The Steam Deck is about to sell out: Who should buy it and who I urgently advise against buying

The Steam Deck is still available in Germany. MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann explains for whom the investment of nearly 700 euros can be worthwhile and who should stay away from it.

Valve recently announced that there are storage shortages with the Steam Deck and that the device could soon be sold out. This is already the case in the USA, while in Germany, the most expensive model is still available (as of February 18, 2026).

But for whom is the purchase of the most expensive Steam Deck worthwhile? I will explain whom I can recommend purchasing the model and whom I would definitely advise against it. After all, 700 euros is quite a lot of money.

Who would I generally recommend the Steam Deck to?

Large Steam Library: The Steam Deck is definitely worth it if you have already purchased many games through Valve’s platform. Another advantage: Many titles have now been optimized for the handheld.

For commuters and frequent travelers: If you are often on the road and really don’t have much time for gaming at home, then the console is a very good option for on-the-go. The Steam Deck is compact and can be easily stored in your luggage. With a gaming PC or a PS5, this becomes more difficult.

For parents: If you have put the kids to bed in the evening and still have half an hour to play, then the Steam Deck is worth it for a quick gaming session.

You want to play older AAA games: If you primarily want to catch up on older top titles, like The Witcher 3, then the Steam Deck is worthwhile. You can enjoy older titles without significant limitations.

Indie and retro games: Especially indie games and very old games run very well on the Steam Deck: Here you benefit from the long battery life. Even without a power outlet in reach, you can play for several hours straight.

Lots of storage and OLED: With the OLED display of the Steam Deck, you benefit from vibrant colors and strong contrasts that an LCD cannot provide. For a similar OLED display, you pay significantly more with competitors: The Lenovo Legion Go 2 costs about at least 1,200 euros.

Hollow Knight Silksong — Hollow Knight and also its successor Silksong (in the picture) run very well on the Steam Deck.

Who would I strongly advise against?

Playing modern titles at high quality: If you absolutely want to play the latest AAA titles at high quality with stable FPS, then the Steam Deck is not recommended.

For very new games, the Steam Deck’s battery drains out in a very short time because you require a lot of power.
The Steam Deck also becomes loud and hot with new titles. And having a hot, roaring Steam Deck on your lap is not really fun.
Many modern titles only run at low settings with partly below 30 FPS. Therefore, these games are hardly enjoyable on the Steam Deck.

Competitive multiplayer games: If you mainly play competitive multiplayer games that rely on anti-cheat, secure boot, and similar measures. Such games almost never run on the Steam Deck, and even with various tricks, you cannot be sure that you won’t get banned in the end. In the end, it just isn’t worth it to be “rewarded” with a ban after all the troubles.

Casual players with little gaming time: If you only have a little time for gaming and want to play for a few hours every few weeks, then the Steam Deck is only worthwhile to a limited extent, and other options are cheaper:

For a Nintendo Switch, you pay around 300 euros, and even a used console (PS5 or Xbox, or even the old generation) is cheaper.
GeForce Now, assuming you have a good internet connection, can be a better option. With GeForce Now, you can purchase day passes if you only want to play for a few hours every few weeks. You can read a preview report on GeForce Now on MeinMMO.

Tight budget or uncertainty: If you have a tight budget or are simply unsure whether you can make use of the Steam Deck, just skip it.

My tip: If you are unsure but still want a Steam Deck, then ask around in your circle of friends. If someone already has a Steam Deck, then look at the device in practice. This saves you a spontaneous purchase that ends up just sitting in the corner unused.

Console players: If you mainly play on a console or even games that you can mainly play on Game Pass or exclusively on the PS5, then the Steam Deck is also not really worth it. Typically, you will also lack a significant Steam library to use on the device. You would have to repurchase this library.