Many other attachments have appeared since the Steam Deck’s release, but computer accessory manufacturer JSAUX has really taken the market by storm with its selection of docking stations, protective shells, glass screen protectors, and other items for the Steam Deck.
The Steam Deck had an official accessory dock before it was released, which travelling gamers could connect to their monitors or televisions to display their brand-new pocket PCs on a larger platform. There was only one issue: because of the Steam Deck’s large preorders, the back order has taken so long to catch up to market demand (October 2022). Valve presumably shifted its focus away from commercialising the Deck Dock in favour of emphasising scaling up production of the Steam Deck.
This caused a significant market gap where video game accessory producers could clearly see a market potential, which started the proverbial arms race to develop the best Steam Deck dock.
The Chinese producer of consumer electronics, JSAUX, enters the picture. Even though some of its models required an upgrade to be compatible with specific television makers, JSAUX was one of the first to provide simple docks and accessories to the market, and they garnered favourable reviews. Their most recent version aims to appeal to people looking for the best docks possible. The M.2 Docking Station for Steam Deck enters the scene.
This powerful dock, which boasts a 6-1 design with an integrated M.2 slot so you can transfer larger games between the dock and your console, looks to give your Steam Deck a new place in your entertainment setup and to increase your immediate access to the endless library of games you call your Steam Library.
When you first open this high-end packaging, you’ll be welcomed with a handwritten note from the maker wishing you many enjoyable gaming experiences.
Soon enough, a sturdy metal dock with a single USB wire that connects to the top of your Steam Deck is on your own. The tension lid is a major attraction, and the design aesthetic has subtle graphic flourishes that emphasise this.
It’s simple to remove the metal cover to uncover the M.2 slot. Small pads are on the metal cradle to prevent it from scratching your Steam Deck. Given the greater price tag for this dock, the rounded corners and weight feel comforting.
The dock includes a 4K@60Hz or 2K@120Hx HDMI port, a gigabit LAN ethernet input, two USB 3.1 connections, one USB-C port for charging, and the crucial 900 mb/s M.2 SSD.
Although there are a lot of possibilities, you must use the USB-C port for power, and it goes without saying that the M.2 port can only be used for storage. There will only be two USB 3.1 ports left for your mouse, keyboard, and other gadgets. I never found myself looking for more ports throughout my two weeks of testing, but I did find myself frequently utilising all the inputs. It all worked well when I tried the display capabilities on a vintage 1080p monitor, a 4K OLED TV, and an incredibly wide 34401440 monitor.
My sole complaint isn’t necessarily about the dock.
Because I am a Linux newbie, formatting the new drive and running an auto-mount script will take me a lot longer than it needs to. By creating a script for you and listing it alongside instructions from their website, JSAUX has made an effort to minimise this strain. There isn’t much more you could ask for, however, I managed to get lost in those instructions and start typing in Linux Konsole. Having said that, I think it reasonable to presume that if you are a Steam Deck early adopter, you are a tinkerer by nature and will undoubtedly find your way like I did.
If you play video games on a tight budget, you’ll undoubtedly look for additional deals. But if, like me, you frequently hear a little Richard Attenborough saying, “Spared no expense!” this is the dock you’ve been looking for. The stunning M.2 drive, superb build quality, and Solid design aesthetic have effectively killed my Nintendo Switch. It’s the ideal addition to the Steam Deck, and I can’t wait to take it on a trip or for work.
There are three variations of the JSAUX M.2 Docking Station for Steam Deck. The dock alone, the dock plus a 1 TB SSD, and the dock plus a 2 TB SSD are all that are listed. You must pay USD 129.99, USD 199.99, and USD 269.99 for them, accordingly. Considering how many ROMs and emulators I desire at my disposal, I say that this was money well spent.
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