5 Best Steam Deck Docks (Aftermarket) [2023 Updated]

The Steam Deck surprised just about everybody when it was released last February. Valve had tried making their own console a few years prior, with 2015’s Steam Machine. The Steam Machine failed spectacularly, and many people expected the Steam Deck to do the same. Instead, it’s been wildly successful and has sold millions of units. That’s pretty impressive for a brand new console.

The difference between the Steam Machine and the Steam Deck is versatility. Both could play almost any game in the Steam library. But the Steam Machine wasn’t very portable. You might as well have just bought a cheap gaming PC. The Steam Deck, on the other hand is portable. You can use it as a handheld console when you’re on the go. Then pop it into a dock and game on your TV when you get home.

Today, we’re going to review five of the best Steam Deck docks we could get our hands on. There’s a lot of detail to go into, but here are the basics if you’re pressed for time:

• The ISOWESHE is a tough aluminum alloy dock that excels at heat dissipation.
• The MOKiN has a black plastic housing, with data transfer rates as high as 10Gbps.
• The VANGREE has a low-profile design and an ultra-durable aluminum housing.
• The UPTOHIGH has a built-in expansion slot for up to 2TB of storage.
• The JOYJOM is another great dock if you like a lower-profile design.

Of course, there’s a lot more to go into. Let’s take a closer look at each of these Steam Deck docks and see how they perform. After that, we’ll be able to deliver a fair verdict.

Best Overall: ISOWESHE Docking Station for Steam Deck

Key features:

• Aluminum alloy housing.
• USB Type-C power, HDMI out, 3x USB Type-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet.
• Holds screen at a 69.4 degree angle.

The ISOWESHE Docking Station for Steam Deck is constructed from a silver-grey aluminum alloy. It has a rectangular footprint, with a top surface that’s angled slightly forwards. Towards the front is a wide slot where you insert your Steam deck. There’s rubber padding throughout the slot, which protects your system’s casing from getting damaged. Behind the slot, you’ll notice a narrow flange. This flange holds your Steam Deck at a relatively shallow 69.4 degree angle. And because it’s narrow, it won’t block your system’s air vents.

The bottom of the housing is smooth and flat, with rubber skids underneath. These skids protect your table or other surface and keep it from being scratched. They also keep your Steam Deck from sliding around while you’re playing your game.

There’s a short pigtail cable at the back right of the dock. It has a tough nylon weave insulation that makes it durable and reliable. At the end is a silver-grey USB Type-C plug with a right-angle design. This plug goes into the port on the top of your Steam Deck, and provides power as well as data transfer.

On the back, next to the pigtail cable, is a USB Type-C port. This is where you can connect a power supply. You can just use your Steam Deck’s factory cable if you want to. But you might run into trouble if your other peripherals have a high power demand. You can connect up to a 100-watt PD input, which should be more than you’ll ever need.

After the USB Type-C port, you’ll see an HDMI port. This port is designed to plug in your monitor or other external display. It supports up to 4K video at up to 60Hz. Just keep in mind that your actual performance will depend on what game you’re playing.

To the right of the HDMI port is a row of three USB Type-A cables. These are used to plug in a mouse, keyboard, external hard drive, or other peripherals. They support a data transfer rate of 5Gbps, which is pretty fast, albeit not the fastest possible connection.

Speaking of the fastest connection, there’s a Gigabit Ethernet port on the left end of the housing. This port will provide a faster internet connection with lower latency than WiFi. Then again, you’ll have to be sitting close enough to your router to plug in manually.

One last thing we should note is that this dock will also work with the Nintendo Switch or with most tablets. As long as it connects via USB Type-C and is capable of USB video output, it will work. The same can be said for all of the docks on today’s list.

Best Runner-Up: MOKiN Steam Deck Docking Station

Key features:

• Black plastic housing
• USB Type-C power, HDMI out, 3x USB Type-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet.
• USB Type-A ports can transfer data at 10Gbps.
• Holds screen at a 79.4-degree angle.

The MOKiN Steam Deck Docking Station is constructed from a matte black plastic. The housing has a rectangular footprint, and the overall profile is blocky. The top is tallest in the center, but shorter to the left and right. This isn’t just a cosmetic choice. It’s designed to create a surface for your Steam Deck to lean into.

When your Deck is in place, it’s supported at an angle of 79.4 degrees. That’s on the steep side, although to be honest the angle may not be that important. If you’re using an external display, it becomes a non-issue. Regardless, the lower surfaces to the sides leave plenty of room for your system to vent.

The slot at the front is generously wide, and it has a silicone pad inside for added protection. There are similar skids on the bottom of the housing that keeps it from sliding around or damaging your surface.

Connecting to your Steam Deck is simple. There’s a black rubber pigtail at the back right, with a 90-degree USB Type-C plug at the end. The plug is even profiled to conform to the rounded edge of your Steam Deck.

