The Best Game Controllers for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox (One and Series X/S), and PC (official and unofficial)
Years ago, third-party game controllers were dirt cheap and notorious for poor craftsmanship—especially the eggshell-plastic MadCatz knockoffs. Every household had one. You might not like that much, it was reserved for kid siblings and houseguests. Third-party game pads were given a bad reputation by those kinds of controllers.
Scuf and Astro have donned their armor and unfurled their banners on a quest to rebuild their reputation for off- brand gamepads. We’ve tried lots of them in the past few years and these are our favorites. Here are the best game controllers, official and unofficial, for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox (One and Series X/S), and PC.
Source: https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-game-controllers/
Customizable controllers worth it: Sony’s DualSense Edge versus the Elite Controller Series 2 for the Xbox Series X/S and the Xbox One
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Microsoft and Sony have pretty standardized controllers, and buying extras is usually affordable. However, both companies offer versions that let you swap out joysticks and add on extra inputs. They are also considerably more expensive. Let’s take a look at why you might want one.
The two controllers we’re looking at here are Sony’s DualSense Edge controller for the PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s Elite Controller Series 2 for the Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. Both offer very similar features aimed at optimizing your gameplay, so we’re going to examine them together.
The tops of the control sticks come in a lot of different shapes and colors. The way in which Microsoft and Sony bundles include sticks with rounded or indented tops can affect the way your thumbs hold the sticks. This is much more up to your own comfort level, but it’s nice to have the option.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/customizable-controllers-worth-it/
Adaptive Triggers for Online-Scenario Players with Accurate Aim Aid and Resistive Response Adjusted on the Fly
This is the most useful for games where aiming is a crucial skill. Online shooters from Call of Duty to Fortnite generally rely on hitting your targets before they can hit you. And while aim assist can help, it only gets you so far. These can help if you are struggling to get crosshairs in the same neighborhood as your enemies.
The adaptive triggering on the controllers can tell the game how much you push on the buttons, and can even adjust the resistance on the fly. This makes for some really interesting interactions, like pulling back farther on a bow or feeling resistance while prying open a crate in the game.