I'm not sure I get the surprise at the price I've seen across the internet. I'm looking at prices in GBP (where the Steam Controller would be ~£75), but it seems to be almost exactly the same...
I'm not sure I get the surprise at the price I've seen across the internet. I'm looking at prices in GBP (where the Steam Controller would be ~£75), but it seems to be almost exactly the same price as a PS5 controller (~£75) and a bit more than an Xbox Controller (~£50, though the offical store suggests it's normally ~£60).
Well, the 8bitdo Ultimate is 60€, and has all the features, minus the trackpads. So 40€ for the trackpads is a lot, especially when I plan to use that controller on my PC, where my mouse &...
I'm not sure I get the surprise at the price I've seen across the internet
Well, the 8bitdo Ultimate is 60€, and has all the features, minus the trackpads. So 40€ for the trackpads is a lot, especially when I plan to use that controller on my PC, where my mouse & keyboard are right here.
I still want a Steam Controller because I love the Deck, but 100€ is kinda hard to justify
I was about to mention the 8bitdo Ultimate. It's an excellent controller that you can pair with your phone, PC, steam deck, xbox, Switch etc. It's the best controller I've ever used, and even...
I was about to mention the 8bitdo Ultimate. It's an excellent controller that you can pair with your phone, PC, steam deck, xbox, Switch etc.
It's the best controller I've ever used, and even assuming the steam controller will be 100 EUR in Europe, which may not be the case, it's a very very tough sell.
Maybe because PC gamepads are usually cheaper than name-brand console gamepads. There are great controllers from trustworthy companies for $20-30 that do everything a Microsoft-branded Xbox...
Maybe because PC gamepads are usually cheaper than name-brand console gamepads. There are great controllers from trustworthy companies for $20-30 that do everything a Microsoft-branded Xbox controller will do for $70. A PC gamepad for $100 is rather unusual. None have the features of this new Steam Controller, though.
I was personally ready to pay $70 (like OP) but at $100 I'm questioning whether I care about the extra features.
I mean I would consider a steam controller a “name brand” controller as well. 8bitdo needs to have lower prices to compete with lower brand recognition - meanwhile essentially every PC gamer knows...
I mean I would consider a steam controller a “name brand” controller as well. 8bitdo needs to have lower prices to compete with lower brand recognition - meanwhile essentially every PC gamer knows the steam brand.
It's just a lot of money for a controller. Heck, all of those prices you listed feel too high for a controller to me. Then again I've always been the kind of gamer that doesn't think twice about...
It's just a lot of money for a controller. Heck, all of those prices you listed feel too high for a controller to me. Then again I've always been the kind of gamer that doesn't think twice about going 3rd party or wired to save a buck. Further, I don't really like the Steamdeck's touch controls nearly enough (or at all) to pay $99 for them.
I thought this was a really decent price for the specs and then read lots discussions where people say they can get the same for cheaper and I just have to ask... Where? The most common comparison...
I thought this was a really decent price for the specs and then read lots discussions where people say they can get the same for cheaper and I just have to ask... Where?
The most common comparison I see is to the 8bitdo ultimate, which I have 2 of, and yeah it is a nice controller for the price, but it absolutely is not that great of a controller overall. The dpad is horrendous, the grip is not the most comfortable after long sessions, you can't adjust the shoulder triggers, no gyro on PC, subpar polling rate, and the list could go on. I literally stopped using mine when I got a ps5 and just use the dual sense on my PC (which also doesn't have that great of a dpad but I still prefer it to the 8bitdo).
The steam controller is a step up in every conceivable way over something like an 8bitdo ultimate (especially the TMR sticks, that should be the new gold standard), and it includes the 2 track pads which are phenomenal for pc gaming. It is also not that more expensive than a regular dual sense and has way more functionality. Now, you can argue that the dual sense by itself is overpriced and I won't deny that, but I never expected the Steam controller to be less than 80 based on competition like that, so it's wild to see so many are disappointed it's not a 50-70 usd controller, when I feel it was never in that realm as soon as they revealed its spec sheet. Because as far as I can see, the feature set and its pricing seems to fall pretty in line with what I see out there, give or take 10 bucks or so.
