^
I've reliably heard it's just a glorified 360 controller- better polish and design comfort and style, but not really mechanically any better (ie, in terms of responsiveness or durability). Considering the more-than-double price tag, it seems like just buying two or three 360s would be a more cost-effective option, considering the minor benefits it provides over the 360.
Are there reasons for getting one I'm overlooking, other than the "+5 to all stats"? :)
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Have a Xbox360 pad but my preference for 2 years now is actually my PS3 controller (would go with a PS4 probably when I'd get a PS4 but for now the old one will do fine as long as it still works)
Regarding durability I can only speak for DS3 Controllers but for now the 2 controllers I have are holding up pretty good, one of them (both around 7 years old) is getting wonky and from time to time just presses buttons on its own
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The button pushing can be due to the foam being compressed. fix for that
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Yes, I did this a few years back, it's still going strong now.
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I liked the DS3 controllers, but everyone's been pointing me to the DS4 or Logitech when I bring them up. I'm not really a fan of wireless, either, so saving a few dollars and getting the F310 seems more to my tastes, assuming there's not a major difference between the two (I've no experience with the Logitech controllers).
That said, googling it, I'm a bit unsure which storefronts are carrying official controllers. It looks like they're in the same situation as 360 controllers, where you can only find overpriced ones or ones shipping from dubious sources out of China (and by reviews, are actually off-brand clones).
Got any ideas of where I could find an official one at around $20? :P
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Sadly I do not. I remember now I took a look at the 360 controllers a few years back (3 or 4 maybe?) and at that time the wired ones were already beginning to disappear in stores and I saw more and more of the off-brand clones.
I have a friend with a steam controller and he really likes it because you can customize everything even for desktop use (wich is a great plus if you have your PC hoked up to your TV) but he's got it only for about a year so I can't give you any clue about the longlevity.
Have you already had the F310 in your hands just to give it a try of how it feels?
In the end it all comes down to preference and/or accustomisation for each and every one controller type but for longevity I'd probably go for either DS3/DS4 (just because of my expierience with Playstation so far)
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Wired Xbox 360 as backup/non-existent local player, Xbox One S as main right now.
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Xbox One Wireless controller was a blessing for steam games with big picture setting, you see all the commands from your controller and you don't need to change.
I had problem with Ps4 controller, maybe because of bad Bluetooth pairing, also sometimes steam could not see it properly not to mention you needed to install another program to make it work.
I don't have steam controller, it expensive, it cost almost 80 dollars compare with xbox one controller 30 dollars.
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I just have a regular 360 controller. It's served me well so far.:)
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Maybe it really was just that specific controller that I got. It arrived in official Microsoft packaging, and had the green X and everything, but lacked a manufacturer's sticker, so there's still some chance it wasn't official, as well.
Kinda hard finding an official one to buy now, though, even if I wanted to give it a fresh test. Especially if I want to go through a retailer with a strong replacement policy, like Amazon. Besides, I've always been partial to the playstation design- if only because it's easier to utilize for fighting games, and works nearly as well for anything else.
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It could have been. I know that there were some other versions I could have bought at EB Games for a cheaper price, but some games are wonky getting them to work. It cost a bit more, but I figured it would be better to be safe than sorry.
As for Playstation controllers, I have never owned one (I don't think I've even played any games for the systems), so I can't say whether I would like it more or not.
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Oh, you mean, because PC gaming now requires controllers as well (versus just needing joysticks/etc for some niche games)? Yeah, it's a bit of a hassle. Then again, being able to replace some expensive console gaming elements with cheaper PC ones generally makes up for that hassle (especially in that a PC can essentially completely replace an Xbox console, due to it sharing its game exclusivity with PC).
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I'm heavily biased towards a DualShock 3/4, but I've heard that the F310 does his job well minus not being of the same quality a 360/DS4 is, though considering the rather hefty price tag for the latter controllers that's something one can live with, I guess.
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Honestly, as long as it does what it needs to, responds well enough that it doesn't outright sabotage my gameplay, lasts for a reasonable amount of time, and doesn't cut into my hand when I use the D-Pad, I'm really not that picky. :P
Though, the customizability and versatility of the Steam controller means I am keeping a close eye on how it progresses.
Hopefully one day it'll have a model that retails at $30.
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I've been using the steam controller (moderate load) for around a year now without any real problems. It took me a while to get used to a touchpad instead of a analog stick for camera movement in open world games etc, but I learnt it quick and the fine tuning options for each game help a ton! If you can get a deal which includes the case, i'd recommend that - the case is super solid!
Never tried the Logitech, but the DS4 is a solid controller as was the DS3 before it (my original ones from the PS3 fat still work).
