Broken Steam Deck? No Problem! We Built a Mini PC from the Parts!

You’re not the only one who has ever questioned what to do with a broken Steam Deck. I made the decision to get crafty and create something new out of those unused Steam Deck components rather than throwing it away or letting it gather dust. What was the outcome for me? Constructed with genuine Steam Deck hardware, this Mini PC is completely operational! This is how it was all put together.

The Journey Begins

It all began when I purchased a Steam Deck that was broken. The majority of it had been parted out by the previous owner, but the essential parts remained in place. I managed to get my hands on the front part of the shell, a broken LCD screen, the motherboard, heatsink, and batteries. This was not your average 64GB first-generation LCD device; no, this was the 512GB variant, and regrettably, the motherboard was not included with the internal storage. I had an Anbernic handheld for about $100, so that was my starting point.

The vendor stated that the damaged screen and separating out were probably caused by an attempt to replace the shell with an ExtremeRate clear shell. However, the motherboard—which is where the concept for a Steam Deck Mini PC originated—was, in my opinion, the most crucial component.

What’s Left of the Steam Deck?

As it stands, I have:

• Steam Deck motherboard with a functioning heatsink and fan
• The front half of the shell (which I won’t use)
• The battery
• A broken LCD screen (completely unusable)

Rather than assembling the Steam Deck again with these components, I choose to turn the motherboard into a small, functional micro PC. My objective was to see if I could accomplish this without going over budget using the parts I already had.

Building the Mini PC

Key Features from the Steam Deck Motherboard:

• USB Type-C: Crucial for video output and power.
• M.2 Slot & Micro SD Card Reader: Storage expansion options.
• 2230 M.2 SSD: I salvaged a 512GB SSD from another Steam Deck I had upgraded.

I kept the build simple because I didn’t want to make a big investment. Using some sturdy, easily cut plastic I had lying around, I made a simple “case” construction out of Paylight to hold the parts off my desk. I used screws to firmly anchor the fan, which was taped to the copper heatsink and in need of an appropriate mounting solution. A modest additional cooling fan was also constructed by me to aid with airflow because the components were exposed.

Although it’s not a fully assembled PC case, it’s sufficient to keep everything steady and operational. I intended to keep it simple for now, but I might 3D print a bespoke casing or possibly investigate utilizing a Raspberry Pi tower cooler to boost thermals in a later build.

Powering It Up

I utilized a 65W USB Type-C charger with HDMI and USB connections for power and communication. With this configuration, I was able to:

• Use USB Type-C to power the motherboard of the Steam Deck.
• Use HDMI to send footage to a bigger monitor.
• Using the additional USB ports, plug in a keyboard and mouse.

With just one wire feeding both power and video output into the Steam Deck motherboard, this kept the setup simple and uncluttered.

The Moment of Truth

The LED indicator light on the Steam Deck motherboard indicated it was receiving power when I plugged everything in and turned it on. There was a brief suspenseful moment, though—would it really boot? The fan reached its maximum speed before slowing down, and shortly my monitor displayed the well-known Steam Deck boot screen.

Achievement!

The small computer was operational. Despite being taken out of its original chassis, the motherboard was fully operational and had all the components required to work as a small gaming PC. 

Assembling the Mini PC

I had the storage situation covered with a 2230 M.2 SSD that I had rescued from my own Steam Deck update. I used some leftover Palight, which is a sturdy and easily cut plastic, to install the motherboard. I then secured the Steam Deck fan in place and connected everything. I attached a small heatsink using double-sided thermal tape for cooling. Although it’s a haphazard setup, it worked well enough.

I used the USB-C connector on the Steam Deck for connectivity. This gave me the ability to attach a 65W charger with HDMI out, which supplied additional USB ports for a keyboard and mouse in addition to powering the motherboard and sending video to a display. With just one cable to handle everything, it was a tidy solution.

Powering Up the Mini PC

The real moment. The fan roared to life as soon as the Steam Deck motherboard’s LED indication lit up after being turned on. Shortly after, the well-known Steam OS screen surfaced. Achievement! The SSD didn’t even need to be reflashed. Though I updated it later, the OS loaded up flawlessly.

BIOS Updates and Power Issues

The BIOS update was one of the difficulties I ran into. I wasn’t using the built-in battery, yet the system needed at least 20% of the energy to update. I had no trouble updating it once I momentarily replugged the battery. Later, I discovered a BIOS manager on GitHub that might be able to get around the battery need, but for the time being, I remained with the official procedure.

It’s interesting to note that once while playing, the system abruptly rebooted. Since it didn’t happen again, it’s unclear if there was a problem with the power supply or something else. But after restarting, everything functioned as intended. 

Performance and Gameplay Testing

The exciting part is here: gaming. I put the tiny PC through its paces by testing a range of games.

• Cyberpunk 2077: Using FSR set to Balanced and running at 900p, I was able to have a playable experience. It was more than playable when the resolution was reduced to 900p, even though 1080p was not optimal.
• Hades 2: It operated flawlessly at 120Hz and 1080p on High settings. Locking the TDP could potentially make it worse.
• Forza Horizon 5: I maintained well over 60 frames per second at 900p on medium settings with FSR. While 1080p was feasible, 900p offered a more satisfying experience.
• Spider-Man Remastered: I was pleasantly impressed by how smoothly it performed at 900p with medium settings, even with FSR 3.1 and frame generation. Its performance dramatically improved with frame generation.

The Future: What’s Next?

I’ve shown that this is feasible, and I’m now prepared to forward it. In addition to installing a more effective cooling system and improving the case, my plans include making the device’s overall form factor more streamlined and compact. I’ll be polishing this Steam Deck Mini PC and releasing a “version 2” video shortly.

Ultimately, this is a fun project that is worth doing if you ever find yourself with a broken Steam Deck and the necessary parts. That hardware can still be salvaged, and it can be upgraded to a desktop gaming PC that works well. Remember to like and subscribe to the channel if you liked this project and would like to see more!

Do you have any inquiries? Tell me in the comments section below. As always, I appreciate you reading!

Video test of Steam Deck Parts Transformed: Building a Mini PC from a Broken Console