I’m on the hunt for a docking station for my Steam Deck, but the official one seems pricier compared to some cheaper options I’ve found online. Is there a significant difference between the official dock and these third-party alternatives? Would love to hear if there’s a more cost-effective choice that still works well.
4 Answers
You don’t really need any dock if you’re mostly into handheld gaming. But if you want one, JSAUX and some generic USB-C docks from Amazon work just as well. I grab a no-name brand one for travel, and it’s been decent for the price.
The official dock ain’t all it’s cracked up to be and is pretty pricey. Third-party options are pretty solid and won’t empty your wallet. Anker also makes great hubs and they go on sale often.
You don’t have to go with the official dock. Lots of USB-C hubs can do the job if they have the outputs you need. For a dock that’s designed for the Steam Deck, JSAUX makes some popular choices that people seem to like.
Honestly, the official dock has its perks like an extra power supply and firmware updates from Valve. But it’s not the only option. I’ve tried multiple docks, some as cheap as $25, and they work fine. However, I’ve encountered occasional issues with different ones, so it’s kind of hit or miss.
