431
New handheld game consoles will need replaceable batteries from 2027, EU says
(www.eurogamer.net)
this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2023
431 points (99.3% liked)
Steam Deck
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Steam deck already supports this
Phones used to have replaceable batteries until they didn't. And they still won't in the next couple of years, until the law is in effect.
Game consoles could go the same way, but this law can prevent it.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=4T0RZ6ustKQ&feature=share8
ifixit: "Battery replacements definitely seem to be the steam deck's achilles heel"
Easy to open yes, but still very challenging to replace the battery. Doesn't seem to comply to the new rules to me.
Here is an alternative Piped link(s): https://piped.video/watch?v=4T0RZ6ustKQ&feature=share8
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I read it differently:
I take specialized tool to mean for example, a screw than you can’t find a driver for at a hardware store. Since all you need to replace the battery are some Phillips heads and a blow dryer or heat gun, it seems fully possible for a consumer to replace the battery using commercially available tools. Difficult sure, but should comply as-is.
IMO the law is intended to reduce consumer electronic waste, making batteries that anyone from kids to grandparents can easily replace themselves. Currently the steam deck battery isn't all that difficult to replace for the tech savvy "brave" folks who happily open up their devices and see the internals, but for most people that's not good enough. I would never expect my 68 year old mother to replace it herself. IMO the aim is to make batteries replaceable like the PS5 SSD expansion capacity is. Just need a screwdriver and a few minutes, without every feeling like you might break something. Needing anything more than that and most people won't do it out of fear they'll break their device.
But only time will tell what actually happens.
Valve has switched the adhesive they use on the battery since launch. > “We have rolled in a change to the geometry of the adhesive, making the battery easier to loosen,” says Yang. Hopefully, that new shape should make it easier to pry. Source
The requirement is simply that the battery is removable with commercially available tools, or if specialized tools are needed to have them provided with the product. So the SD would already be compliant.
As much as I like my Steam Deck, replacing the battery is not as easy or clean as it should be because of the glue.
Yes I know there's a reason they glued it, and yes its good that it is "user replaceable" to some extent, but I hope this pushes for easier replacement in the future.
I would imagine that the battery cell manufacturers also play a role here, although I have absolutely no way to back this up so take it with a grain of salt. Because 99% of consumer mobile devices have glued in batteries, it is likely that Li-ion manufacturers have adjusted their supply chain to accommodate and make it less expensive for device makers to buy batteries that need to be glued. So it would be reasonable to assume if more companies need to switch to easily replaceable (read: not glued), the suppliers would shift to accommodate and stay competitive.
I mean, what is the difference behind removing the entire back with a few screws and removing a battery cover with a few screws? The Deck battery is user-replaceable. That said, I wouldn't mind a battery compartment and for the battery not to be held down with adhesive (not sure if the Deck battery is or not, but lots of devices using flat cell batteries do).
Steam deck battery is held with adhesive unfortunately. And replacing it is difficult according to ifixit https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Steam+Deck+Battery+Replacement/149070
I hope with this legislation it will be easier to replace.
That sucks. I replaced the batteries in my two Razer laptops recently (my 2016 was getting bloated and my 2021 battery randomly stopped charging...) and I will say it was easy enough to replace as the battery packs were held in with screws, not tape. Unscrew the screws holding the battery frame into the laptop, remove battery, insert new one, screw it down, put bottom panel back on. I don't mind screws, just no glue or tape please. Glue and tape suck for repairability.
Yes, I think the same. Screws is way better than glue and tampe.
It's pretty much the Achilles' heel of the Steamdeck's repairability.
I would rank the angry micro SD slot the Achilles heel, lol