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.
I use Dualsense for controller which has a trackpad, but I can't imagine using it for anything other than the occasional click or two. Do you find them good enough for games? If so, which ones?
My absolute favourite thing about them is that they allow me to play games designed for mouse and keyboard from my bed! Like any old PC games (fallout, wasteland, baldurs gate, etc).
I don't play enough "first person" games to have any valuable input, but when I've played things like Elder Scrolls I've honestly preferred using the track pads for controlling the camera.
Interesting, thanks for sharing!