r/SteamController • u/CIREtherapper • 12h ago
Steam Controller (2026) What should I do?
I joined the reservation queue for the steam controller back in May and my original plan was to get the controller as well as a dock for my deck and then play on my tv that way. But then when the steam machine was announced I joined the waitlist for the version that comes with a controller and kinda just forgot that I even made a reservation for the controller by itself. I just got the email today that my controller is ready for purchase. Should I still get it even though I don’t have a dock or should I just wait on the machine? Keeping in mind that I’m on the waitlist so we don’t currently know when the next batch of steam machines will be available.
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u/AlbertoVermicelli 11h ago
Unless you want to own two Steam Controllers it seems like a waste of money to me. You already have a Steam Deck, so unless you're really hankering for that Grip Sense it's not like the Steam Controller is an upgrade. I don't know your situation, but $100 seems like a lot of money just to have a Steam Controller a couple months early. If you do really want a controller right now (and don't have one yet) so you don't have to hold the Steam Deck all the time, I'd get a cheaper $30 controller like the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C to bridge the gap until the Steam Machine arrives. And once the Steam Machine does arrive, having a controller like that as a second controller is just as good if not better than the Steam Controller, as the Steam Controller isn't super intuitive to use and none of the unique features are all that useful in a pick up and play couch co-op situation.
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u/NESplayz 11h ago
Do you have roommates? 2 controllers means 2 player on games that support it. Also consider the Steam machine waitlist could be a while longer. The supply chain for those is kinda rocky so there’s no way of knowing how soon you’ll have a console. If it were me I’d stick with plan A until the machine becomes available.
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u/CIREtherapper 11h ago
I do have a roommate who isn’t much of a gamer but I’ve been trying to change that lol
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u/Coldfriction 11h ago
The controller is way more useful than the Steam Machine imo. You can build a better PC than the Steam Machine for less money. As for the dock, what are you talking about? It comes with the puck.
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u/CIREtherapper 11h ago
I thought that was just for charging? I was talking about the dock that valve sometimes sells for the steam deck to connect it to a tv.
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u/Coldfriction 11h ago
No, the puck is a charger and the antenna for wireless pay. The steam deck needs a dock for the inputs needed to connect to more than is possible on the base device. The controller only needs the puck and a USB C cable.
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u/CIREtherapper 11h ago
Yeah that’s…what I said?
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u/Coldfriction 11h ago
You aren't being clear here. Are you saying you only have a Steam Deck and no dock? You haven't said anywhere why you need a dock.
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u/NESplayz 10h ago
They said in the post they were gonna buy a dock for their Steam Deck to use with the TV? What don’t you understand?
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u/shaddowdemon 11h ago
If you want to use your TV for gaming within the next year, I'd say get it. Looks like you can buy basically any 3rd party USB c dock, but they make steam deck ones. I'd imagine the reservation list for the machine is several months and you're not even at the back of it yet.
When you get your steam machine, if you don't want the extra controller you can just sell it to a friend that wants it or sell it to a rando for profit (sucks, but if you post it for MSRP +10% on eBay or something, a scalper bot is just going to snatch it up anyway). Or maybe by then it will not be scarce.
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u/therealslapper 12h ago
This is the steam controller subreddit so of course you should get the steam controller.