ULTIMATE Comparison: Budget Xbox Pro Controllers From $25-$100

Summary

This video offers an in-depth comparison of budget Xbox Pro controllers, ranging from $25 to $100, highlighting features like trigger stops, response times, and build quality. The review covers nine devices, starting with the affordable PowerA Enhanced and ending with the Elite Series 2 Core, discussing their reliability, software support, and value for money. The ultimate recommendation for the best budget controller is teased, urging viewers to watch till the end.

Takeaways

• 🎮 The video compares budget Xbox Pro controllers ranging from $25 to $100, offering insights into their features and value for money.
• 🔄 The controller lineup includes nine devices starting with the cheapest, the Power Enhance, and ending with the most expensive, the Elite Series 2 Core.
• 💰 The Power Spectra, now rebranded as the Lumetra, offers RGB lighting and three-way trigger stops but is considered overpriced compared to other options.
• 🛠️ 8BitDo Ultimate and Turtle Beach Reactar controllers provide a balance of features like software customization and on-the-fly profile switching, despite some limitations.
• 🏆 The Gamester G7 and G7 SE stand out for their high-quality build, magnetic removable faceplate, and software that supports 1 millisecond response times.
• 🔝 The PowerA Fusion Pro 3, despite its higher price, lacks the features and quality to justify its cost, especially when compared to the Elite Series 2 Core.
• 🏁 The Victrix Gambit offers the fastest trigger stops and a variety of swappable parts but suffers from poor customer support and questionable reliability.
• ⚡ The Elite Series 2 Core is a wireless controller with a good set of features, including four rear paddles and high-quality metal thumbsticks, but comes without accessories in the box.
• 🔄 The video emphasizes the importance of software and customization options in budget controllers, with some devices offering more in-depth software than others.
• 👍 The Gamester G7 and G7 SE are recommended for their unbeatable features at the $45 price point, making them the best value for money.
• 🔮 The script hints at upcoming reviews for PlayStation and Switch controllers, indicating a comprehensive approach to controller comparisons across platforms.

Q & A

What is the budget range considered for most Pro controllers in the video?

The budget range considered for most Pro controllers in the video is from $25 to $100.

What is the price range for the Elite Series 2 core controller?

The Elite Series 2 core controller can regularly be found for between $100 and $130 online.

What is the main sponsor of the video and what do they offer?

The main sponsor of the video is PCB Way, who offer services for building custom controllers and have helped in creating hall effect thumb sticks.

What is the response time of the power enhance controller?

The response time of the power enhance controller is between 4 and 8 milliseconds.

What feature does the power a Spectra controller have that the power enhance lacks?

The power a Spectra controller has RGB lighting and three-way trigger stops, features that the power enhance lacks.

What is the unique feature of the 8bitdo ultimate controller in comparison to the power controllers?

The 8bitdo ultimate controller has software for customization, which is a feature not present in the power controllers at the same price point.

What are the audio-centric features of the Turtle Beach react R controller?

The Turtle Beach react R controller has some audio-centric gimmicky features, although they are not considered great, they are okay and provide an alternative to the power controllers.

What makes the Gamer G7 and G7 SE stand out from the other controllers in the list?

The Gamer G7 and G7 SE stand out due to their high-quality build, magnetic removable face plate, rubber rear plate with extra buttons, clicky face buttons, and a braided detachable USB-C cable. They also have software that allows for a 1-millisecond response time.

What is the main drawback of the poweray Fusion Pro 3 controller according to the video?

The main drawback of the poweray Fusion Pro 3 controller is its price, which is considered not worth the money when compared to the features it offers, especially considering the alternatives available.

What are the key features of the victrix Gambit controller?

The victrix Gambit controller features a 500 HZ 2-millisecond response time, a rubber face plate, two-button layout, the fastest trigger stops, swappable face plates, d-pads, and rear buttons, and comes with a 2-year warranty.

Why is the Elite Series 2 core controller recommended over the victrix Gambit and poweray Fusion Pro 3?

