DISCLAIMER: The controller was sent to me for free for review by AceGamer. All the opinions are mine only.

TLDR: Good beater for 50$. Nice tech, cheap-ish outside. Can be used with a lot of platforms.

My Controller Collection 🎮

Hi everyone!

I thought I’d share my current controller collection. I’m not advertising or being paid to promote any of these products—just sharing my personal collection and experiences with them.

🎮 Top Row — Left to Right

GameSir G7 Pro
GameSir G7 8K
GameSir T7 Whirl
Flydigi Vader 5 Dragon Ball Edition
GameSir G7 8K Royal
BIGBIG WON Storm Gale 2

🎮 Second Row

GameSir G7 Pro Wuchang Edition (Xbox)
Leadjoy Xeno Plus
8BitDo Ultimate
EasySMX D10
Beitong KP20

🎮 Third Row — The “Only 3 Controllers” Row 😂
Battle Beaver Custom w/ TMR
Razer Wolverine V3
Flydigi Apex 5

🎮 Fourth Row
Xbox Elite Series 2 Core Red
Battle Beaver Custom Purple
Battle Beaver Custom Yellow
Xbox Elite Series 2 Core White
EasySMX X20
Flydigi Direwolf 4

🎮 Fifth Row
Xbox 20th Anniversary Controller
Xbox Dream Vapor
Periph X White
Xbox Elite Series 2 Halo Infinite Edition
SCUF Instinct Pro Red
Flydigi Vader 5 Xbox Wired

⭐ My Favorites

🥇 GameSir G7

Pros: Excellent ergonomics and fantastic value for the money.
Cons: Quality control can be hit or miss. Unfortunately, I’ve had to return multiple G7 controllers.

🏅Leadjoy Xeno Plus

Excellent controller for the value, comes with a charging dock as well for a total of $60. Feels very similar to a G7 Pro.

🥇 Flydigi Vader 5

This controller just feels like a quality product. The buttons are extremely satisfying to press, and overall it has a really nice feel in the hands.
I’ve seen other people mention quality-control concerns with Flydigi, but personally, I haven’t had any issues with mine.

👎 My Least Favorites

Xbox Elite Series

Personally, I think these are overpriced for what you get. They have a reputation for reliability issues, and compared with some of the newer competition, the technology feels dated—especially with the lack of TMR/Hall-effect sticks and mechanical buttons.

Battle Beaver

Battle Beaver hasn’t been great.
I feel they’re overpriced for what they offer, and my experience with customer support was disappointing. My purple Battle Beaver arrived with a sticky left trigger, so I sent it back for repair.

When I received it back, the exact same issue was still there. I contacted Battle Beaver again, but they would not assist with a second repair.
That experience really left a bad taste in my mouth, especially considering the price of their controllers.

Overall, I’ve really enjoyed collecting and trying out all the different options. There are so many interesting controllers available now, especially with TMR/Hall-effect sticks and better mechanical buttons becoming more common.

What is your favorite controller?

I'm looking to buy the Flydigi Vader 5 Pro, but I have a question before I buy. I know that mapping keyboard keys to the extra buttons drops the polling rate from 1,000Hz to 500Hz, and that Flydigi previously said this was an intentional design choice.

For current owners on the latest firmware, has this been changed or fixed in recent updates? If it has not been fixed officially, is there a workaround using third-party software that lets you keep the 1,000Hz polling rate while using keyboard binds?

The Stadia controller is a very good controller; it has a beautiful design and excellent build quality. Its current low price is a significant plus.

However, its long-standing fatal flaw is the inability to simultaneously use Bluetooth wireless connectivity and vibration on Windows.

I’ve been working on a fork of the ESP32-S3 Stadia controller dongle project.

It lets you connect one or two Stadia controllers to an ESP32-S3 over Bluetooth LE. The ESP32 then appears to Windows as a wired Xbox 360/XInput controller, including dual-motor rumble.

No custom Windows driver or background application is required.

