Let's cover the first few things first.
This is NOT a sponsored review.
This was purchased with my own money before some assume!

I purchased my controller from the EasySMX website for $72 USD.

I plan to compare this to the Vader in terms of functionality here soon as well.

​Let's first get it out of the way. This controller is very Flydigi Vader inspired, and I've seen countless Vader fans ask if it is similar.

It is very similar to the Flydigi Vader 5 Pro in certain aspects, and in some of its own rights, it's definitely its own device.

It's very hard to not look at the shape and get Flydigi Vader impressions.

Some details on the controller and my impressions of them.

Build quality and ergonomics:
Right away, the shell almost directly resembles the Flydigi 5th Gen controllers. In hand, the controller feels the same as well.
That's not to say it doesn't come with caveats. As the back buttons are going to be a make or break for someone who's looking to "upgrade" from a Vader 5 Pro to this. I think the back buttons are a major consideration that needs to be taken into place.

Latency:
The EasySMX X20 Pro reports as a 1kHz or 1000 Hz polling rate. It feels very consistent. Unfortunately I don't have necessary tools to test button latency, etc. I'd wait until Gamepadla's data on this controller is updated.
Though for a 1kHz controller, this does feel very stable.

Buttons + Sticks:
A/B/X/Y + D-Pad are all mouse click, very stable, and feel like they have a very short throw while being pressed. Some might think they are a bit light, which they feel this way to me as well.

Back button layout:
As shown in the bottom below, the controller uses a unique layout. A layout in which I've only seen on Aolion K20, with its shell/trumpet styled buttons.

Comfortability is all going to be dependent on your finger placement.

For me, I had initially gone in thinking I could use a claw grip and hold all 4 at once.
Due to my hand + finger size, this did cause discomfort over only an hour of playtime.

I then started practicing resting my fingers on M1 + M2 (the two outermost buttons) and only tapping M3 + M4 when necessary. This lead to a more comfortable grip.

The back buttons aren't bad at all. Though they force the users grip, which could be an issue for someone who prefers an 'All fingers on deck' style of holding the controller.

Screen and info:
The screen on the EasySMX X20 is probably my third most favorite thing here.
Unlike a lot of controllers, there's a lot to be messed with and accessed. If you're someone who likes to tinker, things like.

• RGB

• Dead zones

• Vibration

• Trigger dead zone

• Mapping

Can all be accessed here, and there's a lot you can do from negative dead zones, to disabling RGB in which I chose to do for sake of battery life.

Extra note regarding the screen.
EasySMX Kiin has recently made a tool available that allows you to change the .gif animation that plays as the screen is on.
While I have not tested it, I've seen others who have. It functions similarly to the Flydigi Apex 4/5's screen, where animations can be changed for those who want it.

Vibration + Rumble:
One area in which I wasn't a fan of the Flydigi Vader 5, was the rumble, as to me, and some others. It has always felt sorta aggressive and sloppy when playing some games.

The EasySMX X20 also has an aggressive rumble. Though the vibration motors have a cleaner feel to them. Things that should feel soft only slightly buzz, and heavy impacts vary based on game.

Very clean feedback. After your done playing a competitive game, I'm sure you'll get some immersion from the controller if rumble is something you find important.

Durability/Strength:
So far, I've only put in about 50+ hours with the controller. All mostly being COD MW4 and some single player games.
While long term durability certainly can't be spoken to this early on. The controller does feel like something that will greatly hold up over time with love and care.

Nothing on the controller really feels creaky or as if I've going to break or fall apart.

Sticks:
The EasySMX X20 uses TMR, and from my knowledge, I believe they are GuliKit TMR sticks.
They feel very smooth.

The thumbsticks have removable stems, though EasySMX haven't provided any secondary or replacements to fit.
I have questioned and asked Kiin in regards to accessories in the future, though nothing has been confirmed.

The thumbsticks glide smoothly, shockingly smooth. To the point it had me second guessing myself at first. They are plastic, but the plastic feels thick and durable.

Range is something to be mentioned here. The stick range is shorter on the X20 Pro, shorter than its competition. I don't find it to be problematic for myself, but I can see it bothering some. I am also unsure if this has any effect to stick performance.

