What PC Controller Isn't Shit These Days?

[GhostCow]

Swappable batteries is the one thing I'm jealous of and I have no idea why Sony insists on battery packs. I bought an xbox controller for the swappable batteries, but I couldn't stand it so I gave it to a friend and went back to a ds4.

 

[Jack Of Owls]

I always turned the lightbar off on my mine too. I think when the dual sense first released, it took a while for that option to work in ds4windows with it, so the battery life was horrid for me for a while. I'd guess the battery in mine probably lasts 10-12 hours with the led off, but I've never really thought about it much. It charges fast enough that I can just charge it while I take a break to make food or something without any fear of running low if I'm gaming all day on the weekend. What I can say for sure is that the sticks and buttons feel much better to me. I also find it harder to accidentally hit the start button, which I think was a problem for me sometimes with the ds4. I have mine set to use the right side of the touchpad as start and the left side as select, which is much more comfortable for me than anything else. I never use the actual start and select buttons (or whatever the fuck they are called on a ds5).

I don't think the built in microphone works in Windows because I didn't even know it had one and I don't see it in my sound properties. That might be a wired only thing. I use bluetooth.

I just pulled the trigger, so... it's on the way. I just can't pass up that $35 deal and I need a change just for the sake of a change. Who knows? It might help cure my chronic choice paralysis and actually give me an incentive to play a game having a big new shiny thing in my hands to fondle.

 

[GhostCow]

I just pulled the trigger, so... it's on the way. I just can't pass up that $35 deal and I need a change just for the sake of a change. Who knows? It might help cure my chronic choice paralysis and actually give me an incentive to play a game having a big new shiny thing in my hands to fondle.

So where did you get that deal? I want another one. Cheapest I've seen is $50 on Amazon

 

[Jack Of Owls]

I just pulled the trigger, so... it's on the way. I just can't pass up that $35 deal and I need a change just for the sake of a change. Who knows? It might help cure my chronic choice paralysis and actually give me an incentive to play a game having a big new shiny thing in my hands to fondle.

So where did you get that deal? I want another one. Cheapest I've seen is $50 on Amazon

Walmart, with coupon code and credit due me. You can still get it for $40 before taxes with just the code (I used WOWFRESH) but I had a $5 credit too, so...

 

[somerandomdude]

I just pulled the trigger, so... it's on the way. I just can't pass up that $35 deal and I need a change just for the sake of a change. Who knows? It might help cure my chronic choice paralysis and actually give me an incentive to play a game having a big new shiny thing in my hands to fondle.

So where did you get that deal? I want another one. Cheapest I've seen is $50 on Amazon

For $70, you can get an 8 bit do ultimate controller that has back pedals, and hall-effect joysticks that won't ever get drift, and they even throw in a charging dock. It's better than any Nintendo, Sony or MS junk, including the Xbox Elite controller. It's also got good software support for remapping buttons, including macros you can assign for repetitive input tasks. PC recognizes it as an Xbox controller, so there's no need for 3rd party software like DS4 windows, etc. And I heard it works on a Nintendo Switch as well, and it beats the shit out of the switch pro controller. It's literally the best controller on the market right now, IMO. I just got one in yesterday, and it's a great controller. It works great on emulators as well, I've had no problems configuring the controller in any emulator I've tried, it just works.

Also, I was having bluetooth related issues on my Dual Sense 5 controller, and with the 8 bit do ultimate, all those problems went away. No more random drop outs, and having to re-pair the controller over bluetooth. I have been coping using a long USB-C cable, directly into a port with this Dual Sense 5.

 

[GhostCow]

I just pulled the trigger, so... it's on the way. I just can't pass up that $35 deal and I need a change just for the sake of a change. Who knows? It might help cure my chronic choice paralysis and actually give me an incentive to play a game having a big new shiny thing in my hands to fondle.

So where did you get that deal? I want another one. Cheapest I've seen is $50 on Amazon

For $70, you can get an 8 bit do ultimate controller that has back pedals, and hall-effect joysticks that won't ever get drift, and they even throw in a charging dock. It's better than any Nintendo, Sony or MS junk, including the Xbox Elite controller. It's also got good software support for remapping buttons, including macros you can assign for repetitive input tasks. PC recognizes it as an Xbox controller, so there's no need for 3rd party software like DS4 windows, etc. And I heard it works on a Nintendo Switch as well, and it beats the shit out of the switch pro controller. It's literally the best controller on the market right now, IMO. I just got one in yesterday, and it's a great controller.

Analog stick placement on that thing is a deal breaker for me. d-pad doesn't look great to me either. Definitely not going to be as comfortable as the d-pad on the dual sense. In fact the shape reminds me of the d-pad on the Dreamcast gamepad and that thing used to hurt my thumbs like crazy.

 

[Jack Of Owls]

I just pulled the trigger, so... it's on the way. I just can't pass up that $35 deal and I need a change just for the sake of a change. Who knows? It might help cure my chronic choice paralysis and actually give me an incentive to play a game having a big new shiny thing in my hands to fondle.

