SomeSteam Deckowners are having a really hard time with their custom vinyl skins. Valve’s remarkably customizable handheld gaming PC has been a prime platform for all sorts of aftermarket additions, with vinyl covers often being the go-to option for their relatively easy application and design variety. These customizations aren’t perfect, however.
From the very start, the buddingSteam Deckcommunity has promoted all manner of vinyl customizations, allowing users to make their particular device look just the way they want it to. Since some vinyl application relies on heat to activate the glue, however, getting these stickers off isn’t always easy or simple, as some have recently discovered.
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Having made its way onto many lists of2022’s best gaming hardware, the Steam Deck quickly carved a niche for itself in gaming communities worldwide. It didn’t take long for a network of customization providers to appear, either, though it would seem that the quality of these customizations varies by a fair margin. Namely, there have been a number of posts on the Steam Deck subreddit highlighting users' attempts to peel away the vinyl they had previously applied with mixed levels of success.
Users rkatz94 and ZoteTheMitey have shared their experience with removing vinyl stickers, which left their Decks covered in glue residue that won’t easily come off. The issue, it would appear, is that some companies supplying these skins have relied on subpar vinyl. WhileDbrand has had problems with Steam Deck gearin the past, the company’s comparatively expensive customizations use quality 3M vinyl which applies easily and comes off without leaving a trace on the device itself.
Whileofficial Steam Deck repair centers exist, it goes without saying that they’re highly unlikely to tackle cosmetic problems such as the ones featured above. Instead, users attempting to peel their old vinyl off will also need to find a way to get the remaining residue off. One of the community’s proposed solutions to this problem is to apply hand sanitizer and/or medical-grade alcohol, though the cleanup is still not going to be easy.
Those who’d prefer not to fiddle around with vinyl stickers have plenty of options to choose from, too. In fact, the first propertransparent shell replacement for the Steam Deckwas recently made available, with creator JSAUX already shipping it to some early adopters. While its quality remains to be seen, vinyl’s problematic sticky residue shouldn’t be an issue, at the very least.
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