So, you love your Steam Deck. It’s the best portable gaming experience since the Nintendo Switch and you can’t imagine life before it. Until, irritatingly, Valve refreshes its lineup with the Steam Deck OLED. Suddenly, your screen is not as bright, the resolutions aren’t as crispy, and the colours seem washed out. Fancy an upgrade but don’t feel like dropping a wad of cash on a shiny hardware refresh? No worries, DeckHD has got you covered!
DeckHD has long since offered a third-party, high-res solution for those willing to crack apart their precious Steam Deck. However, not everyone is willing to go through the delicate process of taking out joysticks, triggers, trackpads, and ribbon cables for the sake of a better display. Besides this, the upgrade requires a BIOS re-patch, which is a risk in itself.
Thankfully, prospective upgraders no longer have to go through all that trouble. Today, the manufacturer has teamed up with iPhone repair specialists, The Spark Angels, for a premium screen upgrade service. Simply send in your Steam Deck, and it’ll handle the process for you. No muss, no fuss.
The service will cost you $198, and you need to pay for shipping yourself. Thankfully, return shipping is covered and you can expect your device within seven days. Alternatively, If you already have a screen sitting there, but couldn’t muster up the courage to tear your precious Deck apart, it’ll cost you only $99, plus shipping.
As for the screen, the DeckHD is one of the best upgrades over the original LCD display. It’s a 7in IPS flat panel that outputs 1,920 x 1,200 resolution at 60Hz, with 87% sRGB coverage and 400nits peak brightness. It also comes stock standard with Anti-Glare coating.
Of course, there are a few caveats. DeckHD says it’s not liable for lost packages or any damages done during the upgrade service. DeckHD offers optional insurance for the return delivery at an additional cost of $30, for peace of mind. Also, you’ll have to consider that the screen change voids your Steam Deck warranty.
All in all, I’d say it’s a worthy service for those who already have broken screens and for those willing to take the risk. The choice is, ultimately, yours.
