Club Benefits
The best PC game controllers give you the premium benefits of console gaming right on your laptop, desktop and more, from comfortable ergonomics to tight precision in multiple genres of games. But the glory of these pads is that there's no one true dedicated controller for PC. You can take your pick, and I'm here to point you towards the right ones.
To test PC gamepads, we use Hardware Tester’s Gamepad Tester app to ensure there are no inherent issues with a controller’s sticks or buttons. We also test a variety of games on these controllers, from competitive FPS and fighting games to RPGs. Rest assured, we’ve put every gamepad through its paces.
You'll find that many games are better played with different peripherals, especially for FPS and strategy titles on PC. For more options, check out our guides on the best gaming mouse and best gaming keyboards.
With over 25 years of using a plethora of different controllers for PC and console, I've got a good sense of the type of pad that can suit all gaming needs. While a PS5 and Xbox controller can go a long way for PC gaming, if you're in need of a dedicated set of sticks for your laptop or desktop, my team of expert testers and I are here to help you choose the PC controller worth grabbing.
The best PC game controllers you can buy today
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.
The best PC game controller overall
The wired Xbox-oriented GameSir Kaleid improves on its predecessor, the T4 Kaleid, with a sleeker design, a longer included cable and support for Xbox Series X/S. Right now, it's my pick as the best PC game controller you can buy.
It isn’t all change, though, and GameSir has rolled over the T4’s best features into the new model, namely its hall effect sensors. These magnetic sensors allow you to customize the sensitivity of both the joysticks and triggers using the GameSir Nexus app, giving you fine control over the behavior of both.
The Kaleid also features microswitch buttons (although a slightly cheaper membrane button version is available, called the Kaleid Flux), which should stand up to the test of time, even under heavy use. And no advanced controller would be complete without rear paddles, which the Kaleid duly sports. Better yet, all of this comes for just $49, making the Kaleid a fantastic choice for Xbox and/or PC users on a budget.
The Kaleid is wired-only, so you’ll need to be plugged directly into your PC or console. It’s also super lightweight, which might not be to your preference. These are minor bugbears, though, and don’t do much to spoil this fantastic controller.
Read our full GameSir Kaleid review.
The best budget PC game controller
Considering how the Turtle Beach Rematch Core for Xbox costs less than the average weekly grocery haul, it’s hard to fault it.
While it’s a wired-only gamepad that doesn’t feature Hall Effect sticks or triggers, it still stuns with its performance. Responsive analog triggers and sticks make quick work of most FPS and RPGs, and user-friendly companion software makes customization very easy.
If you love a good controller with powerful rumble, you’ll love the Rematch Core. It’s also extremely comfortable to hold, and all the buttons feel great to press. If you want a good-looking gamepad that doesn’t break the bank, I really can’t recommend the Rematch Core enough. Although the branding suggests it's an Xbox controller, it also works well on PC.
Read our full Turtle Beach Rematch Core for Xbox review.
The best premium PC game controller
The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is the ultimate premium controller for Xbox and PC. Equally comfortable and performant, the Wolverine offers something to players of various skill levels — with plenty of features to help you make it your own.
The Wolverine V3 Pro features Hall Effect triggers and thumbsticks, ensuring maximum performance and durability. The premium build, with its lightly textured plastic and grippy texture on the back, not only looks great but also feels good in your hands.
The responsive switches work like a dream, no matter what game you're playing. In a fighting game like Guilty Gear Strive, we noticed an increased performance boost, which gave us an edge in matches. Now, it is pricey at $200, and holding the controller may take some getting used to, but the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is undoubtedly one of the best premium PC controllers out there.
Read our full review of the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro.
The best PC game controller for value
For just $79, the GameSir G7 Pro does wonders as a "pro" game controller. Not only does it boast TMR thumbsticks and Hall Effect triggers for highly responsive (and customizable) movement and hugely satisfying performance, but it's also extremely comfortable to hold — even for those long gaming sessions.
If you're an Xbox user, you'll already feel at home using the G7 Pro. As with the far more expensive Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, GameSir's wallet-friendly gamepad comes with wrap-around rubberized grips and has the size and weight that feels substantial in hand. And with the magnetic thumbsticks and triggers, it actually does one better than the Elite.
This, along with the clicky Micro Switch trigger stops, makes this an exceptional controller for its price. It also comes with tri-mode connectivity options to use with more than just a PC. However, know that if you're switching to an Xbox, you'll have to go with a wired connection. We wish it had another set of back buttons to rival its "pro" competition, but really, it's hard to beat the GameSir G7 Pro at this price.
