First-person shooter and MOBA purists might swear by the mouse and keyboard, but PC games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Mortal Kombat 11 are simply meant to be played with a controller. That's why we tested the most popular PC-friendly gamepads to help you find the perfect fit for your playstyle.
Our top overall pick for the best PC controller is Microsoft's Xbox Wireless Controller, thanks to its comfortable design, impressive build quality and instant compatibility with pretty much every PC game out there.
No matter your needs, here are the best PC controllers to buy now.
Microsoft's Xbox One controller takes the impressive build quality and ergonomics of the Xbox 360 pad and improves upon them, making it the best all-around controller for any type of game.
The controller D-pad has moved away from the 360's disc-style to a more traditional four-way cross style, which allows for better accuracy.
The shoulder buttons are as comfortable to press as they are to rest your fingers on, and the triggers rumble, which provides improved force feedback. The sticks are topped with a smooth center and rasped edge to reduce slipping, and the Xbox Guide button has been moved up and away from the center menu buttons to avoid accidental inputs.
The Xbox One Controller forgoes fancy extra features, instead of focusing on being the best-built and most comfortable option for gaming across all genres. Since the device has the same instant plug-and-play support as the 360 pad, it will work natively with just about any modern PC game with controller support. The latest version of the Xbox One Wireless Controller sports textured rear grips as well as Bluetooth support, which promises better range as well as wireless support on Windows PCs without a dongle.
The Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller was already the best high-end PC gamepad, and the Series 2 makes it even better. The latest version of Microsoft's pro-grade controller features improved grips, more trigger lock options for faster firing, improved swappable components and even finer software customization.
The incredible robust Xbox Accessories app lets you fully remap every button on the controller while tweaking the stick and trigger sensitivities to your liking, and you can store up to three profiles on the controller so that you're always ready for your favorite games. The Elite Series 2 also has a rechargeable battery (finally!) and USB-C port (also finally!), and can even charge up while in its included carrying case. If you take your Gears, Fortnite or Forza seriously, this is the controller to own.
The Astro C40 TR is one of the most premium, feature-rich PC controllers available, and a solid alternative to Microsoft's popular Elite Wireless Controller. Like other high-end gamepads, the C40 TR sports fully remappable buttons and trigger/stick sensitivities, as well as hair-triggers for faster fire and swappable components.
But the C40 doesn't stop there; you can also fully rearrange the pad's stick and d-pad layout, allowing you to opt for Xbox-style offset sticks or PS4-style parallel sticks. The C40 is a bit hefty and one of the more expensive high-end options out there. but it's an excellent choice for those willing to pay up for a ton of customization tools.
The DualShock 4's layout and grip are more comfortable than ever, with triggers and sticks that are particularly well-designed compared with their PS3 counterparts. There's also a front-facing touchpad, which brings some interesting possibilities to the familiar design. The DualShock 4 works well with titles such as Shovel Knight and Final Fantasy XIV, and more and more modern games are including native support for Sony's controller.
In fact, the DualShock 4 is now fully supported in Steam, meaning you can tweak the touchpad, light bar and enjoy the robust remapping and sensitivity options found on Valve's Steam Controller. You can even tap into the DualShock 4's gyroscope, allowing you to, say, aim your gun in a shooter by using motion controls.
If your Steam library consists of pixelated platformers and old-school action games, 8Bitdo's SN30 Pro provides a wonderfully authentic way to enjoy them.
This gamepad faithfully replicates nearly every detail of the original Super Nintendo controllers, while adding extras such as dual analog sticks, rumble functionality and rear triggers to make it play nice with more modern titles.
Thanks to its tight d-pad and clicky buttons, the SN30 Pro is an excellent companion for titles like Sonic Mania, Cuphead, the Mega Man Legacy Collection and the trove of indie fighting games available for PC. Just keep in mind that while its thumbsticks feel great, the controller’s ergonomics aren't exactly ideal for playing, say, an intense online shooter at a competitive level.
Still, the SN30 Pro (and its Super Famicom-inspired counterpart, the SF30 Pro) is an excellent and versatile retro pad for a great price. It'll also work with your Switch, Android device, and even that Raspberry Pi you've rigged up to imitate the SNES Classic.
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But there are plenty of other great options available. The new Xbox One Elite Controller Series 2 offers an incredibly comfortable, sturdy design with tons of customization options, while the 8BitDo SN30 is a great pick for retro gamers.
Astro's C40 TR is a solid alternative to the Xbox Elite controller. It offers a finer degree of physical customization and impressively solid build quality. Sony's DualShock 4 is also becoming an increasingly solid PC controller option, thanks to its Steam integration and growing list of compatible games.
There are also a handful of new controllers for PC gamers to get excited about in 2020. Mad Catz is re-entering the fight stick game with its premium E.G.O. stick, and we're expecting big things from Scuf Gaming this year now that the company is under the Corsair umbrella.
