The Best Controllers For PC in 2024

The Switch Pro Controller is a solid piece of engineering. It feels great when in your hands, its build quality is excellent, and it can fit comfortably into most hands. Materials used feel sturdy and long-lasting and the controller is pretty heavy and feels like it can last for years.

The button layout can be confusing since the Switch Pro Controller uses different buttons for forward and back but Switch owners are probably used to that. And you can also replace it with an Xbox One button layout in Steam. While the Switch Pro controller lacks analog triggers found on the back, it does offer some advantages over other controllers.

Firstly, it has an excellent vibration engine that feels amazing, noticeably better than on other controllers. Further, the Switch Pro also has motion sensors so you can use motion controls in games that support it. Next, the D-pad on the Switch Pro is better than on most other controllers. And finally, hooking it up to a PC is very straightforward. Just connect it via cable or sync it via Bluetooth in just a few seconds.

The Steam setup is fairly simple, but the Switch Pro can be connected to your PC in other ways. If you plan on using the controller wirelessly, the built-in battery should last for about forty hours or longer, which is one of best results on the market for a controller with a built-in battery. Aside from the lack of analog triggers, the Switch Pro also suffers from drifting issues that also affect JoyCons. The drift isn’t as serious as on JoyCons, but it’s there. Overall, the Switch Pro is an excellent controller for PC for users who don’t mind not having analog triggers. Just be warry of the drifting issues.

The new Xbox Core controller, which replaced the Xbox One controller, is the definition of the “if it’s not broken” philosophy. It comes with a limited number of upgrades while keeping the best features of the Xbox One controller. That means excellent comfortability and design that goes well with both smaller and bigger hands. The new D-pad is probably the most obvious update, one that makes the Xbox Core one of the best controllers for 2D platformers.

Next, we have the same arrangement of buttons with excellent triggers that are now textured for better grip. In fact, the whole body of the controller has a grippy texture that feels great in hands. Finally, the micro-USB port is replaced with USB-C, allowing it to be used with any Micro-USB cable around. As for the battery life, if you have a pack of quality rechargeable AA batteries, you can expect north of 25 hours with a single charge.

The controller has excellent compatibility. While it’s designed for the Xbox Series X and S it works great on the Xbox One S and X, Windows 10 (wired, USB dongle, Bluetooth), and most Android devices. The only downside of using the controller on Windows 10 PCs is the fact that the hardware share button doesn’t work at the moment. We’re hoping a future update will solve this issue.

While the new Xbox Core controller is a slight step forward compared to the Xbox One controller, the DualSense made for the PS5 is a whole new dimension compared to the DualShock 4. The new design makes DualSense very comfortable for users with larger hands, with all users gaining from an increased grip thanks to the phenomenal PS styled texture covering the whole controller.

You also get adaptive triggers that demand various levels of force to be pressed depending on the situation, and they work great. DualSense also features incredibly detailed haptic feedback that, in selected games, perfectly translates movements and action to the user. That’s all great if you own a PS5. If you don’t well, you’ll miss on a boatload of features. For starters, you can’t use DualSense on the PlayStation 4 (at least not in a simple way). You can hook it to a Windows 10 PC and it’ll work great, but without adaptive triggers and haptic feedback.

Next, while the battery found inside the DualSense is 50 percent larger than on the DS4, and while the average battery life is about 13 hours, playing games that fully utilize new features cuts it down to about 6 hours. That’s pretty disappointing, especially since we expect more and more games to utilize both adaptive triggers and haptic feedback in the future. But if you have a PS5, the DualSense is probably the best controller in the world right now.

Let us be honest, most controllers are not suited for competitive gaming but that does not mean there are no exceptions. The Razer Wolverine V2 Chrome comes with a bunch of improvements over standard controllers that will always give you the edge in gaming.

The Wolverine V2 has 6 extra remappable buttons – 4 extra triggers and 2 bumpers which you can customize using the Xbox app. This will allow you easier access to a lot of functionality that otherwise you would be lacking.

