Steam Deck Trackpads: Why you think they suck, and HOW to make them BETTER than sticks! 

Really good in-depth video you got here! Thanks for featuring my guides as well, much appreciated :)

Honestly the trackpads are great for me, I use them all the time as additional buttons in some games, it really makes the SteamDeck not replaceable for me

sick video, bro. I was curious about noita specifically so seeing you delve into it like this was a treat! Can't wait to get darktide running like this

Track pads are extremely convenient especially when your in desktop mode. Don't have to bring out a mouse for a small task like move a file. I also found it really helpful in some games for example Rimworld.

Great stuff. Love and blessings!

Wow, that’s a really cool idea. I’m using trackpads mostly for non-controller games or for menus (could be quite powerful even in strategies, where you can map 16-20 buttons where your left hand usually lies on keyboard) or for minimap, but this is something new

Will have to try this when my deck arrives. 🙏

Honestly I play a lot of games with the trackpads, I think they are great for some kind of games that you need to use a mouse. There was a learning curve at first, but now I like them a lot.

You are so right! I wish steam input had some sort of "Wizard" mode for setting up archetypes of controller for the game: for example you'd select in the wizard "fps" and set up the track pad using on screen info or something. I feel there's should be some sort of quick setup control with some help from the steam input.

That is a very interesting video. I am a long time user of steam controller which I love. I will need to check left trigger shooting.

I just want to know how do I set up trackpads as hotkey. On hotkey function it's not letting me input not the left or right trackpad.

Trackpads are the main reason why I have a steamdeck over other portable consoles. Yes, I play games that primarily use a mouse input (top down games/rts, card games, point and clicks, etc). But even for shooters, I find myself lifting off the analog stick, and using the trackpad for precision moments. Honestly, I cannot see the sticks ever coming close, because I can just snap onto a target with pads. It's no mouse, but it's the fastest aiming I can think of while playing standing. I think it can be improved further too. So far, none of the other devices are interested in offering anything similar.

I tend to use them as radial menus and an alternate D-pad, turn off 8 way directionals and use 4 way and its works well for it

I thought I might not like them much upon getting my Deck a few weeks ago, but now I like them more than I could have expected. I am so glad I didn't get the Legion Go, Ally or any other handheld because the Deck Oled is just amazing and cool to use them in Warframe for right touch pad aim and left is for abilty swipes (operator is click). The customization is one of the best things about the Deck.

Really great vid thanks, can i quickly ask, the settings you show in the vid for full screen mouse region, are they the settings that will work for the sd oled? Thanks

I find what puts a lot of strain on my hand is a tendency to "hover" the thumb over the trackpad, so only its tip will touch the pad. With the stick, you can rest your whole thumb on it. Maybe it's a matter of building up some muscles in the right spots, or developing the habit of a more relaxed thumb. Anyhow, I can't play these games with a stick for the life of me, so these tips definitely help. It's so great the steam deck allows remapping controls like you want, that way we're not at the mercy of each game's config options and what it lets us remap.

Tracks on Desktop Mode are a God sent. I can't imagine not using them. Even in gaming mode its easier to navigate with them during a gameplay, like, in the menus etc.

For a big part of my life smartphones were the only access to video games to me, particularly a mobile one. As part of that i learned touch controls whilst not really ever having used controllers much, especially not for shooter games. Steam deck having touch controls is an immense selling point, as it allows me to play most of the games/genres i like or prefer with a kb/m. Though i only did get it a few days ago so i still have a lot of ways to go before i feel comfortable using the device as a whole.

I'm playing Magicka (an action-adventure game) on the Steam Deck and the trackpads vastly enhance the gameplay. Touch Menus with cascading menus with more than 30 items, each of which are input sequences, all powered by the trackpad. So the trackpads are awesome even in games other than FPS, TPS and RTS games.

Playing cyberpunk with the old steam controller using trackpad and gyro was a gamechanger. I have not gotten my steam deck tuned up for trackpad paly as of yet. Curious if the new OLED model has improved trackpad gameplay. I have not heard reviewers mention this.

interesting notes about the trackpads. im developing a topdown 2D game and trying to figure out how to best incorporate the steam decks controls natively. im struggling to choose between a twinstick or singlestick style because I need the other stick for camera movement... will have to play around with some setups

The thing is, with the easy to implement gyro controls I've never felt the need to explore calibrating the track pads. I think I might give it a try though for some games.

