Valve’s Steam Deck repair centers are now open

engadget.com:

Steam Deck owners have a new option for repairs if their device breaks. Valve has opened its own Steam Deck repair centers, which should streamline the process for fixes.

The new service should come as welcome news to Steam Deck owners who will now have a simpler way of addressing hardware issues, without hunting for a third-party service. Notably, Valve says that it also supports people who prefer to go the DIY route, and points to iFixit’s guides on the subject.

Those who prefer to hand off the fix will be able to use the new service via the company’s support channels. “If you encounter an issue and need to send your Steam Deck for repair or replacement, devices will now go to one of our repair centers,” the company explains. “Once there, our team will diagnose the device, repair if needed, then ship the fixed unit back to you.”

The repair centers will cover both in-warranty fixes, which will be free of charge, as well as repairs for damage that happens outside of the device’s warranty. The company will charge for out-of-warranty fixes, though it’s not clear how much these repairs may cost.

For now, there are few other details about how the repair centers will work. The company hasn’t provided a list of the types of repairs it will be able to handle, or what the expected turnaround time will be. However, in a comment on the post, a Valve representative confirmed the repair centers will be able to handle battery replacements, which could be a common request for the handheld device.