I was watching this video the other day and our friend Bob made a comment about the steamdecks trackpads, essentially calling the bad. I want to know what the community thinks.
For me, they are a game changer. They are not the best implemented trackpads I’ve ever seen but on a handheld it made a world of difference setting up any desktop software like emudeck, and any of the associated emulators. Civ games in my opinion are easier to navigate and I would be hard pressed to try to play any type of RTS game without them. Not to mention that after a year of having the Deck, I just learned how to comfortably type with them. I’ve bound them to be a radial dial of tools within games and with the desktop mode.
This morning I heard of the Aya Neo Kun, a 75 watt hour x86 handheld with trackpads. Outside the GDP WIN 4 with it’s physical keyboard this is the only other x86 handheld I think I could consider using. I believe its physical trackpads would help me navigate the nightmare that is windows 11. I will always prefer a mouse and keyboard but on the go, they’ve been a handy tool to getting things done.
Love em, hate em, or just don’t care about em, I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts.
Almost the best thing that has ever happened to a controller. Especially with how the steam deck implemented it.
It’s great that it has them but I never use them. I just don’t play those types of games.
I use them in every game. Just cannot stand the right joystick.
i think they are bad. i bought the steam deck specifically because of the trackpads, and they’re just much too small and awkwardly placed. compare to the steam controller, the greatest controller known to man, they’re just horrible
they’re also square. why are they square? whose idea was that? my thumbs can move in a circle, the pads should be circular
gripes
i wish the smach z hadn’t been a scam. i was so looking forward to that thing
however sensitivity-wise as he’s talking about: i’ve had no problems. they’ve been perfect. and definitely needed if using the deck in desktop mode, much better than an awkward joystick mouse or using the touchscreen like some weird nintendo ds
Square because trackpads have always been that way my dude and can be set to a ratio similar to common screen sizes.
Not awkward at all seeing how we hold smartphones these days and the onscreen keyboards are typically in the same location our thumbs need to reach when using both smartphones and the deck trackpads.
Sure you can argue size is small but most likely the deck internals won’t allow for larger size.
I liked/like the steam controller. I’ve got four. But the steam deck trackpads have been far and above more responsive for me.
Square because trackpads have always been that way my dude and can be set to a ratio similar to common screen sizes.
I use the Steam Controller and play with dual pads and I have to say I much prefer the circular pads, since the way I set it up is so that a full swipe of the touchpad results in a 180 degree turn in every game I use with mouse input. And circle has been better at providing a more consistent 180 output on swipes over a square where the it can result in varying lengths of travel depending on the angle you enter in at. Square leads to more room for error for the consistent predictable output I want from touchpad use. I don’t use stuff like acceleration, so consistency is really what I value.
And I also prefer circle for movement too. I’m not trying to replicate a square display experience when I’m using the touchpads. I really prefer circle for movement and for twin stick shooters over a square surface to rotate around when at the edge.
The square trackpads that have always been that way have been for people using it for slow desktop navigation as opposed to games.
I’ve used the Steam Controllers for many years and use dual touchpads for movement and camera. Here’s me playing Doom Eternal, Anger Foot, and a video on why I prefer touchpads to joysticks.
But, despite that I’m not a big of a fan of the ones on the Steam Deck. The placement is not that comfortable. There are 3D printed grips though that I would like to try out that would let me hold the Deck so it is more like holding the Steam Controller with the touchpads. Until then a majority of my gameplay is done with the joysticks in contrast to on the desktop where it is with touchpads.
I am really glad the touchpads are present so that it’s not an input Valve has abandoned, but the placement and ergonomics is really disappointing me. I’d be playing lot of FPS games on the Deck if the touchpad experience were more on par with the Steam Controller.
Depends on the game, but I definitely make use of them. Last game I’ve used them almost exclusively was Inscryption.
Use them a lot. For menu mouse; much easier to select menu items. For radial menus and with action layers.
I like them but I don’t often use them in games. Normally I save them for when I play a game that needs a keyboard and mouse and use the trackpads instead
I just wish they were as good as the steam controller’s.