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but the DS4 is a solid controller as was the DS3 before it (my original ones from the PS3 fat still work).
Yeah, and that ability to share (Dualshocks, Microsoft controllers) with consoles is definitely appealing.
Any idea where to get an official DS3 for cheap, these days, though?
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Pretty certain they stopped production, haven't seen one in store or online for quite a while. I guess since Sony added backwards compatibility with the PS3 for the DS4, they saw no reason to keep manufacturing the DS3. Maybe used on ebay at most :/
Does the DS3 support Steam controllers, or do you still have to use the MotionInJoy workaround?
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SCP Toolkit, as commented below; I wanna say MotionInJoy stopped seeing use with PS2 controllers? Either way, I haven't been able to get MIJ to work on Windows 10, which is why I had to open this thread a year ago in the first place (as my PS2/original XBox converters no longer worked on my PC).
And yeah, looks like both DS3 and 360 controllers got supplanted by their later versions, so if I can't find a reliable used one, I may just hafta go with with Logitech by default.
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I've used a Saitek P880 for well over ten years now. I can usually get it to work using the x360ce emulator. I'm only giving it up when you pry it from my cold dead hands.
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Honestly, I don't really wanna bother with emulators and other special software anymore. I had enough with that with previous controllers.
I'm not really a fan of bulky shoulders or pronounced d-pad-directionals, either, though it otherwise looks pretty good.
Glad you found something that works for you. :)
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Wow. This is an old thread. Although controller options haven't changed much, it might be worth a new poll. My F310 finally crapped out after about 10 years, so I am looking to upgrade. It served me well, but the thing is the definition of basic and functional. It does everything ... but nothing particularly well or spectacularly. On a budget, it's nothing to complain about. But if one can afford it, I think gaming on a more comfortable controller will be worth the premium.
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I'm honestly not interested in the poll results, since I already have a clear idea of what I'm considering this time. The earlier comments in this thread give a good baseline to work off of, as well, as my perspectives haven't changed since then (much as controller considerations haven't). Really just looking for a reason to not go for the F310, for a reason to go for a dual-shock or steam controller, or for a surprising black horse to sweep the contest away.
At the moment, it's looking to end up with me going for the DS3, if I can find a cheap source for an official one. Fallback'll be the F310, and I'll probably grab a Steam controller if/when they ever drop in price.
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As I said, the F310 is functional. If you are looking for something that is cheap and works, it fits. Just keep in mind that it is not particularly great, not very smooth and you will not fall in love with it. After having gotten my money’s worth from it, I am appreciative but now looking for an upgrade. But I agree that the high price points of the “better” options make it a difficult to say no to the F310.
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I had a regular XB360 controller, which I liked, and it unfortunately was lost in the flood.
However, I did save my Afterglow XBox One style controllers. They're wired, they're responsive, and their color is programmable, which is cool. I have four of them for couch games on the big screen via Steam and they work like a million bucks.
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lost in the flood.
That sounds like a great song.
As an experience to go through, it sounds a bit less pleasant. :X
One controllers (or rather, what they offer for their price range) aren't of high appeal to me at the moment, but the discount the Afterglow controllers offer against the official controllers is notable enough that they may be an option during a sale. On the other hand, I find glow on electronics to be highly distracting- so unless the glow can be toggled off, they're not going to work out well for me regardless. :X
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It can be turned off completely, or just turned way down so that it's not so bright. I like the color because when there are four of them, I can tell whose controller is whose. 😀 You can often find a really good deal on these on eBay...I got a couple of them for around just $25.
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Edit: I realized you were mostly just asking if you should get an F310 or not. I think at $15, why not? Just get one and see how it works for you. I have no personal experience with it, but if you just want a basic controller it seems to fit the bill and is also not complicated to get going.
Original post follows:
1) I've got 4 XBOX360 wireless controllers for my HTPC setup, and they've all functioned fine for local multiplayer stuff in front of the TV. The XBOX controllers are probably the least hassle in terms of compatibility with everything... they just work. You can also find used controllers for dirt cheap, and if you prefer wired you can get a wired one instead (it just connects through USB and they are usually cheaper as well as no hassle with batteries).
