How would you rate each current gen controller?

PS5 Controller

+ The best Playstation controller yet
+ Feels good in the hand, though tad wide
+ Haptic feedback is cool, and fun. Not a gimmick!
+ Adaptive triggers are nice, though can break up the immersion
+ / - Built in mic seems nice, but turns on automatically.
- 10 hours battery life

Summary: PS5 is the most next gen controller I've felt in a while. Features aren't really gimmicky.
Rating: 9/10

Xbox Series X Controller

+/- If it ain't broke don't fix it design
+ Compact size, but slightly narrow.
+ Triggers have a nice feel
+ Improved d-pad
+/- Rechargeable batteries are separate and cost $25
- Feels last gen compared to PS5 controller

Summary: Plays it safe, but it's still a great controller. Wish they had tried more to innovate.
Rating: 7.5/10

Switch Pro Controller

+ Best Nintendo Pro controller yet
+ Amazing battery life - 40 hours!
+ Haptic feedback
+ Good triggers
- Pretty much a must unless you want to use Joycons

Summary: Not as advanced as PS5 controller, but not as barebones as XSX controller. Nicely in the middle!
Rating: 8/10

Xbox series controller is a 10/10 to me, PS5 is fine but not much of a fan of the overall design for the controller, Switch Pro is great and very comfortable.

PS5 is the best controller created. I generally don't like change but the Playstation controllers have evolved overtime to continuously be better.

Switch Pro is good but not as good as their Gamecube controller IMO.

I haven't even touched the X1 controller let alone the Series controllers.

Ps5 is revolutionary xbox feels ok but feels very cheap in comparison.

I actually just picked up an Xbox Series controller to replace my Xbox One. So far I really like it. No big changes from the Xbox One but that’s fine with me as it was my favourite controller from last gen.

Really like the Pro controller for the Switch. Solid design and like the asymmetrical layout of the analog sticks. My second favourite controller.

Haven’t had a chance to use the Dual Sense yet but it seems like it’s a step up from the Dual Shock controllers.

Only used the DualSense and Switch Pro Controller and so far the DualSense been such an amazing controller. Probably just the next gen hype but adaptive trigger and haptic feedback if used creatively can produce quite unique gaming experience. In Returnal the half pull and full trigger will fire different gun settings. Brilliant use.

I prefer to game with Xbox controllers. The Dual Sense still cramps my hands.

Dual sense on single player ground breaking on multiplayer a pain.

Dual Sense > DS4 > Xbox 360 > X-Series X > XB1 > Switch Pro Controller > Switch Lite > Switch > Steam

To me one company is improving and innovating (playstation) another one backtracked a bit and is stale and stagnating (Xbox)

Nintendo is somewhere in the middle switch is just passable and pro controller is passable nowhere near the DS4 or Dual Sense.

Turn off adaptive triggers and there's nothing painful in multiplayer.

I think I'm the only one here who liked the N64 controller lol.

The new PS5 controller looks really nice

I just wish they'd switch the left analogue with the d pad placement. The current playstation design is a remnant of when they tacked on analogue sticks to the bottom of the psone controller.

Switch Pro controller: 8/10

+Awesome battery life. ~40 hours, pretty insane.
+The best comfort.
+Looks nice.
+The gyro is good.

-D-pad ain't great.
-Digital triggers eliminates some cool stuff you can do with analogue.
-Expensive.

Had it been cheaper, with analogue triggers and a better d-pad- freaking 10/10.

Xbox One controller: 8/10 (haven't tried Series S or X or whatthefuck, but it's probably mostly the same)

+Great comfort.
+Easy to use on PC, gets the most support.

-D-pad sucks balls.
-AA batteries is a little meh. Would've preferred a good built-in battery.

PS4 controller: 4/10 (haven't tried PS5 controller)

+It has buttons and sticks.

-The left stick and d-pad are in the wrong places. Good if you only play fighting games or platformers, I guess.
-Bad battery life.
-An annoying light at the back of it, draning said crap battery.
-Bad comfort. Has a weird uncomfortable shape, and bending the thumb down to the left stick all the time is annoying.
-Shapes can get pretty annoying when everyone else are doing ABXY.

