Steam Deck isn’t officially available here, but you can still get one by importing it or buying it from someone. A quick look at Shopee shows the cheapest 64GB Steam Deck costs RM5999, while the 256GB version costs RM1000 more. You might be tempted to buy the cheapest model and then install a larger SSD by yourself. Read on why you probably shouldn’t.
A modder, Belly Jelly, discovered that that a bigger capacity M.2 2242 SSD can be installed on the device, although he adds that doing so may interfere with the internal heat spreader. Belly Jelly states that despite this, the handheld was functional following the upgrade, allowing it to achieve an average write speed of 406 MB/s.
Well, that doesn’t seem so complicated and harmless, does it? Actually, no. As you can see, Valve’s hardware designer intervenes to explain why you shouldn’t do this.
Belly Jelly agrees with what the designer is saying and advises people to only do so if they understand and accept the risk of damaging and shortening the lifespan of their Steam Deck.
You can do it and it might work out great if you’re ready to take a chance with an expensive system. However, since Steam Deck isn’t formally sold here, it can be difficult to locate a repairman or the tools needed for the job. So ask yourself, should I fork out more money for the larger storage or should I risk it and do it myself?
