![]() ![]() With the right thumbpad set to a mouse-like-joystick, I had no serious issues with aiming. Note, exploring other peoples configs and seeing how they feel is in my opinion the best way to familiarize yourself with the controller, and what settings work for you.What it works for:As of writing, I have used the steam controller for several genres of gaming, so I'll just give a quick overview of my experiences.- FPS: I play TF2 from time to time, and i found it to work fairly well. Want the functionality of the device, but dont want to spend half an hour tweeking before you actually get to play a game? No problem, Steam allows you to share your configurations, so in most cases someone has already done all the hard work for you. You can keep it simple and just configure things such as touch pad sensitivity or haptic intensity or you can get down right obsessive, configuring all the way down to intricate details such as binding different sections of a touch pad to various in game commands, or configuring the gyroscope to subtly influence your aim. everything bar the steam home button can be rebound and customized to your hearts delight. Thats a lot of functionality right out of the box, right? But wait, it gets even better. Haptic feedback is available for any input that doesn't give a tactile response, such as the gyro and touch pads. This controller features: a steam home button, start/select, 4 face buttons, a joystick, 2 large thumbpads (these also have tactile presses for up/down/left/right/the diagonals/middle), 2 bumpers, 2 two-stage triggers (soft press and deep press), two back paddles and an inbuilt gyroscope. After a few days, you will have gotten used to how the strange, convex design of the controller naturally angles your thumbs towards the touchpads, you will have figured out exactly how far your thumbs have to travel to press the face buttons, and then it will feel as comfortable your favorite gamepad.Features:This is where the steam controller shines. All I can say here is practice, practice, practice. However, this was because I was fighting the habits I had developed from my 360 controller. Not only that, but the larger than normal bumpers and triggers were also giving me a bit of trouble. My first impression when I looked at the face of the device was "The joystick and face buttons look so uncomfortable to use." My first day of using the controller confirmed these fears, I was constantly missclicking the face buttons. The seam where the two halves of the shell were joined together during manufacturing is also fairly obvious, and a little bit sharp.Ergonomics:The steam controller does not feel like any other comparable device to hold. This has no effect on the performance of the device, but for 40 quid i expected a little more quality control. My only complains would be that my unit seems to have shipped with a minor defect in the plastic of one of the touch pad regions. All of the buttons and the joystick are very satisfying to actuate, and the shell is comprised mainly of a gripy matte black finish. In the hand it has a feel (material wise, not ergonomics) roughly comparable to a first party Xbox 360 controller, which as of writing (14/04/16) sells at a similar price of £27. ![]() However, if you prefer wired, you can plug a microUSB directly into the back of the device itself.Build Quality:For £40, the build quality is surprisingly nice. As this would suggest, the controller is indeed wireless. Personally, I've had no issues what-so-ever with connectivity between my controller and the wireless dongle plugged into the back of my tower, however if your set-up does produce a bit of a spotty connection, the pass through and cable can be used as a USB extension, allowing for optimal placement of the receiver - Nice one Valve. Why the inclusion of a pass through and cable? To help with connectivity. Inside the box is a steam controller, USB wireless receiver, a small-ish USB to microUSB cable, a USB to microUSB pass through, a pair of nice quality duracell AA's and a set of easy to follow instructions and safety information. ![]() Lets get into it.Pros:-Solid price point (depending on where you purchase from)-Insane functionality and scope for customization- No skimping on the extrasCons:- Some may find the build quality lacking- Moderate to steep learning curveWhats in the box?:Valve have been quite good to us here. This is not to say that its bad, far from it, just that it has a definite 'breaking in period', a message repeated in several other reviews of the device. The steam controller is a very odd experience, especially if you have developed some seriously ingrained muscle memory from years of using a different style controller. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 April 2016 Ridiculously fun to use, once you figure out how it actually works. ![]()
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