Valve’s Steam Deck has undoubtedly revolutionized the handheld market, becoming an instant hit when it launched in 2022. It continues to be the most popular PC handheld on the market despite efforts to dethrone it, from the likes of ASUS and Lenovo. Now, a recent eBay listing of a prototype version of the Deck provides a closer look at the development of the device.

At the moment, the Steam Deck retails starting at $399 for the 256GB LCD model, following the discontinuation of some of the lower storage variants. You can also pick them up for cheaper by grabbing one of Valve’s refurbished models, which were recently restocked in the UK. In stark contrast, this prototype went for nearly ten times as much, selling for $2,999.99.

Prototype Steam Deck gets sold on eBay

It’s not revealed exactly how the eBay seller got hold of this early model, but we can see that the seller is located in Kirkland, Washington, which is just by Valve’s Bellevue headquarters. The device is labelled as ‘Engineering Sample 34’ and demonstrates some interesting differences from what we see in the final product. For example, the prototype has two large circular touchpads, which aren’t too dissimilar to the old Steam Controller.

The right stick is also described as a joystick, rather than an analog stick, though the photos show the cover is missing. Otherwise, the design is largely similar to what we ended up getting, including four back buttons (albeit in a different, more indented position). The face buttons appear to have a slightly flatter design, and a range of buttons/bumpers come with a light blue finish, though it’s entirely possible these choices were just a placeholder. Minor differences, such as vent placement, are also apparent.

The seller says it “appears to be a fairly early revision” and notes that no operating system is installed. It comes with a 256GB NVMe drive and boots to the BIOS, which currently displays in a portrait orientation. They also note that the left touchpad is loose and suggest that a couple of wires that run the vibration feedback have been disconnected.

Whoever bought this for $3,000 must be some kind of enthusiast, or it’s just Valve reclaiming what is rightfully theirs.

About the Author

Charlie Noon

Charlie is the Affiliate manager for PC Guide. He has a vast understanding of most PC hardware and consumer essentials, using his knowledge to provide the best products and the biggest deals.