How to Choose the Right Game Controller for Your PC

You can't play video games without a good control system. Maybe you want a keyboard and mouse for your shooters and strategy titles. Maybe you don't mind using a touch screen for smartphone puzzles. Most games, though, play best with some form of dedicated controller. That's why every major game console comes with a gamepad or two, and why they all can be connected to your PC with some tinkering.

If you mostly want to play games on your PC—for the good reason that it has the largest library of titles spanning the widest range of ages, audiences, genres, prices, and hardware requirements—you should probably invest in a controller. There's nothing wrong with playing Fortnite with your current mouse and keyboard (in fact, PC purists would say you'll play even better than with a gamepad), but almost every other game you pick up from GOG.com, Humble Bundle, or Steam will feel much better with dual analog sticks under your thumbs.

There are countless gamepads and other types of controllers you can hook up to your PC. Here are some options to help pick the best one for you.

Our Highest-Rated Game Controllers

Microsoft Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 Review

4.5

Outstanding

$168.25 at Amazon

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Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Review

4.0

Excellent

$69.22 at Amazon

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PowerA Nano Enhanced Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch Review

4.0

Excellent

$88.99 at Amazon

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Using Console Controllers With Your PC

If you have a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One S, managed to find a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, or splurged on a Switch Pro Controller for your Nintendo Switch, you already have a gamepad you can use with your PC. These controllers have the benefit of rock-solid build quality and reliable PC compatibility (with some software or adapters required for the Nintendo and Sony gamepads). If you don't already have one, though, they're a bit pricey at $60 to $70 each.

Xbox Controllers

Whether it came with the Xbox One or Xbox Series, or you bought it separately, the Xbox Wireless Controller is immediately compatible with any Windows 10 or 11 PC as a wired controller; just plug it into a USB port and you can start playing with it. If the controller was manufactured in the last five years, it can pair wirelessly with your computer over Bluetooth. If you want to use more than one Xbox gamepad, or if you have an early Xbox Wireless Controller without Bluetooth, you can use the $25 Xbox Wireless Adapter to connect up to eight gamepads to your PC at once without dealing with Bluetooth pairing. If you want to splurge, the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is one of our favorite wireless gamepads, though it's also a hefty $180.

PlayStation Controllers

The PS4's DualShock 4 and the PS5's DualSense controllers (and the third-party Scuf Reflex Pro) also work with your PC through a USB or Bluetooth connection, at least with most Steam games. Steam offers a PlayStation Configuration Support option in its controller settings menu that should get either controller to work like an Xbox gamepad, and even supports button remapping.

You can also use the 8Bitdo Wireless USB Adapter(Opens in a new window), a $20 dongle that connects to your PlayStation gamepad (and many other kinds of controllers) and properly maps it to work in Windows. It even supports 8Bitdo's Ultimate Software for extensive mapping and customization.

Finally, for the most roundabout setup, you can use a DualShock 4 through a program called DS4Windows(Opens in a new window). It's free third-party software that tricks your PC into thinking the DualShock 4 is a much more common (for PCs) Xbox controller, like the Steam configuration mode and 8Bitdo USB adapter do.

Nintendo Controllers

The Nintendo Switch's Joy-Cons also connect to your PC, but they require even more wrestling. They're great on the Switch, but they don't feel quite as solid or have nearly as comfortable directional controls as the Xbox Wireless Controller or DualShock 4. Instead, we recommend the Switch Pro Controller. It's a powerful and sturdy conventional gamepad that can work with your PC without much effort, thanks to the Switch Pro Configuration Support option in Steam's controller settings menu (it's two options below PlayStation Configuration Support). For non-Steam games, the 8Bitdo Wireless USB Adapter will also work here.

Third-Party PC Gamepads

If you want to break out of the $60 to $70 range of controllers, third-party gamepads offer much more choice. There are wired and wireless options that range from $20 to over $200, depending on design, features, and customization options. And, of course, build quality; less expensive gamepads from third-party manufacturers can be hit-or-miss affairs in terms of how sturdy they feel and how well they play, which is why we recommend reading our reviews and being wary of inexpensive and unfamiliar gamepads that seem too good to be true.

Our current favorite is the 8Bitdo Pro 2, an incredibly flexible controller that feels good and offers loads of features for just $50. It has programmable rear buttons, supports multiple configuration profiles, and can be extensively tweaked with 8Bitdo's Ultimate Software. It even works with the Nintendo Switch, if you want it to pull double duty.

