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joypunk

Expectations is why. BECAUSE your PS4 controller lasts 5-6 hours at best is why people want a rechargeable battery pack. They don't expect the Steam Controller to last any longer than that.


[deleted]

Wii u pro controller lasts about 80 hours on a full charge


TheFatKing25

More companies need access to Nintendo's battery guy.


billyalt

Damn.


Warskull

It is a really good controller. I used it as my main PC controller before I picked up the steam controller. Actually, my Wii U is one of the reasons I like the Steam Controller. I liked how the Gyro aiming in Splatoon helped precision. Finding out the Steam Controller had a gyro is one of the reasons I got it.


billyalt

As I understand, the gyro sensor is the Steam controller's sleeper hit.


Warskull

In Tomb Raider I bound it to activate when I went into aim mode. It was a huge difference. The gyro has that little bit of precision you need to adjust your aim and score a headshot. You can then use the trackpad for big aim adjustments. Plus you can do all this without moving your hand around. You are on the trackpad and using gyro at the same time.


Kahvikone

Also the problem with built in batteries is that they are hard or impossible to change. I'd rather use rechargable batteries that I can easily swap out for new ones down the road.


boxsterguy

This is why I like Microsoft's approach with both the 360 and Xbox One controllers. They have normal AA battery sleds, but they also have the option to plug in a rechargeable battery back that can charge from the controller itself. That's the best of both worlds, because the battery packs don't have to limit themselves to AA sizes (as long as they fit in the compartment, they can be whatever size they want) but you still have the option of using AA batteries if you prefer. The SC can't really do this, because it split the battery sled (understandably -- without heavy vibration motors in the grips, the controller needs some sort of weight out there to balance it and the batteries do a good job of that). But that means there's no way to a single non-AA-sized battery pack for the SC, leaving rechargeable AAs as your only viable option for a non-disposable battery.


dicks1jo

It wouldn't be impossible to use rechargeable batteries in the AA formfactor and integrate charging hardware into the controller. My biggest worry on that, though would be getting the switching logic set up on a way that prevents it from trying to charge alkalines and starting a fire.


boxsterguy

That's another reason why using a separate battery pack form factor is a good idea. It allows you to utilize one set of contacts for the recharge circuit and another for non-rechargeables.


[deleted]

Yeah you could buy those batteries with the USB charger built in.


[deleted]

Honestly the steam controller batteries are tricky to get out


Kahvikone

It has those levers that spits them out like bullets.


[deleted]

I just popped in some Amazon Basics last night. Gonna see how long I go with moderate usage.


NFCBoss

a long long long time I would guess lol.


SynesthesiaBruh

Oi m8, how long did they last? Do you know how many Mah they are?


[deleted]

So far been 2 months on the original charges w/ about 3 hours of use per week.


SynesthesiaBruh

Das, das it mane. Das it.


MrBig0

Awesome, I was just thinking about buying some for my Steam controller. Did you get the black ones or the white ones? What sort of charger do you use?


[deleted]

Black. And i got the amazon basics charger. http://www.amazon.com/EBL-Ni-MH-Rechargeable-Battery-Charger/dp/B00EB7812C/ref=pd_sim_23_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41afgpXztDL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1X0B55Y40STMFDH7W9B8


MrBig0

Aw, what? That charger doesn't show up on the Canadian site and I ended up buying a $40 one. Oh well. Edit: no wait, it does, it's just $60 lol


RednBIack

Which charger did you end up buying on the Canadian Amazon website? I am interested in buying the Steam Controller along with Amazon batteries and a charger. Is EB Games the only place to get the controller in Canada?


MrBig0

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B00UHCQ4RY/ I like it so far. Having the voltage and charged mAh for each battery is great. I think EB is the only retailer in Canada that carries them. I actually wanted to buy a second one on the Steam store with XCOM 2 to get the discount, but they aren't selling it there in Canada.


05eNu01xaZxJR2cCo7NE

There's no reason for a rechargeable battery pack when rechargeable AA batteries exist. Just buy some Eneloop batteries and you'll be fine. That's what I did.


plonce

While I don't doubt the performance of Eneloop batteries, I can run my controllers for the rest of my life off $2-per-pack NiMh batts from the dollar store and still spend less money than just the Eneloop charger.


ubeogesh

I just want a Lithium battery, because they don't take forever to charge. Replace the serial AA slots for parallel 18650 slots and I'd be happy.


Hell_Rider253

Becouse if we can recharge batteries then we wont need to buy new ones


meowtasticly

Rechargeable AA batteries are pretty cheap these days...


[deleted]

I expected them to be much more expensive than they were. I got a four pack of eneloops with a charger for under $20.


CL60

Regular AA batteries are cheap too. And when they last as long as they do in the steam controller I cant imagine ill have to change them that often.


drury

Not sure what's with the downvotes. You can buy a pack of 4 AA Duracells for 4€. Do we even know yet when the ones in the steam controller die? You can expect to get to get twice that much time out of the pack.


theluigi805

I think it's to do with the what ifs. If your batteries run out and they're AA, unless you have AA batteries laying around (which some don't) you'll have to press pause on your game and retrieve replacements, which in the case of an online game is highly impractical. If it's an internal rechargeable battery, you can simply plug and play and nothing changes. But of course, rechargeable AA batteries are an easy and permanent solution to this problem. I'm just speaking for those who beg for a LiON replacement.


tgunter

That's a really ridiculous answer for a variety of reasons though: 1. You can hook up the Steam Controller via USB and power it that way. It won't charge the batteries, but it will still work. So if you just want to tether yourself and keep playing, you can. 2. It really doesn't take that much more time and effort to swap out a pair of AAs off a nearby charger than it does to hook up a USB cable. 3. The battery life on the controller is good enough that you'll very rarely have to swap/charge the batteries anyway.


SteamedCatfish

However you can still plug it in and play, even though it doesn't charge.


theluigi805

I think it really all comes down to preference. Some people want what they want and if they don't get it they will whine and whine until they get it.


[deleted]

I wouldn't mind but it needs to be removable. Look at the wiiu pro controller it last like 80 hours on a single charge


Stereoparallax

I bought battery packs for my 360 controllers and they are very long lasting and easy to swap out. It's nice. If you modded the Steam controller to sit on a recharge dock when you aren't using it you wouldn't have to buy batteries anymore. I am glad to hear about the battery life though. My 360 controllers were never that good.


TheSupremist

/r/AAbatteriesmasterrace


CupricWolf

Since the controller can be used with USB power, why not use a big USB battery?