iFixit will sell nearly every part of the Steam Deck — including the entire motherboard

Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge

The era of fixing your own gadgets has nearly arrived, and Valve's Steam Deck handheld gaming PC may be setting the best example yet, not only does it offer a repair-friendly design, but it now looks like almost every part will be sold separately.

We were surprised to see that the repair parts will be available for a hefty $350, and that the Aerith chip at the heart of the Steam Deck will be available as well.

Image: iFixit

iFixit will even sell parts that might be considered upgrades for an existing steam deck, if you decide you'd rather have the anti-glare screen that only comes with the 512GB model, or the allegedly quieter Huaying fan. You can pay more for a repair kit that comes with everything you need to fix the screen. If you already have a spudger and a screwdriver, you don't need it for the fan.

Image: iFixit

iFixit was willing to send us a complete US price list for every part it will sell in the first wave, 23 distinct parts in all.

There is a partial list of UK prices.

One thing you won't see right away is the Steam Deck's battery, which is a critical wear part for a battery-powered console that can easily drain in two hours flat.

Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, tells The Verge about the battery sitch.

We are building a solution for repairing the Steam Deck that includes all the step-by-step guides and parts that you need to fix your Deck. Our initial release includes the parts and tools to complete most repairs. We don’t have a solution for battery repairs on day one, but we are committed to working with Valve to maintain these devices as they age. Battery replacements are going to be essential to making the Steam Deck stand the test of time.

He couldn't say when they'll go on sale.

Earlier today we published some pages related to our upcoming parts launch with Valve. These went live earlier than we planned, so we ended up taking them down. If you did get a parts order in, we'll honor it.



Stay tuned for the real launch soon!

— iFixit (@iFixit) May 21, 2022

There are no buttons or touchpads on the list yet, but iFixit will sell the rubber membranes that go underneath them. There was no metal frame, EM shields, or flexible ribbon cables. It isn't like you could build a complete deck from parts. You can't say that about most gadgets if you crack the plastic front panel.

Image: iFixit

I was able to get my thumbstick out of the steam deck by removing just seven screws and snapping open a few plastic clips.

I have a story coming out later this morning that you might like to read, if you're interested in right-to-repair and official parts.