Until I got my hands on Valve's Steam Controller, I thought, "there's no way in hell something that bulky is going to be comfortable to hold for long stretches of time". I'll be the first to say that I underestimated Valve's approach, because for a brand that hasn't taken a crack at making a PC controller since its first (bizarre) 2016 outing, it has nailed gamepad ergonomics in ways specialist brands sometimes fail to.
Of course, this controller is intended to be part of a new Valve hardware ecosystem that isn't here yet. It's designed almost entirely for the Steam Deck, Steam Frame, and Steam Machine, but 2026's new Steam Controller is so much more than that. In years of reviewing gaming controllers, I've never encountered anything that's attempted to bridge the gap between mouse functionality in quite the same way as this does. It makes for a controller that can actually help you navigate a PC from a couch, or without reaching for the mouse on your desk.
