Scoring only 3.5 for software is pretty ridiculous, since Steam runs in every major desktop OS and SteamInput is crazy customizable. Most dedicated software for devices is either Windows-only or hot garbage (or both).
"I don't want a steam account" should be perfectly justifiable reason in itself. There is no technical reason why they can't split up steam input from the steam client for base functionality.
Exactly. If Epic released a $99 controller that required EGS running to work people would be up in arms.
Yeah, if Sony sold you a controller that requires playstation everyone would be up in arms... Ah, no, bad example, their controllers do require playstation and it is an open source driver that makes them work... I know! If Microsoft sold you a controller that requires Windows everyone would be up in arms... Ah, no, bad example, they already do and it's an open source driver that allows it to work outside of it... I guess this is just more of the same? Except (I still don't have mine so can't fully confirm but would be surprised if it didn't) the steam controller probably works just like a regular controller outside of Steam, you just lose SteamInput which is very important for this controller.
Supposedly the new Steam Controller will work similar to the Steam Deck. By default it acts as mouse + keyboard. On Linux the Steam Deck Controller can act as a gamepad when holding down the start button. Hopefully the new Controller uses the same driver.
But so far there is no Windows driver so they are stuck in keyboard+mouse mode.
Hasn't someone written a wrapper to use the original Steam Controller without the Steam client software? I thought that was a thing years ago.
They did, a couple of weeks after launch. It wasn't hard, it was just a USB device with lots of inputs so the software made a fake controller and allowed you to map inputs, it's very likely the exact same software would work for the new controller for the inputs that both had. This thread is filled with fearmongering by people who have never held the OG steam controller in their hands and don't understand this device.
It would still be better if the controller did not require Steam in order to function.
Even cheap Chinesium USB controllers work out of the box with default drivers pre-installed with Windows and Android (don't know about other platforms).
I feel like people, even here in this thread, have no idea what SteamInput is.
I dunno if maybe the original Steam controller had compatibility issues or what, but SteamInput has likely done away with all of that.
If anything, more reviews should lower the score for shitty software.
I love the OG Steam Controller, and I'm getting the new one for sure, but requirement to use Steam for full functionality is a massive downside.
The trackpads are pretty useless on their own but when combined with the virtual menu system in steam they become S+ tier
Hmm, so worthless for GOG?
It costs $99/€99/£85/$149 AUD
This is funny, because amer*can currency is nowhere near strong enough to be comparable to EUR now
Yeah, but because the price in the US is pre-tax the real price is around $108 which is still less than €99 but not by that much. Also, yeah USD is weakened but that also means people there are making less money so they have less purchasing power, it's common for companies to price the same thing lower on low-income countries and higher on high-income ones to compensate.
For reference, $99 are like 85€ nowadays.
Except EU price has VAT included
99€ is with tax and 99$ is pre-tax? No?
While I kinda understand the steep price, not being able to use with other than Steam is a deal breaker for me. Yes, you can create shortcuts inside Steam and use the controller like that probably but still. On the other hand, I can use the old Steam controller even on a browser alongside with the rest of my OS.
I think it's only Windows and Mac that are like that. Linux you can install just the steam-devices package for Valve hardware drivers.
The steam-devices package is just udev rules and the drivers are already built into the kernel, right? So there's a good chance you'll just already have the drivers!
(...in theory. Debian critters may want to run testing+unstable rather than stable for the next while, if the new steam controller needs specially written drivers that won't be in current stable.)
-- Frost
Does anyone know if it functions as a normal xinput controller on windows without using steam?
The Controller requires Steam or the Steam Link app. I tested it on GeForce Now via my iPhone and while it did connect over Bluetooth
That doesn't bode well, but thats also on an iphone.
I have the old steam controllers and they behave like a mouse on my computers if steam isn't running. Could be the same thing with the new ones.
I find it interesting that there appears to be a line (kids that grew up with a Nintendo DS) where people went from loving membrane buttons to hating membrane buttons.

To me, membrane buttons are an absolute Pro.
I was pretty excited for this controlled but $149 CAD is too much for me.
I'll be buying it when it goes for sale. Until then, my current peripherals work just fine
Definitely picking this up. I'm always interested in exploring new avenues in ergonomics. I got the original Steam controller when it came out. I thought it was an admirable first attempt but wasn't quite there yet. Particularly I thought the lack of dual analog sticks and a true D-pad was a problem, all of which seem to have been solved here.
I want this controller but split down the center so I can walk with them on a treadmill. There are joycons and third party joycons but none that I've found with the little track pads. That'd be HUGE.
Polling rate is a hit of a bummer, but then again the Xbox Elite controllers I’ve been using have a lower polling rate and I haven’t really noticed - probably because I’d never use a controller for anything competitive.
Looking forward to clicky switch upgrade kits, love the ones I have for Steam Deck :)
With regards to the polling rate, I wouldnt worry about it. Gaming Nexus did a deep dive into the latency of the controller, and it is really good. Which is going to be signicicantly more important that the minute difference you would get from increasing polling rate over 250hz.
A polling rate of 250Hz means that the average latency added due to polling is 2ms. A polling rate of 1000Hz would mean an average of 0.5ms added latency.
Even on a 240Hz screen, the extra latency caused by the polling rate will most likely not amount to even 1 frame of extra delay compared to what you’d get with a polling rate of 1000Hz.
Bluetooth latency is likely going to be one order of magnitude greater than that. I wouldn’t worry about polling rate honestly.
Looks fantastic!
I cant pay 100$ for a single controller. Even if it seems like its everything I could want. Just cant spend that much.
Since i play mainly racing games with gyro and racing pedals, I'm seriously considering this one. More so because I'm using OG steam controller as my main controller.
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