I attempted this modded Steam Deck and it’s the hand held I dreamed of as a child

The Steam Deck has been nothing in need of a revolution within the yr and a half that it has been out there, utterly altering many individuals’s relationship with PC gaming.

Whereas Valve affords a couple of totally different configurations of the Steam Deck primarily based on specs, it hasn’t actually dipped its toe into providing customised variations visually, which is the place Mega Modz has stepped in, providing completely customized builds. I kitted one out to see the way it compares to the unique – and it turned out to be a fairly nostalgic expertise.

Selecting your configuration

The Deck which you could purchase from Mega Modz may be very a lot a traditional Steam Deck in some key methods – it is available in Valve’s personal packaging, with the included onerous case and energy provide, and it runs on all the identical inside {hardware}.

You possibly can go for some upgrades, however they’re mainly the identical choices that Valve affords within the type of dearer variations, with extra storage at barely faster speeds, and an anti-glare model of the display.

Mega Modz says that it is engaged on a totally upgraded show that may have the next decision, however that is not out there but, so for now you mainly get to decide on some choices to determine which degree of Steam Deck you need when it comes to efficiency.

Presumably essentially the most thrilling “inside” improve which you could select, which Valve itself would not supply, is the choice to select electromagnetic analogue sticks, which needs to be much less prone to undergo from stick drift over their lifetime.

From there, it is all in regards to the physique of your Deck, which could be kitted out with virtually completely substitute plastic elements to your specification.

This will utterly change the look of your Deck, though the size and variety of buttons will not be changeable, because the Steam Deck already has rear buttons and a variety of enter varieties.

Which means this is not a complete conversion like the custom PS5 controller I have been utilizing from Mega Modz, however somewhat only a change of shell, damaged down into a complete heap of sections.

This mainly breaks down into two massive choices – the principle physique of the Steam Deck, after which all of the buttons, triggers and different little bits. If you wish to hold your prices down you may change your physique for as little as $40 to get an excellent impact and go away it at that.

I went additional, after all, tweaking the entire buttons and extras to match, and located myself choosing a traditional semi-transparent purple to match the Recreation Boy Colour I acquired for Christmas that was my pleasure and pleasure as a child.

The excellent news is that similar to its controllers, Mega Modz has a simple and clean interface for constructing your actual Steam Deck as you prefer it, and features a working whole to allow you to see how your selections are impacting its value, which is a extremely essential function.

A lot alternative

The number of finishes out there to select from on Mega Modz’s website is fairly exemplary, with a bunch of metallic choices, and a variety of very in-vogue clear ones, too, like mine.

Just about the one part you may’t colour-match together with your alternative of physique is the analogue sticks – these are black and white and clearly by no means simple to switch, or I might think about they’d have been.

All the opposite buttons could be modified, although, from the face buttons to the menu and think about buttons, and even the dual trackpads, which you may need thought had been too techy for that form of swap.

All of them look nice and really feel equivalent to the inventory buttons and triggers when it comes to high quality and really feel, which is admittedly essential – you do not need to really feel like your design got here on the expense of precise efficiency.

In all probability the one main draw back to kitting out your Steam Deck with all these customized button finishes, although, is that every part provides someplace from $4 to $7 on common to your whole value.

That does not sound like so much and, in isolation, it is clear that the pricing is pretty affordable for substitute elements, however it nonetheless implies that even a base Steam Deck with all these modifications will are available at greater than $100 greater than you first began out at.

So, if funds is a key concern, you are higher off going to Valve immediately and maybe discovering some skins you can apply to your Steam Deck from the likes of dbrand – this would be the most cost-effective solution to customise issues.

Should you’re much less apprehensive about sticking to a good funds, although, a pores and skin cannot actually match the attractive transparency I have been taking part in with, and there are any variety of different choices and combos that you would give you.

Must you purchase it?

Now that it is now not too onerous to pay money for, the Steam Deck could be discovered extra affordably by means of Valve, particularly should you go refurbished, however that is not likely the purpose of what Mega Modz affords. It permits you to construct the Steam Deck of your desires (inside purpose) – and my internal six yr previous is thrilled about that.

With a great deal of finishes and elements to select from, whereas your machine will not find yourself any extra highly effective, it’s going to stand out massively and broadcast your character far more, making this a strong alternative in order for you a customized Deck.