For an even greater competitive edge, you can activate Hair Trigger Mode that reduces travel distance to the main triggers allowing you to spam buttons easier for faster inputs. The D-pad is also improved with better tactility and the overall shape of the otherwise impressive Xbox controller has been improved for better ergonomics.

The cherry on top is the fact that the Wolverine V2 has RGB capability increasing your aim by 10% or more 🙂

If you are a gamer that uses a PC, a Steam Deck, and a Nintendo Switch the new ultimate controller from 8Bitdo is an excellent choice for one device that can connect to all three platforms. While 8Bitdo is usually a company that focuses on retro-style controllers their ultimate controller has a bunch of features that are most definitely for the future and not from the past.

The controller comes with a charging dock and can switch wireless modes from Bluetooth to 2.4GHz. It has 2 paddle buttons and a profile switch button that can store 3 profiles for all 3 different devices the controller can connect to.

The joysticks themselves use a hall effect instead of a normal potentiometer successfully eliminating the wear and tear of the main component of your device. The device can last about 22 hours on its battery and if you need to charge it, you can use any USB-C you have laying around for your convenience.

Overall the 8BitDo Ultimate controller has a solid build quality with plenty of tricks and features to make it a good candidate for a multi-purpose gamer.

Controllers can do many things but rarely do you see a controller that can make you hear better. The Turtle Beach Recon Controller does exactly that with easy access to audio controls, including EQ presents, game & chat volume mix, and even mic monitoring.

One of such presents is Superhuman Hearing which helps you hear your enemies step around or reload their guns giving you easy-to-understand audio queues. In addition to better audio, you also get 2 mappable extra buttons that can be set for specific actions or you can select 4 different profiles you have made prior.

The Recon also tries to improve your comfort by adding cozy grips to the controller so your hands stay dry and cool, maintaining solid contact with the device. For extra immersion, you also benefit from dual rumble motors in the handles and triggers of the device for feedback accompanying your in-game actions.

If you want a simple, affordable, reliable, and comfortable PC controller the legendary F310 from Logitech is the way to go. This gamepad is on the market for about a decade and for all the good reasons. It’s built like a tank, feels great in hands, features excellent rumble vibration, and is very reliable. It can last for years and years, even if you aren’t the most considerate owner. When it comes to the size, this pad is larger than a DS4 and fits great in both large and small hands.

Analog sticks feature PlayStation placement white the buttons are done in Xbox style. The controller also includes analog triggers. On the bottom, you’ll find a small switch used to move between the direct and Xinput modes, which can be handy if you like playing older games not supporting the Xinput standard. Overall, this is an excellent choice for those looking for a reliable and comfortable gamepad that isn’t expensive with its only major drawback being the lack of wireless connectivity.

Microsoft made the best gamepad ever with the first generation of the Xbox One Elite controller and now they improved the formula with the Series 2. It comes with a slew of improvements while keeping the basics right, making it the best PC controller you can get right now. It received Bluetooth connectivity, making it easier to connect to the PC. It also has the excellent build quality and a ton of customization options.

You can swap analog sticks and the D-Pad. Change thumbstick tension and trigger the actuation point. Add optional paddles to the bottom of the gamepad, or play without them. You can also change the function of every single button and keep multiple profiles for different games. In other words, this is the dream controller for gamers who want to customize every aspect of their gamepad. Well, every except the placement of the left stick and D-Pad, which cannot swap places.

Thanks to the wide range of customization options the Xbox Elite Series 2 gamepad works perfectly in every game. After you find your ultimate combination of settings, thumbsticks, and the D-Pad you will finally have your perfect gamepad. On top of all that, the built-in battery lasts for up to 40 hours, which is one of the best results on the market. And let’s not forget excellent analog triggers that feature rumble feedback.

But even the best PC controller comes with its share of issues. First of all, lots of controllers suffer from QA and manufacturing issues, leaving them with some flaws the moment they leave the factory. Further, the parts are prone to malfunction after some time. This is why we recommend getting the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller only new and only if you can replace it for free or send in for a free repair. Don’t buy this one used or on the grey market. If it gets broken, you won’t be able to replace it or repair it for free.