Steam Deck OLED Limited Edition Owners Report Random Cracks, Likely Due to Overtightened Screws

Owners of Valve’s Steam Deck OLED ‘Limited Edition’ are reporting random cracks beginning to form on their handheld. Over the past couple of weeks, more and more users have flocked to Reddit to recount their experiences.

Following the Steam Deck OLED Limited Edition’s release on November 16, 2023, users are now experiencing minor cosmetic issues. Some users report the $859 CAD device (which is now out of stock) has begun to form cracks across its transparent chassis. For many, these cracks are seemingly random and not a result of a drop of other damage.

” The plastic shell next to the vent cracked and now the section near the SD card slot is wobbly,” user Splarabar said in their thread on the Steam Deck Subreddit. The user continues to clarify that they’ve never dropped the device. In another thread, user MrFontana describes a similar issue. “I have no idea how but there’s a crack in my limited edition steam deck case and it hurts me physically,” the user said.

In both cases, responses began to pour in. Many agree that the random damage is likely due to overtightened screws. Other users who experienced the same issue also report cracks forming around the screws. Pair the overtightened screws with the translucent shell material and it’s seemingly a cause for damage in many cases.

In the case of MrFontana, after receiving many responses, they reached out to Valve regarding the issue. “I responded to them and explained that I went on Reddit and gave them this thread as well as [the] Dependent-Zebra-4357 image they attached. ” The user then states that Valve issued a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) immediately. It appears as though the company will provide a new backplate for the device.

Steam Deck OLED is a nominal upgrade from the base model. It features a 7.4-inch OLED display, with 1280 x 800 HDR support. The OLED model also starts with a 512GB NVMe SSD. However, there is also a 1TB NVMe SSD option. The Limited Edition model provided a transparent case instead of the solid black design.