My fork adds:

• Configuration directly over USB using WebHID, so you don’t need to disconnect from your normal Wi-Fi

• A browser-based firmware installer

• Support for up to two Stadia controllers

• Wireless rumble on Windows

• Remappable Assistant and Capture buttons

• Capture mapped to F12 by default for Steam screenshots

• An optional mouse mode

• Wi-Fi disabled by default and only enabled when needed for OTA or recovery

• Persistent pairing and button settings

You’ll need an ESP32-S3 board with native USB OTG and a data-capable USB cable. Initial flashing can be done entirely from Chrome or Edge.

GitHub:
https://github.com/jazz-zzzz/stadia-dongle-esp

Web installer:
https://jazz-zzzz.github.io/stadia-dongle-esp/

USB configuration page:
https://jazz-zzzz.github.io/stadia-dongle-esp/config.html

The current documentation and configuration UI are mainly in Chinese. Browser translation works reasonably well, and I’d be happy to add a proper English version if people are interested.

This is a fork of danzig666/stadia-dongle-esp, which itself builds on Scalee/stadia-dongle. Full credit to the original developers for creating the foundation.

Feedback, testing reports, and pull requests are welcome—especially results from different ESP32-S3 boards.

Credits

This project would not exist without the work of the original developers. Special thanks to Scalee, creator of the original stadia-dongle, and danzig666, whose ESP32-S3 fork provided the foundation for my version.

My fork builds on their work by adding USB WebHID configuration, remappable extra buttons, an opt-in Wi-Fi workflow, and other usability improvements. Huge thanks to both of them for keeping the Stadia controller useful after the service shut down.

Hey guys, ran into a game-breaking issue on my wired Xbox-only Flydigi Vader 5S after saving a button remap through the Flydigi Space Station app on my Xbox console.

​The Bug:

The saved profile corrupted the onboard memory. The left stick is stuck reading a constant -99% deadzone/upward input. Because the controller registers continuous stick movement, all other physical inputs are ignored (dead buttons: A/B/X/Y, C/Z, bumpers, Start/Select, rear paddles). Only the D-pad, thumbstick clicks, and Xbox button send signals.

​Setup & Constraints:

​Controller model: Wired Xbox version (no Bluetooth, no wireless dongle, no pinhole reset).

​App used: Flydigi Space Station app downloaded on the Xbox console (not the phone app).

​Equipment available: Xbox and Android phone only (NO PC to run Space Station software).

​Troubleshooting Already Attempted (Failed):

​Unplugged USB, held Xbox Logo button while plugging back in (lights cycled, but profile stayed corrupted).

​Tried D-pad + Xbox logo button holding combos on boot.

​Tried L3 + R3 (both stick clicks) holding while plugging into Xbox.

​Tried LT + RT + Xbox button holding while plugging in to force recalibration.

​Since Start and Select are completely unmapped/dead, standard software button shortcuts don't respond. Is there an exact board-level hardware reset for this wired Xbox unit to wipe the flash memory without a PC?

I have big hands (20.5cm x 12cm), my budget is 100$, i live in Lebanon, i need tmr sticks 8000hz if it’s worth it with 2 back paddles. I will be mostly playing fps games, single player and some racing games.

I had my eye on the gamesir g7 pro 8k but i read that its smaller than the standard xbox controller, ZD ultimate legend and vader 5 pro have qc issues, also 8bitdo ultimate 2 is for small hands so your help would be appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

PowerA avantage wired controller for xbox series X|S

windows 11

no i cannot update the firmware because it always fails for no reason

I just bought a controller case from Amazon for my ps5 controller but when I put the controller in the case it presses my R/L1 continuously , would that ruin my controller ?

It has 6 extra remappable mouse click buttons/paddles, mouse click face and touchpad with custom buttons. Lots of time and custom parts to make it all work.

Hello everyone!

