Change my mind: Xbox-X controller are best controllers.
They are asymmetrical, arguably better from ergonomics. They have replaceable batteries (AA rechargeable batteries have been a thing for half a century). If the battery gets too old to hold a good charge, i can get new (rechargeable) batteries without having to fiddle about to change the internal batteries.
It’s about €60 which goes on sale occasionally and can grab it as low as €40. Perhaps lower but that’s the lowest I’ve seen.
The downsides: due to replaceable AA battery, hull effect sticks are impossible due to them requiring a consistent output. Mouse movement is not a thing unless if you are on steam then it can be programmed different ways (mouse bindings or pressing xbox button and right analog stick and bumpers).
Doesn’t have gyro. I like playing games without aim assist preferring raw input aiming with mouse bound to the gyro.
I’d pick up other third party controllers over a Xbox these days, since hall effect and TMR sticks are standard. Extra grip buttons are common on third party controllers too without paying Xbox Elite prices, which are notorious for breaking down despite the premium price. And lot of third party controllers offer gyro too.
My 360 controller still works and I’ve used them for playing through Yakuza on the PC. But, when it comes to buying a new controller Xbox is last on my list now. Too many missing features while not being cheaper than the alternatives out there.
Yeah I never considered gyro. I don’t play FPS as I get motion sick. The one where vision shows movement and body isn’t moving, compared to the other one where the body is moving but vision is not which I don’t get (e.g. ships, cars, airplanes). I have never thought about this use case, gyro in shooter. Dunno if it also works in other TPS like gta or read dead2.
The last and only game using gyro I played was flower on ps3.
But yeah it’s probably a deal breaker if features you need are missing.
Apparently having a replaceable battery and hull affect joysticks are impossible. This is due to AA battery not being able to provide consistent voltage output and hull effect joystick requiring exactly that. Hence all hull-effect joysticks have embedded battery. Which might be a problem specially in EU as they require everything to have removable battery with the exception is if they are IPS something rated.
Don’t quote me on that, it’s second hand knowledge.
Well not as bad as the ones that stop being wireless if the battery goes to zero.
Or needs soldering if the battery gets to old to replace the battery.
Depends on which needs fixing more and which is easier to fix between a new joystick with the stick drift or old battery that holds barely any charge.
Change my mind: Xbox-X controller are best controllers.
There is no absolute best controller, because everyones hands and preferences are different.
Xbox may be best, for you, and thats fine, its great you have a controller that fits your hand comfortably and plays well.
but, for example, for me? Dualshock/Dualsense controllers fit my hands better, and are more playable, because I prefer the symmetrical joystick layout, vs the asymmetrical of Xbox/Switch Pro.
I’m sure theres someone out there where the SNES style 8bitdo works and feels best for them, too.
I think we can, however, universally agree on prices being too expensive for all of them.
My all time favorite controller was ds3. ds4 was pretty decent too but it seemed that ds3 had better batteries. Also the batteries would stop holding charge, most likely the battery capacity degraded.
I then got X360 controller which for some reason was not the best, started preferring the asymmetrical design felt better. I was gaming like a degenerate back then and it used to feel better in long sessions. Although I didn’t like the weight.
Haven’t tried the xbox one controller, the xbox-x controller felt great. Perfect, weighty. I do gave on the newer ds5 controller, it’s alright but feels a bit lighter and weird as I have gotten used to the weight of xbox-x controller. I however haven’t tested games with the new triggers, as i have only played at my friends and party or group games which doesn’t use those.
I still have 2 ds3, 3 ds4, 1 xbox and 2 xbox X controller
The go to is the xbox-x controllers, which probably comes as no-surprise given my original bait of a post :D
Stick placement is not really a factor for ergonomics for me. I had used an xbox controllers for a long time, but now I have a PS5 controller as my current go to. The biggest thing that makes a difference is shape and how it sits in your hands, and for me the PS5 controller is just simply better than the Xbox controller.
