{"id":27340,"date":"2026-11-13T13:29:15","date_gmt":"2026-11-13T13:29:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/igamemag.com\/?p=27340"},"modified":"2026-11-13T13:29:17","modified_gmt":"2026-11-13T13:29:17","slug":"steam-controller-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/igamemag.com\/en-gb\/steam-controller-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Steam Controller (2026) Review Roundup: Critics Love the Sticks, Gyro and Battery, but It’s Built for Steam Only"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Close-up<\/p>\n

The Steam Controller review<\/strong> scores are in for Valve’s second-generation gamepad, and critics like it a lot. Released on 4 May 2026<\/strong> for \u00a385 \/ $99 \/ \u20ac99<\/strong>, it averages about 8.4\/10<\/strong> across Tom’s Guide, PC Gamer and TechRadar, and it has just won Best Gaming Hardware<\/strong> at the Golden Joystick Awards 2026. Reviewers praise its drift-resistant TMR thumbsticks<\/strong>, Steam Deck-style trackpads<\/strong>, gyro<\/strong> and 35+ hour battery<\/strong>; the catches are the price and that it really only shines inside Steam.<\/p>\n

This is a roundup of what critics say, not our own review: we haven’t tested it ourselves.<\/p>\n

Steam Controller review roundup at a glance<\/h2>\n\n
Critics’ average<\/strong><\/td>About 8.4\/10 (3 scored reviews)<\/td><\/tr>\n
Price<\/strong><\/td>\u00a385 \/ $99 \/ \u20ac99 (Steam only)<\/td><\/tr>\n
Released<\/strong><\/td>4 May 2026<\/td><\/tr>\n
Sticks<\/strong><\/td>TMR magnetic thumbsticks with capacitive touch<\/td><\/tr>\n
Extras<\/strong><\/td>2 trackpads, 6-axis gyro, 4 rear grip buttons, HD haptics<\/td><\/tr>\n
Connection<\/strong><\/td>Steam Controller Puck (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth, USB-C<\/td><\/tr>\n
Battery<\/strong><\/td>35+ hours (reviewers’ spec tables)<\/td><\/tr>\n
Award<\/strong><\/td>Best Gaming Hardware, Golden Joystick Awards 2026<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n

Steam Controller (2026) review scores<\/h2>\n