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2) I use PS3 dualshocks on my main gaming computer, through a wired USB connection so I don't have to fiddle with Bluetooth and batteries. I simply prefer the D-pad and feel of the controller, and used ones are also dirt cheap now. I haven't encountered any incompatibility issues with this setup yet. Yes, it requires the use of SCP Toolkit, but it is open source, absent of bloatware/malware, and is fairly painless to set up and configure to a state of being totally unobtrusive via simple menu choices... but we all have different pain thresholds I'm sure when it comes to computer stuff ;-)
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3) If you want to find an official, genuine controller or have some sort of warranty, you may want to consider going to a brick and mortar store to buy. I don't know if you have any used shops that specialize in console gaming around you, but these places are probably your best bet to find a genuine used controller with tested functionality and for a pretty reasonable price that comes with likely at least a 30-day guarantee of some sort. Beyond that, then at least buying new from a major retailer should get you genuine products instead of rolling the dice and gambling with online sources that may or may not send you the real thing.
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Beyond that, then at least buying new from a major retailer should get you genuine products instead of rolling the dice and gambling with online sources that may or may not send you the real thing.
Y'know, that's a fair point. :P
I'm so used to Gamestop's inflated prices and poor selection and lousy service that I basically stopped looking at brick and mortar as a rule, but maybe I should see if we've any local shops worth my time.
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I imagine the landscape of retail is much different in the USA now then when I lived there, but hopefully there should still be at least a few good gaming stores still with a presence! I feel kind of blessed that Japan has such a huge variety of gaming and otaku-related stores... it's literally a five-minute walk from my house and I can pick out a genuine used PS3 controller in the color of my choice for $10-15, depending on season and demand.
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@Edit
I guess, yeah- if I buy from Amazon, I can spend three weeks testing it, and still have enough time left after that to avoid any postal issues if I need to return it within the one month return deadline. On the other hand, I'm really intrigued by dualshock 3s as an option, now [so I wanna see if I can find a place I can get those from for cheap, first]. I guess I should check local stores for those, and then get the F310 if I can't find anything.
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What games will you be playing with this controller? I bought a wireless XBox 360 controller years ago as my first controller and later got two wireless 360 controllers to play coop. The wire was annoying even when I just had the one, so I went with two wireless controllers for coop. I use low self-discharge rechargeable AA batteries in them and they last a while, and I have spares charged and ready when it needs changing.
I also have a Steam controller. I originally pre-ordered it a couple of weeks before release after an injury cause some nerve pain in my right arm making it painful to use the mouse. I could play games with a controller, but I was getting bored of those and wanted to get back to some real PC games. It's a great controller for games that don't have native support for a controller, but for those that do support controllers I still prefer the 360 controller. It works especially well for isometric type RPGs with turn-based or real time with pause combat. I played several of those and Civilization V with the Steam controller. It does require some time to setup a profile. Some games have pre-configured profiles or you can browse user published profiles and use them if you don't want to mess with it. It has some pretty powerful features as far as customization, but the more advanced features require you to use Steam in Big Picture mode, which I'm not too crazy about. The Steam controller can emulate a 360 controller, but I have not tried that since I have a 360 controller to use if a game supports it.
I do like the Steam controller, even though I ended up giving it a negative review, which I do need to update. For games that I mentioned above, isometric RPGs, strategy games, etc., I thought I could continue to use the Steam controller for those after my arm healed since it is nice to lean back in my chair and play games with it rather than hunched over a keyboard and mouse. However, once the nerve settled down, I stopped using the controller and it sat on my desk collecting dust. I bought the case for it just to store it in a safe place.
I couple of months ago, that nerve began acting up and I've been having to limit my use of the mouse. As before, I played a few casual type games with the 360 controller until I grew bored and wanted something more. I then remembered Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition has native controller support. I never finished it when I played it before the release of the EE, so I decided to give it a go. It's one of the few games with controller support where the Steam controller is better. I found it frustrating to use the 360 controller, so I got out the Steam controller, spent a bit of time configuring it to my taste and refining it as I played. I've been playing quite a bit of D:OS coop with a friend, and when when I'm not doing that I play other games with either the 360 controller or the Steam controller.
TL;DR. I guess the short version of what I'm suggesting is that if you only plan to play games with built in controller support, get a controller. If you want to play other games that don't support controllers too, get the Steam controller. If want a non-Steam controller and you can find a good deal on a 360 controller, I would go with that.
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require you to use Steam in Big Picture mode, which I'm not too crazy about
Yeah, Big Picture Mode always struck me as being a hot mess, so I'd rather not be forced into using it. :P
Thank you for the in-depth, very accessible detailing of the Steam controller, that helped me a lot. :)
While I'm still intrigued by some of the more promising features that you mentioned, it seems like it's definitely not the kind of controller I'm looking for at the moment, which means I can safely remove it from my list for now. I appreciate you taking so much time to help me out! ^.^
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Ok, so not for everyone the Steam Controller, but having tried a few before it, I could never go back to anything else. Steam Controller is a stiff learning curve, but it is so configurable, with many profiles per game out there (ranked), that IMO it stands worlds apart. With a Steam Link or new Samsung SmartTV (Link App), it can do everything a controller AND what a k&m can do right from your big ass TV ;)
Sounds like you have given up on it which is understandable given your requirements, but for me... it's brilliant.
