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You can’t play PC games without a good control system. Maybe you want a keyboard and mouse for your shooters and strategy games. Maybe you need a good gamepad for action titles. Regardless, you need a reliable input method. Many pads, sticks, and other controller types are compatible with your gaming rig out of the box (or require some light tinkering). We test a wide variety of controllers to help you find the best one for long gaming sessions.
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Using Console Controllers With Your PCIf you have a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, or splurged on a Switch Pro Controller for your Nintendo Switch, you already have a gamepad you can use with your PC. These controllers have the benefit of rock-solid build quality and reliable PC compatibility (with some software or adapters required for the Nintendo and Sony gamepads). If you don’t already have one, you can purchase a console gamepad for $60 to $70.
Xbox Elite Series 2 Core Controller (Credit: Will Greenwald)
Xbox ControllersWhether it came with the Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S, or you bought it separately, the Xbox Wireless Controller is immediately compatible with any Windows 10 or 11 PC as a wired controller. You simply plug it into a USB port (or pair it over Bluetooth to go wireless). If you want to splurge, the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is one of our favorite wireless gamepads, though it costs $180. You can get the same gamepad for $50 less as the Elite Core controller, but that version lacks the Elite’s additional sticks, rear flippers, carrying case, and charging dock.
DualSense Edge (Credit: Will Greenwald)
PlayStation ControllersThe PS4 DualShock 4 and the PS5 DualSense controllers also work with your PC through a USB or Bluetooth connection—at least with most Steam games. Steam offers a PlayStation Configuration Support option in its controller settings menu that should get either controller to work like an Xbox gamepad, and it even supports button remapping. Sony has its version of the Xbox Elite gamepad, the DualSense Edge, which adds rear buttons and swappable parts, for a hefty $200.You can also use the 8Bitdo Wireless USB Adapter, a $20 dongle that connects to your PlayStation gamepad (and many other kinds of controllers) and properly maps it to work in Windows. It’s compatible with 8Bitdo’s Ultimate Software for extensive mapping and customization. If your PlayStation controller doesn’t work with your gaming rig, check out DS4Windows. It’s a free, third-party application that tricks your PC into thinking the PlayStation controller is a much more common (for PCs) Xbox gamepad, like the Steam configuration mode and 8Bitdo USB adapter do.
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (Credit: Molly Flores)
Nintendo ControllersThe Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Cons also connect to your PC, but they require even more wrestling. They’re great on the Switch, but don’t feel quite as solid or have nearly as comfortable directional controls as the Xbox Wireless Controller or DualSense. Instead, we recommend the Switch Pro Controller. It’s a powerful and sturdy conventional gamepad that can work with your PC without much effort, thanks to the Switch Pro Configuration Support option in Steam’s controller settings menu. Attach the Switch Pro to the 8Bitdo Wireless USB Adapter for playing non-Steam releases.
8Bitdo Pro 2 (Credit: 8Bitdo)
Third-Party GamepadsThird-party gamepads offer much more choice for breaking out of the $60 to $70 controller range. These wired and wireless options range from $20 to more than $200, depending on their designs, features, and customization options. And, of course, build quality; less expensive gamepads from third-party manufacturers can be hit-or-miss affairs in terms of how sturdy they feel and how well they play.Our perennial favorite is the 8Bitdo Pro 2, an incredibly flexible controller that feels good and offers many features for just $50. It has programmable rear buttons, supports multiple configuration profiles, and can be extensively tweaked with 8Bitdo’s Ultimate Software. It even works with the Nintendo Switch.
Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra (Credit: Will Greenwald)
There are other options out there, too, in both wired and wireless forms. The Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra is a pricey gamepad with RGB lighting and a built-in screen that lets you tweak its settings directly on the controller. And if you want to return to the SNES inspiration that 8Bitdo has drifted away from with the Pro 2, the Retro-Bit Legacy16 Wireless is another good choice.