The Elite Series 2 core controller is recommended over the others due to its wireless capability, higher quality, and more reliable warranty, despite not coming with as many accessories as the victrix Gambit.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 Ultimate Budget Xbox Pro Controllers Showdown

The script introduces a comprehensive comparison of budget Xbox Pro controllers, ranging from $25 to $100, highlighting the variety of options available within this price range. The video covers nine different controllers, starting with the most affordable and ending with the Elite Series 2 core, which is considered to have the most to lose in the comparison. The script mentions features such as wireless capabilities, clicky buttons, anti-tick thumbsticks, and response times, as well as the inclusion of Amazon links and the sponsor, PCB Way, who is involved in creating innovative thumbsticks.

05:02

🔑 Key Features and Recommendations for Budget Controllers

This paragraph delves into the specifics of the budget controllers, discussing their features, reliability, and value for money. It compares the powera enhanced and Spectra controllers, the 8BitDo Ultimate, Turtle Beach reactar, and the Gamester G7 and G7 SE, which are praised for their high-quality plastic, magnetic removable faceplate, and software capabilities. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of software and the 1 millisecond response time offered by some controllers, as well as the anti-stick drift hall effect thumbsticks that set certain controllers apart.

10:03

🔄 The Pros and Cons of Mid-Range Xbox Pro Controllers

The script moves on to discuss controllers in the $80 to $100 price range, such as the powera Fusion Pro 3 and the Victrix Gambit, which offer a mix of features but may not always provide the best value for their cost. The Fusion Pro 3 is criticized for its high price and lack of standout features compared to the competition, while the Gambit is noted for its fast trigger stops and comprehensive feature set despite its questionable build quality and customer support. The Elite Series 2 core is also examined, highlighting its wireless capabilities and the balance between its price and the features it offers.

15:03

🏆 The Undisputed Kings of Budget Xbox Controllers

The final paragraph wraps up the video script by summarizing the standout controllers in the budget category, with a special emphasis on the Gamester G7 and G7 SE for their unbeatable features at the $45 price point. The paragraph also touches on the alternatives for those who cannot or do not want to use a Gamester controller, such as the 8BitDo Ultimate, powera Spectra, and Turtle Beach controllers. It concludes by expressing anticipation for the upcoming year in controller technology and hints at future videos covering a broader range of controllers for different platforms.

Keywords

💡Xbox Pro Controllers

Xbox Pro Controllers refer to a category of advanced controllers designed for Xbox consoles, offering features beyond the standard controller. In the video, the script discusses various budget-friendly Pro Controllers, comparing their capabilities and prices, with a focus on those ranging from $25 to $100.

💡Budget Range

The 'budget range' in the context of the video denotes the price bracket that the majority of Pro controllers are considered affordable. The script specifically mentions the $25 to $100 range as the budget category for these controllers, setting the stage for the comparison of different models within this price point.

💡Response Times

Response times are a critical feature of controllers, indicating the speed at which inputs are registered by the device. The script mentions 'one millisecond response times' as a desirable characteristic, highlighting the importance of quick response for gaming performance.

💡Trigger Stops

Trigger stops are a feature that allows players to adjust the point at which the trigger buttons register a press. The script discusses 'three-way trigger stops' as a feature of some controllers, emphasizing their utility for different gaming scenarios.

💡Hair Trigger Dead Zones

Hair trigger dead zones refer to a minimal input required before the controller registers a trigger press, offering precision in games. The script contrasts this feature with traditional trigger stops, suggesting that hair triggers are more useful for gaming.

💡RGB

RGB stands for Red, Green, Blue, and in the context of controllers, it refers to customizable lighting effects. The script mentions RGB as a feature of the Power Spectra controller, indicating a level of personalization and aesthetic appeal.

💡Detachable USB Cable

A detachable USB cable allows the controller to be connected to the console via a replaceable cable, which can be an advantage for durability and convenience. The script praises this feature in the context of the Power Enhance controller, noting its importance in the controller's design.

💡Rumble Motors

Rumble motors are components in controllers that provide haptic feedback, simulating vibrations to enhance the gaming experience. The script mentions rumble motors as a standard feature across the budget Pro controllers discussed, contributing to the immersive gameplay.

💡Hall Effect Thumbsticks

Hall effect thumbsticks use magnetic sensors for detecting movement, offering improved precision and reliability over traditional analog sticks. The script highlights the inclusion of 'anti-stick drift hall effect thumbsticks' in the Gamester G7 SE controller, emphasizing their role in enhancing controller performance.

