The new Steam Controller from Valve is out now – some early thoughts

The brand new Steam Controller launched right now and due to Valve offering GamingOnLinux a evaluation unit, I have been in a position to put it by some Linux testing earlier than it launched.

I am nonetheless unhappy that the world-burning AI corporations have prompted the Steam Machine and Steam Body to be left behind just a little, however hopefully we can’t be ready an excessive amount of longer on extra information for his or her releases. I might like to have the whole set right here for testing alongside my Linux Desktop, Steam Deck and first-gen Lenovo Legion Go along with Bazzite.

Anyway, you wish to know what the brand new Steam Controller is definitely like, that is why you are right here proper? Let’s get right down to it. Preserving in thoughts that is solely an preliminary search for what I had time for throughout the ~5 days I’ve had it.

First thought when choosing it up – gosh, it simply melted proper into my fingers. My largest fear about it actually was the dimensions of it. For all of the speak about massive or small fingers elsewhere, I can just about assure you my fingers are smaller than you suppose. And but, it feels implausible.

Pictured – the brand new Steam Controller

Very like the Steam Deck, it is designed to be repairable and simply opened. Only a few screws, and the casing will pop proper off. Valve already confirmed spare components shall be accessible on iFixit, we simply do not know precisely when that shall be. So it is designed for the long-term and it is your system to open up and tinker with.

The Full Specs

Setting Up The Steam Controller

Earlier than beginning – it is best to guarantee your Steam Shopper is totally updated, as there’s some vital updates for the Steam Controller included.

My primary take a look at system for that is my Desktop working Fedora KDE 44 (the current Linux distribution I suggest for gaming) with Linux kernel 6.19.14.

Because of a recent stable Steam Client update, the preliminary setup is impressively easy and works completely on Linux. Plug within the dongle by way of USB, flip the controller on and Steam will immediate you to do a firmware replace on every that is performed straight by the Steam shopper. It’s worthwhile to do the dongle first, then swap the cable to the controller. Each up to date with out challenge, and it was surprisingly fast too.

Pictured – Steam Controller and Puck firmware updates

After that is performed, you are utterly able to go. Though, you could wish to do a full cost first to get essentially the most out of it. I do know, troublesome to do when you could have new tech but it surely’s price it to get it as much as full.

A little bit quirk I seen right here, is that each time I first related it as much as a distinct system like my Steam Deck or Lenovo Legion Go, it will pop up a discover in regards to the Steam Controller firmware however then immediately say it is able to go. Looks like Valve must tweak that verify to only be ignored in the event that they already detect the firmware is updated reasonably than giving individuals pointless pop-ups.

Battery Life & Charging

Charging is completed just by utilizing the included Puck, which additionally acts as the two.4GHz wi-fi connector for no-fuss connecting. The Puck is magnetic, so that you simply hover the Steam Controller excessive and it’ll snap as much as it and start charging. No messing round, good and easy. The Puck additionally has a rubber pad throughout the underside, so it will not slide about your desk or TV unit.

Pictured – Steam Controller Puck

For testing battery life, I ensured it was charged up full throughout a whole night and in a single day simply to be as completely certain as potential on giving the battery each drop of juice. I attempted to go for one thing resembling pure real-world utilization right here as a lot as I might. Gaming each potential second utilizing it, but in addition “forgetting” to show it off and simply placing it on my desk to let it flip off routinely.

My testing confirmed the Steam Controller managed to hit roughly 19 hours 1 minutes to get to half battery. That is together with 3 nights of it being left turned off on my desk so it will additionally slowly discharge as all batteries do when left alone. So Valve’s specs at 35+ hours appears fairly correct.

The precise battery stage is not very clear although, since you solely get the small battery stage indicator and no tough proportion left wherever that I can see. Not within the settings, not on hovering the battery indicator. Hopefully Valve will add this as an choice like you are able to do for the Steam Deck battery. Fortunately, the indicator is not only in Large Image Mode, in the event you merely carry up the usual desktop Steam Overlay by tapping the Steam button there is a battery stage indicator within the high left within the regular Steam Overlay too.

