So my old wireless Xbox 360 controller is kind of on its last legs, bad stick drift, thumbstick rubber starting to rub off, and I’m looking for a replacement. Would gladly just buy another 360 controller but they haven’t made them in years.

Got an 8bitdo Ultimate earlier this year and it has not lasted. Out of the box, the thumbsticks started losing sensitivity in one or two directions after a few hours of play, but I could get around this by messing with the deadzones in the software. Not an ideal solution, since it lowered the resolution, but it worked.

But now it’s got new and exciting problems that I can’t work around. Sometimes the B button won’t register at all. Sometimes the A button will press on its own. And my favorite, sometimes the entire controller just freezes and won’t accept any input for seconds at a time.

I had a coworker recommend a GuliKit but the face buttons are backward and that’s enough to put me off it.

Any advice?

    • jacab [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
      27·
      25 days ago

      i have one of these it’s very reliable and i would use it as a steering device in a properly built submarine

  • Palacegalleryratio [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    14·
    25 days ago

    Right, so valve is rumoured to be extremely close to announcing the steam controller 2, obviously steam support will be a given and valves controllers are usually decent quality. If you’re looking to buy a new one and can wait to see what valve brings out, I think that’d be a good idea.

    • Gorb [they/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
      6·
      25 days ago

      Steamdeck has me waiting for that steam controller 2. Touchpads and steam input has me unable to go back especially for games with no native controller support. Really helps out cos shoulder injury makes mouse and keyboard really hard to use these days and i already have to use those for work

    • ClimateChangeAnxiety [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
      1·
      24 days ago

      With steam now PlayStation controllers work like 95% of the time but almost never show the correct button prompts, you do have to translate A = X, B = O etc. in your head

      I use a PS4 controller usually, partially because it’s what I already had but I also really like the shape, the PS4 controller is hands down my favorite controller I’ve ever used, the PS5’s is a close second.

  • theskyisfalling@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    9·
    25 days ago

    When my 360 controller stopped working I just went with Xbox one and that last me for a good few years. I recently replaced it with Xbox one but with a USB C connection and I can’t see that I’ll be needing to buy another for quite a while.

    They are pretty cheap and proven resilience / decent build quality. Also very familiar after using a 360 controller.

  • PorkrollPosadist [he/him, they/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    8·
    25 days ago

    I’ve been using a DualShock 4 (Playstation 4) controller for the past three or four years. It works wirelessly by bluetooth or plugged in via USB. Works with modern Windows (tested on 10) as well as Linux. On Linux, even the motion controls worked when I was doing Switch emulation. I use it mostly for playing Celeste. I find that it is a fraction more responsive / reliable when plugged in vs. wireless, but wireless is fine for anything not ultra-sweaty.

    On Linux I have had intermittent bluetooth connectivity problems in the past. These were ultimately resolved by building a kernel with the new hid_playstation driver (replacing the old hid_sony driver). This was a couple years ago though. This transition should be complete in any modern distro. The driver should be compatible with DS5 controllers too, but I have never tried one.

    It may not be the best option out there, but it covers a lot of bases and has good compatibility all around, as well as programs to proxy it as an Xbox controller on Windows if necessary for older games with less robust plumbing for input. I guess these things are out of production now too though.

  • laziestflagellant [they/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    7·
    25 days ago

    tbh when this happened to my old 360 wireless i just bought a bunch of replacement parts and silicone wraps and decked my controller out in the gawdiest rainbow colors imaginable. The total cost was probably 1/3 of a new name brand controller too

    unlike switch joycons, 360 controllers can easily be taken apart and put back together like its nothing too

    • barrbaric [he/him]@hexbear.netOPEnglish
      4·
      25 days ago

      I guess that’s always an option, but I imagine I’d have to replace the sensors as well as the sticks to get rid of the drift; you know if that’s possible without soldering?

      Also, would be cool if they just used normal screwdrivers instead of torx lol.

