YouTuber Transforms Broken Steam Deck into a Capable $100 Mini Gaming PC

In a world where broken gadgets often end up discarded, YouTuber Eta Prime has taken a different approach, breathing new life into a damaged Steam Deck by repurposing it as a surprisingly capable $100 mini gaming PC.

The project began when Eta Prime acquired a 512GB Steam Deck with a cracked LCD screen and missing components. While the device seemed beyond repair, the motherboard and a few other internals were still functional. Rather than tossing the broken gadget, Eta Prime decided to transform it into a desktop gaming PC.

Using the intact motherboard as the foundation, Eta Prime mounted it onto a sheet of Plexiglas for stability. The original Steam Deck fan was attached to provide cooling, and a small aluminum heatsink was added to assist with temperature management. The motherboard’s USB-C port enabled video output, while the M.2 and microSD slots allowed for expandable storage. To power the device, a 65W charger with integrated HDMI and USB ports was used, providing both power and video output through a single cable.

After assembling the components, the moment of truth arrived. Eta Prime pressed the power button, and the device sprang to life, displaying the familiar Steam Deck interface on a connected monitor. There was one small challenge: BIOS updates required an attached battery, which the open-air setup lacked. However, Eta Prime found a workaround using a GitHub tool called SteamDeck-BIOS-Manager.

With everything operational, Eta Prime put the franken-PC to the test with some demanding games. The results were impressive: Cyberpunk 2077 ran at around 40fps at 900p with low settings and FSR Balanced enabled, while Forza Horizon 5 hit 70fps at the same resolution with medium settings.

Despite the exposed motherboard and makeshift setup, the performance was remarkable for a system cobbled together from Steam Deck remnants. Eta Prime plans to refine the build further by 3D-printing a custom case and improving the cooling system, proving that with a little creativity, even broken gadgets can find new life.