Given the battery time from full cost to close sufficient empty, that appears actually good to me. Particularly since I think about lots of people like me will often simply stick it again onto the Puck when performed with it. However for these instances you do not try this, otherwise you’re travelling or no matter – that battery time is nice. Time sufficient for even the longest most intense gaming session to by no means fear in regards to the battery working dry. No mad scramble to discover a cable.

Pictured – new Steam Controller (left), authentic Steam Controller (proper)

Common Ideas

The trackpads are what make it look fairly chunky, however all these worries in regards to the dimension pale away immediately due to how extremely comfy it’s to really maintain. Valve clearly did their homework right here on the subject of ergonomics and design, loads of which is due to all of the work on the Steam Deck and it actually exhibits right here.

It is like an evening and day distinction within the high quality to the authentic Steam Controller. I am nonetheless extremely keen on the primary technology Steam Controller, after proudly owning two of them, but it surely by no means actually felt like a premium system. The awkward battery placement and levers to push them out was an actual nuisance too. The new Steam Controller although – it would not simply look premium, it undoubtedly feels it too. It is easy throughout, with a really slight tough texture to it and no sharp edges wherever on the shell that I might really feel – so no annoying little bits to catch your pores and skin on. Good for lengthy gaming classes when it comes to general consolation.

The unique Steam Controller now looks as if the bizarre spotty teenager in comparison with the brand new one, it is fairly the glow-up for the second technology.

Reaching and urgent the grip buttons on the again has additionally been no downside in any respect, really a lot simpler to achieve and click on than those on the Steam Deck.

One other stunning factor is that holding it to make use of the trackpads as the primary enter can be fairly comfy. For these video games that want them like technique / RTS if you’re continually utilizing mouse enter the place the trackpads are the way in which to go, resting your thumbs there the entire time is totally wonderful. Your fingers sit a bit decrease on the Steam Controller for this in fact, however I performed a superb whereas of Command & Conquer Remastered Assortment doing a bunch of missions and had no points in any respect. As soon as I adjusted the scroll velocity, and set the Proper Trackpad to have much less friction on the Trackball setting so enter rolls over a bit extra – choosing and transferring items round was very comfy.

Given how comfy it’s with RTS video games, I’ll be taking part in much more on both my Steam Deck or Lenovo Legion Go from the couch. That is actually the important thing factor with the brand new Steam Controller – each sort of sport turns into a lot extra accessible. It provides you choices to play every part how you need. Utilizing the Trackpads for unit choice and motion, shoulder buttons for zooming in / out and D-Pad for scrolling the map (with out having to mouse-edge the display screen) and it appears like such a implausible match.

Steam Enter is one thing you seemingly already know fairly effectively in the event you’ve used Steam with a gamepad. With the brand new Steam Controller constructed for Steam Enter, altering any buttons to do no matter you need is very simple. Even for video games which have partial or zero controller help, that is the place Steam Enter and the Steam Controller can actually shine. You may regulate each button, stick and thumbpad to your liking throughout any variety of mixtures.

For Linux players that is particularly good. There’s tons of different gamepads on the market which might be cheaper, and have additional buttons, however most of them can’t have their additional buttons configured in any approach beneath Steam Enter (or in any respect on Linux). Right here, every part works out of the field and could be configured. So for Linux, it’s most likely essentially the most configurable and greatest supported gamepad round. For everybody else – there’s merely nothing else prefer it.

What has impressed me (for as soon as!) is the Gyro characteristic. That is really the primary time I’ve ever really gotten together with it. I’ve by no means actually preferred Gyro controls earlier than. It feels overly awkward on the Steam Deck because of the dimension, and former controllers I’ve tried with it simply by no means appeared to click on with me. However right here, it is lastly coming collectively in my thoughts on how I can really make use of it in a approach that works for me. A part of that’s merely the facility of Steam Enter.

For first-person shooters what I did initially is about it so I might activate the Gyro as a mouse pointer any time I held down the High Proper Grip Button (R4) on the again. This gave me the most effective of all worlds – I might use both the Proper Stick or Proper Thumbpad to goal relying on how I felt and what sport I used to be taking part in, after which to wonderful tune that excellent shot I simply clicked in a finger on the again to activate the Gyro to maneuver the digicam just a little extra naturally. And, as confidence grew, I then determined to modify it as much as have Gyro as a toggle for totally on or off with that button faucet and ended up utilizing Gyro a ton extra.

