The best PC controller is a handy thing to have when you just can't be bothered to use a mouse and keyboard. We've tested a lot of gamepads, and here are our top picks.
The GameSir G7 Pro is currently our choice for the best PC controller. It's the perfect blend of features, build quality, and price. It manages to beat out the pretty superb Xbox Wireless Controller for similar money.
If you're looking to spend as little as possible, then the GameSir Nova Lite 2 is the best budget controller, as it offers Hall effect thumbsticks for a surprisingly small sum. And if your budget's on the higher side, the ultra-fancy Razer Wolverine V4 Pro now sits in the best high-end spot.
Dave cut his industry teeth writing guides for PlayStation and Xbox magazines a million years ago, and is as well versed in the world of gamepads as he is in the obviously more accurate keyboard and mouse realm. He's also got a penchant for arcade football games, and two small children, so knows a thing or two about the need for reliable pads that can take some punishment.
October 20, 2026: The Razer Wolverine V4 Pro is our new best high-end controller pick, and the GameSir Nova Lite 2 our best budget pick.
August 21, 2026: We've added in a review search box to allow you to see all our controller reviews.
August 7, 2026: The guide has been trimmed down and tidied up to make it easier for you to navigate.
The best controller
✅ You want a great controller at a great price: The Gamesir G7 Pro stands up to more expensive controllers in many regards. Its comfort, ergonomics, and Bluetooth support mean it feels like a helluva steal for the cash.
❌ You want something flashy: This is a serious controller in a lot of ways, and it lacks any RGB—which means it won't glow in the dark, but it also won't drain its battery super quickly either.
The best PC controller is the GameSir G7 Pro. It's exceptionally high quality for the money, comfortable, colorful, and manages to emulate the excellent feel of the standard Xbox controller without any worries of potential stick drift.
It is a tad more expensive than the Xbox Wireless Controller, but it absolutely earns that price bump. Its asymmetrical sticks are in the same place, as are the ABXY buttons. It even has a share button and a big Xbox logo on the top. If it weren't for 'GameSir' being written on the bottom of the front plate, you could easily believe this was shipped straight from Microsoft.
However, this pad is much closer to a pro controller than a standard one. You can take the grips, front plate, and D-pad off for replacement with other units, should you want to mix and match, and it even comes with TMR (Tunnel Magnetoresistance) sticks, which means you can say goodbye to stick drift worries for good.
The triggers are Hall effect, which means they won't wear out in a hurry, either. And in addition to the plethora of buttons, paddles, and switches, it's even bundled with a charging stand, so keeping the battery topped up between sessions should be no issue at all.
The G7 Pro is also super sturdy, despite being a little lighter than the Xbox Wireless Controller. It took a lot to dethrone the Xbox unit as the best overall choice, but the G7 Pro has certainly earned its place at the top of this guide.
Click through to read our full GameSir G7 Pro review.
The best budget controller
✅ You're on a tight budget: You can't beat this controller on price, with Hall effect, trigger stops and other features often only found on pricier pads.
✅ You must have a wireless controller: I don't blame you, wireless is king when it comes to controllers. This has 2.4 GHz via a dedicated dongle on PC and Bluetooth for everything else.
❌ You want super strong battery life: We got a little over eight hours battery out of the Nova Lite 2.
❌ You're a slippery jimmy: If you tend to sweat a bunch while holding your controller, the grip on this one leaves a lot to be desired.
You can't beat the GameSir Nova Lite 2 on a budget. It has all you might want in a gamepad, let alone an affordable one. Hall effect sticks, back buttons, a mechanical D-pad. Heck, it even has trigger stops.
GameSir has levelled up the excellent Nova Lite, our previous pick for the best budget controller, in the Nova Lite 2. It has some of the stuff we thought lacking from the old model, including back paddles and trigger stops. There are only two back paddles, and they're more cut-outs than defined paddles, and the trigger stops are pretty basic, but they are present and very useable.
The mechanical D-pad is a real plus point here. It feels great under finger, and makes for snappy menu navigation or movement in a fighting game. The face buttons are your average membrane fare, but that's okay at this price range. We've seen much more expensive pads with membrane, too, like the Steam Controller.