One thing people underestimate is the use of the magnifier. I like cRPGs, which require some mouse precision. I set the right trackpad click to 'Toggle Magnifier", lower the sensitivity and use your triggers configuration, and that allows for great precision. It works great for that genre, but also old school adventure games, point and click games, turn based, etc.

Even though gyro is my primary use for 3d camera and cursor based games, I really do like combining it with the trackpads. I also love using the trackpads for the touch menus as they're really great at quickly selecting weapon or other things.

The cross technique you're talking about is pretty much what people on mobile games have done during pubg when it was in its prime and also available on mobile, when I play some shooter on mobile I keep my left hand for shoot and move while my right hand thumb for moving camera

I play Brutal DooM 1+2, DooM (2016) with left stick for movement, left trigger for shooting, right trackpad in 1to1 mouse style for aiming on the Deck. Best replacement for mouse & keyboard.

I can't imagine playing an FPS game on a handheld without trackpads.

i remember using the steam controller with DOOM 2016 way back, and I got almost or just as good precision than I would with a keyboard and mouse.

wow thank you for this insight.. i used right trigger all the time while using right thumb for aiming and i sucked and mostly abandon the games.. i should try left trigger for shooting

I realy love flickstick on steam deck. The joystick on the right are toutch sensitive and i use that to turn on/off the gyro so i can re-center the camera. I used to use the gyro and the touch pads, but having no way to turn off gyro was a pain and i ended up to prefear to just use the touch pads. Like you i prefear to shot using the left trigers. I started to use the left side to shoot when i was left without the PC and started to play CoD mobile. On the phone shoting and aiming with the right hand was a big pain to get a good aim, so i switch there and after to my controler settup. I still prefear keyboard and mouse , then Gyro-Flickstick if the game can support it and then the touch pad... no way in hell i can aim using the "normal" joystick way as a PC player for the entire life.

I’ve been using the trackpads for shooters and they’re fucking amazing. I used to use the steam controller very often, essentially gyro aim turned on when my thumb is on the trackpad (generally the official mapping) and then the trackpad set to max sensitivity so that you can make big movements very easily, like turning around. I’ve been doing the same on the deck. One cool thing is the sticks on the deck are capacitive and can detect whether your finger is on them, so you can still map “turn gyro on” to when your thumb is on the stick. I used this for a while too and it was very cool, but using the stick for big turns felt less precise, and also, pressing the trackpad in is far easier than pressing the right stick. So I tend to gravitate towards that, even aside from just being used to the steam controller. Love that the right stick is an option though, and who knows, it might be better in some shooters So happy with the deck. It’s everything I was hoping for in terms of controls. One small unfortunate thing is the lack of a click at the end of the trigger pull like on the steam controller. The haptics are a decent enough compromise I guess lol. Just a tiny Steam Deck 2 change I’d like to see

I use the trackpads quite a lot. I use them for any first person game as mouse. I think gamepad + mouse should be a default template to choose fore games, with R4+R5 as left and right mouse button.

What I like about the Steam Deck is trackpad and flick stick don't necessarily have to be an either/or thing either. In games that handle mixed-input well such as OW you could have 3 inputs: - flick stick with the analog stick - trackpad as mouse - gyro to mouse I'm not sure if the flick stick set up is actually useful there, but you could have it if you wanted to without giving up on the benefits of the trackpad+gyro.

Problems with Steam Input are likely the biggest reasons why people have a bad experience trying to use the Touchpads on the Deck. The Steam Controller is much more responsive using third party mappers which makes using the Touchpads easier. Going dual Touchpad works well. Also, Steam Input cannot reach max output to a virtual X360 joystick so mapping Touchpad to Joystick would feel a bit slow in many games.

What are the 2D shooters used in this video? I recognize Hotline Miami, but the first one I could not name.

I find the trackpads are super useful for desktop mode and emulators, plus the options screens for many old PC games. Personally I prefer gyro + right joystick for most games where aiming is needed. I definitely wouldn’t want Valve to take them away, though they’re much better than trying to use the touch screen for mouse input.

You’d like the Steam controller if you haven’t already tried it. I generally use my m&k setup, but m&k setups feel very clunky when I’m playing games in my theater room, so the SC is a great alternative cause it feels pretty similar to m&k without needing lots of space or a lap desk.

How do you push the trackpad without moving the cursor. That is my #1 complaint

Track pad + gyro is what makes the steam controller and steam deck AS GOOD AS (not better but as good as) A mouse. Hands down you are gimping yourself if you don't use the trackpad. Plus the pads don't wear out so they even work out to be better than sticks. Also for 31:50 I tend to always use trackball mode with medium acceleration for everything, as the way I use it, my track pad is for wide turns and getting me to the general spot I need to aim, then they gyro is there for fine point aiming.

they are also great with radial menus but I just wish for a better way to share them

I've been neglecting the trackpads a lot, maybe I should try them more. I do use the gyro though, and the way I usually do it is to disable vertical output from the right joystick, so I just the joystick for rapid turning. And then I do the precise aiming (including all of the vertical movement) with the gyro.

Dude desktop mode I use all the time like have too. And curtain games it’s completely useful and it’s an extra feature to add extra functionality that you can custom.

I loved the trackpads on Steam Controller, on Steam Deck I use them for touch menus because their placement is too awkward to use them instead of thumbsticks

The only thing that prevented me from upgrading to the ally, was the lack of the trackpad, Windows system with joystick only? Bad experience

Trackpads are best used for gyro stopping buttons. Touch response is faster than any button.

I love them. A big reason why I would not buy any alternative handheld (rog or Lenovo)

Mouse Region. Yes! Everyone complaining that the steam controller could never play 2d twin stick shooters due to lacking a right stick... Mouse Region is the answer. Always has been. Glad to see yet another person get to 360/swipe on the trackpad as mouse. There are (less than) dozens of us! It tends to be too fast for most, even the average steam controller user does 180/swipe... But man once you get the hang lf 360/swipe its incredible. The new gyro to mouse mode being "flickstick centric" is actually a good thing. I'll be having a guide video coming out soon on the entire mode, but its easier to set up than you might think and makes dialing in a desired sensitivity much more consistent across games.

I like the Joystick + gyro combo more. Joystick for smooth steady aim in one direction and gyro makes the rest. feels like i have the advantages of low and high sens mouse aim at once.

No, I really love it.

As a big fan of the trackpads on the Steam Deck, I think they have two major hurdles that I'm not sure how they could overcome; the extensive configuration process that makes them feel like they'll never be for anything but power users, and their complete lack of any purpose for games that have fantastic controller support/configurations. For example, I played through Dark Souls 2, 3, and Elden Ring on the Steam Deck, and I could not for the life of me think of anything the trackpads can do that those games' regular control layouts can't do better(actually, there's something for Elden Ring with the left trackpad and the quick use item menu thing, but regardless). I remember seeing someone a while ago say that dodging works well on trackpad press, and after trying it, I *respectfully* disagree with that person, but anyway; that is my personal experience as someone that *already* likes the trackpads and likes to try using them in different situations. If someone has already decided that they don't like the trackpads, they're likely not going to go out of their way to spend 20 minutes configuring and fine-tuning a perfect layout for something they might actually just never like anyway. It's not only a subjective thing, but a subjective thing that people have to put real *effort* into, and even though their experience after getting past that hurdle could be vastly improved, I think a lot of people will just take that possible loss and stick to what they already know. That being said, I completely 100% agree with you that Valve has made the user experience of setting up the trackpads(alongside different things in SteamInput) *very* poor, and I can't help but think that the reason it's so bad is because of the "power user" nature of it all; why spend time and effort fixing up something that most people aren't even using anyway? In my time with the Steam Deck, I have noticed some pretty bad/annoying issues with SteamInput, and although most of them are fixed now, I got my Steam Deck several months after it started shipping and they were fixed months after *that*. I would like more people to try giving the trackpads a chance--I think once you enjoy using them, it gives the Steam Deck a level of flexibility that makes even other handheld PCs feel irrelevant--but still, I'm not sure how many people would actually be willing to go through that effort.

The best use case of steaminput for me is to use modeshift on stick or thumbpad as ABXY button and completely ignore real physical ABXY buttons, it now works like playing with m/kb where you have your hand on controlling camera all the time. I use back buttons for other stuffs instead, like toggling lower sensitivity for more precise aiming. After getting used to use both thumbpads for movement and camera control I kinda wish to have a Deck that doesn't have a stick at all, which will enable the deck to fit into any bag since you don't have to worry about damaging the sticks, maybe I could manually change both sticks to flat buttons if I have 3D printer, or someone could make and sell it.

