If you're a Steam Deck owner, you'll know that it's a pretty good console, and improvements can definitely be made for a sequel. But perhaps one of the more concerning aspects of the handheld is that after a pretty short gaming session, it can get pretty hot. Now, there might be a good solution with the Unitek Cooling Dock Pro, it not only offers a place to set your Steam Deck but, as the name suggests, can also cool the handheld console. In addition to its cooling feature, the dock also has a variety of ports and costs only $119.
Although many will know the Steam Deck as being a handheld console, it can also output to an external monitor or TV, bringing your favorite games to the big screen. While you can do this with just the Steam Deck and outputting from its single USB-C port to your display, you'll probably want to keep the console powered, as it tends to drain the battery fairly quickly. This is where a dock can come in handy, as it offers a nice place to set your device, along with additional connections to make things convenient.
Valve does offer a docking station of its own, but Unitek takes things further by having a thermoelectric cooler built into its dock, which can get pretty cool, claiming to reduce temperatures by 20 degrees Celsius. In addition to the cooler, the dock features a ton of ports, with two USB-A and one USB-C port on the front, and two additional USB-C ports on the rear, along with an HDMI, DisplayPort, and Ethernet. Perhaps the most surprising thing about this dock is that it can output at 8K at 60Hz or 4K at 120Hz, which is higher than the official dock offered by Valve.
The Unitek Cooling Dock Pro is available for pre-order, with shipments starting in mid-December. The package will include a 100W PD cable but will not include a charger. If this seems excessive, you can always opt for one of the other options we'd recommend, or just stick with the standard cooling dock for $89.
--TIMI CANTISANO/ XDA
Although many will know the Steam Deck as being a handheld console, it can also output to an external monitor or TV, bringing your favorite games to the big screen. While you can do this with just the Steam Deck and outputting from its single USB-C port to your display, you'll probably want to keep the console powered, as it tends to drain the battery fairly quickly. This is where a dock can come in handy, as it offers a nice place to set your device, along with additional connections to make things convenient.
Valve does offer a docking station of its own, but Unitek takes things further by having a thermoelectric cooler built into its dock, which can get pretty cool, claiming to reduce temperatures by 20 degrees Celsius. In addition to the cooler, the dock features a ton of ports, with two USB-A and one USB-C port on the front, and two additional USB-C ports on the rear, along with an HDMI, DisplayPort, and Ethernet. Perhaps the most surprising thing about this dock is that it can output at 8K at 60Hz or 4K at 120Hz, which is higher than the official dock offered by Valve.
The Unitek Cooling Dock Pro is available for pre-order, with shipments starting in mid-December. The package will include a 100W PD cable but will not include a charger. If this seems excessive, you can always opt for one of the other options we'd recommend, or just stick with the standard cooling dock for $89.
--TIMI CANTISANO/ XDA
