How to Choose a Gamepad for PC – Guide

For most people who play computer games, a way to escape from the daily grind and routine, especially stress, is to immerse themselves in the universe of their favorite game. However, to get the most out of your gaming experience, it is important to choose the right gamepad for PC. In this guide, we will take a closer look at what to look for when choosing a gamepad, which models are the most popular and what features they offer. This guide will show you how to choose the perfect PC gamepad to make your gaming sessions even more fun!

To make your dive as comfortable and efficient as possible, you need to make sure that you have the right gear to get the most out of your gaming experience. Therefore, you need to make sure that you have a gamepad at hand that allows for accurate shooting, character movement, racing car movements or a winning goal against the enemy.

Before choosing a gamepad, you should answer some important questions that will help you accurately determine the criteria for choosing a gaming device:

Having answered all of the above questions and determined the selection criteria, we move on to the most popular PC gamepad options on the market in 2024.

The Xbox Wireless Controller is one of the best PC gaming controllers for most people. You don’t have to configure it yourself with third-party software, and all of the in-game controls are identical to the buttons on the gamepad.

Another undeniable advantage of the Xbox Wireless Controller is that it can connect to your PC via a USB-C cable or wirelessly via Bluetooth.

The Xbox Wireless Controller offers a number of improvements over its predecessors, including USB-C support, an updated D-pad design, and textured grips that make it easier to hold in your hand. There is one major drawback, however: it isn’t rechargeable and requires two AA batteries to operate.

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The 8BitDo Ultimate controller is another great choice among PC gamepads.

There are two versions to choose from: a wired version (a more budget-friendly option) and a more expensive wireless gamepad, but without the two buttons on the back. That said, there is an option to purchase the 8BitDo Ultimate with a charging dock and USB adapter, so it can be used wirelessly.

The 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth allows you to connect via USB-C or wirelessly via Bluetooth or the included 2.4GHz adapter. The device uses Nintendo’s button layout, with a B at the bottom instead of an A (like on the Nintendo Switch), which may seem a little odd at first. The gamepad is equipped with Hall effect joysticks, so you don’t have to worry about stick drift.

Either way, this is an extremely usable gamepad, and it also has one of the best D-pads if you’re into platformers or retro games (fans of Sega or Dendy games will appreciate it).

You can also use 8BitDo’s ultimate software to remap buttons and calibrate joysticks, triggers, and controller vibration.

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GameSir T4 Kaleid is an unusual and interesting gamepad that offers a lot of Pro-level features. On the other hand, it is immediately worth noting that this is a wired controller and cannot be used via a wireless network.

The gamepad provides the player with: joysticks with Hall sensors, customizable buttons with the “back” command (two of them), mechanical buttons on the front panel and RGB (a method of color coding using three primary colors: red, green and blue).

The front of the GameSir T4 Kaleid is transparent, the controller grips are matte and textured, and the gamepad itself is literally so transparent that you can see the circuit boards inside.

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When playing on a PC, most players sit at a computer desk. That’s why wired gamepads are preferred, as they have less latency and you don’t have to worry about the battery dying at the most inopportune moment.

HyperX is now one of the top manufacturers of PC accessories, and the HyperX Clutch Gladiate gamepad is no exception. On the back of the HyperX Clutch Gladiate, there are two rear buttons that can be remapped, just like the trigger locks. The back buttons are fairly easy to configure and do not require any separate installation of additional software.

The backs of the grips (trigger detents) provide the required textured grip, but the grip is slightly less likely to slip, which will take some getting used to for players with sweaty hands or inexperienced gamers. The crosspiece is quite simple and has no texture, which makes it optically flat and also causes some discomfort at first.

However, this is a great device that can become an indispensable gaming companion.

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DualSense Edge is a premium gamepad from Sony, one of the most expensive gamepads for PS5 and at the same time one of the best devices to play on PC. To play on PC, however, you will need to install the PlayStation Accessories application and continue setting it up according to the instructions.

Intuitive settings and reassignment of buttons, replaceable joysticks, comfortable and convenient grips, well-designed rear petals – this gamepad can offer much more possibilities than previous models from Sony.

The DualSense Edge comes with additional pairs of buttons on the rear panel, which differ in shape, allowing you to customize the gamepad to the player’s needs; it is also possible to replace defective joysticks; the process itself is extremely simple and does not require the use of a screwdriver or other specialized tools.

The kit includes a case that not only fits the gamepad, but also all the extra accessories, so that even if you’re playing on a third-party PC, your own device is always at hand. The R2 and L2 buttons now have three stop sliders, which will be extremely useful for shooter players.

The gamepad, as mentioned above, is of a premium level, so the price was appropriate – about 31,000 rubles as of September 2024. This means that owners of the gamepad will most likely be hardcore fans of new products from Sony, or players who are willing to pay a significant price to own the device.

It’s worth noting that a non-professional first-person shooter player won’t notice any fundamental difference with more budget models.

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Now we have to make the final decision on choosing a gamepad to play on a PC. Ask yourself the most important questions at the beginning of the guide, evaluate your budget and, if possible, hold the device in your hands before buying it.