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Steam Controller
Steam Controller owner Valve has taken the time to get into the hardware scene. It’s been 2 years since SteamOS was announced.
And almost always since the first Steam Controller was produced. And we still haven’t seen any living room boxes on the shelves.
It is expected to change next month with a raft of steam engines coming to market but in the meantime.
What is the steam controller?
Steam has launched two peripherals: the Steam Controller and the Steam Link. The latter allows you to play games on your TV through your gaming platform.
But it is the controller, with its captive boards, that I will see in more detail here.
It’s an exciting product, no doubt. It’s about bridging the gap between PC and console games, intending to be the gamepad that is a jack-of-all-trades.
But he risks being seen as a master of nothing. And a tepid who replaces the living room with the mouse and keyboard.
Configuration:
- The box includes a steam controller, two AA batteries, a USB Bluetooth connector for wireless synchronization, and an extender that allows you to bring the connector closer to your PC.
- Fortunately, the setup is a dodge. Peel off the back and put the two batteries in one. They are fixed in place and have a bit of a lever to get them out when they need to be replaced.
- You can also use the micro USB cable that is part of the extender to connect the gamepad to your PC if it runs out of juice. However, you cannot use the USB cable to charge the driver.
- Once the batteries are connected, plug in the USB receiver, turn on the steam controller and make the immediate release. Creating is simple.
Design:
- When it comes to design, there is nothing subtle or elegant about the Steam Controller. It is a bit dirty.
- While it’s not wider or taller than the Xbox One or DualShock 4 controllers, it’s much thicker. And shackles are the main culprits.
- Reaching the palm instead of moving away from it, these chubby bits get used to it a bit. They are uncomfortable and feel like your hands get tired faster than alternative pills.
- The clamps’ size also means it’s a little over a stretch to get to the single, analog left.
- Your hands will have to adjust a bit before the Steam driver feels anywhere as natural as the efforts of Sony or Microsoft.
- What you will know immediately are the four face buttons marked identically for those on the Xbox controller. It is where the similarities end.
- The buttons are much smaller than those of an Xbox One controller. I guess this has been done to fit large touch tablets.
- But it does mean that I found myself pressing the B button, thinking it was the A button more than once. It’s a little harder to get used to.
- As the analog sticks go, the steam controller is reliable. There is enough stiffness to pinpoint your movements, but not so much to get your thumb. The rough rubber top also provides plenty of grips.
- The characteristics of the steam controller holder, however, are its two touch surfaces. One is where you expect it to be a traditional D-Pad.
- While another replaces the secondary analog stick you’ll find on console controllers.
Large steam image mode:
- Steam’s Big Picture mode is a layer that takes care of Windows and makes your PC have its game in general.
- It’s a bit like the interface you find on a Smart TV. It has its browser and YouTube app, but the central core is getting into a game with minimal hassle.
- I’m not a big fan of this on a desktop PC, but using it on your TV makes sense. All the icons are big and black, and it is much easier to navigate with a controller than the Steam desktop interface.
- And this is where double-tap pads come into play. For sample, the soft keyboard is split in two, with one side controlling by the left and the other by the right.
- Hover the button over the keys and pull out the triggers, and you can type at a reasonable rate. It’s a bit similar to typing on a keyboard with only two indexes.
- Want to write an essay? Not, but it’s sure to scroll through the alphabet using an analog stick.
Big Picture mode is also where you can set up the controller for each game. - You can’t do this in one game as you are using to in other gaming consoles. It may be a little weird at first, but it’s a great way to get an overview of all the custom settings.
Advantages:
- Touch tables add a new dimension
- Able to play strategy games
- Solid buttons and analog stick
Disadvantages:
- It is non as accurate as a mouse and a keyboard
- Tiredness during long game hairs
- Small buttons
- Lack of control schemes carried out by the community
Key specifications:
- Price revision: £ 39.99
- Dual trackpads
- Touch sensor
- Wired or wireless
- Gyroscope and accelerometer
- Up to 80 hours of battery life with two AA batteries
- Haptic feedback
Also Read: Galaxy Tab S6 Review – Design, Display, Screen, and More