There is also the very good chance the controller is very easily moddable and configurable knowing Valve's track record, especially on Linux, which is something I can't say for most controllers, 8bitdo included.
Not saying you don't have the right to complain about it being an expensive controller overall, in absolute terms it is indeed a more expensive controller than the average, and I wouldn't recommend it unless you absolutely need the feature set, but I do also think it brings cool things to the table for those interested in its features without being absurdly priced for them. Though I will hold off final Judgement until it's actually out and more people try it, but I will most likely get one based on how much I love holding the steam deck.
I feel like I'm at the other end of the spectrum from a lot of folks on the price. In this economy where everything is getting super expensive, I was worried it was going to end up more expensive....
I feel like I'm at the other end of the spectrum from a lot of folks on the price. In this economy where everything is getting super expensive, I was worried it was going to end up more expensive. $100 is definitely expensive. That said, if it ends up feeling high quality and holds up to abuse, I think it's likely a fair price point. I plan to pick one up probably not long after release as long as it's received well. I still have and love a couple old steam controllers that are still doing great, so I'm optimistic.
Being totally honest, it's more than I was expecting and more than I want I pay, but I will buy it because there's nothing else like it. Since the announcement, I've had it in my head that it...
Being totally honest, it's more than I was expecting and more than I want I pay, but I will buy it because there's nothing else like it.
Since the announcement, I've had it in my head that it would be about $70, so $100 is a bit of sticker shock for me. But, I've had my Deck for going on four years now and the controls are a game changer for me; I still like my standard controllers, but having access to the touchpads just opens up so many options.
I've enjoyed the setup on my Deck so much, I've actually gone back to using my original Steam Controller occasionally. Only occasionally, however, because the lack of a proper DPad and right Analogue makes it only useful for some games. I'm greatly looking forward to setting this up and playing all the keyboard/mouse driven games I play on my Deck, using the controller on my laptop.
I want to love my Steam Deck, and its controls. But after growing into mouse/keyboard, I have such a hard time going back to joysticks or touch pads. What game(s) do you primarily play?
I want to love my Steam Deck, and its controls. But after growing into mouse/keyboard, I have such a hard time going back to joysticks or touch pads. What game(s) do you primarily play?
I trot this anecdote out everytime I talk about PC gaming, but I've been doing it for a long time. Over 30 years now and next year will be the 30th anniversary of teaching myself to use the...
I trot this anecdote out everytime I talk about PC gaming, but I've been doing it for a long time. Over 30 years now and next year will be the 30th anniversary of teaching myself to use the keyboard and mouse for gaming (WASD was a revelation at the time. Everyone prior just used the keyboard only to play FPS games).
Anyway, I used to struggle a lot using controllers, often becoming frustrated with them, but the Deck changed that. Now I much prefer controllers for when I game, because it's a lot easier on my hands and wrists, having developed carpal tunnel in the last several years. But using a regular controller still isn't my favorite thing because of the lack of versatility and inability to play a lot of PC games well.
So, I'll throw out a short list of stuff I play and how I generally use it.
Games that require minimal setup:
Transport Fever 2
Pillars of Eternity
FPS games (classic PC shooters and Boom Shoots)
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Battle Brothers
By and large in these games (mostly TF2, PoE & C&C, BB), they're functional out of the box. I use the right trackpad as my mouse cursor and the left I setup as a clockwise/counter-clockwise motion to scroll the mouse wheel for zooming in and out. Often I'll set the DPAD to 1-2-3-4 depending on direction so I can access quick commands, such as selecting a group in C&C (which is assigned by holding Ctrl and pressing a number. I usually assign left bumper to Ctrl) or selecting an ability to use in Battle Brothers.
Other stuff requires a lot more customization. For example, I play Vanilla World of Warcraft on my Deck and the setup there is quite complicated. Right trackpad as mouse again, but I can hold the left bumper to mode shift, which turns it into the scroll wheel for when I need it. Left trackpad is a radial menu for 5 different abilities and again holding the right bumper changes that radial menu into less urgent hot keys, such as accessing my map, inventory, character screen, etc and there I have about 8 or so different keys bound.
