The Steam Controller is Here — Summary & Key Points
TL;DR
The new Steam Controller launches at $100 featuring TMR joysticks, a 37-hour battery life, and a charging puck that doubles as a 2.4GHz dongle. While the haptic trackpads excel at navigating non-controller games and the back paddles are excellent, the triggers lack haptic feedback and adaptive resistance found in competitors. The ergonomics feel slightly off compared to the Xbox controller, making it a strong niche choice for trackpad users but a harder sell for traditional gamers.
Key Quotes
"Oh, yeah. Gyro aiming is such a freaking hack."
The list
Build quality and ergonomics
The plastic body feels cheap compared to first-party offerings and the handle angle is too narrow for comfort. Screw holes on the bottom suggest a repairability focus via iFixit.
Button layout and triggers
Face buttons are soft and quiet while bumpers feel like PlayStation controllers. Triggers lack rumble, adaptive resistance, and the two-stage activation found in the original.
Charging puck and connectivity
The included 2.4GHz puck doubles as a charging dock, eliminating the need for constant Type-C cable swapping.
Haptic trackpads
The flatter, haptic trackpads are a significant upgrade for navigating non-controller optimized games like RTS titles or Anno. The reviewer successfully played an RTS on the couch and demonstrated zooming in Anno using only the trackpads.
TMR joysticks and battery life
TMR joysticks provide Hall effect precision without drift while maintaining low power draw. The controller achieved over 37 hours of continuous gaming in lab tests.
Lab performance comparison
Lab tests show the controller performs similarly to the GameSir Cyclone 2 in accuracy but with a different response curve.
Price and value
At $100, the controller is a solid value for trackpad enthusiasts but feels less compelling than the Dual Sense for traditional gamers. The reviewer notes they would buy it at $60 but is hesitant at $100 compared to getting two Xbox controllers.
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