There are controllers that offer almost all off this such as hall effects, back buttons, gyro, full remappability, even including a dock and a builtin memory to save settings, just without the touchpads. In example the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller and it costs only $55.99. I am not saying it is fully equivalent (clearly it isn’t, as touchpads are missing and a few little features off course).
It’s not fully comparable. Basically Microsoft, as it seems to be the default, messed things up by making the Xbox: sure, before that the computer gamepad situation was chaotic, but after, they created the de facto standard that is the Xbox controller. Is a feature on that controller? No? Well, nobody else will have it then. Back buttons are really just there for ergonomics because with a thumb over each stick you get no access to face buttons but back ones can be remapped to those. It’s cool! But also the only thing they can really do. Steam Controller/Deck? Thanks to Steam input, more or less anything you want! Mouse click? Sure. Pop up menu with a bunch of options? Obviously. The game supports Steam input? Then you can bind them to anything the game offers. As a super basic thing, you end up with a controller that has two analogs, a d-pad, “not anymore start and select”, a “home” button, 4 face buttons, two shoulder buttons, two triggers, two trackpads, a gyro and four back buttons. I have a GameSir Cyclone 2, and I’m eagerly waiting for the Steam Controller 2 as it’ll be a meaningful upgrade even if at first glance the only missing feature are the trackpads.
There are controllers that offer almost all off this such as hall effects, back buttons, gyro, full remappability, even including a dock and a builtin memory to save settings, just without the touchpads. In example the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller and it costs only $55.99. I am not saying it is fully equivalent (clearly it isn’t, as touchpads are missing and a few little features off course).
It’s not fully comparable. Basically Microsoft, as it seems to be the default, messed things up by making the Xbox: sure, before that the computer gamepad situation was chaotic, but after, they created the de facto standard that is the Xbox controller. Is a feature on that controller? No? Well, nobody else will have it then. Back buttons are really just there for ergonomics because with a thumb over each stick you get no access to face buttons but back ones can be remapped to those. It’s cool! But also the only thing they can really do. Steam Controller/Deck? Thanks to Steam input, more or less anything you want! Mouse click? Sure. Pop up menu with a bunch of options? Obviously. The game supports Steam input? Then you can bind them to anything the game offers. As a super basic thing, you end up with a controller that has two analogs, a d-pad, “not anymore start and select”, a “home” button, 4 face buttons, two shoulder buttons, two triggers, two trackpads, a gyro and four back buttons. I have a GameSir Cyclone 2, and I’m eagerly waiting for the Steam Controller 2 as it’ll be a meaningful upgrade even if at first glance the only missing feature are the trackpads.