The right joystick is used for my F-keys, F1 through F5, depending on direction, for quick selecting party members for healing when I'm in a dungeon or otherwise. Plus a lot of random other stuff around the buttons, such as a combination of the back buttons being used for Tab targeting, Assist key, Attack Key and Shift key for selecting/looting multiple things at once.
It's complicated, but it's custom to me and therein lies the power and what I want Steam Controller 2 for: Steam Input customization. My first year or two of using the Deck, I only used Steam Input a little bit, never getting too deep into it, but the more you learn it and understand it, the more you realize what an incredibly powerful tool it is to play games how you want to play them. The Steam Controller is just an extension of that, adding the ability to use a proper mouse (which I find 90% as good as using a real mouse), in addition to the ability to basically use the entire keyboard via the other trackpad and various other customizations you can do to the other controls, such as what I've done with Vanilla WoW. This isn't even using any of it to it's full potential, given I typically disable gyro, because I find it annoying, though many swear by it for FPS games, so I may eventually better acquaint myself with that as well.
Edit: hella long post to answer a simple question, sorry. My wife hates that...
Anyway, the TLDR of what games I play: PC games. Games from every era, modern , all the way back to DOS. Games that aren't always designed with a controller in mind, in spite of it often being my preferred method these days.
In good configurations, the trackpad feels like a trackball mouse. For slow moves you're 'rolling' it (and use the gyro). For big/fast movement you flick/spin it, lifting your finger, and a slow...
In good configurations, the trackpad feels like a trackball mouse. For slow moves you're 'rolling' it (and use the gyro). For big/fast movement you flick/spin it, lifting your finger, and a slow deceleration lets it keep spinning fast until you tap back down.
Once that clicked for me, instead of trying to use it like a regular mouse or joystick, it's hard to use the right joystick at all. I now use the right joystick for radial menus.
Index controllers have never cost less than €150 (each, and you need two), so I find this quite reasonable considering Valve's history and the associated economies of scale. They typically don't...
Index controllers have never cost less than €150 (each, and you need two), so I find this quite reasonable considering Valve's history and the associated economies of scale. They typically don't lower prices but I imagine they could if the controller is wildly more successful than they expect.
$100 is gonna be a little bit of a stretch, but if I’m able to easily swap it between gaming on my Mac and gaming on my Linux box, then because it’s closer to the layout that I prefer as far as...
$100 is gonna be a little bit of a stretch, but if I’m able to easily swap it between gaming on my Mac and gaming on my Linux box, then because it’s closer to the layout that I prefer as far as joystick placement (the Sony PlayStation controller style) and has a few features that nothing elves has like the dual thumb pads, I may go ahead and grab one.
Of course me being me I’ll certainly wait for reviewers to have their way with it first, then there’s a chance that I’ll wait for the aftermarket to develop and grab one used. Or wait until an inevitable Steam Sale and grab one when it goes on sale for $20, $30 maybe $40 off. I’m patient.
I would still be willing to get one, even if that's higher than expected. I have one of the original Steam Controllers that I got in the firesale. Should've gotten two. That said...Strangely, I...
I would still be willing to get one, even if that's higher than expected. I have one of the original Steam Controllers that I got in the firesale. Should've gotten two.
That said...Strangely, I don't even use my Steam Controller that much anymore. I use my PS4 and PS5 controllers with my Steam Deck or even PCs. And then when traveling, I use one of those tiny 8BitDo controllers.
But I'd rather have in case I need touchpads. It's so good.
That’s a no from me. I thought at that price it would be DOA but the both places I’ve seen discussing it see it as a fair price. Unless I can find this for a relatively good price, I’ll be...
That’s a no from me.
I thought at that price it would be DOA but the both places I’ve seen discussing it see it as a fair price.
Unless I can find this for a relatively good price, I’ll be sticking to my 8bitdo Ultimate controller.
I see this comparison made a lot. The 8bitdo ultimate is a decent controller, when you look at the features, you can see where this would cost more. extra set of back buttons mappable capacitive...
I see this comparison made a lot. The 8bitdo ultimate is a decent controller, when you look at the features, you can see where this would cost more.
extra set of back buttons
mappable capacitive grips
capacitive thumbsticks
gyro
squircle trackpads that offer haptic feedback and are pressure sensitive
But is that worth $40 more? It depends on how much you value the extra feature set.
