The Steam Deck May Be Facing Problems Due to RAM Shortages

by

The Steam Deck is currently out of stock at Valve’s official US store and several other retailers, causing concern among fans. Some gamers speculate this is due to a shortage of RAM potentially caused by increased demand from artificial intelligence. This shortage has already raised worries about the future of Steam hardware, and now it seems to be affecting the availability of the Steam Deck.

Gaming can already be expensive, and things might get worse. The growing demand for artificial intelligence is causing shortages and price increases for key computer parts like RAM, hard drives, and graphics cards. These parts are used in both game consoles and gaming PCs. AI companies are buying up so much of the available supply that some manufacturers are choosing to sell directly to them instead of to individual consumers. This situation is now raising concerns that it could affect the availability of devices like the Steam Deck.

Steam Deck Sells Out in the US

The Steam Deck is currently sold out in the US and Canada at the official Valve Store. This includes all models – the older 256GB LCD version, as well as the newer 512GB and 1TB OLED versions. Even refurbished units are unavailable. While some Steam Decks can still be found on international Steam stores, it’s uncertain how long that stock will last.

Steam fans are worried about limited availability of the handheld, and some think it might be due to a shortage of RAM. While many factors could be causing the sell-outs in the US, it’s possible Valve is having trouble making new units because parts are more expensive or hard to get. The recent boom in AI and high demand for components have already caused Steam to postpone announcing prices for the Steam Machine and other new hardware, as they work to finalize pricing with fluctuating part costs and availability.

Although some people thought the current Steam Deck being sold out might signal a new model is coming, that’s probably not the case. Valve has stated they won’t release a new Steam Deck unless it offers a significant performance boost without reducing battery life. Rumors suggest the Steam Deck 2 isn’t expected until 2028. If a new version was launching soon, it likely would have been announced with other recent Steam products like the Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and new controller.

While it could be mere chance, many gamers are worried about the future. There’s talk that new consoles might be delayed because of parts shortages, and TV and monitor prices could go up. Gaming PC components are already becoming much more expensive. This, combined with concerns about the impact of AI, is leading some to believe that streaming games might become the main way people play if buying consoles and PCs becomes too difficult.

Despite concerns about potential component shortages lasting until 2026, there’s some good news for gamers. Nintendo currently doesn’t plan to increase the price of the Switch 2, even with rising component costs. While a price increase isn’t completely off the table for the future, Nintendo fans have nothing to worry about for now.

Read More

2026-02-12 13:04