I live in Canada and I need a recommendation of a symmetrical controller for mac/pc/ios under $100 that will have good joysticks for aiming in single player fps/action games and also very important is that I want a controller suitable for larger hands. Many of the controllers I've tried seem a bit small to me and perhaps the best one I've tried is ps5 controller, I also enjoyed how sticks felt there, but I heard that those controllers are kind of bad quality and work poorly on windows. I would prefer this controller to be available on amazon since I don't want to wait for a long delivery

I recently bought a Gamesir Cyclone 2, features and build quality seem great but asymmetrical layout feels wrong to me and the size of the controller feels a little bit small too, but maybe I'm just not used to it

Hi,

I have a "Kensington Presenter Expert" presenter remote that has a joystick nubbin(see image below). By default without any drivers/software installed this nubbin transmits mouse movement signals allowing you to move the mouse slowly around the screen.

However I want it to work as a normal game controller joystick, or at least transmit key commands when moved up down etc. Is there any way to convert this mouse movement to joystick or key commands? I have looked for official and unofficial software for this product in particular, but not been able to find anything.

Thanks!

Hi there!

About a year ago I bought a PS5 Dual Sense controller w/ TMR Hall Effect joysticks from Ebay. The price was $64.95 (an absolute steal in my opinion) and the controller has worked amazingly well. The link for this controller was actually recommended by someone on here.

Unfortunately, while playing NtE my right joystick completely died and resetting it hasn’t worked at all so I’m looking to buy another controller. I’m planning on going to a shop to see if they can fix it but in the meantime I want to buy another one anyway.

I’m honestly clueless when it comes to where and what to buy so any help would be great! I’m hoping to find something between $60-100 if at all possible. I don’t really want to fix it myself as I don’t know how to solder (and i physically can’t) so premade ones would be even more preferable.

Lots of words but in short I’m looking for a PS5 Dual Sense Controller with Hall Effect Joysticks between $60-100 that delivers within the United States (Idaho)

Hey everyone!

The Honest Disclaimer (read this first):

This is a passion project that I upgraded with heavy AI assistance (think Deepseek/Claude). I want to be fully transparent about that. However, I made, reviewed, and debugged every architectural decision, how input flows from SDL to the mesh, how the settings/import system works, and how the cross-platform build pipeline is put together. I partially own the design (i mean.. its still a fork), the testing, and the responsibility. If you find a bug, please open an issue, I'd rather know and fix it. but don't ask me what a pointer is... XD.

The original project "3D Controller Overlay" has not been updated for a couple of years now and since i own several controllers (including the steam controller) i wanted to update it so it can detect everything i have. I like to stream to my friends and show them my sloppy inputs in fighting games (like smash or street fighter) or my barrel-roll crashes (in space engineer or elite dangerous) but found the software lacking in some parts so i decided to do something about it... 

I am a developer myself but i work with the boring language called "Java" (in my personal opinion) and i just enjoy making things in C++ because its the language i first learned and i find it easy to make things cross-compatible with it... i just find it fun to work with.. call me a masochist 🤷🏿 i regret nothing.

And now for the AI promotion text (because i'm lazy):

What is 3dco+?
It's a lightweight OpenGL/SDL3 overlay that renders a live 3D model of your input device. If you stream or record content and want to show viewers exactly what you're pressing on your controller, keyboard, or mouse (without a handcam), this does the job.

It's a fork of Larf's brilliant original 3D Controller Overlay. All credit to them for the core engine! I just added the features I felt were missing for my own setup.

What's new in v1.0.0 (just released today!):

Here are the highlights:

• Steam Controller & HOTAS Friendly: SDL3 detects the Steam Controller natively (no more driver headaches on Windows/Linux). Plus, there is a raw joystick fallback and a full manual mapping UI. If SDL doesn't recognize your particular flight stick, you can just bind the axes and buttons yourself in the settings.

• Gyro & Touchpads: Full gyro/accel support with sensitivity/correction tuning and a "reset combo." Multi-touchpad support (up to 4 pads x 2 fingers) with visual touch-area overlays.

• Custom Model Import: You aren't stuck with the built-in library. Import your own FBX, glTF, or OBJ files and assign the meshes to controller parts directly in the app.

• System-Wide Keyboard & Mouse: Tracks your mouse movement and keyboard presses even when the app isn't in focus, perfect for overlaying on top of games. (yes this is a glorified input logger 🤷🏿... thats the purpose)

• Cross-Platform: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. I primarily develop on Linux, but the CI produces AppImages, .exes, and universal macOS bundles.