Read our full GameSir G7 Pro review.
The best pro PC game controller
Finally, a PS5 gamepad with TMR thumbsticks. The Razer Raiju V3 Pro takes the DualSense and gives it a "pro" makeover, boosting its capabilities to make it the esports-level gamepad to beat for both PS5 and PC gamers. Plus, it's just wicked to look at and hold.
This is a premium controller, through and through, with the aforementioned magnetic TMR thumbsticks to eliminate stick drift and offer pinpoint precision, extremely satisfying mouse-like clicky face buttons that mimic a mouse click, hall effect triggers with adjustable sensitivity and removable back buttons. Plus, on PC, you can expect a 2,000Hz polling rate, and plenty of customization via the Razer Synapse app on Windows (or via the iOS/Android app).
While it takes many of the perks of the DualSense, the Raiju V3 Pro does not feature any haptic feedback or adaptive triggers. This is by design, though, as it's made for competitive gameplay to make sure every trigger activated isn't hindered by vibrations or the like. This one's for the pros, and while pricey, it is well worth the investment.
Read our full Razer Raiju V3 Pro review.
The best modular PC controller
If you’re after a premium controller and money is no object, we recommend the Turtle Beach Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded. This is a fantastic and extensively customizable gamepad, thanks to its modular design and 11 interchangeable components. We also love the four back buttons that can be remapped on the fly, as well as the five-stop Hall Effect triggers that are extremely responsive and comfortable to use.
The Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded's 20-hour battery life and comfort mean you can play all day long without worrying about running out of juice or your hands cramping up. User-friendly companion software makes customization easy, too. While we wish the controller featured haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, it isn’t uncommon for third-party gamepads to leave these out.
If you aren’t fully convinced by the PS5 DualSense Edge and want a highly customizable controller with swappable face buttons, the Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded is the way to go. It looks great, it’s powerful and it gives even the most casual of gamers a competitive edge.
Read our full Turtle Beach Victrix Pro BFG review.
Also tested
How to choose the best PC game controller for you
When it comes to picking the best PC game controller for you, a lot of factors come into play, and there are a few questions you need to ask yourself first.
For starters, do you absolutely need a wireless controller, or would a wired one be okay? Likewise, do you want an official first-party controller from Microsoft, or are you open to trying out a third-party controller instead? Finally, are you fine with a stock controller, or are you looking for a controller with "pro" level features that you can customize? Whether or not you want back buttons or rear paddles is another thing to consider. And, will two be okay, or do you want four so that you can remap all of the face buttons on your controller to them?
Once you’ve answered these questions and thought long and hard about which kind of controller is right for you, the next thing you’re going to want to consider is price. Controllers like the Xbox Series Elite 2 or the DualSense Edge are much more expensive than the standard Xbox Wireless Controller, as well as third-party controllers from companies like 8BitDo, GameSir and HyperX.
At the same time, if stick drift has been a problem for you in the past, then you’re going to want a controller with Hall Effect or, even better, TMR joysticks like the GameSir Kaleid for the former or the Razer Raiju V3 Pro for the latter. Connectivity is another big concern, especially if you prefer a wireless controller. While Bluetooth may be more convenient, it introduces a bit more lag than using a controller that comes with a 2.4 GHz USB dongle. However, if lag is something you’re really worried about, then going wired will always be your best bet.
Fortunately, there are loads of different controllers on this list for every kind of PC gamer and every type of budget. We’re also constantly reviewing new models and trying out different kinds of controllers to build out this list further, so stay tuned.
How we test the best PC game controllers
When it comes to testing the best PC game controllers, we take a two-step approach.
First off, we play with them ourselves and put them through the paces with a variety of games from different genres. This helps us determine how each controller will stand up over time and if a particular controller is likely to experience stick drift or other problems down the road. We also test out each of their different connection options and see how well they perform using a wired or wireless connection, or a USB dongle if one is available.
From here, we then use Hardware Tester’s Gamepad Tester to check for errors with the joysticks and buttons. If a controller manufacturer has their own customization software, we load it onto one of the best gaming PCs and see how intuitive it is to use for button remapping and other types of customization, like changing the dead zones on a controller’s joysticks. If there isn’t any customization software available, we use programs like reWASD to try and do it ourselves.
For more information, check out our how we test page for Tom’s Guide.
