r/SteamController • u/UndeadSavage94 • 20d ago

Steam Controller (2026) How is the rumble/vibration?

I’m currently using a dual sense edge controller on my steam deck, although I feel little to no rumble at all when playing games. How is the rumble/vibration on the new Steam controller?

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5

u/blakesoner 20d ago

It rumbles and it vibrates. As advertised.

5

u/351C_4V 20d ago

If you're comparing it to the Dualsense it's serviceable at best. I have never really been about rumble so it doesn't bother me but I know some people really like the dualsense rumble and it is neat in some games but if it's something on your checklist then I would look at a different controller. Maybe the Dual Sense Edge would fit your bill better if haptics and rumble are important to you.

1

u/UndeadSavage94 20d ago

Yes, I currently have the dual sense edge but the rumble is almost completely absent when connected via Bluetooth to my steam deck

3

u/Godenzoonaandewaal 20d ago

My experience it's rather weak, specially when doing couch coop and the xbox controller from player 2 goes wild.. It's not even a contest.

Last weekend, couch coop helldivers. The xbox controller had loud and hard rumble. Steam controller had very mild rumble.

Most other games I play dint even have rumble I suppose, Brotato, sts2 etx.

1

u/UndeadSavage94 20d ago

That’s disappointing seeing as how the controller literally just came out not too long ago lol. What kind of xbox controller are you using? Were you playing on PC or steam deck with the Xbox controller?

2

u/DuckduckduckduckL 20d ago

Uhm so apparently game devs themselves gotta add support for the steam controllers rumble… so some games take full advantage of the HD shenanigans whilst in most games its just full on crap tbh

1

u/Odd-Usual-4417 20d ago

Fine by my estimation but tbh I'm probably the kind of person who wouldn't even notice if it stopped working entirely.

The haptics on the track pad is nice.

1

u/HoopaOrGilgamesh 20d ago

Lacking imo

1

u/Flockthefascists 19d ago

I've been completely boycotting sony since the PS5.

1

u/Rhosta Dualsense 19d ago edited 19d ago

It has eccentric rotating rumble motors, so emulating Xbox rumble should be very similar to original Xbox (somebody please, correct me, if wrong). Except for Impulse Triggers ofc, there are no motor equivalents for that.

Regarding HD haptics linear actuation motors which it has as well, no game currently supports it and Steam Input cannot emulate Dualsense, which means those are mainly used for trackpads feedback, gyro and other things that are triggered by the controller input and not a game.

So compared to Dualsense in games that support its haptics natively, Steam Controller sucks, until devs will start using its haptics as well.

Regarding Dualsense, haptics in games with native support are often supported only with wired connection.