💡1ms Option

The '1ms option' refers to a setting that reduces the response time of the controller to one millisecond, which is the fastest possible and ideal for competitive gaming. The script notes that the G7 and G7 SE controllers support this feature, positioning them as top choices for speed.

💡Warranty

Warranty is an important aspect of product reliability and customer service. The script discusses the warranty of various controllers, such as the 2-year warranty of the Victrix Gambit and the 1-year warranty of the Elite Series 2, indicating the manufacturer's confidence in their product and the support available to consumers.

Highlights

The video compares various budget Xbox Pro controllers ranging from $25 to $100.

Controllers are evaluated based on features like paddles, buttons, trigger stops, and response times.

The lineup includes nine devices starting with the cheapest, the power enhance, found on Amazon for $25-$30.

Power Spectra, now rebranded as Lumetra, offers RGB and three-way trigger stops for around $45.

8Bitdo Ultimate offers software customization and on-the-fly profile changes at a $45 price point.

Turtle Beach Reactar provides audio-centric features and a solid reliability track record.

Gamer G7 and G7 SE stand out with high-quality plastic, magnetic removable faceplate, and 1 millisecond response time option.

G7 SE features anti-stick drift hall effect thumbsticks, setting it apart for reliability.

PowerA Fusion Pro 3, at $80, offers swappable sticks and a detachable USB-C cable but lacks compelling features compared to other options.

Victrix Gambit is a 500 HZ controller with overclock on PC and a 2-year warranty, despite its physical quality and customer support issues.

Elite Series 2 core is a wireless controller with four rear paddles and high-quality metal swappable thumbsticks.

The video discusses the importance of warranty and customer support in controller recommendations.

Gamer G7 and G7 SE are praised for their unbeatable features at the $45 price point.

Controllers like the 8Bitdo Ultimate, Power Spectra, and Turtle Beach Recon are considered alternatives to the Gamer G7 and G7 SE.

The video concludes that the $45 controllers offer the best value for money, with features that compete with higher-priced options.

Looking forward to 2024, the reviewer anticipates interesting developments in both high-end and budget controller markets.

The video is the result of over two years of research and note-taking on budget controllers.

