Best Gamepads To Buy In 2025

  1. HexGaming Phantom Pro Hall Effect Explorer Edition

The HexGaming Phantom Pro is a powerful but expensive upgraded DualSense controller, offering PS5 and PC compatibility, button remapping, adjustable triggers and stick swaps. We’ve tested upgraded DualSense models from the likes of Scuf and MegaModz, which come with similarly steep price tags but add some worthwhile options unserved in the PS5 market outside of Sony’s (admittedly less expensive) DualSense Edge, which Tom liked back in 2023.

The Explorer Edition we tested comes in a transparent chassis that lets you see the mechanical gubbins inside, with opaque colourways also available. It’s also worth noting that the controller is sold both with standard potentiometers and more durable Hall Effect sticks, which for me is a no-brainer ~$20 upgrade for anyone considering spending £200/$200+ on a gamepad.

  1. GameSir Super Nova

The GameSir Super Nova is a very easy gamepad to recommend for PC and mobile gaming, as it matches the price of an Xbox Series controller while offering some key improvements: Hall Effect sticks and triggers, two programmable back buttons, a hair trigger mode and three connection methods at up to 1000Hz (via wired/2.4GHz wireless). Battery life is only average at ~15 hours, but that’s the only real limitation here – and one that’s effectively mitigated by the inclusion of a magnetic charging dock.

There are also some good cosmetic touches, with optional RGB lighting that connects the dock and the controller, and magnetic face plates to customise how the Super Nova looks. The Nightfall Blue colourway we were sent is quite fetching, with a pleasantly glossy gradient from lighter to darker shades of blue, and the rubberised grips on the lower edges of the gamepad are comfortable if not the absolute grippiest I’ve ever experienced.

  1. GameSir Cyclone 2

Magnetic Hall Effect sticks are firmly mainstream now, but the next evolution is already being deployed: TMR or “tunnel magnetoresistance” sticks. These sticks are purported to offer better precision and power efficiency than Hall Effect sticks, while holding the same durability advantage over traditional potentiometer-based alternatives. The first model I’ve tested with TMR sticks is the GameSir Cyclone 2, and it’s a promising early taste of the technology.

The Cyclone 2 costs just £5/$5 more than the Super Nova we covered above, and besides the TMR sticks it offers similar features: an included magnetic charging dock, Hall Effect triggers, programmable rear buttons, RGB lighting and a 1000Hz polling rate via 2.4GHz wireless. PC, Switch, iOS and Android are supported, just like the Super Nova. However, there’s no sign of magnetic face plates here, just an RGB glow that filters through the semi-transparent shell.

  1. Scuf Valor Pro

The Scuf Valor Pro is a good option if you want high-end features from an established name, but you’d rather save a bit of money by going with a wired option over wireless. The Valor Pro is still a premium Xbox and PC controller, with high-end materials, Hall Effect sticks (a first for Scuf), optional hair triggers and four customisable rear paddles, but the focus here is very much on performance.

The Valor Pro doesn’t make any radical departures when it comes to design, with a familiar Xbox style layout that’s slightly smaller than the Elite Series 2. However, you’ll note some extra elements: a semi-transparent magnetic face plate for visual customisation, scroll wheels near the audio jack for easy volume/mix control and a soft touch exterior which is immediately comfortable to hold.

  1. Thrustmaster Heart Controller

The Thrustmaster Heart Controller has a weird name, but the French company just means that the gamepad features Hall Effect sticks that will resist drift. That’s maybe not enough to justify the Fallout-style “H.E.A.R.T.” branding that stands out on the left flank of the controller, but if it results in a reliable controller I guess it’s OK. Otherwise, the Heart differentiates itself with mechanical face buttons and d-pad – with a short throw of only 0.3mm – and two remappable buttons on the back of the wired-only gamepad.

There’s also a strangely bright asymmetric RGB strip that divides the Heart into white and black zones, which you can dim and change between six colours by holding down the profile button and then using the d-pad. Weirdly, you can’t change the lighting in the ThrustMapperX software, but you can adjust stick sensitivity and dead zones, remap buttons and update the firmware. After being frustrated by the lack of software with the Scuf Valor Pro, this was nice to see. You can also remap the rear buttons using the controller itself if you don’t have access to a PC.

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