Black Friday Steam Deck deals are making a comeback, and you'll be able to grab accessories, rival devices, and hopefully Valve's portable for less this month. I'll be on the ground on the big day digging for gaming handheld gold, but I've also been working hard painting a picture of what to expect ahead of next month's event. That includes seeking out some early deals that could be worth jumping on now.
Typically, Valve likes to join in Black Friday gaming deal festivities with Steam Deck deals, and with the release of the new limited edition white OLED Deck on its way, that could be a sign of deals on past models to come. So far though, it's been all quiet on the Valve Black Friday front. However, it's worth also considering alternatives this year if you don't already have one of the best gaming handhelds, as while the Steam Deck OLED is fantastic, the Asus ROG Ally already showed up for less. Earlier this month the Z1 Extreme model went as low as $499 at Best Buy but has since returned to full price. Hopefully, we'll see it discounted again towards the end of the month, but in the meantime the MSI Claw has had $270 knocked off, making it more of a valid Steam Deck rival this Black Friday.
This year's deal festivities are also a prime time to grab accessories for your favorite gaming handheld. Everything from screen protectors to cases and portable bags by known brands like Jsaux has already seen price slashes like the year before. If you're just looking to hook your handheld up to a TV or monitor this year, there should be a nice helping of Steam Deck dock discounts available too. Valve's official dock doesn't fit everyone's budget, so picking up an alternative like Jsaux's 5-in-1 device or its RGB docking station is a good shout. They're already 25% and 15% off respectively before Black Friday has truly kicked off, and could get cheaper if last year is anything to go by.
Quick Links
Today's best Steam Deck deals ahead of Black Friday
- Amazon: Docking stations from $29
- Best Buy: Clearance cases from $10.99
- Walmart: $14 off Steam Deck LCD
- Newegg: Grab $40 off 2TB microSD
- B&H Photo: $20 off 2TB SSD
UK:
- Amazon: Up to 17% off docks
- Box: £150 off Lenovo Legion Go
- Currys: £200 off MSI Claw
- Ebuyer: Antec Core HS freebies
Steam Deck Deals
FAQ
When will Black Friday Steam Deck deals start?
Black Friday is going to be on Friday the 29th of November 2024. We always know this due to the established pattern of the sales day coming after Thanksgiving. And so it will be again.
Where will the best Black Friday Steam Deck deals be?
While we always do our best to keep abreast of the deals when they come around every October and November, we already know the best places to look for both the Steam Deck itself and any Black Friday Steam Deck deals. It's always the same candidates and retailers, so do keep the below links handy whenever you fancy having a look.
USA
- Steam: Check for discounts on the Deck and official gear
- Amazon: Always offers a vast amount of accessory choice
- Best Buy: Has a huge selection of PC accessories for Steam Deck
- Newegg: The PC specialist has an abundance of accessoires
- Walmart: A wide variety of accessories, plus stores to order to
UK
- Steam: Go straight to the source to check for Deck deals
- Amazon: Has to be the first port of call for Steam Deck accessories
- Currys: Well stocked with loads of perfect accessories for Deck
- Box: Has a vast array of well-categorised accessories
- Overclockers UK: Start your search at the retailer's peripherals page
- ebuyer: Has an enormous range of peripherals
- Very: Is well stocked for all kinds of accessories for Deck and gaming
As things currently stand, Valve's cheapest handheld is the original Steam Deck LCD, as the 64GB model is still available for $399. In the UK, the same version dipped to just £309.99 but has since gone out of stock. It's more than likely it'll receive a further reduction if it's still in stock by the time Black Friday rolls around, but it fully depends on availability.
Regarding the Steam Deck OLED, there's a good chance Valve will offer some sort of discount, with previous sales slashing 10% off the top-end LCD model. It's not unreasonable to assume the same could happen with the latest model this year, and if we're particularly lucky, the PC giant will cook up something new to influence the price of existing hardware. November will also mark the first time both models of the Deck will be available to Australian PC gaming handheld fans, so a Black Friday discount could be Valve's way of enticing the device's new audience.
