Best PC Controller Period!
With more console ports and emulators coming to PC, controllers are a entertaining peripheral. With that being said I’ve tested every controller Xbox and PlayStation have to offer (Including PSone/OG Xbox). All work fantastic with the games I’ve mapped. I can’t say much about third party PC controllers, well because there are thousands and I’ve always had a console controller laying around. I like to find the best of both worlds, game mapping is a plus, but what about controlling the PC while just surfing the internet?
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 controller
Despite the fact that the controller automatically maps itself to most Windows games, I’ve had horrible experiences with this one. They’re ergonomic and fit your hand like a glove, but the analogs are sub par quality. Within 2 months of normal use (No first person shooters) I noticed the analogs would “surf” for a lack of a better word. Without any input from me my characters would be walking, and in the heat of online sessions this is unacceptable. So I thought maybe this was a fluke, I purchased another controller only to suffer from the same issue a few months down the road. Another problem was the atrocious D-PAD, it made playing fighting games harder as unintentional input was present. I also wanted to break away from the USB cable without paying for a expensive dongle. However the wireless dongle didn’t support Chatpads (at the time), this led me to alternate options.
Sony PlayStation’s DS3
Sony’s DS3 Controller with Chatpad
Putting aside the slightly uncomfortable grip, this controller is fantastic. I’ve used one for an entire year, and it still sits on my shelf today as a backup. The analogs have never moved without my input, and the D-PAD is great for fighting games. I purchased a TRENDnet Bluetooth adapter for $15, and my controller synced instantly. Setting up DS3 Tool was more of a challenge than expected, but it’s nice to have most of your compatible Xbox 360 controller games already mapped. Every DS3 Chatpad is Bluetooth compatible and connects to the TRENDnet dongle like a charm. Note: this setup feels awkward while using the Chatpad, if you don’t have long thumbs this may also be a issue.
Microsoft’s Xbox One controller
Microsoft’s Xbox One Controller with Chatpad
I will admit I have not spent much time with this controller. Left with a sour taste in my mouth over my Xbox 360 Controller experience, I was ready to boycott this controller at all costs. When the controller launched there was no competition with the DS4, there was no wireless option at the time. The Chatpad would not work over USB, and I just didn’t feel like waiting for Microsoft’s expensive dongle and drivers to release. I’m glad too, because the dongle is massive and wouldn’t fit into the USB port next to my keyboard. Controlling your PC, while not in game requires the mapping of a analog to your mouse. You would also need to map left click, and right click respectively.
Sony PlayStation’s DS4
Sony’s DS4 Controller with Chatpad
The king of PC controllers! It is fully compatible with the TRENDnet dongle I purchased for the DS3, making the upgrade super cheap for me. The integrated touch-pad is a fully functional mouse, and can be paired with any Chatpad. One of my favorite things to do with this setup is surfing YouTube. Typing in search results on the DS4 really makes for a cool experience. Paired with AutoHotKey you can also create volume control hot-keys, and other functions that suit your needs. I also use this setup to play GTA Online, it’s pretty convenient when you don’t have to use your keyboard to type, or key up your mic. You can download InputMapper, and get all the benefits of DS3 Tool, with some extra features. The light bar on the controller cycles from Green while charged, to Red when dead. The touch-pad is automatically mapped to the mouse, a light tap is mapped to left click, and a hard press is mapped to right click. This controller isn’t without fault however, the stock analog rubber has a tendency to wear down and degrade. I haven’t experienced this though, I bought silicone analog covers when I purchased the controller because of this issue.
This boils down to opinion, but for the price/life of the DS4 how could you go wrong? Do you agree? What do you think the best controller for PC is? Inb4 PC Master Race guys, yes Keyboard and mouse is the best “Controller”. This is for those looking for a relaxing alternative.
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f710 still best :)))
DualShock 2 is still the best controller for me
DualShock 2 is still better
You put the same xbox one cotroller pic on both 360 and one controllers.
Anyway I loved the xbox one co troller but I dont have it anymore since I sold my xboxone.
I am using the 360 controller atm.
