The best PC controller for gaming in 2024

Pros: Finely textured handles, excellent rumble, loads of customization options and compatible devices, includes a convenient charging dock

Cons: Wireless mode on PC requires a USB dongle, paddle buttons are sensitive

No matter what system you're playing on, it's hard to find a better gamepad than the 8BitDo Ultimate 2.4g Controller, which offers premier comfort and performance at a reasonable price.

Its textured grips feel great on the palms of your hands, and although the joysticks aren't as grippy as more expensive gamepads, they're still comfortable. And every button presses down with a satisfying click. I'm also a big fan of the Ultimate Controller's rumble, which feels more natural and consistent than any other gamepad I've used.

The 8BitDo Ultimate's most impressive quality is how customizable it is. Using the free 8BitDo Ultimate Software app (available for PC, Android, and iOS), you can edit any button input, adjust the joystick and trigger dead zones, and set the rumble strength. You can even set up macros, or short button combinations, to automatically perform complex tasks. 

The Ultimate Controller also prides itself on being compatible with a wide array of different devices. As of this writing, the Ultimate 2.4g Controller works with PC, Mac, Switch, Android, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Steam Deck, and Raspberry Pi. And if that's not enough, the controller also comes bundled with a charging dock, which makes it easy to store and charge when not in use. It's an immense amount of value.

The Ultimate Controller's few flaws are minor. The 2.4g wireless model can't connect to Windows using Bluetooth, only 2.4GHz, which is a stronger connection but requires an included USB dongle. The paddle buttons on the back are useful but easy to press accidentally. And the white edition of the controller picks up dirt easily.

8BitDo also sells a slightly more expensive version of this gamepad called the Ultimate Bluetooth Controller. This model can connect to all the same devices but adds Nintendo Switch motion control and Hall Effect joysticks, which are less prone to drift. Its face buttons are also designed to match Nintendo consoles, which means the A and B buttons are swapped compared to a typical Xbox-style layout. 

I love the 8BitDo Ultimate Controller, and give it my strongest recommendation not only as the best PC controller for gaming, but also as the best iOS gaming controller and best Nintendo Switch controller. Most PC gamers will be satisfied with the 2.4g model, but the Bluetooth version is better for Switch owners, and there's even a less expensive wired version for budget shoppers.

Read our 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller review.

Pros: Adjustable triggers, remappable paddle buttons, built-in headphone jack, affordable

Cons: Wide handles can feel awkward, no wireless features, not very pretty

The wired version of our best overall pick, the 8BitDo Ultimate, is also a great budget controller, but if you're looking for an alternative, you can't go wrong with the HyperX Clutch Gladiate.

This controller looks simple but actually has a few cool features. It has switches on the back that let you change the trigger buttons from analog to digital, and vice versa. Also on the back are two extra paddle buttons that can be remapped to any other button, no software needed. And at the bottom, you'll find a 3.5mm jack for headphones and microphones. 

Alongside these extra features, the Clutch Gladiate offers the same high-quality joysticks and face buttons you'd expect from a great PC controller.

The Clutch Gladiate's budget status does come across in its design, though. The handles don't have much grip, and they're wider than most other controllers', meaning they'll feel awkward in smaller hands. The aesthetic design isn't great — the joysticks and bumpers, in particular, look cheap, even though they feel fine. There also aren't any wireless options; you'll need to connect it to your PC with a USB-C cable.

Despite these flaws, the HyperX Clutch Gladiate is a reliable gamepad that will carry you comfortably through any game. If you want the best PC controller for gaming on a budget, this model should be high on your list.

Pros: Premium rubber grips, interchangeable components, long battery life

Cons: Expensive, removable components can feel flimsy

The crown jewel of the PC gaming controller market is the Xbox Elite Series 2. Built with a mix of cool rubber and smooth plastic, it's hard to find a better controller from any manufacturer — if you can afford it.

The Xbox Elite excels in nearly every area. It features clicky, tactile face buttons and finely gripped joysticks. Two switches on the back let you adjust how hard you can press the trigger buttons before they register, ranging from analog to digital. The handles are covered in an amazingly comfortable rubber grip. And the Xbox Accessories app, free for Windows, lets you edit inputs, adjust vibration, configure joystick sensitivity, and more. You can save up to three profiles onto the same controller and switch on the fly.

But the Xbox Elite's biggest selling point is its interchangeable parts. The controller comes with a carrying case, and inside that case are a new D-pad, a variety of different joysticks, and paddles. You can easily remove the D-pad and joysticks that the controller already has — they're latched on with relatively weak magnets — and replace them. This gives you a massive amount of control over how your gamepad functions and how it feels in your hands.

