It might seem counterintuitive, but these PC games are much better if you use a controller instead of the old mouse and keyboard.

The Steam Controller design phase involved rapid iteration in its early stages, despite a tiny team working on its initial development.

I tested the Steam Controller for 48 hours to see if it lives up to the hype. Here's what I think of Valve's latest peripheral.

Based on its size, you’d be forgiven for expecting the Steam Control ler to be uncomfortable but in fact the opposite is true. Valve has done a great job in ensuring the controls are laid out for most hands to comfortably rest their thumbs on the sticks and index fingers on the triggers.

With high-end features like TMR sticks, HD haptics, and its unique touchpads, Valve's new Steam Deck offers both an excellent out-of-the-box experience as well as a playground for enthusiasts to tinker to their hearts content.

At my desk, with the PC buzzing beside me, my games are one of my few comforts. They are rarely comfortable. My desk is a cell where I must hunch over a mouse and keyboard. Valve’s $100 Steam Controller changed how I game on PC by letting me play my favorite RTS and CRPGs while reclining in my best impression of a Roman-era hedonist.

Discover the advanced features of the Steam Controller, from magnetic thumbsticks to capacitive grip sensors, and elevate your PC gaming experience.

Lastly, it is possible to connect an Xbox controller to a PC via Bluetooth. The only caveats are that you need Windows 10 Anniversary or later — and the right kind of Xbox controller. If your controller looks like the bottom one in the image above, it has Bluetooth. If not, you should get a USB cable or wireless adapter.

Amir is a PharmD student who loves technology and games. He enjoys building and optimizing his own PC and staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in hardware technology. Amir's been writing about technology since 2018, but got into gaming back when ...