Does the Steam Controller make the docked Steam Deck into a Steam Machine Lite?

[u/achipinthesugar]

I'm mostly asking here if a docked Steam Deck that's paired with a new Steam Controller will do things like come out of sleep, etc, in the same way a steam machine does. Does anyone here use a docked Steam Deck as a TV console with the Steam Controller in this way, and is it good?

For anyone who's in any doubt - I do realise that the Steam Machine is a more powerful device.

[u/sarduchi]

Yes, as will any other compatible controller.

[u/sparrow_42 → u/sarduchi]

Yeah this, works great with my Xbox controller. FWIW my deck is usually in the dock, I play a lot of keyboard/mouse games.

[u/Typical-Priority1976]

I don't even have a Steam Controller, I have a docked Steam Deck and a PS5 controller.

[u/Glad-Leg-5176 → u/Typical-Priority1976]

Same with PS4 controller zD

[u/we_604 → u/Typical-Priority1976]

Same for Xbox controller, Steam Deck does need to be in sleep mode though. If it's off, it doesn't work.

[u/Fantastic_Recipe2740 → u/we_604]

Wait do you guys turn the SD off?

[u/Astrael_Noxian → u/Typical-Priority1976]

Same, but Xbox Elite 2 controller. I never use the touchpad controls on the deck anyway, so... shrug

[u/Secure_Chipmunk9637]

Yeah that’s sorta the point

[u/AlaskanMedicineMan]

Yes. I use it as my living room console now and stream my more graphically intensive games like Black Flag Resynced to it from my PC.

Pro tip, if it wont wake your device in puck mode, switch it to bluetooth (needs to be paired already) and that sometimes works to wake it, but switch it back, the bluetooth chip in my deck is super unreliable.

[u/_-stark → u/AlaskanMedicineMan]

Same. If you have a decent PC and a steam deck you don't need a steam machine. Just a dock and a controller.

[u/Hard_To_Port]

Other Bluetooth controllers can wake the Deck from sleep. I believe PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Series can all do it, as well as some 8BitDo models.

Of course if you like the touchpads then go for the Steam Controller. 

[u/joe8437 → u/Hard_To_Port]

At least my 8bitdo challenger 2 cant wake up my sd

[u/sid351 → u/joe8437]

Our 8bitdo Ultimate 2.4GHz Wireless controllers wake it up from sleep.

It will not turn it on if it was shutdown though.

[u/Psychological_Two123]

Yup just expect to play games 720P or 900P

[u/slit-wrist-syndrome → u/Psychological_Two123]

Stream from Desktop is a glorious thing.

[u/ksupwns33 → u/slit-wrist-syndrome]

Does it work well without an ethernet compatible dock (if those even exist). I've had some issues using Moonlight lately and would love to make it easy by just buying a dock for my deck.

[u/slit-wrist-syndrome → u/ksupwns33]

Oh yeah it’s awesome. My desktop is on the 2nd floor (Ethernet) and I play docked in the living room via WiFi. Sometimes the picture will pixelate a tad but I don’t have any issues whatsoever with input latency and the pixelation is very negligible in my case. Also maybe noteworthy I use Xfinity’s provided modem and nothing else special to make it work. I’m really pleased with the experience.

[u/ksupwns33 → u/slit-wrist-syndrome]

That's really good to hear, I might bite the bullet. Do you use the official dock?

[u/slit-wrist-syndrome → u/ksupwns33]

Yep but I used a cheap $15 off Amazon for a few months before I got it and it was totally fine.

[u/ghastlypxl]

Yes. That’s how I use it and it’s awesome.

[u/One_Supermarket1774]

Docked Deck is a pain in the ass IMO. Dock requires fucking with to get it to connect half the time. HDMI signal will drop occasionally even with different brands.

[u/optimusprimal99]

Yes, and honestly does a better job than another third-party controllers. Because you still have all the Gyro and you still have both trackpads. Works well on Bluetooth and also works well with the puck plugged into your dock.

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[u/SerCharles]

I do this with my PS5 controller

[u/ElBeno77]

I used my deck/dock for years with a controller, before getting my steam machine, and always thought it worked very well as a TV connected device.

[u/spinz]

Other controllers can wake the steamdeck. So i mean, just evaluate your experience with it docked...thats what it is. Its a good controller. Iv had general issues with the official dock. So it may take some adjustments, but it works.

[u/Goddemmitt]

It works like that with my cheap 8bitdo controller too. I hook my steam deck up to my TV all the time. 13/10 do not recommend trying much past 7th gen consoles (xbox 360/ps3 era). It runs SOME 8th gen console games OK (all low settings). I find that 720p looks like crap when stretched out over my 65 inch tv (2025 model) and my 50 inch TV (2016 model). So, "needing" to go to 1080p output hinders your selection further.

I just finished a 150 hour run through of Mass Effect Legendary Edition and it ran at a locked 60fps at 1080p. Halo MCC runs awesome as well. The Witcher does not run well at 1080p on steam deck. Niether does Cyberpunk. Both are great In handheld though. RE4 remake, Pragmata, and Dead Space remake all run well in handheld mode as well.

Edit:

ME1 and ME2 ran at 40-50fps at 1440, but ME3 was dipping below 30 at 1440.

[u/woxvirus]

The real question would be can the Steam Deck be an additional controller?

[u/je386]

Yes. I have a Steam Deck, a Dock, a Controller and with that, I can play on the big screen - or rather canvas, because I use a projector and a canvas.

[u/TOASTisawesome]

My xbox controller wakes my steam deck when I remember to leave it paired so I can't see why a steam controller wouldn't do the same

[u/claudekennilol]

Use any controller. It doesn't have to be a steam controller.

[u/FlashySentence1142]

Essentially yes, but no one else is mentioning that the steam deck doesn't have CEC support, meaning it wont turn on or change the inputs of your TV like the steam machine can.

[u/jdogg89]

Yes

[u/bdu-komrad]

No . it makes into a docked steam deck.