Valve
2 HN recommenders · recommended in 3 months, 2021–2023
5:25 · 1.6M views · Oct 6, 2021
Valve opens up a Steam Deck to show its internal components and explain which are replaceable or upgradable. It advises against self-repair but shares the details openly.
HN praises its openness and respect for the customer, and cites it as a precedent for manufacturers showing internals.
4 comments from Hacker News
You need to watch the video: this video I haven't seen anything so pro-consumer from a major electronics manufacturer in years. It's so refreshing being talked to like an adult with agency.
The "teardown" video was quite well done: this video . Their openness is an interesting contrast with other manufacturers.
This right here is the core of the matter. When a Valve provides a detailed guide to replacing the SSD if you really want to, I trust the devs when they say we wanted to have higher storage capacities but heat dissipation was the constraining factor. this video You want a Samsung PM991a, a Sabrent Rocket SB-2130-1TB, or a Kioxia BG4, to keep the draw as close to 1 amp as possible. Or slay your battery and bake your internals. It's your hardware, do what you want.
I wonder if this was influenced by Valve's recent "Deck" teardown video?[1] I'd love to see this become a trend in the "boutique" hardware space -- it's a lot harder to cut corners on the internals when you're shining a spotlight on them! [1]: this video