[Gamers Nexus] Impressive Repairability: Valve Steam Controller Tear-Down & Disassembly
Posted by 21524518@reddit | hardware | View on Reddit | 55 comments
atape_1@reddit
I wasn't particularly interested in this controller, but the repairability and the contactless sticks do make it an interesting option after my standard issue Xbox controller eventually develops stick drift.
throwawayerectpenis@reddit
Look at the numerous Chinese brands like Gamesir, Flydigi, 8bitdo(to a lesser degree). They offer better tech and features than first party controllers for a very nice price
Gwolf4@reddit
Yeah. I have a split gsmesir switch style controller but it is compatible with xbox. Now I don't have to play with my hands joined ever again. Unfortunately the control is a little bit small but the split outweighs the cons.
Yeah the control is of good quality, hall joysticks, switch buttons, plastic somewhat dense. It will last year's.
oioioi9537@reddit
If repairability is not a deal breaker, there are tons of third party controller manufacturers that use hall effecf/tmr sticks that are great value as well. Id recommend checking them out on gamepadla, they have a good database of latency tests as well
NapsterKnowHow@reddit
Yeah it's wild people think Valve is leading the way for repairable controllers. If anything they are late to the game... and their Knuckles controllers are a nightmare to repair.
danny12beje@reddit
And which are better?
8bitdo with parts off AliExpress and not from 8bitdo?
NapsterKnowHow@reddit
And where are the replacement parts for the Index controllers?
danny12beje@reddit
Bud those have been released 10 and 7 years ago, not today.
Hope you're aware valve has released hardware since then. It's called the steam deck. Parts are on ifixit's website.
Gen 2 controller parts will also be on ifixit's website (both NA and Europe).
Now let's compare to your favourite controller makers, like 8bitdo. Oh. They don't even have parts and you have to buy 3rd party parts off AliExpress. Got it.
NapsterKnowHow@reddit
And? Don't act like those controllers aren't a part of Valve hardware. Valve has great successes and great failures in hardware. Do not ignore their failures.
8BitDo even has replacement parts for 1st party retro controllers like batteries, joysticks, and wireless conversion modules.
danny12beje@reddit
I just sent you proof they don't and people having to buy parts off 3rd party sellers.
Again, what failure? They still sell parts for a 7 year old fucking VR.
The controller is not being manufactured anymore and is 11 years old.
Show me what company makes parts for their 11 year old controller thx.
NapsterKnowHow@reddit
https://www.8bitdo.com/ and scroll down to DIY.
Durability and quality control.
8BitDo DIY has parts for the N64 controller lol
danny12beje@reddit
Yep, can't see any for their products though lol.
Absolutely no parts for the ultimate2, for example.
But yeah man, peak repairability.
all they sell is buttons. no actual parts
ragnanorok@reddit
fyi you can get controllers with hall effect sticks for less than half of this, and ones with TMR sticks for about half
ishsreddit@reddit
lol ok idk why anyone else doesn't mention it but literally every xbox controller i have had got stick drift.
ryanvsrobots@reddit
And none of mine have had any drift. Anecdotes be anecdoting.
oioioi9537@reddit
Because they use physical contacts. You can get good hall effect/tmr sticks third party controllers for quite cheap now. Just gotta do a Lil research to see what fits your preference
McCullersGuy@reddit
While it's nice to see a console/game distributor finally accept innovation and not screwing the consumer over with controllers, Valve is still proprietary only supporting this within their ecosystem, must use Steam software, no HID support. The controller market is similar to CPU coolers currently, there's many quality options for a fraction of their $100 price tag. So, this is only going to be for Steam supporters and the occasional curious controller enthusiast.
LapnLook@reddit
It's proprietary in the sense that on Windows the official translation layer runs in Steam, but it's not really locked down like what you'd expect from the "proprietary" description?
As far as I understand, both the original and the new Steam Controller use an open source input layer to communicate, it's just that this layer has terrible support by default on Windows. But on Linux there are non-Steam drivers that make the Steam Controller work natively. And even on Windows, there's third party tools that allow the capture of this input layer outside of Steam, it's just a hacky solution because of how the OS treats controllers
Some comments that I found earlier explaining it better:
Comment 1
Comment 2
havoc1428@reddit
Excellent write-ups from those comments. It affirms my initial assumption that this came down to a software issue, which is better to have than a hardware lock-out issue. People have been so indoctrinated by Xinput over the years that they don't even realize its a proprietary Microsoft translation layer.
The people upset over the lack of xinput are essentially saying "Valve is creating a walled ecosystem because they won't support a feature that is part of Microsofts walled ecosystem". And I was utterly bamboozled by this.
havoc1428@reddit
You sound like one of those dunces that doesn't realize why an Xbox controller works seamlessly on Windows.
JapariParkRanger@reddit
It's not proprietary. Plug it in to a Linux machine.