I downloaded a controller lay out where the left track-pad was used as a mouse wheel to zoom in and out by drawing a circle on the pad. I didn't even realize that was an option. Go clockwise zooms in and counterclockwise to zoom out is better than using two buttons because I can go from totally zoomed in to zoom out more quickly. If you want to play only console games then track pads are not useful but I'm a PC gamer because PC has the most variety of games.

I love the trackpads for playing planet coaster

They good thing about track pads is that theres a lot of REALLY good controller configs where people who know how to set them up well have already done the work for you

As someone who uses the steam deck for older games. The track pads are a necessity. Even if its just to navigate a menu. I use them all the damn time

I use trackpads almost all the time. If not else, it's really handy to use onscreen menu and trigger keypresses etc. from that osd menu. Like I hated Jagged Alliance 3 controller layout, so I just disabled controller for it and made completely custom controls for it. If deck wouldn't have had them, I'd never would have bought it. I already liked Steam Controller and SD is improvement on it.

Typing with the trackpads is an absolutely A+ user experience. Don't use them for games though at all.

Now let him tell me how he hides his katana, guiding wind, gestures, etc. in Tsushima.

I played the original EverQuest for 6 and a half YEARS and did HARDCORE raiding for over 5 of those years all on a laptop using the trackpad. It was actually awkward for me ro switch over to a mouse once i got my first desktop

I also use left trigger to fire, and other side-flipped controls, and it frustrates me to have to flip everything manually when I download someone's otherwise-intuitive control scheme. It'd be nice if they'd put a "flip side" quick button in for all of the symmetrical controls. Get on it, Valve.

No clue why people hate the trackpads. When I got my deck first thing I did was install portal 2. "Eww, stick aiming is wurse than I remember in this game, what if I move my thumb to the trackpad. Omg I can actually hit these flicks now"

Good video overall. Your video appeared on my feed, so here I'm engaging :) But you are making the same mistake as the other people you are trying to correct. The biggest point of the Steam Input is that you can configure as you want. I do agree that some options are obscure and require trial and error to understand, Valve could definitively do a better job explaining what each option does. When you start saying that something should be used in this or that way is when you lose it. The problem is that most people will not have the same will to learn a new control schema when the old still works well (even if it does a poor job). Example: Flick-stick, in my opinion, is a revolution on aim control but it does require an open mind and will to learn. It WILL be frustrating on the start. As a user of Steam Controller as much as I can (to the point that if I cannot lunch a game through Steam and use Steam input I think twice about playing it if it requires controller) I think track-pads are an evolution, however I don't think we can say how is the "right" or "wrong" way to use them yet. Not everyone remember how they felt the first time they used a controller, or the first time they used a mouse, or the first time they used a touch screen, the first time they used a new Operating System, etc. It is strange, it is hard, it makes you want to go back to what you already know. But it is also rewarding when you finally manage to break that barrier. Yes, you can use others as base for your controls, but Steam Input is much more than that.

the channel hi-tech low-life made the best guide to steam input on youtube, he separated it in many parts to cover all the features

I think the biggest problem with the trackpads are their implementation of emulating the joysticks. Now, if you use the preview update and you use the most recent beta software for the trackpads, you may have a better time.

This video is the whole point of valve not advertising their track pads as suggested by the author - you'd have to pull your colon waaaay to much out for this to even start working more or less OK. That's not something your casual user would do. On the other hand, the game dev itself is really not ready for these use cases as it was not ready for the steam machine back in the days.

1:39 thumb for precious control on track pad thumbpad steam deck 6:52

I like using gyro, plus regular stick with flickstick at the outer edges. It is a bit tricky to setup though.

The trackpad is great at Cyberpunk 2077 and Halo Infinite.

