Well fuck. A lot of the OG decks are getting into battery replacement time, this is unfortunate if they really are discontinuing parts. I can’t blame valve to stop producing the older hardware but hopefully ifixit can work with them to line up reputable third party suppliers.
I’m confident that third-party batteries will come along in short order. I remember the early days when it took a week of research to find a “compatible” SSD replacement; a year later, scads of SKUs were being marketed as such, and at better prices.
Well, It will be much cheaper to source the battery replacement than any SSD for the next few years, that is for certain.
That sucks. Right at the point where needing spare parts is getting more likely for Steam Deck owners. What’s the point in selling replacement batteries if you only sell them while almost everyone’s batteries are still fine?
Hopefully they’ll be able to stock some good third-party parts.
Update: Valve says iFixit will keep selling Steam Deck batteries after all
Why would Valve stop stocking the most important replacement part just as people are starting to need it?
Here is Valve’s answer to The Verge, as of 5PM ET: “We just confirmed with iFixit that they plan to have batteries back in stock by next week.”
“iFixit will be getting the same OEM parts sourced through Valve’s partners that they always have,” spokesperson Kaci Aitchison Boyle tells me.
The Reddit story wasn’t necessarily false. Earlier today, iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens confirmed to The Verge that it had indeed heard that Valve would no longer make replacement batteries or screens for the original Steam Deck LCD.
But by afternoon, Valve and iFixit had already managed to change that. “They have hooked us up with a supplier, we’re working on it,” Wiens now tells me. And if Valve does decide to sunset the part in the future, iFixit says it’ll be ready to take up the torch by using an aftermarket supplier instead. “I want people to know we are going to find a way to get batteries for these things,” says Wiens.
Hopefully I can trust the Aliexpress batteries I guess.
Edit: Nvm we’re okay now: https://www.theverge.com/games/966106/valve-ifixit-will-keep-selling-steam-deck-lcd-battery
Maybe wait a tick until iFixit (or any other reputable source) blesses them.
Article really only mentions battery. My LCD model has needed a replacement LB for a while, and I’ve been putting it off. Looks like maybe I shouldn’t do that now
Goddamn, it’s two and a half times more expensive than the last time I looked at one. And many other parts are just full out of stock.
More focus should be made on repairability for products like this.
I’ve had mine damn near 4 years now and I upgraded to a 2tb when I first bought it, and I just recently installed a new battery. Ifixit didn’t have the battery in stock when I looked, so I ordered a third party. It’s higher density, like 5000 mah and it fit just fine in the LCD deck. Honestly the hardest part of the install was loosening the adhesive, but if you follow the guide it’s not too bad, just gotta be patient.
No idea how well it’ll hold up, but it’s been fine so far. It’s nice to have some actual battery life available again for now at least. But with how these things have gone up in cost, I gotta try and get as much life out of it as I can.
Right as prices for the steam deck oled skyrocket
Oh good. That was the whole reason I bought a Steam Deck lol. And my battery is in bad shape. Not that I blame Valve particularly.
Why don’t you blame Valve particularly?
iFixit said: “To add clarity: it’s not that we’re choosing to not stock these anymore. Unfortunately, Valve is just starting to sunset these parts.”
Well, because they’ve struggled with their suppliers of late. In any case, it’s a non-issue now that they won’t be sunsetting the batteries after all.
That sucks. I’m kinda glad I didn’t wait for another month to replace my dying battery, but I’m sad for other people in the same boat.