So where did you get that deal? I want another one. Cheapest I've seen is $50 on Amazon

For $70, you can get an 8 bit do ultimate controller that has back pedals, and hall-effect joysticks that won't ever get drift, and they even throw in a charging dock. It's better than any Nintendo, Sony or MS junk, including the Xbox Elite controller. It's also got good software support for remapping buttons, including macros you can assign for repetitive input tasks. PC recognizes it as an Xbox controller, so there's no need for 3rd party software like DS4 windows, etc. And I heard it works on a Nintendo Switch as well, and it beats the shit out of the switch pro controller. It's literally the best controller on the market right now, IMO. I just got one in yesterday, and it's a great controller.

How long do these things last though? That's the reason I never go with 3rd party. Never had a Microsoft controller wear out after heavy use or a Sony DS4 (DS3 though... every one I had developed drift within a year). I don't care about all the other features... I just want it to LAST.

 

[somerandomdude]

How long do these things last though? That's the reason I never go with 3rd party. Never had a Microsoft controller wear out after heavy use or a Sony DS4 (DS3 though... every one I had developed drift within a year). I don't care about all the other features... I just want it to LAST.

Considering they got hall-effect joysticks.....they'll last longer than Xbox or Sony pads. Hall-effect joysticks use magnetism, vs potentiometers that rub and make contact. Potentiometers made by alps are rated for 400,000 cycles. How many cycles for hall-effect joysticks? Difficult to say, but it would be considerably more than 400k. Pretty much everyone who's analyzed the tech, like ifixit says that hall-effect sensors are superior to potentiometers. Military grade hardware uses hall-effect sensors.

I've been through 5 dual sense 5 controllers within 2 years. Before that, I was also wearing out Xbox controllers at the same rate, and the problem was always stick drift. So, I'm easily willing to take a chance on something that's using objectively superior tech specifically on the part of the controller that I was having issues with.

 

[GhostCow]

I've been through 5 dual sense 5 controllers within 2 years. Before that, I was also wearing out Xbox controllers at the same rate, and the problem was always stick drift. So, I'm easily willing to take a chance on something that's using objectively superior tech specifically on the part of the controller that I was having issues with.

Dude what the fuck are you doing to your gamepads? Stop abusing them. You must be one of those rage gamers. I've gotten drift a few times in the past, but never at that rate.

 

[somerandomdude]

Dude what the fuck are you doing to your gamepads? Stop abusing them. You must be one of those rage gamers. I've gotten drift a few times in the past, but never at that rate.

Playing heavy action based games, Monster Hunter, Dark Souls, Sekiro, Nioh, all of those games were quite heavy on stick cycles. The only part of the controllers to wear out was the sticks, it's not like I tossed the pad into a floor. I'm a pretty chill gamer, I don't get mad at games.

Look, there's an ifixit video about this where they estimate the number of cycles per hour in a heavy action based game, or a shooter, and they came up with somewhere around 200-400hrs of play to burn up 400k cycles on potentiometer sticks. That's relatively consistent with the results that I've been getting.

 

[Jack Of Owls]

Yeah, you must do A LOT of gaming to go through 5 DualSense controllers in 2 years (!) I can't even conceive of how many hours you must put into it. The Hall Effect technology is interesting and definitely an upgrade over the old analog tech with pots. It's definitely not new tech though. I have an old Thrustmaster T.16000M flight stick with hall effect sensors. Paid like $30 a few years ago. However, I rarely play flight sims so it's currently in storage. Wish I could transfer those magnets and PCB to my Sony controllers. Edited: corrected my post above because I originally thought you said 5 controllers in 5 years, but it's 5 controllers in 2 years. Oh. My. God.

 

[Late Bloomer]

Almost bought a new DualSense controller yesterday for the sweet price of $35 (USD). But is it worth the upgrade over the DualShock 4 (the best controller I ever used, btw... I don't buy those $200+ super elite supreme deluxe things)? I'd be using it with DS4Windows. Just don't want to buy this thing and discover battery life is a fucking fraction of what it is for the DS4 or starts to drift within a week or some shit like that. Anyone here "upgrade" from a DS4 to a DS5 and can advise with tales of success or buyer's remorse? I've been using the same DS4 controller that I bought at Newegg 8 years ago so it's no wonder I think it's the best controller for PC/consoles the world has ever known.

100% remorse. Drift on two seperate controllers. One within a week. Returned. The next one lasted four weeks then started drifting. One of the buttons started to stick a bit too. The battery life is garbage in comparison. I stuck with my DS4.

 

[somerandomdude]

I'll report back in a few months time after I see how this new 8 bit do ultimate controller holds up to the type of abuse I'm accused of putting pads through. If it's shit and buttons are wearing out, I'll just straight up tell you it's shit.