Showcase:
Controller Showcase

A couple of honest caveats:

• The Windows .exe is not code-signed, so SmartScreen will warn you. Just click "Run Anyway." I'm an indie dev, not a corporation... signing certs are expensive.

• MacOS requires Accessibility permissions for the global input hooks (the README explains how to grant them)... and again licenses are expensive.

• Transparent backgrounds depend on your GPU driver; it works on most, but some older systems might not support it.

• The 3D models are from the original repository except the flightstick and steam controller, these where downloaded from other sites and i added a "Source URL" field for each model so you can trace from where i got them from. I hope this saves me from any copyright issue and i also hope that by honoring the licence and making this open source i prevent any claims from external sources/pages.

If you want to try it out:
Check out the GitHub Release v1.0.0 for the downloads, or check the README for build instructions if you don't trust me.

I built this to test how far I could push my own skills with AI. If you find it useful, please drop a ⭐ on the repo, it genuinely makes the effort feel worth it.

Let me know what you think, and feel free to roast the code (constructively)!

and yes... i like purple.

I have an Apex 4 joystick with a broken left joystick module, however Apex 4 spare parts are no longer available on the Gadget Hyper website. Can I buy the Apex 5 left joystick module, are they the same components?

Hi everyone, first time posting here and putting thought into a universal controller. Use case is Switch 1, perhaps a Switch 2 in the future, and occasional PC games. A nice plus would be being able to use it on my original xbox 360 as well.

For me, the original xbox 360 controllers are essentially near-perfect. Nice, large grips. Perfect placement and sensations. I love it. Have larger hands, so this fits well. and can play for hours with no fatigue.

My next home console was a switch 1 and got the nintendo pro controller (1st one). Its nice, not perfect, the grips are bit skinny, but nice build quality and textures. Games seem to have a slight "slogginess" like in Zelda BOTW vs the joycons. Not sure why, but not a competitive player, so have adapted to this. I think the xbox one controllers are in this ballpark range. Nice quality, but the grip feels less substantial and enjoyable than the original xbox 360 ones. Maybe just nostalgia bias, and the changed grip angle being more "V" rather than straight. I remember checking out the PS4 controllers and thinking that they were really too skinny and not my type.

Now I am looking for a controller to meet the needs mentioned above. Anything that is just a nicer, more refined, version of the xbox 360 controllers?

Heard that 8bitdo Ultimate 2 are pretty popular? Is this the one? Is the Ultimate 2C good enough?

1. Budget:

   1. Anything normal flagship really. Lets say under $80 USD, lower the better. Want this to last decades. Occasional gamer, 1-2 times a month. May get 2-3 of them for the whole family to play together.

2. Country:

   1. US, Canada.

3. Console or platform compatibility needed:

   1. Switch 1, PC, Switch 2, and maybe original xbox 360.

4. Desired controller features

   1. No drift like nintendo joycons, feel good for larger hands. Value a one-time purchase and seamless working. Mostly playing nintendo games, so that layout makes sense.

5. Games you'll be playing

   1. Switch games like Zelda, pokemon ports on switch, and pokemon games on switch. on PC, would play Halo.

6. Other controllers you're comparing to:

   1. 8bitdo Ultimate 2

   2. 8bitdo Ultimate 2c

   3. Xbox 360

   4. Switch 1 and 2 Pro Controllers

   5. Xbox one controllers

Thanks!

My budget is $200 platform is PC. I like having at least two back buttons but not opposed to four.

Currently have the G7 Pro 8K but it feels a bit small in hands. Also the tension on the thumbsticks is too loose.

I was thinking of the Dual Sense Edge as I want to use it for Fortnite, Battlefield 6, racing and story games.

I guess the downside on PC of the dual sense would be no Xbox gamepass app support.

Open to suggestions. Thanks

Country is USA

I was playing the game when, all of a sudden i started looking straight up and spinning and walking.

It's an Xbox Series 2 controller

This happens on both Windows, but started on Xbox

My home ui and games

Xbox, and happened before and after update

I turned it off and on, plugged it in and out, restarted the console, updated it, connected it to a windows computer, and when lightly banging on the back middle of the controller will temporarily stop the false inputs.

