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A modding shop called SlickBuys Mods and Repairs has recently demonstrated the first successful upgrade of a Steam Deck OLED from its stock 16 GB RAM to 32 GB. The announcement has generated significant buzz in gaming and hardware media — but so has the complexity, risk, and cost involved.
They can also upgrade standard LCD versions too, not just the OLED model!
The mod involves physically removing the original RAM chips soldered onto the Steam Deck OLED’s motherboard, and replacing them with higher-density LPDDR5 modules to double capacity from 16 GB → 32 GB.
It also requires modifying the BIOS/firmware: de-soldering the BIOS chip, dumping its contents, editing it so the system will recognise the new RAM, and installing a firmware “block” to prevent future updates from overwriting the modifications.
The teardown, soldering, cleaning, reassembly, and testing are non-trivial tasks. The process demands high precision and skill.
Here’s how the numbers stack up, based on what’s known so far:
We discussed with SlickBuys, with the Steam Deck OLED 32 GB RAM Upgrade Service priced at around US$200.
Prices do vary based on various factors, with Slick noting:
"My prices vary customer to customer depending on all sorts of factors (location, parts inclusion, deals, history with customer, etc.)"
Thus, customers should expect somewhere in the region of US$220+ for the fully done mod (parts + labour + shipping).
If shipping internationally, import taxes or shipping costs could add significant extra.
For Non-US customers, there is also the option of sending in just the motherboard to keep shiping costs and risks down.
There are multiple media outlets reporting on this mod:
PCGamesN highlighted that while US$110 is the cost of the RAM module alone, the real price “will cost you more” when factoring labour, risk, and logistical overhead.
TweakTown emphasised that the mod involves fiddly soldering and BIOS work, and warned that it “really isn’t for the faint-hearted.”
GamesRadar noted that after “two years of being asked nearly every day for Steam Deck OLED 32 GB RAM upgrades,” SlickBuys finally cracked it — but again stressed the difficulty and risk.
Tech4Gamers was among the first to report the mod, noting that the upgrade has been demonstrated and that it looks successful. But they also point out the caveats (firmware/BIOS, risk, etc.).
In more community-level feedback:
On SlickBuys’ eBay profile, their seller rating is very good (≈ 97-98 %) for items and services, including the RAM upgrade listing. That gives some confidence in their track record.
Some forum and social media commentary expresses admiration for the technical feat but caution over long-term reliability. (E.g. concerns about firmware blocking, potential failures, heat / power usage.) These are not always yet grounded in long-term data, since the mod is very new.
While SlickBuys’ work is impressive, several issues are worth bearing in mind:
Firmware / Software Updates
The mod requires blocking future firmware updates (or re-editing BIOS) so that updates don’t reset the RAM recognition back to stock 16 GB. This means future fixes, optimisations, or security patches from Valve or SteamOS may be unavailable or difficult to install without undoing the mod.
Technical Risk
The process involves high-risk operations: desoldering, working at high temperatures (approx 130-150 °C for board, hot air ~350 °C for module removal in some cases) and manipulating BIOS/firmware chips. Any mistake could permanently damage the device.
Performance Gains vs Marginal Returns
While more RAM can help with multitasking, modded or emulated titles, or future games that need more memory, for many current Steam Deck users, the difference may be modest. The remainder of the system (CPU/GPU/thermal limitations) may become the bottleneck.
Heat, Power, Stability
There could be side-effects: slightly more power draw, perhaps more heat, potentially less stable behaviour if the added RAM module is not perfectly matched or if tolerances are pushed. Long-term reliability is still unknown.
Cost and Availability
Not everyone is willing or able to pay US$220+ plus potential shipping/import. Also, availability of high-density RAM modules was a limiting factor until recently. SlickBuys itself indicated the mod was only possible once the right chips were procurable.
This kind of mod likely makes sense for:
Enthusiasts who use their Steam Deck for more than typical gaming: emulation, development, heavy multitasking, Linux workflows, streaming, etc.
Users who already feel their device runs into memory bottlenecks (e.g. stuttering, frame drops attributed to hitting RAM limits).
People who are okay with surrendering future firmware updates, or who are confident in modded firmware / BIOS work.
Those who can afford the cost + risk, and value performance over warranty or guaranteed long-term official support.
It’s probably less appealing for casual users who just want “games to run” and aren’t pushing the hardware close to its limits or modifying BIOS.
This isn’t just about a single mod: it shows that the hardware limitations of the Steam Deck OLED are more mutable than Valve originally designed. That may raise questions about what else could be modded or upgraded.
It also intensifies competition in the handheld PC space. If Steam Decks can be modded thus, users might be less inclined to jump ship to newer handhelds purely because of RAM specs.
On the flip side, it pressures manufacturers to design more modular or upgrade-friendly devices (or offer higher RAM versions) if giving consumers what they want becomes economically viable.
SlickBuys Mods and Repairs has pulled off a technical milestone: upgrading a Steam Deck OLED to 32 GB of RAM, complete with BIOS modifications. It’s an impressive feat, especially given that the RAM is soldered down and firmware isn’t designed for easy swapping.
But it comes with caveats: cost, risk, warranty / firmware issues, and uncertain long-term effects. For power users, this may be a worthwhile upgrade. For most owners, the decision will come down to how much value they place on performance vs how much risk and expense they are willing to accept.
Memory intensive games will for sure see a benifit of this upgrade with less stuttering and smoother frame rates, one for our Christmas list we think!
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