Steam Controller (2026) Review Roundup: Critics Love the Sticks, Gyro and Battery, but It’s Built for Steam Only

The Steam Controller review scores are in for Valve's second-generation gamepad, and critics like it a lot. Released on 4 May 2026 for £85 / $99 / €99, it averages about 8.4/10 across Tom's Guide, PC Gamer and TechRadar, and it has just won Best Gaming Hardware at the Golden Joystick Awards 2026. Reviewers praise its drift-resistant TMR thumbsticks, Steam Deck-style trackpads, gyro and 35+ hour battery; the catches are the price and that it really only shines inside Steam.

This is a roundup of what critics say, not our own review: we haven't tested it ourselves.

Steam Controller review roundup at a glance

Steam Controller (2026) review scores

• Tom's Guide: 4.5/5, "a nearly perfect PC game controller", though only for SteamOS users.
• PC Gamer: 83/100, unmatched at mimicking a mouse; great from the couch, but there are cheaper pads if you don't need the extras.
• TechRadar: 4/5, a massive improvement on the original, with excellent battery life and reliable TMR sticks.

Average: (9.0 + 8.3 + 8.0) / 3 ≈ 8.4/10.

What do reviewers like about the Steam Controller?

• A sensible design: unlike the 2015 original, it has two conventional thumbsticks, with two smaller square trackpads underneath, and TechRadar found it much easier to pick up.
• TMR sticks: tunnel magnetoresistance sticks that resist drift, which every review praises.
• Trackpads and gyro: PC Gamer calls itself "a gyro control convert" and says nothing mimics a mouse quite like it; the gyro turns on when you grip the controller (Grip Sense).
• Battery: 35+ hours; PC Gamer gave battery life 5/5.
• The Puck: a magnetic dongle that charges and pairs the controller at the same time, and can serve more than one controller.
• Rear buttons: four remappable grip buttons in easy reach.

What do reviewers dislike?

• Price: at $99 it's almost double the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 or a DualSense, as TechRadar notes, though cheaper than an Xbox Elite Series 2.
• Steam-first: it needs Steam to work properly; non-Steam games can need extra setup, and Valve says it doesn't work with consoles.
• No audio jack (TechRadar).
• 250 Hz polling and membrane buttons (PC Gamer), so competitive players may prefer a pro pad.

Steam Controller (2026) specs

From the reviewers' spec tables: symmetrical layout; TMR thumbsticks with capacitive touch; ABXY, View, Menu, Steam and Quick Access buttons; four rear grip buttons (L4, L5, R4, R5); two 34.5 mm square trackpads; four haptic motors; 6-axis gyro; 2.4 GHz via the Puck, Bluetooth or USB-C; 8.39 Wh battery rated 35+ hours; about 292 g. It works with PC, Mac, iOS and Android through Steam.

Should you buy the Steam Controller?

Reviewers agree it's the best controller for playing Steam games from the sofa, on a living-room PC or a Steam Deck, especially if you'll use the trackpads and gyro. If you mostly play outside Steam, on consoles, or competitively, they suggest a cheaper or pro-level pad instead. It's sold only through Steam.

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