Baseus 6-in-1 Docking Station review: “my new favorite Steam Deck dock”
I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect Steam Deck dock for a while, and the Baseus 6-in-1 Docking Station might be it. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of options out there that I’d still recommend in a heartbeat, but the proverbial portable glass slipper fits perfectly onto this accessory's third-party foot. Better still, clever design choices mean it’ll also pair perfectly with other handhelds, whether you’ve got an Asus ROG Ally or a chonky Ayaneo handheld PC.
Coming in at $59.99, the Baseus 6-in-1 Docking Station is slightly more expensive than some of the best Steam Deck docks out there. I’d argue that’s perhaps to be expected, as the USB-C hub has better specs and more ports to boot, not to mention there’s a bit more going on in the design department this time around. Rather than feeling gimmicky, the extra features included in this handheld gaming PC dock feel ridiculously useful. Not to mention they add an extra layer of functionality compared to both Valve’s official accessory and alternatives by Jsaux, Ivoler, and Syntech.
I feel incredibly weird saying this, but I’ve been nerding out about Baseus’ dock design for the past few weeks, and I can’t think of anything I don’t like about the accessory. Out of all the Steam Deck docks I’ve tested (and I’ve reviewed a lot of them) this accessory manages to deliver on all fronts. Whether you’re aiming to plug a gaming keyboard and mouse in and create a desktop hybrid, or just looking for a neat way to consolise your Deck with a PC controller, I’m confident that the add-on will check almost all of your boxes.
Specs
The Baseus 6-in-1 docking station has some pretty neat tricks up its sleeve, but let’s cover some specs magic first. Armed with three USB 3.0 ports, 100W USB-C power delivery, Gigabit Ethernet, and HDMI output, the unit offers almost the same IO as the official Steam Deck dock, albeit without the extra benefit of Displayport. If you’re rocking a gaming monitor that only wields the latter, this perhaps isn’t the accessory for you, but you could use an adapter or cable to bridge the gap.
Some docks out there have started using USB-C ports rather than full size type A, and I’m in two minds about whether that’s a good or bad thing. The Baseus dock sticks with the former, so unless you’re using specific newer peripherals, you won’t have to scramble for an adapter. In truth, any keyboards, mice, or controllers I’ve tested over the past year have stuck with the original chonky USB input, so I’d say Baseus has made the right call.
Features
Versatility is the name of the game when it comes to the Beasus 6-in-1 docking station, and it’s got one specific feature that makes it stand out. Rather than being a solid lump, the dock features an adjustable backplate that functions a bit like a Deck chair for your Steam Deck (or any other compatible handheld). The hinged plate effectively means you’ll be able to plop numerous portables on the accessory, and most of them will fit like a glove.
That’s a biggie for anyone looking for something they can hold onto, as your milage may vary with other docks when pairing them with Steam Deck rivals like the Asus ROG Ally or the handheld I’m currently testing for our Ayaneo 2S review. I tried the Ally with various other docking stations the last time I had my hands on one, and it felt like a Goldilocks situation that the Baseus dock could easily avoid.
Not only is the dock adjustable, but the plate also folds flat, which I think really adds to the look of the accessory. It means it can sit on your desk without an accompanying handheld and not look a bit out of place, as it turns it into an inconspicuous box that doesn’t allude to a specific function. Of course, the fold up mechanic has more practical uses too, particularly when it comes to popping it neatly into your bag for travel.
On that note, the Baseus docking station takes a stab at resolving one of my Steam Deck dock pet hates, and I’m totally on board. While it may sound irrational, I get irritated at the integrated USB-C cable flopping around, and this accessory addresses that by including a faux connector for it to plug into while not in use. It’s a small extra, and I admittedly achieve the same thing with alternatives by plugging it into the power delivery port. However, that’s nowhere near as neat as Baseus’ solution, and I’m here for it.
Design
On that note, the Baseus docking station takes a stab at resolving one of my Steam Deck dock pet hates, and I’m totally on board. While it may sound irrational, I get irritated at the integrated USB-C cable flopping around, and this accessory addresses that by including a faux connector for it to plug into while not in use. It’s a small extra, and I admittedly achieve the same thing with alternatives by plugging it into the power delivery port. However, that’s nowhere near as neat as Baseus’ solution, and I’m here for it.