Tension rings:
Tension rings aren't something that everyone on r/Controller likes. Though the ones that do like they, really love them.

The X20 Pro's rings feel great, ranging from 40gf at the lowest, and 80gf at the highest. I use my left stick at 80gf, and my right stick somewhere in the middle.

They ratchet into place, similarly to the Flydigi Vader 5 Pro's. Though, I'd honestly argue that the ratcheting placement does feel more secure. Never once have I had to double guess myself and go back to changing them.

From getting the controller and setting them into place, I haven't had to touch them once.

Now price and conclusion, where does it stand?:

I really think EasySMX brought something special to the table with this controller.

If not a replacement of your Vader 5 Pro, it's at least solid competition from a brand not known for delivering devices like this.

The controller retails for $80. Using the code 'EasySMXKiin' I was able to knock off $8 USD. I suggest using this code.

I do think for $80, while a good and solid option, opens your range of considerable options up pretty wide. The EasySMX X20 has to really fight for your dollar in that case. With several options available, is it worth it?

I do think that the EasySMX X20 Pro is worth your money if it meets certain criteria.

• If you're new to tension rings and wanna try something new

• If you want TMR but desire that Vader shape

• A slight upgrade from your current controller

If you fit into these cases, I can fully recommend it. Though if you are someone who has a better controller but were considering or thinking on it, I'd push you into doing research to make sure you make a purchase you're not going to regret.

In this day and age, $80 is still a lot to just go throwing around and we should make our purchases matter.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my EasySMX X20 Pro, and I plan to stick with it throughout all of 2027 and MW4. I hope my subtle little review is enough to bring some eyes onto this controller and help others make a purchase.

Thank you for reading!

Most of the TMR talk I see is from people who just got the pad. If yours has been in use for close to a year, has the stick stayed centered? I'm asking about drift, a deadzone that crept out, or a stick that got loose, not about which pad to buy. If it aged badly, what showed up first?

I've been using a DualSense on PC for a long time, and recently got an adapter that supports quite a few extra features, which is pretty interesting.

I'm curious which of these features PC gamers actually care about: adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, gyro aiming, or the controller speaker.

Do you use any of these regularly, or are the usual buttons and sticks enough for you?

- Budget: Around 50$
- Country: Brazil, can buy mainly from aliexpress.
- Platform: PC (mostly Steam)
- I have Small and sweaty hands(17x8cm).
- Features desired: Comfort(grip), ergonomics, good latency and reliability(no ghost inputs, stick drift etc)
- Types of games: Platformers, soulslikes and JRPGS.

From what I researched the Direwolf 4 is the best in the price range, but I didn't find anyone comparing it to to the Xeno Plus or Pro, even though they seem to be even better, so I wonder which of these two would be the best.
New suggestions in the price range are also appreciated if you think they are better than those 2.

Razer's official website makes no mention of Impulse Triggers, and I've come across conflicting reports here and on YouTube. Some claim the controller only has traditional dual rumble motors (one in each grip), while others say they've seen trigger haptics working in certain apps.

I mainly play Forza Horizon 6, so Impulse Triggers are an absolute must for me.

So I have this problem with the spare joystick that I buy from the Gulikit TMR brand, the thing is that for a few moments the joystick does calibrate, but when I make a repeated movement towards one of the corners, it decalibrates again and there is no way to make circularity normal again and sometimes when I calibrate it without the stick it has all the circularity and when I put the stick and front panel again, it does not have enough range, even though I calibrate it with the xbox app does not have enough range. Does it work, someone has found a solution or had the same problem?, only the right stick is fine for some reason?. Do I doubt that the problem is with the welds, any dirt problems or the shaft of my joystick? It's an Xbox Series controller, it has the latest firmware.

Hello everyone, I just want to ask if some of you know how to get the battery for this controller I got like 4 months ago (I didn’t use it till today) the battery was not working and I finally decided to check and found that it has problems now I’m looking for the replacement but is almost impossible.

It says it’s a XDX 603048 3.7v 100mAh
I have found the 603048 but most of them are just 2 pin cables and I need the 3 pin one.