Together with the facility of Steam Enter – the opposite half is just the design of the controller, every part simply feels prefer it matches so effectively to permit me to really use all my fingers and preserve messing with Steam Enter to do all of the issues I would like in a approach that is actually comfy. I can’t overstate simply how good the controller shell and button placement is.

One challenge that has come up is when utilizing any of the inputs as Mouse / Keyboard for instance: Gyro Mouse goal or Trackpad as Mouse as it’s important to approve the interplay by way of a pop-up in any other case it would not work with Steam. This challenge on Linux was reported to Valve from somebody with an Xbox controller again in January 2024, and now additionally seems with this new Steam Controller too. Hopefully this shall be made smoother sooner or later. It confused me for some time, as a result of in the future it simply did not appear to work, however I did not see the pop-up appeared on KDE Plasma behind the sport I used to be taking part in. So it is simply one thing to remember.

Particularly annoying on Desktop when at instances having to do that repeatedly. Facet-note: this does not occur on SteamOS with the Steam Deck, and it would not occur on Bazzite both as they’ve patches for it.

I’ve one thing resembling an habit brewing to Overwatch (I blame the bonus daughter for that). So I hoped to make use of the Gyro lots right here since I am actually liking it with the brand new Steam Controller. Annoyingly although, some video games actually do not just like the combination of Controller enter with Keyboard/Mouse enter on the identical time. Utilizing Overwatch as my instance, it’ll randomly drop the FPS by a superb 30FPS and stutter if I exploit Gyro (Mouse) for aiming along with the Left Stick (Gamepad) for character motion. When it does work totally, it is a fantastic factor.

An identical challenge is noticed in Dying Mild 2 Keep Human: Reloaded Version. For those who attempt to allow the Gyro for Mouse goal in any approach (toggle, or solely whereas touching and so on), the sport fights continually between gamepad and mouse inputs and you may’t stroll round. Efficiency stays wonderful, however not with the ability to stroll makes it unusable like that as your character does this bizarre stuttering try at transferring their ft.

There is the choice to make use of Gyro as Joystick Digicam however I actually disliked that approach of doing it. It is nowhere close to as easy and responsive in contrast with setting it as a Mouse. For video games if you want it mapped extra pure for the velocity, the Gyro as Mouse is what you need.

Nevertheless, again to Overwatch – now we have Steam Enter with all of the configuration energy it has. So as a substitute of being a gamepad, I arrange the Steam Controller as a Keyboard / Mouse for Overwatch and downside solved. Properly, principally. Now the on-screen icons do not match but it surely’s a small value to pay. And, it rapidly turned my absolute favorite option to play Overwatch. Particularly good that Steam Enter means that you can make your individual overlay digital menus, the place you possibly can bind any keys to them. Helpful for numerous communication pings in video games like Overwatch.

Pictured – Steam Enter Configuration, Desktop Steam Overlay

Pictured – Overwatch, see the Digital Menu within the backside left above the well being bar.

Having correct Trackpads built-in can be a godsend. Valve did it proper this time having each the sticks and pads, and it actually does make a lounge TV PC or handheld hooked as much as a TV a lot simpler to make use of. It makes Desktop Mode on the likes of the Steam Deck a lot nicer to make use of from the sofa, together with the instances some nuisance launchers want a fast little bit of mouse enter, it has been a breeze to do every part with it. Simply consider the permissions pop-up caveat above on Desktops.

Desktop Mode does even have its personal distinctive separate structure you can totally configure, which is weirdly hidden behind a complicated choices button.

Right here you possibly can regulate it utterly to your individual liking, to make utilizing it with a Desktop (or in Desktop Mode on SteamOS) lots simpler. No issues there in any respect. It might be just a bit complicated to recollect all of the keybinds, however since you possibly can set it up how you need ultimately reminiscence will simply kick in – but it surely actually does make controlling numerous gadgets a lot simpler general due to the Trackpads.

