The official Steam Deck dock could arrive soon, as Valve claims it’s overcoming ongoing supply issues. While are plenty of proper alternatives already on the market, the gaming PC giant is aiming to get the real deal working with “as many peripherals as possible.”
In an interview with IGN, Valve’s UX designer Lawrence Yang touches on official Steam Deck dock development challenges, but reveals the company will “hopefully announce something soon.” Supply constraints appear to be the core cause of the accessory’s delayed launch, as the docking station is manufactured in a different place to the Deck itself.
Of course, not all of Valve’s Steam Deck dock woes are hardware related, as the portable’s software plays a huge role in terms of compatibility. Yang says “every USB dock is benefiting from all of the work that we do on SteamOS,” as recent updates have helped refine the experience provided by third-party alternatives.
If you already own Valve’s portable powerhouse, chances are you’ve considered our best Steam Deck dock pick. While testing the Jsaux docking station, we encountered a few quirks that are directly linked to the way SteamOS interacts with gaming mouse and keyboard controls, so we’ll likely see a fix arrive for that before the official dock makes its debut.
That said, the Steam Deck dock has seemingly ditched its vapourware status, as it was spotted in the flesh at TGS 2022. The version on display could be a prototype or test model, but it still looks more like a real accessory than earlier setups and renders.
In addition to Steam Deck dock tidbits, Lawrence Yang and Valve’s Erik Peterson also provided some Steam Deck 2 insights. When asked whether a slimmer Deck is on the cards, Peterson listed potential performance issues, screen size caveats, and comfort compromises. Yang adds reduced battery capacity to the same list, but hints at mitigating any drawbacks.