Who has the best controller this gen?

Wii U Pro>Xbox One Elite>DualShock 4>Xbox One>Wii U Gamepad

Basically, the DualShock 4 is the best standard controller, but the 'Pro' and 'Elite' variations for Wii U and Xbox One are better. Since they are non standard, however, they unfortunately aren't as widely disseminated.

The elite looks pretty cool...not $150 cool though

@charizard1605: how could you place the wii u pro over the xb1 elite or any of the others for that matter. I do like the wii u pro controller, but it feels so cheap compared to most other controllers that have released in the past 15 years. The gamecube controller is of a way better build quality than the wi u pro controller or any of the wii/wii u branded controllers.

Battery life and analog stick layout.

In my opinion, the xb1 controller is absolutely the very best controller made. The only thing about it that I dont like is that the home button was moved higher up. I think they should have left it between start and back... i know they are called view and menu but i still call em start and back. I havent used the xb1 elite controller yet, but I dont see how it wouldnt be amazing, but I dont need the paddles on the back.

The dual shock 4 is the best controller that sony has ever made, but I have never liked any of the dual shock controllers. The dual shock 2 is one of the main reasons I avoided ps2 multiplats like the plague...not to mention they looked better on gc or xbox. I do like the dual shock 4, but its nowhere near my favorite controllers.

I like the wii u pro controler, but not very much. I wish I could use the xb1 controller on it. Id rather use the GC controller than the wii u pro. The GC controller is probably my 2nd favorite controller ever.

I can't stand the wii u gamepad unless I am using off tv play. Works great as a handheld...lol...dont like it at all when gaming on the tv. No one wants it when we play 4 player Mario kart.

I love the Xbox One pad, and the Wii U Gamepad is great when it's actually useful, but in a general sense I have to go for the PS4.

All I know is that DualShock 4 is the worst controller of this generation, imo.

Toss up between the other ones.

1 - Xbox One Elite Controller

2 - Xbox One Controller

3 - Wii U Pro Controller

4 - Dualshock 4

5 - Wii U Game Pad

@charizard1605: for the type of games i like, i want the left joystick in the comfortable position(top) and the face buttons in the comfortable positions on the right (top) right stick used to rotate camera. My eneloops last quite a while in my xb1 controller and i always have full charged ones whenever they do go dead.

+1

The Wii U Pro Controller is kinda overrated. Sure, the battery life is excellent but it doesn't actually feel that great when holding it.

I felt that it was too slim and the glossiness was weird as well.

For $150 if the elite controller isn't the best by far then that would be pathetic.

Personally I really like the dualshock 4. I find it very comfortable and good for any genre of game.

Nearly - i fixed it for you

I like it. It's just the battery life that makes so undesirable.

Wii U Pro > Xbox One controller > DS4

Thems the facts.

Dualshock 4

And I really question someones intelligence and their priorities if they're paying $150 for a controller.

that DS4

Any of these companies could promise you'd get .1 higher kdr with a magic new controller and the online addicted would spend hundreds for it.

I havent tried the X1 controller, all I know is the DS4 is 1000x better than the DS3 and I actually like it more than the 360 controller.

@2_Quiet_2_Riot said:

@frank_castle said:

Dualshock 4

And I really question someones intelligence and their priorities if they're paying $150 for a

controller.

Not butthurt, just don't understand the logic behind paying $150 for a controller.

What exactly does it do that the normal XBone controller doesn't?

Can it tell the future? Fire laser beams?

What is it?

@frank_castle: It does several things: adds paddles so you never have to take your thumbs off the sticks, and has re-configurable buttons for optimal preference.

I still don't think it's worth the money though, but if your cash is burning a hole in your pocket and you live and breath online shooters, I can see why some would want to have it.

Valve Steam Controller.

It took some time to get used too. Now I can barely touch my PS4 or Xbox 360 gamepads for PC gaming anymore.

@joel_c17: You can't put a controller with spongy triggers and shit battery life that high.

Really? Haven't used one yet. What makes it so intuitive?

Xbox Elite controller. Absolutely perfect controller

Yeah I agree... I found it quite uncomfortable to hold after long sessions.

This was a big reason why I chose XB1 as my main console this gen, as the controller is perfect for me.

