Not all games are better with a keyboard and mouse. Racing games, for example, are a nightmare with a keyboard and mouse; the same goes with fighting games. It’s hard to admit, but controllers are better suited for specific genres.
What’s great to see is that now, more than ever, the quality of the marriage between controllers and computers is as good as ever. Now is the time to invest in one, even if it’s just for a few odd titles you own.
Here are the best PC controllers on the market right now.
Q: Which Is Better; Wireless or Wired Controllers?
At this point, wireless technology has come so far that you can choose either or. If you had asked a decade ago, then wired controllers would win, hands down. However, to some extent, that is still true.
Starting with its design, the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma weighs just the right amount at 13.4 ounces, which is light enough to prevent hand fatigue during long gaming sessions. Spending one too many hours will make your hand sweaty and potentially cause you to lose your grip. To combat that, the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma has textured grips, reaching all the way from the bottom of the handles to the triggers at the top.
The buttons on the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma are the highlight of the controller. Each trigger and button takes very little force to activate, reducing the amount of time it takes for your actions to register. And during intense moments, you can activate Hair Trigger Mode, which further reduces the travel time of the main triggers.
Lastly, the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma ups the ante by adding extra buttons to the layout. There are not two, but six extra buttons: two next to the main triggers, and four tactile triggers in the back. More importantly, every button is remappable.
Starting with the feel of the controller, the Turtle Beach Recon is a balanced 10.6 ounces—not too heavy and not too light. To keep your hands from slipping, the grips are textured and shaped to keep your hands comfortable. In addition to the Turtle Beach Recon’s ergonomic shape, there are micro channels between the textured sections that allow air to pass through and keep your palms cool.
The Turtle Beach Recon is all about control and settings. When wearing a headset, you can actively change the volume of both your video game and voice chat volume on the fly. The star of the show in the audio department is Turtle Beach’s “Superhuman Hearing” feature. Footsteps, for example, are far easier to hear when this setting is on, giving you a tactile advantage over your enemies. You even have four different EQ profiles to pick from.
Another aspect of control that the Turtle Beach Recon is remappable buttons, specifically the two quick-action buttons in the back. The most important of the two quick-action buttons is the Pro-Aim button. Pressing it actively alters the sensitivity of the thumbsticks, which is incredibly important during intense, hold-your-breath moments where accuracy is of utmost importance. As many as four profiles can be saved to the quick-action buttons.
The Logitech F310 isn’t fancy by any measure but has all the essential features: four face buttons, an eight-directional D-Pad, two analog sticks, four triggers, and three extra buttons in the middle. It has a similar layout to PlayStation controllers, making it instantly recognizable to many.
Overall, the buttons are surprisingly responsive; the Logitech F310 is wired, meaning input lag is virtually gone. More importantly, you can plug the Logitech F310 into your PC and it’s ready to play just as much as you are.
For starters, the 8Bitdo Pro 2 forgoes the original SNES design and elongates the handles. And the way it rests in your hand prevents fatigue from setting in too quickly. Two analog sticks were added as well if you ever feel like playing more modern titles, along with six triggers altogether.
The 8Bitdo Pro 2 is both wireless and wired; it connects using either Bluetooth or USB-C. The best part about the controller’s Bluetooth performance is the button in the back that allows for quick switching between four devices. It holds a charge for up to 20 hours, which is quite healthy.
Don’t fix what isn’t broken, right? The Playstation DualSense hasn’t changed much from the last generation of Sony controllers but placing them side by side will reveal the DualSense has a more ergonomic design. It’s going to feel far more comfortable in your hands—especially if your hands are on the smaller side and find large controllers hard to handle.
What brings the PlayStation DualSense into modern gaming is the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, both of which Sony put front and center. Haptic feedback replaces the old rumble motors, providing dynamic vibrations rather than simply shaking your hands. Driving on a dirt road should feel different from driving on gravel, for example. The adaptive triggers also aim to introduce an equal amount of immersion by giving the triggers varying amounts of tension. Pulling back on a bow should require more force than pulling the trigger of a gun, and the adaptive triggers are designed to simulate the difference.
Last but not least are a few features that round out the PlayStation DualSense’s compatibility and usefulness. The DualSense connects wirelessly via Bluetooth, and with the addition of a 3.5mm jack, you can reduce the number of cables protruding from your PC.
What makes the HORI Fighting Stick Alpha superior to a controller, at least for arcade and fighting games, is the amount of control you have over your hands. When you use a thumbstick, it’s exactly that: a stick you control with your thumb. But with the HOR Fighting Stick Alpha, your entire hand has control over the joystick, greatly improving accuracy and precision. On the other side are the Hayabusa-made action buttons, which have very short actuation. If you press a button, it doesn’t have to travel far to carry out your commands.
Outside of being tournament-ready, the HORI Fighting Stick Alpha has several quality-of-life features. For starters, it has every amenity modern controllers have, like a Share button and Profile button. The HORI Fighting Stick Alpha also cuts back on cables running from your PC by including a 3.5mm jack for a headset, in addition to a mute button. As an added bonus, it is very open to modding since the components are easy to reach for swapping out different joysticks and buttons.
The wheel of the G920 is obviously the most central part of the kit, and Logitech nailed it. The wheel is leather and hand-stitched, adding some much-needed texture that feels great in the hands and prevents slipping. It’s especially helpful knowing the Logitech G920 has 900 degrees of rotation, which is also adjustable if you prefer a shorter window. What adds to the immersion is the dual-motor feedback system and anti-backlash helical gearing. The G920 will react accordingly while you’re on the virtual road by adding vibrations and resistance to the wheel based on the virtual environment.
To close the deal, the Logitech G920 Driving Force Racing Wheel also comes bundled with a paddle shift and pedals, which are partly built with stainless steel for durability and aesthetics. Just like the steering wheel, the pedals help create the realistic feeling of driving a car by being pressure-sensitive. Slamming on the brakes activates the brake system quicker than slowly adding weight to the pedals.
While the two are practically indistinguishable as far as performance is concerned, wireless controllers are just a hair slower. But in order to notice the difference, you would need special equipment or software to measure the input lag.
At the end of the day, choose your preference. It won’t matter in the long run.
Q: Should I Use An Arcade Joystick For Arcade Games?
You don’t necessarily have to, but it can greatly improve your performance.
The layout of an arcade gamepad is simply better for arcade games, like fighting games. Most fighting games these days, despite rendering 3D graphics, limit the game to a 2D plane; you can only move left and right. That’s why an arcade gamepad only needs one joystick; a second joystick is added if you need to control the camera, which you don’t with arcade games.
Another aspect is that arcade joysticks offer better control. Thumbsticks are controlled entirely by your thumb. A joystick, on the other hand, is controlled by your entire hand. There’s much more precision and accuracy available.
Q: What Does Plug-and-Play Mean?
Pick up a random PC controller from the store and chances are good that the controller is “plug-and-play ready.” That means you can plug the controller into your computer and it’s ready to be used, no adjustments necessary.
With that said, you should make a habit of making adjustments, anyway. Some can be done within Windows, others have separate software to do the work. Be aware that higher-end models almost always need adjustments before they can be used, especially if you plan on remapping buttons.
