Relating to transportable PC gaming, the Steam Deck is the best choice for a couple of causes. It has an important mixture of efficiency, battery life, and affordability. Plus, on the subject of the handheld-friendly interface and variety of video games obtainable, it is laborious to beat. Valve, the corporate that makes the Steam Deck, has invested extra in repairability than most producers by giving customers details about how you can preserve their units, and promoting spare elements by iFixit.
However if you wish to get much more out of your Steam Deck, you might have to show elsewhere. There is a gaggle of nice equipment and additions that may defend and improve your Deck, in addition to provide help to beat that remaining boss. Even for those who opted for the $400 entry-level model, there’s an entire ecosystem of fine details that may make your Steam Deck higher than ever. Because the Steam Deck remains to be a reasonably new gaming platform, that is removed from an exhaustive listing of all the pieces that works with it. However we’ll maintain our eyes peeled for extra equipment and modifications as they flip up.
Desk of Contents
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Docks
Whereas the Steam Deck is a conveyable gaming PC firstly, it can be used to recreation on a 4K TV or at a desktop setup with a keyboard and mouse. The best technique to leap to the large display screen is to attach your Deck to a dock. Moreover, for those who enter the desktop mode, you can use this gaming handheld as a Linux pc, prepared for internet searching in Firefox or no matter different boring stuff you’d usually use a pc for. Plus, since all these docks use the ever present USB-C normal to attach your Deck to its peripherals, you might plug in an iPad or laptop computer and get the identical performance.
Greatest General
The primary-party dock choice is a extremely nice one. Not solely is Valve’s Deck Dock compact, however it additionally features a second energy adapter you possibly can go away at your desk. Valve appears devoted to its {hardware}, issuing firmware updates periodically to make this dock steady and safe. Whereas many docks skimp on one port or one other, this has a ton of connectivity choices: Three USB ports, two display-out choices, and wired gigabit Ethernet. If I’ve to complain about something right here it is that the $80 worth is increased than most competing docks, however then once more, most of these are lacking a show port or do not embrace an additional energy brick.
Additionally Nice
This metallic base for this Steam Deck dock appears to be like slick and has loads of ports. Just like the Valve-made dock, this Jsaux choice presents three USB 3.2 ports and twin show choices, together with an Ethernet port. Regardless that Jsaux brags about its dock’s 100-watt charging capacity, you will not see elevated cost speeds, for the reason that Deck caps out at 45 watts it doesn’t matter what you plug into it. At round $50, you may lower your expenses over the plastic Valve choice and get a classy aluminum dock to adorn your desk.
Greatest Worth
Sabrent is understood for its USB equipment, and its Steam Deck dock does the trick at lower than half the worth of the Valve choice. In contrast to that dock, this has solely a single HDMI port however makes up for it by providing a USB-C output, for a complete of 4 USB ports. At $30, it is a excellent worth that does not really feel too low-cost or minimize corners an excessive amount of. Just like the Jsaux dock above, the max charging pace of the Deck is 45 watts, so ignore the marketed cost score of 95 watts right here.
Bluetooth Controllers
Should you’re utilizing the Steam Deck with a dock, you possibly can’t maintain the console, so after all you’ll want one other technique to management your video games. Fortunately, with its Bluetooth assist, the Deck makes connecting peripherals a cinch.
Greatest General
Whereas there are a ton of appropriate Bluetooth controllers, the one made for the Xbox is the perfect controller to make use of with the Steam Deck. The reason being easy: The Steam Deck acknowledges this mannequin and barely modifications its interface to match the controller. As an illustration, within the nook you may see an Xbox brand telling you to return to the principle menu with that button. Moreover, the A/B/X/Y face buttons are the identical as on the Deck, making it straightforward to transition between the 2 management mechanisms. It is snug, acquainted, and works reliably, with no changes required.
Moveable Batteries
The period of days-long battery life for transportable gaming is lengthy behind us, and trendy handhelds just like the Steam Deck typically final solely a handful of hours on a single cost. Fortunately, you gained’t be slamming in a fistful of AA batteries. We’ve got a number of picks for giant exterior batteries you possibly can hook as much as refill your Deck very quickly.
Greatest General
We love the Nimble Champ, which is why it is our general really useful transportable charger in our separate information for that class. It has a USB-A port for smartphones that want much less juice and a USB-C port with Energy Supply to prime up higher-power units like tablets and gaming handhelds. At across the dimension of a deck of playing cards and solely 6.4 ounces, it will probably tuck away within the Steam Deck’s included case and you may barely discover it is there.
At 18 watts peak charging, nonetheless, it won’t allow you to cost and play the Deck on the similar time, particularly for those who’re working a very intense recreation like Cyberpunk 2077. The Champ is finest used to cost up throughout breaks reasonably than preserving it hooked up for lengthy intervals.
Greatest for Lengthy Play Classes
This high-capacity 20,000-mAh battery is quite a bit larger than the nimble Nimble, however for those who’re a frequent long-haul flier that is the one to get. Since it will probably cost on the Deck’s 45-watt really useful fee from its USB-C port, it will probably sustain with probably the most intense video games so long as it has cost left in its cells. Talking of, a easy numerical show tells you (by exhibiting a quantity between zero and 99) how a lot juice you may have left. As a bonus, its further ports can concurrently put energy into different units, for a complete of 63 watts.
Display Protectors
Wherever there’s a touchscreen, there’s gonna be a set of keys or different sharp implements ready to mar its shiny visage. Defend your Deck from scratches and dings with a custom-fit display screen protector. These may even improve your viewing expertise from a shiny and distracting one to a glare-free matte end.
