The openness of Steam Deck can be said to be the forefront of consumer electronic products in recent years. In addition to the software system that can be replaced by itself, almost all hardware parts can be dismantled and repaired by DIY. iFixit accidentally released the parts list they will sell this portable game console early, and eagle-eyed netizens have watched it for a while and found that even motherboards that integrate custom AMD Aerith chips can be bought back and replaced.
According to The Verge, some parts can even be purchased as upgrades. For example, Valve’s original factory only provides anti-reflective screens for the 512GB version of the host, but because iFixit can buy it back alone, players of other 64GB and 256GB versions of the host can upgrade the screen by themselves; in addition, due to different batches, Steam Deck will have two models Different cooling fans, if you happen to get the louder Delta version, you can also buy the quieter Huaying cooling fan alone.
iFixit will provide separate parts, as well as a set version with repair tools, which is actually only $5 more expensive. If you are new to iFixit, you might as well start with it.
In the accidentally exposed parts list, the battery and SSD seem to be missing. In response to an inquiry from The Verge, iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens said that their first wave of parts will cover the most frequently replaced parts, and will be supplemented by detailed tutorials. The battery isn’t on the first parts list, but promises to work with Valve to extend the life of the Steam Deck as it ages.
Most of the parts are actually priced quite reasonably, but the motherboard is asking $350, which is only slightly less than the $400 brand new, and the first available parts don’t include all the parts, so I want to do the opposite. It’s still not feasible to buy parts and assemble a full Steam Deck yourself.