What Is a Steam Deck?

The Steam Deck is the latest handheld gaming device designed by Valve Corporation, a tech company involved in making Steam, games, and hardware. The hint about the release of the Steam Deck has been ongoing since December 2021. However, it was finally released in February 2022. The gaming world has rapidly progressed right from the days of the odyssey home video game console to this present time.

In those days, video games could only be played indoors while connecting to the television. However, due to technological advancement in the gaming sector, we now have double usage portable gaming devices like a Steam Deck that can be used to play games. It can also be connected to iPad, laptops, personal computers, etc.

One of the specific features of the Steam Deck is its Linux-based operating system which gives this LCD 7-inch touchscreen its gaming power. Also, it enables the Steam Deck to suitably play Windows games as well as the Steam series, thanks to its proton compatibility. However, it is also good to know that you can install different compatible operating systems on your Steam Deck.

Another specific feature of your Steam Deck is its 40 watt/hour lithium battery, 1280 × 800 Touchscreen LCD @ 60Hz, and its high-powered AMD RDNA 2 (with 8 CUs) graphic display.

Using Your Steam Deck With Other Gaming Accessories

The high display resolution of this touch screen makes gaming enjoyable and pleasing both to the sense of sight and touch. However, most gamers will agree with me that the experience of sitting on a gaming chair and having one's game projected on a larger screen is down to earth. To ensure this without charging problems and connectivity issues in case of game download and accessing external storage devices, you need a compatible Steam Deck hub.

Are you wondering what a Steam Deck hub is? A Steam Deck hub can be referred to as any hub that can be used to connect your Steam Deck to your laptop or personal computer, external keyboard, and mouse all at the same time. A hub also allows you to connect to external hard drives and routers while charging your deck at the same time.

However, you should understand that valve corporation, the developer of the Steam Deck, is yet to produce their first-party Steam Deck hub. Therefore, users of Steam Deck need a third-party compatible hub to connect gaming accessories effectively. One of the most common third-party Steam Deck hubs out there is the USB C hub.

There are different types ranging from 5-in-1 USB C hubs to USB C 7-in-1 Multi-Port Hub Adapter with varying capacities. I am sure you have been hearing about Steam Deck dock as much as Steam Deck hub. Read more below to get the answers you are looking for.

Which Is More Suitable, A Dock or A Hub?

As I earlier mentioned Steam Deck was singly developed, and users are still expecting the Steam Deck USB C hub. Similarly, the Steam Deck docking station is also yet to be released due to some delays as said by the company. Simply, there are two connecting devices you can use with your Steam Deck to expand the view of your game onto a larger screen and also connect all gaming accessories. These two connective devices are the Steam Deck hub and Steam Deck dock (third party).

There are not many differences between these two devices. However, their usability differs and both have their advantages and disadvantages. A Steam Deck dock is more like a powered device that is capable of providing a wall plug-in for devices intended to be used together. For instance, if you want to use your laptop like a desktop and you need to connect high-powered peripherals such as the printer, keyboard, scanner, monitor, and the like, instead of plugging all these hardware separately, they can be connected through a docking station or a dock.

Hence, talking about Steam Deck dock, it's like an engine that allows you to connect your Steam Deck dock to TV and other high-powered peripherals. On the other hand, a Steam Deck hub is a device that provides more ports for your personal computer to connect with your deck and other devices such as a mouse, hard drive, charger, router, monitor, and micro SD all at the same time. It's quite evident that the hub's functions are not so much different from the dock's. As earlier mentioned, the compatible type of hub to purchase for your Steam Deck is the USB C hub. Read more below on how this type of Steam Deck hub can be used.

Using A USB C Hub on The Steam Deck  

When purchasing a USB C hub, apart from compatibility ensure you check for quality and capacity. Due to the fact that the developer of the Steam Deck is yet to release the first party Steam Deck hub, there have been a lot of third parties USB C hubs for Steam Decks in the market recently. Hence, it is imperative you look out for quality, compatibility & capacity before purchasing your USB C hub.

Two of the quality USB C hub you can use on the Steam Deck is the 7-in-one and 6-in-1 Type-C Multi-Port Adapter 4K with Ethernet manufactured by CableCreation. These USB C Steam Deck hubs have ethernet ports for better network connection, charging ports of up to 100W, 2 USB 3.0 ports, and HDMI ports of 4k @60Hz resolution that give a flawless display on your laptop screen.

However, the 7-in-1 USB C hub has a higher capacity, and it contains a port for your micro SD card and also your SD card with a speed of 104MB. Using a USB C hub on the Steam Deck is quite straightforward. Insert your Hub's USB C cord into the Steam Deck, and you can plug in the hub to a power source.

To connect to an external display device, insert your HDMI cord into the HDMI port on the hub and connect it to your Monitor/TV’s HDMI port. You can always adjust the display settings by clicking on the Steam Deck logo and clicking on settings. For your wired internet connection, you should connect your modem or router to the hub through an ethernet cable.

Conclusion

Finally, with all being said, I hope you find this article helpful. Using a USB C hub on your Steam Deck is easy once you use the right cables and the right Steam Deck hub. As you connect your devices through the hub, the Steam Deck gaming console or laptop gives you a notification, and you can follow the specified direction. Enjoy a smooth experience as you connect your 7-in-one hub to your Steam Deck.

Author: Yuusuf Oluwaseun Adetona