Vito Cassisi – Tech Blog Delving into technology

Xbox 360 Wired PC Controller Review

A gaming PC is not complete without a good gamepad.

Website: http://www.microsoft.com/
Price: $38.74AUD + $16 postage - http://www.gizmomart.com.au/ (at time of review)



Yes, you heard correctly, an Xbox 360 controller. "But Vito", you would say, "isn't this old hardware now?" And you'd be correct! However, the controller is still on the market, and I have only recently got my hands on one. I've been searching for a good reasonably priced game pad for my PC for a while now. I first started with a Powerwave branded controller which was promptly returned to the store of purchase. The quality was sub par, and the dead zone of the analogue stick unbelievably large. For those playing at home, 'dead zone' is the area in which the analogue control on a gamepad will not respond. This is typically set to counteract any small discrepancies when the analogue stick returns to its origin. Analogue sticks rarely return to the exact same origin, which can be a problem on sensitive or loose controls - hence the need for a dead zone.

With the Powerwave controller returned, I continued to use my humble keyboard. In the meantime, I'd look around for comfortable controllers from other brands, and ultimately failed to find one. That was until I came across the Xbox 360 PC controller. But does it live up to the expectations of an avid PC gamer? Let's find out!

What's in the package?
Included is a Xbox 360 controller, driver CD, and a small user manual. Pretty much the bog standard contents for a consumer peripheral.

As you can see, the controller is identical to one you'd find on the Xbox 360 console. The only apparent difference is the packaging and the included driver CD.

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