Best Gamepad For PC 2018
Historically, PC video games have been designed with a keyboard and mouse in mind; it is difficult to imagine playing a round of StarCraft or Battlefield 1942 without using either of these indispensable accessories. Nevertheless, things have changed with time and an increasing number of gamers have become seduced by the advantages of using a gamepad on their PC or have altogether transitioned towards playing on a gaming console. Football simulators, racing games, platform games… there are many types of games for which a gamepad has become the preferred control device. The convergence of gaming consoles and PCs which we have been witnessing over the last few years has motivated many gamers to use their console controllers (PS4 / Xbox) on their computers and vice versa.
In order to clarify things, we created the following table in which we list the controllers we found to be the most interesting for use on a PC. We established this ranking by comparing a long list of controllers which can be found in a table at the end of this article (along with our opinion about each one). In the following paragraphs, we will cover some of the key factors you should consider when selecting a gamepad for use on your PC.
How to choose a gamepad
The notion of using a gamepad for PC gaming has become well-established. However, as is often the case when dealing with PC hardware, there is a vast array of different gaming controllers available on the market (each one of which has its own specific characteristics). What’s more, there are just as many manufacturers of gaming controllers as there are different models (each one of which claims to be the best). To complicate matters even further, there are many other factors to consider… Should you choose a wired or a wireless gamepad? Can a PlayStation 4 controller be easily used on a PC? Are there any controllers that can be used as a replacement for a mouse? Is a good controller necessarily very expensive? We will attempt to provide answers to all of these questions in an effort to help you find the best gaming controller for use on your PC.
What type of controller should you choose?
Wired or wireless?
Not that long ago, wireless gaming controllers still suffered from a bad reputation due to their supposedly high latency (a delay between the pressing of a button and the signal’s arrival at a PC). While some hardcore gamers may still shun wireless gamepads for this reason, nowadays, latency is no longer an issue for commercially available gaming controllers. At the very least, you can rest assured that none of the controllers we have included in our selection suffer from latency problems.
As a result, the question of “wired or wireless” comes down to practical considerations as well as individual preferences. You should consider the fact that a wired controller will always be ready-to-use and will never quit on you at a critical moment during your gaming session. Wireless controllers rely on batteries or a power pack which can “run dry”; because of this, wireless gaming controllers are also usually heavier than their wired counterparts.
Two years ago, the “Steam machine” craze motivated several manufacturers to conceive an innovative new device: the lapboard. This accessory is intended to allow keyboard and mouse aficionados to game in their living room while maintaining maximum comfort. The Corsair Lapdog, Razer Turret, and Roccat Sova were among the first of this type of product to become available.
With the V8, Gigabyte has concentrated on improving the Aero 15’s internal components rather than its exterior design. In terms of its outward appearance, the Aero 15 V8 is very similar to previous versions – which is a good thing considering how much effort this Taiwanese manufacturer has put into perfecting the Aero’s design. The Aero 15X V8’s sober look can be attributed in large part to its black aluminum chassis. The matte black coating used on top of and around its keyboard is in keeping with the Aero’s overall color scheme; it does, however, have a tendency to reveal fingerprint smudges.