There are other options out there as well, in both wired and wireless forms. The wired Nacon Pro Compact Controller is a more petite gamepad that might better suit smaller hands, while the PowerA Spectra Infinity has programmable RGB lighting.. And if you want to return to the SNES inspiration 8Bitdo has drifted away from with the Pro 2, the Retro-Bit Legacy16 Wireless is another good choice.

Custom PC Controllers

If you really want to splurge, you can get enthusiast-level gamepads from companies that offer a wide range of customization options. Some, like Controller Chaos, Evil Controllers, and Scuf generally modify first-party Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox gamepads, overhauling them inside and out with custom designs, new buttons, and even sometimes electronic tricks to get an edge in games like Call of Duty and Fortnite by providing specific inputs that take advantage of certain mechanics.

These companies let you build your ideal gamepad from the ground up. Different colors, patterns, and finishes are available, with additional options like whether the analog sticks are concave or convex (often with removable options with different lengths), extended triggers, and even faux bullet face buttons. Rear paddle buttons are common on these gamepads, and they provide two or four additional, programmable inputs for your fingers that rest on the grip.

These gamepads are often the most feature-filled, striking, and customizable, but they're also the most expensive. They start at three digits, with fully overhauled controllers easily costing over $200. If you want custom colors but don't need the rear paddles or extra features, the Xbox Design Lab lets you make your own first-party Xbox Wireless Controller with your favorite colors and finishes for a fraction of the price.

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Arcade and Fight Sticks

Arcade sticks, or fight sticks, are controllers that emulate classic arcade cabinet controls. They usually feature a single eight-direction joystick and a series of big buttons, mounted on a very large, flat base you can set on a table or your lap. They're considered vital tools for serious players of fighting games, such as Guilty Gear Strive and Street Fighter V. They also work very well for classic arcade games, plenty of which are available individually or in compilations on every game system.

Hori is one of the most beloved brands, with sticks for all three major game systems (all of which will work with PCs through USB). Serious arcade sticks like Hori's Real Arcade Pro series are known for using the same sticks and buttons as Japanese arcade cabinets, which helps justify their steep prices of $150 and above. If you want an arcade-style experience but don't need quite the same serious build quality, 8Bitdo's Arcade Stick trades enthusiast-level responsiveness and sturdy arcade parts for wireless connectivity and a much smaller price.

If you want crisp directional controls and lots of face buttons but like to hold your controller in your hand still, you can pick up a fightpad like the Hori Fighting Commander or the Razer Raion FightPad. These are gamepads that strip away features fighting game enthusiasts don't need, like analog sticks, and instead offer excellent direction pads and three-by-two face button layouts.

Enthusiast Controllers: PC Racing Wheels and Flight Joysticks

If you're a fan of driving simulators or flight simulators, you might want to invest in some simulator-worthy equipment. Racing wheels are steering wheel controllers that let you drive cars in racing games by realistically turning a wheel instead of tilting a stick. Similarly, flight joysticks (not to be confused with the analog sticks on gamepads or the digital sticks on arcade sticks) let you fly planes with a realistic full-hand grip to control your pitch, roll, and yaw. These seem like very different types of controllers, and they are. Still, they share three important common factors: They're designed for very specific games and genres, they often consist of multiple, modular components, and they can be expensive.

Thrustmaster is one of the biggest racing wheel and flight controller manufacturers; Thrustmaster's very name invokes the force that lets a plane take flight. The company offers several different flight sticks and racing wheels, along with accessories like pedals, throttles, shifters, control panels, and even separate heads-up displays that provide additional information about your car or plane's systems outside of your monitors. These setups can get pricey, with wheels and sticks starting at $100, and easily reaching several times that price with accessories.

Likewise, Logitech offers racing wheels and flight sets, such as the $400 G923 wheel/pedals combo with optional $60 Driving Force Shifter shifting knob; $150 to $250 H.O.T.A.S. joystick/throttle combinations; and the modular Flight Yoke System ($170 for the yoke, with four separate instrument panels, a rudder pedal, and a throttle available for $60 to $170 each). These controllers are incredibly specific and modular, so we haven't recently reviewed any racing wheels or flight control systems.

Of Course, You Can Still Use a Mouse and Keyboard

If you stick to shooters, strategy games, MOBAs, and MMOs on your PC, take a look at our best gaming keyboards and gaming mice.