The Steam Deck was launched to a hungry audience in February of 2022 by an enthusiastic group of Linux tinkerers who were largely thrilled to be able to take the majority of their Steam libraries on the go. Leading up to its launch, the Steam Deck had an official accessory dock that traveling gamers could connect to their monitors or televisions to project their new pocket PC’s onto a larger format. There was just one problem, the preorders for the Steam Deck were so strong that the backorder is only now (October 2022) catching up to market demand. Presumably, Valve pivoted its attention away from bringing the Deck Dock to market in favor of prioritizing scaling manufacturing of the Steam Deck. This created a massive market gap where video game accessory manufacturers had clear indications of a market opportunity and thus kicked off the proverbial arms race for who could create the perfect Steam Deck dock.
In steps JSAUX, the Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer. JSAUX was one of the first to make it to market with basic docks and accessories that were positively received despite having a few models needing an update to work with particular television manufacturers. Their latest iteration seeks to target those searching for the premium option when it comes to docks. In comes the aptly named M.2 Docking Station for Steam Deck. Touting a 6-1 design that features a built-in M.2 slot for you to transfer larger games between the dock and your console, this powerhouse of a dock looks to not only give your Steam Deck a new home in your entertainment setup but looks to expand your immediate access to the bottomless list of games you call your Steam Library.
Starting aesthetically, you’ll begin to unpack this premium packaging when you’re greeted with a personal message from the manufacturer wishing you many happy gaming memories. Before long you’re holding a heavy metal dock with a single USB cord that plugs into the top of your Steam Deck. The design aesthetic feels premium and sports little graphic flourishes that draw your attention to the main event, the tension lid.
You can easily pull back the metal cover revealing your M.2 slot. The metal cradle has small pads so as not to scratch your Steam Deck. The rounded corners and heavy weight feel reassuring especially given the higher price tag for this dock.
The dock features an HDMI port that can output 4k@60hz or 2k@120Hx, one gigabit LAN ethernet input, one USB-C port for charging, Two USB 3.1 ports, and the all-important 900 mb/s M.2 drive (be sure to check the website for M.2 compatibility before your purchase). It’s an impressive array of options, however, you’ll need to use the USB-C slot for power, and obviously, the M.2 slot can only be used for storage. You’ll be left with two USB 3.1’s for your mouse and keyboard or other peripherals. Over my two-week testing I never found myself hunting for more ports, but often found myself maximizing all the inputs. I tested the display capability on an older 1080p monitor, a 4k OLED TV, and an ultra-wide 3440×1440 monitor, and everything worked wonderfully.
The only gripe I have is not necessarily with the dock. I am a Linux novice, so when I have to format the new drive and run an auto-mount script, it will take me exponentially longer than wait should. JSAUX has attempted to lessen this burden by coding a script for you and listing it alongside instructions from their website. You cannot ask for too much more, but I still found a way to get lost in those instructions and typing in Linux Konsole. That being said, I believe it reasonable to assume that if you are an early adopter of the Steam Deck you by design are a tinkerer and will no doubt find your way like I did.
If you are a gamer on a budget, no doubt you’ll be hunting for more of the bargain dock. However, if like me you often have a tiny Richard Attenborough in your head whispering,” Spared no expense!” then this is the Dock you’ve been waiting for. The Solid design aesthetic, exceptional build quality, and showstopper M.2 drive have put the final nail in my Nintendo Switch’s coffin. I cannot wait to take this on vacation or a business trip, and it’s the perfect accessory to the Steam Deck.
The JSAUX M.2 Docking Station for Steam Deck comes in three options. That is: just the dock, the dock plus a 1TB SSD, and the dock plus a 2 TB SSD. They will cost you $129.99, $199.99, and $269.99 USD respectively. I say this is money well spent considering how many roms and emulators I want at my fingertips. If you are looking for a Dock that has “spared no expense” The JSAUX M.2 Docking Station is outstanding.
