The Best PC Gaming Controllers of 2023
The PC is an incredibly diverse gaming platform and you can find ports of titles from every genre, console, and era of gaming. Many games were designed for a gamepad, so you’ll need one for the best gaming experience. The best PC gaming controllers should be able to tackle every genre, from fighting games to first-person shooters, with ease.
Gamers who just want to stick to PC-only titles should read our round-up of the best gaming keyboards or best gaming mice. But if you want to skip the keyboard and mouse and are looking for the best PC controller to play Forza Horizon 5 with, read on.
The best PC controllers often feature adaptive triggers, textured grips, and sometimes even RGB lighting. If you’re looking for the best mix of comfort and features, the Gulikit KingKong 2 Pro (available at Amazon) is the best PC controller you can buy right now. It’s durable, rich with features like Hall Effect thumbsticks and triggers and built-in macro recording, and supremely comfortable. It can be used with your PC, Mac, mobile devices, or Nintendo Switch over Bluetooth, and pair with up to four devices at a time.
Credit: Reviewed / Matthew S. Smith
The Gulikit KingKong 2 Pro is a top-tier wireless controller that doesn’t skimp on features.
Best Overall
Want a dependable, enjoyable controller that works with multiple devices? The Gulikit KingKong 2 Pro Wireless controller ticks every box and leads the competition on multiple platforms.
The KingKong 2 Pro offers an elegant matte black body and glossy silver accents and is also available in white. Material quality is excellent, too, with grippy soft-touch plastics that prove comfortable to handle over long play sessions.
The Hall Effect joysticks Gulikit used feel precise and won’t ever suffer from stick drift, as input is determined via magnetic fields instead of relying on mechanical resistance. This also eliminates dead zones, resulting in pixel-perfect sensitivity.
The layout is based on the Nintendo Switch Pro controller and includes Home and Screenshot buttons, plus two additional face buttons for macros. The Nintendo-style button layout can be swapped to the ABXY Xbox face button layout when connected to a PC. Other features include an auto-fire button and a macro button that can record and play back up to 10 minutes of key presses.
First-person shooter fans might not like the triggers, which feel wooden and don’t offer trigger locks or customizable tension. The Gulikit KingKong 2 Pro spans Nintendo Switch, PC, MacOS, iOS, and Android compatibility, but it lacks Xbox and PlayStation support. Connecting supported devices is easy, at least, thanks to clearly labeled pairing buttons with bright LEDs that indicate pairing status, and you can switch between four paired devices. The controller offers a robust 25 hours of battery life, and wired use over USB is also an option.
The Gulikit KingKong 2 Pro is our go-to wireless controller choice for Nintendo, PC, Mac, and mobile gamers. Its comfortable layout, pleasant materials, and Hall Effect joysticks push it ahead of the pack for only $70.
Read our review of the Gulikit KingKong 2 Pro.
Mục Lục
Pros
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Excellent build quality
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Precise joysticks
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Easy to connect
Cons
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Triggers feel wooden
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No customization
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Not compatible with Xbox or PlayStation
Buy now at Amazon
Credit: Reviewed / Matthew S. Smith
If you love the Xbox controller but don’t want to pay Xbox prices, the PowerA Spectra is a great option.
Best Value
PowerA’s Spectra Enhanced is a shockingly good Xbox Wireless Controller clone sold at a very affordable price. It doesn’t support wireless connections, instead only connecting over USB-A, but can go toe-to-toe with the other gamepads on this list.
The PowerA Spectra flatters the Xbox One gamepad by cloning its look and layout. The only giveaway is the Spectra backlighting, which adds a bit of flair. Like the Xbox controller it emulates, the Spectra has an offset joystick layout with D-Pad located below the left analog stick. The Spectra does a good job of emulating the button and joystick feel of the Xbox One gamepad and feels great, though the triggers are slightly less robust.
The PowerA Spectra Enhanced is officially licensed to work with Xbox One and Series X/S consoles. Windows technically is not on the list of official support, but the controller was detected as an Xbox gamepad in our testing. The Spectra gains several features you won’t find on a standard Xbox controller, including two back paddles and adjustable trigger stops that let you dial in how far the triggers travel.
