271

Based on the description on their site, the controller includes a built-in battery: "8.39 Wh Li-ion battery​, 35+ hours of gameplay... "

That was disappointing for me. Specially condidering the Steam Frame's controllers make use of AA batteries: "​One replaceable AA battery per controller, ​ 40hr battery life​"

AA Batteries might not be as convenient to use, but being able to replace them is a great advantage. All my Xbox360 controllers still work fine, but none of my PS3' Dualshock 3s.

The official docking station could be used to recharge (rechargables) AA batteries so the functionality could remain the same.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] artyom@piefed.social 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

You plug it in when you aren't using it

And what happens when the controller dies? That requires:

  1. Having a cable nearby
  2. Being tethered to said cable for an hour.

I don't have a charging station in my couch.

I guarantee you the time spent swapping AAs every few days will far outweigh the time you spend using a screw driver to replace this battery at the frequency it requires.

I guarantee you it doesn't. Not to mention those screws would become stripped in a matter of weeks.

[-] augustus672@lemmy.world 42 points 1 week ago

Man is gaming 24/7 and has zero downtime where he could plug in a controller. That's dedication right there /s

[-] artyom@piefed.social 4 points 1 week ago

We've already been over this. I don't want to be tethered to a cable.

[-] KoboldCoterie@pawb.social 32 points 1 week ago

Sounds like your use case is unique and does not match the use case of the vast majority of users. Maybe you should look for another controller that meets your very specific requirements more closely.

[-] artyom@piefed.social 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I already have one, but thank you for the suggestion.

OP and several others have expressed similar sentiments in this thread so I'm obviously not alone in the "vast minority".

[-] Clent@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 6 days ago

You think you're use case isn't a tiny minority because you found some other people on a thread?

A thread specifically about the use case?

This is how the world gets dumber.

[-] Don_alForno@feddit.org 10 points 1 week ago

Every controller I own (dual shocks, dual senses, 8bitdo's, switch pros) lasts me an entire day of gaming at least. Plug them in at night and you're good.

[-] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago

I suppose your phone has never died because you forgot to or didn't have time to plug it in? It's just yet another device that I have to worry about managing the battery.

[-] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Maybe once a year? Plugging a cable in for 20 min isn't asking a lot.

[-] artyom@piefed.social 2 points 1 week ago

It doesn't matter if it's "asking a lot" or not, I just don't want to do it. I don't want to worry about it. It's not my preference.

[-] reev@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

My preferance is to not have to change batteries constantly, so I suppose I'll buy a controller made for people like me and you can buy one made for people like you! It all works out in the end.

[-] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I already have one. It's called the Steam Controller LOL.

[-] reev@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 week ago

Then I fail to see why you're complaining about this one

[-] artyom@piefed.social 2 points 1 week ago

Because my choice in controller, or any other product for that matter, isn't singular.

What's the alternative for phones? My last phone had about 2-3 days battery life and I ran into this issue more frequently because I didn't need to have a routine. My current phone lasts about a day and a half, so my routine is to charge at night, but if I forget, I charge in the morning or at work.

In the old days with easy to swap batteries, I never brought a spare with me because that required more planning than charging at night. In the old old days of flip and candybar phones, they lasted a week, so recharging wasn't a big deal.

The controller situation is different. I have both an Xbox 360 and a DS4, and the DS4 is less fussy. Why? I only need to charge it like once a week given how much I play, so it's more like the old flip phone.

[-] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago

I never brought a spare with me because that required more planning than charging at night.

I can't answer your question because this just makes zero sense to me.

What, you would always bring a spare with you?

The only things I bring with me are keys, wallet, and phone. If I'm traveling somewhere far (road trip or flight), I'll bring a power bank. Even if my phone had easily rechargeable batteries, I wouldn't bother with them.

[-] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 6 days ago

It doesn't require "planning". You throw them in your bag and that's it. That's not a plan.

[-] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I usually don't have a bag with me. So it would need to go in my pocket, and I don't like those to be full.

If I have a bag, that means I'm either going to work (plenty of charging options) or on a trip. I've covered the latter case with the power bank.

[-] Waryle@jlai.lu 7 points 1 week ago

What happens if your controller dies and you're out of AA batteries?

[-] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago

I don't run out. They're rechargeable.

[-] howrar@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 week ago

And if you forget or don't have time to plug them in to recharge?

[-] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago

They're always charged because I put them on the charger when I rotate them.

[-] moonlight@fedia.io 12 points 1 week ago

You're so close to getting it...

[-] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago
[-] Holytimes@sh.itjust.works 3 points 4 days ago

Mate you are actually are dumb and dense as a rock. I'm honestly impressed someone can be this out of touch with the reality of the world around them and the people living in it.

You have to be fucking with everyone in this thread. There is no possible way your serious here.

[-] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 4 days ago

Right, I should join all of the 1337 gamers that only agree with your opinions. Fuck off, dumbass. Get absolutely fucked. 🖕

[-] moonlight@fedia.io 8 points 1 week ago

~~They're~~ The controller is always charged because I put ~~them~~ it on the charger when I ~~rotate them.~~ am not using it.

So the controller never dies unless you're playing for more than a day straight, and there's no fiddly swapping out of batteries. The only downside is that you might need to replace the battery in like 5 years time with heavy use, and it's only marginally more difficult than swapping out AAs.

[-] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago

So the controller never dies unless you're playing for more than a day straight

Or...you didn't plug it in? I don't have to worry about plugging it in. Not every hour. Not every Day. Not every week or every year. There is never a time when the batteries are dead or I need to fiddle with a cable. Ever.

[-] moonlight@fedia.io 4 points 1 week ago

Well it will be fine even if you only leave it charging a tiny fraction of the times you use it. And with AAs you have to remember to change them anyway or it will die while you're playing.

And if you think the process of:

opening the back cover, taking out the AAs (especially on the original steam controller), putting them in a charger, and putting new ones back in the controller

is even close to as easy as just setting the controller down on a magnetic charger, I don't know what to tell you.

[-] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago

You're not considering the scenario of a dead battery.

[-] Holytimes@sh.itjust.works 2 points 4 days ago

Neither are you. Your talking out your ass at this point.

[-] Waryle@jlai.lu 7 points 1 week ago

Since you're already managing charging things, what prevents you to put your controller to charge when you're done playing?

[-] artyom@piefed.social 1 points 1 week ago

I don't have to manage charging anything. If I neglect it, and it dies, I just swap charged batteries into it. That's the whole point.

[-] Waryle@jlai.lu 6 points 1 week ago

You do are managing your AA batteries: you have a dedicated charger for rechargeable AA batteries, and you put yours to charge when you swap them out. That's just your routine so you just don't consider that it's not bothering.

You could just as well put your controller on it's charging stand/plug it when you're done playing. Or plugging it after your gaming session when it notifies you that it's starting to running low.

this post was submitted on 15 Nov 2025
271 points (100.0% liked)

Linux Gaming

22189 readers
366 users here now

Discussions and news about gaming on the GNU/Linux family of operating systems (including the Steam Deck). Potentially a $HOME away from home for disgruntled /r/linux_gaming denizens of the redditarian demesne.

This page can be subscribed to via RSS.

Original /r/linux_gaming pengwing by uoou.

No memes/shitposts/low-effort posts, please.

Resources

WWW:

Discord:

IRC:

Matrix:

Telegram:

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS