What to Look For in a PC Gaming Controller in 2022
Utilizing a console-style controller together with your PC was once a sophisticated ordeal. For the longest time, the PC controller was some sort of alien artifact you got in your native sport retailer. It might need resembled a Ps or Xbox controller, but it surely didn’t look or really feel proper.
Fortunately, PC gaming is rather more controller-friendly nowadays. Now you’ll be able to plug any trendy controller into your pc by way of USB and it’ll possible work immediately. With so many choices accessible although, which controller is best for you?
There are just a few elements to contemplate when enthusiastic about shopping for a PC controller. At the start, what are you planning to play? Some video games simply aren’t suited to a mouse and keyboard. Whereas they’re excellent for first-person shooters or real-time technique video games, they’re much less splendid for action-adventure or preventing video games. Typically the keys simply can’t offer you what an analog stick can, and that’s the place controllers come in useful.
That mentioned, there are various choices to select from when shopping for a controller. There are all types of worth factors and a spread of options, in addition to game-specific controllers comparable to arcade sticks for preventing video games or HOTAS for flight simulators. No matter style you’re enjoying, there’s a excellent controller for you.
So, for those who’re a PC participant who has but to put money into a controller, under are some choices for numerous video games, types, and costs!
Finest PC Controller Total: Xbox Wireless Controller
Professionals
- ✓ Broadly accessible
- ✓ Dependable
- ✓ Straightforward to make use of
Cons
- ✗ Official controllers aren’t low cost
- ✗ Missing additional options
Xbox has been the gold commonplace of controller design for years now. The Xbox 360 controller was thought-about the one alternative for PC gaming in its day, and that legacy has been handed down by two console generations to its present iteration. The core of the Xbox 360 design continues to be there, but it surely has been refined and tweaked into one of the best controller available in the marketplace at this time.
The fashionable Xbox Wireless Controller is mild, sturdy, and well-made, being ergonomic and with grips constructed into the design. The controller can be connected wirelessly by way of Bluetooth or with a USB wireless adapter, though this isn’t required—you too can merely plug it in with a USB-C cable and get to gaming.
Sadly, first-party controllers aren’t the most cost effective. The Xbox Wi-fi Controller is $60—cheaper than the Sony DualSense, however nonetheless costlier than most third-party choices in the marketplace. That mentioned, they’re high-quality controllers and good worth for the fee.
Xbox Wireless Controller
A contemporary traditional, the Xbox controller is sensible, straightforward to make use of and dependable, making it excellent for many PC players.
$54.00 
$59.99 Save 10%
Finest Price range PC Controller: PowerA Spectra
Professionals
- ✓ Wide selection of choices
- ✓ Suitable with PC and a number of consoles
- ✓ Very inexpensive
Cons
- ✗ Reliability is a matter
- ✗ Analog sticks are liable to float
Is the PowerA Spectra an Xbox controller in all methods however the title? Just about. It’s not utterly equivalent to Xbox’s providing, it’s definitely a less expensive model of it.
Should you’ve ever used an Xbox-styled, third-party controller you’ll know they by no means really feel fairly proper. Simply not fairly the identical because the official controller, though PowerA’s controller works fairly nicely. Is that an enormous deal? That depends upon what you’re searching for.
Usually, worth is related to use. The rationale we advocate the costlier Xbox controller as one of the best general is that for prolonged use, it’s nice worth for cash. Should you don’t see your self utilizing a controller a lot in your PC gaming, however wish to have one for these uncommon occasions you want one, it’s value contemplating the Spectra as a substitute. The controller is wired, so there’s no additional fuss about discovering a spare wire or organising a wi-fi connection.
Mainly, the PowerA Spectra is reasonable and handy. It’s an ideal choice for somebody who simply wants a controller useful for infrequent use, or as a backup controller.
PowerA Spectra
The PowerA Spectra is a superb choice on a less expensive finances that does the job and does it nicely.
$31.49 $44.99 Save 30%
Finest Premium PC Controller: Xbox Elite Series 2
Professionals
- ✓ Finest model of one of the best controller
- ✓ Very customizable
- ✓ Wonderful grips
Cons
- ✗ Premium worth
- ✗ Overkill for under occasional use
The Xbox Elite Series 2 is the gold commonplace of controllers. However like gold, it doesn’t come low cost.
The construct high quality is excellent, it has glossy and satisfying again paddles, the analog sticks and directional pad are swappable, and the buttons are simply remapped each on Xbox and PC. All of that is for lower than what most of the third-party options would ask for one thing comparable, as nicely.
However once we say premium, we imply premium. These controllers are practically $200, a giant step up in worth from the $60 you pay for the normal Xbox controller. An Elite S2 is a giant monetary dedication, and a tough one to justify.
The unique Elite controller was additionally nice, aside from a problem the place the grips began to peel off after prolonged use. Fortunately, this revised model has the grips built-in into the physique in order that peeling ought to now not be an issue.
The Elite Collection 2 of the controller is a refinement of a superb system, as close to perfection as is obtainable at this time. Should you’re trying to splash out and also you need one of the best controller in your cash, that is your best option for you.
Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller
As well-designed and feature-rich as a controller will get, the Elite Collection 2 is the head of gaming with a controller.
Finest Wired PC Controller: Razer Wolverine Ultimate
Professionals
- ✓ Related options to Elite 2
- ✓ Much more buttons
- ✓ Fancy RGB lighting
Cons
- ✗ Clicky buttons may be distracting
- ✗ Wired connection solely
There are many causes to choose to maintain your controllers wired. Regardless that wi-fi has turn out to be the usual with consoles, working a wi-fi controller on a PC generally is a trouble.
Fortunately, there’s a high-quality choice that not solely contains those that choose a wired controller, it caters to them particularly. We’re speaking in regards to the Razer Wolverine collection of controllers, or extra particularly the Razer Wolverine Ultimate.
Razer is not any stranger to the controller market. Few of their releases are as common because the Wolverine although, an Xbox controller of Razer’s personal design. Whereas being unusually designed for wired use solely, it boasts most of the options discovered on the Xbox Elite controllers. It has additional buttons, remappable controls, swappable sticks, and a d-pad. Actually, the Wolverine has two extra buttons than the Elite, with two additional shoulder buttons.
The face buttons have a definite clicky really feel and sound, not not like the press of a mouse. Additional similarities to different Razer merchandise embrace the completely additional RGB mild strip throughout the highest of the controller. It’s not a correct Razer product until it lights up!
In some ways, the Wolverine is the Xbox Elite controller for the PC die-hard. Though this controller can also be appropriate with the Xbox, this can be a PC peripheral by and thru.
At a less expensive worth than the Elite Collection 2, this controller is a prime contender. Its format and design are completely different than the Collection 2, although, so it will be value wanting into must you be tempted to seize this extra inexpensive different.
Razer Wolverine Ultimate
The PC participant’s controller, The Wolverine Final is a Razer product by and thru. It rivals the Elite Collection 2 in perform, with a mode of its personal.
$89.99 $159.99 Save 44%
Finest PC Controller for Retro Gaming: 8bitdo SN30 Pro+
Professionals
- ✓ Traditional model
- ✓ Fashionable options
- ✓ Versatile usability
Cons
- ✗ No further options
Today, PC gaming is just about all-encompassing. There are few issues you’ll be able to’t do on the platform, and many individuals play all types of traditional retro video games that had been meant for PC. Actually, It’s possible that the overwhelming majority of individuals enjoying retro video games nowadays achieve this utilizing a PC or a Raspberry Pi.
The SN30 Pro+ from 8bitdo is the PC retro gamer’s dream controller. This was designed to carry trendy options and sensibilities to a traditional design. Based mostly on the Tremendous Nintendo controller, the SN30 Professional+ takes that acquainted form and provides trendy options (like analog sticks and ergonomic grips) to make it useable with no matter sport you’d wish to play.
