Features:
- 4 Custom Buttons to assign Functions
- Full Gyro Support (only when “Steam Mode” is activated)
- A customization feature to only activate Gyro when a specific joystick is touched
- Continuous button pressing or “Rapid Fire” mode for face buttons
- Supports both Bluetooth and Wired connections
- A dedicated Steam button to start big picture mode or bring Steam up
- A Quick Access Menu button
However it doesn’t have:
- vibration function
- trackpad
- Headphone jack
It will cost around $50
I prefer the PS5/SteamDeck joystick layout to the Xbox/Switch layout but I’m addicted to back paddles now — I even got 3rd party joycons for Switch that have two (and also are as thick as the Steam Deck so it feels familiar when I jump over to play Zelda or whatever).
They’re BINBOK controllers and have been great for my needs in handheld mode. The back paddles aren’t fully programmable and I think there’s some features missing but nothing I really notice. And they’ve probably lasted longer than the official Joycons.
What I’d really like is a controller that’s basically just the deck without a screen.
Hal effect or GTFO
I seem to be in the unpopular opinion camp with this, but I actually really like it. I am a huge fan of the gyro+stick combo with touch capacitance, and this is the only controller to release with that steam deck touch capacitance feature. Biggest criticism I have for it is the lack of vibration, but im optimistic about this controller
No vibration is a strange choice given that Nintendo and Sony went out of their way to make that much better in recent years.
Lack of trackpad is more understandable. Sony have had that for two generations now, and I’ve never really seen it used as anything other than a big Select button. I bounced off the Steam Controller simply because games designed for controllers feel much better with thumbsticks. If I want to play a mouse controlled game like Civ, I will use a mouse. Even from my sofa.
I recently got an 8BitDo ultimate but so far I’ve only managed to get mint to pick it up as “generic Xbox controller”.
When it’s working properly, best controller ever.