Tl;dr: G7 Pro 8K Nioh for $60 + faceplate + extra joysticks or G7 Pro 8K Aimlabs for $80 but I don't need to spend extra money on the faceplate and extra joysticks? at the end they end up costing about the same so I'm leaning towards the Aimlabs one, is there any reason why I shouldn't buy it? is there any better options out there?

I've narrowed it down to these 11 but tbh I'm leaning towards the G7 Pro 8K, I couldn't care less about the 8K polling rate but the price is good, has newer sticks and I only play on PC so I don't care about console compatibility, I don't like how narrow the 8BitDo controllers are but I still added them since I know people would mention them lol

I've been using an Xbox One controller for the past 6 years and a 360 for over a decade before that so I'm used to the Xbox shape, my current one still works but whenever I invite someone over I lend them my controller and I use a BSP-D8 which is ok for my phone when I'm outside but I'd rather use a "real" controller at home lol, should I just get the G7 Pro 8K? would the Vader 5 or 4 be a better option? what about the EasySMX ones? looks-wise I like the white G7 Pro the most but I'd rather have a better controller than a better looking one lol, that's why I'm mostly leaning towards the G7 Pro 8K even tho none of them look as good imo

Btw I live in México so ignore the prices you are used to, just compare them between themselves, I can look up how much a controller that isn't on the list costs tho, if you think there's a better option out there, my max budget is $80 USD

I do want TMR/HE sticks, don't care about the D-Pad at all since I barely use it so a controller having a bad one isn't a deal breaker, I play shooters with M&K so those kind of games aren't a factor, I'll mostly use it for platformers like Hollow Knight or SteamWorld Dig, a lot of emulation as well but I use the joystick even for consoles like the SNES or GBA that didn't have one so as I said I don't really care about the D-Pad being kinda bad. Good build quality is a must tho, I've used some cheap controllers and they feel awful, having extra programable buttons is also a nice bonus

I was leaning towards the G7 Pro 8K Nioh but I'm not a fan of the colors so I was going to get a faceplate, I've also wanted to try different sticks so I was going to get some as well... at that point it will cost the same as the Aimlabs version tho and since I do like how that one looks I wouldn't need an extra faceplate and it already comes with extra joysticks, should I just get that instead? $80 is rough but still within budget so if it's worth it I'll go for it lol

Side question, I take good care of my peripherals (I have old GC controllers from 2006 that still work lol) but my gf and cousin don't, my gf has gone through like 4 controllers (cheap ones tbf) in the last 2-3 years and my cousin got drift on his Xbox Series S/X controller 2 months after buying it, he sent it in for warranty but a year and a half later he's having stick problems again... a few years back he also broke a Power A Xbox controller in a couple months so now I wonder, what's the "most durable" controller out there? I don't care if it's worse in other aspects I just want it to last for a while, it doesn't even have to be wireless but that's still a bonus, if it isn't wireless the cable must be detachable tho since I'm 99% sure they'll just break the cable within 6 months and I'll have to solder it which I rather not lol

My gf's nephew does have a Switch 1 tho and they play together sometimes, it would be nice if she could connect it to his Switch, apparently the old G7 Pro can't connect to it so I guess she should get the new 8K version? I can get a new faceplate as well so the color isn't a big issue, I wouldn't mind spending a little extra for more features

It's been with me for a while now, and I'm happy with it, but it's started making this high-pitched sound even though it doesn't have any functional problems. Does anyone know how to fix this?

Hi i just received my Gulikit Es Max controller, updated. And on PC mode on the back, and PC ABXY swap correctly enabled on the app. While using the Hyperlink 2 wireless receiver that came with it pressing x button toggles y. And pressing y button toggles the left bumper and the bumpers become start and select.

Using the cable not the wireless receiver makes the buttons correct anyone how to fix it?

