Defending the Steam Controller and Steam Link

Back in November of 2015, Valve released their much-hyped new accessory, the Steam Controller, which was created to allow mouse-like controls so that video games that were originally created to be used with a mouse and keyboard could be used with a controller instead. Along with the Steam Controller came the Steam Link, which was more or less a wireless HDMI cord so you could play PC games on a TV. It could also be linked up with the Steam Controller so that you didn’t need to be right next to your PC in order for it to work.

It’s been nearly two years since these pieces of hardware were released. Now, the real question is: did they hold up?

My personal experience with the Controller and Link gives me a bit of a mixed response to that question. For games, it’s hit or miss, but for general use as a wireless HDMI device? It’s absolutely fantastic.

Let me explain something about myself: I love putting my computer on a big screen to show off dumb stuff to friends. I don’t care whether it’s video games, a movie, Youtube, Twitch, or just a forum thread, it’s much more fun to look at something on a big TV screen than it is to crowd around a computer. The problem is, if I have something saved to my computer, like a TV show or a movie that I can’t get on Hulu or Netflix, there’s precious few ways to transfer it to a TV screen outside of a regular old HDMI cable.

For someone with a desktop computer in a different room from their TV, this is pretty much where the conversation ends. You aren’t gonna move a computer from room to room just to put something on a big screen. It’s just not feasible. Laptop users have more of an option here, but it’s a real hassle to disconnect all your cords and reconnect them over by the TV, where you hopefully have a safe place to store your laptop and an extra plug to plug in the power cord. Even then, you have to run over to the computer any time you want to use the mouse or type something in. It’s a pain.

As you might have guessed, the Steam Controller and Steam Link fix these issues. Heck, they knock it out of the park in this aspect. I can type, click, and mouse around the web all from the comfort of my couch. Just last night, a friend and I streamed some old episodes of Trigun off Funimation’s website. It was easy, and convenient.

So, if you have a hundred bucks lying around, the Steam Controller and Link are a great way to put your computer screen on the big screen. Sounds a bit steep, I know, but don’t worry, you can also play game-

Oh. Right.

Sigh.

Well, unfortunately, now we need to dive into the real issue here. The one I’ve been avoiding. The one I desperately don’t want to talk about…

The Steam Controller isn’t a fun way to play most games.

Now, don’t get me wrong! There are plenty of games that work well with the controller. Platformers, RPGs, and many other types of games are a good fit for the Steam Controller. The only problem is that the Steam Controller doesn’t work well for games that see heavy usage of the right analog stick. Well, I say only problem, but that’s one hell of a problem.

Using the Steam Controller with a first-person shooter is the exact same experience you would have trying to play that same game with a laptop’s touch pad. It’s… well, I won’t say it’s impossible, but it’s certainly not ideal. Again, games that don’t rely heavily on the right analog stick work fine, after you adjust to the initial learning curve of the Steam Controller, but playing FPS games is a nightmare. The touch pad is both too sensitive and not sensitive enough. I can’t seem to get my crosshair on an enemy because the control is too jittery, and yet I can’t seem to turn around fast enough to react to anyone coming my way.

There’s also the issue of Steam Link lag. The Steam Link does have a tiny bit of lag to it regardless of how good your computer is and how fast your wifi speeds are. In many games, it’s so small that it doesn’t make a difference, but for precision platforming (and, again, FPS games) it can be a serious handicap. This issue is negated entirely by playing on the computer screen rather than using the Steam Link, but if you paid fifty bucks for a Steam Link then you probably want to actually use it to play games.

As an aside, Skyrim actually works surprisingly well on the Steam Link, since the game’s melee attacks don’t require absolute precision. The Fallout series sees equal success, thanks to the V.A.T.S. system. Thanks, Bethesda!

So, have the Steam Link and Steam Controller held up over the past two years? Well, I use them once or twice a week, but unfortunately not for their intended purpose. They’re fantastic pieces of hardware if you like streaming to your TV, or playing slow-paced games, but god forbid you actually want to play a shooter with that setup.

Is it worth your money? That depends. Other wireless HDMI systems can cost well over one hundred bucks, and they don’t allow the same type of convenience that the Steam Controller gives you over your computer. If you’re looking for a quick and dirty HDMI setup, you can do a whole lot worse than the Steam Link and Steam Controller.

One last thought to ponder over: to my mind, the Steam Link is by far the more valuable of the two accessories, but that’s because I steam a lot of stuff onto my TV. The Steam Controller, by itself, is a little redundant, because you’d just be sitting in front of your PC with a controller that probably wasn’t designed for whatever type of game you’re playing. The two accessories work best in harmony, but your mileage may vary. Wait for a Steam sale, you can usually get both accessories for around fifty bucks.