This Modder Turned Their iPad Into A Steam Deck - Here's How

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PC gaming handhelds are popular these days due to their combination of performance and portability. You can play anything from your favorite indie to graphically demanding AAA titles, and you don't need a hulking PC to do it. Sure, you have to compromise on graphics quality to achieve a playable framerate, but the fact that you can do advanced tuning makes these handhelds far more powerful than traditional handhelds made by the likes of Sony and Nintendo.

While gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck are technically portable, especially with these 5 Steam Deck accessories under $50, they may still be too big and heavy for some users to play comfortably. But if you have the know-how, the money, and zero care about possibly bricking your Steam Deck, there is a way to make Valve's PC gaming handheld even more portable. The SteamPad is a modded version of the Steam Deck that does away with the console's display in favor of an iPad. It may not be practical for most Steam Deck users, but shrinking the Steam Deck has its advantages. 

You might be wondering why anyone would want a SteamPad. The Steam Deck is already designed for portability, and the contoured grips make the console ergonomic. Additionally, if you want a PC gaming handheld that's just a display, then you can get something like the Lenovo Legion Go. This PC gaming handheld has detachable controllers like the Switch 2. The Lenovo Legion Go is bigger than the Steam Deck, but at least you don't have to mod it to make it more portable. 

According to the creator of the SteamPad, Rare_Risk_6717, the reason for doing this was to carry fewer items while traveling. The creator previously had found a way to use the iPad as an external monitor for the Steam Deck. It worked great, but it proved too tedious to carry both items, plus a controller and other accessories. So after finding the Steam Brick mod, which turned the Steam Deck into a headless console, he went about creating the SteamPad. The best part of doing this, according to the creator, is being able to pair the AirPods directly to the iPad because there's very little lag.

If using the Steam Deck is comfortable and you don't mind the weight, there's no reason to mod your console to turn it into a SteamPad. Steam Deck OLED users especially won't want to do this, as the console offers one of the best gaming displays with a less than 1 millisecond response time that puts other handhelds to shame — it's the one huge feature the Nintendo Switch 2 will never have. However, if your tech bag is bulging every time you travel, this may be a worthwhile mod.

The creator of the SteamPad didn't provide a detailed guide on the project. The original post on Reddit is all we have to go by, and while we lack the step-by-step process, we do know what this project requires. 

To start with, you'll need a Steam Deck. Any Steam Deck will do, really, but we recommend a used or for-parts-only console that you wouldn't mind bricking — you probably won't brick it, but there's always a possibility with a mod like this, so it's best to be cautious. You'll also need an iPad to act as the display. To output a signal to the iPad, you'll need this capture card cable from UGREEN, which is the exact one the SteamPad creator used. If you're planning on using wireless earbuds, getting a pair of AirPods can't hurt. The SteamPad creator didn't mention which specific model of AirPods he used, so any pair should do, though we recommend recent AirPods to take advantage of the latest features, like Live Translation — here's how to use AirPods Live Translation. 

Finally, you'll need the 3D-printed case made specifically for the SteamPad. The case was created by Reddit user darkmaou in collaboration with the SteamPad creator. You can find the project over on Maker World. For more information on how to go about completing this project, it's best to reach out to the SteamPad creator.