5 Anker Finds For The Ultimate Steam Deck Starter Pack - bgr.com
The Steam Deck changed all that. This Anker dock works beyond the Steam Deck, too. That's why you need a powerful power bank in your Steam Deck pack.
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Until the Steam Deck came out in 2022, handheld console gaming was more or less limited to playing fun arcade games and was nowhere near the gold standard that was console or PC gaming. The Steam Deck changed all that. It essentially lets you carry your PC game library, including AAA titles like God of War, in your palm. Over time, the Steam Deck has only gotten better and more powerful, with snappier CPUs and GPUs, bigger and brighter OLED screens, and longer battery lives.
However, the right Steam Deck accessories go a long way in letting you get the most out of your handheld console. But if you're just starting out, it can be difficult to understand which accessories to prioritize. Luckily, everything you need for your Steam Deck starter pack, from power banks to docking stations to wall chargers to even earbuds and HDMI cables, can be found in Anker's inventory.
Even better, Anker is one of the most reputable electronics brands in the world, so it's likely that you'll get quality products. Moreover, it has hundreds of products across all of its categories. To make it easier for you, we've dug through the highest-rated and most popular Anker accessories and found the best ones for Steam Deck.
The Steam Deck only comes with a single USB-C port, so you can either charge it or connect it to a TV or monitor. You can't do both at the same time. But get the Anker 6-in-1 Steam Deck Dock and you can do all of these things and more without running out of ports. In simple words, it lets you maximize your Steam Deck's potential and turn it into "a portable Steam PC," as one reviewer put it. Right now, you can get it for just $36 on Amazon, where it has a solid 4.4-star rating after 1,600 reviews.
It connects to your Steam Deck via its built-in USB-C cable and gives you access to six ports: two USB-C ports, including one that supports 100W PD, a 4K 60Hz HDMI port, two USB-A ports, and an Ethernet slot for faster internet. You can then attach peripherals like a gaming controller, a gaming mouse, or a gaming keyboard via wired connection or dongles, avoiding Bluetooth connections that could result in input lag or higher latency. You can also insert USB drives or SSDs to expand the console's storage and play games directly from them, all while your Steam Deck is plugged in to charge.
This Anker dock works beyond the Steam Deck, too. It's also compatible with other handheld gaming consoles like the Lenovo Legion Go and ASUS ROG Ally, as well as Apple iPads with USB-C. Users have also praised its durability and design. In addition to its 90-degree main power cable that "keeps the handheld seated comfortably," according to one reviewer, it also has rubber pads to keep the Steam Deck inside the dock and the dock itself from slipping.
Poor battery life is one of the most annoying things about the Steam Deck. In addition to not wanting to be tied to a wall socket, you might not always have one nearby, like when you're traveling. That's why you need a powerful power bank in your Steam Deck pack. In our research, we found that the Anker 737 Power Bank fits the bill. It's currently priced at $110 on Amazon, where it enjoys a solid 4.4-star rating after more than 17,000 reviews.
It comes with a massive 24,000mAh battery capacity, meaning it can charge the 5,200-6,470mAh Steam Deck from zero to full juice a few times before needing a recharge itself. Even better, because it has a maximum power delivery of 140W, it can charge your Steam Deck at its maximum 45W, even when you're charging multiple devices at the same time. Just make sure you're using a USB-C port for charging the Steam Deck. That's because the maximum power delivery for the USB-A port is 18W, whereas the two USB-C ports combined can deliver up to 140W when USB-A is not in use, or up to 100W when USB-A is in use.
At 1.4 pounds and 6.1 x 2.1 x 1.9 inches, the Anker 737 isn't tiny but still compact enough that it "fits in [your] purse or backpack," according to one reviewer. Users have also praised its smart display, with another reviewer saying that it's "fantastic and really provides all the information you need." It shows you the remaining battery capacity, time left until the power bank runs out of charge, and the wattage at which the three ports are delivering power.
The Steam Deck can run out of battery under two hours in demanding titles, so you can't always use a power bank because that needs a recharge, too. That's why it's crucial to have a fast wall charger in your setup. We recommend getting the Anker 100W USB-C Charger, which is available for $60 on Amazon and includes a 4.9 ft USB-C to USB-C cable. It's got a near-perfect 4.7-star rating after over 1,000 reviews, and we particularly like that you can use it to charge your other gadgets, including heavy-duty devices like MacBooks, together with the Steam Deck.
