compact 4K 120Hz support under $100

I love a cozy handheld gaming session as much as the next person, but if you’ve got friends over for multiplayer shenanigans or need to lock in, playing on the big screen is a must. I tend to connect my Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme to my monitor, recently using the beCreatus GR10 Steam Deck dock to get the job done. Although it has Valve’s handheld in the title, this tightly packed piece of kit will serve most handheld PCs out there.

Similar to JSAUX’s rival 6-in-1 docking station, BenQ’s addition to the Steam Deck docks space has an aluminum alloy coating. There’s a heft to it, but at 188 grams, it isn’t heavy to stuff in your rucksack. It’ll even fit in your pocket, just in case you feel compelled to carry it everywhere. Where BenQ differs from some of the more generic options you’ll see listed on Amazon is the foldable stand and space to neatly tuck away the onboard USB-C cable. Hiding the cable away is highly useful to minimize messy cables on my desk, but there is a caveat with the stand’s 21.5mm thickness.

One of the first purchases anyone makes for portable gaming consoles is a case or shell to protect your Steam Deck or Lenovo Legion Go from harm’s way. That applies to my Asus ROG Ally, which mySkull & Co’s silicone case protects. Because of this, any handheld PC with such an accessory won’t sit comfortably. It may not be a problem for some, but I’d ideally like to keep my console safe from any accidental knocks while it’s docked. Nevertheless, if you’re placing your handheld into the stand without a shell, everything is hunky-dory.

Accompanying the permanently attached USB-C cable are two USB-A 10Gbps ports, an Ethernet port, HDMI 2.1 access, and a USB-C 100W charging port. On the side is an additional USB-C 10Gbps. During my time over the last month with the GR10, I’ve used the dock for events like The Finals Season 6 preview session or for playing titles from our best Steam Deck games list. The connection to my monitor is exceptionally fast and gets me straight into the task at hand. Where BenQ’s dock comes to life is through its generous resolution support and inclusion of HDR10.

BenQ equips the GR10 with 1080p 360Hz and 4K 120Hz options, should you be able to output these in-game on any of the Steam Deck alternatives or Valve’s platform. Triple-A games are understandably demanding, so where you’ll see handheld PCs shine is up to 1440p in most cases. Paired with a VRR-compatible monitor, 120Hz support is a boon for open-world games like Grand Theft Auto 5, which can easily hit 60 FPS on low-medium settings at 1440p resolution. However, I cranked it up to 4K and had no issues with the GR10 relaying the sturdy 40-50 FPS the ROG Ally is capable of.

If you’re like us and curious about whether the dock works with handhelds such as the Nintendo Switch, then I’m afraid it’s bad news. Despite sharing the same USB-C infrastructure, the GR10 only offers charging for the aforementioned handheld PCs.

The number of ports is going to be dependent on your needs. If you’re just using a mouse and keyboard, the two USB-A ports will serve you just fine. Should you need to plug in additional accessories like a microphone, webcam, or USB-A dongle for controllers, then it becomes a struggle.

Unless you’ve got a separate USB hub available, you’ll need to make a hard decision or two. When I did use a controller like the GameSir Cyclone 2, the connection was flawless, and I didn’t notice any interruptions. Transfer speeds are equally fantastic, offloading and accepting large files like games and videos to my portable SSD in a speedy manner.

At $99/£99, the GR10 is just over what I’d consider a budget option. Considering that you could upgrade your console’s storage for around the same price with a WD Black SN770M SSD, you can find noteworthy options from JSAUX or iVANKY. It also doesn’t come with a power supply, whereas JSAUX’s 6-in-1 dock bundles one with interchangeable type-C 2-pin and type-G 3-pin heads for more than half the price.

Nevertheless, the beCreatus GR10 is a premium-quality dock, anchored by robust resolution options and a delightful design that is ideal for any desk or entertainment station configuration. It may be light on ports, but excellent speeds and overall performance make it an accessory to consider.

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