Which Controllers Work with the Steam Deck?
By Arif Bacchus
Published 20 hours ago
Are you looking to take advantage of other external controllers with your Steam Deck? Using external controllers, either docked or wired, with your Steam Deck is perfect for handheld gamers who prefer a stronger controller or those who dock and play with a display. You are not limited to the built-in gamepad when you dock your Steam Deck to an external display or on your lap with an external controller. With a variety of Bluetooth-connected controllers, you can enjoy gaming on your Steam Deck just like a gaming laptop.
The following controllers are known to work well with the Steam Deck:
- Microsoft Xbox controller
- Sony Dualsense controller
- Third-party wired Xbox controllers
- Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
When using an external controller with your Steam Deck, keep the button layout and connectivity in mind. It is best to connect via Bluetooth. You can do this by pressing the Steam button, selecting Settings, choosing Bluetooth, and toggling it on. Press the pairing button on the controller and select it from the list to connect. You may prefer to connect via wires. The user needs to insert the USB cable into one end of the controller, and the other into the Steam Deck. If the wired controller has a traditional USB-A end, a USB-C to USB-A dongle or USB hub is required because the Steam Deck only has a USB-C port.
It is recommended to use external controllers with the same orientation and button layouts as that of the Steam Deck. Microsoft Xbox Controllers and Amazon Luna controllers can be considered the best picks since they have the same A/B/X/Y layout. PlayStation controllers have a different button layout, but the Triangle, Square, Circle, and X buttons can be mapped to the orientation as it would be on an Xbox controller.
In conclusion, you can use almost any external controller with the Steam Deck. The Xbox Wireless controller is specifically designed for this purpose and is an excellent choice for all handheld gamers. We strongly recommend that you check out our Best Steam Deck Controllers Guide for additional gaming controller recommendations. Additionally, you must consider purchasing a microSD card to enhance your storage capacity, as a gaming controller is only one element of the Steam Deck experience.
Controller Recommendations for the Steam Deck:
- Xbox Wireless Controller – $51 on Amazon
- PDP Wired Game Controller – $35 on Amazon
- 8BitDo Ultimate Wireless 2.4g Controller – $50 on Amazon
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About the author: Arif Bacchus has been covering Microsoft Surface, Windows, macOS, ChromeOS news and rumors for over six years for sites like Digital Trends and OnMSFT. He has also written laptop reviews and how-to guides. Arif Bacchus is a Microsoft enthusiast and has a collection of various PCs and devices. You can follow and connect with him on Twitter.
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According to https://www.xda-developers.com/which-controllers-work-steam-deck/
The material in this article is written on the basis of another article.