The replaceable parts aren't perfect. The paddles, in particular, feel flimsy, and it's easy to knock them out of place while playing. But the customizability, combined with the included charging dock and long battery life — up to 40 hours — makes the Xbox Elite a supremely convenient controller.

At a retail price of $176, the Xbox Elite is absolutely a premium buy. But if you have the budget and know that you'll be using it a lot, it's a worthwhile investment. Just keep in mind that Microsoft also sells a cheaper version of this controller, called the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core. Both gamepads are the same, except that the Core package doesn't include the carrying case, charging dock, or extra buttons.

If all you want is an official Xbox controller, you could also opt for the standard Xbox Core Wireless Controller. It's a third of the price but isn't as customizable and runs using disposable AA batteries. It might be more affordable, but it's nowhere near as convenient.

Read our Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 review.

Pros: Customizable RGB lighting, grips feel great, better paddles than most controllers

Cons: Pricey, built-in screen is gimmicky

Like most Asus products, the ROG Raikiri Pro is flashy and functional. Its front side is lit with a subtle RGB glow, which is sure to complement any RGB-enabled PC setup.

The Asus ROG Raikiri Pro is expensive ($170), but it earns its premium status. Finely gripped joysticks and handles make gaming comfortable, and responsive buttons mean you'll never miss an input. It also has one of the best circular D-pads I've ever used and by far the best paddle buttons. These paddles are positioned in the exact right spot to make them easy to press when you want to, but hard to hit accidentally.

You can customize any of the buttons, along with the joysticks, using the free Armoury Crate PC app. This app also lets you edit the RGB lights by allowing you to choose new colors and strobe effects. It offers a wonderful amount of personalization.

The ROG Raikiri Pro's most striking feature is the small screen at the top of the controller, which can display the current battery life and profile. Using the Armoury Crate app, you can also design and run short animations on the screen while you play. But while it's fun to look at for the first few minutes, it's more annoying than interesting after that point.

Between the sleek RGB lights and amazing grip design, the ROG Raikiri Pro both looks and feels great.

If you're looking for an RGB-enabled controller that isn't as expensive, consider the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma. It's not as comfortable, but has great lightning effects too.

Pros: Classic and comfortable design, fantastic D-pad, compatible with loads of devices

Cons: Smaller than other gamepads, can be confusing to connect, not all models are customizable, uses Nintendo button layout

Easily one of 8BitDo's best PC gaming controllers, the SN30 Pro is a compact gamepad that blends retro design with modern controls. It's a must-have for any PC gamer who focuses primarily on classic games from the early console or handheld eras, or modern 2D platformers.

The SN30 Pro's best quality — aside from its sleek design, which calls back to the iconic SNES controller — is its D-pad. The D-pad is sturdy and responsive. Unlike other controllers with squishy D-pads, you'll never wonder if you're pressing the SN30 Pro's D-pad hard enough or have to tap twice because your input didn't register. And it's covered with a light texture that helps keep your thumb in place, even while mashing. It's one of the best D-pads I've ever used.

This makes the SN30 Pro fantastic for games that rely on a good D-pad, like 2D platformers and other classic 2D games. If you're big into classic emulation, it's made for you. It also features twin joysticks and twin triggers, meaning you can play any game with it, though it's a bit too small to be comfortable with some modern titles.

The SN30 Pro is compatible with loads of different devices, both wired and wirelessly. Aside from a Windows PC, you can connect the controller to your Mac, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, Android, iPhone, iPad, and Raspberry Pi. When connected to a Switch, it has motion controls too.

It can be confusing to switch between devices — make sure you keep your controller manual to remember the pairing process — but it gives you so much freedom.

The only real drawback with this controller is its default button configuration. Most versions of the SN30 Pro come with their face buttons in the Nintendo layout, which puts the B button on the bottom and the A button on the right. Most PC games default to the more common Xbox configuration, which reverses those buttons.

8BitDo does sell a version of the controller in the Xbox configuration, but it's made primarily for cloud gaming on Android phones, so you'll need to buy a separate USB adapter to use it with your PC. 8BitDo also offers a wired version of the SN30 Pro, which costs about $20 less. It's not compatible with as many devices, but it's worth a look if your budget is tight.

Read our 8BitDo SN30 Pro Controller review.

Every gamepad in this guide went through hours of individual testing across multiple games in multiple genres, including Tekken 7, Grand Theft Auto V, Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered, and Elden Ring. I also use external tools like Gamepad Tester to measure joystick drift and accuracy. The best PC controllers for gaming featured here only represent a small subset of the many controllers I tested, which also included models from Sony, SteelSeries, PowerA, and more.

