Steam Deck Parts Will be Easy to Buy
Steam Deck owners will be able to do many repairs on their own. Valve, through a partnership with iFixit, will make it easy to purchase parts and provide instructions.
- Valve and iFixit are working to make certain maintenance tasks easier for Steam Deck owners.
While no one is questioning the reliability of Steam Deck at this point, Valve is preparing solutions that could make potential repairs easier. Chief among these is , a partnership with iFixit, which will enable gamers to easily purchase parts and download instructions to repair their device at home.
"iFixit will be one of the authorized sellers of Steam Deck replacement parts – as well as replacement parts for the Valve Index VR products," wrote Valve
Valve has also released CAD files so that anyone with a 3D printer can make their own case for Steam Deck. Some components have been designed with user maintenance in mind:
- Joysticks are not soldered on - they can be easily replaced.
- The parts are well labeled for easy assembly and disassembly.
- The console can be disassembled using a simple Phillips screwdriver.
- A detailed description of the motherboard is available.
It's a shame that not everything is so easy to do - even something as important as changing batteries can be a bit tricky. iFixit's YouTube channel features a video describing taking apart a Steam Deck:
Our impressions from using Valve's portable console:
