The PDP wired Xbox one controller

Have you ever played a certain type of game and thought; “Man, this would be so much better with a controller?” Good, then keep reading.

As someone that has always grown up playing on a PlayStation since their original models, all the way down to the PS4, adjusting to a new remote is always challenging. I was never really against the idea of an Xbox but just preferred PlayStation because of tradition I guess. This love and tradition started all thanks to my older brother who bought me a PS1 when they came out. So in a sense, you could say he started my love for gaming. (Tanks Max)

 At some point, I changed over to PC but still kept the PlayStation around for when friends were over. Now that I game, virtually, solely on a PC I found it strange using a controller but some games are undeniably more comfortable on a controller. So, I decided to invest in a PDP Xbox one wired controller. Considering it only sets you back roughly R600 from the usual online tech retailers, I was willing to risk it. Sure, you are able to pick up second-hand wireless Xbox one remotes for the same price, but I wanted the wired for the convenience of not having to worry about batteries.

General feel and testing:

This remote is a pretty decent bang for the buck and no fiddle when connecting it to the PC because of the plug and play functionality. If, however, you wish to have full control and range of use, you can download the PDP UI program from the Microsoft app store. This program lets you customize the experience with the remote by being able to change the mapping, trigger sensitivity, and rumble intensity, it also has a nifty troubleshoot function that identifies any issues that you may be experiencing. 

I Tested the remote out in the games that I would be most likely to use it; Dark souls 3, 10 Miles to Safety, Dauntless, Fortnite and Forza 4. Now, this controller isn’t going to make anyone a pro but may give them a slightly more enjoyable gaming experience.  The controller itself performed superbly without any lag in communication between the controller and the PC. I didn’t really find a difference when trying it in USB 2.0 and USB 3.0.

As a whole, the controller feels very sturdy and solid, with a decent weight that won’t really tire your hands or arms out and seems comfortable enough for long play times.  Personally, I felt the button feedback was amazing and gave a great tactile feel; I didn’t have to smash the buttons to get a response from them. The analog sticks also had a great feel to them with the grip being very firm and not too abrasive on the thumbs, with the right amount of sensitivity and accuracy. The trigger buttons respond really well and have a lovely squeeze to them that you can set and you are also able to set the activation zone of the trigger too, making driving feel better and the throttle control more realistic.  Another brilliant feature that I truly loved the fact that it has a 3.5mm headphones jack in the back of the remote too so if you have headphones that use this function, it gives you a small extension on your headsets.

THE HOLY BUTTON

The one feature that I feel almost every console remote is missing is this; a mic control/mute button next to the analog stick on the right.
This little button lets you control the mic on/off (double click) and also allows you to control the volume of the sounds coming through the remote, as well as the mix of chat volume and game audio (Press and hold on the mic button and then use the D-pad to control those features.)

The remote uses a USB to Micro USB cable to connect to the PC and the Micro USB socket on the controller itself is very sturdy and well supported, so you have more peace of mind and don’t need to worry about it randomly snapping off. The remotes come in an array of colours with an “old-school” looking coloured see-through plastic face like the old Gameboy colour, or even a clear cover with RGB galore inside for all the Moth-people. (Don’t hate me)

Overall I’d definitely recommend this as a controller to use. It’s sturdy, reliable and ha a really great tactile feedback. So if you’re in the market for a controller for a PC grab yourself one of these.

Thanks for reading! 

Stay golden

- Oskar Roux

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