If I was buying today, I'd spring for the new Steam controller, but if I already had the 8bitdo ultimate, I'm not so sure.
As an aside, the leaked review misses the mark as you can't really review this controller without mentioning steam input. E.g. This controller has analog triggers and does support hair triggers through steam input... And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
The 8bitdo ultimate (2) has the gyro, two mappable back buttons and two additional bumper buttons, TMR sticks and a better D-pad than the one on my Steam Deck which looks to be the same one as the...
The 8bitdo ultimate (2) has the gyro, two mappable back buttons and two additional bumper buttons, TMR sticks and a better D-pad than the one on my Steam Deck which looks to be the same one as the new Steam Controller. The 8bitdo software isn't quite Steam Input but provides a decent amount of customization.
I do love the trackpads on my steam deck (I think I commented excitedly on a thread about these new controllers last year) but the price tag does tamper my excitement somewhat. I think the controller went from a must buy to a maybe one day for me.
You're correct, I missed that that when I did the initial comparison. The ultimate 2 replaced the ultimate at the same price ($60, and definitely closes the gap feature wise. And the ultimate 2c...
You're correct, I missed that that when I did the initial comparison. The ultimate 2 replaced the ultimate at the same price ($60, and definitely closes the gap feature wise. And the ultimate 2c is a solid option at $20.
Since steam input broadly supports other controllers, I didn't really consider that as a pro/con for either controller. I don't have an ultimate to test with, but I expect it's reasonably well supported by Steam Input. That was mostly an aside about the leaked review.
Priced against an Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, it comes out pretty damn favorable. Especially having parity with the Steam Deck. I love my 8bitdo controllers, but they lack that...
Priced against an Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, it comes out pretty damn favorable. Especially having parity with the Steam Deck.
I love my 8bitdo controllers, but they lack that critical trackpad.
Think you really gotta want what it's selling. If I never intended to use the trackpads, yeah, I wouldn't bother. I have an SN30 Pro I love, as well as a wireless Xbox One and Xbox 360 controller...
Think you really gotta want what it's selling.
If I never intended to use the trackpads, yeah, I wouldn't bother. I have an SN30 Pro I love, as well as a wireless Xbox One and Xbox 360 controller that I've modded with a better D-Pad. I like all of them quite a lot and they suit me fine when I want to play something controller oriented.
But a lot of the time I want to play, "PC-Ass-PC-Games" and the Deck control style with touchpad just hits that exactly for me. $100 is definitely more than I want to spend and I think my wife will be ok with it, but I'd like to have 2 and I don't think I can justify $200+ for that.
I was hoping for a super-cheap $60 so I could have bought three for under $200. That was a pipe dream I figure. Guess I just get 2 now, then others later when they go on sale.
I was hoping for a super-cheap $60 so I could have bought three for under $200. That was a pipe dream I figure.
Guess I just get 2 now, then others later when they go on sale.
As I'm typically the k+m user and the Deck holds up for a few games that are the exception, my xbox controller covers all bases. And I was recently (in January) tasked to work overnights (as...
As I'm typically the k+m user and the Deck holds up for a few games that are the exception, my xbox controller covers all bases. And I was recently (in January) tasked to work overnights (as salary, which is bs, but that's why I make the big bucks...) and forgot the xbox controller I usually packed for when I set the Deck up with keyboard/mouse/external things/monitor. Grabbed one for under $30.
I honestly don't know why the Deck controller is so good, as I only use the pads when I'm playing a game that isn't natively supported. So if you ditched the pads on the Steam controller, what is the point?
And I'm asking honestly, because the backside buttons behind the deck are completely useless (and even if I tried to use them, they're not natural anymore at my age).
I hope they will release a cheaper wired only version. I only play on my PC so I don't need wireless support or the battery. The original Steam Controller at least took inherently replaceable AAs...
I hope they will release a cheaper wired only version. I only play on my PC so I don't need wireless support or the battery.
The original Steam Controller at least took inherently replaceable AAs and worked fine without them..
