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The mighty Steam Deck has modified the gaming PC panorama, however regardless of its success it additionally appears like a missed alternative. Don’t get me incorrect, I like the transportable powerhouse, and I’ve bought no actual qualms with its total design. But having the ability to remodel the hand held’s {hardware} inside and outside on a whim can be a real sport changer, and Valve may dominate this market indefinitely by making its subsequent handheld modular.
The concept of a modular Steam Deck 2 would possibly sound absurd, however the idea is much from new. Whereas the very best gaming laptop computer candidates immediately aren’t significantly serviceable, iconic machines just like the IBM Thinkpad as soon as featured a automobile bonnet method with part blocks stowed away inside. No screws, no messing round with fragile innards, only a easy swap that’s akin to taking part in with Lego.
It’s price noting that modularity didn’t die with IBM’s revolutionary ’90s tech, because the likes of Framework’s 13-inch notebooks assist to maintain the dream alive. Nevertheless, handheld gaming PCs are a unique beast, and I’d like to see Valve take issues a step additional by making a Steam Deck that’s unapologetically modular.
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If you happen to’re each a tinkerer and a Steam Deck proprietor, chances are high you’ve already cracked the hand held. As you’d most likely anticipate, its innards are a compact sandwich of rigorously positioned elements, and Valve says it is best to assume twice earlier than poking round inside. That is good recommendation, as one incorrect slip could ship it to the large gaming desk within the sky, however it nearly appears like the corporate needs to allow you to fiddle contained in the Deck, however can’t.
Making the subsequent Steam Deck’s insides extra approachable would assist it really feel like a standard rig, however it wouldn’t eradicate related dangers. Reasonably than catering to simply savvy fanatics, choosing hot-swappable elements may entice novice gamers to become involved and facilitate customisation tenfold. Valve doesn’t even need to reinvent the wheel to do that, as loads of merchandise already dabble with the thought of modularity.
Modular SSD
Changing the Steam Deck’s storage with the very best SSD for gaming isn’t diabolically troublesome, however I get why some customers could also be hesitant to strive. Once more, Valve advises in opposition to taking part in round with the hand held’s elements, and also you’ll have to manually take off the prevailing drive’s protect to guard the Deck (yuck). So, to eradicate that nonsense, I reckon Valve ought to take a leaf out of Microsoft’s ebook and use one thing just like the Xbox Storage Growth Card.
Now, I do know what you’re considering, and I agree that Microsoft’s Xbox drives are unreasonably priced. But, if Valve comes up with one thing that prices much less, it’d present the hand held with an expandable storage technique that’d change the very best Steam Deck SD card choices, particularly if it implements an exterior case slot.
Alternatively, the Steam Deck 2 may straight observe within the footsteps of Framework and go for generously spaced inside modules. For this to work, you’d most likely nonetheless have to carry out a much less intimidating technical post-mortem, however at the least you’ll be greeted with crystal-clear labeling, easy connectors, and a much less cramped setting to work with.
Picture supply: Framework
Modular battery
Prefer it or not, the Steam Deck’s battery gained’t final perpetually, and it’ll run out of steam in some unspecified time in the future. You possibly can technically change it, however iFixit charges the job as ‘troublesome’ (it’s simple to see why when you think about the steps concerned). Sadly, this truth will possible ship many Decks to an early grave, with some customers forking out for a brand new handheld relatively than risking restore.
I’m no Valve engineer, however I’d like to see a detachable Steam Deck battery that pays homage to Sony’s PSP. To swap out the bats on that retro dangerous boy, all you need to do is take away a singular screw and carry it out. Not solely would this make changing useless cells a breeze, however it’d let gamers simply add the next capability unit, which can enchantment to anybody who always runs out of juice.
Modular APU, RAM, and mainboard
In a means, the Steam Deck’s low specs are a part of the enchantment, however they’re nonetheless an element that’ll hamper the hand held’s longevity. Making an attempt to spice up fps on the transportable’s AMD APU will solely get tougher as time goes by, and releasing a successor with a greater chip perpetuates the cycle.
With that in thoughts, what in case you may simply stick new guts in your handheld, relatively than shopping for a wholly new system? In concept, it’d eradicate the necessity for a Steam Deck 3 and allow Valve to constantly sustain with opponents like Onexplayer and Ayaneo. That mentioned, I’d nonetheless favor to see a full system module, relatively than separate APU and RAM parts, because it’d save gamers having to match up applicable specs.
Picture supply: Ifixit
Modular display screen
Want the Steam Deck had an OLED display screen? Effectively, not everybody shares that opinion, because it’d possible drive up the transportable’s worth. As soon as once more, the answer to this specific conundrum is to make the show modular, because it’d add a component of visible versatility that’s often locked into place.
I’m not saying that Valve ought to essentially promote a number of screens with out goal, as even the subsequent Deck most likely gained’t be capable to drive a 4K display screen. As an alternative, I’d like to see the choice to really follow a lower-resolution display screen and doubtlessly slash the value of the Steam Deck 2.
It’s laborious to counsel this with a straight face as there isn’t actually a precedent for it, however a Steam Deck with no display screen in any respect would possibly even make sense. In spite of everything, pairing the transportable with the very best Steam Deck dock converts it into an affordable desktop rig, so you possibly can simply ditch its built-in display screen altogether and use a module to clean out the hole. Sounds ridiculous? Possibly, however the concept could enchantment to thrifty players on a funds.
In fact, modular screens are an enormous boon for repairability, and so they’d ease the blow of any unlucky mishaps. Positive, paying for a brand new display screen will possible nonetheless upset your pockets, however at the least you gained’t need to ship it away to a restore store.
Modular buttons and sticks
Weirdly, the prospect of modular Steam Deck sticks and buttons excites me greater than all the pieces talked about above, to not point out it’s most likely essentially the most sensible factor to implement. Altering the Deck’s format would possibly sound like a fundamental change, however as somebody that’s simply delay by the texture of a handheld, it issues above all else.
In case your present setup consists of the very best PC controller, you’re maybe conversant in modular gamepads already. Equipment just like the Thrustmaster Eswap Professional boast magnetic button modules, sticks, and set off grips, and you may even swap the position of every.
By adopting comparable tech, the Steam Deck 2 may entice extra handheld lovers to the fold, particularly those who aren’t into the unique’s symmetrical stick format. It’d additionally offer you a chance to exchange Valve’s touchpads with one thing else totally. If it was as much as me, I’d launch a Playdate-inspired crank, however this is the reason I’m not Gabe Newell.
Finally, a modular Steam Deck 2 would assist improve the hand held’s versatility and longevity. But, it’d additionally contribute to the identical combat as Framework, as fashionable design is frequently eroding shopper proper to restore. By empowering customers with entry to modular elements, Valve may solidify its dominance throughout the handheld gaming PC house, which in flip will profit each gamers and the platform’s future.
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