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Thread: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

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    Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    And the 64GB eMMC version can be upgraded to an M.2 NVME SSD too.
    Read more.

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    so in all reality the answer is no
    Old puter - still good enuff till I save some pennies!

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    Is that the same size as the Xbox series internal card? If so hopefully more users of the size will hopefully bring down prices?

    I'll be honest expansion from the 64gb eMMC was my big question so colour me tempted. I've swap headphone ports on switches and batteries in ipads and this sounds much easier.

    Edit: Yes same drive size as Xbox series: https://uk.pcmag.com/gaming-systems/...digital-m2-ssd
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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    Quote Originally Posted by cheesemp View Post
    Is that the same size as the Xbox series internal card? If so hopefully more users of the size will hopefully bring down prices?

    I'll be honest expansion from the 64gb eMMC was my big question so colour me tempted. I've swap headphone ports on switches and batteries in ipads and this sounds much easier.

    Edit: Yes same drive size as Xbox series: https://uk.pcmag.com/gaming-systems/...digital-m2-ssd
    Surprised Microsoft limited themselves to 2230.
    Not that 2230 would cost them more as they have the volumes, but it limits their max capacity, max speed (SSDs are parallel) and max heat dispersion.
    Sony didn't limit themselves and hence have a faster disk system. Looking at a PS5 teardown, Sony supports everything from 2280 downwards:

    https://www.polygon.com/2020/10/7/21...ny-power-noise

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    Quote Originally Posted by 3dcandy View Post
    so in all reality the answer is no
    The answer is yes. If you're comfortable swapping a 2.5" drive in a laptop you can probably do this. You might need some m.2 nvme to USB enclosures for copying data over if there's no re-install path. You might also need to temporarily remove some parts like the heatsink or a wifi antenna if they get in the way.

    Seems like Kioxia and Dell sell 1TB m.2 2230 drives.

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    Quote Originally Posted by CampGareth View Post
    The answer is yes. If you're comfortable swapping a 2.5" drive in a laptop you can probably do this. You might need some m.2 nvme to USB enclosures for copying data over if there's no re-install path. You might also need to temporarily remove some parts like the heatsink or a wifi antenna if they get in the way.

    Seems like Kioxia and Dell sell 1TB m.2 2230 drives.
    And void the warranty? Can't see any chance the warranty would stay intact - so for me, despite the fact I'm happy to do it I wouldn't as I can't afford an expensive paperweight at the moment
    Old puter - still good enuff till I save some pennies!

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    Quote Originally Posted by 3dcandy View Post
    And void the warranty? Can't see any chance the warranty would stay intact - so for me, despite the fact I'm happy to do it I wouldn't as I can't afford an expensive paperweight at the moment
    That's fair. I think I'll stress test mine for the first month to check for early failures then swap the drive. I wonder if boosting the TDP to 30W would void the warranty

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    Quote Originally Posted by CampGareth View Post
    The answer is yes. If you're comfortable swapping a 2.5" drive in a laptop you can probably do this. You might need some m.2 nvme to USB enclosures for copying data over if there's no re-install path. You might also need to temporarily remove some parts like the heatsink or a wifi antenna if they get in the way.

    Seems like Kioxia and Dell sell 1TB m.2 2230 drives.
    What kind of laptop are we talking about!

    Even Apple (way back when they used normal 2.5" drives), didn't make it hard as this. Okay, it could be worse like a "modern" phone with glued covers etc, but is no user serviceable machine.

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    Quote Originally Posted by kompukare View Post
    What kind of laptop are we talking about!

    Even Apple (way back when they used normal 2.5" drives), didn't make it hard as this. Okay, it could be worse like a "modern" phone with glued covers etc, but is no user serviceable machine.
    To be fair some HP's I've done is very hard with the keyboard having to be removed and then heatsinks etc. but as I've said above all were out of warranty. The worst bit with these HP's is prising the case open because at least one of the tabs always breaks and then the laptop creaks afterwards
    Old puter - still good enuff till I save some pennies!

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    This doesn't sound like it's as simple as swapping the HDD in a laptop. I've been at about 4 or 5 different laptop HDDs of late and none of them required removing EMI shielding or thermal management components. This sounds to me as though it's a "yes it uses standard parts and we haven't put any barriers in your way on purpose, but it's not designed to be user servicable and we won't warranty it". Which is absolutely fine by me. This is a SFF device and it's going to be a pain to disassemble, reassemble. But a lack of active protections against end-user replacemant is fine (APPLE).

    By the way, I also put about 30KV through a couple of old HDDs.... really interesting as the arcing ate away at the conductive parts of the platter. My wife was 3 stories up and could hear the noise of the arcing, lol.

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    Still better than a soldered-on SSD that is firmware-locked to the mainboard ;D

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    Quote Originally Posted by kompukare View Post
    What kind of laptop are we talking about!

    Even Apple (way back when they used normal 2.5" drives), didn't make it hard as this. Okay, it could be worse like a "modern" phone with glued covers etc, but is no user serviceable machine.
    It's an example. Can you operate a screwdriver well enough to replace a HDD from a laptop? If so, you'll likely be fine putting an NVMe drive in a Steam Deck. The only way they could make it properly difficult is if you've got to remove the front glass and display to get to it. For anything less there'll be video teardowns to follow.

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    Quote Originally Posted by CampGareth View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by kompukare View Post
    What kind of laptop are we talking about!

    Even Apple (way back when they used normal 2.5" drives), didn't make it hard as this. Okay, it could be worse like a "modern" phone with glued covers etc, but is no user serviceable machine.
    It's an example. Can you operate a screwdriver well enough to replace a HDD from a laptop? If so, you'll likely be fine putting an NVMe drive in a Steam Deck. The only way they could make it properly difficult is if you've got to remove the front glass and display to get to it. For anything less there'll be video teardowns to follow.
    Maybe, but there's a big difference between opening a panel, removing a connector / caddy and swapping something designed to be user serviceble and something that isn't. Teardown vids are great but you are ultimately voiding a warranty. Bear in mind the Consumer Rights Act means their one or two year warranty is meaningless to a large degree, that is a big step for most people. For people like you (I assume) and me who tear stuff apart for fun and experience, not so much. For the average person it can be a big deal. Kinda like changing brake pads on a car is really easy with minimal tools, but most people won't touch it.

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    Same SSD as the Surface Pro 7+.

    Nice. Still not buying without Windows 10/11 installed.

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    P.s. Buy a CalDigit Tuff Nano and rip the drive out. Done.

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    Re: Valve boss confirms the Steam Deck SSD is upgradable

    Quote Originally Posted by philehidiot View Post
    Maybe, but there's a big difference between opening a panel, removing a connector / caddy and swapping something designed to be user serviceble and something that isn't. Teardown vids are great but you are ultimately voiding a warranty. Bear in mind the Consumer Rights Act means their one or two year warranty is meaningless to a large degree, that is a big step for most people. For people like you (I assume) and me who tear stuff apart for fun and experience, not so much. For the average person it can be a big deal. Kinda like changing brake pads on a car is really easy with minimal tools, but most people won't touch it.
    I wouldn't touch cars without being very sure my axle stands are sturdy! I see your point but think that the Steam Deck userbase will skew towards tinkerers, partly through necessity when something doesn't work right and partly because of the number of PC builders/gamers on Steam. Valve have the option of not voiding the warranty to encourage tinkerers or making spare parts available, I hope they do. Roll on December/Q1 2022.

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