When comparing Logitech Gamepad F710 vs Steam Controller, the Slant community recommends Logitech Gamepad F710 for most people. In the question“What are the best PC gaming controllers?” Logitech Gamepad F710 is ranked 4th while Steam Controller is ranked 7th. The most important reason people chose Logitech Gamepad F710 is:
The F710 is larger than a PS3 controller, which makes it more comfortable for people with large hands.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Good for large hands
The F710 is larger than a PS3 controller, which makes it more comfortable for people with large hands.
Pro Easily replaced batteries
The controller takes two AA batteries to power it, which are easy to find in the store as well as easy to replace in the device itself due to an accessible battery door on the back.
Pro Force feedback
Unlike the cheaper cousin to this controller (the F310), there is included in this controller a vibrating function that works out of the box with any games that support force feedback.
Pro Wireless out of the box
The F710 comes with a wireless adapter, so there is no need to spend any extra money in order to get wireless working between the PC and controller.
Pro Hardware switch for DirectInput and XInput
Features a DirectInput<->XInput switch on the back, without requiring a software solution to emulate either input mode.
Pro Works out of the box with Windows and Linux
Plug and play, the controller works seamlessly with Windows and any games that have Xbox 360 gamepad support. No third-party software is needed.
Pro Developed specifically for PC games
The trackpads built into the controller make it simple to play certain games that would otherwise be impossible with a controller, such as Civilization and Cities: Skylines.
Pro Integrates well with Steam
Considering this is a controller designed by Valve, it should come as no surprise that the integration with Steam is quite good. The user can easily launch into Big Picture mode straight from the controller for ease of use. The controller is plug and play, so there is little to mess around with in order to get going. For those that would like to customize the button layout, Steam allows for this in their settings.
Pro Good battery life
A user can get around 80 hours of play out of a single charge on the device, which is a considerable amount of playtime. This frees the player up from having to constantly worry if their controller is charge on every use.
Pro Good mouse emulation
Some games don't support joysticks and you need to use a mouse. Joysticks are very poor at emulating a mouse, but the touchpads on the Steam controller do a much better job.
Pro Can also be used as a remote control
Since it emulates mouse and keyboard you can also use it as a remote.
Pro Comes with a wireless receiver
Comes with a wireless receiver to to avoid most of the Bluetooth issues.
Pro Professional use
You can assign the buttons to macros or shortcuts for other apps, such as the Adobe Creative Suite.
Pro Extremely flexible
Custom configurations for various apps allow it to be used in a massive variety of settings.
Cons
Con Does not support USB charging
There is no rechargeable battery with this device, it takes AA batteries, which will have to be replaced anytime the controller runs out of power. This may be inconvenient for those that are used to plugging in their controllers to a USB to charge.
Con Proprietary Wireless solution
The controller uses an unfree protocol so you can not connect it over the bluetooth standard
Con Poor d-pad
The NW/NE and SW/SE directions on the d-pad feel a bit wonky as they do not always register or register with a delay. The controls for the d-pad almost feel lie it is meant to be a four way d-pad over and eight way. Definitely is not one of the better d=pads out there and may be a hinderance in games that require good d-pad control.
Con Can't use two on the same system
If you try to use two controllers on the same system, even with two dongles, they will register as the same controller.
Con Doesn't officially support Windows 10
The F710's connection on Windows 10 has been hit-or-miss. No drivers are available specifically for W10, and Logitech support doesn't provide anything that works.
Con Only for Steam games
Most features won't work without Steam.
Con Feels cheap
The controller does not have much weight or heft to it and the entire things is made out of light plastic giving it a cheap feel, something akin to a $20 controller for one Android or iOS device. The face buttons on the device are also small, with the shoulder buttons feeling stiff. Overall the lack of attention to detail with the buttons and the overall feel of cheap material gives a sense that this is not the most well designed or thought out controller on the market.
Con Emulated joystick on trackpad difficult to use
Con No D-Pad
No D-pad here.
Con Non-rechargeable
Needs two AA alkaline batteries.
Con No vibration motor
There is only an option to emulate force feedback with the haptic motor however its not strong enough to create a real vibration.
Con Small buttons
The ABXY buttons are very, very small, and positioned in an area that feels awkward, especially when compared to the XBOX or even the four buttons on a PS4.
Con Not as accurate as keyboard and mouse
The touchpads on the device are designed to emulate a mouse when playing games, but they are not as accurate and will at times require a lot of swipes in order to just turn a character around or even just look around. This lack of accuracy and delay in how long it takes to get the movement required may be difficult to get used to.