NEW CONTROLLER a few differences

[cammelspit]

Last time I got a new controller was when I bought my second for my son and I detailed a few very tiny changes to the controller that may have all been in my imagination. Well, I just opened our third controller, this one for my wife. Now, the board revision is still Rev10, just like my son's controller while mine is Rev9. Rev10 controllers seem to get almost exactly an hour to and hour and a half better battery life because of their cutoff voltage, measured by myself, is ever so slightly lower than the REV9 controllers. There is one BIG difference here with this brand new Steam Controller. The left pad has a very different 'plus' on it. The indent itself is MUCH shallower than either of the other controllers and it has been increased in size by a small amount. I have put the colored controller's pad protectors on all of the controllers and with the older two, you can still make out the plus by feel but it's flattened out some. The new controller, it's hard to see the plus even in angled light. Makes me wonder why this was changed. Does it make it easier to manufacture? Is it cheaper this way? Is this preferred that the two pads feel more similar? Thoughts?

The haptics also sounds like they are a SLIGHT amount looser, more rattly. Not that it's a big difference but I think the tolerances have changed for the haptics. This is likely to combat those few users who have had their haptics go wonky.

Just thought you all would be interested in these slight variations.

[BlackRayPlayer]

Moral for making them might be down.

[cammelspit]

Originally posted by BlackRayPlayer:

Moral for making them might be down.

Moral? You mean Morale? Naw, it's still selling great really. I just thought us old timers might be interested in a few noticeable changes I found. Personally, I prefer the old mold for the left pads but I guess it really doesn't matter much because it is still functionally identical.

[•]

I'm interested but have nothing much to say, so I'm just a sub-bed ninja :P

[ugafan]

the haptics are a little more pronounced on my newer controller so maybe the trackpads are slightly thinner. i never noticed the difference in the left pad before and even looking at it now i don't see much. i mean maybe a little shallower, but the difference is barely perceptible. definitely not much shallower like yours. the surface of the right trackpad on the original feels a little smoother to me, but that could be due to wear from using it so much.

edit: my 2nd controller is Rev10, but not brand new. i've had it for several months. model 1001. is your brand new one from amazon?

[Cim]

Weird that they would make the cross shallower, if anything I'd like to see it more pronounced than the first revisions, not less. Maybe that's just me though?

[daaw_gees]

Originally posted by ugafan:

the haptics are a little more pronounced on my newer controller so maybe the trackpads are slightly thinner. i never noticed the difference in the left pad before and even looking at it now i don't see much. i mean maybe a little shallower, but the difference is barely perceptible. definitely not much shallower like yours. the surface of the right trackpad on the original feels a little smoother to me, but that could be due to wear from using it so much.

edit: my 2nd controller is Rev10, but not brand new. i've had it for several months. model 1001. is your brand new one from amazon?

Dude...if they drop that second zero it would be model 101. Cyberdyne systems, lol. Sorry, I had to.

[cammelspit]

Originally posted by ugafan:

the haptics are a little more pronounced on my newer controller so maybe the trackpads are slightly thinner. i never noticed the difference in the left pad before and even looking at it now i don't see much. i mean maybe a little shallower, but the difference is barely perceptible. definitely not much shallower like yours. the surface of the right trackpad on the original feels a little smoother to me, but that could be due to wear from using it so much.

edit: my 2nd controller is Rev10, but not brand new. i've had it for several months. model 1001. is your brand new one from amazon?

Slightly more pronounced, yeah... That's what it would be, that's a better way to say it. I was thinking that maybe the new controller just hasn't had a few thousand hours put into it and all the haptic craziness that entails. Though, when we got the second controller I didn't notice anything with the haptics.

Yeah, this one was from Amazon. Amazon sells so many that they have run out a few times so it is likely that this should be about the same as if it had been ordered from Valve directly.

I also feel like you are p[robably feeling the wear. My controller had worn so bad that after a year and a half, the lack of texture has finally started interfering with my gameplay. Every 360 controller I have ever used never lasted this long but it still has a finite durability in the pads. Thankfully, after putting those pad protectors on it, I have the HEX pattern on my personal controller, it has essentially restored 100% of its functionality. In fact, I think I prefer the HEX pattern over the stock pad without a protector at all. It's much rougher, by far, but with a light touch, it glides over those HEX cells like a dream. Plus, there is a much more pronounced tactile feel to it so when you move, you KNOW you are moving it.

