1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,700 Recently, we took a look at the best-selling controllers on Amazon, but the thing is, being popular doesn't necessarily mean something is good. 2 00:00:07,700 --> 00:00:13,400 And in the comments, you guys bombarded us with all of your favorite controllers that we missed. 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:20,800 But guys, there are like 20 controllers here. How can we possibly decide which one is the best? 4 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,200 By doing something we have never done before. 5 00:00:24,300 --> 00:00:30,400 A concept we're calling, the ultimate single elimination knockout bracket tier list, showdown! 6 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:35,300 We've got options ranging from $25 all the way to $200. 7 00:00:35,300 --> 00:00:41,600 And guys, if you think that more money means more better, you are in for some big surprises. 8 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:49,100 So let's get into it and see who's gonna be the undisputed intercontinental champion of controllers. 9 00:00:49,100 --> 00:00:56,500 Just like I am the undisputed intercontinental champion of Segway, to our sponsor. 10 00:00:56,500 --> 00:01:04,700 To keep our bracket at a sweet 16, we're gonna kick things off with a quick high-end controller showdown for these last two spots. 11 00:01:04,700 --> 00:01:12,600 But don't worry guys, even though we're starting on the pricier side, half of the really great controllers that we're looking at are $50 or less. 12 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:16,900 Not these ones, though. Our first cage match is between two heavyweights. 13 00:01:16,900 --> 00:01:22,300 And in the case of the Fly Digi Apex 4, I mean that very, very literally. 14 00:01:22,300 --> 00:01:30,300 At 329 grams, this is the heaviest controller in our showdown, and that's in part because it's the most feature rich. 15 00:01:30,300 --> 00:01:38,300 It has a removable faceplate that covers tension control for the analog sticks, a large battery to power the onboard OLED screen, 16 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:46,100 a gyroscope for gyroscopic aiming, and adaptive triggers that through software can control their stopping point. 17 00:01:46,100 --> 00:01:51,000 This is the top offering from Fly Digi, a name that you're gonna be hearing a lot today. 18 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:57,000 Up against it is the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra, which has many of the same features as the Apex 4, 19 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:05,100 trading hall-effect adaptive triggers for real trigger stops, and even adding a headphone jack as well as an included dock. 20 00:02:05,100 --> 00:02:10,900 However, it's today's lowest-rated gamepad, with the common complaint being regular disconnections. 21 00:02:10,900 --> 00:02:14,100 Hmm, it's kind of a key feature of Turtle Beach. 22 00:02:14,100 --> 00:02:19,600 Oh dude, this is gorgeous. Oh, it's smooth. It's like I can actually control what the crap I'm doing. 23 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:25,600 Oh, did you adjust the tension on the sticks? They are at maximum. It's... I like it. 24 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,600 Feels good, I agree. Yeah, I'm gonna try the other one. 25 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:35,100 It's the one that has the most alternative shape. Yeah, it's not a plus in my humble opinion. 26 00:02:35,100 --> 00:02:39,100 Oh my god, these sticks feel so cheap now by comparison. 27 00:02:40,100 --> 00:02:43,600 What's the price difference between these two? 160 and 200. 28 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:49,100 What, this is the more expensive one? That's the more expensive one. Oh, I mean, okay, well, this is easy. I'm sorry, but you're out. 29 00:02:49,100 --> 00:02:55,100 Next up, the Wolverine V3 Pro is the no-nonsense, top-of-the-line eSports offering from Razer. 30 00:02:55,100 --> 00:03:00,100 It's one of the most premium feeling controllers that we're looking at, but you need to like back paddles. 31 00:03:00,100 --> 00:03:04,100 These are right under where your fingers rest and you will want to disable them in software 32 00:03:04,100 --> 00:03:08,100 if you're not used to them to avoid pressing them accidentally, constantly. 33 00:03:08,100 --> 00:03:13,600 Now, I'm not much of a paddle guy, but I will say that these are contoured really nicely for your fingers 34 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:18,100 and feel really good because they used actual mouse micro-switches. 35 00:03:18,100 --> 00:03:22,600 I could see this competitor going pretty far, as long as it doesn't suddenly die. 36 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:28,100 Boom, Razer, burst, roasted. Wow, what the fuck? 37 00:03:28,100 --> 00:03:34,100 One of today's boldest designs with lots of textures and pieces of plastic in strange places 38 00:03:34,100 --> 00:03:37,100 is the PDP Victrix Pro BFG. 39 00:03:37,100 --> 00:03:42,100 It comes with a ton of extras, like this module to replace the right analog stick and face buttons 40 00:03:42,100 --> 00:03:45,100 with six buttons, perfect for fighting games. 41 00:03:45,100 --> 00:03:50,100 You can also buy optional hall effect modules, which we did and rolled into our cost. 42 00:03:50,100 --> 00:03:54,600 One awkward thing though, when we tested the circularity of the hall effect modules 43 00:03:54,600 --> 00:04:00,600 compared to the ones that came with it, they were actually worse than the original potentiometer-based sticks. 44 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:07,600 It also has trigger stops, although the toggle for them is needlessly kind of finicky. 