ROG Ally is the best handheld gaming PC on the market, and perhaps the best budget gaming PC.” Still, it’s not exactly the same as Steam Deck, so you’ll need to read Dave’s full review for benchmarks, feature comparisons, and more.
ROG Ally will be available in Australia in 2023 for AU$1,299. You can pre-order through JB Hi-Fi or ASUS Direct.
(Image credit: Future)
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