A Reddit user recently repaired a broken Steam Deck for less than $100 using parts from a Nintendo DS Lite, demonstrating the growing focus on repairable tech. This project featured the addition of DS Lite shoulder buttons and included various fixes to the original device.

David disclosed that their cheap acquisition of the Steam Deck was due to a previous owner’s failed attempts to replace buttons. After hours of work, they replaced the trackpad and buttons with compatible components salvaged from old devices.

“After many sleepless hours repairing the traces and replacing the buttons,” says David, adding that while it looked rough at first, it wasn’t as daunting as others might think.

Their method included desoldering buttons from an unusable DS Lite, as it shared compatible shoulder buttons, resulting in a functional Steam Deck.

Steam Deck Repair (Image credit: David, AKA Existing_Housing4845)

David emphasizes a commendable repairability factor for the Steam Deck, suggesting that more instructions and parts should be made available to encourage DIY repairs. If there were diagrams and cheaper replacement parts, this could position the Steam Deck even more favorably against competitors that charge significantly more for handheld devices.