We’ve talked before about all sorts of really cool accessories for the Steam Deck that you can purchase on sites such as Amazon. But what if you could save yourself a little money and 3D print some great accessories yourself? We even recently hinted at the possibility of being able to 3D print accessories when we selected five of the coolest gadgets for your Steam Deck.
If you have access to a 3D printer or are looking to purchase an affordable 3D printer in the near future, you could easily pick up a spool of PLA filament for under $15 and print everything featured in this article. Doing so would even leave you with lots of filament to spare. This can save you a few dollars while also making for some fun projects. Thankfully, there are a number of websites that offer free, open-source prints you can make yourself.
From docks and stands to case inserts and repair tools, there is something here for everyone. You might actually be surprised at what you can print that can help elevate your Steam Deck experience. And if you’re new to the hobby, just remember to avoid these common 3D printing mistakes beginners make that can ruin your prints.
Steam Deck Dock/Display Stand
One of the cleanest designs, this Steam Deck Dock/Display Stand puts many paid stands to shame with how nice it looks. With over 1,000 likes on Thiniverse, user neebick has worked on the design through several revisions in order to create the perfect stand. One notable addition made is for those who are using 3D printers with smaller print beds, like the popular ender3.
The stand itself features an extended back that has nicely incorporated the Steam Deck logo into it, making it a display piece in its own right. The design has also taken into account various popular Steam Deck accessories, allowing for an Anker 7-in-1 and similar hubs to fit underneath.
Even looking at the most basic stands designed for the Steam Deck on Amazon, you see that they will typically run you around $10. With this design, you’ll not only have your Steam Deck sitting in style, but you’ll also be saving money. And one of the great things about 3D printing with open-source files is that the community can take it and run with it. There are currently several pages of remixes to neebick’s original design, each providing its own spin on it.
Steam Deck Carrying Case Insert
The case that comes with the Steam Deck serves its purpose well. But one can never be too organized, especially when traveling, as cables and loose SD cards have a tendency to tangle and easily get lost due to their small size. What if you could make the official Steam Deck case even better thanks to your 3D printer?
User Strider460 has done just that with their Steam Deck Carrying Case Insert design that upgrades the Steam Deck’s carry case. Sitting in the empty recessed space on the top of the official Steam Deck case, this design takes that negative space and makes it usable. You can now simply wrap your power adapter around the insert for better storage and cable management.
The insert itself also has room for several SD cards, so you’ll never be without those extra games or files that you need to keep with you. There are also several remixes to the design as well, especially as Strider’s design was created for the Steam Deck LCD power brick. The one used on the OLED models is a slightly different size, so make you you pick the right one before printing.
Steam Deck Repair Jig
When the Steam Deck was first released, Valve put out a video tearing down the device for everyone to see. While this gave fantastic insight into what was under the hood, some eagle-eyed viewers took notice of the device the Steam Deck was sitting on during the presentation. It looked like a hollowed-out dock that the Steam Dock sits in to help when performing repairs.
Users and repair technicians took notice that a stand like the one in the video would help tremendously in upgrading or repairing a Steam Deck. The stand would help keep the Steam Deck protected when being worked on, but would also help keep it secure and stable while opened up. And that’s where the 3D printing community came into the picture.
User MehStrongBadMeh remixed an earlier design and worked out the inconsistencies, creating their Steam Deck Repair Jig. This 3D print will make the life of anyone working on a Steam Deck a little more comfortable. No longer do you have to worry about the Steam Deck shifting around, the joysticks getting abused, lying flat on a table, or the screen getting scratched when working on it.
Steam Deck USB C Strain Relief
Not every print needs to be overly complex. Sometimes they can be incredibly simple while also helping to address an issue many people face. The Steam Deck USB-C Strain Relief print file from user LupusWorax helps solve a problem many Steam Deck owners might face in a simple-to-print design. The USB-C port on the top of the Steam Deck can be a problem for cables.
Its location means that a cable will have a higher percentage of stress placed on it as it can more easily bend or kink when in this position. This is why you can buy a USB-C adapter that allows the cable to sit flush to the Steam Deck. But with a 3D printer, you can create your own little clip-on device that will help relieve cable stress on the cable and port.
Snap it onto the back of your Steam Deck and clip the cable into it. You’ll now never have to worry about the USB-C cable bending, pulling, or damaging the USB-C port. The design is so strong that the test video shows that you can hold your Steam Deck by the cable without placing any stress on the console, although this isn’t recommended.
Steam Shade Foldable Magnetic Sunshield
The Steam Deck is one of the best ways to play video games on the go. Whether you’re on the couch or on the train, the Steam Deck lets you game anywhere, anytime. But just as with so many portable consoles with screens, playing outside in the sun can become a challenge. With the Steam Shade Foldable Magnetic Sunshield from LupusWorax, you can now enjoy playing those latest games while enjoying a little sun outside.
When not in use, the flaps of the device fold up nicely and even serve to protect the screen on the Steam Deck. And when open, the sunshield snaps into place through a number of small magnets that need to be installed. It’s an incredibly slick design that lets you better enjoy your Steam Deck while outside enjoying the weather.
But be aware that it’s a slightly more complex design that comes in multiple parts and requires more than what a 3D printer can produce, thanks to the magnets needed to function correctly. Still, if you want to play your Steam Deck outside more often, the Steam Shade Foldable Magnetic Sunshield might just be the perfect print for you to take on.
How we choose these prints
When selecting the 3D prints featured here, we focused on open-source 3D print files from a number of popular sites that host print files, including Thiniverse and Printables. We looked at files that featured hundreds of likes, downloads, or saves, in order to choose designs popular within the community.
We also took into account the complexity of the designs featured, trying to keep them basic and easy to print for those new to the hobby. The size of each design was also taken into account, looking to find prints that would be compatible with the widest range of 3D printers.
