Valve's New Steam Controller: Trackpads, TMR Sticks and a $99 Bet

The first Steam Controller was one of Valve's boldest experiments: two big circular trackpads where the right stick should be, and a promise that you could play mouse-driven PC games from the sofa. Fans loved it, most people found it strange, and it quietly disappeared. In 2026, Valve decided the idea deserved a second shot.

The new Steam Controller went on sale on May 4, 2026 for $99 (£85 in the UK), sold directly through Steam. It is also included with the top 2TB Steam Machine bundle, and it was one of the few pieces of Valve hardware this year that did not get more expensive.

What's inside

This time Valve kept the familiar parts and added the clever ones:

• Two analog sticks using TMR (tunnelling magnetoresistance) sensors, which are designed to resist the "stick drift" that plagues many controllers.
• Two haptic trackpads, smaller than before, that can act as a mouse, a scroll wheel, extra buttons or almost anything else through Steam Input.
• Gyro aiming with adjustable sensitivity, so you can fine-tune a shot by tilting the pad.
• Rear buttons under the middle and ring fingers.
• A magnetic "puck" that is both the wireless receiver and the charging dock, and detaches from its 1.5-metre USB-C cable so the controller can also be used wired.

It weighs 292 g, and firmware updates arrive through the Steam desktop app.

What reviewers liked

Early reviews were warm. Windows Central called it comfortable once you get used to the stick positions and described its Steam performance as mostly flawless. Its face buttons and triggers feel a little shallower and quieter than an Xbox pad, but still responsive. The trackpads take time to learn but quickly become useful, especially in strategy games and anything with menus built for a mouse.

The puck was a quiet favourite. Drop the controller on it and it charges; pull it off and you're playing.

Where it trips up

The catch is that the controller is built for Steam first. Games launched through the Xbox PC app or PC Game Pass, such as Forza Horizon 6, do not work with it without third-party software, and adding non-Steam games takes manual setup. Some older titles can have overlay or detection problems. Reviewers also noticed exposed screw holes on the grips you can feel during play.

Supply was tight at launch too. The first batch was first-come, first-served until it sold out, and delivery estimates in Europe stretched from three to five days to six to ten days within the first week. Valve then moved sales to a reservation queue, and because every 2TB Steam Machine bundle needs a controller too, some standalone reservations have slipped into 2027. Valve says it has no plans to stop making it.

Why it matters

In 2015 the Steam Controller was a curiosity. In 2026 it is the default way to use Valve's living-room PC. With the Steam Machine out since June 30 and the Steam Deck still selling, Valve now has a full hardware family, and the controller ties it together.

It also escaped the memory crunch that pushed up the price of almost everything else Valve sells. Because it contains no RAM to speak of, it stayed at $99 while the Steam Deck OLED jumped to $789.

Our take

If you play mostly on Steam, especially on a TV, this is the most flexible controller you can buy, and the trackpads finally make sense. If you live in Game Pass, stick with an Xbox pad. Either way, it's good to see Valve's strangest idea get a proper second life. Read our full Steam Machine explainer for the rest of the family.