Handheld PC makers are slowly shedding contact with Valve’s profitable Steam Deck template of affordability, and that is very regarding

It’s pretty well-known now that the supply behind the success of handheld gaming PCs previously few years is Valve’s Steam Deck. After launching in 2022, it went on to grow to be an enormous success, stemming from its affordability, making it the best and one of the crucial cheap methods to play PC video games.

SteamOS is a big think about its success, with a easy console-like UI that enables players to leap straight into video games with out tweaks or configurations. At $399 / £349 / AU$649, it’s arguably the perfect handheld gaming machine available on the market, protecting gaming experiences enjoyable with affordable efficiency at a worth that a big majority of players can afford.

Whereas it might be naive of me to count on rather more highly effective {hardware} to launch on the identical worth vary because the Steam Deck, it doesn’t change this one matter: handheld gaming PCs have gotten far too costly, particularly from mainstream producers like MSI, Asus, and Lenovo.

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It’s not like costly handhelds are abruptly a brand new factor; handhelds earlier than the Steam Deck have been extra area of interest and up within the $1,000 division. Nonetheless, the rationale handhelds have abruptly grow to be in style once more is due to the Steam Deck’s pricing, whereas nonetheless with the ability to ship good efficiency in a number of Steam video games.

You could possibly argue that the leap in pricing is justified, since new handhelds wield extra highly effective {hardware}. That’s true. Nonetheless, the distinction in efficiency capabilities between one thing just like the Asus ROG Ally Z1 Excessive versus the MSI Claw 8 AI+ isn’t sufficient to warrant such an enormous retail worth for the latter machine.

The MSI Claw 8 AI+ and MSI Claw A8 are prime examples of steep pricing

(Picture credit score: MSI)

Don’t get me improper, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is the perfect handheld I’ve used thus far, as you’ll finally see in an upcoming evaluation. The efficiency boosts coming from an Asus ROG Ally are very noticeable, and the battery life gave me a sigh of reduction.

Sadly, that’s not sufficient to go from a tool just like the Asus ROG Ally that has a $649 / £599 / AU$1,299 retail worth (which regularly has important reductions now), to 1 that’s slightly below $1,000, at $899 / £899 / AU$1,799 (and the value has now elevated to $999 for US shoppers). It’s additionally price noting that the Claw A8, utilizing AMD‘s Ryzen Z2 Excessive processor, is across the identical worth primarily based on listings at European retailers, and early benchmarks counsel it might be on the identical degree because the Claw 8 AI+ or barely worse in efficiency.

It makes issues worse once you understand that there’s little to no availability for these handhelds in lots of areas – and in all equity, that is possible as a result of current points with tariffs, however frankly, shoppers received’t care about that.

Maybe, a straightforward answer could be to make sure that costly handhelds have less expensive counterparts; MSI (and others) have achieved this with its Claw 7 AI+ that makes use of the identical Intel Core Extremely 7 258V processor because the Claw 8 AI+, however simply has a smaller 7-inch display screen and a 54.5 WHr battery.

Its retail worth is $799.99 / round £700, which remains to be a hefty sum, however way more affordable in comparison with $899. The issue is I’ve but to return throughout a single itemizing of this machine at any retailer within the UK – and should you’re within the US, its worth has jumped as much as $899 on Greatest Purchase, the identical retail worth the MSI Claw 8 AI+ was at earlier than it noticed a rise.

(Picture credit score: Future)

It’s not simply the MSI Claw both, as rumors in regards to the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally counsel we may see related worth patterns of between $800 and $1,000, relying on the configuration.

The Asus ROG Ally X can be a offender, priced at $799.99 / £799 / AU$1,599, and it’s one other machine that has seen a $100 worth enhance, out there at Greatest Purchase for $899.

The identical additionally applies to the Lenovo Legion Go S Z1 Excessive mannequin, which has seemingly nearly disappeared off the face of the earth, with one of many solely listings I’ve seen out there at Greatest Purchase. That’s out there for $829.99. Do you see what I imply now?

We’re quick approaching a stage the place Valve’s template of protecting its Steam Deck fashions inexpensive is forgotten, and as a substitute, taking handheld PC gaming again to its previous area of interest standing. I perceive that some will probably be prepared to chunk the bullet and pay these costs for stronger gaming efficiency, however the longevity of the handhelds will possible endure, as a big majority of players received’t be capable to afford them.