Tomtoc Arccos Steam Deck Carrying Case
The best bag for cables, docks and more
Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless
The best wireless gaming mouse
Valve’s Steam Deck is an amazing piece of hardware that brings PC gaming to the palm of your hand. Although this looks amazing, it has flaws, which, however, could be improved with some simple accessories. The best Steam Deck accessories will ensure that you never run out of battery and don’t have to worry about your screen picking up any unsightly scratches.
Steam Deck users can customize their handheld console experience by adding Steam Deck builds, getting a protective carrying case, and more. You can also connect peripherals. I’ve certainly spent a good amount of my time so far with the Steam Deck using the device on a stand, with a wireless keyboard and mouse. I spent less time connecting to an external monitor, but I also really ditched my first 256GB microSD card for the larger 512GB version.
Read more: Steam Deck review: This gaming laptop has surprised me, in both good and bad ways
I recently wrote a file Update about the Steam Deck, a year after its release. These are some of my current suggestions for the best Steam Deck accessories – if you’re into 3D printing, be sure to scroll to the end.
The Steam Deck itself only has one USB-C port for power and video output. This small docking station adds HDMI and DisplayPort outputs, as well as three USB-A ports and an Ethernet jack. Yes, it can technically be output to a TV at 4K/60Hz, but the Steam Deck GPU isn’t really designed for HD gaming. The best thing about the official Valve dock is that it’s small and full of ports. The downside is that, at $89, it’s quite expensive for a simple dock.
Read more about how Steam Deck docks compare.
This dock is larger, heavier, and more expensive than the official Valve, but it does add a useful extra feature — an M. 2 drive slot inside. The advantage of having extra storage space is that it gives you a place to dump and store large games to make more space on the Steam Deck itself, rather than constantly re-downloading large game files.
With a power supply, docking station, and maybe some cables, the Steam Deck’s generous carrying case is a must-have. I find the default case from Valve a bit small (and at least in my case, the zipper snagged right away), so after trying a few other models, I settled on the soft-sided Tomtoc carrying case.
It’s bulky, but has a separate space for accessories, a pocket for microSD cards and the main compartment has extra screen padding and padded V-shaped wings that follow the shape of the Steam Deck grip.
Buying the base model 64GB Steam Deck is like buying the smallest capacity iPhone. You know you’ll run out of space – and fast. Unlike the iPhone, it’s easy to add a microSD card to the Steam Deck to use as secondary storage. The Steam Deck supports UHS-I (Ultra High Speed) cards of the SD, SDXC, and SDHC varieties, and one very similar addition to doing the same on the Nintendo Switch. My advice is to research capacity and price. The 512GB card above hit that sweet spot for me, but keep an eye out for sales on other models.
While doing a lot of research into Steam Deck’s desktop mode, I immediately knew I was going to need a keyboard. I went with the very compact gaming keyboard which felt like an excellent match for the Steam Deck’s size. connects via Bluetooth and charges via USB-C; Just be aware that it lacks a number pad, and some of the layout is inaccurate because it’s so small. Read our Razer BlackWidow Mini Hyperspeed hands-on.
You can output the video signal from the Steam Deck via the system’s USB-C port (it’s also its power port, so keep that in mind). I hooked up a 27-inch 4K Acer Predator X27 monitor, which looked great, but note that you don’t really need 4K or G-Sync, so a less expensive monitor will work just as well. With the system’s relatively poor graphics optimized for a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, blasting things up to 4K and 27in will only highlight those limitations. But it also makes working in desktop mode much easier.
This exact model is out of production now, so I’m linking to a more recent comparable model below. Next, I plan to try the Steam Deck on Alienware’s new 34-inch OLED display we just reviewed.
The unofficial CNET DIY Steam Podium Stand
Best low cost platform
Yes, Valve is making its own stand for the Steam Deck that will also act as a docking station. But the date, price, and even the exact details on that are all to be determined. Not wanting to wait, I tweaked some tablet stand designs and created both 3D printed and lasercut Steam Deck stands, perfectly sized for the device. You can download designs here, and this list of the best 3D printers will get you started on making one.
3D printed Steamdeck stand
The best portable stand
I love this 3D printed DIY ottoman. Unlike the lasercut swatch I made before, this design, which I found at the Printables.com 3D model repository, stays put on the Steam Deck and pops open as needed. This is a three-part design, with a clip-on base, kickstand, and hinge. The three parts took about four hours to print on a 3D printer, and two 6mm M3 screws are needed, which I was able to pick up at my local hardware store.
I loved this one so much, I wrote an entire article about it: The Steam Deck Really Needs a Kickstand, So I Made One.
Watch this: Steam has mostly Neels portable computer games