Transcripts

paddles buttons trigger stops Hall

sticks one millisecond response times

one minute response times The Good The

Bad and The absolutely hideous this is

an ultimate comparison of the most

capable budget Xbox Pro controllers

ranging from $25 to $100 which is what I

consider the budget range for most Pro

controllers after which you have the

$130 to $200 range where a lot of other

Pro controllers exist but I'll have a

separate video for those there were just

too many options in the budget category

so I thought they deserve their own

video we have one Wireless option guess

how much that one is we got controllers

with clicky buttons one of them even has

anti-tick or thumbsticks we're going to

be starting our list from the cheapest

going to the most expensive and I'll be

dispensing notes and useful information

along the way instead of doing something

like a point system which isn't as

straightforward but all of these devices

have their own uses links to Amazon

listings as well as my reviews if they

exist will be in the description below

with final recommendations and warnings

given in the conclusion the lineup we

have today is nine devices total

starting with the power enhance which

can be found on Amazon for between 25

and 30 bucks the power Spectra which can

be found for around $45 my god

this video was made ages ago power a

rebranded the Spectra into the lumetra

which they've done this with other

controllers it's the exact same device

the exact same price different name so

since that's what they sell now that's

what'll be in the description and

whenever I mention the Spectra just keep

in mind I'm actually talking about the

lumetra cuz they're the same thing now

on to the rest of the devices the a

bitto ultimate Turtle Beach reactar and

gamesa G7 and G7 SE which all can also

be found for about 40 5 bucks the power

a Fusion Pro 3 which is currently $80

the victrix Gambit which is $100 and

last but not least we have the Elite

Series 2 core which can regularly be

found for between 100 and 130 bucks

online and I think of everything here

that controller has the most to lose so

if I lose to these bombs I'll never be

able to show me face in public ever

again will the Elite Series 2 core lose

to a pack of bumbs probably I guess

you'll have to stick around and find out

so be sure to hit the things but before

we do all that I have to tell you

guys about today's sponsor PCB way a

long time sponsor of the channel who

helped do this right here they're

also helping my buddy Marius in creating

the greatest hall effect thumb sticks of

all time although it is taking quite a

bit that's not the fault of PCB way

though that's just other things their

turnaround times are actually pretty

quick and their shipping is relatively

quick as well so if you're looking to

build a custom controller or add to your

own be sure to check out PCB way in the

description below and thank you so much

to pcbway for sponsoring today's

video we're starting with the cheapest

device on this list in the power

enhanced controller and it's one I

honestly kind of find difficult to

recommend unless you're in a really

tight position and this is all Walmart

has in stock this sets the Baseline for

all core characteristics of sub 50 Pro

controllers a wired connection with

Rumble Motors a headphone jack and two

rear buttons the USB cable is also

detachable which is a huge huge Plus in

my opinion although the port is 40 Mi

Inland so it's not entirely useful

depending on the variant you own Xbox

One or series X the response time will

be between 4 and 8 milliseconds and

that's really the only noteworthy as ECT

the enhance is an extremely cheap

controller but it definitely feels as

such and the reliability of power a

controllers is questionable at best the

next few devices we have on the list are

much more recommendable although they're

each about 15 bucks more expensive like

the power a Spectra which is

again not not entirely worth it compared

to other controllers at its price point

it is okay it has all the features that

the enhanced has plus RGB as well as

three-way trigger stops that are

absolutely dog and the main reason

I don't really think the Spectra is

worth it is because while it does have

trigger stops the next couple of

controllers on this list have hair

trigger dead zones which are infinitely

more useful than trigger stops that only

stop the trigger at about 40% or only

stop the trigger by 40% my mistake so

while the Spectra does have some pretty

colors and the enhanced is extremely

cheap Under the $50 Mark power doesn't

have too much nowadays to offer the

budget gamer the only thing that really

sets them aside is their 2-year warranty

but everything else on this list has

software or hair trigger dead zones or

better features for the same $45 price

point as the Spectra and that makes

recommendations a little murky like with

the 8bit do ultimate which is

essentially on paper the same exact

controller it doesn't have a detachable

USB cable but it does have two rear

buttons Rumble Motors a headphone jack

although this time it has software and

it's the first device on this list to do

so so you get the same feature set as

the cheap power controllers minus the

detachable cable with software which is

huge you also have on the-fly

interchangeable profiles that are very

similar to the Elite Series 2 and for a

$45 controller that's pretty cool the

ultimate X's software is available for

Xbox and PC and you can change the dead

zones for the triggers for shooter games

stick dead zones for drift fully remap

any button you want on the controller or

change the intensity of the four Rumble

Motors up until Gamester came out with

their XBox controller which will be on

this list later I actually believe the

ultimate X to be a very competent budget

Xbox Pro Controller it's very

unfortunate I hadn't reviewed it up

until this point and I can say the same

about our next device but again it's a

little weird for the price and that'll

be the Turtle Beach react R now here's

the weird thing about this controller

I'm going to lay this out very easily I

see this and the Turtle Beach Recon

controllers as alternatives to the

powerray enhanced and the Spectra if

you've had those controllers and you

want something like that or you had bad

experiences with them the Recon and

reactar controllers are for you two rear

