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Adam Savage’s Tested

Tested: Steam Controller Review + Valve Interview!

3 min read30 Apr 2026Worth watching

TL;DR

Norm from Tested reviews Valve's new Steam Controller ($99, launching May 4th), covering hardware specs, a developer interview, and hands-on impressions alongside senior producer Josh Self. The video examines whether the premium price is justified and how it compares to Xbox and PlayStation controllers.

Key points

The Steam Controller costs $99 USD, launches May 4th via Steam, and includes a magnetic charging puck that supports up to 4 controllers at 250Hz with no latency degradation as more devices connect.

It uses TMR (Tunnel Magneto-Resistance) thumbsticks — more durable, more accurate, and lower power than Hall effect sticks — with firmware offsets built in to counteract magnetic interference from the charging puck.

Grip Sense detects whether hands are on left, right, or both grips (capacitive, not pressure-sensitive) and can be used to activate a 3-DoF gyroscope for precision aiming in shooters.

Valve designed it primarily for Steam Deck parity so users docking their Deck can switch seamlessly, and thousands of existing community controller configs for Steam Deck work on day one.

Valve will share external geometry files publicly (like they did for Steam Deck), partner with iFixit for replacement parts, and the controller supports up to 16 controllers across 4 pucks tested internally.

Verdict

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If you already use an Xbox controller as your PC gamepad and do not care about gyro aiming or touchpad mouse input, the Steam Controller will feel like a lateral move with a higher price tag — the Xbox ergonomics and D-pad are arguably better.

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The gyro is most effective in shooters like Doom 2016 when mapped to activate on thumb-stick touch, giving precision fine-tuning on top of stick aiming — but Forza-style steering use cases expose the grip sense limitations.

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Buyers who plan to get a Steam Machine or Steam Frame will likely find more value, as the Steam Machine has a built-in puck receiver (no separate puck needed) and the Steam Frame will enable 6-DoF tracking via the controller's IR LED.

Notable quotes

“I could see a hundred bucks worth of stuff in there... am I getting a $100 experience from it?”

“This feels like an $80 controller to me. And maybe it's because I don't make use of the touchpads nearly as much as maybe some other people do.”

“It's hardware awaiting more hardware.”

Worth watching?

✅

Worth watching the full video?

Watch if you want to see the hands-on footage and hear the unfiltered Valve developer interview — the key specs and opinions are captured here, but the live gameplay and teardown visuals add useful context for a $99 purchase decision.

Topics

Gaming Steam Controller

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