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How to decide what kind of controller one should purchase?

I have a question(s) regarding the various types of game controllers.

I need a wireless controller which supports PC (Steam Linux mainly and maybe Windows someday). While searching online, I see various types

  1. xbox/ps5/switch controllers : These are for their respective consoles
  2. Mobile/PC controllers : These usually connect via wire/bluetooth/2.4 GHz

Source: www.gamesir.hk

However, I see in the product specifications page of the console controllers that they also support PC. And the PC controllers sometimes support some of the consoles. The only real difference between controllers, from a technology perspective, is that is some of them support bluetooth/2.4 GHz.

So I have two questions:

  1. If they are already cross-compatible, why even bother having different types?
  2. How should I decide which type of controller I should buy? It should support PC, console-support is not essential.

Note: I am a novice in game controllers but aware of different network stacks.

mox , (edited )

For Linux, I recommend the DualShock 4 (PS4) and DualSense (PS5) controllers. They have native support built into the kernel, so you don’t need special drivers. They’re great in Steam, emulators, Wine, and most native linux games. They work in both USB and bluetooth mode. Motion controls work. Touchpad works. Rubmle works. Dead zones are nice and small.

The only features I’m not sure about are the DualSense haptics and adaptive trigger feedback. There was work happening on those when I last looked a couple years ago; I haven’t checked recently.

A few people have reported lag with certain bluetooth adapters. I haven’t seen it with any of the hardware I’ve used, but if you encounter it, you can always get a different bluetooth adapter or exchange the controller for some other model.

Neon ,

Gonna be quite honest:

The Nintendo Switc Pro Controller is probably the highest quality Controler I’ve ever had in my hands.

ladicius ,

Support that. MS Xbox controller falls far behind it, and the third party devices are a lot of miss and no hit.

ms_lane ,
  • Microsoft has their own controller protocol, xinput, it only works with xbox and PC
  • Sony and Nintendo both use BT HID, but add their own non-standard extras to deal with trackpads and gyros, on PC there are drivers to deal with this (inc. w/Linux kernel, extra on Windows)
  • For Wireless, Sony and Nintendo both use standard Bluetooth, you can pair a Switch or PS4/5 controller straight to a PC (though you will need extra software on Windows)
  • Microsoft uses either their somewhat proprietary 802.11AC implementation (only works with their dongles - you will need extra software on Linux, fully supported in Windows ootb) or standard Bluetooth, their BT has the highest latency of any of the 3 major controllers, but their 5ghz 802.11AC has the lowest. BT mode requires no extra drivers and will work fine ootb on Linux or Windows. You can’t use a headset plugged into the controller or connected by BT (to the controller) if you’re connecting the controller via BT.
  • MS has additional trigger rumbling/tension on the Xbox One/Series controllers, in Windows it will only work with MS Store apps - it won’t work on any Steam game :( on Linux it will work, but nothing really supports it either.
  • Sony has a much better implementation in the PS5 controller, nothing outside Sony published games use it though - but it’s compatible on Windows with additional drivers (DS4Win) (not sure about Linux here)
  • For Nintendo Switch on Windows you will need BetterJoy (previously, BetterJoyForCEMU) to support switch controllers properly, this also makes a DS4Win style gyro server, so anything that support ds4win will support Switch gyro too.
Grass ,

Consoles have used different wireless tech/protocols but mostly use bluetooth now. Bluetooth devices should be able to work on pc but may require extra hassle like non standard protocol and no official drivers if they weren’t intended to be used that way. For the ones that do work the main takeaway is no additional dongle if your system already has bluetooth, but there may be addititonal input latency.

2.4ghz is kinda silly naming because bluetooth and wifi are both 2.4ghz, though wifi also has 5ghz, but it usually refers to presumably proprietary protocol over 2.4ghz and uses a usb dongle. It will generally be faster/lower latency but that isn’t even guaranteed as the 2.4ghz mentioned never refers to any standard.

The latency difference will only be noticible to cats or birds or something unless the controller tries to pass the headset audio to the pc. Bluetooth audio has a noticable delay compared to most ‘2.4ghz’ options, particularly noticable in rhythm games, games with inputs timed to audio cues, voice chats where everyone else has low latency audio and fast internet, and probably other stuff I’m not personally into.

Deciding your controller comes down to a lot of things. If the means exist in your area, try as many as you can to determine your most comfortable size, shape and layout. Other than that you absolutely must do yourself a favour and get a controller with hall effect sticks. The console companies all love stick drift. Don’t be fooled by Sony’s replacable stick controller either, the sticks are always out of stock and if you can solder you can get a regular controller and swap to hall effect yourself, both sticks, when drift starts for like $5 CAD vs $25 for 1 that will eventually die in the same way.