Originally posted by Cim:

Weird that they would make the cross shallower, if anything I'd like to see it more pronounced than the first revisions, not less. Maybe that's just me though?

The plus itself is also slightly thicker. As in, it takes up a slightly larger surface area of the pad. I would be willing to put money on the fact that after testing with the shallower plus, the tactile feel was harder to detect and so they made the plus itself about 5% larger. I think it feels fine but will take a bit of getting used to because I have trained myself to know instinctively where the edges of my active areas are based on the fixed size of the plus shape.

Personally, I fear that if it were made deeper still than the older design, it could start getting in the way of actually using it, keeping smooth swipes from being as easy to perform. I know, it's not like most people use the left pad for aiming or even movement for that matter, but I use it for movement sometimes and touch menus very regularly. At least, I think this is probably what Valve was thinking. Seen so many people, especially in the beginning, that complained like crazy that the plus was too deep so I think it's why they chose this route. I can't say yet what I prefer, personally. I will have to spend some time with my wife's controller and see what I think long term.

Originally posted by daaw_gees:

Dude...if they drop that second zero it would be model 101. Cyberdyne systems, lol. Sorry, I had to.

LOL, du du du da duh dun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xjir3YSUA8

[ugafan]

so the plus on your controller and your son's controller is similar, but the the plus on the wife's controller is different? is it the same model number?

[•]

I'd like to see the photo of that trackpad but I fear it's too late, right? Like, you're already covered it...

[cammelspit]

Originally posted by ugafan:

so the plus on your controller and your son's controller is similar, but the the plus on the wife's controller is different? is it the same model number?

That is precisely what I am saying exactly. Also, yes, all of the controller have the same model number on the sticker, 1001.

Originally posted by •:

I'd like to see the photo of that trackpad but I fear it's too late, right? Like, you're already covered it...

I should have snapped a shot of it! By the time I got the third controller the other two had already had the protectors applied but it still would have been a good idea. Oh well, when the protectors wear out and I have to replace them I can try to remember, not likely tho because they should last six months or more and by then most people will have the newer pad design. Sorry about that, I should have thought about that first.

[ugafan]

Originally posted by cammelspit:

That is precisely what I am saying exactly. Also, yes, all of the controller have the same model number on the sticker, 1001.

weird stuff. you'd think if it had same rev and model number there wouldn't be differences like that.

[cammelspit]

Originally posted by ugafan:

Originally posted by cammelspit:

That is precisely what I am saying exactly. Also, yes, all of the controller have the same model number on the sticker, 1001.

weird stuff. you'd think if it had same rev and model number there wouldn't be differences like that.

I don't know, maybe the serial numbers might shed some light on things like manufacture date, lot number or maybe even a sub-revision number. OFC, I can't really go and get a few hundred or a few dozen other people serial numbers and start trying to break it all down or anything but I would suspect that there is some info like that hidden in there somewhere. I guess Valve considers this overall design to be model 1001 and maybe whatever the V2 will be would be 1002. My brother's SC is also an early wave pre-order unit so maybe I can at least compare those two serials against my son's and my wife's controllers and see if there is any rhyme or reason to it. If there is any kind of pattern I can discern then I can ask around the old friends list to try and compare more and maybe we can figure out some more information that we have. Not that it really matters or anything but it might be fun to play steam controller detective.

[•]

Oh, by the way, talking about stickers... Does anyone tried to scan QTcode on it? What info it holds up? I wonder, but my phone camera is broken :S Need some time to get wife's phone, so I'm asking for a quick response maybe?

Originally posted by ugafan:

weird stuff. you'd think if it had same rev and model number there wouldn't be differences like that.

SO! Imagine this is just press machine on assemble line getting old and can't make enough pressure :D

[cammelspit]

Originally posted by •:

Oh, by the way, talking about stickers... Does anyone tried to scan QTcode on it? What info it holds up? I wonder, but my phone camera is broken :S Need some time to get wife's phone, so I'm asking for a quick response maybe?

Originally posted by ugafan:

weird stuff. you'd think if it had same rev and model number there wouldn't be differences like that.

SO! Imagine this is just press machine on assemble line getting old and can't make enough pressure :D

It's more than the mold getting worn out. Trust me, I have seen products with worn molds many times and this is not it. I know this because the edges are also not so rounded and are actually sharper than the old ones. this is why you can still pretty easily tell where the plus is with it being shallower. If it were worn out then the edges would be more rounded not less rounded so it is intentional for sure.

[•]

That was a joke :) But, wow, thanks for info.