45 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:14,600 With that said, I like having the granularity, not to mention the super grippy spot for my palms as a bit of a sweaty boy. 46 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:19,600 I'm going to give it to the Victrix Pro. Now for the main bracket. When you pick up the game Sir Nova Lite, 47 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:23,600 it's not going to surprise you to find out that it is the cheapest controller in our showdown. 48 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:29,600 That doesn't mean it feels bad. In fact, I'd say it feels better than the more expensive Logitech controllers that we looked at last time. 49 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:33,600 And it even has some more premium features, including hall effect sticks. 50 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:39,600 But while the triggers are a similar shape to the dual sensors, they feel kind of flimsy and light by comparison. 51 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:43,600 Thought about this kind of price. Hmm. It's pretty easy to justify. 52 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:47,600 Moving on, our pick from the last video doesn't need much introduction. 53 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:55,600 It offers up hall effect sticks and triggers and has an included 2.4 gigahertz dongle in a very solid $30 package. 54 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,600 But the last time it only had to stand out against the popular kids. 55 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:04,600 How will our reigning champion hold up against these much stronger audience favorites? 56 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:10,600 I think both of them are very similar when it comes to the quality of the face buttons and the weight of the joysticks. 57 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:18,600 And I am not a fan of the way the 8-bit dough brings my elbows in tighter compared to the game, sir, which gives me a bit of a wider stance. 58 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:23,600 What if I told you the input latency was four times better on the 8-bit dough? 59 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:33,600 On a wire is the game, sir. Any good? Quite good. It is six milliseconds on overwire, which is well within the sweet spot. 60 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,600 All things considered, the game, sir puts up a really good fight. 61 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:40,600 And if this is what a little brother controller felt like when I was a kid, I would have been thrilled. 62 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:49,600 But for just $5 more, the Ultimate 2C has much better latency over wireless, which makes it kind of a no-brainer in the year 2025. 63 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:57,600 Next up is the most affordable offering from EasySNX, a company that is well known in the controller community and seemingly nowhere else. 64 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:09,600 This one definitely feels its price. It's a little kind of bulbous, almost like a Fisher Price controller, and the buttons are kind of mushy with what might be the worst D-pad in our roundup. 65 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:18,600 Up against it is the rematch glow from PDP, who makes some of the most popular cheap controllers on the market and has been doing so for quite some time. 66 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:24,600 This may be the least featured controller of the day, which makes its higher price a little puzzling. 67 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:32,600 That is, until you turn out the light. Wait, that is a pretty neat gimmick, but not enough to stand out against even a weak competitor. 68 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:39,600 I think for most folks who want a glowing controller, they'd be better off just picking up a glow-circuit skin from D-brand and putting it on an Xbox controller. 69 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:46,600 This one's a puzzler. It's a GameStop model, so you would just assume it's awful, but it can be customized with these cute little accessories. 70 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:55,600 It comes in at a reasonable mid-range price and is rated almost 4.7 stars, but oh wait, only three gamers. 71 00:06:55,600 --> 00:07:02,600 Also, the fact that the base kit doesn't come with everything you need is definitely confusing and good heavens. 72 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:07,600 Is this ever the cheapest feeling plastic that I have ever felt on the faceplate of a controller? 73 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:10,600 Like, what were they thinking? Cheap feeling. 74 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,600 Up against it is our other wired controller on the list. 75 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,600 This is a solid all-rounder at a fair price. 76 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:24,600 The GameSir G7 SE and HE have swappable faceplates, lockable rear buttons, and kind of configurable hair trickers, 77 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:32,600 although it's done by moving the actuation point in software rather than having a physical stopper, so not sure if that fully counts. 78 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:39,600 There are a couple of differences between the two, and for me, I think I'll take the Rumble motor, the extra grippiness, 79 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:44,600 and in general, it feels so much nicer in the hand compared to the CandyCon that I just... there's no question. 80 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:51,600 Sports betting apps apparently give the Flydigy DireWolf one of the strongest odds to walk away the victor today 81 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:55,600 with excellent performance for the price and a lot of love for the triggers. 