I literally cannot play pc games on the couch without trackpad and gyro.

i still don't know how to dealing with thos issue in the game im working im working on pvp multiplayer game my game supports controller's and mouse and keyboard however because my game have split screen the option to play up to 4 players for each computer. the problem is the controler player the camera with stic it's just worse experience than mouse 🖱 mix buttons desen't work because the player 1 is the keyboard and mouse and the controller is the second player on the same computer as for gyro scope wail be nice idea to add this as option i have 0 idea how to implement this as options i know that i will add full contoler customization and may add option to make mix button if you wand but even if add mix buttons support the still don't fix the aiming issue that i mention the only viable option to play 4 player with same computer with split screen is to add the option at least 3 off the player to use controller's 🎮 ther is not a better way to dealing with that. because add mice's and keyboard's it not something im award how to do that even if i know that is theoretically possible on the other hand play split screen with 4 player's is nice edition in my game even some the player have worse aiming is still better experience for not play at all and my game i will have the option to play with networking and split screen at the same time that means in theory you will able up to play 8 players with two computers wean i manage to do that so what can do for the control in my game do you have eny segments? enway my game is vary far for finish it still in working progress and haven't make the shooting and networking wet it may be to soon for thing about stuff like that but still am aware issue like thos exit and i have 0 idea how to dealing with thos issue.

Only thing i dislike about the trackpads is that if I hit the corners or close it jumps anywhere

Somehow I think you're blowing hot air with that opinion. the trackpads are one of the most useful features on the deck on both SteamOS and Windows.

Please do not clickbait. thank you.

These trackpads work so well that I will never buy another handheld that doesn't have one. This is the first time I've been able to play a first-person shooter on a console because I don't have to aim with those stupid sticks anymore.👍 No matter how fast this Asus thing is and even if it cures cancer...it's useless because it doesn't have trackpads^^

These discussions about "how should we REALLY be controlling our guns?" is so meta...

CHRIST SAKE. They really need to put a tutorial about what each of the Steam Input types are. I had no idea what Mouse Region did until this video. God dammit. And this coming from someone whos been using Joystick Mouse and Gyro mouse since Steam Controller.

Trackpads are too fine. They give me anxiety. Slight touch and the arrow goes mental

Who thinks trackpads are useless? No one that has a steam deck.

I don’t like the track pass cause they feel like sand paper. It makes my spine curl.

Me when I lie:

They suck! When is desktop mode, moving about, grabs icons and drags things and what not.... there's probably a way to tune them but I haven't found that setting yet... basically they are unusable.

Man you have PhD in inputs.

You make them better by replacing them with the superior Steam Controller trackpads.

Nothing can beat..THE NUB!

talk to me about trackpad aiming when you can land more than 25% of your shots. that quake 2 gameplay made my ancestors cringe t. gyro god

Wow 😂😂😂😂

as a PC gamer, who basically hate controllers for my whole life... having this trackpad it's huge! I can play all my pc games on it, without having to use the damn controller for games that I need speed. the other guys at asus don't get it... but that's why I picked the deck

I can imagine how stupid one looks who thinks the trackpads suck. No way going forward, can't imagine a next gen Deck without trackpads, God forbid. I even stopped wanting anything else, no piece of hardware would satisfy needs and all needs are indeed satisfied. Bought a dualsense for when playing docked but because it has trackpad and gyro. I like the Xbox controller much more but trackpad and gyro is just unbeatable, even though the trackpad on dualsense is unfortunatelly almost unusable because of it's awful placement and stiffness.

Who the fuck said they are not as good as the sticks? Just take your time and test every option it offers for customization because they are almost on par with a mouse. I cant even play an fps game without track pad the stick is just too imprecise.

all I hear is skill issue😂💀

I don't care about track pads

Im gona unrecommend your Chanel

For me, I use the trackpads for on-screen menus in emulators, CRPGS or for pointer movement in "mouse games". But most importantly in FPS games... IT IS FAR SUPERIOR to thumbsticks... I set mine up as "mouse", and make it to cover 45 degrees when going left to right on the trackpads (without lifting your thumb). and then I have trackball friction set to high. That way the precision is fantastic, and it's easy to adapt your muscle memory to the motion, and due to trackball motion I can easily flick the thumbstick left to right and quite accurately do a 180 turn within no time at all. In comparison the linear motion of thumbsticks in make me feel severely handicapped. Turning 180 degrees take forever, accuracy is poor, and motion can't be taught into muscle memory... Dual thumbsticks WAS ALWAYS a huge compromise from mouse+keyboard... The trackpads and gyro is actually the first thing that make FPS game truly viable without handicapping the player or making them rely on auto-aim.