The Hall effect sticks should be fairly stick drift resistant, and otherwise feel solid and accurate. No complaints there. My only major complaints with the design are the slippery grips, which could do with a little more texture, and the tiny shoulder buttons. They sit right on top of the controller and don't wrap around the edges like you might expect.
Connectivity is one of the Nova Lite 2's strengths. It has excellent range over the 2.4 GHz dongle included in the box. I walked to the end of my admittedly small garden and it had no issues. That's roughly 20 meters. Bluetooth is a bit more limited but it's nice to have that option for other devices, such as the Switch.
You can't really go wrong with this controller at this price tag.
Click through to read our full GameSir Nova Lite 2 review.
The best high-end controller
✅ You want customisation that works: Modular controller features are nothing new, but Razer's magnetic system is better than most. The thumbsticks, rear paddle buttons and faceplate are all changeable—you know, the useful stuff.
✅ You want a premium-feeling, high-performing design: Every switch, stick, and trigger on the V4 Pro feels distinctly high-end, and snappy as you like to respond.
❌ You're on a budget: Many great controllers cost far less than this. This page is full of them, in fact.
❌ You want an included charging stand: The Wolverine V4 Pro comes with a stonking list of extra features, but the lack of included stand strikes as an obvious omission at this price.
If you're looking for the controller that does (nearly) everything, look no further than the Razer Wolverine V4 Pro, the best high-end controller by far. You will have to pay a pretty penny for it, though, as it costs $200/£200.
For that, you get a set of Razer's new "next generation" capacitive thumbstick sensors. Razer reckons these have a superior resolution to TMR and Hall effect models, all while being less prone to magnetic interference and immune to dreaded stick drift.
In practice, the new sticks feel remarkable accurate, with a slightly lighter tension and a snappier return to center than the Hall effect-using versions found on the old Wolverine V3 Pro. Combine those with the same, ultra-solid (and very comfortable) chassis design, and you've got quite the recipe.
The triggers feel excellent, too, with a weighty, dampened action and toggles to switch between long-throw and clicky modes. And the mecha-tactile face buttons are still superb to use in anger, now with PBT caps that feel grippy, clicky, and precise under your thumbs. Plus, you still get two extra macro buttons next to the bumpers, and four paddle buttons around the rear.
New to the V4 Pro, though, is a magnetic customisation system. The rear paddle buttons can be pulled off and replaced with magnetic caps for a flush fit, either individually or all at once. And the faceplate can be magnetically removed and replaced, too. The V4 Pro also comes with two sets of replacement thumbsticks of differing shapes and sizes, making it a controller to suit most preferences.
Add in 8K polling and up to 27-hour battery life, and the Wolverine V4 Pro really does feel like a step above the rest. It's a superbly tactile, ultra-refined device that's also remarkably fast to respond—although we would like to see a charging dock included for this sort of cash. Still, when it comes to high-end PC controllers, it doesn't get any better than this.
Click through to read our full Razer Wolverine V4 Pro review.
The best couch gaming controller
✅ You're building or buying a living room PC: The Steam Controller's trackpads and gyro make it easy to navigate access files, install apps, and play games intended for mouse controls even from the comfort of your sofa.
❌ You just need a standard pad for your desk: You could spend a lot less than this on a pad without trackpads and gyro and still get all the important features for most controller use cases.
There's nothing quite like the Steam Controller for couch gaming. Combining thumbsticks with trackpads and gyro controls, it's able to better mimic a mouse input than a standard pad. That means easier navigation across the desktop and the ability to play games that require a mouse without leaving the comfort of your couch.
The twin haptic trackpads are easy to use and sit comfortably under your thumbs. You can move your mouse pointer with the right side and scroll up and down with the left. The triggers, back buttons (of which there are four), face buttons, and trackpads are all available to use for mouse clicks or context menu shortcuts.
Then there's the gyro. This is my preferred method of traversing the desktop using the Steam Controller. The gyro maps to your mouse cursor, so waving around the controller translates to moving your cursor. It might not sound it, but it's very accurate.
The secret to the gyro is that Valve has sensors in the grips, called Grip Sense, that know when you're holding the controller and only enables gyro controls when you are. Also, you can program the controller so that gyro controls are only enabled when you're lightly touching the trackpads or thumbsticks, or pressing certain buttons.