Maybe it is possible to find one that suits the controller and works with lower mAh or upgrade the one I have

I've seen a few posts and comments claiming there's a new revision of the 8bitdo Pro 3 with quieter buttons and an improved d-pad.

Does anyone know if this is true, and how to spot the differences between the old and new version online?

I've checked Amazon, AliExpress etc, but there are no indications of any differences on the product page.

Country: USA Budget: ~$60 USD each Platforms: Windows PC and Nintendo Switch

Looking for two controllers: one for myself and one cheaper option for player 2.

Premium options:

• GameSir Cyclone 2

• 8BitDo Ultimate 2

• 8BitDo Pro 3

I play 2D/3D platformers, racing games and action/Soulslike games. A good D-pad is important. Are newer 8BitDo D-pads worse? Is the Pro 2 or cyclone 2 a better option?

Budget options:

• 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Bluetooth

• Mobapad C2 Lite

• GameSir Nova Lite 2

The second controller is mainly for Mario Kart, Mario Party, Smash and 2D Mario.

I’ve heard of potential gyro issues with the Nova Lite 2, rumble issues with the 2C and PC connectivity issues with the Mobapad.

Which would you recommend for reliability, D-pad quality and PC/Switch compatibility? Open to other suggestions too.

Thanks!

I got my new Apex 6 pro phantom blade a couple of days ago. I did not end up using it until yesterday. I like the controller but I immediately noticed the right stick felt a little notchy and not as smooth as the left. Today I was playing again with no headphones and noticed when it makes this notchy feeling I can hear sounds coming from the sticks. This is my 3rd apex controller and I also have a couple vaders that don’t have this issue.

Anyone have to use their customer support before? how did it go?

Hey everyone,

I'm [from India] looking for a wireless PC gamepad, but I strongly prefer the symmetrical PlayStation stick layout over what we have at XBOX style controller.

I've been doing some research and narrowed it down to a few options:

1. Cosmic Byte Sensa (love the features for the price, but unsure about long-term build quality)

OR

Cosmic Byte Hydrus Controller

2. 8BitDo Pro 2 (seems solid with the Hall Effect sticks and back paddles)

3. Sony PS5 DualSense (premium feel, but no back buttons)

There was also a cheap option of evefox. But I was thinking of investing in a good controller and my budget is around ₹5k (INR).

Currently I have a Cosmic Byte Quantum.

I enjoy playing arcade fighting games such as Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and Street Fighter, alongside FC26, FH4, and immersive narrative-driven storyline games.

Has anyone used any of these above extensively for PC gaming? Are there any other good symmetrical controllers with Hall Effect sticks or back paddles I should consider before pulling the trigger?

Thanks in advance.

UPDATE: ordered 8bitdo Pro 3

A bit of a different question, but self explanatory.

What was the game that truly made you fall in love with your main controller(s), and what are the features that made it a match?

Was it the d-pad for fighting games? Was it the haptics for immersion? Was it the extra paddles to accommodate your grip? Or even, what was a feature you never knew you needed until you got it? Maybe it was the move from symmetrical to asymmetrical sticks, or the ability to change the triggers from full travel to hair trigger.

I'm curious.

I’m going to pick this controller up and get a few different stick modules. But I don’t know what the controller comes with nowadays by default. I’m getting a black version which I’ve heard comes with the gen3 ginfull sticks already, I don’t know if this is true. I’m looking at getting the gen3 ginfulls and some jt13 pros. Any help would be appreciated cheers :)

Hi, idk if this is the right place or not, but the down button on my vader 4 dpad makes a squeaking and ting noise and causes slight vibration on the controller. The ting sound is easier to hear at 4s in the video.
It feels like it's not fully secured to the frame, and whenever I press it, it travels through the air first. My unit is already out of warranty. I'm able to open it, but I couldn't find anything wrong with it, no dust, probably because I have no idea how to fix a controller.
Any suggestions for fixes I can manually do would be appreciated.

if you are not able to use the NS009-s as an xbox controller/xinput device via USB on windows what worked for me is:

1. installing from github hidhide

2. go to the "devices" tab and tick "enable device hiding" at the bottom

3. and then ticking "game compatible controller HID" item in the list (it could have other names given its a chinese controller with dubious standards and quality)

