UNITEK LAUNCHES EXTERNAL THERMOELECTRIC COOLER FOR STEAM DECK

UNITEK LAUNCHES EXTERNAL THERMOELECTRIC COOLER FOR STEAM DECK

Unitek seems to have found the solution through Cooler Dock Pro for Steam Deck. This is essentially Valve’s official dock reinforced with a thermoelectric cooler – like the one that comes with the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate – on the back.
Although it has not yet been officially launched in Europe, many users are already having the chance to try the Steam Deck, Valve’s new console that is described as a “portable pc”.

Capable of running many high-caliber games, the device is not immune from the dreaded overheating, but Unitek seems to have found a solution to the problem.

Overheating of mobile devices has always been a problem, causing not only discomfort during use but also greatly affecting performance. Unfortunately, the Steam Deck is not immune from this problem.

Unitek seems to have found the solution through Cooler Dock Pro for Steam Deck. This is essentially Valve’s official dock reinforced with a thermoelectric cooler – like the one that comes with the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate – on the back.

Much like the official base, Unitek’s version cools your Steam Deck – or any handheld device – with a soft silicone strap, and there’s a short USB-C cable dangling from the back to connect to the console. The thermoelectric cooler, RGB backlit fan and metal contact plate are all housed in a hinged module, which allows for slight tilt angle adjustment while supporting the Steam Deck.

Unitek has added an extra USB-C port on the left, which is dedicated to the cooling module. If you just want to use the cooling function while on the go, i.e. without monitors or accessories connected to the dock, just plug a power bank into this input.

Unitek claims that when running Apex Legends, the average surface temperature of the Steam Deck was around 46°C, but when used with the Cooling Dock Pro, that number dropped to 34.5°C. When testing Forza Horizon 5 on ultra graphics settings, the Steam Deck would normally fail to start a race, but it managed to last around six minutes in Cooling Dock Pro.

The $119 Unitek Cooling Dock Pro is available for pre-order now and should begin shipping this December.

So, what do you think of this accessory?

--ABRAHAM/TechSmart