Gift Guide for Handheld Gaming PC Owners

If you’re looking for gifts (or holiday gifts eventually) for someone in your life (or even yourself) who has a handheld PC gaming system, like a Steam Deck, an ASUS ROG Ally, or a Lenovo Legion Go, I’ve got a few ideas that might help you out. Everything I’ll be suggesting in this article is mainly intended for the Steam Deck specifically, since that’s what I personally own, but I’ll be sure to point out alternatives wherever possible in case you’re gift shopping for a handheld gamer who doesn’t have Valve’s entry into this market. I should note that there are no affiliate links in this article. Let’s begin, shall we?

Dbrand Tempered Glass Screen Protectors ($19.95 USD plus shipping for a 2-pack)

When I was finally able to buy my Steam Deck, I wasn’t comfortable trusting any of the random screen protectors for sale on Amazon. Sure, I might be able to save some money going with whatever highest-rated screen protector I thought would get the job done, but buying a Steam Deck was a huge investment for me, and as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. $20 USD for a 2-pack of screen protectors might seem a bit steep, but I’ve been quite happy indeed with the Dbrand screen protector I’ve had on my Steam Deck for nearly two years now.

JSAUX Protective Steam Deck Case with Kickstand ($18.99 USD)

I think it goes without saying that most people who buy a Steam Deck will want to do everything to protect their purchases and ensure such devices last as long as possible. An external hard-shell case that protects the machine while it’s in use is a great starting point, and I can attest to the quality of this JSAUX product. I had the original version of this case and never liked its included kickstand, but this model has an updated kickstand design that’s been fantastic for propping my Steam Deck up at an appropriate angle for gaming on it while it’s on my desk.

Valve’s Official Steam Deck Dock ($79 USD plus shipping)

You might be aware that you can use a Steam Deck with pretty much any USB-C docking station you might already have lying around, but I think you’ll have the best luck going with Valve’s own dock if the price is right for you. Valve’s dock comes equipped with DisplayPort and HDMI ports for connecting to external displays (like your TV), a Gigabit Ethernet port, and three USB 3.1 Type-A ports for hooking up peripherals. This dock also comes with an additional first-party Steam Deck charger; since those cost about $25 USD on their own via iFixit, you’re effectively only paying $54 for the dock with the extra charger as a bonus.

Crucial P310 M.2 2230 SSD, 2TB ($159.99 USD)

Depending on the default storage capacity of your device (or that of your intended recipient), you might already have more than enough storage space for all the games you plan to play on your handheld system. Even if not, most handheld gaming systems on the market have microSD card slots for further expandable storage. However, if you’re like me and you have tons of games you swear you’ll get around to playing, you really can’t go wrong by upgrading your system’s internal storage with a hugely spacious drive like this one. There’s also a 1-terabyte version of this same drive that you can find here.

There you have it, folks! I’ll conclude by pointing out a few more details you might find important. Many of the companies I’ve mentioned here (namely Dbrand and JSAUX) make cases, docks, and screen protectors that are compatible with both versions of the Steam Deck, both versions of the ASUS ROG Ally, and the Lenovo Legion Go. These outlets will likely be able to suit your needs no matter which device you’re dealing with. I’d also suggest that you consider looking at multiple different retailers to see if you can’t score some nice discounts or price-matching offers on any such accessories you might be looking to grab.