You can pre-order the latest Steam controller now, but I'm not sure you should
Nov. 7, 2024The original Steam controller was really weird, and I’m not sure what to make of its unofficial sequel
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Even if this spiritual successor does sport two thumbsticks and is a little more conventional than Valve’s homecooked attempt, I’m still not sure what to make of the new Horipad. The standout feature has to be its capacitive thumbsticks, which could be huge for aiming in FPS games, as they have been for the Steam Deck. Still, I’m not exactly convinced by the rest of this controller’s potential. Besides some innovative Gryo aiming this just doesn’t lookasgoodas other pro controllers I’ve tested that cost the same, or less money.
Hori Wireless Horipad for Steam|$59.99 at AmazonAfter a brief stint in international markets, you can now pre-order the latest officially licensed Steam controller in the US. You have the choice between a Midnight Black model, a White version, Blue, or Green.
Pre-order it if:
✅ You want a controller designed to be used with Steam✅ You like the design✅ You like the sound of capacitive sensor thumbsticks
Don’t pre-order if:
❌ You’re not a fan of Bluetooth devices❌ You want more for your money❌ You have an Xbox or PS5 controller already
Some dedicated UI buttons for accessing Steam menus quickly are a nice addition if you have yourbest gaming PChooked up to a TV and you want to play in big-picture mode. Similarly, an app that lets you customize deadzones and button assignments is nice, but it’s nothing new.GameSir’s G7 SEis even cheaper than this new Horipad, and it comes with the brand’s full suite of software features.
The Horipad weighs in remarkably light at only 185g. Some people prefer a lighter controller, and that’s a preference thing, but if you go this far under 200g, a controller can feel a bit too much like a toy to be anything worthy of a “premium” product. TheVictrix Pro BFGfor PS5 has a weight of 298g, and that’s probably as light as I’d want to go. In fact, that controller is probably my favorite at the moment and I’d still like it to be heavier - I just put up with it because of the excellent Esports performance it’s capable of. I certainly wouldn’t want anything almost 100g lighter that doesn’t even have any vibration motors to add some feel.
Next, the wireless capabilities of this controller come exclusively from a Bluetooth connection, whether that’s on its own, or through the USB dongle you get in the box. I hear this makes it easier to use with a Steam Deck, and it’s certainly a nice secondary connection feature for controllers like theEasySMX X10, but relying completely on Bluetooth sounds alarm bells in my head. ExcludingSony’sbest PS5 controller, theDualSense Edge,which use Bluetooth 5.1, pretty much every pro controller today uses a wireless connection (using a radio signal and USB dongle). Bluetooth isn’t used in today’s gaming headsets either - there can be issues with latency when playing games, and the connection just isn’t as reliable.
The Horipad doesn’t even give you any accessories for your money - in the box, you get your controller, the Bluetooth dongle, and a cable. There are no swappable thumbstick tops, or D-pad options, there aren’t weights you can add to the grips like the ones for theNacon Revolution 5 Pro, and there isn’t even a nifty carry case. I don’t feel I’m asking for much here - even some of thebest Nintendo Switch controllersgive you some nice add-ons for your money these days.
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I suppose a saving grace is that as well as two back buttons, Hori has added two more macro buttons to the bottom of this controller’s mid-section. Except, hold on, the whole point of back buttons is that you can press them without taking your fingers off the thumbsticks. If you want to use those extra face buttons, you’re going to need to pull your thumbs down away from every other button and press some small buttons at an odd angle. For a bit more money, you could get theTurtle BeachStealth Ultra which has four microswitch back buttons instead. Hell, you could even spend $129.99 andpre-order the brand’s new modular controller.
As you can probably tell, I’m not won over by Hori’s new Steam controller, at least on paper. Hopefully, I’ll get to try it out to give you my hands-on opinions, but if I were you, I’d opt for one of thebest Xbox Series X controllersinstead, since they integrate into Steam just fine for my liking.
Don’t forget there areblack friday Xbox controller dealscoming up, as well asBlack Friday gaming PC deals, andblack friday gaming chair deals.
One of my earliest memories is playing SuperMario64 and wondering why the controller I held had three grips, but I only had two hands. Ever since I’ve been in love with video games and their technology. After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in Journalism, I contributed to the Scottish Games Network and completed an Editorial Internship at Expert Reviews. Over the last decade, I’ve been managing my ownYouTube channelabout my love of games too. These days, I’m one of the resident hardware nerds at GamesRadar+, and I take the lead on our coverage of gaming PCs, VR, controllers, gaming chairs, and content creation gear. Now, I better stop myself here before I get talking about my favourite games like HUNT: Showdown, Dishonored, and Towerfall Ascension.Location: UK Remote
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