Gonassis Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 (edited) So, I'm going through the various publishers and I'm seeing a trend of extremely mixed results for the official Steam Deck docking station. Some outlets praise it for its design and integration, others blame the price and (lack of) features or power. Dexterto wrote: "We’re not upset with our purchase of the Steam Deck Dock. It’s a clean-cut and totally viable USB-C dock. However, there’s just this lingering feeling that it doesn’t bring enough to the table that any other dock available on Amazon could do. Other than the need to keep things aesthetically pleasing, that is." And they gave it a 6/10, you can read the review here. Phoronix wrote: "If you can afford it, great, otherwise there are plenty of other Linux compatible USB-C hubs/docks/adapters on the market depending upon your needs." No score was given, but they have some nice photos and an overall positive score. You can read more in their review. Esportsheadlines.com wrote: "If you can afford it, the official Steam Deck Dock is certainly a good investment. It's not only well integrated in to the SteamOS itself, but also features all the ports one would need for a pleasant couch gaming session." From what I can tell it's quite a high number, 9 out of 10. Here's their review. TheVerge wrote: Ah, well.. I don't know what they wrote tbh. They did an extremely poor review focusing on what the dock can't do, instead on what it can, so I have no clue if it's a good source or not. This is your standard Verge I guess, like Unboxing Therapy. They always want to have their nose in everything, even if they aren't capable of reviewing it. It's here. From what I can tell by default is that Apple's monitor stand is Valve's docking station. It's an overpriced piece of tech that fits the device well and does the job, but its role is to bring in more money, and there are several cheaper alternatives out there. Luckily Valve doesn't bother too much with competition and they actually welcome it, so that's good. We would just need a docking station that can be integrated with Linux as well as the steam deck dock can. Valve Official Steam Deck Dock.mp4 Edited October 21, 2022 by Gonassis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demon_skeith Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 I never heard of a proper handheld playing all the steam games, so I don't see what they mean for most of those reviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane99 Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 So the dock is essentially what Nintendo has with the switch correct? It sounds like there are alternatives on the market, maybe other ones are better suited for now. I don't own a steam deck so can't really comment on the dock, but I'm curious if there are cheaper alternatives that do just as good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonassis Posted October 21, 2022 Author Share Posted October 21, 2022 (edited) Yeah, that's one of the reasons why it got mixed results. Other manufacturers have similar options ranging from $30 till $50, while this one is clocking in $90. I think that Apple's monitor stand is Valve's steam deck dock - just here to look pretty and make money. 10 minutes ago, Kane99 said: So the dock is essentially what Nintendo has with the switch correct? It sounds like there are alternatives on the market, maybe other ones are better suited for now. I don't own a steam deck so can't really comment on the dock, but I'm curious if there are cheaper alternatives that do just as good. Edited October 21, 2022 by Gonassis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Empire Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Always going to get good and bad, not to mention the firmware is crap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajibusu Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 I would say that the biggest drawback for the Steam Deck Dock is the price. It has some cool features and anyone expecting it to play all games should understand it is not possible with any device. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane99 Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 Yeah if the prices were a bit lower it may be worth it. Whenever I get a steam deck, I'll probably skip out on buying the dock until I can find a good cheap one. I don't want to pay nearly $100 for one. I'll be fine playing it handheld. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin11 Posted November 5, 2022 Share Posted November 5, 2022 The price seems a little bit high though that's not the most expensive handhelds I have seen but for it specifications and design it should be worth less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killamch89 Posted November 17, 2022 Share Posted November 17, 2022 I mean, there are third-party dock for the Steam deck that are way better. It is also definitely on the pricier side as well so I can understand the mixed reviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane99 Posted November 19, 2022 Share Posted November 19, 2022 I looked it up, and the prices for a Switch Dock are pretty high themselves, costing around $150 for a new one, and a refurbished one is like $80-$100 or so. So I guess this isn't as badly priced compared to the Switches dock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokey Posted November 30, 2022 Share Posted November 30, 2022 This is surprising to hear. All steam deck reviews I've heard so far were pretty positive for the handheld itself, to see the docking station get mixed reviews is a bit surprising to be honest. I would love a Steam Deck myself but it's way too expensive for my blood, It's definitely not in the cards right now at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
