iFixit has a Steam Deck teardown!

Steam Deck. © Valve.

With shipments delayed to February 25, many of us have yet to get our hands on our pre-ordered Steam Deck. But lo and behold, iFixit got hold of one and wasted no time taking it apart in the proper manner. Let’s remember that Valve’s portable game console is in fact a portable PC powered by a custom ARM APU, boasting a performance of up to 1.6 teraflops, which is slightly more than the Xbox One S (1.4 teraflops) and a little less than the PS4 (1.8 teraflops).

In the teardown video, iFixit praises the many features that make the console easy to repair, such as the fact that you only remove three screws to easily replace each controller or a single screw to replace the SSD. Overall, Steam Deck scores an honorable 7 out of 10 on the iFixit Repairability Scale. The console lost points on the battery which is glued in place, making its removal a little tricky. Though Valve still has some work to do to get a perfect score, iFixit was able to put the console back together in perfect working order, which bodes well for its repairability.

Tricky battery removal © iFixit.

Valve promises to sell spare parts for the Steam Deck so that users can fix it themselves. Furthermore, it’s no coincidence that iFixit got a preview console to take apart. A partnership with Valve promotes iFixit to the rank of first contestant authorized to sell its replacement parts.

⇨ YouTube, “Steam Deck Teardown: Everything Valve Said Not to Do!”

⇨ The Verge, Sean Hollister, “iFixit has a Steam Deck teardown — and will officially sell replacement parts from Valve.”

⇨ iFixit, Jeff Suovanen, “Steam Deck Teardown: Everything Valve Said Not to Do!.”

2022-02-15