82 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:00,600 Ooh, they do feel nice. Not to mention the build quality and reliability. 83 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:08,600 I have very high hopes for this one. There's no fruity extras, just the basics that matter, and even a somewhat functional D-pad. 84 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:13,600 It's still on a circular pad, which I don't personally prefer, but it's got a reasonably good tactile feel. 85 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:16,600 I don't love the Rumble motor. Really? 86 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,600 But if I had game sound on, it wouldn't be bothering me. 87 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:26,600 Oh yeah, the sound. It's the sound. And I have no such issue with what could be a potential dark horse in our race here. 88 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:35,600 The Nixie Master P1 has a premium feel with solid comfort, tactile buttons, toggleable hair triggers, and RGB lighting. 89 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:41,600 Now, its unimpressive 200 Hertz polling rate may hurt it, especially in games where latency is everything, 90 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:45,600 but I don't know. Maybe I'm not that discerning. 91 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,600 The Rumble feels a lot better, David. I don't know. 92 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:53,600 It seems like you were leaning toward the Fly Digi, but it's a nice Rumble. 93 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:56,600 Definitely prefer the shoulder on the Master P1. 94 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,600 Oh no, I think I prefer the shoulder on the dial. The triggers are way better on the Master P1, though. 95 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,600 Those are nice, juicy feeling triggers. It's going to be the Master P1 for me. 96 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:08,600 Oh, it's an upset, and the fans are upset. Does everyone love the Fly Digi? 97 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:13,600 It's a very popular controller, but this is a new controller, so hey, maybe we're offering a good alternative. 98 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,600 I like it. This is a nice competitor. 99 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,600 Next up is our first, first party controller. 100 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:23,600 An Xbox Elite... No, wait. We look a little closer. 101 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,600 You can see, huh, not to mention feel the difference. 102 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:33,600 For one thing, the Easy SMX X10 has a magnetic faceplate and handle plates. 103 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:39,600 Ooh, that's kind of cool. It also has clicky, mechanical-style face buttons that I have to say, 104 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:44,600 it's kind of surprising how many controllers are switching over to mechanical buttons now. 105 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:47,600 It's not what I'm used to, but I can also see why people like it. 106 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:53,600 Overall, it feels almost premium and extremely natural in the hand 107 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:58,600 if you're used to a first-party Xbox controller. Going up against it is the Power A Ops V1. 108 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:04,600 Power A is one of the few brands that we're looking at that has serious penetration into big retail chains 109 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:08,600 and has a long history of making serviceable third-party controllers. 110 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:16,600 Surprisingly, the lab's team was quite impressed with the performance of this fortnight-themed banana with buttons. 111 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:21,600 It managed the lowest input latency over both a wire and with its wireless dongle, 112 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:29,600 as well as good circularity on the sticks. I gotta say, I was not expecting a Power A device to come in this strong. 113 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:33,600 It's got lockable triggers, two-stage lockable triggers. 114 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:38,600 Yes! And four rear paddles compared to just the two. 115 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:43,600 It does not feel as premium in the hand, but I still think I have to give it the edge for the extra functionality. 116 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:48,600 Next up, we've got the G5 Pro, a very popular controller with pretty positive reviews. 117 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:51,600 Sticks feel pretty normal. 118 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:55,600 The triggers are a little bit on the light side, maybe for some people. 119 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:58,600 And, oh, those are so bad. 120 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:02,600 These bumpers may be the worst that we've seen so far. 121 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:05,600 Face buttons feel okay, they're a microswitch-style face button, 122 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:08,600 and it has a removable faceplate, which is cool, 123 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:13,600 but might not make up for some of the concerns that people have raised over build quality. 124 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,600 Going up against it is a somewhat familiar face. 125 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,600 We have favorably covered the predecessor to the King Kong 3 126 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:24,600 because of its inclusion of Hall Effect hardware before it was all the rage, 127 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:29,600 and also its easy repairability. It's a solid controller at a reasonable price. 