I’ve never really put a protective case on my handheld consoles (NDS, Vita, 3DS). However, the Steam Deck is more expensive and weighs much more, meaning that even a small height fall could more easily damage it.
I was thinking about the Spigen “Thin Fit Pro”, which seems to be a tad more premium than what is usually on the market. It seems to be cut out to fit in an official dock, but I have my doubts.
What’s your take on this?
I have the standard Spigen case on mine (not the thin fit pro that you linked), and I like it. I have large hands, and find it quite a bit more comfortable than the caseless deck. I’ve heard of decks popping open at the seams when dropped on their sides, and having a case will protect from that. You also want one that has a ridge that sticks out above the L1/R1 buttons to help shield them from a drop, although it’s not possible to protect them from every angle. The case you linked specifically doesn’t have any protective material there, so I wouldn’t get that one.
The other case I have hands on experience with is the JSAUX mod case, which my son bought. The hand grips are more comfortable than the spigen case, and the front clip cover seems super nice. Spigen has always done an amazing job protecting my phones from drops, and I don’t know if the JSAUX mod case will give as much drop protection. But in terms of case feel and features, it’s clearly nicer than the standard Spigen case.
Personally I wouldn’t really want to add any extra bulk to my Steam Deck. The case you linked also only really protects the back of the device, which shouldn’t be too susceptible to damage. Wouldn’t do anything to protect the screen, buttons or internals. If my Steam Deck’s shell ever does brake, I’d just buy a replacement one from e.g. JSAUX.
I bought a thin case with a protective front panel that clips on magnetically. That is enough to protect it when thrown in a backpack without adding noticeably to bulk.
Can’t speak to this case specifically, but I have the Spigen rugged armor case on mine. It still fits in the original case, so not too much added bulk. Biggest thing for me was the grippiness/softness it adds. It’s hard to explain, but I find it more pleasant to hold than the bare, hard plastic shell. I don’t travel a ton with mine and even then, I just put it in the case, so I wasn’t that worried about actual protection other than I don’t feel the need to baby it whee I put it down.
I also have the iVoler glass screen protector and JSAUX dock. Both work well.
I ended up buying the Killswitch case from Dbrand. It’s sturdy, the lip of the case rises up to cover the screen edges and it has a hard face cover while traveling. I normally leave it with its kickstand on various locations to charge for when I need it. It was an added weight but I don’t notice it anymore, and I enjoy the textured feel of the case.
I wouldn’t get a case for the sake of protection but I’m more than happy with my Dbrand Kill Switch case due to its added usability. The kickstand is a must for me when placing a powered on Steam Deck on soft items such as pillows not to block the air vents. Being able to put the cover on and leave Steam Deck standing upright saves unreal amount of space on my desk compared to how it was before. If you’d rather go with something slimmer, there is also Deckmate.
The Steam Deck isn’t a device I would use while standing or walking around, so the risk of dropping is slim. Also, in case of a fall the risk of damage to triggers and joy sticks is large, which wouldn’t be protected by a case.
I did put a screen protector on, altough it was mainly because I want a matte display as I use the Deck in places with sun light.
We have one from Spigen but it doesn’t fit the official dock. I’ll check which model it is, but we were pretty disappointed.
I’ll edit here later with the model
I have a killswitch because I wanted to carry the deck in a bag and the default case is too big.
The kickstand and the feel of the case are a nice bonus.
Same boat here. The Travel case is indeed awesome. I ended up fully retiring the original case.