JSAUX Steam Deck Dock Review

Jsaux Docking Station For Steam Deck Front

Easily the best Steam Deck Dock available

When Valve announced its Steam Deck, it also revealed that it would produce a Steam Deck Dock that would include an ethernet and HDMI port. Think of it like the dock for the Nintendo Switch, but better. However, due to various issues, Valve has confirmed that that dock has been delayed. That’s where the JSAUX Docking Station for Steam Deck HB0603 comes into play.

Before we go any further, I have to point out that this review is of the Upgraded Docking Station for Steam Deck (HB0603). JSAUX sells two different docking stations, this one and the Docking Station for Steam Deck HB0602. They offer the same features, except that the upgraded docking station includes 3x USB 3.0 ports, and that’s it.

First and foremost, this isn’t an official dock, but don’t let that cause you any concern as long as the dock fulfills the required power delivery. I had initially used a USB-C hub, and I’ve gone through quite a few of them as they didn’t provide the power delivery specifications they promised. The JSAUX Docking Station for Steam Deck provides up to 100W power delivery. As long as you have the original Steam Deck charger or one that is powerful enough, you can charge the docking station and Steam Deck with no issues.

If you did happen to lose your Steam Deck charger, as I did, this is a viable replacement.

The dock is sturdy and is made out of Aluminum with a satin finish. I would have liked to have multiple colors, but that’s what you get. I would have also liked not to have JSAUX’s name plastered on the front of the docking station. The cord is thick, and I don’t see any issues with bending it, and the angled USB-C connector is solid.

Docking the Steam Deck is easy. You set it down in the cradle, which has padding on the rear and bottom so as not to scratch the unit. Then you take the attached USB-C cable and insert it into the Steam Deck, and that’s it. On the rear of the docking station is the HDMI port that supports 4K@60Hz output, 3x USB 3.0 ports, and a USB-C port for charging. The three USB ports can be used to connect a keyboard, mouse, gamepad, and extra storage if needed.

The ethernet port is a godsend as downloading games on the Steam Deck with built-in Wi-Fi is a slow process. The 1000GB ethernet port allows the Steam Deck to download games faster than Wi-Fi. While it might be minor, I love seeing the downloads change from a painful few MB/s into GB/s. Yes, I like big numbers, and I cannot lie.

JSAUX claims the docking station also provides sharper visuals and a smoother experience connected to a 4K TV. To which it does, assuming you’ve enabled either Desktop Mode on the Steam Deck or have changed your games to run at a higher resolution in the game’s properties. Testing this on several games, and it does make them look sharper.

I’ve owned this dock for a week, which has completely changed how I use my Steam Deck. Usually, I would take Steam Deck out of the house with me. But now that I have the JSAUX Docking Station, I’ve used the Steam Deck much more. Such as in my living room when I want to get some PC gaming done. When I leave the house now, the dock also comes along with the Steam Deck, and I use a controller.

What’s been great is the additional ports, especially when you have a game that supports multiple players. As part of the testing, I connected multiple controllers to the USB ports and one via Bluetooth and got a four-player TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge session going, which was glorious. Yes, this has quite the potential to turn the Steam Deck into a party machine.

The experience with the JSAUX Docking Station for Steam Deck has been positive. However, I did notice some slowdown when I used an 8K HDMI cable. The input delay was instantly noticeable, making playing games impossible. It wasn’t until I swapped that cable with a different 4K HDMI cable did the input delay disappeared. I don’t fault the docking station, but I wanted to point that out. Update: JSAUX has pointed out that certain HDMI cables won’t work with their dock.

The big question is, is the JSAUX Docking Station for Steam Deck worth it? To me, it definitely is. It provides additional USB ports, an HDMI connection, an ethernet port, and a place to rest the Steam Deck. However, if you already have a USB-C hub with the proper power delivery wattage and a cradle to set the Steam Deck in, then maybe not so much. Just keep in mind that you’ll lose access to the visual sharpening ability the dock affords.

If you own a Steam Deck and you don’t want to wait for Valve’s official Steam Deck Dock, this worthy alternative. Or you can pick up the previous JSAUX Steam Deck Docking Station that includes 2x USB ports for $10 less.

The JSAUX Upgraded Docking Station for Steam Deck HB0603 preorders on JSAUX’s website for $49.99. Or you can preorder JSAUX Docking Station for Steam Deck on Amazon for $39.99.

Review Disclosure Statement: The JSAUX Docking Station for Steam Deck was purchased by The Outerhaven for review purposes. For more information on how we review video games and other media/technology, please review our Review Guideline/Scoring Policy for more info.

Affiliate Link Disclosure: One or more of the links above contain affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you, we may receive a commission should you click through and purchase the item.

Summary

JSAUX’s Docking Station for the Steam Deck is a solid piece of hardware for anyone who owns a Steam Deck. If you’re in the market for something to keep the Steam Deck in place while outputting a signal to your display and accessing several USB 3.0 ports, then look no further.

Pros