Steam Controller Preview – Hands-On With Valve's Reinvented PC Gaming Controller

Sometimes bully ideas aren't afloat formed erstwhile they're enactment into signifier the archetypal clip around. The archetypal Steam Controller that came retired backmost successful 2015 was a uniquely designed gamepad for PC gaming, but it was excessively awkward to beryllium a mainstay. Still, it had features – namely its haptic touchpads that let for mouse-like power – that paved the mode for however the Steam Deck handles. In turn, the Steam Deck has present informed this caller iteration of the Steam Controller. And it feels similar that bully thought is present reaching its afloat potential, due to the fact that aft getting my hands connected it erstwhile I visited Valve past month, I haven't been this excited astir a controller successful a agelong time.

Let's tally done immoderate of the basal specs of the caller Steam Controller: It uses TMR magnetic sticks to stave disconnected instrumentality drift and support powerfulness depletion low. There are 2 trackpads connected the little portion of the gamepad, which tin beryllium customized done Steam Input. You get 4 programmable backmost buttons connected the handles, gyroscopic question controls, HD haptics, and capacitive interaction sensors connected each grip to observe whether oregon not you're gripping the controller. And it uses a 2.4GHz transportation protocol done its charging pod for low-latency input (and those caller Steam Machines person that connectivity built in). Despite each of these blase technologies packed into the controller, Valve is claiming astir 35 hours of artillery beingness from a afloat complaint arsenic well.

It's awesome connected paper, if not for the information that we've ne'er seen a controller bash each of these things astatine the aforesaid time. But arsenic idiosyncratic who's reviewed respective high-end controllers astatine this point, fancy features don't mean overmuch if it isn't comfy to usage – successful the abbreviated clip I got to usage the caller Steam Controller, I tin accidental that it has nailed the ergonomics. It felt earthy to hold, with contours and important grip wherever you expect them, and it remains reasonably airy truthful it doesn’t consciousness similar you're holding onto a hulking gamepad. However, much semipermanent usage successful the aboriginal volition truly trial my archetypal impressions. Now, you're astir apt reasoning the aforesaid happening I did erstwhile Valve archetypal showed it to maine – this happening isn't precisely pretty. But for what it whitethorn deficiency successful aesthetics, it much than makes up for successful functionality, and that's what's important for a controller aft all.

I played astir 30 minutes of Cyberpunk 2077, Metal Gear Solid Delta, and Silent Hill f connected the caller Steam Machine with the Steam Controller, and analog instrumentality show was arsenic bully arsenic immoderate large gamepad since the TMR sticks had a creaseless and accordant absorption on the afloat scope of motion. Folks who person been utilizing an Xbox controller connected PC oregon immoderate gamepad with offset instrumentality placement mightiness beryllium enactment disconnected by the PlayStation-esque symmetrical-style sticks, but it conscionable takes immoderate getting utilized to. If anything, I similar the instrumentality placement amended than the Steam Deck, which I consciousness are a small excessively precocious up connected the instrumentality – the Steam Controller is capable to bring them down successful a much comfy presumption portion inactive having the trackpads successful a bully spot.

The enarthrosis bumpers are clicky, the analog triggers are creaseless connected the pull, and I'm a large instrumentality of the backmost fastener plan arsenic they're placed successful a earthy presumption to deed with my mediate and ringing fingers – they're besides easier to actuate than the backmost paddles connected the Steam Deck. Mapping d-pad and look fastener actions to them successful a crippled similar Cyberpunk lets you support your thumbs connected the sticks without missing a beat. This is the benignant of acquisition you should expect from a premium controller, and it seems Valve is getting it right.

Strangely, the much awesome demo I had was with Balatro, the poker-inspired roguelike deckbuilder. This is due to the fact that it's a circumstantial use-case for the assorted power styles enabled by the trackpad and gyroscopic motion, and the flexibility afforded by the Steam Controller being built specifically for PC. While the default controller mapping is fine, sometimes it's easier to navigate the interface utilizing the trackpad with my thumb to prime cards arsenic if I person a rodent connected manus (if you've played connected Steam Deck, this benignant of functionality volition beryllium acquainted to you). You tin alteration the gyroscopic question controls to enactment arsenic your rodent cursor and person it lone activate erstwhile the capacitive interaction sensors connected the handles admit you've afloat gripped the controller itself. You tin swap betwixt these power styles and tweak them SteamOS-side by hitting the Steam fastener connected the controller and going done the menus.

On the enactment of the trackpads, they tin besides beryllium configured successful Steam Input rather easy and each pad has the quality to enactment arsenic 2 abstracted buttons, similar splitting left- and right-clicks. Their unit sensitivity and haptic feedback tin beryllium tweaked arsenic well. And the capacitive interaction of the grips tin besides beryllium assigned for antithetic kinds of actions, though I didn't person the accidental to trial this circumstantial diagnostic to a greater extent. However, it's small things similar this that marque the Steam Controller basal retired and springiness you much options for however you play games than thing other retired now.

That took years of iteration starting with the archetypal Steam controller, past adapting the champion parts of the Steam Deck controls, and adjacent integrating features unsocial to the Valve Index, similar gestures and gyros, successful a mode that marque consciousness for a PC gamepad. And present the bundle is determination arsenic good with SteamOS being a fuller ecosystem that tin marque compatibility and customization comparatively simple.

While this is simply a controller that was designed successful tandem with the Steam Machine to enactment seamlessly together, each its features enactment connected immoderate PC, of course. The tiny charging puck that easy latches onto the controller magnetically besides acts arsenic the wireless receiver for accelerated input rated astatine 8ms. It tin besides grip up to 4 Steam controllers connected to it astatine the aforesaid time. And it works arsenic an iOS/Android mobile controller via Bluetooth. With the Steam Deck moving SteamOS, it could beryllium a sensible solution for those who often dock their handheld.

There is nary terms acceptable yet, but this is simply a premium merchandise that volition astir apt request a premium price, and we won't cognize until we get person to its launch. I would similar much clip with it to truly enactment it done its paces, but fixed the versatility of its features and execution of the basics, the caller Steam Controller could beryllium my go-to PC controller erstwhile it launches sometime successful aboriginal 2026 alongside the remainder of Valve's caller hardware.

For much sum of Valve's caller hardware, cheque retired our hands-on previews of the Steam Machine and Steam Frame VR Headset, arsenic good arsenic our interrogation with Valve astir the Steam Machine.