Jsaux Upgraded 5-in-1 Docking Station review - an ideal dock for Steam Deck and other PC handhelds

Valve's Steam Deck Dock is a great addition to your Steam Deck setup, if you need an easy way to connect your device to a TV and other peripherals with a simple single-cable solution. However, at $79, it's not a cheap accessory. So, if you're looking for a more affordable alternative, the Upgraded Jsaux 5-in-1 Docking Station is an obvious option. It's currently under a third of the price but doesn't skimp on build quality and offers nearly as many connections.

It's these simple qualities that mean this Jsaux docking station is our current choice for the best Steam Deck dock, even surpassing Valve's own and supplanting Jsaux's previous dock. If you want an easy way to connect your Deck to your TV, peripherals, and wired network connection, all via a single USB-C cable, this is the first dock you should try. This unit is also compatible with the ROG Ally X, Legion Go, and MSI Claw, but doesn't really work well with the Xbox Ally X.

Design, features, and build quality

The Jsaux 5-in-1 Docking Station is very similar to its predecessor, in that it's a compact aluminum unit with a rubber-padded, hooked front section into which you can nestle your handheld (or phone or tablet). A short ten-inch USB lead plugs into your handheld, and there's an array of ports round the back and sides.

Those ports consist of one USB-C (for power), a full-size HDMI port, and two USB-A ports at the back, then there's an Ethernet port on the left side. That's actually one less USB port than the official dock, but is still enough for connecting up a TV or monitor, a mouse/controller and keyboard, and a wired network connection. If you want a keyboard and mouse/controller setup and have a headset that's USB only (either via a wireless dongle, or a wired headset), then you'll miss the extra USB of Valve's dock, but the Deck has a 3.5mm jack socket for analog headsets and supports Bluetooth, which most of the best wireless gaming headsets support these days.

Build quality is great, with the aluminum frame feeling robust. It also looks smart, plus the rubber pads around the docking section are sufficient to keep your handheld from getting scratched. The whole dock has a bit of weight to it (132g) and has four rubber feet on its underside, so it stays reasonably secure on whatever surface you're resting it.

Upgraded from Jsaux's first version is the speed of the connections (its HDMI can now do 4K@120Hz instead of 4K@60Hz), and Jsaux has improved the stability of the dock by adding the raised rubber section at the back of the dock slot.

In terms of how devices fit into the dock, the Steam Deck fits perfectly, as does the ROG Ally, and indeed most PC handhelds. Only particularly thick models won't squeeze into the 31mm-deep gap of the docking area. However, the Xbox Ally X doesn't fit well, as its protruding side grips raise it up as it sits back, in turn lifting the front of the handheld so that it doesn't hook into the front edge of the dock. In other words, the Ally X just falls over backwards, unless you very precariously rest it on the front edge of the dock.

Price

At just $29.99 - and currently discounted to $23.99 - the Jsaux is under a third of the price of the official Valve Steam Deck Docking Station. You do miss out on that one extra USB port, and Valve's unit is a touch more compact, but otherwise, the Jsaux option is fantastic value.

Verdict

If you want to have an easy one-cable means of connecting your Steam Deck or other gaming handheld to a host of devices, the Jsaux Upgraded 5-in-1 Docking Station is a great choice. It's cheap, easy to set up, and has all the connections most users will ever need. It's an easy recommendation to try ahead of potentially picking up the considerably more expensive Valve version.