AGWiebe@reddit
I wouldn’t be totally surprised if they release a firmware update down the road for the controller to work as a regular xinput device.
zopiac@reddit
I'd hope it'd be toggleable like Bluetooth is (right bumper + a face button IIRC) since they didn't deign to put a toggle switch on it like Gulikit and 8bitdo do. I'd also hope it to be a day one feature, but alas...
kuddlesworth9419@reddit
It's really damn nice to see a normal easily replaceable battery.
lifestealsuck@reddit
The issue mostly finding the right connector , they all use the same 3.7v battery . But my mind was blown after saw someone just cut the old cable and wire joint the new battery to it , only take like a few minute.
Farados55@reddit
Xbox controller has an easily accessed battery
Ploddit@reddit
Yup. Good old AAs are actually my favorite solution.
xeio87@reddit
Rechargeable AAs are even better.
LoneWanderer9700@reddit
Yup. Quality rechargeables like eneloops rock for a xbox controller.
Ploddit@reddit
Exactly.
StantasticTypo@reddit
Thankfully the glued in, difficult to access batteries haven't really plagued controllers yet. Even the dualsense is pretty easy to replace.
AbhishMuk@reddit
Batteries, especially in controllers, absolutely should be replaceable. My 8bitdo pro 2 is imo the best option - li ion battery, but you can swap it with AAs as well. It's a shame 8bitdo stopped it afterwards.
angry_RL_player@reddit
Steve covers something that isn't drama and it's crickets.
And people wonder why he leans into the investigative journalism instead.
Whirblewind@reddit
Fixed that for you, even though we both know you feigned ignorance.
RumbleTheCassette@reddit
This video is a niche within a niche within a niche. Controller content isn't historically super popular. Expensive controller content even less so. Then you gotta find a subset within the expensive controller niche that also cares about repairability.
F9-0021@reddit
To be fair, repairability is the only way I'd even care about expensive controllers. So that subniche helps out it's parent subniche a lot.
RumbleTheCassette@reddit
I thought it might be the opposite: people that are buying $100 controllers might be well off enough to not care if theirs breaks because they'll be able to but a new one. But I guess I'm wrong on that.
F9-0021@reddit
Both can be true. People willing to drop that much on a controller could fall under the category of rich enough that it's not a concern, but it could also be that the ability to fix it when it breaks makes the premium price worth it to some people, just like Framework laptops.
HuntKey2603@reddit
and even with that it has about the same views.
Guilty_Rooster_6708@reddit
GN fans always bring the victim complex. The previous controller video did well in comparison to his recent investigative/drama videos
HuntKey2603@reddit
yeah, because we're already fucking done with his nonsense.
He used to be praised and touted before everyone could see through him. Now people are just "him again".
Ploddit@reddit
How so? Looking at views on youtube, his Steam Controller review got around the same views as any of his recent "drama" videos.
ishsreddit@reddit
just like hardware unboxed people love to spew shit about the Steve's. Once the drama for one Steve goes, it shifts to the other. Sometimes the stars align and both are featured by the wonderful and healthy community of r/hardware
Ploddit@reddit
Reddit users sad to discover they don't actually matter very much.
bhop_monsterjam@reddit
pot, meet kettle
Roseking@reddit
The review of the controller yesterday is the 3rd most upvoted post this week with just under 400 comments.
deadfishlog@reddit
'investigative journalism' lol
lmpcpedz@reddit
Yes as opposed to, oh for example, being handed talking points and passing it off as news, until you get sued that is.
wankthisway@reddit
Then he shouldn't get on his high horse about other creators doing click bait.
kwirky88@reddit
A fan became noisy for my steam deck and ordering what I needed from ifixit and replacing it was easy. For a particular repair you can get the part bundled with the tools you need. It was like $20 cad for the part and the tools. There’s lots of markup there for sure but it was convenient.
I also smelled a lot of steam deck vent smell troubleshooting it and checking it after the replacement. It may have addled my brain.
Rjman86@reddit
I wish they would've learned from the steam deck and added metal inserts for the screws to thread into. I don't think it's that big of a deal on a controller that probably won't be opened more than once in its lifetime, but it's got to be a couple cents at most per controller, and it would really show their commitment to repairability.
coldbreweddude@reddit
In 30 years of gaming I’ve never had to open or repair any controller and have no desire to. I’ve had PlayStation and Xbox controllers last 10-15-20 years.
kikimaru024@reddit
You've never experienced stick drift on a controller?
Big doubt.
Thotaz@reddit
I don't think it's that unlikely if either of these conditions are true:
1: They don't play a lot with controllers.
2: They are a filthy casual who doesn't notice stick drift.
Personally I'm in category 1 and if not for the famously bad Switch 1 joy-cons I wouldn't have experienced drift either.
error521@reddit
I play a lot with controllers and honestly the only stick drift I've really experienced was an old Wavebird and the Switch 1 joycons.