on the other hand, steam deck, Valve’s powered-up mini PC offers a rich gaming experience in a portable format.Enter deck mate: A simple plastic bracket that allows you to mount not only a very handy kickstand, but also a few other specialized mounting solutions to the back of your deck.
Deckmate is the brainchild of product design engineer Siri Ramos. Ramos is Steam Deck Community Your enthusiasm and support has allowed us to grow what was once a fun personal project into a fully featured product. It’s obvious just by scrolling. r/SteamDeckA deckmate is a series of Prototypes and early 3D printed parts For professional-looking final products. After using it for a few weeks, it feels like a very natural extension of my deck, with a few surprises of its own.
At the heart of Deckmate’s “system” is what the creator calls the “grip”. It’s a simple plastic claw that grabs the back of your Mini PC like a poor zombie head crab. And like that headclub, this is a very seamless attachment and won’t interfere with the system’s stock protective case. But you’ll want to keep it. I’ve only transferred it to another Steam deck once, but I feel like I only want to bend the plastic off a few times at most.
You can see clips on the top and bottom of the device when viewed from the front, but the plastic color and texture blend nicely with the deck. I can’t feel it with my hands when I play.
The grip bracket itself doesn’t do much. Instead, various “mounts” can be plugged into the back of the device. These are held in place by a pair of springs. Available mounts include a very handy kickstand, adhesive “pucks” to hold batteries or USB-C hubs, wall mounts, and even 75mm VESA mounts like those found on the back of PC monitors. It is included.
I used one of the packs for a handy USB-C hub that allows me to connect various USB devices along with an ethernet cable for faster downloads, but the kickstand felt most important to me.
You might not give the kickstand much thought. This is a very basic device and concept. But given the size and weight of the Steam Deck, the ability to attach it to the back is like extending your third arm, especially if you’re playing on a couch or bed.
This dawned on me when I decided to fire Spider-Man: Remastered One night. I could lay on my bed with the kickstand set up, watch the opening cutscene with the device in front of me, and pick it up when I was ready to start swinging around Manhattan Island. That might not be all that surprising if you haven’t spent the time.
Steam decks are as heavy as they look. It’s a big device! And, at least for me, my hands feel tingly and numb after playing for long periods of time. I was able to spend more time gaming by leaving the screen facing forward to rest my hands during non-interactive cutscenes. It can move a full 120 degrees and never feels like that flimsy piece of crap attached to the Nintendo Switch. The Deckmate Kickstand is also perfect for placing the unit on your desk and connecting your keyboard.
read more: Yes, you can use your Steam deck as a computer (here how)
One of the unexpected benefits is the deck’s high heat output. Having the exhaust fan oriented more vertically seems like a better way to lay down the device while downloading something or playing a graphic-intensive cutscene. If you believe Reddit, aromatherapy advantage To fun.
Another amazing use of the kickstand was that it could be used like a monopole while lying on the bed or couch, supporting more weight of the device. As a result, my hands were not doing the work of both playing and holding the device. Overall, the Deckmate with its kickstand accessory made the Deck a more comfortable machine for me.
I found the kickstand to be the star of the show, but others may find it more convenient to attach additional accessories to the glue pack.As warned on Deckmate’s site Additionally, the adhesive used in these packs is virtually permanent. So if you want to glue a large battery pack, USB hub, etc., be aware that you are creating a fairly permanent bond between the pack attachment and the accessory. they will be friends for life.
A few other caveats: If you wrap some kind of smartphone-style case around the deck to add thickness, the base gThe lip bracket probably won’t fit around it. Fortunately, deck mate adapter It uses the same 3M adhesive as the pack and offers an alternative means of securing the g.Tear into the back of third party cases. However, it may not be able to resolve conflicts with certain docks. Deckmate’s FAQ looks very optimistic, JSAUX DockI found the grip bracket to be a little too big, making it unstable when sitting on the dock.
Also, you can only use one mount at a time, so if you use a kickstand and charge your device with an external battery, you have to choose which one to attach to your device. Sure, if you’re using a kickstand, there’s probably a flat surface to put the battery down on.
Importantly, if you’re using a USB-C hub, you’ll want to pay attention to cable length, especially when making the final decision to attach the puck to the hub. In my case, I suspect I stuck the puck a little too far below the hub. As a result, the USB-C cable is a little too tight when reaching the deck’s single USB-C port. I’ll try rearranging this, but given that the glue is for his one-time use, I’ll probably have to get creative.Lesson learned: measure cable length, Use a right angle adapter if necessary.
Once removed, the kickstand and puck-equipped device fits easily into the deck’s included storage case.you can push it into it lower compartment Many Steam Deck users have found creative Use for However, if your accessory needs extend to gamepads, keyboards and other peripherals, you’ll need a larger bag. ” You can leave the brackets alone.
If you only want the kickstand, you’ll need the grip bracket for $20 and the kickstand mount itself for an extra $15. Individual packs are $7 each. You can also buy the “whole system” which includes the grip, two packs, a VESA mount, a wall mount, and a case-independent adapter for $49. You can find cheaper kickstand options on Amazon and elsewhere, but we feel the Deckmate system is sturdy and reliable. (As long as the angles are set correctly). Its size and build quality feel like a perfect fit for the deck itself.
You can also go the DIY route Download Deckmate digital files and print them yourself. It will take some trial and error, but the files are free and distributed under a Creative Commons license.
All in all, a deckmate, especially with a kickstand, is a great Steam deck accessory that expands where (and how) you can play your games. It’s high quality, looks great, and blends well with the DIY spirit of the device. With any luck, we’ll see more unique and high-quality projects of this kind as Deck settles into the wider world of gaming hardware.
