Jsaux Carrying Case review - a Steam Deck case with extra space

The official Steam Deck case is great. It provides excellent protection for your Deck and is about as compact as a case of its type can be. However, it doesn't have room inside for your Deck's power supply or any other extras. If you do want a case that can offer this ability without compromising on protection or breaking the bank, the Jsaux Carrying Case is it.

This case is around 43% thicker than the official Steam Deck case, making the Jsaux option bulkier overall, but if you need the extra space, it's an ideal alternative. What's more, its more generic design means it's also compatible with several other options from our best gaming handhelds guide, including the ROG Ally, Ally X, and Xbox Ally X (just). Read on below to find out where it shines.

Jsaux Carrying Case design and features

The Jsaux Carrying Case is very similar to the Steam Deck case, in terms of its overall design. It's a semi-ridged construction with a fabric outer covering (that's slightly smoother than that of the official Steam Deck case) over the flexible but tough main casing material. Externally, you get a strong carry handle with a rubberized grip, and two dust-sealed and padlockable zips used to open and seal the case.

Inside, it isn't flocked but has a smooth woven fabric throughout, with extra contoured padding on the inside of the lid, where it provides protection for the screen and controls of your handheld.

A tray section provides a slightly contoured fit for the grips of gaming handhelds and also incorporates a flip-out central section that you can use to prop up your handheld inside the case. It also has a small elasticated pouch that's convenient for holding microSD cards and such.

Flip the tray up, and you've got a space underneath that provides roughly 1-inch/3cm extra storage compared to the official Steam Deck case. There's room here for loads of cables, your handheld's power supply, some earbuds, a battery pack, and more. However, if the power supply for your handheld is particularly chunky - or uses a UK-style plug like shown above - it can be a little awkward to fit inside this section. You can end up with the lid needing just a little bit of a squeeze to zip it up, as shown below.

Meanwhile, for the Xbox Ally X (which, to be clear, Jsaux doesn't claim this case is for), its big, bulky grips mean that once you've added its power supply underneath, it's a serious squeeze to fit everything in (see below). It's doable, though, and the tray and lid padding ensure any pressure doesn't result in scratches or cracks.

Priced at just $25.99, the Jsaux Carrying Case is fantastic value, and its low price isn't at all a reflection of any skimping on build quality. It's stylish, tough, and genuinely useful.

Verdict

Let's not beat about the bush here. The Jsaux case is great. If you're in the market for a Steam Deck/gaming handheld case that offers a bit more room but doesn't compromise on build quality, it hits the mark without needless extra expense.

It's well built, just large enough for plenty of accessories, and is fantastic value. Just be aware that it won't fit larger handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go (Jsaux offers a larger alternative for that model), and it's a squeeze fitting the Xbox Ally X in, especially if you also want to carry around its power supply.