So...last blog I mentioned I got my steam controller (https://gbatemp.net/blogs/steam-controller-and-bazzite-on-a-non-console.20265/). That thing has arrived and I've given it quite some test spins. I'm far from the only one who voiced their opinion, but one more wouldn't hurt...
I'll be blunt: it's already my favorite controller. I have a PS4 and PS5 controller for comparison, but this controller has a subtle nicer feel to it.
* On the PS5, I never felt like the D-pad was all that comfortable for real precision (celeste), but I can't deny that thing is quality stuff. Nonetheless, the deck beats it.
* The joysticks also have an inward shape to the top, which makes it easier to hold for longer. And...I'm not sure if that's a nitpick. The PS5 has a ring on the outside and then a bit of a hill pointing up rather than a hole. Perhaps this one's up for preference, but mine is (again) with the deck.
* The steam deck accepts nearly all recent controllers, which is the reason I've combined wiiu pro controllers and the aforementioned PS4 and 5 ones. As you can imagine, the X button is all over the place, and game indicators are a pain for my daughter (her hands are only good for the wiiu, and that has A, B, X and Y swapped). Which brings me to the only genuine disadvantage of the steam controller: it's bulky. Pretty much the same size and shape as the PS5 one, but it is NOT something you want to give to children or people with small hands.
* I expected the back buttons to be similar to the steam deck...which I have to admit: I hardly ever use. But these back buttons feel and press a lot better, which is the reason I've bound them in a few games. So...points on that one as well.
If all this sounds like nitpicks, you're right. But it has two major trumps over all other controllers:
* compatibility. Both on steamOS and bazzite, things work as plug and play as you expect. Plug in the pug (or connect it to any USB-C cable), potentially "tag" the steam controller and you're good to go. It supports bluetooth, but this is just as stable as you can make it. I've heard that the latency is only a fraction of other controllers, but I can't say I've noticed the difference. But really: I've got me some bazzite "consoles" on the attic, and getting controllers synced is almost a ritual in advance. The pug+controller does away with all of that.
Plus: I can turn on my docked deck when connecting the controller. The television doesn't work that way, but it's great nonetheless.
* the trackpads. With the deck, I've noticed that virtual board games like fox and the forest or dead man's draw are really smooth using the trackpad. Thanks to the steam controller, I can now play those on television.
...of course I realise games like that are a niche, and you probably want to know if it's capable for FPS and RTS games. Well...on that front, the mouse is still the king. The controller is better for slower paced games, turn based stuff and things like that. I've just finished Librarian: tidy up the arcane library, which is technically an FPS, but doesn't require fast reflexes. But the game is about ordening hundreds if not thousands of library books (aka: it's a typical dad game
), and the controller did what it should do: become invisible. I found myself swapping between the right joystick and the trackpad for close aiming, but I got the hang of it. I'm also trying half life 2 with it, but...that's not as smooth (same with bioshock, btw).
So overall: I'm more than happy with my controller. The price is a known negative, but really: if this was 60 bucks or so, I probably would've bought 4.
At the time of writing, valve released the steam deck price and ordering information. Everyone is booing the price. But I'm still undecided. I've got the means and the knowhow to build my own pc, but so far at least linus tech tips hadn't been able to properly replicate it. That is: you could build an equally good or better PC based on specs, but the nitty gritty details (turning on everything with a steam controller, complete silent fan) were hard to achieve, and that's saying nothing of the small form factor. So I'm in the waiting queue (512GB model with controller), but I'm honestly undecided. Yes, it's expensive. But on the other hand: it's about the only hobby thing I still spend money on for myself. Karate is a steady membership cost, my board game collection is pretty much complete and I have a bit of monetary reserves in the bank. But the reason for those reserves is exactly because I don't spend much money on unnecessary things, and this is hard to justify as "necessary".
I'll be blunt: it's already my favorite controller. I have a PS4 and PS5 controller for comparison, but this controller has a subtle nicer feel to it.
* On the PS5, I never felt like the D-pad was all that comfortable for real precision (celeste), but I can't deny that thing is quality stuff. Nonetheless, the deck beats it.
* The joysticks also have an inward shape to the top, which makes it easier to hold for longer. And...I'm not sure if that's a nitpick. The PS5 has a ring on the outside and then a bit of a hill pointing up rather than a hole. Perhaps this one's up for preference, but mine is (again) with the deck.
* The steam deck accepts nearly all recent controllers, which is the reason I've combined wiiu pro controllers and the aforementioned PS4 and 5 ones. As you can imagine, the X button is all over the place, and game indicators are a pain for my daughter (her hands are only good for the wiiu, and that has A, B, X and Y swapped). Which brings me to the only genuine disadvantage of the steam controller: it's bulky. Pretty much the same size and shape as the PS5 one, but it is NOT something you want to give to children or people with small hands.
* I expected the back buttons to be similar to the steam deck...which I have to admit: I hardly ever use. But these back buttons feel and press a lot better, which is the reason I've bound them in a few games. So...points on that one as well.
If all this sounds like nitpicks, you're right. But it has two major trumps over all other controllers:
* compatibility. Both on steamOS and bazzite, things work as plug and play as you expect. Plug in the pug (or connect it to any USB-C cable), potentially "tag" the steam controller and you're good to go. It supports bluetooth, but this is just as stable as you can make it. I've heard that the latency is only a fraction of other controllers, but I can't say I've noticed the difference. But really: I've got me some bazzite "consoles" on the attic, and getting controllers synced is almost a ritual in advance. The pug+controller does away with all of that.
Plus: I can turn on my docked deck when connecting the controller. The television doesn't work that way, but it's great nonetheless.
* the trackpads. With the deck, I've noticed that virtual board games like fox and the forest or dead man's draw are really smooth using the trackpad. Thanks to the steam controller, I can now play those on television.
...of course I realise games like that are a niche, and you probably want to know if it's capable for FPS and RTS games. Well...on that front, the mouse is still the king. The controller is better for slower paced games, turn based stuff and things like that. I've just finished Librarian: tidy up the arcane library, which is technically an FPS, but doesn't require fast reflexes. But the game is about ordening hundreds if not thousands of library books (aka: it's a typical dad game
), and the controller did what it should do: become invisible. I found myself swapping between the right joystick and the trackpad for close aiming, but I got the hang of it. I'm also trying half life 2 with it, but...that's not as smooth (same with bioshock, btw).So overall: I'm more than happy with my controller. The price is a known negative, but really: if this was 60 bucks or so, I probably would've bought 4.
At the time of writing, valve released the steam deck price and ordering information. Everyone is booing the price. But I'm still undecided. I've got the means and the knowhow to build my own pc, but so far at least linus tech tips hadn't been able to properly replicate it. That is: you could build an equally good or better PC based on specs, but the nitty gritty details (turning on everything with a steam controller, complete silent fan) were hard to achieve, and that's saying nothing of the small form factor. So I'm in the waiting queue (512GB model with controller), but I'm honestly undecided. Yes, it's expensive. But on the other hand: it's about the only hobby thing I still spend money on for myself. Karate is a steady membership cost, my board game collection is pretty much complete and I have a bit of monetary reserves in the bank. But the reason for those reserves is exactly because I don't spend much money on unnecessary things, and this is hard to justify as "necessary".
