What do you do when your Steam Deck screen is broken and out of warranty? According to one Reddit user, the correct response is to turn it into a mini PC by using clever modeling and 3D printing. Steam Deck owner and Reddit user u/TheColliBoy had a problem. His beloved Steam Deck was broken, with the motherboard no longer properly outputting to the main screen. Of course, he reached out to Valve but was told that an out-of-warranty repair would cost at least $100.

Instead of throwing the broken device away, he decided to get creative. With his 3D modeling skills, he created a design for an enclosure for the Steam Deck motherboard that would enable the device to have a new life as a mini PC.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a DIY Steam Deck mini PC

The result was a case that doesn't require screws but can accept the internals of a Steam Deck. The ColliBoy warns that removing the battery from the Steam Deck can be a dangerous process and should not be attempted by those without adequate experience. Spacers are also needed to separate the top lid from the fan and motherboard. Once again, The ColliBoy showed his ingenuity by utilizing rubber furniture feet from Home Depot for this purpose.

When he had completed the project, he uploaded the 3D print files to MakerWorld so others could use this case if they wanted to. If you have a similar display problem and don’t want your Steam Deck to turn into e-waste, this is a viable route for those who don’t mind taking apart their device.

Oddly enough, The ColliBoy is not the first some use 3D printing to make the Steam Deck even smaller. A GitHub user called Crastinator-Pro also developed the ‘Steam Brick', a portable mini-computer designed to be used with XR glasses.

The ColliBoy noted the similarities to his own project with some amusement: “The Steam Brick came out in the middle of me working on this and they did an amazing job. Very cool to see the different angle used to reach the same goal!”

About the Author

Rebecca Hills-Duty

Writing and journalism experience at VRFocus, UploadVR, The Escapist, HTC, PC Gamer, Tech Radar+ and Dexerto. Can sometimes be found playing with retro tech.