Valve Steam Controller

November 6, 2015

Original Article: http://au.pcmag.com/valve-steam-controller/39127/review/valve-steam-controller

US Street Price$50.00

Pros
Dual trackpads provide precise, mouse-like navigation. Dongle supports four controllers on a single machine. Customizable control schemes. Works with all Steam games, regardless of operating system. Responsive grip triggers.
Cons
Passable build quality. Doesn't include rechargeable batteries.
Bottom Line
The Valve Steam Controller brings some overdue PC gaming innovations to the familiar console gamepad.

Oct. 16, 2015

By Jordan Minor

Imaginative Nintendo peripherals aside, the video game controller has been somewhat stuck in place after reaching its current, agreed-upon form many years ago. We've seen small tweaks like the rumble triggers on the controller or the light bar on the DualShock 4, but the amount and arrangement of buttons and analogs sticks has remained mostly unchanged.

However, for PC gamers, a keyboard-and-mouse combo is king, not a controller. And as Valve attempts to merge PC- and console-gaming sensibilities with its Steam Machine initiative, it realises that the controller as we previously knew it isn't going to fly. The Steam Controller (US$49.99) is Valve's solution for providing the best of both worlds for video game control schemes, and while there is room to improve, the device's innovations excite.

If you've pre-ordered a Steam Controller you should be receiving it soon. But the peripheral won't hit store shelves until November 10. Valve also plans on rolling out several updates between now and November to improve the entire Steam Machine experience, which is why we are just previewing the hardware for now, and not fully reviewing it. We'll revisit this preview and assign a rating after the Steam Controller goes on sale.

Design
The Steam Controller has gone through several revisions since it was first revealed two years ago. The initial design featured little more than the two circular trackpads placed where analog sticks would usually go, but the final model is less radical by comparison. It sports four face buttons, four triggers, and a single analog stick, which are inputs you'll find on most other game controllers. To power the controller, you can either plug it into a Steam Machine over micro USB or use two AA batteries. (Note: It will stay powered if you keep it plugged in over micro USB, but it won't hold a charge without batteries.)

Fortunately, the controller also retains some unique hardware features that give it capabilities beyond the typical gamepad. In addition to the top two levels of triggers, you can click each handle for a third, "grip" level of triggers. These buttons are a bit odd to look at, since their bulges make it seem as if the controller's back casing didn't fully snap in, but they're firm and responsive. Unfortunately, the other triggers feel mushy by comparison, and overall the controller feels almost too light. I plugged it into the I used for testing to power it over micro USB instead of wasting batteries. But without the two AA batteries inside (the only batteries included with the device) weighing it down, I fear the controller would fly out of my hands.

The Steam Controller's biggest advantage over the competition is its set of trackpads. If you're accustomed to analog sticks or keyboards and mice, you might not immediately wrap your head around this new control method. However, after a few minutes of play, I was convinced it was a great compromise between mouse-level precision and controller convenience. Both pads provide haptic feedback and can be clicked in. The left pad also features a D-pad overlay, although it doesn't feel like there are any additional buttons for the cardinal directions.

The quality of trackpad implementation will vary from game to game, but I was able to easily perform actions typically accomplished via a stick or mouse by touching the trackpads instead. I rolled my thumb along the surface to control a cursor in a Web browser and accurately aim the scope of a Portal gun. You can even use both thumbs in concert for tasks like typing on a virtual keyboard, which would otherwise require a tedious amount of scrolling with a single thumb.

Connection and Compatibility
After plugging the included USB dongle into your PC, whether it's a Steam Machine or a PC connected to your TV via Steam Link, just press the Valve logo on the controller to start pairing. The dongle can link up to four controllers at once, making it by far the most convenient way to play local multiplayer PC games like Samurai Gunn or Nidhogg.

SteamOS's Linux-only status may cause some unexpected headaches over game compatibility on Steam Machines, but the Steam Controller will work with all games available on the Steam marketplace, even if they're only on Windows or Mac. Any game that supports standard controllers will work just fine with a Steam Controller. However, for older PC games that are only intended to be played with a keyboard and mouse, you'll have to make some adjustments to your control scheme. Fortunately, the trackpads serve as a fine mouse replacement, and you can map any action to any of the numerous buttons. If you don't feel like creating a layout from scratch, Steam will suggest one for you. More developers will hopefully update their games with recommended Steam Controller setups, and you can even download control schemes created by the community.

I played a variety of games to try out the Steam Controller's versatility. The twitchy platformer Super Meat Boy, AAA shooter , 2D fighter Skullgirls, wobbly fatherhood simulator Octodad: Dadliest Catch, and methodical action game Hotline Miami all played great and didn't require too many tweaks to the default button layout. I would've tried to put together a quick Source Filmmaker project, but the program wouldn't run on my machine. Plus, a controller probably isn't the best way to edit video.

Steam in the Palm of Your Hand

As a fan of fresh ideas in video games, the stagnant state of video game controllers has bothered me for a long time. So I was pleased by how successfully the Steam Controller pushes the console controller forward with ideas from the PC.