Why? A serviceable Lithium Ion is leaps and bounds better than AA, not to mention it would lead to people using disposable batteries and creating more garbage.

All my Xbox360 controllers still work fine, but none of my PS3' Dualshock 3s.

An important thing to note is that the Steam Controller will be user-serviceable and they want to continue their partnership with ifixit

Hard disagree, AA batteries are passe.

Steam did the right move here.

I mean I get the reason, but at the same time Li-ion is just so much better compared to NiMH and especially Alkaline. As long as its easy to open up and replace I'm all for internal li-ion batteries.

I'm alright with this as long as the controller is easy to repair, which Valve has been pretty good about with the Steam Deck.

If swapping batteries is a fast 5-10 minute process I have to do every 5 or so years, and the batteries are widely available and reasonably priced, that's a win in my book.

It could be a 18650 or another lithium standard size and make everybody Happy. Easy to remplace and a bigger life than square sized batteries.

Non-rechargeable batteries is a terrible idea from an ecological point of view. Also, Steam have made considerable effort to make the Steam Deck repairable. I hope they do this with all their new hardware, so replacing the battery won't be a big hassle.

Well, I completely understand your point. I also have rechargable AA batteries laying around, but I see it from this standpoint:

1. The Steam controller includes this magnetic charging puck, which is a good way to make sure it's always charged.
2. It will mostly be used more or less stationary, sitting down in front of a PC. So even if the need arises to charge it this shouldn't be a problem in many situations. This is vastly different than with the new VR controllers, because they will be moved around a lot and it's not really realistic to charge them while using them.
3. Many people still just use disposable batteries. Which is quite frankly just not good. So my best guess is that this connected with point two may be a leading factor for why they did it this way. I think a hybrid option (puck-rechargable battery pack or two AA's) would have been awesome though.
4. Valve's repair policy was exceptional with the steam deck so I have reasons to believe that the battery for the steam controller will be available for a very reasonable cost. A very interesting question will be for how long.

All in all I understand your point, but it's not a huge issue for me personally.

Yeah. AA batteries suck though! I'd be happy if they used 14500 cells or something. but the form factor was probably the issue, the controller is a chonk in the middle already with the flat battery pack

I disagree so much. I never want another AA device.

I like how 8bitdo did it.

They gave you a rechargable battery pack that could optionally be replaced with AA batteries.

Best of both worlds.

The overwhelming shortsightedness of thinking highly polluting AA or AAA batteries are a better choice over a LiON solution pack because one needs to unscrew a couple of screws to replace it is completely unreasonable. AA or AAA are a stupid ask for a controller, it's unnecessary waste.

This is a strange argument to me. I just don't get it.

So. You have the controller, advertised 35+h life on a single charge.

Unless you're some sort of gaming machine, even a no-lifer sleeps.

We'll do a crazy minimum, you sleep 4h a day. that's 20h for gaming. You plug it in when you sleep, a time when no one will be using it and it can be "tethered".

if it's a straight line (it's probably not) 20h/35h gets you down to 42% battery.

Even 2-3 years later, battery should be between 70-80% capacity. If the minimum after a full day of usage, from charged, is 42% from the 35h estimate, in your worn 70% capacity battery you've still got more than 15% spare between days, after accounting for years of degradation.

And then, after using it for 3 years, you might have to contemplate using the hated screwdriver and replacing the battery. And this is only if you've been no-life wrecking this controller for that long. It'll be much better from "regular" gaming usage.

I think this just comes down to undisciplined people, who can't manage to plug their stuff in routinely. I really can't see any other logical reason to feel this way.

And even then, for the people who can't do charging regularly, and don't want to worry about being tethered to a charger/their machines, a $10 power bank from a gas station fixes this issue. I charge my controller from a phone charger, already next to me, whenever it needs it. No one says that you have to explicitly plug it in to whatever you're playing on.

Personally, I think even giving the option of using disposable batteries is irresponsible on the designer's end. Everyone talks about rechargeables, but there's still going to be a percentage of people who just use disposables.

This does make more sense for the frame controllers, as when they die, there's no good/safe way you can still use them, and have them plugged in. even with a power bank the cables are, at best, ungainly, and at worst, an active safety hazard, as you swing them around you while not being able to see them. I've tried using index controllers wired to a power bank I was carrying, and it wasn't good.

First thing I did to my Xbox controller: I got a Li-ion battery because I don't always have AA batteries around and recharging NIMH takes forever.

What's wrong with connecting a charge cable to your controller? It does not stop you from gaming.

Hard pass on AA, but having a 21700 would be great: Epic battery life but it's still standardized and swappable. I'd even take 18650s.

Just have replaceable Li-ion batteries.

Meh. As long as the lithium battery is as easy to replace as it was to perform other Steam Controller repairs, it shouldn't be a big deal.

Think about how many AA batteries will end up in a landfill over the lifetime of the controller VS the typical lifetime of the lithium battery. The AA batteries lose every time.

Think of it like this: You can replace the battery once every two years (if the controller lasts that long in your sweaty ass hands 🤣) or you can replace the batteries every month... 24 times, adding 48-96 batteries to the landfill in that time.

Reading these comments, I have to say that a number of users of this community have very strong views on batteries.

Like, I would not have expected as many people to get upset as did in a discussion over batteries.

I own an 8BitDo SN30 Pro+ controller that has a neat feature: It comes with a rechargeable battery back that is user replaceable via a simple back cover, but regular AA batteries can also be used in the same slot instead.

Kinda like an Xbox controller, except that the rechargeable battery was actually included instead of being a separate purchase, and no adapter is needed for either battery types.

I don't want to have to pay a subscription for physical disposable fuel pods for my controller, and it would be really nice if plugging it in cut down on input delay.

In a world where every household has rechargeable AA batteries, absolutely - but until and unless we successfully regulate away disposable batteries this solution (internal battery, easy to replace thanks to Right to Repair) will likely remain the most realistic, environmentally friendly one.

All my Xbox360 controllers still work fine, but none of my PS3' Dualshock 3s.

The Steam Controller battery is user replaceable. It's not AA "pop it out and throw a new one in from the charger" like a Logitech F710, but you can open the back cover and replace the battery.

Disagree. I bought the rechargeable replacement for all my xbox controllers. When those wore out, after years, I just replaced them with another rechargeable. Too Easy. I think you are making a mountain out of a mole hill.