It took a while, and I had to tweak, retweak, and tweak again to learn my way around the settings and what they did. Once I figured out just how much I could do with that little touchpad, mode shifting, and double tap functions I hit that moment of trying to figure out just how I managed to play some of these games with just the 360 or PS4 pad. Even that little touchpad on the PS4 seemed quaint and outdated.The issues can be fixed, and it's not perfect, but this thing is definitely advanced beyond traditional gamepads. If you are coming off of consoles and are new to the PC World, and it all seems a bit daunting, then trust me: this is something you want to look into. It's in it's own world and unfortunately requires some time to adjust. The learning curve of this thing is a bit harrowing, but once you get past it and start to scratch the surface, I doubt many would go back.

I've had my Xbox 360 controller boxed up for a week now, and my PS4 controller has been sitting in a drawer in my desk for just as long. I recently realized I haven't missed them at all.I'm converted, and it seems to confuse people who only try it for a short time. People who paid for it are a lot more willing to adjust to prevent that feeling of having wasted money, but people only with it for a short time are likely to scoff because it just feels wrong until you hit that eureka moment when everything clicks, and that takes a few days at least, probably a little longer for most people. When you do it's worth it though.

Like Wii U Gamepad and Pro Controller a lot. Xbox One controllers I haven't used a lot, but I know they're better imo than the DualShock, which is good too, but not amazing. Also, mouse + keyboards is still dah best. :P

The Xbox One controller by far (especially the second model with the fixed bumpers and headset jack). I think that now that the bumpers are fixed, it has overtaken the Xbox 360 as the new greatest controller of all time. Or at least the greatest standard controller of all time as I haven't tried the Elite yet.

I haven't really used the Wii U tablet much other than for Nintendo Land. Every other game for my Wii U, I play with either a Pro, Classic, or Gamecube controller. The tablet feels a little too bulky, has terrible battery life, and I prefer a more traditional controller.

The Wii U Pro controller is an all around good controller, but I don't love it because I just don't think it excels at anything. There is nothing bad about the controller, but there is nothing great about the controller either (except for it's amazing battery life).

The PS4 controller is without a doubt the best controller that Sony has ever made, but that's not really saying much since I've always hated Sony's previous controllers. I'm thankful that Sony has fixed some of the issues that I had with the previous Playstation controllers; their controller is definitely more comfortable now and no longer feels like a cheap toy, plus it has a really great d-pad, but it still has issues such as crappy analog sticks and the left analog stick being in an unnatural position for modern games, plus it has new issues such as an annoying light that I can't turn off and terrible battery life.

To be fair, I haven't used the Xbox Elite controller so I'm excluding that in my list.

1. Dualshock 4

2. Wii U Pro Controller

3. Xbox One OG Controller

4. Wii U Gamepad (I want to like it, but alas)

The only thing I dislike about the controller but it its big enough that it makes it the worst controller to me. I barely play my PS4 yet, I still run into the issue when I actually do use it.

I have some issues with the other controllers but they are minor that I wouldn't consider them an such an issue.

Tie between Sony and MS. Nintendo Pro controller is a step in the right direction, but my brain won't accept the button layout and right stick swap. As for the DS4 and XB1 controllers, both are good. Personally I use the X1 with my PC because of overall native compatibility and I did buy the wireless adapter, also just not having blutooth either.

But really both are comfortable to hold. Battery life though. I have a PS4 as well, and it doesn't last long as all, while a comfy controller, it needs to charge a lot, I would say less than 10 hours a charge approximately.. I'm filling my X1 controller with Dynex batteries and it's lasting 20-30 hours per set.

So really both are good, but If I had to say which one for my PC, I'm edging towards the X1 controller, mainly just due to using really cheap batteries and having it last between 20-30 hours connecting to my PC. But really, both are good in terms of comfort.

Xbox One, the analogs and triggers are vastly superior, the DS4's finally having short concave analogs over the DS3's is a much better improvement, triggers feel a little better in their cut but the spring in them still makes it feel dainty and weak like I might break it just playing it. The rubber on the DS4's analogs worry me, I tried the analog covers hoping it'll prevent any unnecessary degradation but it just feels awful, maybe I need to find new covers or another solution to that issue.

Props for DS4 for having a 3.5mm jack included from beginning, XBO controller needs a stereo headset adapter which isn't cheap, new versions of controller are 3.5mm ready, and bumpers improved. Has built in battery, people complain LED ruins battery life so far I haven't felt it's too short I also dimmed mine from controller settings. The XBO controller is fine but once in a while cuts out mid-game just randomly even with mostly full battery, but I mostly play wired anyways so not an issue then. The DS4 obviously comes with battery, plus there, plus the charge cable it comes with is much sturdier, the Xbox One cord (console didn't come with one for controller) came with the official separate $25 charge kit, and is cheap and is probably going to have the rubber crack before long and need replacement.

