Best Steam Deck dock in 2024: Top alternatives & more
If you own a Steam Deck, either the original or OLED, you might be on the lookout for the best dock for your portable machine to give it even more versatility. Our guide provides direction on what will meet your needs.
The Steam Deck has developed into a great alternative to a desktop PC or laptop for gaming on the go, and the new OLED version offers better quality than ever. For users who don’t have a lot of space or who might want to see their games on a bigger screen, a Docking station creates even more options for Steam Deck users. But how to find the one that’s right for you? This guide will show you the way.
Valve does offer its own dock for the Steam Deck, but it is lacking in features compared to many third-party offerings such as JSAUX, and has a hefty price tag. An ideal dock should have an affordable price point, have good design and build quality, and offer a range of input and output ports.
The best Steam Deck dock: JSAUX Docking Station
JSAUX/DexertoThe JSAUX Docking Station range currently comes in five different flavors. Our personal recommendation is HB0603, which is classed as an ‘upgrade’.
Coming in at a whopping $30 less than the official dock, and providing nearly all the same benefits, the JSAUX Docking Station is our top recommendation for those wanting to have all the bells and whistles.
It comes equipped with Ethernet, HDMI, and three USB-A 3.0 ports. The only thing it is missing is DisplayPort, but you’re more often than not going to be docking the Steam Deck into a device without it anyway.
However, if you just want a decent dock, that will support your accessories and has an HDMI port on it, you will want to seek the HB0602, which currently sits at $35.99. Its downside is losing a USB-A port, and the two on there are only USB 2.0. Ideal for accessories, but bad for external storage.
While not as fully loaded, it is on average with the prices for USB-C hubs.
The next step up would be the one that we have recently featured in a review. JSAUX has a version that supports an M.2 NVMe drive, allowing you to install games to the dock’s storage, without having to sacrifice your precious gigabytes on the Steam Deck itself.
This is a step up in price, but according to reviewer Lloyd Coombes, it’s absolutely worth it.
If you want an effective equivalent, JSAUX does now provide the HB0702, which actually has a DisplayPort on it and is in parity with what Valve offer on their hardware.
| Dock | Price |
|---|---|
| JSAUX HB0602 | $39.99 |
| JSAUX HB0603 | $49.99 |
| JSAUX HB0604 | $129.99 |
| JSAUX HB0702 | $53.99 |
JSAUX RGB Docking Station
If you prefer a bit more light in your life, JSAUX has a range of RGB Steam Deck docking stations, available in both black and white colorways, to suit any PC gaming setup.
The HB1201S is the priciest dock in the entire JSAUX Steam Deck lineup, coming in at $20 more than the official Valve docking station. However, it also features the most connection possibilities, with 12-in-1 functional ports ranging from both an HDMI port, DisplayPort, and an SD card slot.
Each model comes equipped with six different lighting modes which can be customized through OpenRGB, the open-source RGB lighting control software, available for Linux, macOS and Windows.
The HB1201S and the HB0801S docks are available in ‘Black Transparent’, and are currently up for presale on the JSAUX website, with expected shipping from mid to late January. While the HB1201 and the HB0801 models are available now, in both black and white.
| Dock | Price |
| JSAUX HB1201S | $99.99 |
| JSAUX HB0801 | $54.99 |
| JSAUX HB1201S | $84.99 |
| JSAUS HB0801S | $69.99 |
JSAUX ModCase hub
An interesting development is that JSAUX now offers another USB hub. It’s a little different in that it connects to the back of the titular ModCase. This will allow you to streamline your docked experience, or be really great for emulating DS or Wii U games. Set the Steam Deck to dual monitors, and you’re good to go.
Can you use any USB-C hub on the Steam Deck?
Absolutely and we actually recommend it – if you don’t mind setting your Steam Deck down on the desk. This is often the best option, as the generic USB-C hubs will often come in handy for those on laptops, desktops, and on iPads or Android devices that need a quick HDMI port to watch a movie.
Valve’s update to support their own dock fixed a lot of issues the USB-C port on the Steam Deck was having when sending images over to TVs. Stuck at 30Hz, it made games unplayable and navigating menus even worse. However, since that update, nearly every USB-C hub we’ve tested has worked nearly flawlessly – even on a 4K projector.
Below, you’ll find our recommended options, which will all include HDMI and Ethernet.
| USB-C Hub | Price |
|---|---|
| Utech Smart 6-in-1 | $29.99 |
| Vilcome 8-in-1 | $29.99 |
| Anker USB C Hub adapter 5 in 1 | $49.99 |
| MCY 8-in-1 | $24.99 |
| 9-in-1 USB-C adapter | $49.99 |
Best budget Steam Deck dock: Sabrent Steam Deck Dock
DexertoThe Sabrent dock takes the form of Valve’s and cuts the price down by half. It’s a solid little addition to your Steam Deck’s accessories, and one we fully recommend.
While it features fewer ports than the competition, it’s also only $29.99, rather than the full $70 you’d be paying for Valve’s. Where it lacks in ports, it makes up for with the addition of a USB-C port for adding more ports via a dongle.
You can find out more about it in our review, where it scored 4/5.
Alternative choice: NewQ Dock
NewQ is one brand, like many attaching themselves to USB-C hubs, that you’ve probably seen time and time again on Amazon. We don’t know where they came from, nor do we really want to ask the question.
What we do know is, that they are producing a fairly unique, budget option for those looking for docking options for their Steam Deck.
The NewQ version sits like a backpack on the top of the Deck, allowing you to slot in HDMI and USB into the top of it. It costs $25 and is perfect for those after a way to connect the Deck to their monitor at most.
| Dock | Price |
|---|---|
| NewQ Steam Deck Dock | $29.99 |
Here are some more guides for Steam Deck. Do not forget to check them out
Best power bank for steam deck | Steam Deck Vs Nintendo Switch | Steam Deck Vs Nintendo Switch | How to add extra storage on your Steam Deck & Dock | How to set up EmuDeck on Steam Deck | Best microSD cards for Steam Deck
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