I'm not sure I get the surprise at the price I've seen across the internet. I'm looking at prices in GBP (where the Steam Controller would be ~£75), but it seems to be almost exactly the same price as a PS5 controller (~£75) and a bit more than an Xbox Controller (~£50, though the offical store suggests it's normally ~£60).
Well, the 8bitdo Ultimate is 60€, and has all the features, minus the trackpads. So 40€ for the trackpads is a lot, especially when I plan to use that controller on my PC, where my mouse & keyboard are right here.
I still want a Steam Controller because I love the Deck, but 100€ is kinda hard to justify
I was about to mention the 8bitdo Ultimate. It's an excellent controller that you can pair with your phone, PC, steam deck, xbox, Switch etc.
It's the best controller I've ever used, and even assuming the steam controller will be 100 EUR in Europe, which may not be the case, it's a very very tough sell.
Maybe because PC gamepads are usually cheaper than name-brand console gamepads. There are great controllers from trustworthy companies for $20-30 that do everything a Microsoft-branded Xbox controller will do for $70. A PC gamepad for $100 is rather unusual. None have the features of this new Steam Controller, though.
I was personally ready to pay $70 (like OP) but at $100 I'm questioning whether I care about the extra features.
I mean I would consider a steam controller a “name brand” controller as well. 8bitdo needs to have lower prices to compete with lower brand recognition - meanwhile essentially every PC gamer knows the steam brand.
It's just a lot of money for a controller. Heck, all of those prices you listed feel too high for a controller to me. Then again I've always been the kind of gamer that doesn't think twice about going 3rd party or wired to save a buck. Further, I don't really like the Steamdeck's touch controls nearly enough (or at all) to pay $99 for them.
I thought this was a really decent price for the specs and then read lots discussions where people say they can get the same for cheaper and I just have to ask... Where?
The most common comparison I see is to the 8bitdo ultimate, which I have 2 of, and yeah it is a nice controller for the price, but it absolutely is not that great of a controller overall. The dpad is horrendous, the grip is not the most comfortable after long sessions, you can't adjust the shoulder triggers, no gyro on PC, subpar polling rate, and the list could go on. I literally stopped using mine when I got a ps5 and just use the dual sense on my PC (which also doesn't have that great of a dpad but I still prefer it to the 8bitdo).
The steam controller is a step up in every conceivable way over something like an 8bitdo ultimate (especially the TMR sticks, that should be the new gold standard), and it includes the 2 track pads which are phenomenal for pc gaming. It is also not that more expensive than a regular dual sense and has way more functionality. Now, you can argue that the dual sense by itself is overpriced and I won't deny that, but I never expected the Steam controller to be less than 80 based on competition like that, so it's wild to see so many are disappointed it's not a 50-70 usd controller, when I feel it was never in that realm as soon as they revealed its spec sheet. Because as far as I can see, the feature set and its pricing seems to fall pretty in line with what I see out there, give or take 10 bucks or so.
There is also the very good chance the controller is very easily moddable and configurable knowing Valve's track record, especially on Linux, which is something I can't say for most controllers, 8bitdo included.
Not saying you don't have the right to complain about it being an expensive controller overall, in absolute terms it is indeed a more expensive controller than the average, and I wouldn't recommend it unless you absolutely need the feature set, but I do also think it brings cool things to the table for those interested in its features without being absurdly priced for them. Though I will hold off final Judgement until it's actually out and more people try it, but I will most likely get one based on how much I love holding the steam deck.
I feel like I'm at the other end of the spectrum from a lot of folks on the price. In this economy where everything is getting super expensive, I was worried it was going to end up more expensive. $100 is definitely expensive. That said, if it ends up feeling high quality and holds up to abuse, I think it's likely a fair price point. I plan to pick one up probably not long after release as long as it's received well. I still have and love a couple old steam controllers that are still doing great, so I'm optimistic.
Being totally honest, it's more than I was expecting and more than I want I pay, but I will buy it because there's nothing else like it.
Since the announcement, I've had it in my head that it would be about $70, so $100 is a bit of sticker shock for me. But, I've had my Deck for going on four years now and the controls are a game changer for me; I still like my standard controllers, but having access to the touchpads just opens up so many options.
