I won’t take my Steam Deck outside without this accessory

1 month ago

Steam Deck pinch nan Dbrand Killswitch case.

I’ve been strictly against buying a lawsuit for my Steam Deck since I first picked up nan handheld. If you haven’t held one, they’re comically big. Every clip I’ve fixed personification my Steam Deck to cheque out, they person nan aforesaid reaction: a chuckle, followed by “that’s bigger than I expected.” Why would you want to make it moreover bigger pinch a case?

That is, until I recovered a lawsuit that useful perfectly for my Steam Deck: Dbrand’s Killswitch. Not only does it protect your Steam Deck acknowledgment to a rugged exterior, but it provides respective different features that make nan Steam Deck overmuch much useful for traveling, docking, and handheld play.

That wasn’t nan lawsuit initially, though. Dbrand released nan Killswitch a small complete a twelvemonth ago, but it quickly recalled nan case. The included kickstand, which I’ll get to shortly, primitively utilized magnets that interfered pinch nan Steam Deck’s fan. Dbrand offered customers a refund for nan original version, but it’s backmost pinch a caller type of nan Killswitch that doesn’t usage immoderate magnets.

You can’t bargain nan aged type anymore, but I wanted to constituent it retired for a mates of reasons. If you bargain 1 secondhand, make judge that you’re getting nan newer version. In addition, I want to explain that I’ve been testing nan fixed type of nan Killswitch. That’s important to constituent retired because I’m getting fresh to gush astir really awesome nan Killswitch really is.

Let’s commencement pinch nan lawsuit itself. If you look connected Amazon, you’ll find a agelong database of rubber cases that are form-fitted for nan Steam Deck. Short of nan , these are each flimsy silicon shells that wrap astir your Steam Deck. That’s not what nan Killswitch is.

It wraps astir your Steam Deck, but nan Killswitch is bolstered by a hardened backplate that you can’t move. It’s secure. Dbrand besides is observant to only fto nan lawsuit touch nan parts of nan Steam Deck you really hold, wrapping astir nan back, a small spot up nan sides, and crossed nan dips connected nan bottommost corners of nan device.

These grips are textured, and nan integrative connected nan Steam Deck is not. You don’t really recognize really overmuch you’re actively holding onto nan Steam Deck until you put nan Killswitch on. Instead of gripping down connected each side, nan Steam Deck hangs from nan earthy unit you use pinch your palms. It feels much comfortable to hold, and without adding a ton of bulk. Dbrand says nan Killswitch is arsenic bladed arsenic a nickel, and based connected my very scientific testing, it’s really a small thinner.

That wouldn’t person been capable to waste maine connected nan Killswitch, but it does overmuch more. Dbrand offers a integrative screen that snaps complete nan apical of nan case, protecting your Steam Deck’s screen, joysticks, and buttons. As personification who travels rather a bit, that’s huge. The lawsuit Valve includes pinch nan Steam Deck is massive, easy serving nan domiciled arsenic your individual point connected a plane, and thinner aftermarket options supply a loose fresh and small to nary protection.

The Dbrand Killswitch pinch nan screen on.

The Killswitch is not only smaller than nan fistful of Steam Deck cases I’ve tried — it’s besides overmuch much protective. I tin propulsion connected nan integrative screen and flip my Steam Deck into a backpack without worrying astir thing breaking. I’ve done precisely that astir apt a twelve times, and my Steam Deck has been conscionable fine. Dbrand leaves a cutout for nan USB-C larboard pinch nan lawsuit on, too, truthful you tin complaint nan Steam Deck moreover erstwhile it’s stowed.

So, nan Killswitch is simply a rugged protective tegument for your Steam Deck, but it has 1 much trick: nan backplate mount. By default, Dbrand includes a kickstand to prop up nan Steam Deck, but you tin region nan kickstand pinch a move and connect nan cosmopolitan mechanical mount.

This equine is simply a spot of integrative that tin click into nan kickstand mount, and it includes a strap that allows you to link an outer battery, USB-C hub, aliases thing other that tin fresh successful nan strap. I still deliberation a Steam Deck pinch a powerfulness slope strapped connected nan backmost looks a spot silly, but there’s nary denying this is simply a existent measurement a batch of Steam Deck owners usage their device. The equine takes nan spot of nan kickstand normally, but Dbrand includes a spot of 3M adhesive truthful you tin connect nan equine alongside nan kickstand if you want.

Accessory equine for nan Dbrand Killswitch.

The Killswitch is great, and it’s nan first clip I’ve utilized what feels for illustration an basal accessory successful nan oversea of options for nan Steam Deck (I’ve modded my Steam Deck plenty, but that’s a different matter). It’s besides very costly astatine $60 for nan guidelines kit. You tin get a lawsuit for half of that aliases less.

Dbrand decidedly makes nan Killswitch consciousness worthy it. The guidelines kit includes nan case, nan kickstand, and 1 of Dbrand’s dozens of skins for nan Steam Deck. These are $20 to $30 connected their own, and Dbrand allows you to prime immoderate of its classical aliases premium skins for nan aforesaid price. My large rumor is that nan Killswitch doesn’t travel pinch nan screen connected its own. That’s a $15 upcharge.

There are respective accessories you tin bundle pinch your Killswitch, including nan recreation cover, tempered glass, instrumentality grips, nan cosmopolitan mount, and a dock adaptor kit since nan Killswitch’s USB-C larboard is recessed pinch nan lawsuit on. Fully tricked-out, you’re looking astatine $118.

My only existent rumor pinch nan Killswitch is really costly it is. I’d urge nan Travel Kit for astir people, which is $75 and comes pinch nan screen and instrumentality grips connected apical of nan guidelines kit. Still, it’d beryllium easier to urge nan Killswitch to everyone if you could operation and lucifer each of nan items available, allowing you to prime up nan lawsuit and screen unsocial for a little price, for example.

I still deliberation nan Killswitch is an basal Steam Deck accessory, though. I wish Dbrand sold accessories for illustration nan screen and dock adapter kit separately, but location conscionable isn’t different Steam Deck lawsuit that comes adjacent to it. It protects your Steam Deck successful usage and while traveling, and it provides respective features that aren’t disposable connected nan Steam Deck alone. It’s not conscionable a protective lawsuit — nan Killswitch makes your Steam Deck much useful.

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