The entire Steam Controller is highly customisable through Steam. There are pages of settings to tweak it to your liking, and you can often dive deeper into certain settings if you wish. Though it's worth noting this controller is intended for use with Steam and it is a requirement to install the application on a PC to use it. Or you can use it with a SteamOS device, such as the Steam Deck.
You will find comparable, if not a little better, controllers on the market for less money than Valve's asking for the Steam Controller. Though these won't offer the same inputs that make it our pick for couch gaming.
Click through to read our full Steam Controller (2026) review.
The best wired controller
✅ You're not bothered by a cable: It might be an obvious thing to say, but our best wired controller pick is, err, wired. For some, that's a big deal; for others, no worries at all.
✅ You want excellent switches and impeccable ergonomics: The Scuf Valor Pro feels great in the hands, with superb clicks and clacks in all the right places.
❌ You're on a budget: Given the feature set here, a $100 asking price isn't too teeth-clenching. But you can pick up a great wireless controller with fewer doohickeys for much, much less.
The best wired PC controller is the Scuf Valor Pro. Yes, it's a wired controller in 2026, and yes, you can pick up plenty of great wireless controllers for its $100 price point. But the truth is, the Scuf Valor Pro is so darn good at its job, it has to take the best wired controller spot in this guide.
The Valor Pro does not reinvent the wheel. What it does, however, is refine the wired asymmetric controller recipe to such a point that it makes much of the competition look a little old-fashioned.
The sticks, for example, have Hall effect sensors, which means they're immune to stick drift over time. You can also pop the thumbsticks off the top and install differently-sized replacements, complete with a tall "wiggly stick" (our reviewer Jacob's words, not mine) included as part of the package. It's not just the sticks that can be customised, either, as the magnetic faceplate can be popped straight off the front to be replaced by a differently-colored model of your choosing.
The triggers can also be set to a clicky configuration, or a traditional long throw, which is a feature we've enjoyed on many premium wireless controllers like the Razer Wolverine V4 Pro above. All the buttons are incredibly satisfying and clicky, but also easy to press—especially the bumpers, which extend around the top of the controller, making them easy to press while your finger rests on a trigger.
Anyway, the major disadvantage of the Valor Pro is the lack of wireless connectivity, which you've probably already guessed by the fact that it's in the wired section. At the time of review, it was also limited to a 250 Hz wired polling rate, but Scuf has since released a firmware update that boosts it to 1,000 Hz, fixing our other major complaint. Which is all to say that, should a cable be of no concern, the Scuf Valor Pro is the wired controller to beat right now.
Click through to read our full Scuf Valor Pro review.
Controller FAQ
Can you use a console controller on PC?
The short answer is yes. The slightly longer answer is that you might need to perform a little fiddling the first time you set it up—although after that it will just be a case of plugging it in.
How to set up your controller on PC:
Is PC gaming better with a controller?
This might seem an odd question to ask in the annals of PC Gamer, but it remains true that certain PC games are far better played with a controller than the classic keyboard and mouse combo.
Sports games are the most obvious, as anyone who has tried to play FIFA using the strange keyboard/mouse control scheme can attest to. But there are other titles, specifically those which were primarily designed for consoles whose control schemes are so unwieldy away from a pad that playing them any other way is a pain.
For example, you could play Elden Ring without a controller, but using a pad on a PC feels far better. Oh, and for racing games? You really want one of the options above, although of course, you could go all out and get a full-on racing wheel instead.
How we test controllers
Ignore those who seem to think every game is best with a mouse and keyboard. Elden Ring is not best played with a keyboard. Forza Horizon 6 is not best played with a keyboard. True, we play most games with a mouse and keyboard, but for PC gamers with ranging tastes, a good controller is a must.
Soulslikes and racing games work particularly well on a controller, although we try to test a wide variety of games when we have pads in our hands. Our testing process involves slotting the controller into our day-to-day gaming activities and seeing if it can hold its own against the competition.
This could go from taking a spin around a course in F1 25, to firing off a few million rounds in Borderlands 4, to platforming in Celeste. Testing even involves trying out the controller on games that are generally considered better on mouse and keyboard (the horrors, I know). After all, a good controller doesn't just give a competitive edge in some environments; it adds meaningfully to the way you spend those late nights, when you just need to relax and put your feet up.
