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The New Steam Controller Is Real! Find Out What’s Improved

Valve is bringing back the Steam Controller, and it’s a massive upgrade over the original. From the $99 price tag to where this could fit in the Valve lineup, we’re breaking down what we like, how it handles, and why this is the perfect companion for the Steam Deck, Steam Machine or any gaming PC.…

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Valve is bringing back the Steam Controller, and it’s a massive upgrade over the original. From the $99 price tag to where this could fit in the Valve lineup, we’re breaking down what we like, how it handles, and why this is the perfect companion for the Steam Deck, Steam Machine or any gaming PC.

You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below
Steam Controller
Valve Steam Deck OLED 1TB
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Read more about the new Valve Steam Controller on CNET.com
Valve’s New Steam Controller, Coming May 4, May Be My Favorite Controller, Period

0:00 Intro & First Impressions
1:00 The Original Steam Controller
1:52 Controller Features & Layout
3:07 The New Charge Puck
3:45 Price & Value
4:12 Steam Machine Speculation
5:24 Build Quality vs Competitors
7:07 Steam Frame VR Talk
7:26 Conclusion & Outro

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#valve #steamcontroller #steam

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49 Comments

49 Comments

  1. @2003jsciarrino

    April 27, 2026 at 1:06 pm

    Nerds r us

  2. @R0DSTER

    April 27, 2026 at 1:10 pm

    $100 for a controller? hahaha, yea no thanks…only if i see it on sale somewhere

    • @bitterjack

      April 27, 2026 at 1:19 pm

      The controller is awesome and has lots of tech.

    • @R0DSTER

      April 27, 2026 at 1:27 pm

      ​@bitterjack i love steam as much as the next guy, but this doesn’t have anywhere near $100 dollars worth of tech…steam’s also not market popular enough to suddenly go with rip-off apple like pricing. they must have crazy good profit margins on this thing, but it’ll flop because of it

    • @fishywtf

      April 27, 2026 at 1:30 pm

      ​@R0DSTER lol this has more tech inside than any 200$ controller on the market

    • @R0DSTER

      April 27, 2026 at 1:48 pm

      ​@fishywtf but $200 controllers sell for being mainstream brand limited editions and bragging rights…and like i said, steam isn’t apple, nor sony, nor even microsoft, so they can’t get by on full rip-off prices unlike those other bigger companies

  3. @WhatDoesntkillYa

    April 27, 2026 at 1:29 pm

    Why are they collabing so much? Did cnet get bought out?

  4. @Tymmz

    April 27, 2026 at 1:32 pm

    “Hate” is such a strong word. “Really disliked” sounds much better.

    • @skullgamer64

      April 27, 2026 at 3:01 pm

      That’s a random thing to say in the comments section

    • @Tymmz

      April 27, 2026 at 3:09 pm

      @skullgamer64i know…but I think it’s true. Maybe the guys from the video will read it. I don’t want to be an educator but it made a difference to my mindset when I actively avoided the word “hate”.

    • @leospaceman2976

      April 27, 2026 at 5:38 pm

      @Tymmzi hate your comment 😂

    • @Tymmz

      April 28, 2026 at 1:49 am

      @leospaceman2976love it!

  5. @joedickson2539

    April 27, 2026 at 1:42 pm

    I was really excited for this, but I cant justify $100 for a controller. Going with an 8bitdo instead.

    The features are really good and im sure it has the same build quality as a steam deck, but I can wait for a price drop.

    • @MegaHorop

      April 27, 2026 at 3:08 pm

      u think this one wokrs with switch?

  6. @Eustacia-Zf

    April 27, 2026 at 2:01 pm

    $100 for a controller? hahaha, yea no thanks…only if i see it on sale somewhere ……

    • @sunburystudios

      April 27, 2026 at 2:29 pm

      BOT

    • @Girder3

      April 28, 2026 at 7:40 am

      CLANKER DETECTED.

  7. @owlandabungiecord

    April 27, 2026 at 2:12 pm

    I think that at $100, the main things that make this a decent choice would be the repairability (replaceable battery, parts will likely be sold through iFixit, just has screws, no glue), the trackpads if you’re looking to play things that need that support, and the way that it works seamlessly with other steam stuff. If those things aren’t of importance to you, then get an 8bitdo ultimate 2 or something like that.

  8. @sophieedel6324

    April 27, 2026 at 2:28 pm

    $100 for a controller with membrane buttons instead of mechanical switches. Valve sure likes to rip off PC Gamers.

  9. @sunburystudios

    April 27, 2026 at 2:29 pm

    If you’re not talking about the sourced user custom controls you’re missing 80% of how amazing this is.

  10. @jenreypr

    April 27, 2026 at 3:11 pm

    When will we have it on sale at 75% discount?

    • @CNET

      April 28, 2026 at 10:03 am

      wait for it & our website will have all the details

    • @MartianDill

      April 28, 2026 at 12:38 pm

      around 2040

    • @fiftycharectersforanamewelltha

      April 29, 2026 at 9:38 am

      Most likely the steam summer sale will probably bring up to a 30% discount max.

      Especially if steam machine drops before then.

      Then of course there’s a low possibility but still possible they do up to a 50% for their Christmas sale. Again, ESPECIALLY if the steam Machine AND FRAME drops by then.

      This is only speculation based on how steam does their marketing.

