I’m going to be honest; the original Steam Controller was too pure for this world. Sure, it was strange, new technology, and ditching a second stick in favor of a trackpad was something unheard of at the time. But I would be lying if I said that I didn’t absolutely adore that controller when it first released. Valve is at it again, resurrecting the Steam Controller with a bold new design, and I’m completely and totally on board with it.
At first glance, $100 for a controller sounds bonkers. But when you look past the sticker price, you may realize that other manufacturers have been overcharging for much, much less. There’s plenty to be excited about beyond the trackpads, even if those will make mouse-based games easier than ever to play from the comfort of the couch.
I ditched Windows for SteamOS on my PC, and gaming is way better now
SteamOS is ol’ reliable when I want a Linux-gaming experience at this point.
TMR > Hall Effect > ALPS Thumbsticks
Stick drift has effectively been defeated by a regular manufacturer
If you’ve used an Xbox, DualSense, or Switch Pro controller, you’ve experienced a set of ALPS thumbsticks already. It’s what we know, and most of the time, love. The natural tension of an ALPS joystick is something burned into our muscle memory, but that comes with a very upsetting drawback: stick drift. While it feels like previous generations of controllers were unaffected by this nearly as much, controllers like Nintendo’s Joy-Cons and the DualSense are very prone to getting it. This is because the resistive track eventually wears down or gets dirt in it, causing characters and cameras to drift without any input.
TMR, on the other hand, measures resistance changes via magnets. This makes them more accurate, great for extended gaming sessions, and most importantly, nearly impossible to get stick drift. The Steam Controller launches with TMR sticks as the standard option, which could be a contributing factor to its price. But considering that a DualSense starts at roughly $74.99, that extra $25 doesn’t feel so awful. Controllers can be used for a lot of things, but I only use mine for gaming.
Back buttons and gyro
The only other first-party controller with both is Nintendo
If you want a first-party Xbox controller with programmable back buttons, you’ll be looking at a bare minimum price of $150. For PlayStation users, the DualSense Edge comes in at roughly $200. The Steam Controller has all of that and plenty more for up to half the price. The addition of TMR thumbsticks, HD haptics, programmable back buttons, and contextual gyro for that price is completely understated. Pro features for the price of a regular controller? In this economy?
Granted, there’s one thing that the “pro” versions of Xbox and PlayStation controllers can do that the Steam Controller can’t. Those will also work on their respective consoles, as well as PC, whereas the Steam Controller is only going to be for PC gaming. But if you’re primarily a PC gamer, there really aren’t any options outside of third-party controller manufacturers that offer the same number of features for the price. Plus, nobody else is going to have those beautiful trackpads. It’s also said to have 35+ hours of battery life, whereas the DualSense Edge averages 4 to 6 hours of unplugged gameplay.
Thoughtful design decisions
You don’t have to buy a separate accessory to charge without plugging in
It’s a silly little detail that also completely and utterly rocks. While most controllers can connect to a PC via Bluetooth, the Steam Controller comes with a fancy little dongle that has a neat party trick. It not only handles the wireless communication and handshake between the controller and your computer, but it also doubles as a charger that magnetically attaches to the bottom of the controller. Seeing as Xbox and PlayStation controllers have this feature, yet require an additional purchase, it’s pretty neat that this controller has it right out of the box. Plus, it works with Windows, Linux, macOS, and even smartphones or tablets running Steam.
Yes, you can still plug a USB Type-C cord into the top of the controller to charge or play wired. But having the ability to just slap a little puck onto the back of the controller, then disconnect it to play wireless, is incredibly cool to me. The Xbox Elite Series controllers have the option to do so, but the price is also much higher than the Steam Controller, with not as many features. It’s also, surprisingly, lighter than the DualSense Edge and Elite Series controllers, weighing in at 292 grams, so it won’t feel heavy during longer play sessions. It’s also the same plastic material as the Steam Deck, so Deck fans can rejoice that their favorite feel is coming back. It’s not super tacky or grippy, so sweaty-handed players may not love it.
The obvious trackpads
Anyone with a Steam Deck knows how clutch these are
Now, there are two very big reasons why the Steam Controller is so exciting. The trackpads. Anyone who has ever touched a Steam Deck knows how nice it is to have the added precision of a trackpad, and the ability to play games that typically only have mouse support is incredible. Playing an RTS or something like that with a controller has gotten better over the years. But just thinking about using a trackpad in a game like that makes it a million times more appealing. Games like Endzone or Frostpunk should feel much better with those mouse controls. Pair that with Steam Input, and you’ve got a ton of customization options for how you want to control your favorite games.
Seeing as SteamOS has a native desktop mode, being able to properly navigate with just a controller in hand is marvelous. While I do love my SteamOS ROG Ally X, the trackpads are by far the thing I miss most from my time with the Steam Deck. Now, since the Steam Controller works on anything that has Steam installed, I can get the same experience once again. The ability to plug PC gaming handhelds into a TV is understated, and I love them for that feature. It’s a Steam Controller meant for Steam games, so other launchers may struggle to handle it. Do keep that in mind.
- Brand
-
Steam
- Platform
-
PC / macOS / Linux
- Battery
-
35+ Hour
- Colors
-
Black
There are plenty of reasons to get stoked about the Steam Controller
While this list may have covered four of my reasons to be excited about the Steam Controller, there are plenty of reasons to be excited for it. What I’m hoping for, more than anything, is pressure on the other manufacturers out there. Valve is somehow supplying a controller with TMR thumbsticks, trackpads, gyro, back buttons, and a plethora of other features for roughly $25 less than most first-party controllers.
Seeing as consoles are getting more advanced, it’s time that controllers did, too. I don’t need trackpads on every device that I own. It’s a novel feature, and while Steam and SteamOS benefit from it, most consoles wouldn’t. TMR thumbsticks are the future of controller gaming, and I hope the Steam Controller convinces other manufacturers that they can make it happen without sending the price into the stratosphere.