Along the back side of the MOKiN dock are a series of ports that are similar to the ones on the ISOWESHE dock. There’s a 100-watt PD power input, followed by a USB Type-A port. The HDMI out port can handle 4K video at 60K, and an additional pair of USB ports bring the total up to three. There’s even a Gigabit Ethernet port. The only significant difference is that the USB ports can transfer data twice as fast, at up to 10Gbps.

Best Alternative: VANGREE Steam Deck Docking Station

Key features:

• Low-profile aluminum alloy housing.
• USB Type-C power, HDMI out, 3x USB Type-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet.
• Holds screen at a 73.4-degree angle.

The VANGREE Steam Deck docking Station has a wide rectangular housing that’s constructed from aluminum. This makes it nice and sturdy, and allows it to dissipate heat. There’s a slot in the front for your Steam Deck, and the low-rise design leaves most of your vent clear. The bottom corner is blocked, but that’s about it.

Protection is very good, with rubber padding both in the support slot and on the bottom of the housing. This keeps both your system and your desk from getting scratched.

There’s a black rubber pigtail cord at the back right with a 90-degree tip for plugging into your Switch. Also on the back of the housing are a 100-watt USB Type-C power port and a Gigabit Ethernet port. There’s also an HDMI port and a USB Type-A port with a blue inner tab. You’ll find an additional two USB ports on the left end.

Best 2nd Alternative: UPTOHIGH Steam Deck Dock (with M.2 Storage)

Key features:

• Low-profile aluminum alloy housing.
• USB Type-C power, HDMI out, 3x USB Type-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet.
• Built-in slot for M.2 SSD storage.

The UPTOHIGH Steam Deck Dock (with M.2 Storage) is another low-profile dock. This design only obstructs the smallest portion of your system’s vent. And there’s a wide slot for your Steam Deck that will accommodate even fairly thick cases. And it’s angled so that your system will still fit neatly in place even if you’re not using a case.

Many of the basic features on the dock should look familiar by now. There’s a black rubber pigtail at the back right with a right-angle USB Type-C plug. There’s a USB Type-C PD power input, as well as an HDMI port that can deliver 4K video at 60Hz. You’ll also find a set of three USB Type-A ports, along with a Gigabit Ethernet port at the left.

The main standout feature is inside the top of the housing. If you pop off the removable panel, you’ll access an internal storage slot. The storage slot is designed to accommodate an M.2 SSD drive. It can support both NVMe and SATA drives, with a capacity of up to 2TB. You can use this extra storage to back up saved games or even store part of your library. Between the SSD storage and the M.2 drive, you’ll be able to get blazing fast load times.

Of course, getting your dock is just part of the equation. If you want to get the most out of your Steam Deck, you’ll need some good peripherals. Check out our list of the best mouse and keyboard combinations for Steam Deck for ideas.

Best Budget: JOYJOM Steam Deck Dock

Key features:

• Low-profile aluminum alloy housing.
• USB Type-C power, HDMI out, 3x USB Type-A ports.
• Holds screen at an 80-degree angle.

The JOYJOM Steam Deck Dock is another low-profile aluminum alloy housing. It’s rectangular in shape, and it won’t block your system’s air vents.

There’s a pair of black rubber pads in the front slot to protect your system. And a set of four round rubber skids protect the bottom. The dock connects to your Steam Deck via a little USB pigtail on the back of the housing. It also allows you to connect a 100-watt power supply, an HDMI display, and up to three USB Type-A devices.

What’s the Best Steam Deck Dock for You?

All five of these Steam Deck docks could be the best choice under the right circumstances. But which one is the right fit for you? While that’s a personal decision, here’s a summary of what we’ve learned.

We started out by looking at the ISOWESHE. This is a tough aluminum docking station that seems like it can take a beating. At the same time, it’s gentle on your Steam Deck and desk alike, with plenty of rubber padding. The support flange won’t block your system’s air vents. It also has enough ports to connect pretty much any peripherals you want.

After that, we checked out the MOKiN. This docking station is made out of plastic instead of metal. But it still seems pretty tough, and it does a good job of keeping your Steam Deck safe. Not only that, but the USB ports are capable of transferring data at 10Gbps. This makes it easy to transfer large files in a hurry.

Next, we moved on to the VANGREE. This low-profile docking station gets the job done without taking up unnecessary space. It also has USB ports on the left end instead of the back, which can simplify cable management.

Fourth on our list was the UPTOHIGH. This docking station stands out first and foremost for the M.2 storage slot. It’s a convenient way to add extra storage or to back up your save files. Besides that, the housing is also rock-solid, so you don’t have to worry about it getting easily damaged.

Finally, we reviewed the JOYJOM. This affordable little dock doesn’t bring any awesome extra features to the table. But it will reliably charge your Steam Deck and keep all your peripherals connected. As long as you don’t need an Ethernet connection, it does everything you need to do.