Xbox Design Lab Elite Controller (Credit: Will Greenwald)
Custom ControllersIf you really want to splurge, you can get enthusiast-level gamepads from companies that offer a wide range of customization options. Some, like Controller Chaos and Evil Controllers, generally modify first-party Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox gamepads, overhauling them inside and out with custom designs, and new buttons. Sometimes they include electronic tricks for getting the edge in games like Call of Duty and Fortnite by providing specific inputs that take advantage of certain mechanics. These companies let you build your ideal gamepad from the ground up. Different colors, patterns, and finishes are available, with additional options like whether the analog sticks are concave or convex (often with removable options with different lengths), extended triggers, and even faux bullet face buttons. Rear paddle buttons are common on these gamepads, and they provide two or four additional, programmable inputs for your fingers that rest on the grip.These gamepads are often the most feature-filled, striking, and customizable, but they’re also the most expensive. They start at three digits, with fully overhauled controllers easily costing more than $200. If you want custom colors, but don’t need the rear paddles or extra features, the Xbox Design Lab lets you make your own first-party Xbox Wireless Controller, standard or Elite, with your favorite colors and finishes for a fraction of the price.Arcade and Fight SticksArcade sticks, or fight sticks, are controllers that emulate classic arcade cabinet controls. They usually feature a single eight-direction joystick and a series of big buttons, mounted on a large, flat base you can set on a table or your lap. They’re considered vital tools for serious fighting games, such as Guilty Gear Strive and Street Fighter 6. They also work well for classic arcade games like Donkey Kong or Ms. Pac-Man.Hori is one of the most beloved brands, with sticks for the major game systems (all of which will work with PCs through USB). Serious arcade sticks like Hori’s Real Arcade Pro series are known for using the same sticks and buttons as Japanese arcade cabinets, which helps justify their steep prices of $150 and above. If you want an arcade-style experience but don’t want to spend much money, check out the 8Bitdo Arcade Stick. It trades enthusiast-level responsiveness and sturdy arcade parts for wireless connectivity.
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If you’re even more devoted to fighting games, perhaps even a serious competitor, you customize sticks to your specifications. You’ll need to learn a bit about the internal workings of fight sticks. However, unlike most gamepads, they’re customizable and use fairly universal components. Arcade Shock and Focus Attack are two notable stores offering after-market joysticks, buttons, gates, and other parts.If you want crisp directional controls and lots of face buttons but like to hold your controller in your hand still, you can pick up a fightpad like the Hori Fighting Commander. These gamepads strip away features fighting game enthusiasts don’t need, like analog sticks, and instead offer excellent direction pads and three-by-two face button layouts.Enthusiast Controllers: Racing Wheels and Flight SticksIf you’re a fan of driving simulators or flight simulators, you should invest in simulator-worthy equipment. For example, racing wheels are steering controllers that let you drive cars in racing games by realistically turning a wheel instead of tilting a stick. Similarly, flight sticks (not to be confused with the analog sticks on gamepads or the digital sticks on arcade sticks) let you fly planes with a realistic full-hand grip to control your pitch, roll, and yaw. These seem like very different types of controllers, and they are. Still, they share three important common factors: They’re designed for specific games and genres, they often consist of multiple, modular components, and they can be expensive.Thrustmaster is one of the biggest racing wheel and flight controller manufacturers. In fact, Thrustmaster’s name invokes the force that lets a plane take flight. The company offers several flight sticks and racing wheels, along with accessories like pedals, throttles, shifters, control panels, and even separate heads-up displays that provide additional information about your car or plane’s systems. These setups can get pricey, with wheels and sticks starting at $100, and easily reaching several times that price with accessories.Likewise, Logitech offers racing wheels and flight sets, such as the $400 G923 wheel/pedals combo with optional $60 Driving Force Shifter shifting knob; $150 to $250 H.O.T.A.S. joystick/throttle combinations; and the modular Flight Yoke System ($170 for the yoke, with four separate instrument panels, a rudder pedal, and a throttle available for $60 to $170 each). These controllers are incredibly specific and modular.Of Course, You Can Still Use a Mouse and KeyboardIf you stick to shooters, strategy games, MOBAs, and MMOs on your PC, take a look at our best gaming keyboards and gaming mice.
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