128 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:34,600 But some software bugs and uneven trigger travel have turned some people off. 129 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:38,600 And also, shockingly, we found that its 2.4GHz dongle 130 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:42,600 had the highest latency out of anything that the Labs tested. 131 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:47,600 Even higher than this same controller over Bluetooth. 132 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:51,600 That's embarrassing. There also just isn't really anything to make it stand out. 133 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:55,600 They've got their modular stuff where you can put the paddles on or take them off, 134 00:11:55,600 --> 00:12:00,600 which is really nice. Yeah, I think I've got to put the King Kong 3 Pro through to the next round. 135 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:03,600 Not yet! No, you don't. There's a bonus round. 136 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:07,600 The easy SMX20 arrived after we had seated our tournament, 137 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:11,600 so you need to compare the King Kong to the SMX20. 138 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:15,600 Oh, this actually feels pretty good. This is two steps up from the X10. 139 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:20,600 Adding trigger locks, which actually feel really nice, 140 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:23,600 not to mention are really quick to toggle the modes on. 141 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:26,600 I actually really like the ergonomics of the shoulder. 142 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,600 The shoulders are nice too. It's got the paddles already, 143 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:34,600 so I don't have to put modular paddles on it, but they're totally out of the way, which is nice. 144 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:37,600 This is cheaper than the King Kong Pro. Yeah, 10 bucks in the Pro, yeah. 145 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:40,600 Ooh. Likey. 146 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,600 See you later, buddy. We might have a new front runner by the sounds of it. 147 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:48,600 This is the Flydigy Vader 4. It's a step up from their DireWolf 3, 148 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:52,600 and it feels like an Xbox controller, but with even more extras. 149 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,600 Oh, adjustable stick tension. Yeah. 150 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,600 Ooh. This is not a cheap controller, 151 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:02,600 but adjustable stick tension. I am liking that a lot 152 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:07,600 on the controllers I've seen it on so far, and this one has a way better interface for it. 153 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:10,600 It's just this dial around the stick. What's it going up against though? 154 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:14,600 Oh, here's a familiar name to Xbox gamers. 155 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:19,600 Turtle Beach with the stealth pivot, and this has got kind of a neat gimmick. 156 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,600 There's these locks on the back. I've unlocked them now, 157 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,600 and when they're unlocked, you take the sticks, 158 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,600 pop them in, and da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. 159 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:34,600 Whoa. You can switch them to a dedicated fight mode. 160 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:37,600 Okay. That's pretty cool, 161 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:42,600 but to fit all that pivoting in them, there are some compromises on the ergonomics, 162 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:46,600 and I have real doubts about the reliability of the sticks long-term, 163 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,600 when you're kind of tucking them in over and over again. 164 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,600 Otherwise, it actually feels like a pretty nice controller, 165 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:55,600 even if it's a bit Duke-like in its profile. 166 00:13:55,600 --> 00:14:00,600 Of course, another major drawback for this strange little fella is the price. 167 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,600 It costs about as much as buying a regular controller 168 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:06,600 and a fight controller. 169 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:10,600 I don't think I can give it the win, but not because it's a bad idea 170 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:14,600 or because it's not well executed. It actually seems like a sick controller. 171 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:18,600 If you are the right customer for this, who plays a lot of fighting games, 172 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,600 and I'm not. Okay. 173 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:25,600 This D-pad is literally ass, so that's something. 174 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:30,600 Using all the value controllers and then coming back to these really expensive ones, 175 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:37,600 they're having a hard time justifying their price. All right, what about the Apex 4? 