One reviewer said, "It handles all my modern devices without breaking a sweat. They all charge quickly and consistently." It's also got what Anker calls a "gravity-balanced design." That simply means that all the ports are underneath it, so when it's plugged in, all the cables hang downward. This stops the charging brick from sagging and ensures all your connections get a steady, uninterrupted power delivery. Speaking of which, both USB-C ports can comfortably deliver more power than the Steam Deck's max 45W — up to 100W when one is in use, up to 95W when both are in use, and up to 80W when even the USB-A port is in use.
The charger is also compact and lightweight and, therefore, great for travel. It measures 2.72 x 2.17 x 1.34 inches and weighs just 0.47 pounds. According to Anker, it's smaller than other 100W chargers while still being better because it can "sustain peak performance up to twice as long," courtesy of the gallium nitride (GaN) inside it, instead of the usual silicon. Lastly, like many other modern Anker chargers, it too has a smart display to help you track essential metrics.
One of the Steam Deck's biggest strengths is its versatility, particularly that it allows you to connect to a TV or external monitor and enjoy the conventional big-screen gaming experience. But for that, you're going to need a good, fast, high-fidelity, and long HDMI cable, like the Anker HDMI 2.1 Cable. It's 6.6 feet long and currently available on Amazon for $19, with an impressive 4.8-star rating after over 3,300 reviews. One reviewer who tried multiple HDMI cables said that it's "the best HDMI out there" and that "none gave clarity as this one."
Most importantly for Steam Deck, this cable is capable of delivering 4K at 120Hz or 8K at 60Hz, which are both display outputs the Steam Deck supports. That said, you'll also need a USB-C to HDMI adapter that supports these outputs to fully utilize the cable's bandwidth with the Steam Deck. Also, while 8K displays aren't the standard as of now, getting a cable that can support it gives you peace of mind that your HDMI cable will work fine with your next-gen gaming monitor. Even better, real-world user experience backs up Anker's 8K claims. One reviewer noted that it was "simple to get crisp 8K video at 60Hz." Moreover, they didn't notice any wiggle or signal drops at all.
It has a maximum bandwidth of 48Gbps, along with support for other next-gen HDMI features, including Variable Refresh Rate, Auto Low Latency Mode, and Quick Frame Transport. Another highlight is its durable build quality. The cable is double-braided with a nylon finish and comes with gold connector pins. Anker says you can plug and unplug the cable 10,000 times, and it backs that up by providing an 18-month warranty.
Anker has a dedicated sub-brand, Soundcore, that specializes in budget-friendly audio equipment. Our research found that the Soundcore P31i should be a great fit for your Steam Deck setup and will help you enjoy a more immersive gaming experience. It costs just $37 on Amazon, where it's one of the most popular cheap wireless earbuds, with a 4.4-star rating and more than 7,000 reviews. It comes with adaptive noise cancellation, and several reviewers have praised its ability to shut out outside noise. One reviewer said that "they provide a gift of near silence."
Furthermore, expert reviewers at Scarbir noted that it has "a fluent and immersive gaming sound performance." According to Skull Review, you might notice some latency in games, but it shouldn't be an issue for casual use. Steam Deck users can also enable the dedicated gaming mode via the free Soundcore app to further keep latency to a minimum and better sync the action in their games with the audio. The P31i has a balanced sound profile. You get impactful bass, balanced mids, clear vocals, and bright highs. One reviewer noted that "the audio quality is amazing" and the sound is "clear and crisp."
These earbuds also come with real-time AI translation for more than 100 languages. Moreover, the call quality is very good, courtesy of its six microphones that, according to RTINGS, can "separate your voice well from reasonably busy backdrops." Another big selling point is the long battery life. According to Anker, they can last up to 8 hours with ANC on a single charge, and a total of 40 hours with the charging case.
Our first and most notable consideration while looking for products for this guide was to determine the most important Steam Deck accessories. While some choices, such as a docking station, a fast charger, and an HDMI cable, were obvious picks, there were also some products, like USB drives and SSD cards, that we avoided since we believe they're not absolutely necessary for entry-level Steam Deck users.
Next, we sifted through Anker's offerings to select the very best ones in their respective categories for Steam Deck. For example, a heavy-duty power bank that can juice up the console multiple times on a single charge is a much better pick than a light but low-capacity battery pack. To find our final recommendations, we looked through the features, pricing, experts' opinions, as well as the reviews and ratings of dozens of Anker products online. Lastly, because we wanted to provide a comprehensive list of Steam Deck accessories, we also considered products from Anker sub-brands, like Soundcore.