More Steam Deck replacement parts may be on the way to iFixit

pcgamesn.com:

The availability of Steam Deck replacement parts has proven a boon to owners of Valve’s handheld gaming PC, allowing many to replace faulty parts themselves without needing to go through an RMA process. Now, it appears that some more components could be on their way from Valve to retail partners like iFixit.

While the iFixit store boasts a treasure trove of Steam Deck replacement parts, there remains a few notable omissions. In search of one such missing component, Reddit user Difficult-Sugar1555 got in touch with customer support to find out if and when the company planned to offer trackpads to would-be repairers.

In response, iFixit pro account representative Tom Gantt said that the company is working with Valve “to offer these products as soon as we are able to.” However, Gantt was unfortunately unable to provide an ETA as to when we could expect the component to pop up on the store.

Image credit: Difficult-Sugar1555 / Reddit

The reason as to why Steam Deck trackpads aren’t available, according to Gantt, is because “they require software calibration (typically done at the factory” that is not available to end users at this time.”

With Steam Deck production ramping up in recent weeks, the demand for replacement parts could see a marked increase and hopefully prompt Valve to make trackpads and more available to end users.