As for rivals, the ROG Ally will almost certainly receive some sort of discount, as it's already reached a new record low this year. Now that the Asus ROG Ally X is a thing, the original version will benefit from dropping well below its MSRP, which in turn will make deciding between it and the premium version an easier decision. Of course, we'll also be holding out for X discounts, as with the likes of the Zotac Zone and Acer's new handheld inbound, competition will be plentiful.
On to accessories, and there are now more add-ons than ever out there that'll potentially end up cheaper. Docking stations are top of the list, with retailers like Amazon featuring numerous options that are compatible with the Steam Deck and alternatives. Last year, the Baseus 6-in-1 managed to drop to $31.49 from $59.99 at Amazon, while the Jsaux Steam Deck dock dipped to just $25.
Since battery is a huge issue when using portable PCs, we'll be on the hunt for power bank deals. During last Black Friday, the chonky Baseus Blade 100W showed up for just $69.99 (was $129.99) and we're expecting similar models to join the fold in 2024. SSDs are also bound to be on some Steam Deck players' minds, and we'll be hoping to see options like the WD Black SN770M drop to $79.99 to $129.99 once again.
If you don't feel equipped to upgrade your Steam Deck's SSD, getting a new microSD card this Black Friday is the next best thing. MicroSD cards of all sizes get cheaper all the time, even without one of the best shopping days of the year. However, 1TB cards like the TeamGroup 1TB Elite microSDXC saw huge price reductions last year, coming in at just $51.99. Typically, anything 1TB can sit around the $100 mark, so any deals this November from trusted storage brands like SanDisk are worth keeping a lookout for. Especially as download requirements for some of the best AAA games the Deck can handle get even more demanding.
If the question of whether a Steam Deck 2 will arrive soon, you might be hesitant to pick up the current model or any alternatives. Valve hasn't announced any plans for a next-gen version, but it did spring the OLED edition on us November last year. Unless any leaks happen within the next few weeks, we'll simply have to wait and see what the handheld scene has in store for us.
Will the Steam Deck go on sale?
The Steam Deck rarely drops in price, but Valve has provided a discount twice since it's arrival. So, if it's going to happen again, it'll likely be during Black Friday 2024, but there's no guarantee it'll show up to the big event.
How long is the wait for a Steam Deck?
Valve says Steam Deck orders will take 3-5 business days to arrive, meaning you won't have to join a waiting list to grab the portable powerhouse. That said, models occasionally sell out from time to time, which could mean you'll wait longer for your order to arrive.
Will the Steam Deck dock drop in price this Black Friday?
Black Friday 2024 is sure to feature various Steam Deck docks by a variety of third-party manufacturers, including Jsaux, Ivoler, Baseus, and more. Some prices have already dropped to record lows throughout the year, meaning you might be able to pick one up for well under $20, depending on your chosen model's specs and features.
How we find the best Black Friday Steam Deck deals
We're pretty nerdy when it comes to handhelds, and that passion helps us swiftly find all the best Black Friday Steam Deck deals. Using a combination of our product knowledge and price comparison tools, we set off on a mission to assess whether each offer is actually good value for money, ensuring that discounts are as low as they can go.
We're also always make sure we're catering to budgets great and small, which means including a variety of products at different price points. Even with a decent discount applied, not everyone can afford premium add-ons, and we want everyone to be able to save during the annual sale.
Want to learn more about how we hunt for discounts? Head over to our How we find the best Black Friday deals for more in depth information.
Looking for more specialist PC sales and deals this winter? Then get prepared for the Black Friday gaming chair deals, Black Friday graphics card deals, Black Friday SSD deals, and Black Friday gaming headset deals to fill out your setup.
Or keep it broad with the Black Friday gaming PC deals and what the whole market might see.
