Lawrence Yang, one of the Valve developers working on Steam Deck, warned those who want to use this mode by making a statement on the article “You Can Install Larger M.2 Drivers with Steam Deck Mode” published on GameSpot .

“Hi, please don’t do that. The charging circuits are overheating, and their nearby thermal pads should also not be played. Also, most 2242 m.2 drives draw more power and get warmer than the Deck was designed for,” says Yang, adding that “this mode may seem to work, but it will significantly reduce the life of your Deck.”

Steam Deck officially only supports the smallest M.2 drive series, 2230.

However, in the news and other shared visuals, it is seen that larger models are also operated with Deck thanks to this mode. To do this, it is necessary to change the location of the thermal pads in the system, which Valve strongly opposes.

Valve is not involved in the modding of the device and its software, it has already collaborated with iFixit for additional parts etc., and offers CAD files for those who want to make their own 3D prints. But if one of Valve’s Deck employees opposes this mode for good reasons, I think there is a reason to consider.