176 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,600 Oh, there's no question. Okay, Apex. 177 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,600 Wow, that quick, eh? It just feels so much better. 178 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,600 It's frickin' heavy, which I don't love, but the adjustable tension on the sticks, 179 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:52,600 man, that feels so good. That means we have a fly didgy face-off in the next round 180 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:56,600 and I'm very excited about that. No! No fly didgy! 181 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,600 Okay, we're into round two! Man, I'm not gonna lie. 182 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,600 It seems like the X05 got a bit of a free ride 183 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,600 to the second round. I don't think this is as good as pretty much 184 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,600 anything else in the second round here. We've switched up games, 185 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:12,600 so now it's gonna come a lot more down to stick quality and precision. 186 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:16,600 Not that I'm necessarily the best person to judge stick precision, 187 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:20,600 but hey, take it for what it is. It's worth noting that we switched to a wire on this one 188 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,600 because we broke the dongle. That is giving a bit of a latency advantage 189 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:27,600 compared to running wirelessly, but it shouldn't be enough to give it the edge, 190 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:31,600 especially because I don't think it's gonna win. Ape Ado Ultimate 2C. 191 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,600 Here we go. I still don't like the stance of this one. I feel like I could get used to it, 192 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:39,600 but definitely not my favorite. It feels way more quality when you consider 193 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:43,600 that it's the same price, 30 bucks. That is the special edition one, 194 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:46,600 10 bucks more, but it's the same performance-wise. It just looks cool. 195 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:52,600 I like the D-pad a lot better on this one. Oh, man, I really, really do not prefer the shape of this. 196 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:57,600 Every time I pick it up, I'm like, oh, that, I'm taking the EZ SMX XO5. 197 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,600 Ooh, big upset. I didn't think I was gonna pick this either. 198 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:04,600 It feels so cheap, but I just, the control is better. 199 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:07,600 I think if I was getting an overall controller, I would pick this, 200 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,600 but if I'm playing shooters, I actually would pick that one over this one. 201 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,600 The Game Sir G7HE is gonna have to do something 202 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:17,600 pretty special to come away with the win here. It's tough to be a wired controller 203 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:20,600 in a wireless controller's world. Paddles aren't getting in my way, 204 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:23,600 not pressing them by accident, but they're there in case I need to bind them. 205 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,600 Nixie Master P1, our dark horse indeed. 206 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:32,600 This rumble is truly not very good. No, I can't bring a wired controller forward, David. 207 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:34,600 You can. Oh gosh. 208 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:40,600 I'd rather game on the Game Sir. This is one of the most popular ones out there, 209 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:45,600 so some people out there are very happy. That's the thing about a knockout style playoff. 210 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:49,600 Only one person can be happy, and 15 people are gonna be upset. 211 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,600 Power A Ops V1 versus Easy SMX X20. 212 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:57,600 Oh, actually feels really good so far. How was the circularity of this one again? 213 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,600 It was good. It was like in the good zone. It wasn't the best, but it was good. 214 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,600 So the circularity of the joysticks that we've been talking about 215 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:07,600 is how well the input matches the circle 216 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:11,600 that you draw with it. If it's oval, that's bad. It means that depending on whether you're going 217 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:15,600 up and down or left and right, it can have a different amount of input, 218 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:18,600 which is, yeah, obviously undesirable. Okay, Easy SMX. 219 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,600 Oh, this is stiff competition, though. I really like this one. 220 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,600 It had to beat two contenders to get here. 221 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:29,600 Oh, I really like the position of the paddles on this one, in that I can reach them really easily, 222 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:32,600 but I can also completely ignore them if I don't want to use them. 223 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:36,600 I wish we were doing a tier list now instead of a bracketed playoff, actually. 