5 days ago
An iFixit staffer told a Steam Deck personification that nan institution had nary plans to banal replacement OEM batteries.
Valve
Aside from enabling you to play Baldur's Gate 3 successful nan bathroom, 1 of nan large benefits of nan Steam Deck is really repairable it is. While the Steam Deck OLED received a glowing 9/10 fixability study from repair master iFixit backmost successful 2023, nan original LCD model's 7/10 score was still respectable.
But nan latter's repairability standing could conscionable person taken a reasonably important hit, arsenic it appears that Valve whitethorn beryllium sunsetting definite replacement parts. A Reddit station highlighted by Video Cardz includes a screenshot of an email reply a Steam Deck proprietor received from an iFixit staffer aft they enquired astir replacing a degrading battery.
In it, a Customer Operations worker said iFixit presently has "no contiguous plans" to banal a replacement artillery for nan LCD Steam Deck, and past apologized for nan bad news. The newer OLED model, which has a larger artillery than nan 2022 LCD Deck, is not mentioned successful nan response.
"At this clip it is looking little apt that we will proceed receiving OEM Steam Deck batteries, and we are actively evaluating aftermarket options," they wrote. "Unfortunately we don't person a confirmed timeline for erstwhile either OEM aliases aftermarket banal would beryllium available."
In a follow-up post, a different Reddit user, who seemingly besides useful for iFixit, clarified that Valve is sunsetting nan parts successful question, alternatively than it being an iFixit determination to nary longer banal them. While third-party batteries are wide disposable from retailers specified arsenic Amazon, it's beautiful astonishing to spot Valve seemingly deciding to nary longer supply charismatic ones for a instrumentality that it only released 4 years ago. Back successful 2022, iFixit CEO told The Verge that artillery replacements would beryllium "essential to making nan Steam Deck guidelines nan trial of time."
If you've been keeping an oculus connected gaming hardware news complete nan past year, this news whitethorn not travel arsenic a full surprise. Valve discontinued nan LCD Steam Deck wholly astatine nan extremity of 2025, and aft a play of banal outage, Steam Deck OLED prices skyrocketed successful May, pinch Valve blaming expanding representation and retention costs. The Steam Machine yet arrived nan pursuing month, pinch prices starting astatine $1,049 for nan 512GB version without a controller.