Gamers looking for a budget gamepad can’t go wrong with the PowerA Spectra Enhanced. It’s as robust as the official Xbox gamepad and throws in a couple of extra customization options as a bonus.
Pros
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Durable build quality
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Easy to use
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Attractive design
Cons
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Doesn’t support wireless
$37.99 from Amazon
$37.99 from Best Buy
$39.99 from Walmart
Other PC Gaming Controllers We Tested
No PC game controller is easier to use than the Xbox Wireless Controller. Microsoft, which owns both Windows and Xbox, brought Xbox gamepad compatibility into Windows during the Xbox 360 era. This effectively made the Xbox controller the default choice for PC gaming.
The Xbox Wireless Controller is reliably detected by Windows over both wired and wireless connections. Once detected, Windows automatically finishes setup using built-in drivers. This takes mere seconds. Most games assume the Xbox controller as the default and display button prompts that mirror the Xbox gamepad’s layout.
It helps that the Xbox Wireless Controller is a solid, well-built gamepad with an asymmetrical layout well suited to 3D titles.
These strengths are offset by a couple of problems. The Xbox Wireless Controller doesn’t have a built-in rechargeable battery, so you’ll have to buy disposable AA batteries or purchase a rechargeable battery pack. (The official battery is $25.) The controller can connect wireless over Bluetooth but works best with the Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows, another $25 expense.
Despite this, PC gamers who want a gamepad that just works in every game should consider the Xbox Wireless Controller. The Xbox Wireless Controller can also be used with MacOS, Xbox consoles, Android, and iOS.
Pros
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Easy to use
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Great for 3D games
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Durable build quality
Cons
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Uses disposable batteries
Buy now at Amazon
$49.99 from Best Buy
$59.99 from Abt
$39.00 from Adorama
Sony’s DualShock 4 is a solid PC game controller. It’s not as easy to use as Microsoft’s Xbox Wireless Controller and is a tad pricey, but makes up for this with a built-in battery and versatile layout.
The DualShock 4 is a small, light controller with a symmetrical layout. This makes it easy to use in a wide variety of 3D and 2D games. The 8bitdo SN30 Pro 2 is better for 2D games by a hair, but the Dualshock 4 is a good alternative. The Dualshock 4 has a built-in rechargeable battery and relies on Bluetooth for wireless.
You may find the DualShock 4 difficult to use with some games. Steam has official Dualshock 4 support and some games will detect the controller, but Windows does not. You will need to install a third-party program like DS4Windows to ensure the controller works properly in all games. DS4Windows is easy to install, but this extra hurdle will put off gamers who want a simple solution.
Gamers can use the Dualshock 4’s touchpad to control the mouse. This has limited appeal but can be helpful if you want to use a controller with a game that doesn’t have built-in controller support.
Relatively expensive at $60, the DualShock 4 can be used with Windows, macOS, Sony’s PlayStation 4 console, Android, and iOS.
Pros
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Low weight
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Built-in battery
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Versatile layout
Cons
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May require third-party software
$59.99 from Best Buy
$59.99 from Target
$49.00 from Adorama
$64.95 from Walmart
Sony’s DualSense controller is a new spin on the DualShock 4 for the PlayStation 5 and remains a solid choice for PC gaming thanks to its features and broad platform compatibility. However, it’s more expensive than the DualShock 4 and among the most expensive PC game controllers we tested.
The DualSense is a larger, heavier controller than the DualShock 4. It feels more similar to the Xbox Wireless Controller when picked up. This provides a sense of quality and luxury. However, it retains the familiar symmetrical layout that works well with both 3D and 2D titles. The DualSense has a built-in rechargeable battery and relies on Bluetooth for wireless gaming.
Like the DualShock 4, the DualSense may be difficult to use with some games. Steam has official DualSense support but Windows does not. You will need a third-party program like DS4Windows to enable the controller in all games.
The DualSense’s touchpad can be used to control the mouse. The touchpad is larger on the DualSense than on the DualShock 4, which makes it more comfortable to use.
The DualSense controller ties the Amazon Luna controller for the most expensive we tested. The Dualsense can be used with Windows, MacOS, Sony’s PlayStation 5 console, Android, and iOS.