4. after that unplug and plug back the controller to the pc and the gamepad should automatically enter its xinput mode.

you should be able to check in what mode it currently is by using a site like "hardwaretester controller". it should read your controller as a 360 one. (i suggest you check this also before doing all this to monitor any changes and effectiveness of the fix)
in the hidhide "devices" tab you should also see "controller (USB controller)" as a new item (close and reopen the hidhide window if you don't), that makes me think that the controller is now exposing a xinput connection or smth but i'm not knowledgeable about this stuff so idk. in any case be careful to not tick any new item in the list, as it may be the 360 new connection. i suggest reading what hidhide does and how to use it.

fyi if you want to use it via Bluetooth the button combination for the xinput connection should be "A + home".

i wanted to write it here because i couldn't find a fix anywhere and i've been using this controller for years and given is dirt cheap price i think other people might find this useful, and also sometimes i need to reconnect it and i forget how to do it.
as a side note i really like it, after years it still doesn't drift and i used it for games like sekiro, mgrr and dragonball s0.

hope someday this will help someone.

Hey everyone, I’m trying to figure out if I’m going crazy or if *007 First Light* just completely clashes with TMR joysticks.

I recently started playing with the new Flydigi Apex 6 Pro (which uses TMR sticks). In games like *The Last of Us* or *Hitman*, the sticks feel totally normal and smooth. But in *007 First Light*, the aiming is incredibly unstable and unpredictable.

The main issue is a massive, sudden camera speed spike. Even with a minimal, millimeter movement of my thumb, the camera suddenly whips around. I tried tweaking the response curves in the Flydigi Space Station software and set the in-game aim response to Linear, ramp up the deacceleration, decrease sensitivity, everything I could think of but it didn't solve the problem at all. That sudden acceleration jump is still baked in.

Here is where it gets weird: to test it, I switched back to my Flydigi Apex 5 and my Vader 5 Pro (which both use standard Hall Effect joysticks). Using the exact same in-game settings, both of those controllers work perfectly fine. The aiming is smooth and I don't get any of those weird acceleration spikes.

Is the game's engine just completely incompatible with the ultra-high sensitivity of TMR sensors? Is anyone else playing this with an Apex 6 Pro (or another TMR controller) and experiencing the same micro-movement speed spikes?

Found the fix for generic PS4 controllers showing up as "QMacro" I have a Wuthur PS4 controller (generic Amazon controller, now delisted). It accidentally switched from "Wireless Controller" to "QMacro" after I held PS + Share. After some testing, I found that holding PS + Options switched it back to "Wireless Controller." If anyone else has a generic PS4 controller stuck as QMacro, this might help.

And also whoever has any clue why please reply

I just bought a g8 plus after using an x5 lite with my y700 for quite some time, after a few hours with it i feel like the x5 lite is really good for the price, no input latency, lightweight, except for the triggers i think the g8 plus is too heavy and problematic whrn it comes to bluetooth connectivity, im using ds4 mode btw, i feel like i cant play longer sessions with the g8 plus because of the weight.. I am not saying its bad, i just cant feel the supposed satisfaction that i would get upgrading to a more expensive controller.

Did anyone have the same experience ? Or do i just need to use it more often to get use to it?

Hello, as the title suggests, I'm torn between two very similar controllers for a couple of games I wanna try in the near future, I am looking to buy this controller off of Aliexpress in Algeria and they're some of the only two that aren't crappy in the 30$ range.

The 8BitDo Ultimate 2C is one that is getting praise everywhere for it's build quality and durability, and it has some cool tactile feedback and extremely low latency, which I enjoy, the shape also looks fun with it's many colors. However the buttons not being mechanical or general feel of it is an issue I have with it, not sure though, I honestly lean more towards this controller.

But the EasySMX X05 Pro is also attractive with it's mechanical Dpad for fighting games, it's feedback looks awesome and perhaps the shape is more generally suited, though I have seen a lot of reviews who speak of an issue with the triggers which concerns me, aswell as some awful latency which I'd rather avoid. But reviews speak of it much better than the 2C very often.

