Need that steam machine. Says the controller can wake it up without the puck plugged in. That’s just what I need for a TV PC gaming machine
Exactly why I want it but surely there are workarounds here, this seems a simple enough tjing to enable for any remote.
As a humble fool, I can asume all computery things are simple.
I think that at that price, I’ll wait until my current Xbox controller and old steam controller I currently use dies or it’s on a heavy discount before I pick one up.
Still waiting for a reliable review source to talk about the dpad.
If it’s anything like the steam deck it’s fine, if a bit stiff.
I have a Steam Deck and, as much as I love it, it has one of the worst dpads I’ve ever used. This is why I’m skeptical.
£58 seems reasonable. They seem to have the got the digits typos though, shows at £85 for me.
Is it just me or is this hella ugly?
I personally don’t think it’s ugly, just plain, maybe. And while I would say “you don’t watch your hands while you game”, I do like a classy and/or nice looking controller. I kind of wish Valve would decide on a more striking look, but I suppose this look IS a statement of their values and priorities.
I was hoping they would do a transparent version, since it does kind of look like a mad cat’s controller that you give to your kid brother while you have the proper controller, really lean into it.
Although no doubt dbrand will have a skin for it.
I really liked the design of PS4 controller, it had a neat, small, handy feel, this looks bloated, large, idk
Unlike popular console controllers, which have games designed specifically for them, the Steam Controller was created to play games originally made for mouse and keyboard, not a controller.
The goal was to have a single controller that lets you play your entire Steam library. So it has all the buttons and axes expected by XInput-based games, but compared to the other controllers it sacrifices simplicity in favor of flexibility. It has four additional buttons on the back and dual trackpads on the front, which makes it considerably larger.
I think if you had the back buttons act as modifiers changing input layers, you could play a MMORPG with this which requires you to have 20 abilities on hotkeys. I haven’t looked into Steam Input in years, though.
It is. But that’s the compromise for trackpads.
The important question is; does it feel good to game on?
i think the Steam Controller (2015) incorporated the track pads and had a good aesthetic. Really, all it needed was a real d-pad.
I lost the dongle to mine. i cry evry tim
That old thing had just one analogue stick, and like you said, no D-Pad.
The new steam controller has the same layout as the Deck, sacrificing no button or input options.
I disagree, I’ve always thought it was pretty ugly. Too bulbous looking. The new one looks like a “normal” controller, but oversized to accommodate the track pads. Still not a looker, but at least it isn’t so bulbous. Also, glossy plastic can smd.
As someone who spent $150-$200 on the Xbox Elite controller just to get the rear paddles, $100 for this with the rear buttons and the track pads seems like no problem at all. Imo it’s incredibly fairly priced as compared to the competition, considering the features and emphasis on repairability.
Bro just get an 8bitdo for 4x less… Back paddles and great quality
If you are playing games where trackpads are useful, there’s not really another option, so it’s automatically a good value. I know my steam deck experience would have been a whole lot worse without those, and I would probably never consider a gaming handheld without them. But for the gaming I do with an xbox controller, I currently just use it for some video games at my computer (where I have access to a mouse anyways), and maybe split screen with family. I think my Gamesir Cyclone 2 controller (at half the price) is an unambiguously better deal for that, in the premium controller space. If I were using it mostly for couch gaming, that might put the Steam controller in a better position, or if I were mostly playing games that support whatever haptic trigger things Sony has, that controller might be in a better position.
One of the other more unique features is the tracking in the Steam Frame. It would be cool if they could standardize that sort of thing so it would work with other headsets. I wonder if they’ve considered that.
I’ve had my steam deck LCD and then OLED from the start. I absolutely love those 4 paddles on the underside and the gyro customization you can do. Setting those paddles up to do things like reload or throw grenades or whatever is just so much nicer than taking your thumb off a thumb stick or reaching up at R1 and L1. Right now I’m mostly just playing Enter The Gungeon and I set my back paddles up to release, flip tables, and dodge roll. I’d hate not having those paddles, so this will certainly be my next controller purchase. Bonus points to it that LinusTT was a bit of a bitch boy about the controller.
Loved my elite series 2 until the covering started peeling off the back plate. Replaced the back plate but something is off and it now loses power/connection when not plugged in. Spent $30 on the replacement back shell. Then I spent $30 on an 8bitdo that works well enough. I never used the back paddles on the elite, they were too easy to accidentally trigger, so I din’t miss them.
Sounds like you’re a sucker who falls for scams
Sounds like you need to brush up on the definition of a scam.
Overcharging for something that’s clearly identified isn’t a scam, and your idea of what qualifies as “overcharging” isn’t universal.
You sound like you’re butthurt about others having disposable income and choosing one product over a cheaper option. I’ve had my elite controller for 5+ years. There are cheaper options out there but the elite is the most comfortable controller for my hands.
Sounds like you don’t know what a scam is. A scam is when something is promised but not delivered, not when you think something is overpriced.
I am so hyped! I really hope that they will have two controllers for me in stock.
I have been waiting for this day since the launch of the original Steam Controller. The only problem I had with the old one is the missing second thumb stick, which won’t be a problem any more!
I thought I was going to pass on it, but now I’m kinda hyped to replace one of my aging xbox controllers with this one.
AUD price is pretty much right at the limit of what I’d be willing to pay (150 AUD). I’ll probably wait a bit though, as I’m not playing many trackpad required games at the moment.
Anyone knows if it’s quieter than a standard xbox one controller? Maybe it’s comperative to deck controls?
I’m asking because I avoid using a controller as it upsets my family with all the clicking and clacking.