 

[Jack Of Owls]

Almost bought a new DualSense controller yesterday for the sweet price of $35 (USD). But is it worth the upgrade over the DualShock 4 (the best controller I ever used, btw... I don't buy those $200+ super elite supreme deluxe things)? I'd be using it with DS4Windows. Just don't want to buy this thing and discover battery life is a fucking fraction of what it is for the DS4 or starts to drift within a week or some shit like that. Anyone here "upgrade" from a DS4 to a DS5 and can advise with tales of success or buyer's remorse? I've been using the same DS4 controller that I bought at Newegg 8 years ago so it's no wonder I think it's the best controller for PC/consoles the world has ever known.

100% remorse. Drift on two seperate controllers. One within a week. Returned. The next one lasted four weeks then started drifting. One of the buttons started to stick a bit too. The battery life is garbage in comparison. I stuck with my DS4.

That sounds rather early for the sticks to drift on an official Sony controller. You did buy them from authorized Sony retailers, right? Tons and tons and tons of Class C fake Sony controllers out there. That's one lesson I learned with the old Sony PS3 DS3 controllers and buying one off of eBay from counterfeit resellers. But all it took was a little bit of discouragement and threats to erode and destroy the seller's business to get things right again to my-complete-satisfaction-or-my-money-back.

 

[Late Bloomer]

You did buy them from authorized Sony retailers, right?

Yeah they were the real deal. I might have just had bad luck but it wasnt a good experience. I had a couple of unopened DS4 controllers so I have just been using those mostly.

 

[Late Bloomer]

Maybe I got lucky but stick drift is in any case very much influenced by the user.

Did you marry a gorilla?

 

[holla_cabezas_de_mierda]

mouse?

 

[Modron]

That would probably be a good topic as well what mouses aren't shit these days. Since a lot of them have a lot of engineered obsolescence built into them like logitech and their use of cheap switches that start double clicking in 2-4 years of use. The answer would probably be none of course.

 

[holla_cabezas_de_mierda]

OMG on the quality of intellivision controllers. If yours works, I wouldn't recommend opening it. I'll link vids:






I can't tell if model 1 is better made as you can unscrew it but the damn think is connected to the console. You'd have to do a 9-pin mod to make it usable in other things. I wonder if there is a 9-pin extender. The model II intellivisions have issues fitting in some ports. But damn flimsy things. I'll create a custom overlay. Mine work.

I have an intellivision my uncle bought in maybe 1981 and its in my moms attic. It looks like shit, I doubt it works. Last time I even saw it was after my wedding in 2001, and it looked like crap then....I would not even know how to hook it up to a modrn TV since we used to hook it up to the back of the old style TV's UHF outlet or whatever using a little box that connected to the cheap little metal connectors on the back of old TV sets..

 

[Jack Of Owls]

I had an intellivision back in the day. I traded my Atari 2600 for my best friend's little brother's Intellivision. Yeah, I know... I thought the little brother must have been retarded too but he's the one that wanted to swap so who was I to break the lil fella's heart and say No?

Update: ordered my new DualSense DS5 controller last night online at Walmart, and received it by 9:00 AM this morning. It's a good day.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

8 bit do ultimate uses a totally different tech for the sticks that's not Alps junk. They recently released.

https://www.maxi-geek.com/con/8bitdo-claim-they-have-the-ultimate-controller-and-they-might-be-right

https://www.8bitdo.com/

just gonna keep reposting this.

8 bit do ultimate uses a totally different tech for the sticks that's not Alps junk. They recently released.

https://www.maxi-geek.com/con/8bitdo-claim-they-have-the-ultimate-controller-and-they-might-be-right

Ordered this. 70 dollars became an easier sell when I thought about also using it for my Switch. When I played some emulated Switch games with my brother on his computer, there were a few that didn't run well. I may use the back buttons as pressure sensitive face button actions in games like MGS3. That feature never should have been dropped with the PS4 controller. Sony should have instead pushed their own first party devs to use it more.

https://www.8bitdo.com/

just gonna keep reposting this.

8bitdo came out with a new controller that uses Hall Effect sensors. Drift-proof and more accurate analog sticks, should be perfectly centered.
Thinking of grabbing it... but undecided, torn between it or the other Hall Effect sensor controller, the GuliKit KingKong2 Pro.

 

[Jack Of Owls]

Ooooh, for $70, it can do everything but blow me! Hard pass.

 

[Ezekiel]

Couldn't see a way to map P1 and P2 (the 8bitdo back buttons) to the game I was playing. Does the game need to have those options? I can't remember when I've seen P1 and P2 in a game.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Ooooh, for $70, it can do everything but blow me! Hard pass.

That's what he is for.

 

[Great Deceiver]

The only controller I've ever gotten drift in were the crappy Switch joycons. I haven't heard of a single one that didn't crap out. Truly bottom of the barrel parts.

I'd buy one of those new 8bitdo Ultimates (I like their stuff, and they include a dock even, seems like a good deal), but I already have an Xbox One wireless pad, a Dualsense and an 8bitdo M30 for older stuff/shmups. They all work great. Dualsense is a good controller but the battery life is truly abysmal.