I think the best way I can describe the difference between the two is that to be comfortable the xbox controller sits on my fingers where as the PS5 controller sits in my palms. I can also throw in a few other examples of this, PS4 sits in my fingers, but also has the worlds worst and most uncomfortable triggers. The Switch pro controller sits mostly in my palms and is better than the xbox controller but only has digital triggers.
As for the battery, internal batteries are annoying if you can not replace them. According to gamers nexus you can tear down and replace the battery fairly easily in the steam controller, and apparently valve plan to work with iFixit again for spares. So I don’t think this is a big difference either way because of the benefits you get from having the higher powered internal battery.
That also leads to by far the biggest pro. Repair-ability. The steam controller if it is supported like the steam deck is just going to be better.
That is true, there is a reason why all these controllers have a market, people have different shaped hands.
I replied to other comments. Ds3 was my preferred controller but it did give me pain in my hands. DS4 was better than ds3 mostly but i think they had crappier and hard to replace batteries. Xbox360 controllers were good for many types of games (for me) due to asymmetrical design. The left hand on non asymmetrical control feels quite strenuous if you have to use the analogue stick for long time. But in xbox controllers it feels natural for the thumb to pointing upwards while holding the analogue stick compared to pointed to the right. It’s probably because I have smallish hands. PS5 controllers (only played at my friend’s place and for games that don’t use the new trigger mechanics), was actually decent but they feel like a toy compared to xbox-x controller as they (xbox ones) feel nice and weighty, and they do have the same problem of thumb placement when using left analogue sticks.
It is also quite opposite to me, xbox-x controller fits in the palm (for me) as you said but others are awkward to hold, specially for longer sessions.
Additionally, every other controller is a wired controller as soon as the battery goes zero, compared to xbox-x (and also 360), you just swap new batteries. It’s alright as long as you have spare controller so you can swap to the other one for wireless or don’t have problems connecting. I have a projector connected to a self made steam machine and it’s a bit weird to connect controllers to the it or charger and continue playing if the battery runs out.
Change my mind: Xbox-X controller are best controllers.
They are asymmetrical, arguably better from ergonomics. They have replaceable batteries (AA rechargeable batteries have been a thing for half a century). If the battery gets too old to hold a good charge, i can get new (rechargeable) batteries without having to fiddle about to change the internal batteries.
It’s about €60 which goes on sale occasionally and can grab it as low as €40. Perhaps lower but that’s the lowest I’ve seen.
The downsides: due to replaceable AA battery, hull effect sticks are impossible due to them requiring a consistent output. Mouse movement is not a thing unless if you are on steam then it can be programmed different ways (mouse bindings or pressing xbox button and right analog stick and bumpers).
Doesn’t have gyro. I like playing games without aim assist preferring raw input aiming with mouse bound to the gyro.
I’d pick up other third party controllers over a Xbox these days, since hall effect and TMR sticks are standard. Extra grip buttons are common on third party controllers too without paying Xbox Elite prices, which are notorious for breaking down despite the premium price. And lot of third party controllers offer gyro too.
My 360 controller still works and I’ve used them for playing through Yakuza on the PC. But, when it comes to buying a new controller Xbox is last on my list now. Too many missing features while not being cheaper than the alternatives out there.
Yeah I never considered gyro. I don’t play FPS as I get motion sick. The one where vision shows movement and body isn’t moving, compared to the other one where the body is moving but vision is not which I don’t get (e.g. ships, cars, airplanes). I have never thought about this use case, gyro in shooter. Dunno if it also works in other TPS like gta or read dead2.
The last and only game using gyro I played was flower on ps3.
But yeah it’s probably a deal breaker if features you need are missing.
record skip
wat?
Apparently having a replaceable battery and hull affect joysticks are impossible. This is due to AA battery not being able to provide consistent voltage output and hull effect joystick requiring exactly that. Hence all hull-effect joysticks have embedded battery. Which might be a problem specially in EU as they require everything to have removable battery with the exception is if they are IPS something rated.
Don’t quote me on that, it’s second hand knowledge.
