I spent years enjoying video games with out ever interested by the controller I used to be utilizing. It was simply the factor that got here within the field with the system. In the event you wished to play co-op, you’d purchase a second. If it broke, you’d substitute it. It wasn’t till the PS4 and Xbox One era that it started to really feel like there have been choices and I began experimenting with alternate options.
Now, in the summertime of 2025, it looks like a brand new controller is getting introduced each different week, and the rising costs of first-party {hardware}, in addition to, on Swap 2, the nonetheless unimpressive high quality of the console’s Pleasure-Con, makes evaluating your selections a necessity. Let’s take a fast take a look at a few of the latest entrants into the ever-more-chaotic market for third-party controllers.
EasySMX S10 is an inexpensive Swap 2 Professional various
Introduced again in Could, the EasySMX S10 pitches itself as a price range Swap 2 Professional controller. It’ll be $60 in comparison with the Professional Controller’s $90 and ships earlier than the top of August. Like Nintendo’s premium controller, it could learn Amiibo and wake the console up from sleep. The massive options are a 1,000Hz polling price for minimal latency and drift-resistant TMR (Tunneling Magnetoresistance) Corridor Impact joysticks. It’ll additionally assist backwards compatibility with Swap 1 in addition to gaming on PC and cell. It’s an honest package deal at a compelling worth level and I just like the RGB-lit white model rather a lot, even with the ugly branded insignia on the facet. However we gained’t know if it could really ship till the primary pre-orders start arriving later this summer time.
GameSir G7 Professional provides precision with bizarre caveats
One other controller sporting TMR sticks is the GameSir G7 Professional. Introduced extra not too long ago, it’s an $80 mid-tier choice for Xbox Sequence X/S, Xbox One, PC, and Android. It sports activities a pleasant look total and a customizable three-piece magnetic faceplate, however the actual draw are the mechanical micro switches that allow you to fine-tune the sensitivity of the triggers. However there’s an enormous draw back: it solely works wired on console. There’s an extended USB-C cable to maintain you linked nevertheless it actually cuts towards the ability effectivity of the TMR stick when you’re at all times linked anyway.
8BitDo Professional 3 upgrades what was already nice
The Professional 3 was revealed again in July and simply began transport this week. It appears to be like like a PlayStation DualSense however with Nintendo’s fashion sensibility. The latest iteration of 8BitDo’s Professional line additionally sports activities additional buttons and TMR sticks. Most significantly, there’s a 2.4G adapter this time round for decrease wi-fi latency. However my favourite function by far is the pair of arcade-style ball-top caps that come within the field and might be hooked up to the Professional 3’s joysticks. All of it is available in on the first rate worth of $70 and helps Swap 1, Swap 2, PC, Android, and iOS.
Razer Wolverine V3 Professional 8K spares no expense on PC
If the above choices had been all wanting a bit too reasonably priced for you, Razer has simply the factor. The Razer Wolverine V3 Professional 8K is an esports-centric improve to final yr’s mannequin that guarantees ultra-responsiveness with TMR sticks and an 8000 Hz polling velocity so the controller can register inputs sooner than you possibly can even take into consideration them. It is perhaps overkill, particularly for a wi-fi mannequin that prices $200, nevertheless it basically has the entire bells and whistles from a prime gaming keyboard shoved right into a gamepad. There’s additionally a wired model for simply $120.
Victrix Professional BFG Reloaded is a luxurious choice for console
In the event you’re on PS5 or Xbox Sequence X/S and nonetheless need to pay greater than double the value of a typical controller, Turtle Seaside revealed the Victrix Professional BFG Reloaded earlier this month. It guarantees 20 hours on a full cost and an prolonged wi-fi vary with the choice to plug in. Extra importantly, along with all of the drift-resistant jazz that’s grow to be desk stakes at this stage, the Professional BFG Reloaded is aimed particularly at preventing recreation gamers, with an “ergonomically optimized” resting place if you wish to deal with it like a mini-arcade stick. The entire package prices $210.
WX5+ Wi-fi RGB appears to be like low cost however enjoyable
Sufficient of those 1-percenter gamepads. Let’s get again to the economic system finish of issues. The WX5+ Wi-fi is actually an upgraded model of the WX4 for the Swap 2, although it additionally works on PC. The Doodle variant comes with playful colours and RGB lighting. There’s hall-effect sticks, a chargeable battery, and a headphone jack for plugging in your headset. The actual standout for the Swap 2 controller, nonetheless, is the promise of a devoted GameChat button that may bypass a bunch of the console’s menus to take you on to speaking with mates. It’s unclear if it’s simply replicating what the Swap 2 Professional Controller does or rushing it up, nevertheless it’s neat both manner. If it’s something just like the WX4 it’ll do exactly high-quality, particularly on the low, low worth of simply $35.
