Steam Deck Mod Transforms Handheld Into A Sleek Modern Game Boy
The "SteamBoy" mod can double as a pseudo Steam Controller. Image: u/PhyFawkes on Reddit
An impressive Steam Deck Game Boy mod, appropriately dubbed the Steam Boy, is ablaze across the r/SteamDeckModded subreddit and tech press this week. The idea for this mod stems from the realization that the small size of Steam Deck's motherboard should make it possible to resize into a Game Boy form factor, and it certainly looks close. The new screen is still a 90Hz OLED, but at a crisp 1200x1080 resolution. With undervolting, Reddit user u/PhyFawkes even managed to keep temps below 80C with a single 30mm fan.
One of the most impressive aspects of the mod is how multi-functional it is. Besides the handheld gameplay you'd expect from a Game Boy or a Steam Deck, the form factor still allows for full input and data transfer over USB-C. Since touch, analog, and D-Pad input have all been kept, it could work remarkably well for certain 3D and mouse-centric games. The lack of bumpers and triggers might be tricky, though I can't fault u/PhyFawkes for omitting those. The form factor was clearly the priority here, and that pays off with a glance.
Internals of the Steam Boy. Image: u/PhyFawkes on Reddit
All told, the Steam Boy is definitely an impressive piece of engineering. While it may seem like a radical idea, there is precedent for modding projects predicated on chopping down a motherboard, which is how we get all those console handheld mods, like the gorgeous WiiBoy Color or whatever this Xbox monstrosity is called. That u/PhyFawkes managed to pull this off and then cool it reasonably with a single 30mm fan should earn him some serious bragging rights across PC and modding communities.
Until then, he's still posting to the r/SteamDeckModded subreddit, and actually posted a full teardown of the SteamBoy recently. For a deep, technical look at what makes projects like this possible, I highly recommend giving it a look. Otherwise, stay tuned to HotHardware for more PC hardware news and sick mods like this.