I evaluate every controller across a number of categories, including comfort, button feel and responsiveness, extra or missing features, and price. The best PC controller for gaming will excel in all these areas, but I may occasionally recommend a controller that's only average in certain areas if it goes above and beyond in another category.

As I test and write, I also consult existing reviews of the controllers I'm testing. This gives me insight into other gamers' experiences with the controller and tells me whether my experience has been typical. All of this helps me write the most useful and well-rounded reviews possible.

How much should I expect to spend on a PC gaming controller?

PC controllers tend to retail at three different price points.

Budget controllers cost between $25 and $40. These controllers usually require a wired connection and don't have extra features like paddle buttons or input customization. Depending on the brand, they might also be made with cheaper plastic.

Standard PC gaming controllers retail at about $50 to $70. They'll have grippy handles and joysticks, tactile buttons, and usually include a few special features, like customizable controls and extra buttons. Most can be played wirelessly.

High-end controllers cost upwards of $150. Controllers that expensive should have all the great features of a standard controller, and hopefully include extras like interchangeable components and incredibly sleek designs. They're also built with sturdy plastic, rubber, or metal.

But what kind of controller should you buy? In my experience, a standard PC gaming controller — around $70 — is perfect for most gamers. Premium controllers are nice, but they come with a big jump in price that the extra features rarely make up for.

Are wireless controllers better than wired controllers?

In nearly all cases, wireless controllers cost more than wired ones. But that doesn't necessarily mean they're better.

Both connection types have their pros and cons. Wireless controllers are more convenient — you don't need to worry about getting tangled up in cables — and can usually connect to more types of devices. That's great for multi-platform gamers.

But with wired controllers, you don't have to worry about charging batteries or wireless signals dropping out in the middle of games. They might not be as convenient, but they're more reliable.

The good thing is that nearly all wireless controllers also let you play using a wired connection. Just plug the controller into your PC using its charging cable, and apps like Steam and Xbox Game Pass should recognize it immediately. This way, you can play wirelessly or wired whenever you want.

Do wireless controllers use Bluetooth or 2.4GHz?

These days, Bluetooth is the most common way that wireless devices connect to each other. However, although many of the best PC controllers for gaming do offer a Bluetooth option, most connect using a different kind of wireless signal called 2.4GHz.

2.4GHz signals are stronger than Bluetooth and transfer your button inputs faster. This makes 2.4GHz great for certain genres, like fighting games, that demand quick inputs. You also don't need to mess around with confusing Bluetooth menus — you can just plug the included USB dongle into your computer, turn on the controller, and start playing. The downside is that you need to keep track of both the controller and the dongle, which is usually very small and easy to misplace.

Because of these benefits, 2.4GHz connections are also used on the best wireless gaming headsets and best wireless gaming mouse models. 

Before buying a controller, check whether it uses Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, or both.

What are trigger locks or trigger switches?

Many newer PC gaming controllers have special switches on the back called trigger locks. Flipping these switches lets you change how far you need to press the trigger buttons before they register an input.

By default, the triggers will be unlocked, or set to "analog" mode. This means that the triggers have a full range of motion and can track exactly how much pressure you're putting on them. The most common use for this feature is in racing games — the harder you press the trigger, the harder you jam your foot down on the gas pedal.

When you flip the switches to lock the triggers, you're setting them to "digital" mode. Digital triggers don't move very far and only track whether you're pressing them at all. They're not pressure-sensitive. This is great in shooting games, where you need to press the triggers as fast as possible.

Can I use a console controller on my PC?

If you already own a gaming console, you can definitely use the controller that comes with it on your computer.

Nearly all wireless controllers can connect to your PC using Bluetooth. Just put them into pairing mode and open your PC's Bluetooth menu to search for connections. And if that doesn't work, just connect the controller to your computer using a USB cable. It should connect immediately.

Although we don't recommend them as the best PC controller for gaming, both the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and PlayStation DualSense/DualShock are also solid PC gamepads. And the standard Xbox controller is specifically designed to work with both Xbox and PC.

Depending on how you play your games, you might need to configure the gamepad's controls to work with your PC. Steam should automatically sense what kind of controller you have, but other platforms like Xbox Game Pass might not.

The only console controllers that you can't use are old ones. If your console controller was made before the seventh console generation (in other words, before the Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360), you'll need to buy a special adapter to use it with your PC. And if you're trying to connect your Nintendo Switch's Joy-Cons, you'll likely have to use each Joy-Con as a separate controller.