Pros
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Premium feel
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Built-in battery
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Versatile layout
Cons
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May require third-party software
Buy now at Amazon
$69.99 from Best Buy
$69.99 from Abt
$69.00 from Sam’s Club
The 8bitdo SN30 Pro is similar to the SN30 Pro 2 but targets a different audience. It mimics the look and feel of a Super Nintendo gamepad while retaining features required for new titles, such as triggers. It’s ideal for retro games but lackluster for modern 3D titles.
8bitdo uses a symmetrical layout for the SN30 Pro, but the gamepad lacks the grips that extend from the bottom of most modern controllers. This forces your hands towards the gamepad’s D-Pad and primary buttons and away from the joysticks. The joysticks remain for use in 3D games, but the D-Pad is the center of attention.
It’s a less comfortable gamepad in most cases, but some gamers might prefer it for 2D platformers and retro games.
The 8bitdo SN30 Pro has a built-in rechargeable battery and can connect wirelessly over Bluetooth. It works well with Windows games by default and 8bitdo’s software can be used to customize the controller. This gamepad also supports the Nintendo Switch, Android, macOS, iOS, and Raspberry Pi.
Shaving the grips off of the SN30 Pro saves you a few bucks, making it the second most affordable controller on this list. Still, the SN30 Pro+ is only $5 more.
Pros
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Easy to use
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Built-in battery
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Great for 2D games
Cons
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Not great for 3D games
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Can feel small for some players
Buy now at Amazon
Amazon’s Luna controller is a decent controller designed primarily for Amazon’s Luna cloud gaming service. It’s well designed and comfortable to use, but we encountered problems in our testing.
The Luna controller has a generic asymmetrical layout similar to the Xbox Wireless Controller. This makes it ideal for 3D games, though the overall feel and build quality are slightly inferior to the Xbox alternative. The center of the Luna controller has several additional buttons, like an Alexa button, though they’re not useful outside of Amazon’s Luna service. Bluetooth is used for wireless gaming and the controller relies on disposable AA batteries.
Amazon’s Luna controller worked in Windows games when connected over USB-C. A Bluetooth connection was possible and Windows identified the controller once we installed Amazon’s Luna drivers for Windows, but the controller frequently lost connection. We weren’t able to resolve this issue.
The Luna’s high price is difficult to justify given its features and unreliable Bluetooth connection. It ties the DualSense controller for the most expensive on our list. The Luna controller is comfortable but doesn’t make sense unless you plan to use Amazon’s Luna service or want a wired connection for your PC games.
Pros
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Low latency Wi-Fi controller
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Large game library
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Cross-platform compatible
Cons
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Uses disposable batteries
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Unreliable bluetooth connection
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Prime membership required
$69.99 from Amazon
The SteelSeries Stratus Duo is a unique controller that targets multi-platform gamers. It’s a reasonable choice if you want one controller to use on both PC and mobile, but it’s not the most enjoyable controller to use with most games.
Steelseries uses a symmetrical layout that’s most similar to the Playstation 5’s DualSense controller. The layout is fine but could be improved. We weren’t impressed by the D-Pad’s action and felt the controller’s trigger action was slightly subpar. The face buttons are slightly recessed and can be difficult to hit quickly.
The controller is the only one we tested that includes a physical power toggle. This is useful when packing the controller in a bag as it prevents the built-in battery from discharging over time due to accidental activation. This controller supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections, with the latter enabled by a USB dongle. Windows detected the controller without issue over both wired and wireless connections.
The Steelseries Stratus Duo’s price is mid-pack, but it’s not a great value for PC gamers. Some of the controller’s unique features, like the power toggle, target mobile gamers. You can use the Stratus Duo with Windows and Android. It advertises support for Oculus Rift, Go, and Samsung Gear VR, but virtual reality was not included in our testing.
Pros
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Wireless supported over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi dongle
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Built-in battery
Cons
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Layout needs improvement
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Build quality is disappointing for the price
$49.77 from Amazon
$52.99 from Best Buy
$29.95 from Newegg
$49.77 from Walmart
How We Test PC Gaming Controllers
The Tester
I’m Matthew S. Smith, a technology journalist, reviewer, and geek with fifteen years of experience writing about PC gaming hardware and peripherals. You can find my work at Reviewed, IEEE Spectrum, Wired, PCWorld, Lifewire, IGN, Business Insider, PCMag, Consumer’s Digest, MakeUseOf, The Escapist, and other publications. I was Lead Editor of Reviews at Digital Trends in 2020, where I worked as an editor since 2014. I’ve reviewed and tested thousands of laptops, keyboards, mice, game controllers, and monitors.