I use an XB One Elite controller with my PC and love it. The dongle actually comes with an extension cable, making the worry about size obsolete.
That ing’hstis just what I’ve been looking for. Thanks!
I have used the Xbox 360 controller in the past on my PC. Never had a problem with it. It is the best in my opinon. It’s comfortable and easy to setup
the D-pad is utter *** though
imo its only great as long as you dont need to touch the dpad.
that thing is absolute garbage. everything else is great, specially the simple setup
Honestly I went through 2 OEM 360 controllers before I bought a BT dongle for my DS3. I don’t know if the Analogs wear faster due to placement or whatnot but I just had no luck. Also my DS3 seemed to stay charged allot longer, I didn’t touch-down on battery life due to extendable battery pack mods, that should be it’s own article. Also I think every Mortal Kombat fan agrees that D-Pad is atrocious.
Been using a DS4/PS4 controller ever since I switched from PS4 to PC. Such a fantastic controller. It truly is the king above all else.
I’ve had mine for 2 years, fantastic.
I’d say you’re hitting the 360 sticks too hard if they’re drifting on you. Neither of my 360 controllers, which have seen years of use, have given me trouble. If I had to use a controller, or if I was playing emulators, a 360 or Xbone controller would be my choice every time.
It could be due to the placement of the analog.
Scenario: I cant put full upward force on the DS4 like I can with the 360.
Still, is that a design fault or the company blaming the customer?
you missed the xbox 360 controller and you posted a pair of xbox one controllers so repost the 360 controller 😉
I think Wololo has to do it
Im not here to argue which controller is better because all controllers have their pros on cons and its pretty much up to one’s needs to deicide which one is better for him, but I think you didnt do justice in this “article” for controller other than PS4. Skipping the fact that you didnt spend much time with Xbox One controller because you had bad time with X360 controller, you mention an issue with Xbox One controller that you need to map mouse to analog button and mouse click to another button. This is a con that you didnt mention on any other controller, including PS3. This is strictly a feature that only PS4 can do fine with its touchpad.
Here are my personal experience with both PS4 and XOne controller: PS4 controller build quality is something that Sony should be ashamed of. After 6 months of using it, the left trigger is cracking, one analog stick is loose, the material is peeling of the analog sticks, the touchpad is stuck unless you hard press it. I care for my stuff and this controller fell down on the floor only once but it didnt show any side effects after the fall. The Xbox One controller build quality on the other is fantastic. Nothing creaks, nothing cracks. After 8 months it almost looks brand new ( besides few scratches). The controller still doesnt show any side effects of usage, even analog sticks are working perfectly. If you want to use PS4 wirelessly you can use cheap bluetooth dongles or if youre using laptop then you probably can use the built in bluetooth which is nice. I was kinda sad when I heard how much the wireless receiver costs in my country. But oh well. PS4 controller doesnt work in PC games out of the box. This is a deal breaker for some people. You have to use custom appliactions to make it work in games. Xbox One controller and receiver works out of the box. Just plug it in and it works. The PS4 arrows are far superior that Xbox One, I will give it that. Sony always knew how to make a solid arrows in their controller. I still need to give kudos to MS for actually making arrows usable in Xbox One controller because they were atrocious in X360 controller. If the trigger didnt broke down on my PS4 controller then I would say that triggers on both controllers are on par. The A,B,X,Y, bumpers and X,0, Triangle,Square,R1, R2 are atleast on par for me. I cant really say that ones controller buttons mention earlier are better than the other. Battery life is a joke in PS4 controller. Its only lasting up to 6 hours. My Xbox One controller works for around 40 hours on a single charge. Thats right, I beat Dark Souls 1 on a single controller charge. The only plus here is that PS controller have built in battery, but there is a dowside to it too – if the battery dies you have to either return it or dismantle it. About the analog placement – I couldnt really care less. I was growing up with Playstation consoles in my home so I got used to the left analog placement but when I started using Xbox controllers the change didnt really hit me or something. Even now I can easly swap controllers and feel no downsides to it. This is an issue for some people tho so its worth mentioning. That would be pretty much it. If think I covered most aspects of the two controllers. Which controller is better is an opinion and opinions tend to be subjective.