But probably just don’t give m$ sony or nint your money since they all get drift and I have replaced the battery and charge circuit on 8 separate ps4 controllers and drifting sticks on so so many of every big3 console controller. 8bitdo has a few stick and trigger hall effect controllers which I can mostly recommend, I have the hall stick only version of the ultimate controller and several of their older regular stick controllers. They are noted for their very close replica feel of snes dpad and face buttons but the configuration and firmware update software was windows only last I checked. I also quite like retro fighters controllers but all of their hall effect options are on closed preorder pending fulfillment. There are other highly regarded non big3 brands that I haven’t tried that seem to have pretty solid feature set and build quality too.

The used market is also an option. Arrange for testing though, and pass or haggle on drift, charging problems, filth, etc. Ifixit teardown guides for swapping parts or just cleaning the shells and button caps in soapy water with a soft rag. Watch out for devices originally sold with ‘soft touch’/‘smooth grip’/etc finish as all of them have degraded and become sticky even unopened in box by now.

Defaced ,

Is you need one with a track pad get a dualsense, otherwise 8bitdo all the way. Best third party controllers I’ve ever used.

sirico , (edited )
@sirico@feddit.uk avatar

It’s a driver issue while they support the same connectivity tech a trigger could be read as an analogue sticks veriticle axis, without driver support the device can’t be read well by the system.

Reccomendation 8bitdo ultimate Works with Linux and Windows you can switch to console it’s mainly setup for switch, Hall effect sticks so no drift.

TrousersMcPants ,

I agree with the 8bitdo ultimate, the pro 2 was my favorite controller for a long time but the ultimate is just so reliable.

SomeGuy69 ,
@SomeGuy69@lemmy.world avatar

If you can get a controller with Hall effect sensor that would be top. Else just get an Xbox series controller and call it a day. If you’re generally ruff with your joystick, you might look into cheaper controller, as all with no hall joysticks might start to drift earlier.

I’m very happy with my xbox series controller but others have less luck. But my mainboard has Bluetooth, so I can easily connect the controller. Some say you need the adapter, but I don’t, probably because it uses the newest Bluetooth version protocols.

The best controller was my original Xbox cable controller. It lasted me 15 years or more.

Dariusmiles2123 ,

I love the ps5 controller but I’m now kind of scared about stick drift as one of mine had to be replaced because of it.

The second one doesn’t show any sign of this happening, but I’m not so confident anymore although Sony had never disappointed me before regarding reliability.

EntropyPure ,

Like others said, driver support for console controllers is pretty good through the board.

My suggestion: try them out, maybe in a local store on their demo stations (pretty regular around here at least) or by ordering and returning the one you don’t like.

I personally like the controller layout of the XBox controller more than the PlayStation one. But it comes down to preference. So definitely test drive to find the best suit for you.

MentalEdge ,
@MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz avatar

Don’t buy steelseries.

I like the DualSense controller. Yes, it’s “for playstation” but all controllers work on PC nowadays. Especially on Linux, the driver for PS controllers is in the kernel, and they can work both wired and via Bluetooth.

It even supports using the special features of the DualSense in some games, like the adaptive triggers when playing Rift Apart or Forbidden West.

And the touchpad works as a mouse, which is handy.

MyNameIsAtticus ,
@MyNameIsAtticus@lemmy.world avatar

I had a Dualsense and I loved it. it served me well until it met its end to a can of Soda and my Cat. Now I use my Childhood DualShock 3 to game. It has no where near as many QoL features as its younger brother (like the touchpad). But it’s so fucking durable.

wesker ,
@wesker@lemmy.sdf.org avatar

It’s really hard to beat a branded Xbox controller, these days. I was extremely skeptical for a long time, then I gave one a shot, and there’s no going back.

Kolanaki ,
@Kolanaki@yiffit.net avatar

There is a tech difference with a DualSense controller that other controllers don’t have, and that’s the adaptive triggers. As far as I am aware, they’re the only ones with that. It’s a cool effect. Makes shooting in games feel more like handling a gun than vibration effects do.

Other than something like that, button layout is a choice. Parallel sticks or off-set sticks. Off center buttons. The way the D-pad functions (rolling style like Xbox or just 4 buttons like PlayStation). Etc.

Wrufieotnak ,

But is that feature available outside PS5 on a PC?

IsThisAnAI ,

Yes. On Sony games.

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