So you finally got your hands on a Steam Deck. NICE! You've just unlocked the ability to play PC games anywhere without having to lug around a heavy, power-hungry, and expensive gaming laptop. You may be asking yourself "What do I need to really let this new device shine" or "What do I buy to get the best experience while playing?". The answer to these questions is exactly what you'll find in this article. Lucky you!
Summary
Below is a summary of the accessories, but if you want to really understand why these were chosen then you can read more details further below.
Accessories Without Context
Essential Accessories
1. Screen Protector 2. Micro SD Cards 3. USB Hub 4. Fast Charging Plug 5. Stand Next-Level Accessories 1. Portable Charger 2. Dock 3. Portable Monitor 4. Dedicated/portable controller 5. External Hard drive (SSD)
If you didn't know already, the Steam Deck is a handheld and dockable gaming computer. That means you can really customize your setup and your build however you want. Will you go for a mobile and compact build or will you opt for a robust and power-focused docked build? Will you simply go with the meta dictated by the game you're currently playing? It's really up to you and your preference.
The Essential Accessories
1. A Screen Protector
If you go out and buy nothing else from this list; you should buy a screen protector at the bare minimum.
Do yourself a favor and save yourself a lot of time and tears. It only takes one drop and nobody ever really intends to damage their screen. You already spent hundreds of dollars and likely waited months for your Steam Deck so why not protect your investment?
2. Micro SD Cards
Odds are you want to have more than one game on your Steam Deck, and with some triple-A titles reaching triple-digit gigabytes in size, you will likely run out of space pretty quickly.
This is especially true if you opted for the 64GB Steam Deck Model. Luckily, the Steam Deck allows you to install micro SD cards and store and play games off of them and much more. Did you know that you can install Windows on a micro SD card and dual boot your Steam Deck whenever you want? We recommend waiting for a sale if possible and don't get anything that is rated to run over 140mps as the Steam Deck is using a protocol that won't allow for faster speeds.
With that knowledge, you don't need to splurge and shop for a pricier option that you won't be able to fully utilize anyways. If you can't buy a large capacity Micro SD right now, you could at least buy something smaller and work your way up as needed to save time and money. Maybe you could look at these cards like Nintendo Switch cartridges.
3. USB Hub
Even if you mainly play your Steam Deck in handheld mode, a USB hub is always something to have handy. You could have a way to charge your Steam Deck, your controller, your phone, and your earbuds at the same time.
There are USB hubs with Micro SD card readers, full-sized SD card readers, USB type C ports, ethernet ports, HDMI ports, Display ports, and even Aux ports. Best of all, most USB hubs can fit nicely in the little space underneath the Steam Deck's case where that stretchy strap is.
4. A better charging solution
It's great that Valve has included a charger for the Steam Deck. However, the cable is a bit too short and doesn't detach. It also doesn't give you enough power for intense gaming sessions.
That's why you might want to invest in a better charging solution. There exist charging plugs that allow you to not only charge multiple devices at once but also charge your Steam Deck at much as it can safely handle with the extra power to spare.
Why is this important? Well, sometimes you want to keep playing your Steam Deck even with a low battery, but you won't be able to do this with just any old charger. If you get a charger that can charge your Steam Deck with 45 watts or more then it will have enough power to handle charging your device despite how much you're pushing it mid-game. This means that your play sessions can go as long as you can without eventually draining the Steam Deck's battery.
5. A Stand
Why get a stand if you aren't planning on ever putting the Steam Deck down unless it's charging or in its case? Having a stand is great for a bunch of reasons. It's a nice way to put your device on display and out of the way so you don't have to put it in its case or lay it down flat on a random surface all the time. It's also great when you want to use your USB hub, a mouse and keyboard, or a controller.
Next Level Accessories
1. Portable Charger
Sometimes, you just really need to charge your Steam Deck or your controller mid-game and you're not near a plug. Maybe you're in the car or in line for an event. Perhaps you're on a plane or a train... with no outlets. A portable charger ensures that you won't get caught running out of battery right before a save point.
2. Dock
Why not get the best of both a stand and a USB hub with an all-in-one dock? Plug in your Steam Deck and your choice of controller or mouse and keyboard and play on a big screen for those more intense gaming sessions. This is a great way to get immersed in your game while also charging your Steam Deck to continue on the go right after. You can essentially turn your Steam Deck into a true Nintendo Switch Pro for PC games.
3. Portable Monitor
The Steam Deck is a portable computer but the screen is small compared to the gaming monitor or TV you may be used to playing on. Why not keep the portability of the system while adding the ability to play on a larger screen once you get to where you're going? Portable monitors are slim, lightweight, and more affordable than ever with some supporting 4K resolutions and even high refresh rates. A portable monitor can also be beneficial for those using their Steam Deck for occasional productivity or video screaming.
4. Dedicated/portable controller
Playing computer games anywhere you want is great. Do you know what's not great? Looking down at your screen or holding your Steam Deck up in front of you for hours. Sometimes it gets uncomfortable and sometimes you just want to use a controller. The controller you use will come down to preference but it's a good idea to consider where and how you'll use it. Look for a 1st party controller with good reviews. You want to ensure that your controller will be compatible with most Steam Games that you're playing. If you play at home then a full-sized controller works just fine but if you want to play on the go, you might want to use a smaller, travel-friendly controller that can be stowed in a bag easily without breaking the joy-sticks. Your neck and arms will thank you.
5. An External Hard drive (SSD)
With some games exceeding 100 GB, an external hard drive may be exactly what you need. While you could always buy a Micro SD card to expand your storage (highly recommended), you might not want to pack your storage with one or a few large games. Plus high capacity Micro SD cards are very expensive and don't exceed 1 TB. But with an external hard drive, you can have a much larger max capacity for storage and spend much less money to meet your storage needs. This is especially great for those who play docked as you can always keep your external hard drive plugged in where your large stationary games will await you.
Conclusion
The modularity and endless possibilities are part of why we love the Steam Deck and all of the creative accessories that have arrived for it. Does anything above catch your eye? Have an idea for another list of accessories? Let us know below or tag us on social media with your favorite accessory. We're so excited for you to start your mobile pc gaming journey!
Here's everything we recommended:
The Essential Accessories
1. Screen Protector
2. Micro SD Cards
3. USB Hub
4. Fast Charging Plug
5. Stand
Next-Level Accessories
1. Portable Charger
2. Dock
3. Portable Monitor
4. Dedicated/portable controller
5. External Hard drive (SSD)
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