224 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,600 We're going to, at the end. Oh, okay. That's good, because there's a lot 225 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:44,600 of really, really great controllers that just weren't the best controller. 226 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,600 You know? Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. I got to take the Easy SMX. 227 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:50,600 More like easy cruising into the semis. 228 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:55,600 Woo! This one's going to be a heartbreaker for Fly Digi fans, 229 00:17:55,600 --> 00:18:00,600 no matter which way it goes. Remember that one is $80 and one is $160. 230 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,600 Ooh. But they both have the adjustable tension 231 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:07,600 on the analog sticks. Apex 4. It's like, yeah, I play on Xbox, 232 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:10,600 but not because I couldn't afford a top-of-the-line PC, 233 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:14,600 because, like, I'm holding this controller. Like, it feels so good. 234 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:17,600 It's kind of inconvenient that they're more premium controller, though, 235 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:20,600 as the one that has the less convenient mechanism for adjusting the sticks. 236 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:24,600 Just to be clear, am I supposed to pick the better controller 237 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,600 or the one that I think makes more sense for you to buy? 238 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:31,600 I think it's what you would spend your money on. If I got them all for free, 239 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,600 I take this one, no question. I think that's the winner, then. 240 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:37,600 Yeah, okay. I think it's the winner. Okay, semis. 241 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:41,600 How the hell is this thing still in the running? 242 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:45,600 It doesn't seem right. I'm hyped. If there's another budget king, that's sick. 243 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,600 How much is it? $30. This is $30. 244 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:51,600 $30. It's $30, David. What's the hate? 245 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,600 You know? I mean, people find ways to hate things, 246 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:59,600 but, like, oh, it's a great controller. For the price, face button responsiveness 247 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,600 is definitely the downside to the easy SMX. 248 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:05,600 I'm playing only shooter games, and I don't really need my face buttons that much. 249 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:09,600 Great. They're not as good as the game, sir, though I got to give it to the game, sir. 250 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:13,600 Woo! Let's give the easy SMX X20 a chance here. 251 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,600 Good face buttons. This thing is so good. 252 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:18,600 Yeah, it's really nice. 253 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,600 Oh, this D-pad is just such a sorry excuse for a D-pad 254 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,600 on an otherwise, like, outstanding controller. 255 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,600 Oh, what a shame. 256 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:33,600 Okay, let's try D-pad here. Oh, I like this one. 257 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:38,600 This is a very usable D-pad. Another factor, $160 versus $60. 258 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,600 Literal $100 price difference. Oh, this one's better. 259 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,600 It's better. It's better. It wins. 260 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,600 Fly Digi has been eliminated from this competition. 261 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:52,600 I really, really like this controller. Like, I like it a lot. 262 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:56,600 If you love the Apex 4 and you've spent a bunch of money on it, 263 00:19:56,600 --> 00:20:00,600 you've got a great controller, and you should love it. Just don't use the D-pad. 264 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:06,600 We go into Forza now. We decide third place. Oh, Fly Digi Apex 4. 265 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:09,600 I like this thing. I still really like it. 266 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:17,600 It is great. Meanwhile, up against a $30 controller that also made it this deep. 267 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,600 It's funny how there can be a difference between a light trigger 268 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:25,600 and a cheap feeling trigger. Both of these controllers have excellent granularity on the throttle. 269 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,600 Like, I can make a small adjustment without making a mistake, 270 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:31,600 but one just feels better. 