Some gamers may cry sacrilege at the idea of a PC controller but, for those who love a bit of gaming while laid back on the sofa, it’s essential. Here are the best you can get right now.
There is a wide range of controllers available to PC gamers from simple, portable models to elaborate peripherals made for those who play at a professional level.
To find the very best options on the market, the team here at Trusted Reviews has tested a handful of controllers around today. The very best have made it onto this list, earning their place for build quality, connectivity, usability, comfort and any intriguing additional features onboard.
The large selection of gamer controllers on the market means that there’s plenty of room for mishaps and excellence. Those who have used both types will know that these peripherals can make a huge difference when it comes down to getting those last few wins as a game runs down to the wire.
You may fancy a PC gaming controller for certain occasions but, if you still like the idea of keeping a great keyboard and mouse combo around, we’ve tested a range of those too. Check out the Best Gaming Keyboard and Best Gaming Mouse after you’ve found your ideal PC controller.
Best PC game controllers at a glance
- Best PC controller for hardcore gamers: Xbox Elite Controller 2 – check price
- Best built PC game controller: Scuf Instinct Pro Controller – check price
- Best option if you already have a PS5: DualSense Edge – check price
How we test
Every PC controller we test is used by the reviewer as their main game pad for at least a week. During that time we’ll test it on a variety of different types of games ranging from FPS shooters to aRPGs and racing games.
We’ll test both wired and wireless connectivity to ensure there’s no latency or issues that may impede your gaming experience. In these instances we’ll also check the pad’s battery life, measuring how much playtime they offer before needing to be charged.
Where applicable, we’ll also test how customisable they are and how easy their custom controls are to programme. From there we check their ergonomics and build quality to gauge if they’ll survive the odd accidental drop or rage throw.
- Xbox Elite Controller 2
- Attachments provide endless amounts of customisation
- Comfortable to play for extended play sessions
- Fantastic battery life
- Works on a number of platforms and devices
- Small parts of the device lack a premium feel
- D-pad still isn’t the best in the business
- Incredibly comfortable
- Highly customisable
- Sturdy build quality
- Fun to use
- Expensive
- Heavier than a normal controller
- More personalisation options than ever
- Replaceable stick modules
- Function buttons on the front and rear
- Comes with a sturdy carrying case
- Extremely expensive
- Poor battery compared to the DualSense
Xbox Elite Controller 2
The best PC controller for hardcore gamers
Pros
- Xbox Elite Controller 2
- Attachments provide endless amounts of customisation
- Comfortable to play for extended play sessions
- Fantastic battery life
- Works on a number of platforms and devices
Cons
- Small parts of the device lack a premium feel
- D-pad still isn’t the best in the business
If you want the best PC game controller on the market and don’t mind paying a bit extra, then the Xbox Elite Controller 2 is the one to get. It’s the second generation of Microsoft’s official eSports gamepad, succeeding the Xbox One Elite we tested many moons ago. During testing we found it offers the best mix of features and value for money currently available.
Wireless performance is excellent, especially if your PC has the Xbox Wireless functionality built in, which most pre-builds from Alienware and the like now do. If you don’t, then you can buy an optional wireless dongle separately at most tech stores, giving you a rock-solid wireless connection. Based on our experience, we’d thoroughly recommend the dongle if your PC doesn’t support Xbox Wireless as the connection is much more reliable than Bluetooth.
The rubberised pads let you get a solid grip, and we can confirm build quality is excellent. eSports players will also enjoy the added programmable controls, which include paddle inputs at the back and trigger controls that let you set the rear triggers to one of three actuation points. This can offer a real competitive advantage in reaction-based games, with the fastest setting genuinely saving our lives in Elden Ring on more than one occasion during testing.
The 40-hour battery life we encountered reviewing the pad and the ease of its USB-C charging port made the Xbox Elite Controller 2 an easy recommendation. The only slight downside is that its higher-than-average price means it isn’t the best option for kids or more casual gamers.
Reviewer: Jade King
Full review: Xbox Elite 2 Controller Review
Scuf Instinct Pro Controller
The best built PC games controller
Pros
- Incredibly comfortable
- Highly customisable
- Sturdy build quality
- Fun to use
Cons
- Expensive
- Heavier than a normal controller
If you want an eSports controller that can take a lot of punishment and still deliver excellent performance then the Scuf Instinct Pro is the best PC game controller option we’ve tested that’s still on the market. It’s compatible with the Xbox Wireless standard, which in our testing is far more reliable than Bluetooth.
Off the bat, it offers all the functionality you’d expect from a pro controller. There are programmable back paddles, a choice of domed or concave thumb sticks at three different heights, and lockable triggers. For more adventurous gamers you can also change its face plate to match your personal style. We personally thought the purple one our review unit came with was a little gaudy, but the option will be welcomed by people who favour things like RGB lighting.
Performance is excellent with the pad feeling every bit as comfortable to hold as its Xbox rival. But what really set it apart was its build quality, helping to justify the fact it’s more expensive than the official Elite 2
During testing, the Scuf proved to be one of the toughest gamepads we’ve ever tested. Accidentally sending it flying down a flight of hardwood stairs when taking it down to the living room, the pad suffered no noticeable damage whatsoever. As a result, we’d recommend it wholeheartedly to any PC gamer prone to rage throws on the market for a rugged, eSports-ready pad that’ll last.
Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full review: Scuf Instinct Pro Controller Review
DualSense Edge
The best option if you already have a PS5
Pros
- More personalisation options than ever
- Replaceable stick modules
- Function buttons on the front and rear
- Comes with a sturdy carrying case
Cons
- Extremely expensive
- Poor battery compared to the DualSense
If you can look past its comparatively high price point, the DualSense Edge is an excellent buy for any hardcore gamers who regularly jump between a PS5 and a PC.
Feeling a tad like Sony’s answer to the Xbox Elite controller, the DualSense Edge offers a ton of customisation to match a person’s preferred playstyle, but it’s built upon the incredible foundations set out by the standard DualSense controller.
On top of the DualSense’s outstanding haptic feedback, which offers a far more comprehensive level of vibration that better mimics the action and more subtle moments happening onscreen, the Edge has ports for swappable buttons on the back. These rear-facing buttons can be customised to correspond with whichever action you please, such as quick weapon swapping.
It’s also possible to detach the analogue sticks from the controller and swap them out with more rounded variants, the likes of which hark back to the classic PS2 controller.
The DualSense Edge also comes with a travel case and a long USB-A to USB-C cable which makes it easy to charge on the go and to take it with you from one location to another. When taking the action to the PS5, you can even set dead zones to make your aiming more precise – a true game-changer for first-person shooters.
The only issue with the DualSense Edge, given its price point, is that it can only really be recommended to gamers who plan on making the most of all the features it has to offer. Casual gamers will get on just fine with the standard DualSense controller, particularly as you can buy several of them for the same price as the Edge.
Reviewer: Gemma Ryles
Full review: DualSense Edge Review
We also considered…
FAQs
This depends on which controller and PC you use. To connect to a PC wirelessly both the controller and PC will need to support either Bluetooth or Xbox Wireless. If the PC doesn’t support these then you will likely need a USB dongle to connect the controller wirelessly.
Some gamepads also come bundled with proprietary 2.4GHz wireless dongles in a bid to offer better wireless performance than standard Bluetooth.
This depends on the controller in question. The latest gen DualSense works with the PS5 and Xbox controllers obviously work with Xbox consoles. For third-party support from the likes of Razer, Scuf and Astro you need to check the specific controllers’ spec sheet.
You might like…
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
