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Scorcher24 Mar 5, 2015 @ 4:36pm
Why no charge over USB?
Current specs say it cannot be charged over USB, even if you use rechargeable batteries.
Why?

I would even like it to come with a rechargeable pack inside and then just charge it via USB...
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Showing 1-15 of 25 comments
blobjim Mar 5, 2015 @ 5:06pm 
Good question
#1
Chrome Dragon Mar 5, 2015 @ 5:11pm 
The ability to flip a switch and charge nickel-hydride batteries over USB would be a pretty slick feature.

Also, I desperately hope this is going to be rocking a USB type C plug.
#2
GRIM Sep 2, 2015 @ 4:40am 
Agreed, i want type C but I think that would have to be USB 3.1+ - I want a play and charge kit - Xbox One (or basically a built in battery like PS4) option
#3
wingedrayeth Sep 2, 2015 @ 8:04pm 
You can't charge it over USB because the controller has no way of telling if you put in a pair of NIMH batteies, or if you put in a pair of alkaline batteries. If it tried to charge the alialines, they could burst or catch fire. And, as has been mentioned many times before, they went with AA batteries because a battery pack would increase the cost of the controller.
#4
zukakog Oct 30, 2015 @ 8:40pm 
My Logitech G700s mouse charges over usb if you have a rechargeable battery. I've used it with regular alkalines before too. It didn't charge them, but it also didn't explode. Heck, they don't even provide a warning against it. I'm glad they went with AA's, but I'd love charge over USB too.
#5
pixel wolf dog :3 Oct 30, 2015 @ 9:06pm 
They don't want someone to try to charge regular batteries with it. The two main things are more than likely liability and price point. First, they don't want to pay someone who gets hurt. Secondly, this is a 50 dollar controller, a bit cheaper compared to the list price of the G700s that zukakog mentioned, which is 100 dollars.

They are already cramming years of research and 2 touch pads into the price of the controller so they probably aren't making a huge profit off of it.
#6
magmoose Oct 30, 2015 @ 10:58pm 
Originally posted by Scorcher24:
Current specs say it cannot be charged over USB, even if you use rechargeable batteries.
Why?

I would even like it to come with a rechargeable pack inside and then just charge it via USB...
i think they might eventually make soe form of plug and play thing like on the xbox1 and 360 how you ahve rechargables. but they are more tahn likely doing the basic battery powered controller because more than likely they tried rechargables built in and it didnt work right or just went completely wrong. its their first controller haha thats like complaining that a PS1 controller was wired lol
#7
God Ginrai Oct 31, 2015 @ 12:24am 
Originally posted by Chrome Dragon:
The ability to flip a switch and charge nickel-hydride batteries over USB would be a pretty slick feature.

Also, I desperately hope this is going to be rocking a USB type C plug.


Originally posted by wingedrayeth:
You can't charge it over USB because the controller has no way of telling if you put in a pair of NIMH batteies, or if you put in a pair of alkaline batteries. If it tried to charge the alialines, they could burst or catch fire. And, as has been mentioned many times before, they went with AA batteries because a battery pack would increase the cost of the controller.


Originally posted by brandonforty2:
They don't want someone to try to charge regular batteries with it. The two main things are more than likely liability and price point. First, they don't want to pay someone who gets hurt. Secondly, this is a 50 dollar controller, a bit cheaper compared to the list price of the G700s that zukakog mentioned, which is 100 dollars.

They are already cramming years of research and 2 touch pads into the price of the controller so they probably aren't making a huge profit off of it.


^ To all of the above. This is not a problem. The aforementioned Logitech Mouse, as well as the Razer Ouroboros can charge NiMH AAs or use regular alkalines just fine. The fact that the Steam controller does not have this is not due to some limitation, but a design oversight.
#8
Knight Oct 31, 2015 @ 1:59am 
A chinese cheap controller
#9
Alexander Prime Oct 31, 2015 @ 3:29am 
@God Ginrai, I think calling it an "oversight" is going a bit far. Just because it's possible doesn't mean it's cheap or easy.

Does anyone know how the charger works in the mentioned devices?
#10
Scorcher24 Oct 31, 2015 @ 4:30am 
Originally posted by Alexander Prime:
Does anyone know how the charger works in the mentioned devices?
Most rechargeable batteries have 1.2V instead of 1.5V. That would be easy to measure as long as the battery is not flat, as in dead flat, which means it had been unloaded too much to be able to recharge it. But then no device can load it, except some pro hardware.
Last edited by Scorcher24; Oct 31, 2015 @ 4:30am
#11
4u7umn05 Oct 31, 2015 @ 5:03am 
Originally posted by zukakog:
My Logitech G700s mouse charges over usb if you have a rechargeable battery. I've used it with regular alkalines before too. It didn't charge them, but it also didn't explode. Heck, they don't even provide a warning against it. I'm glad they went with AA's, but I'd love charge over USB too.
I do believe the g700s actually warns to not put any non NiMH battery in the mouse on the information page.
#12
hong_kong_english39 Oct 31, 2015 @ 5:34am 
Originally posted by 4u7umn05:
Originally posted by zukakog:
My Logitech G700s mouse charges over usb if you have a rechargeable battery. I've used it with regular alkalines before too. It didn't charge them, but it also didn't explode. Heck, they don't even provide a warning against it. I'm glad they went with AA's, but I'd love charge over USB too.
I do believe the g700s actually warns to not put any non NiMH battery in the mouse on the information page.
Maybe it does and maybe it does not,i cant be bothered to look but i do know that my G700S happily uses none rechargeable's as i have used them in the past when my NiMH have failed.

And my G700s is well over 3y old now and has not suffered in the least.
#13
Phishfood Oct 31, 2015 @ 5:56am 
The current setup is fine I think. The ability to bring your controllers charge from 0% to 100% in a brief moment just by swapping out the batteries works best.

Best setup is you have a set of rechargable batteries on backup and you just swap them out and then charge the empty ones in your standalone charger.
#14
madjr Oct 31, 2015 @ 9:41am 
Even the $150 Xbox elite wireless comes with AAs... and note that the batteries do last a long time as mentioned here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI8L5FGmDGs
Last edited by madjr; Oct 31, 2015 @ 9:41am
#15
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Steam Controller > General Discussions > Topic Details
Date Posted: Mar 5, 2015 @ 4:36pm
Posts: 25

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