  • imogen_underscore [it/its, she/her]@hexbear.netEnglish
    7·
    25 days ago

    my favourite is the newer Xbox wireless controller. i used to buy 3rd party but have found it’s worth it to spend 50 or 60 quid on these as they last much longer. connects natively to whatever via bluetooth, use it with my steam deck and linux PC nice and easily. I picked up some rechargeable AAs and a charger too because it doesn’t charge batteries, that’s the one drawback of the modern controllers. they are my favourite controller to use though, always found dual shocks kinda small

  • Sulvor [he/him, undecided]@hexbear.netMEnglish
    7·
    25 days ago

    XBox Elite Series 2

    Rather expensive but mine has lasted me like 3 years now with practically no issues. The thing is built like those old unbreakable mobile phones.

    • FloridaBoi [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
      6·
      25 days ago

      I’ve had mine for 3ish years as well and it’s great. I think that the A button may be going but it might be my own carelessness with presses.

      I don’t even use it as a wireless controller. I just plug it into my computer with a USB C cable.

  • Yukiko [she/her]@hexbear.netEnglish
    71·
    25 days ago

    PS5 controller hands down. Feels great in the hands, connects with no issue to my Linux machine, and the dpad is very good. With Microsoft, I never had any good experiences with their offerings, so I cannot recommend those. Some part of the controller would wear down or stop functioning and I went through too many of them. However, the first Steam Controller was pretty good, so maybe the v2 will be worth waiting a little longer for.

  • Bureaucrat@hexbear.netEnglish
    6·
    25 days ago

    I don’t like the dualshock shape and am a fan of the Xbox controller style. So I use an Xbox Wireless Controller with cheap third party rechargeable battery packs that I just plug into my phone charger nearby. It’s essentially the Xbox 360 controller. You can plug it in with a USB-C cable if you want, otherwise you’ll need to buy the dongle they sell if your computer doesn’t have bluetooth. Even if it does, you probably still want the dongle, as without it, the bluetooth connection can kind of suck. So that’s one big flaw. But it’s really comfy and I have 2 that have lasted a few years.

      • Bureaucrat@hexbear.netEnglish
        3·
        25 days ago

        Not sure since the Xbox Wireless controller is technically an Xbox One controller, I believe? I don’t know if they’ve had multiple revisions over time or changed anything. Maybe updated the Bluetooth version.

      • Gerudo@lemm.eeEnglish
        2·
        25 days ago

        I’m pretty sure it’s a different wireless signal so I don’t think it’s compatible with the 360 version.

  • Cummunism [they/them, he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    5·
    25 days ago

    Xbox One controller. I guess if you love the PS5 controller you could do that but i think Xbox One has better triggers by a long shot.

    Edit: xbox one, xbox series, whatever the fuck it is lol. I think i bought mine when it was just xbox one

    • barrbaric [he/him]@hexbear.netOPEnglish
      5·
      25 days ago

      xbox one, xbox series, whatever the fuck it is lol

      I find it deeply hilarious that nobody I’ve ever talked to knows the name of the current gen xbox without looking it up. Very good marketing.

  • lorty@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
    5·
    25 days ago

    I currently have two DS4s I got a few years back. I haven’t used them as intensely the last few years, but they have been great when I needed them.

  • Esoteir [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    3·
    25 days ago

    if you use windows it’s hard to recommend any controller other than the xbox series x controller

    it regularly goes on sale for 30-40 bucks, has native support for every game that uses gamepad, and works as both wireless and plugs in as a wired controller via USB

    only caveat is that if you’re planning on using it bluetooth, there’s a known frame drop problem when using it with bluetooth on windows 10 for some peeps, so i had to get the official microsoft controller dongle. wish game pass for pc worked on linux doggirl-tears

    • Cummunism [they/them, he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
      1·
      25 days ago

      only caveat is that if you’re planning on using it bluetooth, there’s a known frame drop problem when using it with bluetooth on windows 10 for some peeps

      i never heard of that. ill have to pay more attention. Though ive only used the controller with Forza, Rocket League and Ghost of Tsushima. Tsushima does have occasional frame drops but its just like a stutter every now and then. though i have what’s labeled as an Xbox one controller so its a lil older i think.