Desktop Mode configuration additionally synced wonderful between my Desktop and Lenovo Legion Go along with Bazzite. Saves properly to the Steam Cloud so that you can have the identical configuration between machines.

It is also some of the sophisticated controllers to make use of. As a primary gamepad it’s genuinely good. However, to get essentially the most out of the varied inputs to make use of it full you want to dive into the depths of Steam Enter – which is in loads of methods fairly convoluted to study exterior of setting primary button inputs. I feel Steam Enter wants an actual go over the UI to make it extra intuitive and to only be defined a lot higher. Issues just like the Motion Units and Layers particularly must be made clearer and less complicated, as they’re actually highly effective however take too lengthy to know to get it proper to swap between whole configurations.

I examined to see if it will wake my Fedora KDE desktop from sleep, however sadly it would not appear in a position to take action. I additionally examined it with the Lenovo Legion Go that has Bazzite put in, it additionally doesn’t wake it up.

Banana for scale, clearly

Paired With The Steam Deck (SteamOS)

Can it activate a sleeping Steam Deck when it is related by way of the two.4GHz Wi-fi Puck? Sure! You do not must be in Bluetooth mode for this. This makes it a wonderful alternative to make use of if you’re docking your Steam Deck. We knew it will work on the Steam Machine but it surely wasn’t clear if that will on the Steam Deck too – however fortunately it does.

One quirk right here although is Desktop Mode. You get “lizard mode” (primary USB system) enter if you first get into Desktop Mode, then Steam hundreds up and it is imagined to swap to Steam Enter. Nevertheless, I’ve a number of accounts on right here (household…) and out of the blue no enter in any respect when the account picker seems:

However, in the event you press the Steam button, it’ll soar in Desktop Large Image Mode and enter then works to pick your account. You may then simply go away Desktop Large Image Mode and enter continues working because you’re logged in. I additionally found out that in the event you maintain the Steam button along with your thumb on the best Trackpad for mouse motion (so no going into Large Image Mode), enter then comes alive once more. How odd.

It is a small factor, however an accessibility challenge with the handover on the enter sorts that hopefully Valve can repair, to present you some primary Steam Enter on the account display screen in Desktop Mode. Or, really preserve the chosen account you already picked in Gaming Mode logged in if you soar into Desktop Mode. Hopefully Valve will type one thing for it in updates.

The Steam Controller can even auto flip off if you put the Steam Deck to sleep.

Utilizing The Steam Controller Fully Outdoors Of Steam

That is one other massive concern I’ve seen from lots of people, and I have been requested repeatedly about guaranteeing this bit is roofed. So right here we go – the controller is designed primarily for Steam. It’s the Steam Controller after-all, and so to get all of the options it requires Steam Enter. Nevertheless, not less than on the newly released Fedora KDE 44, the system does seem to detect it as a primary gamepad out of the field.

KDE Plasma settings:

You may see there within the shot above it’s detected. I held just a few buttons and moved the left thumbstick for the screenshot to point out the inputs are detected accurately. Even the again grip buttons are accurately detected when pressed. However that is system-level, what about precise video games?

Utilizing the superb Heroic Games Launcher for GOG / Epic Games on Linux, I put in LIMBO from GOG with GE-Proton and it labored nice even with vibration.

Booting up the newer up to date editions of DOOM + DOOM 2 from Nightdive Studios (once more by way of GOG) utilizing GE-Proton, and the Steam Controller labored correctly as anticipated with vibration once more.

Attempting with Absolute Drift with the Native Linux model, and right here it was picked up as a keyboard / mouse. Altering Absolute Drift over to make use of GE-Proton, and it then labored correctly as a gamepad.

Attempting a extra fashionable Native Linux model, I additionally picked up Hole Knight: Silksong on GOG to see if a newer Native Linux construct labored with it exterior of Steam. Sadly, right here once more it was picked up as a mouse / keyboard. Silksong claimed no controller was detected. Swapping it over to GE-Proton, after which Silksong detected the Steam Controller as a generic gamepad and was completely playable.

Rocket League additionally labored simply wonderful by way of the Heroic Video games Launcher with it performing like a primary controller.