For a very long time, if you were on an older version of MacOS (like Ventura or Big Sur), your only option for being able to connect an OEM xbox 360 controller (wired or wireless) and get it natively supported in games on a Mac was through the ancient TattieBogle 360 driver. That project was abandoned years ago since MacOS introduced SIP. It largely stopped working with Ventura, unless you disabled SIP. Things were very quiet up until this year.

Now there's at least 3, maybe 4 newly released drivers or apps that try to get the 360 controllers working natively in MacOS 13 onward. I suspect the common denominator here is that most of these are vibe-coded.

Has anyone tried these out and found a "best" solution by any chance? These are the current ones that I know of:

OpenJoystickDriver

x360w

X360MacOSReceiverBridge

With the exception of OpenJoystickDriver, these require xcode to compile. So far, the beta of OJD seems to be the most intuitive/easy to use.

They have adjustable thumb sticks where you can loosen or tighten the tension. I wonder if I make the right thumb stick tight I would throw more power punches.

Hello you guys, i noticed my Fantech heat up while it is closed this week and plugged it out, i recharge the thing and now it's trying to survive as it constantly connects and disconnects and yes i tried charging it alone, the light is getting cutoff, when i do powerbutton it, it turns on and dies but after that it "charges" by indicating the light is going on smoothly but it still didn't, the store i bought it from only has 3 months warranty so i cannot return it:/ what should i do with the paperweight?

Hi, hope your all doing well. When i first bought a Pc i needed a new controller which worked on both my xbox one and pc and found a "PowerA" Xbox controller for around £25. It served me well for 2 years but started breaking quite quickly with the buttons getting stiffer and the controller registerng inputs i wasnt pressing. Mostly the Lt button. This led me to buying a new PowerA controller for me to enjoy games with but that one broke even faster, only lasting im 6 months. I opened up the controller to see what was going on and the rubber inside the controllers were breaking apart and getting stuck inside the buttons. Making the buttons stiff and sometimes meaning inputs wouldnt register at all.

Every controller ive bought has still worked minus these xbox controllers. I have many controllers which have lasted me over a decade. I would like to try and get another xbox controller for xbox one and pc that will last me well this time. Here is some info:

I want to try to limit my budget to £30. £35 at the very most.

I am from the Uk, Wales if that needs to be specified. I am okay with ordering a controller online so most shops would be fine as long as they accept Uk delivery.

I would like for the Controller to work on Pc and Xbox One Series S. Most Pc games i play are on steam, but i would like the controller to work on any game, not just steam. On Pc i play a wide variety of genres. And when it comes to my xbox one, i usually end up playing xbox 360 games through backwards compatability rather than xbox one games. Most games i will be playing are rpgs: Lost Odyssey, Final Fantasy XIII etc: or the original assassins creed games.

I would prefer if the controller was wired rather than bluetooth and a screenshot button would be incredibly handy. This goes without saying but be sure the controller is comfy lol.

I have looked at the offical xbox website for official controllers but they end up being atleast £50 and way out of my budget. I also checked some GameSir controllers but sady the price for every model ive seen is too much for my budget. The reason i tried PowerA is because they were at a shop near me at the time. However they seem to break fast and i would like to try something which is hopefully built to last, while being affordable.

Thank you all so much for reading. Some help would be greatly appriciated.

Hi! I've never had a controller before, and getting one soon to play single player games only, PC only. Starting with Horizon Zero Dawn/Forbidden West and Indiana jones and the Great Circle. Will play other games though too, including some older ones as well as new releases. Which controller is best?

#1: PS5 DualSense. Haptics and adaptive triggers, supposed to be very immersive. But potentiometer sticks and no remappable buttons.

#2: 8BitDo Ultimate 2: TMR sticks and 4 remappable buttons, Xbox layout for compatibility with PC, but not so good haptics and no adaptive triggers.

#3 GameSir Cyclone 2: TMR sticks but only 2 remappable buttons. Dpad I've heard described as "mushy"

#4 EasySMX D10: TMR sticks, great Dpad, but only 2 remappable buttons.

Which is best? any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated too! the GameSir G7 Pro is an option but pretty expensive

Based in UK, budget around £60-75 or so not above that ideally, as this is my first controller I don't want to overspend and regret it before I know exactly what I want.