After my temporary hands-on final yr with Valve’s new Steam Controller, I mentioned it might be my dream controller. I’ve been searching for a controller with the customization and sheer operate accessible on Valve’s Steam Deck whereas I’m enjoying video games on the TV. You, me, and loads of different individuals have been ready for this.
I’ve had the brand new controller in my fingers for greater than two weeks, and it’s already altering how I play at house. I used to make the Steam Deck handheld my go-to sofa gaming expertise due to how good it feels to carry, however the Controller has me docking my Deck to play on the TV as a result of it feels even higher.
I’ve spent hours crafting ridiculous combos in Vampire Crawlers, blowing up bots in Pragmata, and warding off fearsome zombies in Resident Evil 2. For any recreation I play, I can set any button or enter to be no matter I need it to be, letting me make totally new layouts that mechanically load each time I launch a recreation.
Even higher, layouts created for the Steam Deck instantly switch to the identical spots on the Controller and vice versa. They need to even work once you carry the gamepad to a good friend’s home and play on their machine. Go learn my colleague Cameron Faulkner’s story for extra on how the customization goes past some other controller available on the market.
Some issues I didn’t like as a lot, just like the place of the trackpads. However my quibbles gained’t cease me from dropping $99 on Monday, Could 4th to order one for myself.
For me, all of it clicked into place once I habitually pressed the R4 again button and the Controller instantly took a screenshot — the identical shortcut I’d already set on my Steam Deck. When all my different fine-tuned controls seamlessly carried over too, I noticed simply how helpful a first-party Valve controller might actually be.
Usually, once I put the Steam Deck on my dock and decide up a wi-fi gamepad, I’m settling for lesser controls. However with the Steam Controller and Steam’s intensive controller settings, it’s as if I’m nonetheless holding the Deck: each button is precisely the place I anticipate it to be, endlessly and simply customizable, with my muscle reminiscence intact.
I’m glad it’s seamless, as a result of the Controller is good. Like with the Deck, my fingers settle across the Controller’s grips, and each the joysticks and buttons are snug to achieve by thumb. Nothing rattles once I shake this gamepad. The D-pad feels extra strong, and so do the satisfyingly clicky new Steam and Fast Entry buttons. (Fast Entry is so helpful to have on a gamepad for little issues like adjusting quantity in a pinch.) The rumble feels crisper than on my 8BitDo Final 2 Wi-fi, although Sony’s haptics on the DualSense are nonetheless much better.
It’s additionally simple to get the controller working with my Steam Deck. You’ll be able to plug in a USB-C puck that establishes a low-latency 2.4GHz reference to the controller (and magnetically attaches to the again of the controller for charging with a really satisfying snap). Or you should utilize Bluetooth or plug a USB-C cable into the pad to play and cost concurrently.
One in every of my favourite options is a tiny color-changing LED on the prime of the controller to point its numerous modes. White means you’re related through the two.4GHz puck, for instance, whereas blue is for Bluetooth. It even flashes pink when it’s related for an replace. One other charming contact: the Controller performs a Deck-like chime when it activates, and one when it turns off.
Valve says the battery gives you greater than 35 hours of gameplay, however because of the comfort of the puck, I haven’t pressured about battery in any respect. I do know some would favor AA batteries since rechargeables degrade over time, however the comfort is a plus for me, the battery is definitely eliminated, and Valve says it’s working with corporations like iFixit to finally promote replacements.
Sitting on my sofa — which, at most, is about 12 ft away from the puck below my TV — I haven’t noticed any discernible distinction in latency between the two.4GHz connection or Bluetooth. Even when switching between modes whereas enjoying video games the place timing issues, like Hole Knight: Silksong, any errors I made have been a talent subject, not Controller ones. I needed to stroll into faraway rooms to run into any notable latency in both wi-fi mode.
For most individuals enjoying video games at their desk subsequent to their laptop or solo on the sofa, both connection needs to be superb. Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais tells The Verge you’ll in all probability solely discover Bluetooth’s weaknesses should you’re attempting to make use of a number of Bluetooth controllers concurrently, or obtain video games on PCs the place the Bluetooth antenna doubles as an antenna for Wi-Fi.
One function new to the Steam Controller function is Grip Sense. Due to capacitive sensors, every of the Controller’s grips features as a button. Like every little thing else with the Steam Controller, both grip could be mapped to anything you need. In my expertise, Grip Sense usually prompts when the highest a part of my palm begins to twist across the grip, so that you do must be largely gripping the controller for it to work, making it nice for gyro controls. It was a bit of sensitive as a set off substitute in Resident Evil 2, however I don’t assume that’s the kind of factor most individuals will use it for.
The trackpads have been largely a letdown. They’re not in a snug spot for me to make use of extensively as a mouse; the few instances I’ve tried, my contorted thumbs began to ache. Certain, the fitting trackpad gave me barely finer management whereas preventing zombies in Resident Evil 2. However I a lot choose simply utilizing the fitting joystick to intention.
I did use trackpads in Vampire Crawlers as a mouse, to hover over some useful information I couldn’t determine methods to see enjoying purely with gamepad controls. They’re helpful to flick round a desktop, too. However, like with the Steam Deck, I gained’t be utilizing the trackpads on the Controller as a method to play mouse-based video games for hours on finish.
I additionally want the Steam Controller had a headphone jack, just like the DualSense and Change Professional controller. It’s simply a lot simpler to plug headphones into these controllers as an alternative of coping with wi-fi headsets. Plugging in USB-C headphones to the USB-C port on prime doesn’t work for audio, I attempted.
We answered your questions concerning the Steam Controller.
And since the Steam Machine and Steam Body nonetheless aren’t accessible but — and we don’t know when they are going to be, past sometime this year, or how a lot they may price — we haven’t but reviewed it with these gadgets. I additionally solely have one Steam Controller, whereas Cameron has the opposite on a completely completely different coast, so we didn’t check a number of Controllers related to a single puck. (You’ll be able to join 4 per puck.)
Nonetheless, the Steam Controller may be very almost my dream controller. It’s an costly possibility at $99, particularly once I have already got a bunch of controllers that I might use. However none of these have the identical magic. The Steam Controller’s further perks are sufficient for me to purchase one for myself.