You should give the Steam Controller a look. It doesn’t have a chat pad, but as long as you keep Steam open it enables out-of-game desktop controls with a pop-up on-screen keyboard you can use in any text box. The dual trackpads is a unique design that works well for some games, not so well for others. Also functions as an xinput controller by default for games expecting a 360/Xbox One controller. I give it my vote for best “desktop-surfing” controller.
Indeed, Text input workt like a charm an just webbrowsing is a trackpad fine. Only for the console people it’s might be to much work to set up the input for each game to their liking (community layout are just a base for me). And in games like press “e” of “f” to interact is not always nice. So you have to know were you (or somebody else) mapped those.
I cant see myself using a OSK, I am pretty sure AHK hotkeys wouldn’t work with it. And I like to be able to control the volume of my PC via the chatpad.
I still play no man’s sky on pc with xboxone controller and it’s okey,i also play on my ps3 the last of us with xboxone controller and it’s ok too thanks to the ps3xpad plugin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4O1U-XumQA ,my ps3 controller is so old and dont work good and i no money for buy new coz in my country all shop is thief and sell it at 50€ expensive price so i use just the xboxone controller for all and it’s ok for me.
For the xbox one controller is, or will be soon an option to connect to the pc thanks to BleuThooth. However microsoft did make an software limit up to one controller to connect by this methode. For more you have to buy the dongle.
you know @wololo you *** up in one part you didnt use the xbox one controller with the wireless dongle or the chatpad because it preforms exactly as your ds4 does. you should remain unbaised as i went from a 360 controller with a poor taste in my mouth to the one and am quite happy. but the wii u gamepad is comfy for me because of size so why not add that to your list try using a wii u pad as a contorller
Note: I did not write this article
You can get Xbox 360 controller dongle cheap on ebay, 5$ they work just fine.
lol pic of xbox one controller and under it calling it xbox 360 controller
My 360 controller is still going strong.
Dualshock always the best, period!
Screw that assymetric garbage.
Bias article. Playstation controllers are good, but Xbox controller are better configured and mapped already from the get go with most PC games.
Slow day, huh?
Downloading one application emulates and maps every Microsoft controller compatible game. Preferring a controller with inferior build quality because it’s plug and play just means you prefer to be lazy.
Instantly maps I forgot to add. Plus you get a fully functional mouse on the touchpad. That alone makes the DS4 the better choice for PC.
yOU Forgot the Elit3 controller..
Ive used ds4 on my pc since its release and continue to do so even after selling my ps4. The ds4 is perfect for pc gamers wanting to use controllers.
Or just get a steam controller, the best alternative to a proper mouse and keyboard setup. Yes there is a learning curve but after pass it the controller really shines as being the best we’ve got.
steam controller, all the way. Best controller I’ve ever used.
Where is the Steam Controller? Surely it should get a mention, it’s the most different and unique controller out there.
The Xbox 360 controller was perfection, the Xbox One controller took that to the next level and improved on something i didn’t think could be. The DS3 and DS4 are not bad controllers, however poor in comparison to Microsoft’s offerings.
As for Xbox 360 controllers, I have a 7 year old one for my PC going strong.
had a lot of issues with the build quality of the 360 controller. xbone wins by a country mile
Glad I’m not alone
DS3 > than DS4. Dualshock 4 charge don’t last as long, i have two DS4 controllers and same result. it could be there are more juice needed to run the DS4.
DS3 is more solid and better made, the thumbsticks are wearing on the DS4 despite a fraction of the use the DS3 controller has. The DS4 will be worn out before the DS3 will be. The DS3 is easier to hold for small hands and for kids to use.
The DS4 does have the touchpad going for it. the DS4 despite its features is not as well made as the DS3. dont feel as solid.
Also the DS4’s facebuttons feel way to stiff for me. There is this slight resistence when pressing them, that make precise inputs harder than on the DS3. Personally, i like the overall form of the DS4 better, but the facebuttons make me prefer the DS3.
