Best Steam Deck case in 2024

The JSAUX hard Steam Deck carrying case takes the top spot in our guide because it offers a great balance of protection, storage, and portability – at an affordable price. This upgraded version is the latest in a series of great Steam Deck cases from JSAUX and is just slightly bigger and more expensive than its previous model.

Both the capacity and features on offer are impressive. When you unzip the rugged JSAUX case, you find a handy mesh pocket for storing extra MicroSD cards. There’s also a built-in stand so that you can play the handheld on long journeys on flights or trains (provided you bring your own controller). Beneath this is a roomy storage compartment with enough room for all your Steam Deck accessories. For any of our readers in the UK, a larger Steam Deck charger will fit inside.

All of these storage features come at no compromise to safety. The handsome Oxford cloth is very durable, and the thickened EVA shell ensures protection from accidental drops or bumps. On the downside, one common gripe amongst consumers is that the case is quite smelly. This is reported to lessen with time, and we believe that the tradeoff is well worth the features and storage you do get.

Taking your Deck on public transport and want to keep it close? Look no further than tomtoc’s Arccos Steam Deck Travel bag. The Arccos offers the best feature set out of any sling bag we’ve taken a look at it and offers plenty of space for your accessories too, so you won’t be left wanting at the LAN party either.

The Accros is pleasantly light coming in at only 1.1LB (500g) so it’s a great option for those looking to avoid being over-encumbered and unable to run. If you do need to run for the bus, the internal strap helps keep your Deck from bouncing about. Further protecting the Deck is the splashproof heavy-duty 840D fabric construction and quality YKK zips.

Despite the Accros being decidedly grey, its eco-credentials are certainly green as all the fabrics are sourced from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles which pair very nicely with the Deck’s low-energy consumption for the environmentally-conscious gamer.

One drawback of its lightweight design is the sacrifice in bash protection when compared to a hardshell case. Though there are foam inserts, a serious drop or disgruntled airport worker could cause potential damage. We’d also seriously recommend you consider buying joystick protectors as though the wedged-shaped design leaves plenty of room, a firm squish could see unwanted pressure on them.

Spigen’s Rugged Armor case is a well-design and affordable shell case for Steam Deck. It’s not a carrying case, but a flexible wraparound design with an attached wrist strap that will help to prevent accidental drops. This is the best choice if you want a Steam Deck case you can leave on, as you don’t have to remove it while charging or downloading games.

Spigen’s case leaves plenty of room for the Deck’s cooling solution ensuring it will remain snug but not toasty. There’s a very thoughtful cutout for the USB port which allows for right-angle USB-C connectors which are great for longevity. Crucially, it also fits inside Valve’s included case, if you weren’t looking to buy a new one.

The case unfortunately doesn’t have a kickstand like the Geekria product below, which may or may not be important to your preferred mode of play. There is a lack of protection on the front of the device but given the wrist strap, this is a reasonable concession as it helps keep the case slim.

If you want to carry as small of a bag as possible or make the most out of every cubic inch, then Geekria’s Kickstand protective case for Steam Deck is the best choice for you. The top cover comes off easily, allowing for instant and easy access to the Deck.

The TPU construction of Geekria’s case offers a solid grip and feel in the hand which greatly helps our confidence when playing on the Deck in less-than-ideal conditions. The included kickstand also means you get to flex on Switch users who would otherwise have the shared or table-playing experience.

One downside is the lack of cutouts on the top cover for the USB port and fan exhaust, meaning it is impossible to leave the Steam Deck charging in your bag. This also prevents you from keeping the cover on when you want to leave the Deck running to download games, patches, or shader caches for fear of thermal damage. This is a reasonably small concession given the benefit of having such a slimline safety solution on the go, however.

Dbrand is renowned for its high-quality Steam Deck skins, which wrap around your device snugly to keep it safe from scratches and dents, and the Project Killswitch case is no different from the kind of quality you’d expect from the iconic lineup of handheld accessories. The Project Killswitch case features textured grips for extra comfort, and its thin size means it doesn’t turn your Steam Deck into a bulky monster.

The Project Killswitch fits your Steam Deck like a glove, and its setup is incredibly straightforward. By watching the provided YouTube tutorial, just about anyone can get this Steam Deck case up and running.

The main downside to the Project Killswitch case is that you will need to additionally purchase an adaptor if you plan on using a Steam Deck dock, as the shape of the case gets in the way of some of the handheld ports. The price is high, but purchasing the ‘essential kit’ version of the case will bring that price down.