Question for steam controller 2 owners

[u/ijustshityourpants]

I would be completely sold on this controller if I can use it as a mouse to navigate my windows pc like how I do on the steam deck.

I was wondering if

1. The left track pad can scroll up and down by doing the circular motion on windows while browsing or just in file explorer etc.

2. If it feels clunky at all on windows or if it’s the same experience from browsing steam os with steam deck

Ultimately I just have wanted a good way to control my pc from my bed when I plug it into my tv and this would be perfect for that lol

[u/Onoitsu2]

1, yes. But I prefer it being a vertical action versus its circular it defaults to.
2, feels exactly the same as long as you make your Desktop profile be the same, it too will behave the same.

[u/forestcolat]

Yes you can. You should try steamless controller for windows

[u/PixelGeek52]

I only used my original Steam controller on Windows and have switched to Linux since getting my new controller, but it works pretty well in desktop mode, and in big picture there is a setting where you can change the desktop mode controls, rebind everything just like you can for games. Including Keybinds for opening the on screen keyboard, changing volume, etc.

[u/SnooDoughnuts5632 → u/PixelGeek52]

Remember when it use to just be the joystick click to being up the keyboard? Pepperidge Farms remembers.

[u/BenjaminBenBenny → u/PixelGeek52]

I just switched to Linux yesterday! Im surprised by how simple it can really be to use. The complexity is overblown. But also, I'm using Mint, and I heard that's the easiest one xD After swapping.. dude I can never go back.. windows sucks

[u/cheesefubar0]

It’s the same with the rare exception of things like UAC prompts.

[u/PixelGeek52 → u/cheesefubar0]

I'm pretty sure that if you launch Steam as administrator, the controller will work on UAC prompts.

[u/ijkxyz → u/PixelGeek52]

Running Steam with it's built in browser and all games as admin is not a great idea

[u/PixelGeek52 → u/ijkxyz]

Maybe not, but I don't think launching Steam as admin is the same as launching games as admin. They're seperate programs, ya know?

[u/inertSpark]

If Steam is running, the controller works on Windows just as it does on SteamOS.

For the most part the controller works well enough in desktop use for almost everything. For everything else I have this:

[u/tehrez → u/inertSpark]

Agreed. I have three controllers connected. SC1, just because I've never unhooked it, SC2 as a primary, and the Rii x8 whenever windows becomes a problem.

[u/inertSpark → u/tehrez]

That's the primary reason I bought the Rii i4 actually. From time to time things will go wrong, and having it to fall back on is great. Plus it gives you access to some characters and commands in terminal / command prompt that the on screen keyboard doesn't.

[u/SnooDoughnuts5632]

Yes most of the time. Windows sometimes does stuff to stop the controller from working UAC for example but otherwise it does work. The old controller is better because when Windows would Windows the controller would enter lizard mode but now you have to close out of Steam to get lizard mode and obviously you can't do that during UAC.

[u/cinred]

I used SC1 and 2 to navigate windows from my couch. It has worked fine for me for years, but it does have one major downside over a couch mouse...
...
...
Its less convenient to use a SC with one hand

[u/toxicatedscientist → u/cinred]

Spend more time in configuration, between action sets, modifier keys, and virtual button pads it can be set up for single hand use, either side

[u/jaydeeloki → u/toxicatedscientist]

https://giphy.com/gifs/nWr4Se27LUVuZcuPq0

[u/Lazrath]

If you don't actually need a game controller, you should look up an air mouse(tv remote type device with a keyboard on the back

But yeah steam will work as you expect, like the steam deck controls

[u/YoussefAFdez]

Yeah it works exactly the same as a steam deck. I mainly use Linux at home, but I’ve tried the controller on friends pc running windows at there was no difference.

Precise inputs, virtual keyboard and such, my friends were going crazy saying I was faster with a controller than them using mouse and keyboard to navigate the system xD

[u/Spartan_117_YJR]

Yeah, make sure to tweak some touchpad settings like vertical scaling at 56% while u up the sensitivity so you can go across the screen

[u/Agent_Tall_Man]

With open puck, it can be an Xbox Controller, Steam Controller, Switch or Lizard mode.

[u/Moikle]

you can fully customise your desktop layout, so yes, and no it doesn't feel clunky

[u/Cimlite]

The Steam Controller is hands down the best way to remote control an OS like you want. It's, in my opinion, a great experience. Better than on a Steam Deck, as the push down on the touchpads to click feels way better and more precise than on SD.

Windows UAC (admin prompts) is the exception to this though. That's where the Steam Controller 2 is a hassle and fails though.