Greatest General
It is laborious to beat this equipment of two display screen protectors for less than $10. They arrive in matte or clear tempered glass and have all the pieces you could get a clear set up. What made these stand out was the inclusion of a snap-on alignment information that made it straightforward to get the display screen protector onto the console. Plus, these kits additionally put screen-cleaning wipes and a microfiber material within the field, so it is a cinch to eradicate fingerprints and dirt earlier than laying down that candy layer of scratch-resistant glass.
Instances
The Steam Deck features a carrying case, which is fairly candy to get as a standard-issue accent. However what concerning the day-to-day bumps and bruises a handheld console runs into? These circumstances wrap the Deck in a layer of rubber, allow you to snap on a plastic shell to guard the entrance of the system, and even present methods to connect different equipment.
Greatest General
This dear accent envelops your Steam Deck in a blanket of grippy textured rubber and retains it from getting broken through the jostles and jolts of journey. There is a $60 fundamental model, however I might advocate you go for the $75 model, which comes with the must-have rugged clip-on journey cowl. Each Killswitch features a sturdy kickstand (with storage for SD playing cards), which will be eliminated and changed with a “common” attachment level for equipment like batteries or USB-C exterior drives.
With the Deck bundled up on this spectacular case, most of its buttons are protected with no hole between the triggers and the entrance clamshell. It feels greater than sturdy sufficient to chuck it in your backpack with out fear. Included normal with every equipment is a entrance vinyl pores and skin that covers the final uncovered a part of the Deck, in your alternative of a wide range of patterns and colours. The $75 model comes with two analog stick toppers that add just a little further chunk underneath your thumbs, together with a extra aggressive texture.
Greatest Worth
If $75 looks as if quite a bit to pay for a Steam Deck case (and it’s), the Jsaux may give you a really related expertise for lower than half the worth. The ModCase works similarly, with a tough plastic entrance cowl and a rubber again that wraps across the edges. It features a weirdly gummy stand for the system, a removable kickstand, and a mounting answer for exterior equipment, which you strap on with a watchband-like little bit of elastic. Jsaux additionally sells an exterior fan for further cooling and a USB docking answer that slots on the again of the ModCase.
I will not say that this has the fit-and-finish or prime quality supplies of the Dbrand Killswitch, however for less than $30 it is shut sufficient for most individuals and has extra equipment within the field.
Storage Upgrades
Should you’re like me, you’re a cheapskate who grabbed the $399 64-GB bare-bones Steam Deck. Proper out of the field, you’ve obtained two choices so as to add extra storage—and with some AAA video games taking over dozens and dozens of your treasured gigabytes, you’re gonna want it.
Simple Set up
Each Steam Deck has a handy microSD card slot, so including further area takes solely seconds. This Excessive card is rated for high-speed reads and writes and has 256 GB of storage—sufficient to suit a bunch of indie video games or a handful of large AAA titles.
Phrase to the clever: Watch out which manufacturers you purchase nowadays. There are a variety of iffy, low-quality SD playing cards that might corrupt your knowledge or may truly maintain a fraction of the marketed capability. Should you see a deal from an organization you do not know, it is most likely too good to be true.
Inside Storage Improve
Should you’re useful with a screwdriver and software program, upgrading the Steam Deck’s inside solid-state drive to at least one with an even bigger capability does not take an excessive amount of effort. I changed mine by first cloning its contents over to the brand new drive by way of an exterior enclosure and utilizing the Deck’s Linux terminal. IFixIt has a improbable information that may take you step-by-step by eradicating the rear housing, taking off a metallic defend over the principle circuit board, and unscrewing the tiny 2230-size SSD chip. If you wish to begin from scratch along with your Deck’s new drive, you possibly can reimage the system utilizing a USB-C drive.
For the reason that 2230 dimension remains to be unusual, it may be laborious discovering high-quality replacements for the Steam Deck’s SSD. This Sabrent drive is among the hottest choices, and it comes with an honest guarantee and has good opinions. Plus, it is one of many solely fashions with the big 2-TB capability. Like with SD playing cards, there are some much less respected manufacturers promoting these tiny drives, so make sure you are getting one with good opinions and an inexpensive guarantee, and doubtless skip any OEM-labeled models. (These are often meant for pc producers, not finish customers.)
Customization
If a wrap-around case isn’t sufficient for you, there are much more methods to make your Steam Deck your individual. You possibly can stick on a vinyl wrap or bust out the screwdrivers for a full exterior shell swap. Let’s trick out your Deck.
Simple Set up
Dbrand is understood for its thick vinyl in some actually bonkers patterns. The Steam Deck will get the total wrap remedy, with precision-cut, adhesive-backed materials prepared to put in. A number of the choices are flat colours, however others have a improbable holofoil look to them. Beginning at $30 every, it is a nice technique to defend the Deck from scratches whereas giving it a brand new outfit that Valve won’t have chosen to ship from the manufacturing unit. Dbrand skins allow you to change the look of your console with out voiding your guarantee.
For the Hardcore
If a vinyl pores and skin does not provide you with sufficient of a {custom} look, how about a wholly new shell? Jsaux has engineered a sequence of latest elements that the DIY-minded can set up to get a radically completely different look. These shells are available clear, smoky, and purple finishes (that final one offers off robust late-’90s Nintendo Atomic Purple vibes), and you will get kits that exchange the entrance panel ($36), the again panel ($27), or the entire shell ($50).
An entire-shell swap is a severe modification and might take hours, even when Jsaux supplies excellent directions and good instruments within the field. I opted for a less complicated rear housing swap, which will be finished throughout an SSD improve. These substitute rear shells have customizable rear buttons with completely different shapes and heights, so you possibly can fine-tune your Deck’s responsiveness whilst you’re swapping its pores and skin.