Ever because the Steam Deck got here out, the standard handheld gaming PC has been going by a renaissance of kinds. As a result of whereas these fun-shaped PCs have been round for a whereas, being made by the likes of Ayaneo and GPD, they’ve now hit the mainstream. I’ve reviewed a lot of these new “mainstream” gaming handhelds, and whereas they’re all various ranges of good, they’re nonetheless not all the identical – particularly when it comes to opening them up and upgrading the storage.
Just about each handheld gaming PC will allow you to slot in a microSD card to develop your storage, however if you would like to improve to a quicker, extra capacious SSD, you’re going to have to pop the hand-held open and swap out the drive. I wouldn’t advocate this to everybody, particularly in the event you get queasy on the prospect of tinkering along with your electronics, however many of these handhelds make it fairly straightforward to improve.
So I did what any sane particular person would on this state of affairs, I took all of the handhelds in my lab and opened them up, so I may see how straightforward (or troublesome) they’d be to improve. And whereas all of these gadgets do allow you to swap out your storage, some of them make it fairly a bit tougher than it wants to be.
A Phrase of Warning
This isn’t meant to be a step-by-step information on how to improve the storage on each handheld. That will make this text extraordinarily lengthy, and I’d urge you to search for teardown guides in the event you want any steering on any of these particular handhelds. Simply remember that there’s no disgrace in not being cozy with tinkering along with your gadgets.
Should you’re going to do any of this your self, there are a couple of floor guidelines of kinds you want to bear in mind. The primary of which is to attempt to work in a static-free surroundings. Should you dwell in a extra arid space, it received’t harm to put on an antistatic wrist band. I fortunately dwell in New York, so this isn’t one thing I sometimes want to fear about, however I’d positively urge you to lean on the facet of warning.
You also needs to goal to disconnect the battery from the motherboard everytime you’re doing any variety of work on a handheld gaming PC – this additionally goes for any digital, to be honest. You don’t need to threat surprising your self since you did one thing flawed.
Lastly, preserve your house organized. There’s nothing worse than going to reassemble a system, solely to overlook which screw goes the place. These handhelds are comparatively easy when it comes to the completely different screws that you’ve got to cope with, however they will completely get misplaced in the event you don’t preserve monitor of them.
MSI Claw 8 AI+
I haven’t received a likelihood to really sit down and evaluate the MSI Claw 8 AI+ but, regardless of it popping out greater than six months in the past. However I have spent a lot of time with it, and it’s a nice little system, even when the software program is extremely dangerous. Nonetheless, there’s one factor it does higher than another handheld I’ve used: its serviceability.
All you want to do to get into the MSI Claw 8 is take out the screws on the again of the system, pry off the again and the SSD is instantly accessible. You don’t have to transfer any cables out of the way in which or take out any screws. Simply unscrew the M.2 retention screw, pull out the drive and exchange it.
Like a lot of handhelds, although, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ makes use of an M.2 2230 drive. These are tiny little drives that slot in smaller areas. They’re doubtlessly a little slower than their larger 2280 counterparts, however not sufficient that it issues for most individuals.
Asus ROG Ally X and Xbox Ally X
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X
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I’m a big fan of each the unique Asus ROG Ally X and its successor, the Xbox Ally X. Regardless of their smaller screens, they’re simply so cozy to really use. However whereas these two consoles look fairly distinct from one another on the skin – largely owing to the Xbox Ally X’s bizarre controller protrusions – they’ve a lot in widespread.
For the Ally X, you simply have to take away six screws alongside the again of the system, three of that are captive, which suggests they received’t come all the way in which out. Then, you simply pry the again open to get inside. The Xbox Ally X is essentially comparable, with 5 screws on the again, and three extra alongside the underside of the system. As soon as these are eliminated you possibly can take away the again of the hand-held.
On each of these consoles, although, there’s a tiny ribbon cable that runs from the motherboard to the again panel, presumably to energy the rear paddle buttons. Watch out you don’t simply yank the again of the console off, as a result of it’s very doable you’ll rip one of these cables – I for positive nearly did.
As soon as the again is eliminated, although, you’ll give you the option to see the full-sized 2280 SSD proper in entrance of the battery. Simply watch out right here, the battery cable runs fairly tight above the SSD, and the precise battery connector on the motherboard could be very fragile. You’re going to need to take care not to snap something whenever you’re disconnecting it.
Fortunately, as soon as the battery is disconnected, it’s tremendous straightforward to take away the M.2 retention screw, pull out the SSD and exchange it. And, as a result of it’s a 2280 drive, just about something you discover on Amazon will do the job.
Lenovo Legion Go
Lenovo Legion Go
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The Lenovo Legion Go is a Steam Deck different that runs Home windows 11 and has a big QHD show. What’s not to love?
