When I moved country, one of the first things I packed was my Steam Deck. Yeah, I might be a bit irresponsible but it's also just a really nice device that can keep you going when you haven't quite built that flat-pack furniture and bought that new monitor.
If you're looking to kit out your handheld to take on the go as I do, Black Friday is a great time to pick up some accessories. Assuming you have the device to hand, and have a backpack to throw it in, these are the accessory deals I recommend keeping an eye on.
Quick Links
- JBL Quantum TWS - $69.95 at Walmart
- Ugreen 48,000mAh portable charger - $118.99 at Amazon
- Jsaux docking station - $29.99 at Amazon
- Mountain Everest 60 - $39.99 at Amazon
- Logitech G203 - $18.99 at Amazon
JBL Quantum TWS
If you want to play your Steam Deck in public and don't want to draw the ire of those you sit beside, you will want a good way of listening to it without blasting it out loud. Though a pair of headphones can be a good shout, the ease with which you can use these, and their dual connection makes them perfect to quickly get out on the move, and pop away when you're done.
As we said in our JBL Quantum TWS review, "The JBL Quantum TWS are a well-balanced, well-designed set of wireless earbuds, and their versatility and ease-of-use make them my absolute favourite set of earbuds for gaming."
The noise cancelling capabilities make it particularly good in a cafe or crowded environment, though you pay for that in the five or so hours you can use ANC without charging them. Luckily, you get another three charges out of the case so you don't need to top up that battery as much as you do for the Steam Deck itself.
Ugreen 48,000 mAh portable charger
I've been using this portable charger for almost a year now and it's perhaps one of my most used bits of tech when I leave the house. Originally selling for a whopping 200 dollars, there are much lower-priced power banks for a quick top-up but, at $80 off, this offers an awful lot if you leave the house with tech.
Coming with a max 48,000 mAh charge, this is a healthy amount that is outdone by cheaper solutions but it's super solid, comes with a smart display to monitor usage, and can output at a rate high enough to match the 45 W charger the Steam Deck comes with.
One of my biggest problems with using power banks to power gaming sessions on the go for me was the bank never being able to keep up with the rate at which the thing dies. With this brick on me, I've never seen the Steam Deck go flat while out and about.
It is also good in other areas, with a neat light on the side for if you ever plan on going camping. This is all topped off with fast both-way charging, and peace of mind assurances like high temperature, over-voltage, and short circuit protection.
The 300 W output is cumulative, so only achievable when you have multiple devices sapping up juice but fast charging of up to 150 W means you can keep your phone topped up, alongside almost every other electronic you would bring with you.
Jsaux docking station
You may wonder "Why would you bring a Steam Deck dock with you to travel?" and to that, I say it's a surprisingly competent laptop replacement if you fancy doing a bit of writing or casual browsing at a cafe.
This Jsaux docking station has been my personal choice for years now, thanks to its great value and plentiful ports. Perhaps most importantly, this docking station is very sturdy, which is necessary if you plan on taking it on the go.
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At just $30, you get three USB Type-A ports to plug in any accessories you may bring with you and a USB Type-C port to power it with (that's what the portable charger is for).
This isn't compatible with the ROG Ally X, Ayaneo devices, or the Nintendo Switch, in case you want to mix and match devices but it should work with ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw.
Mountain Everest 60
Most of the gaming I do out of cafes tends to be done in handheld mode but I do often bust out a light keyboard and mouse to get some writing done or browse the internet.
Luckily, with the Mountain Everest 60, you don't need to pick between a good gaming or typing keyboard as its mechanical keys can handle both well, and at a lovely price.
The Mountain Everest 60, being a 60% keyboard won't hog up too much space on the go and, at just over 700 g, this won't break your back to pop in a backpack either. Importantly, going for a budget choice on the go is probably quite smart and the Mountain Everest 60 is one of the best budget choices right now.
As someone whose partner has a bad habit of stealing their MacBook to leave the house, I've found myself often using the Steam Deck on the go to write down some thoughts and bringing a keyboard and mouse is a good way of solving a craving to play a round of Civ too.
Logitech G203
Using much of the same logic as the keyboard, this budget choice from Logitech is an excellent deal on one of the best budget mice you can pick up right now. It's light, looks pretty, and is good enough to get a real game on too.
At just over 80 grams, there are lighter choices out there but it's mostly the price point that makes this an excellent travel choice. You always run the risk of gear breaking on the go and, though I do love it, I don't think I'd be too heartbroken if this one ever crashed out on me.
In our Logitech G203 Lightsync review, we praised this mouse for being affordable and lightweight but criticised its wider role in the market for its price point. At just under half off, it comes ahead of most of its competition easily.