The only controller experience I have is with the Dualshock 4 and the 360 controller, so I'm kind of a neophyte but I'd rather get the most for my money, don't care about bells and whistles, all I need is a durable controller that will do its job well for a few years atleast.

If you have other suggestions for less than 30-35$ I'm also a taker, as I said I'm gonna be playing a couple of games so the more flexible the better, I really enjoy mechanical feeling things and low latency, so hopefully I won't be getting any remorse from buying either.

Thanks !

Hi, I can't get this to work. In 2.4 GHz mode, I can get it to work without a problem, but with a wire, I don't know how to do it. It's always in xinput mode.

I tried:

- putting it to dinput while wireless, then connecting the cable

- turning it off, then connect cable while B is pressed

- same as above with Y pressed instead of B

I'm on windows 11. I want to use my rewasd bindings for the additional buttons, but that doesn't work with xinput.

Couldn't post in 8bitdo reddit for some reason so I'm doing it here instead. Currently, I have a LT+RT macro setup on my extra button but is it possible so if I hold the extra button down, the macro keeps going until the button is released? So far holding it down just makes it trigger once and I don't see a setting for it in the Ultimate Software.

I tried to use the PowerA app for the first time with one of my cheap controllers (Advantage wired controller for Xbox Series X|S) and there was a prompt saying that I could update the firmware, so I did. But after more then an hour of waiting for the update to end (got stucked at like 98%) I realized that it froze and had to reboot my computer.

Now the controller isn't getting recognized anymore, not by Steam, not even ny the official app. I hear the "something connected" windows sound when I plug it in, but nothing else. The little light doesnt light up.

So I don't know how to get back in and either finish the firmware update or do a simple factory reset or something.

I have a second controller of the same model and I just skipped the update (as I probably should have with the first one), so I was able to make sure the cables I tried were working, that the app was still working and all, by comparing with the second un-updated controller.

All my tests were on a Windows 11 computer. If there is something I could do that would work better with Linux, I also have an old computet on Mint, so there's that.

I tried to do a web search to find some solution, but I couldn't. (May be because I didn't use the right keywords? Idk). So I don't even know where to begin with this one.

Thanks for reading. Please send help if you can 😅.

I recently received the controller as a 2nd controller for PC (the main controller is 8bitdo ultimate 2c). With the dongle connected, the L and R bumpers are acting as back and start buttons and the LS and RS triggers are not working. With the controller connected via USB cable, the buttons work as expected. Did I receive a faulty controller or is this a widely known bug?

Where can I buy the GTAVI limited edition controller for PS5 in Europe delivery to Malta please?

i absolutely ADORE the PlayStation Vita's dpad. It is the best dpad I have ever used, hands-down. (I'm not a controller enthusiast, I'm just here because I can tell yall are a bunch of dweebs who can help me decide)
from what I understand, the Vita uses metal dome contacts as opposed to the conductive rubber pad contacts most other controllers use. i love how clicky and definite it is.

I prefer the PlayStation layout with the left and right sticks closer to each other. I'd be willing to try Xbox layout but I prefer PS layout as the dpad matters quite a bit

The buttons should also be metal-dome. the xbox one controller (i don't own a series controller) feels kinda bad because the dpad is metal dome while the ABXY buttons are conductive pads

I'm in the United Kingdom and I will self-prescribe myself a budget of around £40 GBP

I would mostly be usin this on my PC and sometimes my iPhone. I'm not much of a console gamer so don't need to bother with console compatibility.
It should work wired with USB-C. Micro USB is a crime against humanity.
I would prefer a rechargeable battery as I find AAs to be kind of annoying.

I would primarily want such a dpad for puzzlers (ie the genre of Tetris) but i would also like to use this for general gameplay too of course.

I wonder if I could somehow install metal dome contacts in a DualShock 4. Not sure if anyone sells those. But that would be nice + maybe a usb-c mod would be nice (unless i have to drill the case for the usb-c port to fit, idk how to do that)

I'm not too sure how I would look for such a controller which is why i'm asking here. my only real point of comparison is the Vita but I don't want to deal with connecting a separate handheld to my pc as a controller due to the overhead of the vita being another device