How We Test
We test PC game controllers in the usual way: by playing games on them. Every controller considered for this list was tested first-hand with a custom desktop PC over wired and wireless connections (if supported).
The games we used for testing included several keystone titles that we returned to with every gamepad: Final Fantasy XIV, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Control, and an emulated version of Super Mario World. They represent a wide variety of genres and control schemes.
What We Look for in PC Gaming Controller Layouts
Modern PC game controllers come in two basic layouts: asymmetrical or symmetrical.
An asymmetrical layout, like the Xbox Wireless Controller, places the left joystick above the D-Pad while the right joystick is below the four primary buttons. This asymmetrical design is superior for games that use joysticks for 3D movement. The D-Pad is often used to provide additional action buttons in these titles, and this layout makes the D-Pad easier to access.
The symmetrical layout, championed by Sony, places the joysticks beside each other and pushes the D-Pad up. The D-Pad is harder to access when using the joysticks for movement, but the joysticks are easy to ignore when playing a game that uses the D-Pad for movement.
We give slight preference to symmetrical layouts when testing PC game controllers. We feel a symmetrical layout is more versatile than an asymmetrical layout. This is because symmetrical layouts are generally preferable for 2D games that play best with a D-Pad but are still great in 3D titles. A versatile controller is useful for PC gaming because the platform has access to a wider range of games and genres than a console.
Your mileage may vary, however. Players only interested in modern 3D titles and console ports may lean towards an asymmetric layout.
Wired vs. Wireless
Most modern gamepads support both wired and wireless connections. The wireless connection is typically enabled through Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz over a USB dongle. Microsoft offers a proprietary wireless dongle for the Xbox controller, and cloud gaming controllers, like the Google Stadia and Amazon Luna controller, use Wi-Fi when connected to their respective services.
Wired connections remain the easy option. Wired controllers are reliably detected by Windows and require no additional setup to use. There’s no need to worry about latency or drop-outs caused by interference from other devices.
Most controllers support a Bluetooth connection that should, in theory, be automatically detected by Windows. This didn’t always prove true in our testing. Wireless can also fall victim to interference from other devices.
Most PC game controllers support a wireless connection but also work over USB, providing a backup if wireless goes awry. You do pay a slight premium for wireless, however. The PowerA Spectra Enhanced, our value pick, is a wired controller that undercuts wireless competitors without compromising quality or layout.
Cloud Controllers have Real Problems
The Google Stadia controller and Amazon Luna controller were included in our testing. Each has a solid, though generic, layout that doesn’t offend. That doesn’t mean they’re a great choice, however.
Amazon’s Luna controller can connect to a PC wirelessly over Bluetooth. This lets it function as a generic PC gamepad. We encountered connectivity problems over Bluetooth, however, so we had to revert to a wired connection.
The Google Stadia controller is technically wireless but only supports Wi-Fi and can’t be used wirelessly outside the Google Stadia platform. This contributed to its low ranking in our tests and its exclusion from this list. The Stadia controller isn’t a great choice unless you intend to play Stadia exclusively.
Both cloud gaming controllers were among the most expensive we tested. That makes them hard to recommend over the less expensive, easier to use, and more broadly compatible PC game controllers that top our list. We recommend staying away from either.
Rechargeable vs. Disposable Batteries
A majority of wireless controllers use a built-in rechargeable battery. However, Microsoft’s Xbox controller and Amazon’s Luna controller use disposable AA batteries.
Built-in rechargeable batteries are superior. Disposable AA batteries are inexpensive, but the cost of replacing batteries will add up over time. A long gaming session could easily eat up a pair of non-rechargeable batteries. You’ll eventually spend as much on disposable batteries as you did on the controller itself.
A rechargeable battery is lighter than disposable batteries and allows for a more compact design on the rear of the controller. This makes a controller with a rechargeable battery more comfortable to use.
Controllers that use disposable AA batteries can be upgraded with a rechargeable battery pack or can be used with rechargeable AA batteries. This is an extra cost, however, and undercuts the value of controllers that use disposable batteries.
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