A look inside both the Legion Go and Steam Deck OLED

iFixit printed a twin teardown of Valve’s Steam Deck OLED and the Lenovo Legion Go right this moment, giving a pleasant, detailed look inside each handhelds with all the web site’s standard meticulous element. This being iFixit, the main target is on the consoles’ repairability, and it gave each excessive marks — a 9 / 10 for the Steam Deck OLED and eight / 10 for the Lenovo Legion.

The article has a pleasant abstract of the method, however we suggest watching the video for the total impact and a few good close-up pictures of the elements. It’s additionally an effective way to see how issues come aside in case you’re concerned with doing this your self.

Valve has mentioned it made it simpler to hold out DIY fixes for the Steam Deck OLED, and iFixit agrees — as did we in our overview. Lenovo has made loads of noise about repairability itself. I’m not essentially the most skilled at taking aside electronics, however I believe I might simply change virtually something on both of those consoles.

One small element to notice right here is the metallic body and screw posts of the brand new Steam Deck. Valve having chosen metallic over plastic this time round means the threads are lots much less prone to strip while you’re placing the again cowl again on. It seems to be from the image above as if the second revision of the LCD Steam Deck additionally received that enchancment.

The Legion Go makes use of pull tabs for battery removing. Pull tabs! Meaning no warmth gun, and no pry instruments. (The Steam Deck OLED nonetheless makes use of glue, although lower than earlier than.) iFixit additionally identified that the Legion Go makes use of Corridor impact sensors, so stick drift shouldn’t be the issue it’s for different consoles (just like the Nintendo Change). Valve’s sticks use potentiometers as an alternative, that are extra susceptible to float.

iFixit concluded that the Steam Deck OLED is a bit more repairable than the Legion Go regardless of its glued-in battery. However each consoles look well-designed and comparatively nice to restore, and who doesn’t like seeing how corporations pack a lot energy inside such cramped areas? As iFixit mentioned because it closed out the video teardown, “It’s a good time to be a cell gamer.”