Best PC controllers: Recommendations for every gamer

It’s arduous to search out fault with the current-gen Xbox controller, which was launched in 2020. Microsoft’s Xbox Series X/S replace to the long-lasting gamepad added a number of long-overdue options, together with Bluetooth connectivity, a USB-C port, and a devoted share button. It has the usual asymmetrical thumbsticks we see on different Xbox-style gamepads. They’re clean and correct in our testing, however 8BitDo’s Hall-effect sticks are more likely to last more.

The Xbox controller retails for $60, however it’s usually on sale for $50 or much less for those who don’t demand one of many fancy colours or elaborate skins. That worth doesn’t embrace a battery—this controller nonetheless takes two AA batteries. However, that’s sufficient juice for 25 to 30 hours of gameplay. Microsoft’s add-on battery pack is $25, however third-party variations are as little as $10, and that’s well worth the worth.

Microsoft’s controller may not have a ton of bells and whistles just like the Elite controllers or the 8BitDo Ultimate beneath, however the matte plastic physique is sturdy, and we respect the microdot texture on the grips that make it much less slippery within the hand. The extra tactile, dish-shaped d-pad is a pleasant improve over most different controllers, too.

What actually makes the Xbox Controller the most effective general PC controller is solely that it really works with all the pieces. If a sport has controller assist on PC, it would perceive the Xbox Controller with none coaxing. It additionally has an enormous accent ecosystem, providing docks, telephone mounts, and extra.

8BitDo made its title with retro-styled price range gamepads, however its Ultimate sequence controllers are worthy of even probably the most intense AAA video games. The Ultimate Bluetooth Controller, because the title implies, has Bluetooth to be used with smartphones and the Nintendo Switch. There’s a 2.4GHz mode that works higher with PCs, and it comes with the required 2.4GHz receiver contained in the included charging dock. It additionally has a USB-C port for those who don’t have the dock helpful or want wired gameplay.

The 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller is barely smaller and lighter than the Xbox controller (with batteries), however it feels very solidly constructed. We additionally respect the Hall-effect thumbsticks, which use contactless magnets as an alternative of the potentiometers in most controllers. Thumbsticks are sometimes the primary element to go, inflicting the enter to “drift” throughout gameplay. This received’t occur with Hall-effect sensors within the 8BitDo Ultimate.

That’s not the one superior characteristic—the 8BitDo gamepad additionally has rear-facing paddle buttons, which you’ll assign controls and even macros utilizing the 8BitDo Ultimate software program. The interface is a little bit complicated at occasions, however it offers you full management over button mapping, thumbstick energetic areas, vibration depth, and extra.

The inside battery is sweet for at the very least 18 hours of gameplay (8BitDo claims two hours), so that you don’t have to purchase a separate battery or burn via AAs just like the inventory Xbox controller. The solely drawback for PC players would be the ABXY button structure, which follows the Nintendo Switch design. It’ll take a while to regulate for those who’re transferring from an Xbox controller. 

If Sony’s DualSense controller had been totally supported in Windows, it could be the hands-down winner. While we can’t give it a full-throated endorsement—name it an honorable point out—the DualSense has its place in PC gaming. It’s a little bit dearer than the Xbox controller, however the $70 DualSense feels nice within the hand, seems slick, and it makes Sony video games extra immersive with myriad high-end options.

The DualSense has a symmetrical structure in comparison with the Xbox controller, which has one thumbstick increased than the opposite. The buttons and d-pad don’t exhibit any wobble, and the press is solidly tactile. In our testing, the DualSense structure is extra snug, however the trademark form buttons received’t match the controls in non-Sony video games. However, capabilities will map to the identical button places as they might on an Xbox controller.

The PlayStation 5’s controller works as a generic wi-fi Bluetooth controller in Windows, however you’ll have to attach it over USB for the most effective expertise (we examined USB C-to-C and C-to-A cables efficiently). That permits video games optimized for the DualSense to entry its superior {hardware} options. Sony has ported a dozen widespread PS5 video games on PC thus far, and it plans to proceed doing so.

When paired with an optimized sport, the DualSense can leverage all its superior customized options, together with haptic suggestions so exact it could actually simulate the sensation of raindrops. The pressure within the triggers additionally adjusts primarily based on what’s occurring within the sport (e.g. firing a bow feels bodily totally different than firing a gun), and it’s used extensively in Sony’s video games. There’s even a speaker that performs choose sport audio to additional immersion. If you wish to get probably the most from widespread titles like Spider-Man, God of War, and Returnal, the DualSense is a must have. Altogether, Sony and different builders have enabled DualSense options on about 30 titles, with extra on the best way.

The DualSense has a built-in battery that’s good for about seven or eight hours. We just like the built-in answer versus Microsoft’s continued reliance on AA batteries, however the DualSense goes useless a bit too quick. Still, that solely issues for those who’re utilizing it in Bluetooth mode.