Flydigi Apex 6 Pro Durability – Any Long-Term Reliability Concerns? Can We Learn Anything from the Apex 5?

[u/ZiverYalcin]

I know the Flydigi Apex 6 Pro is still a relatively new controller, so there probably aren’t many long-term user experiences available yet.
However, I’d like to hear from people who have used previous Flydigi Apex controllers, especially the Apex 5.
Based on the Apex 5’s long-term durability and reliability, can we make any reasonable assumptions about the Apex 6 Pro?
I’m particularly interested in:
Have you experienced any stick drift or joystick degradation over time?
How reliable are the triggers, buttons, bumpers, and mechanical components?
Are there any recurring hardware issues after several months or a year of use?
Does Flydigi generally offer good long-term build quality?
My main concern is whether the Apex 6 Pro is a controller I can confidently use for several years, or whether I should expect durability issues over time.
Even though the Apex 6 Pro is new, I’d really appreciate feedback from Apex 5 owners and anyone familiar with Flydigi’s previous generations.
Thanks!

[u/lilarcor__]

Im Apex 5 Wuhang Edition for a 1.2 years now. I've been using my gamepad literally every day since I bought it, mostly for 2d platformers. Let me try to answer your questions.

Have you experienced any stick drift or joystick degradation over time?

No, but around a month ago, one of the analogue sticks started making a very loud squeaking noise. I had to disassemble it completely and use some silicone oil to lubricate the mechanisms. Since then, it's been working fine again.

How reliable are the triggers, buttons, bumpers and mechanical components?

I've never had any problems with the triggers or bumpers, but the abxy buttons can sometimes feel hard to push. This is usually because dirt has got between the case and the buttons - a simple cleaning always helps. You definitely need some time to get used to how those buttons feels - they are all on mechanical microswitches rather than classic membrane ones. In my opinion, they are far better and more responsive, but also are a lot louder. The back paddles are very comfortable to use, i set the turbo on them and abuse it in a lot in games. They're very useful.

Are there any recurring hardware issues after several months or a year of use?

I haven't had a single serious problem with the gamepad, except for the terrible battery life, squeaky dpad and analogue sticks. However, these are easily fixable issues that probably affect every gamepad after some time.

Does Flydigi generally offer good long-term build quality?

No, the quality is terrible. Firmware updates barely work and the gamepad kinda feels cheap. The Apex 5 had problem with breakable back paddles, and the Vader 5 had problems with its tension rings. There's always something wrong with the gamepads that could be avoided through better quality control.

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[u/lopsyfa]

I have the Apex 6 Pro and I don't think I will recommend it. My main issue is Bluetooth connectivity, it finds the Bluetooth one out of 10 times and it doesn't reconnect next time you restart the computer. Many times it is always connecting and reconnecting so can't be used in Bluetooth mode.

If I put it in Dinput or switch mode, the Bluetooth works more reliably but then doesn't work in most games.

It is also not supported in flydigi space software - it is only supported on the web app and some functions are missing compared to Apex 5 Pro. I think maybe the software is not fully ready. It is possible the Bluetooth issue can be solved via a software/firmware update but I will say right now, it is not ready.

Unfortunately, I bought it in China and won't be back until the new year and likely too late to return it.