Steam Controller vs 8BitDo Ultimate 2: Which Should You Buy?

Valve's Steam Controller and 8BitDo's Ultimate 2 Wireless both have magnetic TMR sticks, gyro and extra buttons on the back, but one costs $40 more. Going by Valve's and 8BitDo's own product pages and support guides, the choice mostly comes down to whether you play everything through Steam.

How much do they cost?

Valve sells the Steam Controller for $99 on its Steam hardware page, with the Steam Controller Puck and a USB cable in the box. 8BitDo's own eShop lists the Ultimate 2 Wireless at $59.99, with a charging dock, a USB-C 2.4G adapter and a USB cable included.

What's the main difference?

The trackpads. The Steam Controller has two, which Valve pitches for playing mouse-and-keyboard games from the sofa, including fast shooters. The Ultimate 2 has a standard Xbox layout with a D-pad and no trackpads.

Do both have TMR sticks?

Yes. Valve says the Steam Controller's magnetic TMR sticks also support capacitive touch, so resting your thumb on them can switch on motion controls. The Ultimate 2 was 8BitDo's first controller with TMR sticks, according to 8BitDo.

Which has better gyro and motion controls?

Both have gyro, set up differently:

• Steam Controller: gyro plus what Valve calls Grip Sense, a capacitive touch input that turns gyro aiming on while you hold it and off when you let go. You can also map it like any other button.
• Ultimate 2: 6-axis motion control in 2.4G mode, tuned in 8BitDo's Ultimate Software. In Steam, 8BitDo says the controller gets full Steam Input support, gyro included, in Bluetooth mode, with firmware 1.05 or later. Its XInput mode has no gyro in Steam.

How many extra buttons do they have?

Four each. The Steam Controller has four grip buttons on the back. The Ultimate 2 has two back paddles plus two extra bumpers, L4 and R4, which you can remap without software. Its triggers are Hall Effect with a switch between linear travel and a shorter tactile click; Valve's page doesn't detail the Steam Controller's triggers.

How do they connect?

• Steam Controller: its puck (a proprietary 2.4GHz link that doubles as a magnetic charger), Bluetooth or USB-C. It pairs with the Steam Machine without the puck and can wake it from sleep. A Steam Machine bought without the Steam Controller can use the Ultimate 2 too: 8BitDo says it works on SteamOS devices over Bluetooth.
• Ultimate 2: 2.4G through its adapter on Windows (via the dock, if you leave the adapter in it), wired on Windows, and Bluetooth for Android and Apple devices. 8BitDo quotes a 1000Hz polling rate over 2.4G and cable. Valve doesn't publish one for the Steam Controller.

Do they work without Steam?

This is the deciding question. Valve's support guide says Steam must be running for the Steam Controller to work properly, and non-Steam games may need adding to your Steam library first. Valve also warns that some Mac games don't support it because they rely on Apple's Game Controller framework. We've covered where the Steam Controller works and where it doesn't in more detail.

The Ultimate 2 works as a normal controller on Windows 10 and 11 without Steam, and 8BitDo lists official Apple support on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and visionOS 26 and later, plus Android 13 and SteamOS 3.7.13 or later. Neither is listed for Xbox, PlayStation or Switch.

What about battery life?

Valve quotes an 8.39Wh battery and more than 35 hours per charge for the Steam Controller. 8BitDo's Ultimate 2 page lists no battery capacity or play time. 8BitDo puts the Ultimate 2 at 246g; Valve doesn't list the Steam Controller's weight.

Which should you buy?

• Get the Steam Controller if you play almost everything through Steam, want trackpads for strategy games or mouse-driven shooters, or own (or plan to buy) a Steam Machine or Steam Frame, whose cameras track the controller in VR.
• Get the Ultimate 2 if you want a cheaper Xbox-style pad that also works outside Steam, on game launchers, phones or Apple devices, and you don't need trackpads.