Choosing a Steam Deck is a highly personal decision, and nowhere is that more apparent than with the display. Valve offers three distinct screen options and you can find all of them in our shop when you explore our customized Steam Decks: the original LCD, the vibrant OLED, and the premium OLED with etched anti-glare glass. While all deliver a fantastic portable gaming experience, they cater to different preferences and priorities and it can sometimes be challenging to decide which option is the right one for you. Let's take a closer look into each, with some hot takes that will hopefully help you choose. Remember that with our custom shells, buttons and upgrade, whatever you choose will look stunning :)
Steam Deck white and pastel pink.
The Original Contender: Steam Deck LCD
The Steam Deck LCD is the OG, the model that started it all. It still holds its own as a capable portable gaming PC, offering a solid entry point into the world of handheld PC gaming.
The Hot Take: The LCD is for the Pragmatic Pioneer or Budget-Conscious Gamer.
- Who it's for: This is your go-to if you're on a tighter budget but still want to experience the Steam Deck magic. It's also perfect for the gamer who mostly plays in dimmer environments (think late-night couch sessions) where reflections aren't a major concern. If you're a tinker-happy individual planning to dock your Deck to a TV or monitor most of the time, the screen quality of the handheld itself becomes less critical. It's an excellent value proposition that still delivers the core Steam Deck experience.
- Why choose it: You save money, and for many, the LCD screen is perfectly adequate. You'll still get a 7-inch display, a 60Hz refresh rate, and access to your entire Steam library. It might not have the "wow" factor of its newer siblings, but it gets the job done reliably.
- Where it falls short: Compared to OLED, the LCD's colors are less vibrant, blacks appear more as dark grays, and contrast is significantly lower. Brightness is also limited, making outdoor play or gaming in brightly lit rooms challenging due to reflections and washed-out visuals.
On the go minimalism.
The Vibrant Upgrade: Steam Deck OLED (Glossy)
The introduction of the Steam Deck OLED marked a significant leap forward in visual fidelity. This screen is a feast for the eyes, showcasing games with incredible richness and depth.
Beyond the immediate visual upgrade, the OLED Steam Deck brings a suite of under-the-hood enhancements that significantly refine the gaming experience. Not only does its screen boast a slightly larger size and a buttery-smooth 90Hz refresh rate—a thoughtful response to the popular 45Hz gameplay mode, ensuring perfectly even frame pacing that eliminates the stutter and tearing common on a 60Hz display—but the console itself received a quiet performance boost. With quicker memory and a more efficient 4nm processor (a subtle but meaningful shrink from the original 7nm), you get tangible quality-of-life improvements. All OLED models also benefit from faster Wi-Fi, making downloads quicker and online play smoother. Add in a larger battery, and you've got a device that isn't just prettier, but smarter, faster, and more enduring, letting you stay lost in your games for longer.
The Hot Take: The Glossy OLED is for the Visual Purist and Dark-Room Dweller.
- Who it's for: If your primary gaming environment is a dimly lit room, or if you simply prioritize the absolute best in color reproduction and contrast above all else, the glossy OLED is a dream. The deep, inky blacks and vibrant, punchy colors truly make games pop off the screen. It's for the gamer who appreciates visual fidelity and wants their games to look as stunning as possible in ideal conditions.
- Why choose it: The difference is immediate and striking. OLED technology means true black (pixels are turned off entirely), infinite contrast, and superior color accuracy. Games with dark environments, vibrant sci-fi vistas, or intricate art styles truly shine. The 90Hz refresh rate also offers a smoother experience compared to the LCD's 60Hz.
- Where it falls short: The biggest drawback of a glossy screen is reflections. In a brightly lit room or, heaven forbid, outdoors, you'll be battling your own reflection or overhead lights more than the in-game enemies. This can be incredibly distracting and diminish the otherwise stunning visuals.
Steamy and retro handheld gaming.
The Premium Performer: Steam Deck OLED (Anti-Glare)
This is Valve's top-tier offering, combining the benefits of OLED with a highly sought-after feature for portable devices: an etched anti-glare screen.
The Hot Take: The Anti-Glare OLED is for the Versatile, Immersive Gamer Who Plays Anywhere.
- Who it's for: This is my personal pick and the strongest recommendation for most users. If you play your Steam Deck in a variety of environments – on the couch, at a café, on a train, or even briefly outdoors – the anti-glare screen is a game-changer. It vastly reduces reflections, allowing you to focus on your game no matter the lighting conditions. It's for the gamer who values uninterrupted immersion and wants the benefits of OLED without the distraction of a mirror-like screen.
- Why choose it: You get nearly all the incredible benefits of the glossy OLED – the deep blacks, vibrant colors, high contrast, and 90Hz refresh rate. The key difference is the etched glass, which diffuses incoming light, virtually eliminating distracting reflections. While some purists argue for a minuscule reduction in perceived "pop" or sharpness due to the etching, for the vast majority of users, this is an imperceptible trade-off for the massive benefit of glare reduction. It enhances usability in almost every real-world scenario.
- Where it theoretically falls short: As mentioned, some extremely sensitive eyes might perceive a very, very slight "sparkle" or diffusion on bright whites. For 99% of people, this isn't an issue, and the practical benefits far outweigh this minor aesthetic consideration.
White and peachy pink Steam Deck.
The Final Verdict: Choosing Your Steam Deck Screen
In the grand Steam Deck screen showdown, there's no single "wrong" answer, but there's definitely a best answer for different types of gamers.
- If budget is king, and you mostly game in controlled, dimmer environments, the LCD still offers incredible value.
- If you're a visual purist who only plays in the dark and wants every pixel to sing with maximum vibrancy, the glossy OLED might be your choice, provided you don't mind reflections.
- But for the overwhelming majority of Steam Deck users, who want to enjoy stunning visuals without being constantly distracted by glare, the OLED with anti-glare etched glass is the clear winner. It offers the best balance of visual fidelity and real-world usability, making your portable gaming experience truly immersive, wherever you choose to play.
Atomic purple is classic retro gaming.
Ultimately, the best screen is the one that allows you to enjoy your games the most. Consider your typical gaming environment and priorities, and you'll easily find your perfect Steam Deck match. The best part is that you can choose your shell style, button colors and even add clicky tactile buttons to any Steam Deck you get from our shop. If you have any ideas for a dream Steam Deck you want to make for yourself or as a gift, simply message our chat and share your ideas with us. We stop at nothing to create and build handhelds that are beyond gaming on-the-go, they are pieces of hardware art.
