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9 / 10 Score Cnet Score CNET provides expert, unbiased reviews of products and services. When we assign a score, we use a scale of 1-10. Each product we score is evaluated by criteria specific to its category with most assessing pricing, quality, features and performance. Read more on: How we test Valve Steam Controller Pros Excellent response time
Comfortable layout
Great haptics
Controls match Steam Deck options
Included wireless transmitter doubles as charge puck Cons Could be less expensive
Guess what? Valve's Steam Frame and Steam Machine still aren't here yet, and there's still no price known for them either. But another piece of Steam hardware is arriving very soon. The new Steam Controller is coming May 4 for $99, and I've been living with one at home for a few weeks now. I bet it'll make your Steam gaming a lot nicer. Especially if you plan on connecting your Steam Deck to a TV.
In fact, that's exactly how I've been using the Steam Controller so far. A Steam Deck OLED plugged into a Steam Dock, connected to my living room TV, and I'm sitting on my sofa playing my games as I do on the Nintendo Switch. And I love it.
The new Steam Controller is a perfect Steam Deck companion. And, just a great game controller period. Scott Stein/CNET
You can pair other controllers to Steam Decks, or your PC, or anywhere else that's running Steam games. But I still love what the Steam Controller brings to the table for its price, and I just love how it feels and performs so far. Granted, I'm testing it with Steam Deck's beta software in prerelease mode, but even so, I have no complaints.
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