9 best controllers for PC: Take your gaming to the next level with these accessories

Best: Overall

Rating: 9/10

• Weight: 500g
• Dimensions: 17.5cm x 17.7cm x 7.3cm
• Features: Adjustable-tension thumbtacks, shorter hair trigger locks, wrap-around rubberised grip
• Connection: Wireless via Bluetooth or wired via USB-C
• Battery life: Up to 40 hours

A weighty controller it may be but the Xbox elite wireless controller series 2 packs in a lot, making it one of the most customisable controllers you could choose. It has thumbtacks you can adjust the height on as well as adjustable hair triggers so you can opt to hold them down a little or a lot depending on your play style. Once you do narrow things down, you can save individual profiles so that you can easily switch methods and games at the tap of a switch.

Comfy to hold thanks to a rubberised grip with extra triggers on the back to ensure you have plenty of buttons to tap as needed, it’s hard to return to a regular controller after this one. A decent battery life and an option to plug it in via a reasonably lengthy charging cable ensures you’ll never need to cast it aside for any length of time either. It’s pricey, but a valuable investment for the long term.

Best: Xbox controller for PC

Rating: 9/10

• Weight: 280g
• Dimensions: 168mm x 108mm x 53mm
• Features: Remappable paddles, profile switch, interchangeable thumbsticks
• Connection: Wireless via Bluetooth or wired via USB-C
• Battery life: Up to 30 hours

The Scuf instinct pro is highly customisable in every way. When you go to order it, you can choose exactly how you want it to look. It’s possible to change the colour of the faceplate, buttons, triggers, and everything else you could think of. You can also switch up what size thumbsticks you wish to use as well as the type of D-pad.

It’s designed just like a regular Xbox controller but it feels smoother in your hands, making it much more comfortable for extended sessions. With the option to set up different button layout profiles depending on the game you’re playing, it’s ideal if you switch between different genres frequently. Being able to play wirelessly or wired is convenient too. It’s an expensive purchase but one that feels truly individual to your needs.

Best: Wired controller for PC

Rating: 8/10

• Weight: 243g
• Dimensions: 0.8cm x 228cm x 196cm
• Features: Built-in Dolby Atmos, 14 swappable components, fast performance
• Connection: Wired via USB-C

This controller is bordering on too fast at times but when playing first-person shooters and similarly speedy games, it’s sure to give you an advantage. Fast to react, it takes a bit of getting used to but soon proves handy.

Adjustment is helped by its many customisation options. In all, there are 14 swappable components included so you can adjust the height of the analog sticks, how the D-pad works, the triggers, and quite a few other options too. It feels a little cheap in your hands due to its plastic exterior but it actually offers a lot of functionality. It even has built-in Dolby Atmos so there’s access to Dolby virtual surround sound via the 3.5mm socket and a pair of headphones. Just be prepared to spend some time tweaking the controller to your needs.

Best: Wireless controller for PC

Rating: 8/10

• Weight: 460g
• Dimensions: 7cm x 17cm x 18 cm
• Features: Ergonomic design, hybrid D-pad, textured grip, simple setup
• Connection: Wireless via Bluetooth
• Battery life: Up to 40 hours depending on batteries used

The standard official Xbox Wireless Controller is ideal for most users. Well priced, it takes seconds to pair up with any PC. It feels good in your hands too with textured grips on the triggers and bumpers so you get a more tactile experience than elsewhere. Recent adjustments provide a hybrid D-pad that fits smoothly under your thumb while playing, ensuring this is a controller that you can use for hours on end if needed.

It lacks some finer details that more expensive devices offer but as a standard controller, it feels suitably refined. Battery life is reasonable providing you use good quality AA batteries, meaning this is a fairly low maintenance device. If you’re more of a casual controller user, this is the ideal device for you.

