Phoronix article: https://www.phoronix.com/news/Steam-Machines-Frame-2026
Also listed here: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/hardware
Valve has already sent support for the new Steam Controller upstream: https://www.phoronix.com/news/New-Steam-Controller-SDL
What is up with Valve and their obsession with those stupid touchpads? I hated that on the old Steam D-Pad. Hypersensitive seemingly every moment except when you needed it to be.
The XBox and the PS figured out how to make traditional controllers very well. Nintendo loves to get freaky with it and does a better than average job of innovating in the space. But Valve just seems to want to cobble together spare parts into a janky whatever the hell this is. I don’t get it.
Whomever is making these things, you don’t have to keep doing this. Just be normal!
I used to think XBox controllers were the best controllers on the market. I still think they’re very good. That changed when I held the Steam Deck for the first time. The feel is better overall, and in my opinion the track pads are such an obvious and great improvement on the traditional controller design.
Nowadays when I use other controllers, they just feel “bare bones” and like they’re missing something.
Yeah, I feel like the steam controller was a little hard to get used to, the touchpads always felt a little off, but the steamdeck’s touchpads (and presumably the steam controller 2’s touchpads) are absolutely perfect.
Easiest way to play games made for the PC on a controller. I’ve been playing a lot of early 2000’s RPG’s and they’ve been perfect on the steamdeck: Baldur’s gate 2, Dungeon Siege, Neverwinter Nights, Morrowind, Age of Empires, etc
Indeed. I very much liked the original steam controller in concept, but the execution left a lot to be desired. Like not using the most “plastic” feeling controller I’ve ever touched…
Yeah I love that I can play old PC games from my couch! I recently played through Fallout 1 (partly) on the Steam Deck. Amazing times.
What do you use the Trackpads for? I never felt the need so far and always wondered why they are there in the first place.
Not who you asked, but I use them for PC games that were built for keyboard and mouse. The track pads on the steamdeck are excellent for emulating a mouse. Baldur’s Gate 2, Dungeon Siege, Neverwinter Nights, Morrowind, Age of Empires, etc.
Newer games were built with controllers in mind, so the joysticks probably feel better in those cases.
They were passable at best. Finicky and imprecise more often than not.
Yup. You’ve made it clear you hate them.
You’ve obviously never tried them and are just talking out of your ass
I mean he’s being really extreme about it but he’s not exactly wrong. The touchpads on my Deck are more of an annoyance than help because of my smaller hands. I can only remember using it in one game and disabled in others because of how my hands would accidentally brush against them so I would love it if they had a touchpad-less version.