I’ve tried really hard to avoid being one of those people who wax poetic about the Steam Deck. And yet, during every lull in conversation, I can’t help by share the truth that device, and other PC handhelds like it, really are that good. I’ve found that the little machine can run just about anything I can throw at it, which is far more than I can say for my tower PC, leaving me reaching for it time and again. And, while I love the freedom it affords me to play games in bed, on a plane, or while I should be working, I do still want the option to sit down with a mouse and keyboard from time to time. I’m clearly not alone, as the number of docks on the market seems to be growing by the day, each offering creature comforts and accessibility options to tempt you into a purchase.
Razer has taken a red, green and blue swing with the Handheld Dock Chroma, a rather expensive option that looks to justify its price tag with great build quality and a handful of additional features that make an easy process that much easier.
Extremely compact, the Dock Chroma is no bigger than a sandwich, with the box it comes in being only slightly larger than that. While its aluminium frame gives it some appreciated heft, the device itself is low profile and wonderfully subtle when not in use. This is thanks to the adjustable hinge that allows for compatibility with devices of varying sizes. The small notch where your Steam Deck, ROG Ally, or the like will sit is rubberised, making it nice and stable in tandem with the adjustable back. This hinge allows the dock to become completely flat when not in use, so the real estate it’ll take up on your desk is minimal.
Unbox it, plug it in, done
Your device will connect to the dock via a hardwired USB-C cable coming from the back of the unit. It’s short enough to stay out of the way, but long enough that it’ll reach to the top of most devices. Keep in mind that I said top, as the Dock Chroma doesn’t offer any options for bottom-loaded ports, so as long as you’re cool with spinning your Switch upside down, you’re all good here.
You won’t get a power cable in the box, but the USB-C power cable that all but certainly came with your device will do the trick. The Chroma has a 100-watt passthrough, offering 85-watt charging delivery, so your device will be refilling the tank efficiently as you play. With a generous passthrough, it’s likely that you’ll pop your device on this bad boy to charge in your downtime, but that’s not why you’re buying a dock, so let’s talk ports.
Alongside a 1GB ethernet port for hardwired downloads and online gaming, the dock comes packing three USB-A ports and an HDMI 2.0 for you to take your handheld gaming and project it right to your monitor or TV. This generous assortment is more than enough for me, though I can see where some may be left wanting by the lack of a free USB-C port for some of their higher-end accessories.
The dock is absolutely tiny when not in use
For my use cases, the Chroma worked like a dream. Plugging in a mouse, keyboard and monitor, I was able to quickly dock my Steam Deck and pick up where I left off in Bionic Bay without as much as a hiccup. I had a similarly smooth experience when hooking up a DualSense via Bluetooth and connecting the dock to my TV to play Alan Wake Remastered. It’s something that’s increasingly rare in the tech space, but the Chroma Dock is as simple as it gets: unbox it, plug it in, it works.
Being a Razer product, the Chroma has a little splash of RGB. A row of lights under the front of the dock jolt to life when the device in the cradle is in use, with eight preset lighting effects to choose from. These are all inoffensive and borderline soothing and can be toggled by a small button on the side of the dock. In an act of mercy, the lights won’t activate unless the device is active, so if you’re just looking to charge your handheld, never fear, you won’t have an Aurora Borealis localised entirely within your office.
Final Thoughts
The Razer Handheld Chroma is an exceedingly simple accessory that does exactly what it says on the tin. Whether displaying on a PC monitor or a big-screen TV, the dock expands the use of your handheld but so do far more cost-effective options. Not everyone will be willing to shell out $150 for a dock, but the build quality, compact design and small creature comforts certainly make it a product that’s easy to recommend if budget isn’t a concern.
Review unit supplied by manufacturer
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