8bitdo is aware of methods to make a controller with all of the performance you’d need, and floor it in nostalgia. This controller is an absolute must-buy for retro followers.
8Bitdo Sn30 Pro+
The SN30+ Professional controller is an absolute must-buy for retro followers, being an inexpensive, nostalgia pushed controller.
$49.99
Finest PC Controller for Flight Simulators: Logitech G Saitek X52 Pro
Professionals
- ✓ Function-rich
- ✓ Good worth
Cons
- ✗ Reliability may be a problem
With the recognition of the brand new Microsoft Flight Simulator got here a wave of curiosity in flight controllers, higher often called HOTAS (Arms-On Throttle and Stick). These are the plane simulator equal of a driving wheel.
There are fairly just a few choices on this house, with a fairly big vary in worth. For our alternative, we tried to stability worth with high quality, and we landed on the Logitech G Saitek X52 Pro.
The X52 Professional comes as two separated items—for the reason that stick and the throttle aren’t hooked up, so inserting them in your desk needs to be loads simpler than the competitors. The X52 Professional can also be nicely suited to VR, as not like the newer X56 this mannequin has all of its buttons on the controls themselves. Figuring out the place your buttons are and what they do is important for VR, so if that’s your purpose, that is the flight persist with get.
Exterior of VR, one of many helpful options of this HOTAS is the LCD show on the throttle. This useful little display screen can show issues like date and time, it may possibly additionally present your present profile so you recognize what your button arrange is.
If at any time you might be uncertain what a button does, holding the small button on the again of the throttle and urgent every other button may have the LCD display screen show what that button does.
The management stick has loads of helpful options too. It does the entire anticipated issues like roll and yaw, it may possibly even rotate for pitch if you would like it to. The X52 Professional has a number of buttons on it for loads of capabilities, together with a twin set off and a pinky set off with adjustable peak to accommodate completely different hand sizes.
Better of all, it has a button entrance and middle on the follow just a little flap protecting it. There’s nothing higher than a bit of fashionable aptitude.
Logitech G Saitek X52 Pro
A sturdy and traditional design, this well-featured HOTAS is good for brand spanking new flight sim followers and returning fanatics.
Finest PC Struggle Stick: Qanba Obsidian
Professionals
- ✓ Nice stick and buttons
- ✓ Very strong construct high quality
- ✓ Simply modified
Cons
- ✗ Primary visible design
- ✗ Could possibly be too heavy for some
The times the place you felt such as you wanted a battle persist with play preventing video games have come and gone, however that doesn’t imply we now have to provide them up. Today, battle sticks are extra of a private desire than one thing you could be taken critically. If an arcade stick looks like the appropriate enter technique for you, our advice is the Qanba Obsidian.
Struggle sticks are premium controllers and infrequently come at a premium worth. The Obsidian just isn’t low cost, often coming in round $200. Within the realm of battle sticks, although, that’s a few mid-range worth that makes positive the battle stick continues to be high quality. You wouldn’t wish to spend below 100 {dollars} if you would like an honest stick, so let’s speak about why this one is value the additional value.
First, the construct high quality is incredible. The Obsidian has real steel elements, the place many battle sticks have plastic with metallic paint jobs. The primary faceplate and each facet sections of the stick are steel. The knob of the joystick itself can also be brushed steel, giving the entire bundle a premium really feel.
This additionally provides the unit weight, giving it that essential stability you need in an arcade stick. The Obsidian isn’t going to maneuver a lot in any respect in your lap. As nice as it’s out of the field, It’s additionally a incredible choice for individuals who like to change their sticks. If you end up wanting to alter out the Sanwa OBSF-30 buttons that include the Obsidian, it’s very straightforward to do.
In case you are a preventing sport fan trying to put money into your interest and possibly step up your sport, an honest battle stick is what you need. To get a top-quality stick for an inexpensive worth with the potential for future modifications, take a look at the Qanba Obsidian.
Qanba Obsidian
The Qanba Obsidian is a wonderfully designed battle follow wonderful {hardware} and a glossy design.