Shade Technik
Gaming
Video & Cameras

DeckSight

A drop-in low power OLED display upgrade for LCD model Steam Decks

$72,587 raised

of $50,000 goal

145% Funded! Order Below

Available for pre-order.

$144 - $156

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Recent Updates

You'll be notified about news and stock updates for this project.

DeckSight is a 1080P AMOLED display panel that drops into an LCD model Valve Steam Deck with no major modifications. DeckSight surpasses the stock LCD in almost every specification, making your games look sharper, more colorful, and with perfect black levels.

This is currently the only way to get an OLED display into the LCD model Steam Decks. DeckSight was designed for people eyeing the newer OLED model Steam Decks. The LCD models are still quite capable gaming machines, and have other modding potential not yet realized on the OLED models. DeckSight can also save a reasonable amount of money over trading your LCD Steam Deck for an OLED model if the newest display technology is what you’re after.

There has been much talk amongst tech enthusiasts about how OLED panels use more power than LCDs. While that may be the case for some OLEDs, which we can’t speak for, DeckSight has been proven to use less power than the stock LCD that is supplied with the Steam Deck. You can find out more about it here in our power overview video, which demonstrates this in our power testing.

DeckSight Also uses one of the newest touch controllers from FocalTech, so the touch response should be better than the stock LCD.

Features & Specifications

Feature DeckSight Steam Deck LCD Steam Deck OLED DeckHD
Resolution 1920 x 1080 1280 x 800 1280 x 800 1920 x 1200
Display Tech AMOLED IPS LCD AMOLED IPS LCD
Brightness 800 nits 400 nits 1000/600 nits 400 nits
HDR Yes¹ No Yes No
Contrast Ratio >1,000,000:1 Unlisted >1,000,000:1 Unlisted
Refresh Rate 60Hz+ 60Hz 90Hz 60Hz
Surface Finish Matte/Gloss Matte/Gloss Matte/Gloss Matte

¹DeckSight is capable of HDR but not yet fully implemented, though it objectively appears to present as HDR currently

Support & Documentation

Manufacturing Plan

DeckSight starts as an "off the shelf" bare OLED panel with in-cell touch. The display panel manufacturer then creates the custom cover glass to Shade Technik’s specifications, size, coatings, etc. The custom molds for the coverglass and FPC have already been created as samples have been produced. The display manufacturer ships the panels to Shade Technik where they are programmed with values that work in the Steam Deck using a specially designed development/programming jig.

If DeckSight reaches a certain minimum order quantity (higher than the campaign’s minimum funding goal), the panels will switch from an "off the shelf" base panel to a fully custom manufactured panel. In the current design (shown) the panel’s FPC connector does not line up with the hole in the mid frame of the Steam Deck, this is the reason for the shape of the included "display to motherboard" FPC cable. While this generally doesn’t add much extra effort to the installation process, the general redesign of the panel will be more convenient overall as the panel’s FPC connector will be placed in the same spot as the original LCD panel. Moving forward, all DeckSights will be produced in the way they exit the campaign.

After reprogramming and testing, DeckSight is boxed and shipped to Crowd Supply for fulfillment

Fulfillment & Logistics

After testing and packaging, we will send them to Crowd Supply’s fulfillment partner, Mouser Electronics, for worldwide distribution. Learn more about Crowd Supply’s fulfillment service under Ordering, Paying, and Shipping in their guide.

Risks & Challenges

Manufacturer Defects

Risk of this is fairly low. Samples have been produced quickly and without errors. Nevertheless if this is a major issue the arrangement is that they must replace manufacturer defects. There is only one outside manufacturer for DeckSight, so there is not a long chain of vendors to hold accountable.

CE/EU Regulations

DeckSight should have no issue passing CE as all high frequency emitters will be shielded and it only operates at a low voltage, low current. Nonetheless CE and EU regulations tend to be prohibitive to deal with for a product just starting out. It’s been decided that during the initial campaign DeckSight will not be available in EU regions. Once the demand is known and if positive, DeckSight will be made available with proper CE markings in those regions

Valve updates Steam Deck BIOS

DeckSight requires a custom BIOS. We have already created a working BIOS, which is how it’s been shown in a few of my YouTube videos. This is built from the latest version Valve has released. We can create this BIOS from older versions as well. While Valve hasn’t released a newer BIOS version for the LCD model in some time, it’s possible that they will. In that event DeckSight will no longer work until the BIOS has been reflashed. There are methods to lock the BIOS and stop it from being automatically updated, and even if the BIOS has been updated to a newer version automatically it can always still be flashed back to the DeckSight BIOS. Shade Technik will build a DeckSight BIOS for any newer version Valve releases. As a backup plan, Shade Technik will make the DeckSight BIOS patcher tools publicly available so anyone with the knowledge can build one as well. The executable BIOS file won’t require anyone to build it, just flash it with the programs included in every Steam Deck with Steam OS.

In the Press

Steam Deck HQ

"The specs for the screen make it sound like a very appealing upgrade..."

PCBWay Community Blog

"DeckSight offers higher clarity, richer colors, and outstanding performance in black, surpassing standard LCD screens in nearly every aspect."

Hackster News

"[N]ow you can get longer gameplay sessions and better visuals thanks to the DeckSight drop-in OLED replacement screen."

Notebookcheck

"This OLED screen upgrade is currently the only one available to LCD Deck users..."

Ask a Question

Produced by Shade Technik in Easton, PA.

Sold and shipped by Crowd Supply.

DeckSight with Anti-glare Screen

OLED Matte screen upgrade for Steam Deck. Comes with FPC cable and screen removal tool kit (2 plastic pry tools, 2 plastic picks, 1 small Phillips screwdriver, 1 suction cup)

$156 Free US Shipping / $12 Worldwide

DeckSight with Gloss Screen

OLED Gloss screen upgrade for Steam Deck. Comes with FPC cable and screen removal tool kit (2 plastic pry tools, 2 plastic picks, 1 small Phillips screwdriver, 1 suction cup)

$144 Free US Shipping / $12 Worldwide

About the Team

Shade Technik

 ·   · 

We specialize in industrial design, machine control, and consumer electronics.

Shade Technik
 shadetechnik

See Also

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