Placing the Baseus 6-in-1 docking station’s unique traits to one side, let’s cover the rest of its approach. Just like most of its competition, the dock lines up its selection of ports along the back and the side, and I’m happy to report that the Ethernet connector is in a sensible place and not at the side. This is an accessory sin that Jsaux keeps regularly committing with its docks, and I feel like having Ethernet consistently connected to the side of the device hampers cable management and influences where you can place the dock on your desk.
I’ve been thinking about Steam Deck dock port placement recently, and while I’m not going to mark the Baseus docking station down, it’d be nice if it featured at least one front facing port. This is something highlighted by our own Joel Franey in their Jsaux USB-C 6-in-1 Steam Deck Dock review, and I can see why living room players would benefit from the design decision. I reckon having a side USB port helps somewhat address this, as it’ll provide easier access for hooking up a wired PC controller, but I’d love to see a dock emerge that directly targets console players using a gaming TV away from a desk.
I've rattled on about this dock's style, but I want to reassure you that it's matched with build quality substance. The docking station uses a blend of high quality plastic and aluminium to provide a solid, weighty feel, and the rubberised pad on the adjustable cradle rounds off an excellent array of materials.
Performance
I say this in every docking station review, but in case you missed it the first time around, here it goes: using a Steam Deck dock won’t increase performance. Now that I’ve got that out of the way, let’s cover how the dock ‘performs’ when it comes to video output and peripheral connectivity.
As the above spec sheet suggests, you’ll be able to hook your Steam Deck to a monitor or gaming TV and output up to 4K 60fps. I wouldn’t advise doing that unless you’re sticking with the classics (using the Deck as an Xbox mini stand in) but the accessory will happily deliver the resolution option to your screen of choice. I actually fired up Fable: The Lost Chapters and cranked every setting up high, and the docking station enabled me to play the game at 4K without any real performance caveats.
In terms of peripherals, I hooked up my Mountain Malaku Max mouse and Corsair K60 Pro TKL keyboard to the dock, accompanied by my Thrustmaster eSwap Pro PC controller. I thankfully didn’t encounter any power issues doing so, and the docking station supplied all my desktop bits with their required juice all while charging the Steam Deck.
As for networking performance, I decided to try a bit of Steam Link shenanigans using the Deck, the dock, and my living room TV. Using the dock’s Gigabit Ethernet port, I successfully streamed my PC from upstairs to my big screen down below without any lag or latency issues, unlike when I’ve tried to use the Steam Deck’s built-in Wi-fi in the past. Don’t get me wrong, I produced the same results with every other docking station I’ve tried, but it’s worth confirming that Baseus has reliable internet connectivity covered.
Should you buy the Baseus 6-in-1 docking station?
If you’re willing to spend slightly more than the minimum on a Steam Deck dock, you won’t regret picking up the Baseus 6-in-1 docking station. In many ways, it’s more of a universal docking station that can adapt to feel like it’s designed specifically for different devices, and that’s what makes it stand out. The adaptable cradle effectively means if you ditch your Deck in the future for an Asus ROG Ally or even the upcoming Ayaneo KUN, you’ll have a dock to hand that’ll function as it should.
There are cheaper docking stations out there, like the base Jsaux Steam Deck dock, and they’ll efficiently get the job done in a similar fashion. However, you can actually pick up the Baseus 6-in-1 docking station for near the same price right now thanks to ongoing discounts, and I’d say it’s worth buying over anything else out there.
How we tested the Baseus 6-in-1 docking station
I used the Baseus 6-in-1 docking station for a month at my desk and living room TV setup with my Steam Deck. During that time, I tried out Fable: The Lost Chapters, streamed Cyberpunk 2077 using Steam Link, and experimented with SteamOS desktop mode.
I also compared the Baseus 6-in-1 docking station against the Jsaux Steam Deck dock and Valve official docking station to check for differences in spec and performance. If you'd like to read more about how we test products, check out our GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy for more information.
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