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Steam Machine already has 18 iFixit guides ready to go, including how to replace the SSD, RAM, and much more

Everything you need to know about fixing or upgrading your Steam Machine
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Steam Machine already has 18 iFixit guides ready to go, including how to replace the SSD, RAM, and much more
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Valve’s Steam Machine is more like a compact gaming PC than a traditional console, which means owners have some freedom to repair and upgrade the hardware themselves. Now, that process should be significantly easier, as iFixit has already published 18 guides for the Steam Machine (at the time of writing), covering everything from basic cleaning to replacing major internal components.

iFixit has previously worked closely with Valve on repair support for the Steam Deck and Steam Deck OLED, providing guides and selling officially licensed replacement components for both handhelds. That relationship is now expanding to Valve’s new gaming hardware, with the Steam Machine receiving a fairly extensive collection of repair documentation.

iFixit guides and techniques for the Steam Machine

The guides cover several simple components that owners may want to replace over the lifetime of the device, including the magnetic faceplate, feet, front port cover, fan, and back panel. However, iFixit also goes much deeper into the Steam Machine, with instructions covering the motherboard, power supply, heatsink, RAM, SSD, microSD card reader, and the separate boards responsible for different ports. Here’s the full list:

Replacement Guides

  1. Back Panel
  2. Faceplate
  3. Fan
  4. Feet
  5. Front Port Cover
  6. Front USB and Power Button Board
  7. HDMI and DisplayPort Board
  8. Heatsink
  9. Motherboard
  10. Power Supply
  11. RAM
  12. Rear USB and Ethernet Port Board
  13. SSD
  14. SSD Board
  15. Shell
  16. microSD Card Reader

Techniques

  1. How to Open and Clean a Steam Machine (2026)
  2. Steam Machine Interface Assembly Guide

One of the most useful guides covers replacing the Steam Machine’s M.2 NVMe SSD. The system has a single M.2 slot that supports both 2230 and 2280 drives, giving owners plenty of options if they want to increase their available storage. Users who replace the drive will need to reinstall or restore SteamOS afterward.

Image Source: iFixit

There’s also a dedicated RAM replacement guide, with other instructions covering replacing the front USB and power button board, HDMI and DisplayPort board, rear USB and Ethernet board, SSD board, and the Steam Machine’s outer shell.

For owners who aren’t interested in replacing anything, iFixit has also published a guide explaining how to safely open and clean the Steam Machine. Keeping dust away from the fan and heatsink could become particularly important after the system has been used for several years.

That said, replacement parts aren’t available from iFixit just yet, so having repair instructions doesn’t necessarily mean every component can immediately be purchased separately. However, iFixit says Steam Machine replacement parts are coming “soon.”


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About the Author

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.