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I'm giving up on it because it's not what I need right now, and at the price it goes for, it'd be a wasteful use of money- not because I'm entirely disinterested in it. It's doubtful Valve will polish the design notably in any reasonable amount of time- since that's not something Valve is known for doing- but I can at least wait and see if the price decreases to better match what'd be agreeable for a controller I'd have niche use for (even if I do think it'd be rather nice to have for those situations).
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I should have been a little more detailed about that. The only advanced features that require you to use Big Picture are things like creating menus that pop up in-game. Other than that, you can set up "simple" profiles like just binding keys and such to buttons or emulating a Xinput controller (360/XBONE). I've played around with some of those features, but I usually end up going with a simple profile.
Another thing people may not be aware of is that Steam also supports other controllers for setting up custom controller configs. So you can use another controller on something like a 2D platformer with no built in controller support by binding the buttons to the stick, d-pad and buttons on your controller.
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I love the Xbox 360 controller. My only issue is the X button on them (At least the one's I get) wear out very quickly, and the button starts to stick... @_@ To be fair I play hack and slash games where I use the X button to attack. xD
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xbox is still tthe most confortable for big handed people like me, i use a 360 wireless one but i think i would preffer the xbox one as it doesnt have that battery compartment that is the only down side of the 360 one
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I had a Logitech F510 (which is the same as the F310 but with rumble) and I was highly disappointing by it. It has 2 main issues:
The triggers are way too hard, requiring too much force to press. It's specially bad for racing games, or any game that requires you to keep a trigger pressed. It made my hand hurt after just 20 minutes of play.
The deadzone of the sticks is insanely big. Not only that, it acts a bit weird. And no, it wasn't just mine, just google and you'll find a lot of posts and youtube videos showing it. Logitech said they would release a firmware update to fix it, but they never did.
Now I have an XBox One controller and I'm really happy with it. Better in every aspect, including the d-pad. My only complain is that stupid white light that can't be turned off.
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Since the XBox360 has been rejected for now, I can only recommend keyboard and mouse :P
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Ah, I got an F310.
I'm not actually sure how it compares to other controllers.
It works well enough, but I use it fairly rarely.
I don't tend to use it with most First-Person games-... which many games are.
Racing games? Third Person RPGs? Other things where aim isn't the most important thing? I think it works alright. You've just gotta make sure it's on the right Input. It's got both X-Input, which essentially just makes most things recognize it as a 360 controller, and DirectInput.
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I have a Logitech F310 and love it. I've found a game or two where it doesn't seem to be supported properly, and one of the buttons is starting to stick a tad (no doubt from my button-mashing). I bought a Steam Controller when it was cheap and I just haven't gotten used to it, and whenever I've tried it on a game, I've gone back to the F310. I've had it for ~3 1/2 years.
YMMV.
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Well, I can't think of any games where I had to hold down the triggers so long (like in driving). And I didn't notice any issues with the stick deadzone, but I have little to compare with. The only controllers like this that I've used are DS3 and Steam controllers-- and 90% of all of my life of controller use has been with the F310. Never used an XBox 360 controller.
For a DS3, don't you have to muck around trying to figure out how to get it to work with a PC? I'd like to try my DS3's with the PC, but I thought it required Hamachi or some other non-plug-n-play solution.
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Unfortunately, driving and fighting games are a core reason for me getting a controller. :P
Hamachi is a local-area-network emulator- and while it popularized the concept, it hasn't been a good example of it for years and years now. You'd be better off using a service such as Evolve, which has less bundled scripts and better performance & compatibility.
As far as software driver support, yes- Dualshocks don't come with first-party PC drivers, so you have to use second-party software for them. Those kind of programs are generally easy to set up and configure, so it's not much of a concern as far as purchasing decisions go.
I did end up going with a DS4, since someone linked me a coupon to get it for $36. :)
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If you want a good D-Pad, that rules the 360 out. I mean, I loved my 360 controller - it fit me like a glove - but the d-pad on it is rubbish.
XB1 is the controller to beat in that case. It has a good d-pad, everything on PC supports it well, the thumb-sticks and face buttons are also greatly improved over the 360 (more durable thumbsticks with no drift, and flatter, more comfortable face buttons). And you can use it wired via USB or wireless with a wireless dongle or wireless with Bluetooth, depending on what works best for you.
