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New regulation passed by the European Union decrees that all electronic devices will need to include user-replaceable batteries by 2027.
This means that some of the best handheld game consoles, such as the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, will need to incorporate batteries that can be easily replaced in order to reduce e-waste. The decision of the European Parliament states that in the next four years all equipment within the EU will be subject to this regulation.
The document states that batteries in devices will need to be “easily removable and replaceable by the end-user at any time during the lifetime of the product” and that: “A portable battery shall be designed to be easily removable by the end-user.” Where it can be removed from a product using commercially available tools, without the need for the use of special tools, unless provided free of charge with the product” (via Overkill) .
This means that other handhelds like the Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam Deck successor, the Asus ROG Ellie and the Ayanio Air Plus Sequel systems will have batteries that can be easily replaced.
Over the past decade or so, batteries have become increasingly difficult to replace without expert knowledge and the right tools. We’ve seen smartphones already offer batteries that can be swapped out in specialized lithium-ion packs that are nearly impossible to replace. Now, all this may change.
As impressive as today’s battery technology is, the chemical processes are still the same. Every time you charge your handheld, the battery condition gradually gets worse. You will notice that you have to charge your device in short intervals before keeping it plugged in. Now, within the next four years, you’ll be able to replace your device’s battery with a minimum of fuss.
It remains to be seen how this new law will be implemented and how it will change the design philosophy of handheld gaming consoles and other devices in the future. At a time when technology is getting sleeker and smaller, this new decision will mean accommodating the end user. It’s likely that hardware makers like Valve and Nintendo will also sell their own battery packs, providing a way to permanently recycle expired batteries in a sort of exchange scheme.
Only time will tell how this is handled with new hardware going forward, though, so this seems like an all-round pro-consumer move for gamers. Being able to replace batteries quickly and easily will mean less reason to abandon an otherwise out-of-action handheld game console or portable PC, and that can only be a good thing.
See our definitive ranking of best pc games to play on the steam deck or best nintendo switch games If you like to play on console. we’re also rounding up best sd card for switch Too.