At first, it appeared just like the Lenovo Legion Go would have been one of the simplest handhelds to open up and improve. In any case, the detachable controllers make eradicating the again panel extraordinarily straightforward, with out worrying about shoving thumbsticks into the desk.
Nonetheless, after you take away the six screws on the again and take away the panel, you’ll see how a lot of a ache the Legion Go actually is. Trying extra like a conventional laptop computer than most of the opposite handhelds right here, you’ll see what’s basically a sticker masking the battery and SSD. To exchange the drive, the sticker wants to be pulled again a bit, so as to reveal the wires between the drive and the battery. Then, when you’ve disconnected the battery, you may get on the 2230 M.2 SSD.
Nonetheless, the SSD is roofed on this bizarre mylar tape, probably to defend the electronics on the SSD from the tape that was simply eliminated. I don’t know the way obligatory it’s, however I’d take that mylar tape from the unique drive and wrap it across the substitute drive, simply in case.
Lenovo Legion Go 2
Lenovo Legion Go 2
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The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is a Steam Deck different that runs Home windows 11 and has a big OLED show. What’s not to love?
The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is just about higher than the unique in each method. Higher show, higher controllers, however it’s so a lot tougher to get into.
Not solely are there two additional screws underneath the stand, however as soon as I received inside, I noticed the drive instantly – it was simply sitting between the CPU fan and the battery meeting. However seeing is simply half of the battle right here.
First, I had to take out two screws on both facet of the fan, after which pull out the entire battery – which is big, thoughts you. As soon as the battery is out of the way in which, there’s one other screw on the underside proper of the fan meeting that’s securing it to the board. As soon as that’s eliminated, you might have to tenderly take away the heatsink, which is hooked up by way of thermal pads to the SSD, RAM modules and the cooling system itself.
Lastly, I received to the SSD. The Legion Go 2 does include a 2245 drive, but it surely at the very least has house for a full-sized 2280 drive, you’ll simply have to transfer the adapter over a little. That’s a small win, but it surely comes together with a handheld that you’ve got to nearly utterly tear down to improve the SSD. However, hey, at the very least Lenovo remains to be letting you improve it.
Steam Deck
Valve Steam Deck OLED
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Operating on Steam OS, this handheld affords a seven-inch show and beefy internals prepared to tackle video games optimized for it.
Handheld gaming PCs would in all probability nonetheless be area of interest if not for the Steam Deck, so credit score the place it’s due, however Valve’s handheld is one of the toughest ones to crack open and exchange the drive. Valve even went out of its method to attempt to warn folks that opening it might make the Steam Deck extra fragile, in a teardown it did with The Verge. However I did it anyway.
Getting the Steam Deck itself open isn’t onerous – simply take out the screws across the exterior and take away the again panel. However as soon as that’s out of the way in which, it’s not instantly clear the place the SSD is. Seems, it’s hiding beneath this silver steel bracket proper subsequent to the battery and fan. After eradicating it by way of three small screws, one of which is hidden beneath silver tape for some cause, I was in a position to take away this little defend.
As soon as that’s out of the way in which, the little 2230 drive is correct there, and similar to the unique Legion Go, the drive is wrapped in mylar tape, however this time it looks as if it’s to cease it from shorting in opposition to the steel plate that’s positioned over it. I’m not totally positive that’s obligatory, however I’d preserve it wrapped up round any new SSD you toss in your Steam Deck both method – it may possibly’t harm.
Lenovo Legion Go S
The Lenovo Legion Go S might be my favourite handheld, significantly the one which comes with SteamOS put in. It simply has such a stunning design, and it feels so good within the hand. Sadly it’s a ache within the ass to really open it up.
I stared on the Legion Go S for a good couple of minutes, noting that it solely has three screws instantly seen on the chassis, and determined to search for a information. Fortunately, this teardown video from WinDeck Tech was extraordinarily useful.
After eradicating the three screws on the underside of the system, I had to pry off the little strip of plastic that runs alongside the buttons on the highest. Then, there are three extra screws underneath that. However that’s not all, as a result of after these screws are gone, you might have to pry the left and proper bumper out of their slot to entry two extra screws underneath these. Simply remember that these are captive screws, and received’t come out.
As soon as these final two screws are loosened, I began prying it aside, however similar to WinDeck Tech defined in his video, the captive screws across the triggers did get caught a couple occasions, so I had to gingerly work my method round them, till I finally received the factor aside.
Fortunately, as soon as I labored my method into the system, the SSD is sitting proper within the open, proper beneath the CPU fan. You simply have to take away the facility cable, which can also be very straightforward, and also you’re good to exchange the 2245 SSD the hand-held comes with. Fortunately, just like the Legion Go 2, this handheld is suitable with a full-sized 2280 drive. So at the very least it has that going for it.
Jackie Thomas is the {Hardware} and Shopping for Guides Editor at IGN and the PC parts queen. You’ll be able to comply with her @Jackiecobra