I agree, I think it’s because InputMapper doesn’t have a auto-shut-off like DS3Tool does. I walk away and my controller is on for 30 minutes wasting charge. I’m probably going to get a dock or something.
Does the DS4 headphone jack work? It works on my XBone controller with chatpad. I would switch to DS4, but hated the DS3 Tool and I wouldn’t want to sacrifice having a headset tied to my controller.
Yes my chatpad has a Headphone jack on the bottom that connects a headset. I’ve never used it to tell you if it works or not.
My 2 original Xbox 360 controllers work, but I’ve gone through 4 PS3 controllers since launch and I don’t use my PS3 nearly as much. I actually got tired of my PS3 controllers not working so I bought an adapter for my PS2 controller and have been using that without a problem. My PS2 controller also works well on PC although you may need to use x360ce to trick the game into thinking its an Xbox 360 controller. I’m considering buying the new Xbox One controller because of the headphone jack and bluetooth which my Xbox 360 controllers do not have.
My comment was not approved despite the fact that I didnt write anything mean nor I didnt offend anyone. I just posted my opinion…
I assure you I don’t moderate comments. It could be held up by an administrator.
DS4 is nice if you don’t mind wired, but its battery life is total ***. Also has problems with some games like Resident Evil 4. DS3 is my go to with SCP drivers, pain to install but works well after that. Wii U Pro with mayflash adapter is great for everything except racing games. Xbox One controller might be nice but I’m not paying $25 for rechargable batteries which should be the standard in 20 freaking 16 and another $25 for a wireless dongle.
Mine lasts about 7 hours, I guess I’m just not really a hardcore gamer for the battery life to effect me. There are mods that can boost your battery life substantially on the DS4, as well as Microsoft’s options.
What about the Wii U Pro Controller. You can’t use controllers form two of the Big Three, and leave the other one out.
I honestly have no experience with it, I almost removed my entire Xbox One section because of the same issue. At least I’ve touched the Xbox One controller you know? AFAIK the controller has no chatpad, in that case you should stick to using it on your Nintendo.
I feel like this article was a bit bias considering you seem to be more of a PlayStation fan in general… being more familiar with Xbox/Xbox controllers due to my tremendous amounts of time playing halo I found that the Xbox 360 controller fit perfectly with me for any PC gaming.
Then moving on to the Xbox one controller also felt great…. the major pro was that most games that come out with controller support specifically include it for the line of Xbox controllers just because Microsoft makes it so easy to integrate.
Beyond that I’ve never had the luxury of trying a Steam controller but the PS4/PS3 controller just don’t feel right to me for PC gaming and most games would require additional hacking around and configuring just to get them to work how I want, where the Xbox line just works as is as soon as I plug it in.
I dislike Sony software 100%, but their peripherals ARE top notch. In my personal experience (Not opinion) The 360 controller is notorious for having sub par Analogs. I’m a very technical person and for luxury I’ll do what it takes.
After the recent Firmware restrictions for PS3/Vita/PS4 I’d rather bypass everything and stay on PC. A company that deny’s the use of Netflix because you refuse to remain on a “current firmware” deserves to be boycotted. My Vita was a gift, and I was happy to receive it after loving my PSP for years. In reality it’s been a curse.
The DS4 is arguably more ergonomic than Microsoft controllers. Especially for those of us alive before Microsoft made home consoles. Preferring a controller because you “used to play Halo” with it seems a bit biased.
For what it’s worth I didn’t intentionally make that URL type, I had a 360 image prepared 😛
http://i.imgur.com/AEy2ChMm.jpg
Typo*-_-
DS4 is the best gamepad ever, and more comfortable than any other gamepad! I literally use this more than Key and Mouse now on pc, and it’s compatible with ps3 and ps tv:D
I got same issue with the left analogue stuck of my xbox 360 gamepad… i had another xbox 360 gampad. With that one the rb button was not working anymore…. not going to buy another xbox gamepad again. Will order the gamesir g3s…reviews say they are great and cheaper
Meh. I don’t rate DS3 and DS4 at all. The DS3s seem to last longer (battery and moving parts) than the DS4s though, it’s probably that dumb light that basically has no useful purpose (yes, I know what purpose it’s supposed to have…) draining the battery quicker.