I've enjoyed the setup on my Deck so much, I've actually gone back to using my original Steam Controller occasionally. Only occasionally, however, because the lack of a proper DPad and right Analogue makes it only useful for some games. I'm greatly looking forward to setting this up and playing all the keyboard/mouse driven games I play on my Deck, using the controller on my laptop.
I want to love my Steam Deck, and its controls. But after growing into mouse/keyboard, I have such a hard time going back to joysticks or touch pads. What game(s) do you primarily play?
I trot this anecdote out everytime I talk about PC gaming, but I've been doing it for a long time. Over 30 years now and next year will be the 30th anniversary of teaching myself to use the keyboard and mouse for gaming (WASD was a revelation at the time. Everyone prior just used the keyboard only to play FPS games).
Anyway, I used to struggle a lot using controllers, often becoming frustrated with them, but the Deck changed that. Now I much prefer controllers for when I game, because it's a lot easier on my hands and wrists, having developed carpal tunnel in the last several years. But using a regular controller still isn't my favorite thing because of the lack of versatility and inability to play a lot of PC games well.
So, I'll throw out a short list of stuff I play and how I generally use it.
Games that require minimal setup:
Transport Fever 2
Pillars of Eternity
FPS games (classic PC shooters and Boom Shoots)
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Battle Brothers
By and large in these games (mostly TF2, PoE & C&C, BB), they're functional out of the box. I use the right trackpad as my mouse cursor and the left I setup as a clockwise/counter-clockwise motion to scroll the mouse wheel for zooming in and out. Often I'll set the DPAD to 1-2-3-4 depending on direction so I can access quick commands, such as selecting a group in C&C (which is assigned by holding Ctrl and pressing a number. I usually assign left bumper to Ctrl) or selecting an ability to use in Battle Brothers.
Other stuff requires a lot more customization. For example, I play Vanilla World of Warcraft on my Deck and the setup there is quite complicated. Right trackpad as mouse again, but I can hold the left bumper to mode shift, which turns it into the scroll wheel for when I need it. Left trackpad is a radial menu for 5 different abilities and again holding the right bumper changes that radial menu into less urgent hot keys, such as accessing my map, inventory, character screen, etc and there I have about 8 or so different keys bound.
The right joystick is used for my F-keys, F1 through F5, depending on direction, for quick selecting party members for healing when I'm in a dungeon or otherwise. Plus a lot of random other stuff around the buttons, such as a combination of the back buttons being used for Tab targeting, Assist key, Attack Key and Shift key for selecting/looting multiple things at once.
It's complicated, but it's custom to me and therein lies the power and what I want Steam Controller 2 for: Steam Input customization. My first year or two of using the Deck, I only used Steam Input a little bit, never getting too deep into it, but the more you learn it and understand it, the more you realize what an incredibly powerful tool it is to play games how you want to play them. The Steam Controller is just an extension of that, adding the ability to use a proper mouse (which I find 90% as good as using a real mouse), in addition to the ability to basically use the entire keyboard via the other trackpad and various other customizations you can do to the other controls, such as what I've done with Vanilla WoW. This isn't even using any of it to it's full potential, given I typically disable gyro, because I find it annoying, though many swear by it for FPS games, so I may eventually better acquaint myself with that as well.
Edit: hella long post to answer a simple question, sorry. My wife hates that...
Anyway, the TLDR of what games I play: PC games. Games from every era, modern , all the way back to DOS. Games that aren't always designed with a controller in mind, in spite of it often being my preferred method these days.
In good configurations, the trackpad feels like a trackball mouse. For slow moves you're 'rolling' it (and use the gyro). For big/fast movement you flick/spin it, lifting your finger, and a slow deceleration lets it keep spinning fast until you tap back down.
Once that clicked for me, instead of trying to use it like a regular mouse or joystick, it's hard to use the right joystick at all. I now use the right joystick for radial menus.
Index controllers have never cost less than €150 (each, and you need two), so I find this quite reasonable considering Valve's history and the associated economies of scale. They typically don't lower prices but I imagine they could if the controller is wildly more successful than they expect.
