Valve’s Steam Deck has been a breakthrough for PC gaming, offering handheld gaming power in a compact package. But for many PC enthusiasts, the ability to pick and assemble each component is a major part of the fun. That’s precisely what one DIY modder, Beth Le, set out to do with her “Beth Deck”, a custom-made handheld gaming device combining Framework Laptop parts with 3D-printed ingenuity.
Beth’s project, shared on Printables and spotted by Liliputing, is a testament to DIY creativity. Her design uses a Framework Laptop motherboard (in both Intel and AMD varieties), the laptop’s battery, and an 8-inch 1280×800 LCD touchscreen. Add in a 3D-printed shell, a few components from an Android controller, and some adapters, and you have a system with a strong performance edge over the Steam Deck. The Beth Deck even includes options for RAM, SSD, and operating system selection, allowing users to customize the device to their preferences.
Despite a few minor issues like a temperamental joystick and an easily displaced power button, the Beth Deck has garnered attention from the Printables community. As part of a Framework design competition, Beth plans to address some of the design’s quirks with a future update that will include a custom PCB to make the device lighter and more streamlined. While it’s not quite a replacement for a commercial handheld, the Beth Deck proves that for PC builders, innovation can be every bit as exciting as gameplay.
