--- title: Every handheld copied the Steam Deck's design except for... description: Handheld gaming devices have largely copied the Steam Deck's overall layout, but most competitors skip one of its most useful features: the dual trackpads. The... canonical: https://daily.dev/posts/every-handheld-copied-the-steam-deck-s-design-except-for-the-one-feature-that-actually-matters-v0o8j7thb twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:site: @dailydotdev og:type: website og:site_name: daily.dev og:title: Every handheld copied the Steam Deck's design except for the one feature that actually matters | daily.dev og:description: Handheld gaming devices have largely copied the Steam Deck's overall layout, but most competitors skip one of its most useful features: the dual trackpads. The... og:url: https://daily.dev/posts/every-handheld-copied-the-steam-deck-s-design-except-for-the-one-feature-that-actually-matters-v0o8j7thb og:image: https://api.daily.dev/og/posts/V0O8J7Thb.png og:image:alt: Every handheld copied the Steam Deck's design except for the one feature that actually matters og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 630 og:locale: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Every handheld copied the Steam Deck's design except for the one feature that actually matters **[XDA Developers](https://daily.dev/sources/xda-developers)** · 3 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary Handheld gaming devices have largely copied the Steam Deck's overall layout, but most competitors skip one of its most useful features: the dual trackpads. The pads sit just below each thumbstick, measure 32.5mm on the Deck and 34.5mm on the new 2026 Steam Controller, and use dedicated haptic actuators for tactile feedback. Windows handheld vendors rely on OS-navigation software like Armoury Crate or Legion Space rather than software built for touch-based game controls, and while AYANEO's KUN comes closest with HD linear motors and four pressable regions per pad, it still falls short of Valve's implementation. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Questions this post answers ### How big are the trackpads on the Steam Deck compared to the new Steam Controller? The Steam Deck's trackpads measure 32.5mm squares, positioned directly beneath each thumbstick so a thumb can slide between them without regripping. The 2026 Steam Controller carries the same dual trackpad concept forward but with slightly larger 34.5mm pads, each with its own haptic actuator for tactile feedback. _Track hardware comparisons like this on daily.dev when weighing which handheld controls suit your games._ ### Why don't Windows gaming handhelds have trackpads like the Steam Deck? Windows handhelds lack an equivalent because their input runs through vendor software like Armoury Crate, Legion Space, or AYA Space, which is designed to make Windows navigable rather than to translate a touch surface into game controls. AYANEO's KUN model comes closest, using HD linear motors and splitting each pad into four pressable regions, but it still isn't as complete as Valve's software integration. _Developers evaluating handheld input software design can follow these platform comparisons on daily.dev._ ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [Steam Deck's biggest win wasn't hardware, and modern Windows handhelds prove it](https://daily.dev/posts/steam-deck-s-biggest-win-wasn-t-hardware-and-modern-windows-handhelds-prove-it-y1boim5xy) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - ['Millimeters matter:' Making the Steam Controller 'just work'](https://daily.dev/posts/millimeters-matter-making-the-steam-controller-just-work--ehkpghkub) · Game Developer · 29 upvotes · 7 comments - [Valve’s hardware graduates from side-quest to full-blown ambition](https://daily.dev/posts/valve-s-hardware-graduates-from-side-quest-to-full-blown-ambition-beapd012c) · GamesIndustry.biz · 1 upvotes · 0 comments - [Valve's new Steam Controller is the best gamepad I've used, but it stops being one when you close Steam](https://daily.dev/posts/valve-s-new-steam-controller-is-the-best-gamepad-i-ve-used-but-it-stops-being-one-when-you-close-st-wwfoj1yhm) · XDA Developers · 1 upvotes · 0 comments - [Steam Deck lead reveals Valve is funding ARM compatibility of Windows games “to expand PC gaming” and release “ultraportables” in the future](https://daily.dev/posts/steam-deck-lead-reveals-valve-is-funding-arm-compatibility-of-windows-games-to-expand-pc-gaming-an-uogvxkhf3) · Hacker News · 3 upvotes · 1 comments --- Tags: [#hardware](https://daily.dev/tags/hardware), [#steam-deck](https://daily.dev/tags/steam-deck) [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/every-handheld-copied-the-steam-deck-s-design-except-for-the-one-feature-that-actually-matters-v0o8j7thb) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization","name":"daily.dev","url":"https://daily.dev","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://daily.dev/apple-touch-icon.png","width":180,"height":180},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/dailydotdev","https://github.com/dailydotdev","https://www.linkedin.com/company/daily-dev-ltd"]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://daily.dev/#website","url":"https://daily.dev","name":"daily.dev","publisher":{"@id":"https://daily.dev/#organization"},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://daily.dev/search?q={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}}]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle","headline":"Every handheld copied the Steam Deck's design except for the one feature that actually matters","url":"https://daily.dev/posts/every-handheld-copied-the-steam-deck-s-design-except-for-the-one-feature-that-actually-matters-v0o8j7thb","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://daily.dev/posts/every-handheld-copied-the-steam-deck-s-design-except-for-the-one-feature-that-actually-matters-v0o8j7thb"},"datePublished":"2026-08-23T13:03:20.129Z","dateModified":"2026-08-23T13:03:53.204Z","description":"Handheld gaming devices have largely copied the Steam Deck's overall layout, but most competitors skip one of its most useful features: the dual trackpads. 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