I can’t test it exactly right now as I’m on vacation, but from memory the 8BitDo Ultimate 2c is significantly quieter, and also more precise and long-lasting thanks to hall effect sticks. I got one for 21 bucks, it’s really solid.
No idea about the buttons but the joystick ought to not be loud. Check the video reviews if you want to judge how it sounds
I don’t like that this has a built-in battery as that effectively gives it an expiration date. The original Steam Controller uses standard AA batteries.
Ergonomics will make or break this for me.
I will say that if it uses the same/similar configuration tool as the original Steam Controller, it will be very versatile.
The old configuration menu was better, the original one before Big Picture got the revamp for the Steam Deck. The new one looks less intimidating at a glance, but is way harder to navigate and requires far more steps to do what the old one could do quite simply.
Watch the Gamers’ Nexus video on the controller. Looks like the battery is extremely easy to replace. Remove a few screws, pop the back of the controller off, and pop the battery out of its housing. No glue or adhesive afaik
So not hot swappable
No but it seems to have like 40 hours on a good charge and can charge and play at the same time with the puck. So I kinda doubt it will be an issue. And it’s fully replaceable with no glue and just a few screws? That seems completely fine to me.
Theyre pairing with ifixit, so you’ll be able to replace it.
Also, on the flipside, I’m upset the Frame controllers will use AA batteries because you won’t be able to recharge them and will have to fuck with AA batteries, lol
There are rechargeable AA batteries. I prefer this over built-in batteries because I can swap the batteries out immediately instead of waiting for the controller to charge. It is also cheaper and easier to replace the batteries when they eventually begin to wear out.
What kind of rechargeable AA batteries do you use? I’ve tried a lot over the years for wiimotes/other controllers, but the battery life is kinda terrible.
The new steam controller is supposed to have 35 hours of battery life, I seem to remember my rechargeable AA powered controllers only getting like 2-4 hours per charge. They might have gotten 4-6 hours when they were new, but it wasn’t much better. Seems like even if the steam controller battery deteriorates to 50% capacity (17.5 hours) that would still be far better than my results with rechargeable AA batteries.
I use Eneloop batteries. They are widely regarded as the best quality and I have never had a problem with any of them.
The only controller I have that uses AA batteries is an Xbox controller. I am a fairly light gamer, so I have never measured how many hours they last, but I have no complaints about battery life. I often get more than a month of use before needing to charge them, so I would easily guess at least 10-20 hours of battery life.
I did some reading on it after posting my comment, it sounds like there’s been a pretty major improvement in rechargeable AA batteries in the last 10 years. Capacity has improved by 70+%, and much less power is lost during standby. So it’s probably worth trying again, I had just been avoiding them due to how poor the performance was back then.
I also use eneloops and the same eneloops I used since I got my Steam Controller back in 2015 and would also use on my 360 controller still go about a month before needing a charge.
I’ve been using rechargeable batteries for 30 or so years. The old NiCd batteries weren’t great, but the newer NiMh ones are quite good. Anything I have that uses AA or AAA gets rechargeable.
They do weaken and go bad over time, but I get more than 5 years on average.
Highly recommend Ikea batteries. They are cheap (1€ one), ok battery life, and they last a lot of charges cycles.
Maybe a stupid question, but could this work with a playstation too?
Not natively, because Sony has a mandatory certification program for wireless controllers.
In theory you make it emulate a PS controller, or you can use a USB receiver like XIM MATRIX or do a ridiculous workaround like connect it using Playstation remote play. Maybe somebody will reprogram the included adapter to work with PS5.
Almost certainly not natively. It might have a fallback to an XInput mode, in which case it could work with an adapter (but without the back buttons, gyro etc).
It might have a fallback to an XInput mode
No, as confirmed by Gamers Nexus. Steam Deck doesn’t either. Personally, I think it’s bad to have the requirement of Steam as a driver but there are also plenty of alternatives out there, so I’m not starting a riot over this.
According to Jeff Grubb at his video around the 20 minutes mark We’ve Been Using the Steam Controller! | Giant Bomb Review Discussion the Steam Controller will work as a regular controller without Steam being open. Steam itself is not required to use the controller, it just adds additional non standard features when open, such as customization and gyro. Sounds like without Steam being open it acts similar to a Xbox controller. But for that case there would be no need to pay 100 Dollar / Euro.
I wish though there was a more universal driver and software to that can be installed to run in the background, without Steam. So I agree with your sentiment, but just wanted mention that the controller is still (partially) functional without Steam. My suggestion is to buy the Steam Controller only, if you want to use it with Steam (duh!).
Then Jeff and GN should fight it out because they’re clearly making contradicting statements. I only have a Deck and an original Steam Controller 2015 and neither act as an Xbox controller without Steam.
I did not say it acts as a Xbox controller, but said similar to a Xbox controller.
I did not say it acts as a Xbox controller, but said similar to a Xbox controller.
And GN said that it behaves exactly like Deck and SC 2015: It’s a mouse without Steam running.
Either GN or Jeff is wrong.
Thanks for the insight!
Maybe a stupid question, but could this work with a playstation too?
Maybe as a mouse. It’s the same as with the Steam Deck: Without Steam running, it acts as a mouse NOT as a game pad. It required games to be launched from Steam to use it as a game controller.
It is expensive, but this an automatic yes for me.
Available for purchase May 4th, 10AM Pacific
Does this mean there will be no preorder? It will go for sale on that date and ship immediately?
Seems so. Would make sense too, as Valve has reportedly already received a lot of stock.
Can’t wait to check the page and see they don’t sell it at my country, than day dream of the day they will let me buy their hardware.
You can check now. I get pricing in euros so assume it’s available and someone else in the thread said they got a “not available”.
This item is not available for purchase in your region
Such joy.
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be with you!
And altho with you.
