Modeshift may come in handy. It can be used to temporarily shift the right joystick or facebuttons into a dpad when one of the grip buttons like L4 is held down.

If dpad modeshift on right joystick is done I recommend setting it to 4 way no overlap to avoid diagonal inputs. This would allow dpad functions without having to take the right thumb off the right joystick. If tactile feed back is desired then modeshift on the facebuttons would work.

Finally got around to doing the replacement and it fit great. I just had to clip the wire that's intended to be used for the capacitive stick function on the Deck before popping it on.

I decided to get myself some extremerate thumbsticks myself to give it a try.

Yeah, gyro is often a hate it or love it type of input.

Back buttons though I can't do without anymore. Like being able to map jump and crouch or dodge buttons to them so I can keep my thumbs on the left and right joystick instead of having to lift off and momentarily lose movement or camera control has been a nice convenience.

Driving is also where I've really loved the back buttons for driving games and setting them to gears. Before third party alternatives became common I had planned to get Xbox Elite for that reason until I saw all the complaints about them breaking despite the premium price, and people getting things like lifetime warranties and paying a portion of the controller cost whenever they went to get it replaced throughout the year over buying a whole new one.

I passed on the Elite because of that, since I could have put up with the high price if it was actually durable. Not sure why they dropped the ball in that department when my 360 has been a tank.

Entire Steam client needing to be run doesn't really bother me, since some external program is running anyways and I don't see the Steam launcher as that resource heavy. Problem I have is more how difficult it can be to get Steam Input to be recognized by some non Steam games.

Less of an issue now, since most of my non Steam purchases are DRM free GOG games. But, years back when I tried to use it in gamepass had trouble because I couldn't access the directory to add in the exe to Steam due to UWP, so I had to use an external programs like glossi that would create an invisible overlay so my config could be used in Gamepass games or other launcher/drm based games that caused me trouble.

But, I really wish software wasn't needed at all once you set up the config and could save the configs on the controller itself to run and it'd behave the way you wanted it to. No Steam needed. No stand alone Steam Input program needed.

Yeah it may seem weird. I don't find the need for Steam Input to configure the controller weird, since I personally use it to do some unusual things with my controllers mixing mouse/keyboard/gamepad inputs on controllers ranging from the 8bitdo, playstation, to OG steam controller. When it comes to my controller use on PC I am rarely happy with the default controller setup, so need a remapper. And put in gyro into almost every game I play at the minimum.

But, am disappointed that the new Steam Controller didn't put in support to save profiles so you don't need Steam running to use. And that the default lizard mode when Steam isn't running isn't something more logical like having all the regular controller inputs being xinput so people can just use it as a regular xbox controller and the touchpads just behaving as a mouse and the click being mouse click for desktop navigation.

Like I said.

That said this controller for the price should have had a way to save profiles so they could be used without needing Steam running.

You can pop off the joystick after opening up the controller and replace it with either the 8bitdo joystick or steam deck joystick. Whatever is cheapest. This video shows shows the process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH8CmCkltzY

It's not ideal for mouse gamers, but gyro is ideal for controller gamers with it being the best option available that makes it possible for controller gamers to play fps games without aim assist vs mouse players.

Though only reason I mentioned possible when it comes to the touchpad use on the new Steam Controller is since it is up in the air until I actually get to try it to see if it will be ideal to use as a touchpad gyro controller like my original Steam Controller with the different ergonomics it has.

I'm looking at this controller more as gamepad exclusive gamer than a PC user that only sometimes uses the controller and mouse for other games on PC. Guess more similar to being from the perspective of a console player with many opting for controller even after a game gets mouse support.

I also use eneloops and the same eneloops I used since I got my Steam Controller back in 2015 and would also use on my 360 controller still go about a month before needing a charge.

I wouldn’t even say they’re good for FPS. Mouse is still gonna be king for that.

I use them to play FPS like The Finals. My set up being gyro being activated when I touch the right touchpad, edge to edge swipe of the touchpad doing a 180, and clicking the edges/center for 5 different inputs.

Gyro and touchpads having mouse mapped to them so no aim assist. Not sure how the ergonomics of the controller will be though for FPS, since I didn't find them comfortable to use on the Deck due to touchpads being lower than the OG Steam Controller. But, some people don't have issue with them, so it is possible.

I use it for games designed for controller too. Like Pragmata preferring the touchpads for turning the camera around over joystick, and gyro to aim.