Steelseries Stratus XL2 - A premium PC gaming controller

[zMeul]

#1 selling controller?! I absolutely doubt that

X360 controllers have sold both with X360 console and independent for PC use

 

and ps: a X360 controller is way cheaper

even the XB1 is cheaper

Edited April 26, 2017 by zMeul

[VerticalDiscussions]

16 hours ago, TrigrH said:

-snip-

Dark Souls is nigh impossible without one.

[Castdeath97]

4 hours ago, Delicieuxz said:

Cool idea, ugly controller, IMO.

Doesn't look ugly to me it just looks....generic.

[AntonChigurh]

God that thing looks disgusting... c'mon Steelseries, you couldn't have come up with anything better than this? I honestly don't see the point anyway, all I have to do to use a DS4 controller is plug it in to my PC and open DS4Windows. And at least my PS4 controller doesn't look butt ugly and is actually comfortable. I wouldn't know cause I don't have one, but that Steelseries controller looks like it's gonna be pretty uncomfortable to hold.

[Mortis Angelus]

On 2017-04-26 at 6:37 PM, mynameisjuan said:

Finally a controller that is not an xbox layout....I just cant stand the uncomfortable diagonal joystick placement. 

 

I might try it.

Put your hands in front of you in a relaxed manner in the position you would hold a controller. Where do the thumb end up if you don't try to tighten any muscles? Pretty straight forward.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/y8o5ov6z1pb7fcd/IMG_20170428_140929_EDIT_1.jpg?dl=0

 

Meanwhile a PS-controller leaves you in a stretched out position like this:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/05tvru1gwsq8enr/IMG_20170428_140937_EDIT_1.jpg?dl=0

 

Now, which is the most used interface on a controller on the left side? Thumbstick or D-pad? Unless you play a lot of NES/SEGA-emulation games your answer most likely is the thumbstick. And the thumbstick on an XBOX-style controller is exactly where the thumb is.

 

In this sense, the only controller to have a proper "logical" layout is the steam controller with both main controls in the most relaxed thumb-position. However, pressing the buttons on the right side is much more complicated if they are positioned further down, and thus it is better on XBOX/PS compared to Steam controller.  That's why the XBOX controller is the best compromise of both worlds. And it is also much more comfortable to hold, as it is larger. And (at least on the units I've tried) the pistol-triggers on PS4 are flimsy AF compared to Xbox. But this is my opinion.

On 2017-04-26 at 10:44 PM, Suika said:

Yea I'd rather just buy an Xbox One controller, especially at that price. I just can't stand that layout, it's why I've never been able to play my PlayStation when the title is available on any other console.

--> http://www.geek.com/games/ps4-owners-gain-option-of-xbox-one-like-controller-1625949/

 

On 2017-04-26 at 10:56 PM, Doobeedoo said:

Still don't see the point of it on PC really.

I remember I used one few times for games like GTA and Price of Persia back in the day cause I had one laying around so wanted to try. Though yeah..

- Any slash and hack  or fighter game

- any platformer

- Rocket League

- Driving games (unless you own a racing wheel obviously)

 

On 2017-04-26 at 11:30 PM, Castdeath97 said:

Doesn't look ugly to me it just looks....generic.

I've seen this comment so many times. Please tell me how you make a NON-generic controller without destroying the basic layout of the controls or ergonomics (no matter the console brand/type)? N64 is superbly non-generic and superbly uncomfortable to use (seriously, who the f**k came up with that design?). Nintendo Switch also changes the ergonomics, but even there Nintendo silently acknowledges that the basic switch controls are shit (all though understandable design for the sake of portability) by also selling the Switch PRO controller which (surprise surprise) is modelled after the xbox-controller.

[BuckGup]

360 controller is still the best

[TVwazhere]

7 minutes ago, SamStrecker said:

360 controller is still the best

I hated the 360 controller. Never fit in my hands right and the battery pack always pressed into my finger tips, probably because I'm used to holding the ps2/3/4 controllers tightly

[BuckGup]

1 minute ago, TVwazhere said:

I hated the 360 controller. Never fit in my hands right and the battery pack always pressed into my finger tips, probably because I'm used to holding the ps2/3/4 controllers tightly

It's weird as I hate the xbone controller as the corners are sharp and dig into my palm

[mynameisjuan]

8 minutes ago, Mortis Angelus said:

Put your hands in front of you in a relaxed manner in the position you would hold a controller. Where do the thumb end up if you don't try to tighten any muscles? Pretty straight forward.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/y8o5ov6z1pb7fcd/IMG_20170428_140929_EDIT_1.jpg?dl=0

 

Meanwhile a PS-controller leaves you in a stretched out position like this:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/05tvru1gwsq8enr/IMG_20170428_140937_EDIT_1.jpg?dl=0

 

Now, which is the most used interface on a controller on the left side? Thumbstick or D-pad? Unless you play a lot of NES/SEGA-emulation games your answer most likely is the thumbstick. And the thumbstick on an XBOX-style controller is exactly where the thumb is.

 

In this sense, the only controller to have a proper "logical" layout is the steam controller with both main controls in the most relaxed thumb-position. However, pressing the buttons on the right side is much more complicated if they are positioned further down, and thus it is better on XBOX/PS compared to Steam controller.  That's why the XBOX controller is the best compromise of both worlds. And it is also much more comfortable to hold, as it is larger. And (at least on the units I've tried) the pistol-triggers on PS4 are flimsy AF compared to Xbox. But this is my opinion.

 

And in the end its like you said, just opinions. I cant argue against the steam controller because I love mine, only a little more tweaking would make it the perfect controller for me. 

