Steam Deck Accessories

The Steam Deck Dock

For a docking station, I chose the Valve Steam Deck Dock, which is an excellent dock that includes a display port, HDMI 2.0, an Ethernet port, and three USB 3.0 ports. This particular dock costs about $90, which many believe is ludicrous for a plastic dock when you can get more durable metal docks for less. I understand the argument against it, but I really believe the materials and function of the official Steam Deck Dock are amazing. I also think the price of the official dock is meant to offset the major loss of selling the Deck itself at such an affordable price. My only con for the dock is the fact that it is designed to hold the Deck without any covers or cases. I had to address this by purchasing the next item on my list, the Jsaux Steam Deck Dock Adapter.

Jsaux Steam Deck Dock Adaptor

I purchased the Steam Deck Dock Adapter from Jsaux because my protective case, the Killswitch from Dbrand, does not fit into the standalone Steam Deck Dock. This high-quality metal alloy adapter fits securely onto the Official Steam Deck Dock and has anti-slip material on the inside and underneath to prevent the Deck from sliding out and the Dock from sliding around. It is perfect if you want a protective case and the ability to dock your Deck.

The Killswitch 2.0 Steam Deck Case

I preordered the Killswitch and I am thoroughly impressed with it. However, there was a "million-dollar mistake" where Dbrand included a magnetized stand for the back, which interfered with the original fans installed on the Deck. Nonetheless, they did the awesomely awesome thing by replacing the original Killswitch. The new version includes a locking mechanism and removes the magnets. The Killswitch stands great, is durable, and has already protected my Deck from a haphazard fall. It is an all-around great quality case and travel protector. I highly recommend it.

Controllers

When it comes to controllers, Valve has done their best to support practically any controller on the market. So far, I have used the standard wireless Xbox controllers, the Elite V2 controller, a PS5 controller, and even my Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers and JoyCons, all of which work magnificently. However, my primary controller is the Xbox Elite V2 controller. It is a very durable controller with programmable back paddles and adjustable locks for the triggers. It runs amazingly and is my all-around go-to gaming controller. I highly recommend picking one up, especially when they go on sale.

Keyboard and Mouse

With the Steam Deck being so versatile, essentially a portable Linux-based gaming PC, I have the pleasure of using any of my keyboards and mouse for play. I generally use a keyboard and mouse for first-person shooters, real-time strategy games, and city builders. The particular keyboard that I am using now is the Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed, thanks to its high-powered included wireless dongle and the fact that it has Bluetooth. It has near-zero latency, which has been a delight with little to no noticeable issues. The mouse that I am using is the Razer Naga V2 Pro for the same reason as the keyboard, included wireless dongle, and Bluetooth support. It also has three interchangeable side buttons for your MMO games and my particular favorite genre, dungeon crawlers like Torchlight 2, Gauntlet, etc. Both the keyboard and mouse setup have been a blessing in the sense that I can play almost any game in my library on the go thanks to their portability and wireless availability.

Audio: Speakers, Headphones, and Earbuds

The speakers built into the Steam Deck work just fine. If you are an audiophile like myself, I highly suggest using an external wireless/Bluetooth speaker, headphones, or earbuds. For speakers, I am using JBL's Pulse 4. It has a booming sound and works great for those moments when you want to play in handheld but want a little more boom. For over-ear headphones, I went with the Skullcandy ANC Hesh headphones. They have a great sound range, and the active noise cancelling is amazing, but the heat on your head due to the non-breathable foam covers is a bit much. Finally, there are the earbuds. I am using Sony's WF-1000XM4. Initially, these earbuds are amazing! The sound range, noise cancelling, and comfort of the foam eartips are top-notch. However, I will say that using them long-term, the foam tips break down easily and need to be replaced frequently with other foam tips for that amazing noise cancelling or silicon tips for durability. Put that into consideration before you buy.