Since it’s so quiet here, let me start :)
The Steam Controller, albeit being discontinued in 2019 is still going strong here.
I like that you can easily replace the two AA batteries and even though the original wifi dongle broke somehow, it is possible to just link it with Bluetooth as well.
I have one of these, and the analog stick started to get some drift. NBD, I thought, I’ll just pick up a new stick and swap it out.
Turns out, I’m rubbish at desoldering. So now I have a pile of parts until I get up the courage to try again.
Have you tried a manual solder sucker? I’m trash at desoldering too, but a solder sucker has allowed me to complete a couple repairs I otherwise would not have.
I have, and I actually got this fancy Japanese manual solder sucker with a silicone nib. It’s pretty fantastic for most things, but the analog stick is still stuck. I may try again some day, but I learned long ago that frustration and electronics projects don’t mix.
For me the secret ingredient was the goopy flux. That plus the copper wick and swish the wick around with the soldering iron and it all just reverse splooges away.