Haven't had a shot at Wii U pro controller but from what I've seen they use convex tips like the GamePad, not a fan but not as bad as the DS3's tall convex tips, plus the rubber they use for the analog feels bad, the material on the GamePad's analogs feels sturdy, props to Nintendo on craftsmanship.

As far as all are concerned, each (that is MS, Sony, Nintendo, and even Steam's gameplad) uses analog modules with cheap plastic braces for the modules axis which snap and break and cause early demise of the modules, they all fail for that but I blame China's industry for being the supply of that bullshit, seems like nobody on all ends can help but get them.

I prefer the Dualshock 4, but in spite of all its impracticality, I actually think the Wii U's gamepad can also act as a pretty good controller at times. I certainly like the ability to play my Wii U games away from the TV screen if/when I want to.

I can put it over a controller that feels cheap and creaky, has bad triggers and still uses batteries though. Big step back from the 360 controller.

PC, because PC has all the controllers.

Eww online shooters with a gamepad.

Keyboard+Mouse master race.

1. Dualshock 4

2. Wii U Pro

3. Wii U Gamepad

Insane bias towards PS4 continues.

The DS4 is trash. Sony makes the worst controllers of the 3 by far.

Elite>Pro>X1>Game pad >>>dog shit> DS4

I can understand the terrible battery life on the game pad, but the one on the DS4 is inexcusable.

@charizard1605: the Wii U pro is a great controller sure, but i definitely wouldn't place it that high:

It feels very cheap in construction and feedback to buttons and the feeling of analog sticks

The battery life seems to fail to hold charge over periods of non use more than any other. My Wii U didn't get used for a couple of months, when it came to me using it again, my tablet was still full and my pro was dead, even though both were fully charged upon last using.

My order would be

DS4 > XBO std (never used pro) > Wii U pro > Wii U tablet

As usual; Xbox Won.

I haven't tried X Box's controller, but the other two have excellent game pads on offer. The pro controller and the new dual shock are really comfortable. However, the pro controller lacks analogue triggers and the dual shock has around 75 hours less battery life.

Well, seeing as how the Gamespot metagame is important to some people here when it suits them, I figured I would indulge myself.....here is a Gamespot quote from the 2015 report card for Xbox One:

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-2015-report-card/1100-6432582/

Nothing Beats an Elite

The Xbox One Elite Controller is a dream come true for the video game obsessive. Do not listen to Microsoft’s line that it is designed specifically for the pro gamer; if you can afford this preposterously priced, magnificently crafted marriage of plastics then you should not hesitate.

This pad will sing in your hands and never stop. The quality of materials used throughout is obvious at first touch, from the soft non-slip finish of the case, to the excellent new rubber grips at the rear side of each handle, to the steel analogue sticks and D-pads. This is a Ferrari engine of a games controller, roughly 50 percent heavier than its vanilla counterpart, with thumbsticks that spring back to their centre with such heft that you can feel it reverberate. Do not worry about the additional weight; it is distributed so that the pad spreads into your palms and quickly disappears.

"If you can afford this preposterously priced, magnificently crafted marriage of plastics then you should not hesitate."

As a bonus, four paddles can be attached to the back and sit under your middle and ring fingers, allowing access to the face button inputs without the need to take thumbs off the analogues. Another extra is the removable satellite-dish-shaped D-Pad, which is a blessing if you’re the type that knows your quarter-circle-forwards from your half-circle-backs. Meanwhile, two unobtrusive switches at the rear allows players to adjust the travel of the triggers, which works especially well in fighting games, and also FPSes where the left-trigger is used to aim down sights. Perhaps best of all, the Elite comes with the biggest omission from the standard pad; a 3.5mm headphone jack, which works with any iOS/Android headphone-mic combo, and can directly play game audio.

Granted, $150 (£120) for an additional pad is a lavish investment. But put it this way: You are at the mercy of a controller’s strengths and weaknesses every second you play games. If you can afford it, you deserve the very best.

Can only rank what I've used

1. Xbox one controller

2. Wii u tablet

3. Dual shock 4