buttons on the back some audio

because you know they're Turtle Beach

controllers Rumble Motors you don't get

trigger stops or RGB or anything like

that but what you do get are power re

enhanced controllers with different

materials the track record for the

Turtle Beach controllers also is pretty

decent so in terms of reliability and

satisfaction they are they're doing

pretty well especially compared to the

power a controllers which will either

work forever or never stop calling me

out leave me alone the reactar and the

Recon also have some audio Centric

gimmicky features that are okay but not

great and this ging feature they stole

from Razer that no one's going to use

and in my opinion it's it's okay it's

not great realistically they're just

wired controllers with Rumble Motors two

rear buttons and headphone Jacks and

that's really about it however the best

sub 50 Pro controllers were saved for

last and that will be the gamster G7 and

the G7 SE which was its successor

gamster made it very clear they did not

come to around the G7 is made from

an extremely high quality plastic with a

magnetic removable face plate a rubber

rear plate which also boasts two extra

buttons clicky abxy and d-pad face

buttons and a braided detachable USBC

cable it has software similar to the

ultimate X but at much more in- depth

actually and I'll put all of it features

here on screen if you're interested in a

full tutorial in that I'll leave that in

the description below so yeah the g7's

very hard to beat and the G7 SE is in a

class of its own today both of them

support the 1,000 HZ 1 millisecond

option in the software but only one of

them has anti- stick drift hall effect

thumbsticks so if you were looking for a

reliability recommendation there you go

this is the world's fastest Xbox

controller and the First with anti-st

thumb sticks and currently one of the

only ones remember all of this is $45

with a one-year warranty which I mean

honestly the customer support's not

great for the money I'm a very big fan

of the G7 and the G7 SE and links to

those reviews as well as the reviews for

all these things will be um one of these

Corners now the next device on our list

is about twice the price of the devices

we've been looking at so far at about

$80 we have the poweray Fusion Pro 3 our

first four button Pro controller on this

list and also one I really have a hard

time recommending it's got a nice

carrying case and swappable sticks and

detachable USBC cable and three-way

trigger stops but you know Tech

sounds great in a vacuum when you're not

comparing it to other things or don't

have the features in real life to test

and I'd definitely recommend the victorx

Gambit over top of that any day of the

week even though the Gambit is a

controller that has four buttons that

are way harder to use the Fusion Pro is

only useful for its four rear button

layout and even then I'd really only

recommend it if it was about 60 bucks

which was what the old Fusion Pro 2 was

at before it was replaced by the Fusion

Pro 3 and when the Fusion Pro 3 came out

they put it back at it nsrp and haven't

dropped it from there since at $80 the

Fusion Pro 3 is not worth the money in

my opinion it's too close to the Elite

Series to coreon price which can be

found online at it's $130 MSRP price or

like I said you can occasionally find it

for 100 so both the controllers are

about to talk about next are infinitely

more recommendable than this like I said

good at a discount terrible at MSRP if

you're willing to spend an extra 20

bucks you can have the previous title

holder maybe it's still the current

title holder for the world's fastest

Xbox controller I'm not sure how the G7

is doing its whole thing right now we

have the victrix Gambit a 500 HZ 2

millisecond Xbox controller with an

overclock on PC so realistically it's

only the fastest Xbox controller with

external help but it does come with a

ton of features a rubber face plate

yeah I know right two and four rear

button layouts although everyone is

going to be using the two button layout

cuz the four button layout sucks so

think of this when you're buying it as a

two button controller with the world's

fastest trigger stops a wired connection

you got Rumble motor swappable face

plates you got octagonal gates for like

fighting Gam games for the thumb sticks

don't use those those are terrible

swappable d-pads carrying case it's

basically an Elite Series 2 that feels

pretty cheap not going to lie physical

quality of It kind of dog 2-year

warranty cool but victrix it they

their customer support is awful

like the customer support for the

Titanic was actually better I mean the

customer support for the Titanic didn't

take 2 months to get there or whatever

and the piece of resistance unlike the

Fusion Pro this does have software

granted pretty buggy pretty but

it's there and when it works it's pretty

cool so again even though it's a little

shaky you got a very long warranty in 2

years the fastest trigger stops of any

controller I've ever used to this day

and you have some other extremely useful

Pro features like the swappable sticks

the d-pads and the rear buttons the

reliability of gambits are extremely

shaky the power a controllers and the

Elite Series 2 core also extremely shaky

so for me to specifically point that out

for the Gambit wouldn't really be fair

however I will talk about the Eliot

Series 2 only because it's Microsoft's

controller they make this controller and

it's this dog listen screw the fact

that when this controller was released

not the Elite Series 2 core but the

Elite Series 2 screw the fact that when

it was released it had a 3month warranty

which at the time I'll remind you again

was the shortest warranty on the whole

Market including the warranties from

Custom Controllers which usually don't

even want to give them to you in the

first place while the features are

awesome it's very

unreliable however when all the

accessories are taken away and it's

priced at about 100 bucks 130 bucks at

the max maximum it's easier to recommend

the Elite Series 2 core I'm just going

to call it the Elite Series 2 it has a

ton of features it doesn't come

with the paddles when you buy the Elite

Series 2 core but you can buy a separate

set of paddles for like 10 bucks on

Amazon or Ebay and if you wanted to buy

the whole set of extra accessories it'

