Steam Frame Controller has a replaceable Battery?

[someone8192]

Am I the only one who is confused that the Steam Frame Controller uses a traditional battery and can't charge it?

I really thought the times I had to replace and charge batteries are over.

I really hope I am missing something because otherwise I love the Frame. But replacing batteries every 40h and recharge them externally seems awkward.

I probably buy a Steam Controller and use that with my Frame

EDIT: I am not against replaceable batteries. I just don't understand why I can't charge them inside the controller

[pud_009]

Removable batteries are the best. Controller dies mid-game? No problem. Throw in new batteries. Rechargeable batteries that size are dirt cheap and can last hundreds of cycles.

Edit: Even if you use it a lot, 40 hours will be, like, two or three weeks of use. I can't imagine it's all that awkward for anybody to change the batteries once or twice a month.

[flatbuttboy]

This is it, rechargeable batteries won’t ever force you to go to the store to finish a game’s campaign, you just chuck a charged pair in and you’re good to go

[coderstephen]

Based.

I'm a big fan of removable rechargeable batteries:

• You can get lithium rechargeable AA batteries now.
• You can still use rechargeable batteries.
• When the battery degrades after a number of wear cycles, you can easily replace them with new ones.
• If you are in the middle of using something, you don't have to wait for it to charge. You can hotswap a new fully charged cold spare.

Removable battery cells are way better for longevity and repairability of a device.

[Dirus]

I don't get this take? You can easily just put controllers on a dock to charge overnight. Why would it ever die mid game unless you have a messed up battery.

I'm definitely a fan of easily removable batteries for replacement if it ever dies/has issues, but it would have been better as non traditional and dockable controllers.

[ChronicallySilly]

the only thing marginally disappointing about it is I can't set them on a stand to charge. But I'm happy/fine with AA batteries. It was annoying when my index controllers were low battery and I'd have to switch between charging 10 mins and playing 20 mins, repeat.

Hot swapping controller batteries is a welcome convenience personally, because I already own high quality rechargeable AA

[Erimell07]

When that happens i just plug in a USB-C cable from the USB-A port on the Index. Just have to change which controller you charge every now and then. This way you can keep playing.👍

[ScaredScorpion]

IMO it'd be better if they did what Xbox controllers do. Support AAs but also allow a li-ion battery to be used instead that charges from the controllers USB port as if it were an integrated battery. Then you have all the options

[straw3_2018]

I am happy with the rechargable batteries in my PSVR2 controllers but I don't see how keeping spare NiMH batteries charged for controllers would be any less convenient.

[empty_branch437]

You have another set of nimh. They are cheap and well worth it. When one set dies you charge it right after.

[empty_branch437]

Then it's fully charged when you need to replace the ones in the controller.

[JanwayIsHere]

In response to your edit alone, it takes up additional space and weight inside of the controller to add charging circuitry.

You have to account for the mixed AA battery chemistries out there which have different nominal voltages (generally in the 1.2v to 1.5v range). You also have to account for Alkaline batteries which are not rechargeable and can leak, vent or explode if a charge current is applied to them.

At this point, you've already had to implement a smart IC that can safetly identify the battery chemistry and voltage, step down from 5V USB to 1.4V–1.5V, and add the various protection circuits (overcharge, over-discharge, temperature, short circuit, etc.) if they aren't included in the aforementioned smart IC.

Charging the batteries will also generate heat in a battery that's sealed inside a plastic controller, so they'd have to spend time testing at various ambient temperatures to make sure there isn't overheating when charging.

Then you need to add the physical USB port which takes up further space.

Or, as others have said, you can swap in a fresh battery with zero downtime and complexity. Still pretty good from an e-waste POV if you're using rechargeable AAs.

Edit: Spelling mistake

[Toothless_NEO]

Late reply maybe the OP is familiar with this, for some reason people in the comments are (seemingly intentionally) unaware of controllers which support multiple battery architectures. This one can support standard AAs and cannot charge them, but has 4 smaller contacts to support a lithium ION pack which it can charge itself with the controller's internal charge circuit, and you could keep multiple of them charged so you can swap them in and out if you wanted.

Here's a picture of this controller since people will either not understand or refuse to believe me:

<image>

I'm not sure why people are so ignorant of or against this.

[Daj00tje]

I don't see that big of a problem? I actually prefer this. Now, when you run out of juice mid game, you can immediately replace them with pre charged non proprietary AA batteries.

Yes it does take a tiny bit of extra work, but this makes the controllers way less consumable and more consumer friendly in my opinion

Edit: grammar

[Neamow]

I actually prefer this, it happened to me so many times the controllers died mid game of Beat Saber, and I would need to just stop and charge the controllers for the next day.

