While the Steam Deck deserves a lot of praise for the things it does right, like SSD upgrades and Valve’s warranty policies, we should absolutely not take it as an example of the perfectly repairable device.

The battery is glued with super strong adhesive, and it’s an absolute pain to take out. In fact, you’ll inevitably bend it which permanently reduces capacity. If you soak everything in isopropyl, you now risk damaging the screen and a few other components, and the adhesive still won’t fully give out. In 2003, the GameBoy Advance had easily replaceable battery packs.

Also, parts being available on iFixit is a major step forward. iFixit’s arbitrary internacional shipping policies are a major step backwards. Parts should be available on multiple sources, just like the device itself is sold from multiple sources.

Also, if the Dreamcast used hall effect joysticks in 1998, the Steam Deck should’ve used them in 2023 when virtually all game controllers are suffering from drift. Speaking of drift, do you know how many issues on the Deck are caused by not up to standard tolerances when assembling the shell? Several of them: from failing analogue triggers to screen bleed.

I absolutely love my Deck, and in the world of consoles, it’s a miracle just how open it is. But it still is far from what we used to expect from PCs and other consumer goods.