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Are you a fan of the PlayStation 5 Dual Sense controller’s overall shape but want to game on Xbox or PC without its other features? The Competitor from Hyperkin is here to offer up symmetrical hall-effect joysticks and PlayStation-inspired body shapes in this overall impressive wired controller.
The Specs
- Hall-Effect joystick and impulse triggers
- Symmetrical layout for said thumbsticks
- Segmented directional pad
- Two programmable back buttons
- Mic mute/unmute button
- $50 MSRP
The Feel
I’ve put in dozens of hours over the past month or so with The Competitor. I am not a fan of symmetrical joysticks, normally. The Hall-Effect sticks on this controller feel about as good as this arrangement can. Unlike some past PlayStation controllers, I never felt in danger of hitting my giant thumbs together while playing.
My main concern was over the longevity of the Hall-Effect sensors. While many cheer the lack of stick-drift, and trust me, 0 deadzone feels amazing, they can still break rather easily. At a $50 MSRP, I feel confident after a few months that the parts Hyperkin has used here can stand up to normal gaming sessions.
Along with the PlayStation DualSense-inspired design, you get two programmable back buttons. I’m a lazy type and just set them to A and B. They work well enough, and if you’re not interested in using them, there are switches to lock them in place.
Tethered
Having used The Competitor on both my Xbox Series X & PC, it’s a fine alternative if you’re able to put up with being tethered. Latency felt good, though I have no skill or equipment to double-check. Clicks felt clicky, with a nice button feel and excellent response per my old senses. Both the face buttons and the d-pad were comfortable for long periods of use.
I was sent the fully blacked-out variant. Hyperkin offers up a tuxedo white and black version that I think is more visually pleasing. The 10 foot long included cable is durable in its design. An issue I had was when I was on PC and wanted less leftover cabling. I only had a few that fit the deep recess of the USB-C port on top of the controller. It’s a minor issue, but one to note in case you ever lose the included one.
One last thing to mention is that, of course, The Competitor is missing the main selling points of the Dual Sense controller. There is no fancy built-in haptic feedback or trigger stops. I don’t think anyone was expecting them, especially at this price point and on a platform that wouldn’t support either feature.
Wrapping Things Up
Hyperkin’s The Competitor is a well-designed and comfortable alternative for your Xbox & PC gaming. While it is missing all of the Dual Sense features, games on Xbox wouldn’t support them anyway. At a $50 MSRP, if you really love the symmetrical layout and overall design of Sony’s pad, then this is a solid option.
Hyperkin The Competitor Wired Controller
PROS
- Well built
- Hall-Effect sticks
- Reasonably Priced
CONS
- Lacks most Dual Sense features