So basically it’s the worst controller imaginable?
Well not as bad as the ones that stop being wireless if the battery goes to zero. Or needs soldering if the battery gets to old to replace the battery.
Depends on which needs fixing more and which is easier to fix between a new joystick with the stick drift or old battery that holds barely any charge.
But to each their own.
There is no absolute best controller, because everyones hands and preferences are different.
Xbox may be best, for you, and thats fine, its great you have a controller that fits your hand comfortably and plays well.
but, for example, for me? Dualshock/Dualsense controllers fit my hands better, and are more playable, because I prefer the symmetrical joystick layout, vs the asymmetrical of Xbox/Switch Pro.
I’m sure theres someone out there where the SNES style 8bitdo works and feels best for them, too.
I think we can, however, universally agree on prices being too expensive for all of them.
Fair point.
My all time favorite controller was ds3. ds4 was pretty decent too but it seemed that ds3 had better batteries. Also the batteries would stop holding charge, most likely the battery capacity degraded.
I then got X360 controller which for some reason was not the best, started preferring the asymmetrical design felt better. I was gaming like a degenerate back then and it used to feel better in long sessions. Although I didn’t like the weight.
Haven’t tried the xbox one controller, the xbox-x controller felt great. Perfect, weighty. I do gave on the newer ds5 controller, it’s alright but feels a bit lighter and weird as I have gotten used to the weight of xbox-x controller. I however haven’t tested games with the new triggers, as i have only played at my friends and party or group games which doesn’t use those.
I still have 2 ds3, 3 ds4, 1 xbox and 2 xbox X controller
The go to is the xbox-x controllers, which probably comes as no-surprise given my original bait of a post :D
Stick placement is not really a factor for ergonomics for me. I had used an xbox controllers for a long time, but now I have a PS5 controller as my current go to. The biggest thing that makes a difference is shape and how it sits in your hands, and for me the PS5 controller is just simply better than the Xbox controller.
I think the best way I can describe the difference between the two is that to be comfortable the xbox controller sits on my fingers where as the PS5 controller sits in my palms. I can also throw in a few other examples of this, PS4 sits in my fingers, but also has the worlds worst and most uncomfortable triggers. The Switch pro controller sits mostly in my palms and is better than the xbox controller but only has digital triggers.
As for the battery, internal batteries are annoying if you can not replace them. According to gamers nexus you can tear down and replace the battery fairly easily in the steam controller, and apparently valve plan to work with iFixit again for spares. So I don’t think this is a big difference either way because of the benefits you get from having the higher powered internal battery.
That also leads to by far the biggest pro. Repair-ability. The steam controller if it is supported like the steam deck is just going to be better.
That is true, there is a reason why all these controllers have a market, people have different shaped hands.
I replied to other comments. Ds3 was my preferred controller but it did give me pain in my hands. DS4 was better than ds3 mostly but i think they had crappier and hard to replace batteries. Xbox360 controllers were good for many types of games (for me) due to asymmetrical design. The left hand on non asymmetrical control feels quite strenuous if you have to use the analogue stick for long time. But in xbox controllers it feels natural for the thumb to pointing upwards while holding the analogue stick compared to pointed to the right. It’s probably because I have smallish hands. PS5 controllers (only played at my friend’s place and for games that don’t use the new trigger mechanics), was actually decent but they feel like a toy compared to xbox-x controller as they (xbox ones) feel nice and weighty, and they do have the same problem of thumb placement when using left analogue sticks.
It is also quite opposite to me, xbox-x controller fits in the palm (for me) as you said but others are awkward to hold, specially for longer sessions.
Additionally, every other controller is a wired controller as soon as the battery goes zero, compared to xbox-x (and also 360), you just swap new batteries. It’s alright as long as you have spare controller so you can swap to the other one for wireless or don’t have problems connecting. I have a projector connected to a self made steam machine and it’s a bit weird to connect controllers to the it or charger and continue playing if the battery runs out.
The steam controllers are quite expensive though.