271 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:35,600 A killer controller for $30. But it's not as good as the Apex 4, 272 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,600 and the challenge is which one's the best at each tier. 273 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,600 I still think this is going to be in, like, S tier value. 274 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:47,600 Like, honorable mention, value king, easy SMX, gamer's choice indeed. 275 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:51,600 Okay, now it's time to find the king. 276 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:54,600 Good vibration. I actually forgot about that. 277 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,600 The X20 has a nice rumble motor, really nice feeling trigger, 278 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:00,600 good analog sticks, rubberized tops. 279 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:04,600 I remember why I like this one so much. Got the paddles, they're not in the way. 280 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:07,600 Got the locks. Game, sir. 281 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:13,600 What the hell are you even doing here? You're a company that we mocked in our early budget peripheral roundups, 282 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:17,600 being like, haha, game, sir. 283 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:22,600 But, sir, you game. I do not like the triggers as much. 284 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:27,600 I do not prefer the rumble motor. Triggers pretty good, the sticks are just perfect. 285 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,600 Maybe they're not perfect. I'm sure the lab's results are going to show that they're not perfect. 286 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:33,600 Nothing's perfect, but they're good enough. 287 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:37,600 And it's not just the circularity of them, the curve is right. 288 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:40,600 They feel good, but I got to give it to the easy SMX. 289 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:44,600 It's almost the same price and you don't need a wire. I wish I had a confetti cannon. 290 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,600 We have it, the winner! 291 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:51,600 The easy SMX X20. You've got to tell me now, what was your king? 292 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,600 The Vader 4. I think it feels almost as good as the Apex. 293 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:58,600 It's not quite as premium, but I didn't care for that stuff. 294 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:02,600 And the fact that the stick control was under the faceplate pissed me off. 295 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:08,600 I thought that was such a stupid design choice. So overall, value at $80, Vader 4, easy winner. 296 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:11,600 Labs picked the ultimate 2C. Really? 297 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:14,600 For a mix of value, good sticks, good input latency, 298 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:18,600 and it's just a great all-round controller. I didn't like the ergonomics. 299 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:24,600 That's something that I can't argue with. I can't believe that not a single controller on or near the podium 300 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:27,600 was from a brand that I really think of as a gaming brand. 301 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:30,600 No. No Razor. No Turtle Beach. 302 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,600 What? You haven't tiered anything yet. I was going to let you do the tier list. 303 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,600 I'll do the tiering. David's going to do the tier list. You know it's going to be the best. 304 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:42,600 This will be it. He's going to factor in Labs, me, and his own thoughts, 305 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:47,600 and we're going to have our tier list for all these controllers because it's very clear looking at the results 306 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:50,600 that just because you didn't make it to the podium 307 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:54,600 doesn't mean you're a bad controller. Like, look at the Direwolf 3. 308 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:57,600 It went up against a really tough competitor in the first round, 309 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:00,600 but if it had happened to be seated against the Candycon 310 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:03,600 and then gone up against the ultimate 2C, 311 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,600 it could have easily made semis. Oh, for sure. 312 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,600 Consult the tier list before actually making a purchase, 313 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:13,600 but also, I think we can probably agree that the X20 is just... 314 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:16,600 Fantastic controller. Freaking outstanding. 315 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,600 Yeah. Both in terms of value and in terms of overall performance 316 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:23,600 and features. Yep. Yeah, this compared to an Xbox. 317 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,600 First, which perfectly... Please. 318 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:30,600 Please, let me tell you about our sponsor. If you guys enjoyed this video, 319 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,600 why not check out the last time we looked at a bunch of controllers? 320 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:35,600 They were a little weirder.