I love my OLED Steam Deck, but I am in an era where I think just plain black handhelds are boring. I really wanted a nice light-pink case to change it up a little bit from my ROG Ally X. So with that, I ordered 2 different cases from Amazon to compare them. I am not confident in doing a reshell, and I do not like using skins, so I wanted to give these a shot. I noticed there wasn’t much information on them, so I wanted to compare them for anyone looking.
bibuks Steam Deck OLED Protective Case
- Price: $24.99
- Includes: Case, 4 thumb grips, and 2 screen protectors
Pros:
This was the first case I tried out because it arrived first. The color was a really nice light pink. It snapped on nicely, and there were no gaps in the plastic. The feel of the plastic is a nice smooth and matte feeling to it. I also really like the kickstand.
Cons:
This case showed stains very easily. It even had some stains and marks in spots my hand doesn’t even touch. I couldn’t wipe them off either, so they were just kind of stuck there and drove me crazy.
The way the case wrapped around the face buttons made it difficult to press the buttons. I really noticed this when I was playing a racing section in a game that required you to hold A and also press X to brake. It was really difficult to do this as the buttons were much more suppressed into the case.
The fit of this in the original Steam Deck case while having this on was a tight squeeze, too. It could fit in there, but it was just a bit too tight. Mine also only came with only one pair of thumb grips and they were not great. The screen protectors seem decent from what I could tell.
The worst part was when I wanted to remove the case. I felt like I was going to either break the case or the Steam Deck when I was trying to remove it. I had to get some gaps at the top where the clips are more seldom and kind of pry away the other ones. That made me not even want to put it back on and request a refund because it fell short of a large part of my expectations.
IINE Protective Case for Steam Deck OLED
- Price: $25.99
- Includes: 1 pair of thumb grips, 2 screen protectors, 2 trackpad protectors
Pros:
This one is made of silicone instead of plastic, and I thought I would dislike it more because of that, but it actually feels really nice. There is a textured grip in the corners that makes it easier to hold. I really like the color of this one as well. The picture made it look darker pink, but it is a good lighter color.
I actually like the thumb grips on this much more than the other case. They fit better and have a good textured feel to them as well. The buttons and D-pad have a cutout section, too, so they are not too flush with the case when pressed. This was already selling me more on this than the previous case.
Cons:
The description said it had 2 glass film protectors for the trackpads, but I received 2 stickers instead. I wouldn’t have used them anyway, but this is good to note. With the number of typos on their Amazon page, I was not too surprised to see that.
The top of the case is a tad bit loose, and if you focus, you can see it hanging a bit, but it isn’t all that noticeable. I noticed a few reviews saying that the case cut off a little bit of the screen, but mine did not have this issue. Finally, the only big issue I have is that it collects hair. I have a husky, so I am used to it, but it is good to note!
After using this for a week, I did notice the case felt like it was getting looser. I notice especially by the trigger buttons. I am curious if this concern will get worse over time or if it is something I didn’t notice at first. Still something to note on this case.
Overall
Well, just from comparing the length of my pros and cons of the 2 cases, I can see that the IINE case has much more going on for it. I still would say neither are perfect, but for a decent sale (I got the IINE for $17.99 on sale), it is worth it to try and add a little protection and color to your Deck.
bibuks Steam Deck CaseIINE Steam Deck Case
What did you think of this article? Let us know in the comments below, and chat with us in our Discord!
This page may contain affiliate links, by purchasing something through a link, Retro Handhelds may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you.