be like 20 30 bucks this is the only

wireless controller on this list and to

my knowledge one of the cheapest

wireless Xbox controllers out there for

pro controllers specifically Wireless

Pro controllers are especially difficult

to come by a lot of them use 2.4 GHz

Wireless which a lot more are starting

to do that and while the connection both

wired and wireless is amongst the slower

controllers you get four rear paddles

very usable some very very nice

three-way trigger stops that are very

high quality metal swappable thumb

sticks a swappable d-pad all of which

you don't actually get great software

though and a one-year warranty from a

company that isn't as shaky as victrix

which is a huge Plus in my opinion

because victrix takes months to respond

to their emails do you guys kind of see

what's going on at the end of the

spectrum here how the Fusion Pro the

Gambit the Elite Series 2 core aren't

nearly as holy this is actually

very much recommendable as the $45

controllers there's a bit of a reason

for that and to wrap that up we're going

to wrap this

up and summary this is Fury versus nanu

and the Elite Series 2 got absolutely

washed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang so

since we just came from the latter half

of the spectrum the $80 to $100 range

we'll start there between the Fusion Pro

the victrix Gambit and the Elite Series

2 core the victrix gamut and the Elite

Series 2 core are the more interesting

options the gamut should be thought of

as fastest trigger stops two rear

buttons not four and it comes with all

of its accessories so the carrying case

swapable sticks swapable d-pads the

Elite Series 2 core while it does have a

warranty that's bit more trustworthy

doesn't come with as many accessories

not nearly and even with its accessories

in my opinion it's it's a bit of a

similar experience to the victrix Gambit

just at a higher level of quality and

again with a warranty that's a little

more trustworthy it is also Wireless

which is like a huge thing for people so

depending on what you're looking for

Wired Wireless accessories I don't mind

having not accessories fast trigger

stops doesn't really matter those two

are going to be your options at the $80

to $100 range it's also worth noting

that because of the Gambit's button

configuration using four paddles on the

Elite Series 2 is infinitely easier than

using the four button option on the

Gambit now

overall gamer in my opinion has the best

controllers on this list because they

strike a perfect balance between their

price and the features that they offer

while they are wired controllers they're

decently quick wired controllers while

they are cheap they are high quality and

they also come with a good warranty and

the features that they offer are

literally unbeatable for the price

nothing else comes close at that price

point you'd have to find a controller

that is at a higher price to be able to

compete and everything on the list

listed before the Gamester controllers

while useful in one way or another I

kind of again see them as alternatives

to the Gamester G7 and G7 SE I.E if you

don't like or can't use or they're

unreliable or you have some problem with

gamer basically if for one reason or

another you don't want to or can't use a

gamer controller I could see me

recommending the ultimate X from 8 bitto

power Spectra and enhanced controllers

are good at a discount if they're really

the only option you have and the Turtle

Beach controllers the Recon and the

react R are again kind of Alternatives

in my opinion to the powerr controllers

if you want something that isn't going

to break and is very simple and doesn't

need something like software or stops

are this that of the other so the ultra

cheap controllers are good in a pinch

but the $45 controllers are generally

good if you're looking to get the best

for your money but yeah just like me

being the Undisputed king of these

controller reviews these are the

Undisputed Kings of budget Xbox

controllers and in my opinion the games

for controllers are very much on course

to being some of the best Xbox

controllers period I think 2024 is going

to be very interesting though we had

some some really interesting devices

come out in late 2023 and it makes me

think that we have some rather

interesting both high-end and lower-end

controllers coming throughout this next

year I have been writing this video for

2 years well closer to three at this

point I've been writing notes down about

budget controllers cuz I specifically

want to do a budget thing and then an

ultimate everything because there's a

trillion Xbox controllers we'll do this

for PlayStation and switch as well I've

been talking about doing this video in

all of these videos since like 2020 all

of that will be making its way to the

channel this year so if you're curious

or interested or want to laugh well I

don't know about laugh these videos are

a little more serious you could

subscribe or some I enjoyed making

this one if you want to enjoy it drop a

like And subscribe and I'll be see you

guys in my next big comparison take it

[Music]

easy