 

But I just find my PS4 more relaxing as my thumbs naturally rest on the joysticks and most games have you on both joysticks 90% of the time so it just works out for me. But with the 360 my hands just get fatigued. Its just uncomfortable having thumb sticks in different location. I mean my hands are not different, so why should the joysticks be. But I what works for me doesnt work for everyone. 

[Edgar R. Zakarian]

Lols this goes perfectly with the Dark Base pro 900 orange

[Misanthrope]

"Premium" and "PC Gaming controller" are 2 mutually exclusive statements.

[Mortis Angelus]

6 minutes ago, Misanthrope said:

"Premium" and "PC Gaming controller" are 2 mutually exclusive statements.

Please elaborate

[Misanthrope]

15 minutes ago, Mortis Angelus said:

Please elaborate

I don't really think I need to: a controller is a fairly shitty control scheme for the vast majority of PC games. Even some genres where I could see the controller being more useful like driving games it's still not the premium controller, that'd be a wheel. Space shooters (which could be considered to be making somewhat of a comeback) are also better served with joysticks those would be the premium. Basically only console inspired or console ports of action games are truly better with a controller. Hardly worth the trouble of going above the xbox 360 controller.

 

This is a common mistake that even Valve themselves made by the way: thinking they can somehow overcome the inherent flaws of the lesser accuracy console controls bring.

[mynameisjuan]

7 minutes ago, Misanthrope said:

a controller is a fairly shitty control scheme for the vast majority of PC games.

I am pretty sure most people have controllers for some racing games and the majority for shit ports that make  the game almost impossible to play without a controller.

[Droidbot]

5 minutes ago, mynameisjuan said:

I am pretty sure most people have controllers for some racing games and the majority for shit ports that make  the game almost impossible to play without a controller.

+1 for this, FH3 drifting and TDU2 is impossible without controller/wheel

and I don't always have my wheel available, so controller will have to do, even though it's horribly uncomfortable

[Doobeedoo]

1 hour ago, Mortis Angelus said:

- Any slash and hack  or fighter game

- any platformer

- Rocket League

- Driving games (unless you own a racing wheel obviously)

I mean sure yeah, though I've played all those kind of games with both. KB&M completely fine, don't see any shortcomings. Be it MGS, MK, RL, NFS but oh well, options.

[The Benjamins]

10 minutes ago, Doobeedoo said:

I mean sure yeah, though I've played all those kind of games with both. KB&M completely fine, don't see any shortcomings. Be it MGS, MK, RL, NFS but oh well, options.

KB&M is trash for any somewhat realistic racing game. just because I can play on KB&M fine doesn't make it good, how are you suppose to half press the brakes to not lock the wheels. how are you going to adjust steering to prevent oversteer, ect.

[Doobeedoo]

5 minutes ago, The Benjamins said:

KB&M is trash for any somewhat realistic racing game. just because I can play on KB&M fine doesn't make it good, how are you suppose to half press the brakes to not lock the wheels. how are you going to adjust steering to prevent oversteer, ect.

I mean I'd tap a key couple of times in intervals and various duration when needed I guess. By realistic racing game you mean Project Cars then? Though I just meant in some general racing game, not specific like that or even a wheel.

[Castdeath97]

2 hours ago, Mortis Angelus said:

I've seen this comment so many times. Please tell me how you make a NON-generic controller without destroying the basic layout of the controls or ergonomics (no matter the console brand/type)? N64 is superbly non-generic and superbly uncomfortable to use (seriously, who the f**k came up with that design?). Nintendo Switch also changes the ergonomics, but even there Nintendo silently acknowledges that the basic switch controls are shit (all though understandable design for the sake of portability) by also selling the Switch PRO controller which (surprise surprise) is modelled after the xbox-controller.

Didn't say generic was bad, though the Xbox one controller does quite well without looking too generic.

[Edgar R. Zakarian]

When can i actually buy one????

[Notional]

And I just bought the DS4 for my pc. Oh well. Anyways, the most interesting part of this controller is the wireless 2.4ghz connection. It should be very low latency compared to bluetooth.

[Sniperfox47]

I'll stick with my steam controller. I don't understand why Xinput is still the standard for controllers in this day and age. I wish they would have built up from Direct Input with support for more interfaces, and meaningful interfaces rather than making a crippled version of it and pushing it as "the next big thing".

 

Would be really nice if we currently had a world where things like the steam controller could be supported natively, rather than requiring every controller to be an Xbox controller clone on a platform where the mouse and keyboard are an integral part of the experience.

 

Everything I can do with this controller I could do with a Steam Controller costing roughly the same amount, but then I can also set up the steam controller to do things this just straight up can't.

[ZimFreak]

On 4/26/2017 at 1:18 AM, TrigrH said:

https://steelseries.com/gaming-controllers/stratus-xl-for-windows-and-android (older model)

Waaaaiiiit. So Steelseries already makes "a premium pc gaming controller" that looks identical to this except for moving a button or two. Good thing I prefer asymmetrical sticks because I'll definitely pass on this one.

[TrigrH]

3 hours ago, ZimFreak said:

Waaaaiiiit. So Steelseries already makes "a premium pc gaming controller" that looks identical to this except for moving a button or two. Good thing I prefer asymmetrical sticks because I'll definitely pass on this one.

the original model is crap, uses normal batteries, no wired play, no button remapping.

[r3d3mpt10n]

That controller looks awful. Can't really compete with something that has the massive amounts of R&D involved like the Xbone controller. I've often felt 3rd party controllers (not made by a major console manufacturer) are simply poor