Valve’s new Steam Deck is extra than simply one other handheld gaming system, it is a palm-size PC that may do a number of what your desktop or laptop computer can. Type of. 

Out of the field, the Steam Deck is an attention-grabbing however restricted handheld gaming platform. To benefit from its generally hidden options, from a extremely purposeful Linux desktop mode to help for a lot of non-Steam gaming platforms, including some equipment helps. 

I’ve positively spent at the very least half my time up to now with the Steam Deck utilizing the machine on a stand, with a wi-fi keyboard and mouse. I’ve spent much less time linked to an exterior show, however I’ve additionally already ditched my first 256GB microSD card for a bigger 512GB model. 

Learn extra: Steam Deck Stunned Me, in Methods Each Good and Unhealthy 

These are a few of my present strategies for one of the best Steam Deck equipment. 

SanDisk

Shopping for the base-model 64GB Steam Deck is like shopping for the smallest-capacity iPhone. you are going to run out of house — and shortly. In contrast to an iPhone, nevertheless, it is simple so as to add a microSD card to the Steam Deck to make use of as secondary storage. The Steam Deck helps UHS-I (ultra-high pace) playing cards of the SD, SDXC and SDHC varieties, and including one is similar to doing the identical on a Nintendo Swap. My recommendation is, go for capability and value. The 512GB card above hit that candy spot for me, however preserve an eye fixed out for gross sales on different fashions. 

Josh Goldman/CNET

Doing a number of digging round within the desktop mode of the Steam Deck, I knew immediately I would want a keyboard. I went with this very compact gaming keyboard that felt like a superb match for the Steam Deck’s measurement. It connects through Bluetooth and expenses through USB-C; simply remember that it lacks a quantity pad, and a number of the structure is a bit of scrunched as a result of it is so small. Learn our hands-on with the Razer BlackWidow Mini Hyperspeed.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Acer

You may output the video sign from the Steam Deck through the system’s USB-C port (which can be its energy port, so preserve that in thoughts). I attached a 27-inch 4K Acer Predator X27 show, which seemed nice, however be aware that you do not really want the 4K decision or G-Sync, so a cheaper show would work, too. With the system’s comparatively weak graphics optimized for 1,280×800-pixel decision, blowing issues as much as 4K and 27 inches is simply going to focus on these limitations. Nevertheless it additionally makes working within the desktop mode a lot simpler. 

This precise mannequin is out of manufacturing now, so I am linking to the most recent comparable mannequin beneath. Subsequent I plan on attempting the Steam Deck on the brand new Alienware 34-inch OLED show we have simply reviewed. 

The unofficial CNET DIY Steam Deck stand

Finest low-cost stand

Dan Ackerman/CNET

Sure, Valve is making its personal stand for the Steam Deck that may also act as a docking station. However the date, value and even precise particulars on which are all TBD. Not wanting to attend, I tweaked some pill stand designs and created each 3D printed and lasercut Steam Deck stands, completely sized to the machine. You may obtain the designs right here, and this record of one of the best 3D printers ought to get you began making certainly one of them. 

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I am nonetheless within the strategy of trying into case suggestions for the Steam Deck, because the included case is not nice (my zipper received caught virtually instantly), in addition to headsets for audio, each wired and wi-fi.

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