> Furthermore, please be aware that opening the outside enclosure of your Steam hardware will void a warranty you may otherwise enjoy (https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=4577-TUJ...).
I'd say that significantly diminishes the good will statements like "you have every right to open up your Steam Deck and do what you want with it." buys them though.
Allowing you to make the choice between hacking or not seems like perfectly good will to me. You can't have your cake and eat it too, as they say.
I don't expect a warranty from that, but I very much do expect a warranty if I crack it open and don't break something while messing around.
Thankfully the actual warranty doesn't say it's voided by opening.
Some of the exclusions on there are worrying, though. Improper cleaning? Refurbs have no warranty? "Commercial use" is much too vague.
So yes, opening it up and improperly cleaning it (for example, you take a q-tip with rubbing alcohol to clean off some gunk and accidentally dislodge a capacitor) could void your warranty.
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[0] https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2018/04/ftc-s...
My complaint is that the warranty page only talks about whether you caused the damage for the clause about opening it up or making modifications. The clause about warranty loss for cleaning "in any manner other than as specified in the Hardware manual" is unconditional.
But when the put a screw back too tight, which then a year later cracks the plastic support its screwed into, falls out, and shorts some terminals on the voltage regulator, and the whole thing goes up in smoke...
I’m sure that if people opening their devices, breaking them, and expecting warranty to cover it is such a big problem, then there is enough financial incentive to find an actual solution.
> you have every right to open up your Steam Deck and do what you want with it.
We already have this right for things we own, on exactly the same terms, which is it voids warranty.
https://www.ifixit.com/News/11748/warranty-stickers-are-ille...
"Any damage you do will not be covered by your warranty – but more importantly, you might break your Steam Deck, or even get hurt!"