      Best time to sale games and such is before Christmas and around summer cause it’s just too cold or too hot to be hanging outside for a good while after.

  11. @Tyler_Durden_99

    April 27, 2026 at 3:21 pm

    2:46 HELLO STEAM MACHINE

    • @CNET

      April 27, 2026 at 11:35 pm

      👀 👀 👀

  12. @LokiOdinssnn

    April 27, 2026 at 4:12 pm

    2 jews

  13. @AndrewSnake

    April 27, 2026 at 4:20 pm

    So out of curiosity ? can attach the pug reverse ??

    • @StoneyWoney

      April 27, 2026 at 5:55 pm

      No. The magnets are on only one side, going in one direction.

  14. @ComisionCofinas

    April 27, 2026 at 4:46 pm

    I discovered SPAX50B, read the whitepaper, and today I am fighting with my wife over precisely why I liquidated my savings.

  15. @EddieCrum-p9z

    April 27, 2026 at 4:46 pm

    $SPAX50B will absolutely smoke SOL and DOT in the race. Simply buy $2K of it before the supply vanishes

  16. @StoneyWoney

    April 27, 2026 at 5:53 pm

    Considering your scepticism for why people would even wait for the Steam Machine:

    I can only talk for myself, but I’m not waiting for the device per se. I have a 2500€ PC from 2023 after all, which is leagues stronger than the Steam Machine. No, I’m waiting for a SteamOS upgrade, which will most definitely accompany or at least follow the Steam Machines release. Another step towards one day being able to natively install SteamOS on my PC, without any huge tinkerings necessary. Valve’s new device marks a milestone towards that goal in my eyes.

    • @aliratebze

      April 28, 2026 at 8:01 pm

      There is already one! Called Bazzite! If you have Amd+Amd, i definitely recommend it! That is what steam machine is going to run.

    • @fiftycharectersforanamewelltha

      April 29, 2026 at 9:43 am

      Dropping the controller first was a genius marketing move especially for folks like you and I already on PC.

      I think a lot of folks are missing that point. You don’t HAVE to get a steam machine to use the controller. ❤

  17. @HellSpawnRulerOfHell

    April 27, 2026 at 6:38 pm

    I personally prefer to have a Steam Frame.
    In fact I’m currently selling my Steam Deck LE.

    I figured I wouldn’t be a fan of the formfactor and bought it for portability.
    But im not a fan of the restrictive screen placement of portables.
    Especially ones with attached screens.

  18. @AyaWetts

    April 27, 2026 at 6:48 pm

    Can’t wait… I’ve used a thumb trackball for years, and not a mouse, so I am used to and very precise with my thumb. It transferred so easy to the Steam Deck, those trackpads are fantastic.

  19. @mn3438

    April 27, 2026 at 7:07 pm

    A brick 🤮

  20. @B1GG4M3R44

    April 27, 2026 at 7:13 pm

    Dude on the left gives me robin williams vibes
    Guy on the right looks like gotham chess

  21. @danielc7919

    April 27, 2026 at 10:57 pm

    OG steam controller was and is the best controller I’ve used. The touchpads+gyro aiming is the best way to play after mouse+keyboard. That said, I feel like there isn’t much for me here for 100 bucks. I already have a Steam Controller that works great, this would just give me an additional stick and 2 buttons on the back. The buttons sound nice but the stick is unnecessary

  22. @capdave5

    April 28, 2026 at 6:36 am

    This review lacks lots of things. Trackpads are waaay faster and waaaay more precise at aiming than an analog stick. The users custom layouts on steam are a huge part of what make this controller different and better than others.
    The Lenovo trackpad is trash compared to the steam deck / steam controller(2015 also)

  23. @CNET

    April 28, 2026 at 6:58 am

    Read more about the new Valve Steam Controller on CNET.com
    Valve’s New Steam Controller, Coming May 4, May Be My Favorite Controller, Period

  24. @tonys9413

    April 28, 2026 at 8:22 am

    People are making a living playing with gadgets ………….

    • @CNET

      April 29, 2026 at 8:43 am

      it’s a big industry now.

  25. @mayosunshine

    April 28, 2026 at 9:44 am

    was very excited for this, more than ready to give 100 for this too until i heard that it cannot be used with all the features outside of steam without adding everything as a non steam game. huge hit for emulation 🙁

  26. @GanJJGames

    April 28, 2026 at 11:22 am

    Feels like most of these reviewers have never played a Steam Deck and never created a single Steam Input layout customization in the last 10 years even for an Xbox gamepad. Well, if you want to check the opinion of a “Steam input Pro” – I got a review and a comparison on my channel. Hopefully now you’ll learn about “full screen mouse region” for almost every use case.

  27. @Midori_Hoshi

    April 28, 2026 at 11:47 am

    Not watching the video if you use Twitter.

  28. @MartianDill

    April 28, 2026 at 12:59 pm

    more features than Dualsense Edge and Xbox Elite both for 200$

  29. @fiftycharectersforanamewelltha

    April 29, 2026 at 9:35 am

    The FIRST game I’m playing with this controller is Morrowind.

    If it can support purist vanilla Morrowind on PC, it’s a FULL win.

  30. @Spoutnicks

    April 29, 2026 at 5:30 pm

    OG Steam Controller was actually fantastic, but completely undercooked on the software side at launch. The community has figured out in time, it’s biggest advantage and disadvantage being unconventional.

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