I hate how you cant have voice come through the TV now with the PS5 controller.

@mysticaldonut: Yeah, I'm not a fan of voices coming out the controller I always turn it off. Luckily some games have the option to play sounds from TV (most do not however).

Pro Tip: If your dual sense controller has sticky buttons, WD-40 can fix.

Mine had a sticky square button and track pad (right side). I was about to order a new one because I was having trouble playing Ratchet & Clank with the square button - it was very mushy and wouldn't return quick enough. Decided to try a small amount of everybody's favorite libation and it did the trick!

That's my only real gripe with the DS5. The battery life could be a bit longer. Still might get another so I can swap out.

I haven't played enough 2D games with it to judge the d-pad properly.

Same. Why would I want to hear sound out of the worst possible speaker available to me?

The new PS5 controller imo is quite a bit better than the new Xbox controller. The adaptive triggers are quite cool (albeit novel), but it does add something to a game where supported. It still comes with built in speakers, and the rumble is also quite nice. The XSX controller is more of the same (I guess if it ain't broke, don't fix it), but I do have an issue with its rumble. It's quite loud/makes weird noises. Was never an issue with my old Xbox controllers.

Series X>Dualsense>Switchpro, but that's just my opinion.

Joycon HD rumble sucks. It makes a ton of noise and doesn't 'feel' next gen.

The controllers get a -1/10 for cramping up my hands. First Nintendo controller too that doesn't have the Nintendo style d-pad.

My final rating is a -2.5/10.

The Hori split pad pro is just way better.

Meh, they feel same for me. Really dislike the button placement for screenshots on Xbox controller though.

Joycons on the other hand are cheap pieces of shit.

You can, just go to Settings then Sound then Audio Output then click on Output Device and change it to HDMI Device (TV).

You're welcome.

They all do through the settings I described in the post above.

Except that doesn't help with gamechat voice coming through the TV, lol

None! Controllers are for plebs.

Just got my Series X last week. Overall, it's pretty nice. But it feels small/light compared to the DualSense. Also, and maybe it's just the batteries mine shipped with, but using AA batteries suuuuuucks. Already had to replace them.

Yes it does I've done it many times, however it sounds as though there is a bug where some PS5 users have to use a 2nd input like connect a pair of headphones to their controller or use just the 3 prong jack in the connection.

If switching those settings and gamechat doesn't come through your TV speakers instead of your controller speakers then you probably have the bug and will need to use that workaround.

PS5 controller >>>> Xbox controller. That click on the xbox dpad is garbage trash.

Yea, we're in the same boat. Just got one last week and I'm like, batteries? This is like 2 gens ago. Luckily I have my rechargeable battery from the X1 controller. I assume it's compatible, not sure why it wouldn't be. But if it's not, then that's an additional $25 right there. So basically, MS wants you to pay $85 for an outdated controller lol.

Just get a cheap AA recharger. I bought one with about 8 AA's a few years ago and that was the last time I even thought about batteries. I still have remote controls, Oculus controllers and other stuff that uses AA's so it's really not a big deal. At least for me anyway.

Will probably have to do the same. Bummer. Thanks for the tip.

you listed offset analog as a negative. can't take you seriously. You realize everyone does it other then sony because it's factually better, and even sony in their own testing of new controllers said everyone preferred offset but they decided not to change it because tradition and branding. They need to just fix their controller so this nonsense an stop and people can stop looking dumb defending a poor design they got used to.

I agree with him Dual Sense layout is way better than XBox hes not alone.

and @zerothehero

just because a couple of people on a forum got used to a bad load out doesn't mean anything.

I would say PS5 dpad is more convenient. Plus the XSX dpad still kinda sucks. Very clickety.

I picked up Doom Eternal again recently and had to turn the haptic feedback/adaptive triggers off right away. I imagine they might be pretty cool in an adventure game where I'm exploring rather than a shooter where I'm trying to stay alive.

