Gaming handhelds are most likely getting too large—the large lad that’s the Acer Nitro Blaze 2 being an ideal instance—however how far would you be keen to go to make one slot in your backpack? DIYer crastinator-pro created the Steam Brick, a Steam Deck that has no mouth and it should scream, however I am weirdly into it.
“The Steam Deck has been a recreation changer for journey,” crastinator-pro wrote in a GitHub put up documenting the undertaking. “However I discovered myself leaving it behind as a rule, because it would not slot in my backpack, took up an enormous quantity of carry-on house, and was a problem to carry down from the overhead compartment after I wished to make use of it.”
Crastinator-pro additionally has probably the most area of interest use-case I’ve heard for Valve’s handheld: Largely protecting it plugged right into a TV or a pair of AR glasses, the sort that may undertaking a big display screen in your area of view. “So I obtained to considering,” crastinator-pro wrote. “It may very well be a lot smaller and lighter with out the built-in controller and display screen, however that might be ridiculous, proper? …proper?”
Ridiculous it might be, however by god, it really works. The Steam Brick will nonetheless boot and hook up with exterior peripherals with its display screen and all controls save the facility button eliminated. Tragically, crastinator-pro notes that the newer revision Steam Deck OLED is preferable for the mod—RIP to that stunning display screen us Steam Deck early adopters would kill for.
Crastinator-pro stored the motherboard, battery, WiFi antenna, storage, USB-C out, energy button, and cooling fan solely—say goodbye to the quantity buttons and headphone jack within the closing construct along with the controls and the display screen. Crastinator-pro trimmed down the Deck’s inner aluminum body and seated it in a easy 3D-printed enclosure, ensuing within the closing Steam Brick. Crastinator-pro cautions that that is actually taking the lifetime of the machine in your personal arms, and there is not any assure it will not prepare dinner itself or expertise another unexpected failure down the road. However for the creator’s very particular use case? It appears kind of excellent.
I really like how crastinator-pro basically reversed at 60 miles per hour into making a Steam Machine, Valve’s abortive first try at making its personal console within the early 2010s, although with the ability to run off a battery definitely helps the Steam Brick run laps round its housebound predecessor. The method of constructing the Steam Brick additionally sarcastically shares quite a bit in frequent with console “portablizing” tasks like these documented by GingerOfOz on YouTube. For years, fans have been discovering methods to trim console motherboards to the minimal dimension the place they will nonetheless operate, permitting them to fit into handheld enclosures and run video games off a battery and inner storage, however nonetheless on authentic {hardware}.
