Valve Stops Selling Steam Deck LCD Repair Parts

It appears that Valve is quietly phasing out the availability of official self-repair parts for the original LCD version of the Steam Deck. A report from Engadget highlights that an iFixit staffer informed a Steam Deck user that the company would no longer be stocking replacement OEM batteries for the device.

This development is a bit of a bummer for those who like to tinker with their gadgets or extend the life of their hardware through DIY repairs. While Valve has previously been quite supportive of the repair community, offering parts through partners like iFixit, this seems to signal a shift in strategy for the older LCD model.

The Steam Deck OLED, which launched later and features significant internal upgrades, is not mentioned in this discontinuation. It's possible Valve is focusing its repair part efforts on the newer model, or perhaps this is a broader move to streamline support and encourage upgrades. For owners of the original LCD Steam Deck, this could mean fewer options for official, user-serviceable repairs in the future, potentially making third-party repair services or less official parts more critical.

We've reached out to Valve for comment on whether this is a permanent discontinuation and if there are any plans to offer parts for other components. For now, if you're looking to replace a battery or other parts on your LCD Steam Deck, you might want to act fast or explore alternative repair avenues.