this post was submitted on 27 Apr 2026
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Steam Hardware
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As someone who spent $150-$200 on the Xbox Elite controller just to get the rear paddles, $100 for this with the rear buttons and the track pads seems like no problem at all. Imo it's incredibly fairly priced as compared to the competition, considering the features and emphasis on repairability.
If you are playing games where trackpads are useful, there's not really another option, so it's automatically a good value. I know my steam deck experience would have been a whole lot worse without those, and I would probably never consider a gaming handheld without them. But for the gaming I do with an xbox controller, I currently just use it for some video games at my computer (where I have access to a mouse anyways), and maybe split screen with family. I think my Gamesir Cyclone 2 controller (at half the price) is an unambiguously better deal for that, in the premium controller space. If I were using it mostly for couch gaming, that might put the Steam controller in a better position, or if I were mostly playing games that support whatever haptic trigger things Sony has, that controller might be in a better position.
One of the other more unique features is the tracking in the Steam Frame. It would be cool if they could standardize that sort of thing so it would work with other headsets. I wonder if they've considered that.
I've had my steam deck LCD and then OLED from the start. I absolutely love those 4 paddles on the underside and the gyro customization you can do. Setting those paddles up to do things like reload or throw grenades or whatever is just so much nicer than taking your thumb off a thumb stick or reaching up at R1 and L1. Right now I'm mostly just playing Enter The Gungeon and I set my back paddles up to release, flip tables, and dodge roll. I'd hate not having those paddles, so this will certainly be my next controller purchase. Bonus points to it that LinusTT was a bit of a bitch boy about the controller.