As spotted by PCGamesN, Reddit user smallmouthbackus discovered that the Steam Deck is by no means invincible after they dropped theirs in a bathtub. This story has a happy ending though, as they were able to rescue the device by taking it apart piece by piece and then putting it back together. What’s interesting about this is that they used 99% alcohol to give it a good clean. A video shows them putting the Deck back together, with it turning on successfully, and the user saying that waiting for it to power back up “felt like an eternity.”
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There have been tests in the past that show the Steam Deck is quite durable, but obviously getting anything that contains electrical parts wet will most likely cause damage. While it might seem strange that smallmouthbackus used alcohol to clean their device, this specific type, known as isopropyl, is said to be good at alleviating any potential damage left behind by water. However, the report from PCGamesN goes on to say that this is not a surefire way to fixing electronics, but in this case, it seems to have done the trick.
It also shows that it’s not too difficult to get into the portable machine, either. While it’s generally not recommended, some people have been able to tinker with theirs, such as the user who installed a physically larger SSD in their Steam Deck. They were even able to close it up again and get it to boot up, though the developer itself has warned against doing something like this as it can have long term negative effects.
Although Valve has had a shaky past when it comes to hardware, it seems the Steam Deck has been the culmination of years of work. Originally touted as a Nintendo Switch competitor, Gabe Newell and his team have shown that there is potential in the mobile market for something that goes beyond gaming, offering up a system more akin to a portable PC.
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Source: PCGamesN