Best: Budget controller for PC

Rating: 8/10

• Weight: 485g
• Dimensions: 16cm x 11cm x 6.5 cm
• Features: LED lighting, mappable buttons, trigger locks
• Connection: Wired

Cheaper than most other controllers, the Spectra infinity doesn’t feel cheap to use. With mappable buttons on the back of the controller, you get some limited customisation at a low price. Alongside that, it’s possible to use trigger locks to fine-tune how much you need to press the triggers down to operate them.

Standing out from its competitors, you can also change its visuals quite significantly. It offers three sections of LED lighting so you can light things up exactly how you’d like them to be. Ideal if you’re a streamer or simply want a nice atmosphere while you play.

Best: Middle range option

Rating: 8/10

• Weight: 347g
• Dimensions: 108mm x 162mm x 62 mm
• Features: Swappable faceplates, mappable controls, trigger locks
• Connection: Wired via USB-C

If wires aren’t an issue but you’d like an elite-style controller for less, the fusion pro 2 is a reliable option. It offers extensive customisation meaning you can swap out the faceplates for a different look, tweak how hard the triggers need to be pressed, and adjust the buttons to accommodate your needs. On the back are four extra paddles, much like Microsoft’s elite controller so you can map extra controls as needed.

It feels good in your hands too even if you’re normally used to a wireless device. Wraparound rubberised grips and a soft-touch coating genuinely feels nice under your fingertips so this is an ideal option for extended sessions. Being able to swap out the analog stick and stick caps is useful too depending on the games you play.

Best: Xbox alternative

Rating: 8/10

• Weight: 280g
• Dimensions: 160mm x 66mm x 106mm
• Features: Ergonomic design, haptic feedback, adaptive triggers
• Connection: Wireless via Bluetooth or wired via USB-C
• Battery life: 6-12 hours

While Microsoft may have a monopoly on the best PC controllers, Playstation fans can still use a Playstation 5 controller while PC gaming. The Sony dualsense wireless controller is a very well designed option that feels great in your hands while also offering some neat features. These include haptic feedback which gives you a more tactile sensation compared to regular rumble feedback.

There’s also adaptive trigger support so how hard you squeeze the triggers actually affects actions on screen. Such features aren’t compatible with all PC games and, ideally, you’ll want to use this controller while playing Steam based games rather than anything else, but it’s a worthy investment still. Adaptive triggers in particular feels like a big step forward for a control method we’ve all become so used to in recent years.

Best: Sound quality

Rating: 8/10

• Weight: 300g
• Dimensions: 180mm x 183mm x 73mm
• Features: Extensive audio features, ergonomic grip
• Connection: Wired via USB-A

This Turtle Beach device feels a little different than other controllers so it takes a little while to settle in. Fortunately, it’s worth the time thanks to some unique features you’d struggle to find elsewhere. The highlight is its audio features. It has a series of buttons at the top of the controller allowing you to choose from equaliser presets to ensure the sound of the game you’re playing sounds ideal for your needs.

It also features a “superhuman” hearing mode which aims to reduce the volume of certain parts of the game’s audio so you can listen more accurately for quiet sounds such as footsteps. It takes some experimentation but can help in the long run, providing you use a wired headset, of course. A little flimsy to hold, it’s not the perfect controller but for those looking for something a bit different, it’s worth checking out.

Best: Small controller

Rating: 8/10

• Weight: 203g
• Dimensions: 7.28in x 6.38in x 2.68in
• Features: Lightweight and small design, adjustable sticks and trigger sensitivity, Dolby Atmos support
• Connection: Wired

This is more similar to a Playstation 4 controller than others here, meaning it’s smaller and more lightweight. Large hands need to avoid this one but for everyone else, it’s suitably comfy to hold. You can adjust the buttons and stick settings via the companion app, as well as trigger sensitivity so you can get things just how you like them.

There’s also Dolby Atmos support if you plug headphones into them, plus the benefit of not having to worry about recharging them. The controller keeps things simple yet effective and proves particularly useful as a backup second player device.