The Best Video Game Controllers for Every Platform

The 8Bitdo Pro 2 is a lot of gamepad for not a lot of money. For just $50, it offers a full, comfortable, dual-analog layout and wireless compatibility with Android devices, iPhones, Macs, PCs, and the Nintendo Switch. The 8Bitdo Ultimate Software gives it PC customization like controllers twice its price, including programmable rear buttons, remappable controls, and even tweakable sensitivity for the analog sticks and triggers.

This is an excellent controller for mobile, PC, and Switch gamers due to its good feel, comfortable control layout, and full feature set. It’s simply a fantastic value if you’re looking for an alternative to the Switch Pro Controller for your Switch or Xbox Wireless Controller for your PC.

The 8Bitdo SN30 Pro doesn’t have quite as many features as its larger sibling, the Pro 2, but its design is much more nostalgic. 8Bitdo packed a full dual-analog, four-trigger control layout into an SNES-style dog-bone design, and it’s completely functional. It works with Android, iOS, Mac, PC, and Nintendo Switch, and feels like it’s designed for the 16-bit era.

If you loved the SNES and want a gamepad you can use with any modern game, the SN30 Pro is it. Be wary if you have larger hands, though; the classic dog-bone design is great, but it’s less ergonomic than the Pro 2’s full grips and modern design.

Microsoft’s high-end Xbox controller is more or less the be-all, end-all for gamepads for that console, and because of that it’s one of the best for PCs, too. It’s also one of the priciest at $180, so that’s definitely a factor to consider. For the money, though, it has a rock-solid build; plenty of accessories including interchangeable analog sticks and direction pad, carrying case, and charging cradle; removable rear paddles; and extensive software customization options through the Xbox Accessories app for Windows and Xbox. It’s a lot of controller, for a lot of money.

This is for Windows and Xbox gamers who really want to splurge. It’s full-featured and feels great, and that justifies the price if you can afford it.

The Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons are impressive devices that give the Switch its dock-and-go flexibility, but they aren’t the best controllers from an ergonomic perspective. They’re small, with similarly small analog sticks and face buttons, and the left Joy-Con’s D-pad is a button cluster that enables the controllers’ awkward sideways configuration.

The Hori Split Pad Pro offers a fuller gamepad layout; bigger sticks and buttons; a proper direction pad; and a wider, more comfortable design. It only works in handheld mode because it’s not wireless, and lacks rumble or motion controls, but it’s an ideal Joy-Cons replacement if you simply want great buttons and sticks.

The Hori Split Pad Pro is for Switch owners who want the comfort of a full-size gamepad when playing in portable mode. Just make sure you don’t need motion controls.

First-party controllers tend to feel and perform better than third-party ones, though the gap has almost completely closed at this point. Although we prefer the 8Bitdo Pro 2 for its value both as a Switch controller and a PC gamepad, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is still an excellent gamepad. It feels great, and has all of the features you need, including motion-sensing and even Amiibo scanning. It’s a bit pricey considering its relative inflexibility, though it can work with PCs thanks to a compatibility mode in Steam.

This is the official high-end Switch controller, and easier to find in stores than 8Bitdo’s gamepads. And, as a Switch gamepad, it works very well. Switch-exclusive gamers should consider it, though there are better options if you also want a controller for PC or mobile games.

If you grew up on the Sega side of the gaming fence in the 1990s, you probably have fond memories of the Genesis. Retro-Bit’s 8-button Arcade Pad looks and feels like the six-button Genesis controller, with the addition of shoulder buttons (and a mode button that’s easier to use). The controller’s wired, but it’s also only $20, and that makes it appealing for retro gaming.

This one’s for Sega fans, and while this specific model is Genesis-themed and made for the PC, Retro-Bit offers other options. Another version is built similarly to the Sega Saturn control pad, and if you still have your original consoles, the Genesis and Saturn-style gamepads have “native” versions that can plug into their respective systems (separate from the USB gamepads).

The PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller is one of the most advanced gamepads available, with unique features like adaptive triggers that can adjust resistance based on what you’re doing in a game. It isn’t particularly customizable, though, and that’s why Sony released the DualSense Edge. It’s the PlayStation 5 answer to the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller, with the swappable parts and rear buttons you’d expect from a high-end gamepad. It’s expensive, and its battery life is even shorter than the DualSense’s, but it’s the only pick for first-party customizable gaming on the PS5.

This is for PlayStation 5 owners who have fallen in love with the DualSense but want something more out of it. The adjustable sensitivity curves and remappable buttons are welcome additions to the fancy features the DualSense already has, and you can swap between multiple custom profiles on the fly with the Fn buttons.

The Xbox Elite Core controller is literally the Xbox Elite Series 2 with all of the accessories stripped away. Otherwise, it’s the same comfortable, premium-feeling gamepad with the same software customization options in the Xbox Accessories app for Windows and Xbox. It just doesn’t have the removable paddles, interchangeable analog sticks and direction pad, carrying case, or charging cradle. Without those items, the gamepad is a solid $50 cheaper. It’s still a pricey $130, but it’s a nicer bit of kit than the standard Xbox controller.

If you want a high-end wireless gamepad without spending close to $200 for it, the Elite Core controller is an excellent pick. It feels a bit naked without the paddles, since the hookups are still on the back (and you can add them with the $60 Complete Component Pack, which has all of the other Elite accessories that were left out). Still, it has a better build than the Xbox Wireless Controller, and offers more software tweaks. In the near future, you’ll be able to customize the Elite Core using Xbox Design Lab.

The Razer Kishi Ultra is the best controller for playing mobile games. It does pretty much everything, with full-size physical controls, RGB lighting, and even the ability to use it with your PC as a wired gamepad.

This controller is for dedicated phone gamers who want to upgrade their experience. It’s the biggest and best-feeling clip-on controller you can use with a phone. It’s the most expensive mobile gamepad we’ve seen, but mobile gaming die-hards may find it worth the money.