- It has features others do not and extra hardware others do not. That costs more.
- Tarrifs, the stupid Iran war and the AI price boom has made new items expensive where as existing items still have stock at old prices for now but will go up. For example new smart phones are between 50 and 100 percent more expensive than the previous years version.
this post was submitted on 27 Apr 2026
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I do have to complain about the price: Not that it’s $99 USD, but that it’s $149 CAD and not $136 CAD. That’s an extra $14 over FX for what exactly? I still have to pay the shipping… kinda shitty of Valve there.
I don’t mind this for $136 CAD because I have a pile of 2 broken PS5 controllers ($120 wasted — though now the price is $104 each so I guess it’s a $210 comparable) and a pile of dead Joy Cons, and frankly, controllers from the big companies are steaming piles of e-waste.
With the fancy quantum magnet sticks and having fancy magnet triggers, and having a bluetooth pairing/switching process that isn’t archaic, this feels like it’s worth buying. If only you could buy more pucks, because I would want one for my gaming computer and one for my partner’s computer given how easy pairing is (right now my partner uses a Nintendo Pro controller with cable, because bluetooth on that thing is weird — even some linux distros don’t pair with it still).
You could ask Steam support for a replacement puck. I think they will offer them separately if demand is high enough.
The biggest problem is apparently it doesnt support basic xinput and requires Steam to function. Hoping a firmware update fixes that.
It will never be officially usable outside of steam, but there will 100% be community developed drivers, at least for Linux. The original Steam Controller has had those for years
I don't see the problem.
Just leave it attached to the controller that's moving between devices, the connection to the puck is USB-C so it's not like you're moving a bunch of cable and the magnetic attachment is strong enough to not worry about it falling off.
On the other hand, If they have a Steam controller and their GF also has one then they'd have 2 pucks.
Not supporting Xinput is a blessing...
Not being recognised as a generic controller on devices is not a blessing. It's restrictive and is this controllers biggest downside.
Wish I could order it without the stupid puck!
And I wish the batteries were easier to swap!
There's people in this thread that want a second puck, so if you don't need yours, someone would probably buy it off of you.
Valve was targeting the $40-$60 range originally with this controller. I don't know what happened, given that the competitors are just a little bit over that.
Vader 4 pro was ~$45 last year, at least according to spam in my inbox and my order history. $67 today.
Vader 5 pro is $63 now, but I haven't looked at reviews and I don't need a controller, but on paper they made improvements
8bitdo ultimate wireless 2 is $56 right now even.
Gamesir G7 Pro is another solid option, $80, I don't have one but they're also supposed to be excellent.
Those options come with 2.4G dongles and bluetooth and a switch on the back to switch between them. Vader4 even has a nintendo switch choice, my wife is using it right now after burning through my original switch pro controller in stardew valley (no joke lol. She just started her second or third completionist run a few days ago.) They all use standard USB-C cables for a wired option too afaik.
The only thing unique about valve's choice really seems to be the touchpads. Unless you can't stop using them nonstop on the deck and have gotten away from normal joysticks, odds are you can spend half or way less on great quality controllers. I used to swear by xbox controllers until the elite 2 with shoulder bumper issues. If you hate xbox controllers and have to have a playstation style, there's options for that too.
Best bang for your buck is still probably the 8bitdo ultimate 2c. It's a fairly basic controller with a 2.4g dongle, bluetooth and two extra buttons. You can find them on sale for for $22 at times or sometimes less but full price is just 30.
I think the valve has the large touch pads and TMR joysticks, which both add some (if not THAT much) cost.
I don't think TMR sticks should be expensive, given you can get a controller with a pair of TNRs for $30. https://www.amazon.com/Machenike-Wireless-Controller-PC-Joystick%EF%BC%86Triggers-Gyroscope/dp/B0DSZXT8SR
There's 31 TMR controllers here , and I am not very familiar with most of them but I would guess very few if any are $100 aside from the steam one. The 8bitdo ultimate wireless 2 has TMR and is $56 right now and has hall effect triggers with a switch to make them tactile (short throw triggers.)
No idea about the touch pads though. Not a common thing on controllers. If valve's somehow becomes popular there will certainly be other options in short order.
Shit, I even find $80 CAD Xbox controllers to be too expensive. I flinched at the $99 USD price, but hadn't seen the Canadian one.
Same. You can get some decent controllers for 50 or less.
This doesn't really compare, it's a premium controller with multiple different input methods and features to integrate with their other hardware. If you just need a basic controller, this obviously isn't pitched at that.
I thought it was originally targeted at MUCH cheaper?
In my head spending more than $60 on a controller or game feels absurd.
That’s what my brain has proved anchored gaming stuff at from when I was a kid.
Is hard to get passed that feeling.
There is more justification for physical items, since the cost of materials and transportation has gone up. But games, which are just data? Pure greed.
It really is.
I'm just closing my eyes and praying to Gabe that I made the right choice.
Import fees maybe? Tariffs on products from the US?
Yea, money is never as simple as conversion rates. You cannot 1:1 compare them.