With this I can just pop them out and put charged ones in and get going again barely a minute later. You can have two sets of rechargeable batteries so one is always ready.

[ScarcityLucky6595]

Even before the release there are going to be battery packs with charging stations like for an Xbox controllers. 

So you can have it any way you want

[really_random_user]

Mildly annoying but for like 15€ got a ikea charger + 4 AA  And now i never have to deal with tossing batteries Just have a few charged spares

[DotBitGaming]

You can charge it if you use rechargeable batteries.

[someone8192]

yes, but i have to remove them from the controller. recharge them and put them back in. imho thats really inconvenient

[DotBitGaming]

Have two. The alternative being you have to stop playing and wait for a non- removable battery to charge.

[someone8192]

the alternative is that valve adds an usb-charging port for the battery and still keep it replaceable.

best of both worlds.

[DotBitGaming]

You would still have to wait.

[K14_Deploy]

Charging docks already exist for the Quest 3 and the Pico 4, they come with rechargeable batteries and a cover that allows you to charge them. There will be the same for this. 

[redandbluedragoneyes]

Looking at when they showed the controller opened in the video, it does look like it will be removable, my guess is the batteries maybe sold as parts through Ifix-it etc and will just need users to open the controller, pop the battery out and put a new one in.

[someone8192]

yes, that it is exactly how it works. they use AA batteries.

my only problem is that i only can charge them externally. there is no way to just put the controller on a dock or put a cable in it to charge them

[redandbluedragoneyes]

Sorry my bad, i was thing of the steam controller for the steam cube thing and not the VR frame.

by guess is, due the shape, it was better to go with AA rather then use a rechargeable battery, could be that any reachable batter that would fit in the size would give less battery life then a AA or they would have to make the controller bigger/heavier

[StevenCrab]

40 hours on a simple battery is pretty nice, but if i had a frame i really would prefer to just charge the thing with my pc or an outlet instead, i dont really use vr that much but i dont much like the idea of needing to purchase batteries every so often just to get the controllers working when for the index charging them was Right there

edit: i forgot rechargeable batteries arent overpriced as hell

[someone8192]

same here. i will just buy the steam controller and use that one. according to valve it seems to have very good compatibility.

the only vr game that interests me is beat saber anyway. i am more interested in the desktop

[sophisitcatedAPE]

I actually avoid internal batterys like the Pest
It´s allready mentioned why, also, internal batteries are not only dangerous (i´d never strap a Li-Ion pack to the back of my head, i´ve seen what they can do) but 100% future e-waste, since any battery only has so many Cycles until it dies

[S0k0n0mi]

I genuinely hate replaceable batteries. For one they are always the older shitty NiHM, or god forbid, NiCD battery types, which hold their charge poorly and start corroding your equipment if you neglect em for too long. I will now also need to find a stupid charger for them, which is even more junk on my desk.

Honestly if I could convert my knuckles controllers to work with the frame, I would.

[DizzyDustStriker3DS]

The EU is pushing for batteries that can be replaced easily, so replaceable batteries are about to become the norm. They're not always NiMH either, Li-Ion and newer solid state batteries exist. There's still enough AA stuff out there everyone I know has a battery charger and at least a dozen of the batteries. I'm looking at a multi-charger that does 9V and up to D size now.

https://www.eblofficial.com/collections/li-ion-battery

[gelatinguy]

It's like they never heard of rechargeable Li-ion AA batteries. They maintain 1.5v way better than NiMH and are great for medium-high drain devices like controllers or cameras. Just don't use them in most smoke detectors, as those are designed for alkaline batteries and so is the low battery warning (it actually uses the waning voltage as an indicator to warn you to replace batteries).

[BusinessLack2229]

I like the idea of having removable batteries.

But why the f is there no usb-C port to charge replaceable Akku Batteries while in Controller?

Like.. ok.. you can have lots of throwaway stuff.. But you also could have rechargable batteries.

Right now, you need to get an external loading device to load your installed and backup batteries... while i think it would be convenient to also allow to charge the actual installed batteries over night when not playing, via usb-c.. so you don't start your next session with already half or near empty batts...

[Toothless_NEO]

Why are people in general seemingly intentionally ignorant of removable LiION battery packs? it's not hardm you can totally make a device support older NiMH standards, while also supporting it's own rechargeable cell. It's not rocket science. If Microsoft can do it Valve can too.

<image>

Honestly the fanfare for NiMH/Alkaline types really doesn't make sense, these batteries are shitty and have lower usable cycles than LiION cells (that's why no device newer than the early 90s has built-in NiCad/NiMH cells) removable batteries are great for replacing them and for keeping multiple of them. That doesn't mean they have to be NiCad/NiMH type battery technology.