$100 is gonna be a little bit of a stretch, but if I’m able to easily swap it between gaming on my Mac and gaming on my Linux box, then because it’s closer to the layout that I prefer as far as joystick placement (the Sony PlayStation controller style) and has a few features that nothing elves has like the dual thumb pads, I may go ahead and grab one.
Of course me being me I’ll certainly wait for reviewers to have their way with it first, then there’s a chance that I’ll wait for the aftermarket to develop and grab one used. Or wait until an inevitable Steam Sale and grab one when it goes on sale for $20, $30 maybe $40 off. I’m patient.
I would still be willing to get one, even if that's higher than expected. I have one of the original Steam Controllers that I got in the firesale. Should've gotten two.
That said...Strangely, I don't even use my Steam Controller that much anymore. I use my PS4 and PS5 controllers with my Steam Deck or even PCs. And then when traveling, I use one of those tiny 8BitDo controllers.
But I'd rather have in case I need touchpads. It's so good.
That’s a no from me.
I thought at that price it would be DOA but the both places I’ve seen discussing it see it as a fair price.
Unless I can find this for a relatively good price, I’ll be sticking to my 8bitdo Ultimate controller.
I see this comparison made a lot. The 8bitdo ultimate is a decent controller, when you look at the features, you can see where this would cost more.
But is that worth $40 more? It depends on how much you value the extra feature set.
If I was buying today, I'd spring for the new Steam controller, but if I already had the 8bitdo ultimate, I'm not so sure.
As an aside, the leaked review misses the mark as you can't really review this controller without mentioning steam input. E.g. This controller has analog triggers and does support hair triggers through steam input... And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
The 8bitdo ultimate (2) has the gyro, two mappable back buttons and two additional bumper buttons, TMR sticks and a better D-pad than the one on my Steam Deck which looks to be the same one as the new Steam Controller. The 8bitdo software isn't quite Steam Input but provides a decent amount of customization.
I do love the trackpads on my steam deck (I think I commented excitedly on a thread about these new controllers last year) but the price tag does tamper my excitement somewhat. I think the controller went from a must buy to a maybe one day for me.
You're correct, I missed that that when I did the initial comparison. The ultimate 2 replaced the ultimate at the same price ($60, and definitely closes the gap feature wise. And the ultimate 2c is a solid option at $20.
Since steam input broadly supports other controllers, I didn't really consider that as a pro/con for either controller. I don't have an ultimate to test with, but I expect it's reasonably well supported by Steam Input. That was mostly an aside about the leaked review.
Priced against an Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, it comes out pretty damn favorable. Especially having parity with the Steam Deck.
I love my 8bitdo controllers, but they lack that critical trackpad.
Think you really gotta want what it's selling.
If I never intended to use the trackpads, yeah, I wouldn't bother. I have an SN30 Pro I love, as well as a wireless Xbox One and Xbox 360 controller that I've modded with a better D-Pad. I like all of them quite a lot and they suit me fine when I want to play something controller oriented.
But a lot of the time I want to play, "PC-Ass-PC-Games" and the Deck control style with touchpad just hits that exactly for me. $100 is definitely more than I want to spend and I think my wife will be ok with it, but I'd like to have 2 and I don't think I can justify $200+ for that.
I was hoping for a super-cheap $60 so I could have bought three for under $200. That was a pipe dream I figure.
Guess I just get 2 now, then others later when they go on sale.
As I'm typically the k+m user and the Deck holds up for a few games that are the exception, my xbox controller covers all bases. And I was recently (in January) tasked to work overnights (as salary, which is bs, but that's why I make the big bucks...) and forgot the xbox controller I usually packed for when I set the Deck up with keyboard/mouse/external things/monitor. Grabbed one for under $30.
I honestly don't know why the Deck controller is so good, as I only use the pads when I'm playing a game that isn't natively supported. So if you ditched the pads on the Steam controller, what is the point?
And I'm asking honestly, because the backside buttons behind the deck are completely useless (and even if I tried to use them, they're not natural anymore at my age).
I hope they will release a cheaper wired only version. I only play on my PC so I don't need wireless support or the battery.
The original Steam Controller at least took inherently replaceable AAs and worked fine without them..