Everyone has different sized hands, maybe you have small hands? even so the placement of the LS on the DS controllers are bad. even sony said so themselves in their testing. they were going to change it but decided to stick with the traditional look over function. There is a reason every company has adopted the layout of the xbox controller which was originally the dreamcast controller layout. It's a factual superior design. you thumb isn't stretched out, it's in it's natural resting position. You are actually stretching it using the DS controller. The original DS had added thumsticks but at the time the d-pad was still the primary use in games. So your thumbs on the DS rest naturally on the d-pad and between the face buttons. They never redesigned it despite the fact the joystick has now become the primary. With the xbox layout your thumbs rest naturally on the LS and between the RS and the face buttons as it should be. The problem with the OG xbox controller was the size. people with smaller hands had issues with it. thats why they made it smaller. the DS has always been typically smaller designed with japan in mind where the average hand size is smaller. But with sony more focused on other areas their controllers have gotten bigger while MS has made theirs smaller and now they are pretty similar size. but the XB controller layout is more ergonomically correct for todays gaming. it's a factual thing. Also the Wii U pro controller is widely considered 2nd best behind the xbox and is designed after the xbox for a reason. Why do you think sony is the only one not to change? They even admitted it themselves in their own testing. here are some quotes

“For the analogue sticks, we did test having [them] on top, since the Xbox has the left side on top [above the d-pad],” designer Toshimasa Aoki told Venture Beat. “Especially from the shooter teams – we got feedback that that's what they wanted. They knew that consumers liked the 360 for shooters.” In the end, the manufacturer decided to, er, stick with tradition, and settle on symmetrical sticks. "The prototype team, myself, and also the management team really felt that having this look is the PlayStation look, and we had to keep that,” Aoki concluded.

Here is an article too https://www.criticalhit.net/gaming/friday-debate-asymmetrical-analogue-sticks-make-better-controllers/

You see, unless you’re a Sony die-hard who grew up on a diet of PlayStation alone, you’d know that the asymmetrical layout is more ergonomic. The reason that Sony’s sticks are symmetrical is that following the release of the Nintendo 64, Sony needed to implement an analogue stick on top of their already existing PlayStation controller – and they did so in a way that allowed them to retain their established aesthetic – without any regard for ergonomics whatsoever. It’s unnatural, but we’ve become so used to it over the years that it doesn’t really matter.

Even sony knows. it's factual. Just because you got used to a poor layout over time doesn't mean it's better. It's comfortable and familiar to you. so much so that the correct layout feels like stretching to you. You've probably damaged your hand in the same way people who type a lot get carpel tunnel. If the xbox controller feels like stretching it's because you are "clawing" your hand over time. You should probably see a doctor

No, there is a reason ps4 is outselling the XB1 3:1 PEOPLE HATE the xbox one controller and like the dual shock 4 facts and data if they liked the other one they woulda bought the other one....FACTS

you should read my post with actual facts including sony's lead controller designer saying people preferred it the xbox way but they went with tradition. What does sales have to do with anything? I posted facts, all you are doing is moving goal posts because you know you are wrong. correlation =/= causation.

here are facts https://www.gamespot.com/forums/system-wars-314159282/how-would-you-rate-each-current-gen-controller-33563029/?page=1#js-message-357075624

I'm torn between the Xbox Series controller & the Switch Pro controller for which is my favourite... I think the Switch Pro controller is a little more comfortable (and I like the sticks better), but the Xbox controller has better triggers. I'd probably rate them both equally.

Haven't tried the PS5 controller properly yet, but it seems much better than past DS controllers (which were pretty horrible).

Aside from drift, which all of these new controllers seem to have for some reason, Dualsense is the best controller I ever used. If they would make a back button attachment for it, I would be even happier.

@mazuiface: https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2021/06/16/custom-dualsense-ps5-controller-back-buttons-hex-rival-order-now/

Xbox Elite Series 2 > All

They're all pretty good in their own way, I wouldn't rate any one of them above another. But if I had to pick one to be the best it'd probably be the Switch Pro.

I actually prefer the Switch Pro "triggers." Think about how often they're ever mapped to anything analog. The occasional driving game and that's about it. For every other game it's a long, mushy button, so the digital ZL and ZR have an advantage in every other genre.

Same. The Series X controller does feel good in the hands, though. Surprised how much lighter/smaller it felt than expected.