Xbox 360 controller is getting a lot of love. I’d love to join you, but I can’t. I’m not particularly hard on these controllers yet I’ve had two pick up the “drifting analogue sticks” issue, where they don’t fully return to the centre dead zone. One was a wired PC specific version and started doing this after a couple of weeks. They chomp through batteries pretty badly, too, if they’re wireless. Nah.
Why no mention of the Wii U Pro controller in the article? I like this one. It’s an Xbox 360 controller built right with the face button/right stick position swapped, which actually works incredibly well. I’ve bashed the heck out of it when playing Mario Kart 8 (the left stick especially needs to be worked a lot to get the tight boost turns, and the triggers get abused especially when you get a gold mushroom) and it continues to look and perform like new. The battery life is insane – estimated 60-80 hours because it uses the 3DS battery, so with just basic bluetooth support and no screens etc to run that cell is good for potentially days and days.
A good friend of mine raves about the XB1 Elite controller, and I can see why. Horribly expensive at £120, it is however well-built and has a D-pad that just makes the X360 and DS line d-pads look like toys. Too large for my liking though.
Despite the somewhat challenging lack of buttons, most of the games I play are well suited to an official GameCube controller. This thing is ridiculously comfortable even when you’re wrenching it about, the sticks and buttons will withstand stupid levels of abuse and still work perfectly (Smashers can testify), I don’t know, it all just makes sense and works beautifully. Nintendo just knows how to build great, robust controllers.
Yeah… idk… the DS4 touchpad (at least with DS4Windows default settings) has very poor accuracy, making selecting games on some emulators (since RetroArch does not have everything yet) a bad experience while I`m on my couch (a multimedia keyboard with touchpad is a better option in this case, or the Steam Controller even), with Steam Big Picture. While on desk, I just use the much better mouse and keyboard for browsing.
A Xbox 360/One Headset (if we are taking account on 1st party accessories) also works on Xbox controllers, so you can just plug it on the controller and it will do it`s things without a hich (both the mono and stereo versions). Never got the mic output working on my DS4 with DS4Windows. Of course you can just use one of those Sony Pulse or Gold Headsets, but I don`t think that adds much value to the DS4 itself…
Also, the newer Xbox One controllers can connect with bluetooth on PC.
The “surfing” problem you were having with the X360 controller is not actually a hardware fault, but rather a software problem: With this controller, the mapping software needs to set up a certain “dead-zone” for the analog sticks; a tolerance zone in which they do not react in-game. Most contemporary games which are compatible with this controller out-of-the-box (which are a LOT) already have this set up properly. If a game does not support the controller, you can always use “x360ce” to map the buttons manually AND set up dead-zones!
The X360 controller is great because of it’s wide compatibility and (subjective) good fit in the hands. There is no need to “disqualify” it because of minor problems like the “surfing”, which can easily be resolved with a little bit of research!
Pro tip, the Mayflash PS3 Controller to PC USB Adapter has xinput support, actually it has a switch for direct input or xinput, and when in xinput mode, the DS3 is detected as a standard xbox controller! Their Wii U Pro Controller to PC/PS3 Adapter also has this feature. And the Wii U Pro controller wins it for me, because of the best directional pad/arrows, if nothing else.
Am I the only person to have issues with the Xbox 360 guide buttons getting stuck?
I owned probably around 7 controllers total (got 4 of them stolen with the 360 a few years back) and I’m sure most if not all of them had that stupid button stuck down at some point
you would think that I eat too many Doritos or spilled mountain dew and that’s why it’s sticky but.. not even close, I quite rarely play games anymore and don’t have local friends that use my other controllers. 3 new controllers, one would get stuck, I would swap to 2nd one etc. .. it happened on all 3 of them within 3 years. I had to open the controllers and use sandpaper to file the outside of the guide button down (it’s some kind of weird 2 piece button too) to fix it and it has not happened since.
it’s a pain in the butt with Steam that opens big picture mode as soon as you turn the controller on cause you are technically “holding” the guide button.
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