I don't know why you're rejecting the XB1 controller. I'm not sure why you're rejecting it. It's frequently available for $30-35 on sale, and it's significantly improved over the 360 (in every way except ergonomics, for me).
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I hadn't seen it below $40, which seemed a high increase over the $15-20 for 360 and other low-end controllers, just for a decent d-pad. I'll have to see how things go on winter sales, though someone else in this thread indicated that off-brand Xb1 controllers work rather well, at a noticeably cheaper price; so I may end up going for that, instead.
And yeah, the d-pad on the 360 was a bit of a frustration; I was at a clear disadvantage on every fighting or brawler game I tried, and it wasn't fun for long RPG sessions, either. Definitely trying to move away from that with my next controller. :P
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The XB1 controller was $35 from several retailers over Black Friday. I picked a couple up for $30 each by having Target price match GameStop about 6 months ago. It still periodically goes on sale every so often for $35-39. Set up a SlickDeals alert and you'll see they go on sale at lease once a month.
The $15-20 extra over the 360 controller is a no brainier, in my opinion, given the dozens or hundreds of hours you'll spend with it. The thumbsticks are far more durable in terms of wear, and they don't exhibit drift (cleverly hidden in most games, but glaringly obvious in games that don't have a large deadzone like Metal Gear Rising Revengeance). Every 360 controller I have (6 of them total) exhibit thumbstick drift and extensive thumbstick wear no matter how seldom the controller was used.
Also, the XB1 face buttons are flatter, and don't hurt your thumb the way the 360's does after a gaming session. The d-pad is much better, and actually works great now for platformers and fighting games. The shoulder buttons can be pushed without taking your fingers off the triggers. It doesn't fit my hands as comfortably as the 360 does, but it's improved in every other way.
My thinking is that the controller is your direct interface with the game, thus having a better interface directly improves your gaming experience more than just about anything else. $15-20 for a better interface is insignificant when averaged out over the dozens or hundreds of hours you'll spend using it. And I have disliked every off-brand controller I've tried. They feel cheap and noticeably worse than the authentic controller.
I totally get being frugal, but physical interfaces are the area where it's most worth splurging to get something nice. Keyboards, mice, controllers, monitors, chairs - those physical components affect your comfort and enjoyment of a game more than any graphics setting, and they last for years.
Having tried almost all the controller options, I'm convinced that the XB1 is the best one, particularly if you care about the d-pad - it's not perfect, but it's still better than the other options overall. I don't personally get anything out of you buying one, aside from maybe the satisfaction of knowing that you'll be happy with it and that I helped play a part in that happiness.
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I currently use the EasySMX controller (wireless) and it's great.
Here's a link to the wired version:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XB6FRPR/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513405238&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Easy+smx&dpPl=1&dpID=41NzwH-L4mL&ref=plSrch
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Dec. 15, 2017 (Now with free pie (Animal Lover, ChargeShot, and Fermi's Path giveaways))
Alright, back at it again. Seems like I'm getting more and more controller-only/controller-specialized games in my library, so I'm itchin' to get a new controller (as the last 360 I had arrived defective and finished breaking itself fairly quickly). Figured I'd check in with you all again first. ^.^
Currently I'm heavily favoring the Logitech F310, though this off-brand 360 has cheap 3/4 year warranty plans through Amazon, so at $20 total it feels like it'd be an acceptable gamble (despite its sparsity of reviews).
I missed the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales on the Dual Shock 4, and I'm a bit loathe to pick this over the Logitech F310, without a clear indication that Dual Shock 4s have the performance and durability to warrant having three times the price of the Logitech.
Official 360 wired controllers seem to be going off the market (I can't find a single online store with stock, other than a small handful who indicate they're shipping from a dubious source out of China), and honestly, I don't want to go with one again anyway (it's what I picked after this thread, originally), as the D-Pad was as much of a concern as people noted it'd be, and the controller started having issues fairly early on (meaning there's no appreciable reason not to just go off-brand).
The Steam Controller looks promising, but I haven't heard if early durability considerations were ever addressed, and the price tag is still a bit intimidating, especially considering that the DS4 is in the same price range, and generally better considered.
I prefer wired controllers, and I prefer cheaper controllers, so generally wireless controllers aren't a feasible recommendation for me.
My top budget'd be $60 (but you'd have to convince me the controller is worth paying 4 times the cost of the low-end ones ;P). So far, there's only One controller in that range that I'm rejecting outright.
Update: Ended up ordering a Dualshock 4. Thanks to everyone who helped out!
Leaving the thread active a while longer so the giveaway can get more entrants. ^.^
Original July 6, 2016 post below:
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