What about plain previous Wine? Properly, it really works there as a primary gamepad too. Merely doing essentially the most primary set up of Wine I might on Fedora KDE (dnf set up wine), after which going again to Hole Knight: Silksong working the Home windows installer from GOG and the Steam Controller labored like a standard gamepad right here too.

One thing to notice – the trackpads and again grip buttons do not appear to work exterior of Steam in video games with GE-Proton / Wine although, because it simply appears to behave like a plain Xbox styled controller.

So from my testing it appears in the event you’re utilizing Proton / GE-Proton or plain Wine for video games, the Steam Controller will work as a primary gamepad exterior of Steam on Linux. For Native Linux video games, they could want some type of controller database replace or SDL updates to detect it correctly. However it exhibits it is completely potential if even plain Wine can do it.

The unique Steam Controller really had a community-made user-mode driver and UI for managing it on Linux referred to as “SC Controller“, so maybe we’d see one thing like that once more in future.

Non-Steam Video games Added To Steam Or Simply With Steam Open

You may also add video games and functions into Steam on to launch by Steam, to then allow full Steam Enter help and get all options.

What’s additionally fascinating on Linux, is that with Steam simply being open within the background the controller will routinely use Steam Enter and will let you change straight between Desktop and Gamepad modes simply by holding down the START button. The Steam Deck in Desktop Mode works precisely the identical.

This manner, you possibly can nonetheless use it as a full gamepad with Steam Enter without having to launch something by way of Steam straight. However, including issues into Steam does permit for extra direct configuration.

Testing with the GeForce NOW Linux Beta app NOW Linux Beta app launched straight (not added to Steam), I used to be in a position to play Diablo II: Resurrected – Infernal Version utilizing the gamepad controls simply wonderful. Though, inside GeForce NOW I needed to rebind the GFN Overlay from holding START to holding LB + SELECT to not have the Steam Controller preserve switching between Desktop / Gamepad modes. Aside from that, it appeared to work reasonably effectively right here too.

I additionally examined various rounds of Fortnite the identical approach with the Steam Controller by way of the GeForce NOW app. With Steam simply open within the background – and no points in any respect. Felt actually good right here, and with the trackpads enabling me to pin-point heads there have been loads of Victory Royale’s had.

Preliminary Verdict

It is actually not the most affordable on the market, however it’s a completely feature-filled controller that is PC-first (or ought to I say Steam-first particularly) that has nice battery life and is extremely comfy. It is just about every part I’ve wished in a controller. To have near all of the options and buttons the brand new Steam Controller has, you’d seemingly should go for one thing just like the DualSense Edge or Xbox Elite controller – each of that are costlier. With the added trackpads right here to allow taking part in extra varieties of video games comfortably from the sofa.

At the moment I’ve: 8bitdo Final, 8bitdo Final 2, PowerA Ops v1, GameSir Nova Lite, Stadia, authentic Steam Controller, Xbox (Collection X) and some others – all of them have been despatched to the retirement shelf. I’ve no want for any of them now, nor do I wish to use them with the brand new Steam Controller accessible. They’re all simply far outclassed.

With it having TMR joysticks too, it ought to final a very very long time. Hopefully stick drift shall be a factor of the previous. You may probably put on out the precise thumb grips a really very long time earlier than the sticks themselves provide you with issues.

Very spectacular with a value to match the specs. The true professional controller for PC gaming. Thus far I feel it is nice worth general.

I am shopping for a second one so I haven’t got to struggle anybody right here for it.

The place To Purchase

The Steam Controller is accessible for US: $99 USD / Canada: $149 CAD / EU: €99 / UK: £85 / AUD 149 / PLN 419. You should purchase it direct from Steam, or Komodo Station particularly for Asian areas.

That is it for now from GamingOnLinux, since that is simply an preliminary look and my time with it has actually solely simply begun. And I totally count on like all Valve {hardware} for it to evolve over time, together with including new actions to set for inputs. I am wanting to see what Valve do with it. Particularly as soon as the Steam Machine and Steam Body arrive.

If there are any bits you need examined extra totally on Linux / SteamOS – do go away a remark.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.