The Steam Frame teardown published by iFixit finds plenty to like about Valve’s VR headset, alongside two awkward repairs: its glued battery and deeply buried cooling fan. The September 23 teardown praises the detachable headband and accessible optical modules. However, repair access does not guarantee replacement parts will be available.
One disclosure matters here: iFixit partners with Valve to supply parts, tools and repair guides. It says Valve had no editorial input and did not review the teardown before publication. Also, iFixit has not assigned the Frame a numerical repairability score. The 7/10 mentioned in its introduction belongs to the original Steam Deck.
What comes apart cleanly
The optical and compute section detaches from the headband, which houses the battery, speakers and replaceable foams. This lets a technician work on the rear battery without handling the whole headset. The face and headrest cushions come off, and the nose bridge is independently replaceable.
The lens stacks attach magnetically to the interpupillary-distance rail. However, reaching them requires screws, and freeing the cables adhered behind the LCD takes patience. This is a serviceable assembly, rather than a tool-free display swap. An external microSD slot also allows storage expansion without opening the headset: iFixit lists 256GB and 1TB models, with support for up to 2TB on a card.
The glued battery and buried fan
The curved, two-cell lithium-polymer battery is rated at 20.9 Wh. Although the headband separates, adhesive still holds the pack in place. iFixit found no dedicated adhesive-release system. Its team used isopropyl alcohol and careful prying during the teardown, illustrating why access and easy removal are different things.
The fan is the Frame’s clearest missed opportunity.
iFixit
The fan sits deeper inside, beyond the optical assemblies and dense internal hardware. Reaching it disturbs other components, making maintenance more involved than a routine fan swap should be. iFixit’s video documents its teardown below.
What owners should know about replacement parts
The controllers use replaceable AA batteries and magnetic TMR thumbstick sensors. Those sensors avoid the sliding electrical contacts responsible for one common source of potentiometer wear. Still, that does not make the entire joystick drift-proof. Each stick is soldered to its board, so replacement requires soldering.
Parts supply remains a separate limitation. In its September teardown, iFixit said batteries would not be included when its parts offering launched, and displays would not be offered immediately either. Its expectation of community-made battery packs is a prediction, not an announced product. A repairable layout is useful, but owners still need compatible parts and a practical replacement procedure.
