I’ve spent a good 25 of my 30 years welded to a game controller of some sort — be it the Dualshocks of my friends growing up, the Xbox 360 controller of my very first console, or one of the myriad gamepads I’ve had the privilege of testing over the years. But for the last four years, I’ve rocked exclusively one line of controllers full-time: the Razer Wolverine. In fact, I’ve bought not one, not two, but three Razer Wolverine controllers since December 2022: a wired V2 for myself, the same again as a thoughtful gift for a friend, and then finally an upgrade to V3 Tournament Edition, a gift to myself this New Year.
So what has my Razer experience taught me about buying the best gaming controllers for the PC? Like many of the best PC peripherals, there are almost too many options to choose from, making it quite daunting to know where to start. What are some considerations to keep in mind when choosing a PC gaming controller? Is my weapon of choice worth your time? Here’s what my experience has taught me, and some of the most important things to consider when making your own game controller decision.
1. Wired vs Wireless
Arguably, the most important choice you’ll make when buying a gaming controller for PC is the ever-present wired vs wireless debate. Like many people, I’d been a wireless proponent for as long as I can remember. The convenience and freedom of not having a cable was always my preferred mode, and I used to sigh with great remorse whenever I’d forget to charge the batteries in my Xbox controller and have to dig out the dreaded cable to get some juice.
In my old age, I’ve shifted back to wired, spurred by my Wolverine V2 purchase a few years ago. Of course, there are many great controller vendors out there, but across all of them, you’ll likely find that the wireless option is much more expensive than the wired version. When I went wired, it was mostly a cost decision. A Wolverine V2 will set you back around $60 today; I paid about $50. A similar wireless model will cost at least double that.
It was only once I’d decided to pick the cheaper wired model that I discovered the other benefits. Tethered to my PC or Xbox by cable, I never lose a wired controller, which definitely can’t be said of the wireless options in my house. Battery charging is never an issue either. There are no pesky dongles to lose, and I’ve saved a ton of money not buying either disposable batteries or more premium wireless charging solutions to keep my controller going.
Input lag is another possible consideration here. Generally, wired controllers should be faster than wireless controllers when it comes to the time it takes for your input commands to reach your PC. However, wireless controllers are pretty good these days, with most bog-standard offerings giving out near-imperceptible input lag. There are also some very potent 8000Hz wireless controllers out there if input lag is really a concern. However, unless you’re planning to join the pro Call of Duty circuit anytime soon, the difference between wired and wireless isn’t that big of a deal, at least in my experience.
Wireless controllers are a bit more convenient in-hand, what with no cable to worry about, but I’ve found the promise of knowing my controller will always be charged and ready to go to be invaluable, and I’ll probably never switch back to wireless for my daily driver.
Stay On the Cutting Edge: Get the Tom's Hardware Newsletter Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
So if you’re picking a controller, think about what you want and need in terms of convenience, how much more a wireless controller is going to set you back, and how you’re going to keep it charged for those mammoth gaming sessions. Otherwise, leave all of that behind and save yourself a few bucks by going wired.
... continue reading