PowerA Advantage wired controller with Lumectra review

The PowerA Benefit wired controller with Lumectra is a stark reminder of how far we’ve come because the days of cheap-feeling, third-party licensed recreation controllers. Whereas the flimsy items of plastic, riddled with extra turbo controls than you could possibly shake a stick at have been an amazing price range various to the official controllers of consoles and PCs of the previous, the PowerA Benefit wired controller takes issues up a notch. It’s a flashy various for these wanting so as to add a bit extra illumination to their PC gaming setup.

You’ll at all times be on the mercy of a wire, because the PowerA Benefit isn’t obtainable in a wi-fi mannequin. Nevertheless, in case you’re okay with a 10ft type-C cable slithering round your desk, and might see previous the initially confusing-to-customize RGBs, you’re unlikely to discover a comparable high quality controller to the PowerA Benefit in its worth vary. That’s sufficient to make this not less than a contender for our greatest PC controller information.

Professionals:

• Snug to carry
• Customizable again buttons
• Adaptable triggers
• RGB lighting

Cons:

• RGB tough to customise
• Wired solely
• Heavy
• Restricted colorways

PowerA Benefit wired controller with Lumectra Specs

PowerA Benefit wired controller with Lumectra Design

The PowerA Benefit wired controller with Lumectra makes use of that now iconic Xbox design and structure. With its comfy and ergonomic form, there’s no surprise why, after a number of generations of Microsoft {hardware} have handed, the design of the Xbox controller hasn’t modified a lot in any respect. It’s additionally why licensed controllers just like the PowerA Benefit don’t hassle to veer too far off the crushed path with regards to their designs.

Like its Xbox X/S controller brethren, the same old suspects discovered on a typical fashionable Xbox controller are all current – the D-pad, motion buttons, joysticks, and triggers are all accounted for, together with the clickable Xbox emblem, and three social Xbox buttons that encompass it. The place the PowerA Benefit differs is thru its further three-way set off buttons, two mappable again buttons, and its vivid RGB lighting zones.

The sting of the entrance of the controller and across the motion buttons, two joysticks, and the d-pad, are all illuminated by RGB lighting. This lighting is separated into zones, all of which will be custom-made by using accompanying software program or through the three buttons on the again of the controller.

This controller makes use of a USB Kind-C port on its prime edge that ought to can help you use most various USB-C cables, though the socket is sort of deep (to guard the top of the cable itself) so some cables with thicker plugs won’t match. Regardless, it ships with a cable that needs to be lengthy sufficient for many customers. There’s additionally a 3.5mm jack output on the underside edge for plugging in your wired headset.

PowerA Benefit wired controller with Lumectra Options

Sometimes, PowerA reserves the again of its licensed controllers for programmable buttons, and whereas there are two mappable again buttons, three buttons marked with ‘MAP AGB’, ‘INT LED’, and ‘EXT LED’ take heart stage on the rear. These three buttons enable customization of the RGB lighting throughout the assorted lighting zones detailed earlier.

By default, the RGB lighting glows inexperienced, matching the long-lasting branding of the Xbox line of consoles, and its vivid and vivid aura is sufficient to gentle up even the dimmest of PC gaming setups. Holding the middle button, and the ‘RB’ set off, will can help you cycle by static colors, however extra impressively, this lighting is damaged up into zones, which let you extra carefully customise the impact of those intense RGBs.

This controller will be purchased with a PowerA branded RGB LED strip. This RGB strip, which may also be purchased individually, will be custom-made with the controller’s built-in IR transmitter to match the chosen lighting of your controller and create a extra immersive expertise. Or match the aesthetics of your PC gaming setup (the place mine is worried, the extra pink and comfy the aesthetic, the higher).

Discovered on the again are additionally the 3-way set off locks, that are little sliders on both aspect of the RGB buttons. These enable the set off buttons to sit down in three various positions for a shorter or longer set off pull. The shorter choices are useful for first-person shooters like Counter-Strike 2 or as further buttons for combating video games, as an example. When you want much more immersion in your gameplay experiences, the PowerA Benefit additionally makes use of a twin rumble motor. Whether or not you’re blasting by zombies in a nostalgic Left 4 Lifeless session on Steam, or crawling up the CS2 leaderboard, the rumble churns out tactical suggestions to make each motion really feel simply as vital because it appears to be like and sounds.

PowerA Benefit wired controller with Lumectra Efficiency and Software program

The PowerA Benefit wired controller needs to be a simple PC controller to like, because it sticks to that typical Xbox X/S Sequence controller design. It’s comfy to carry, particularly on account of its textured grip discovered all around the all-black design, and each button is well accessible, from the left joystick to the motion buttons.

I’ve pretty lengthy fingers, which got here in useful for years of taking part in the violin however can typically really feel awkward when getting used to totally different recreation controllers. Nevertheless, utilizing the PowerA Benefit felt immediately acquainted. My go-to PC controller earlier than making an attempt out this one to evaluation was the PowerA – Star Wars: The Drive Awakens X-Wing wired controller. With that in thoughts, I already assumed that my fingers wouldn’t really feel stiffened by the form or structure of the Benefit, however the place I used to be proper about how comfy it was to carry, I used to be shocked at how awkward and irritating customizing the principle gimmick of the Benefit controller was: the lighting.

While you’re utilizing the controller in precise video games – and never simply to make your gaming house appear like a 90s faculty disco – it’s effective. However, utilizing the controller to customise its personal RGB lighting, is so irritating that it overshadows a number of the commonly nice options in regards to the controller.

The lighting is spectacular with its vividity and altering the static shade of the controller is pretty easy, however past that it’s a wrestle. For the previous, you maintain the center RGB button on the again, and press the RG proper set off, with every press altering the colour at a time. For altering the zones, although, it’s way more sophisticated. You must maintain down the identical button, choose every zone with the d-pad, after which use the motion buttons to choose a shade. Usually, I discovered myself at odds with the controller, feeling like I needed to re-read the handbook extensively to determine easy methods to get probably the most out of the RGB zone function.

Fortunately, the buttons really feel satisfying to click on, simply as on any Xbox Sequence S/X controller, and the three-way set off locks have been a pleasant contact too. Though nowadays I really feel spoiled with the haptic suggestions and adaptive triggers of the PlayStation 5 DualSense, the locks, and the dual-motor rumble, give the controller sufficient selection to set it above cheaper, price range controllers.

What’s extra, the accompanying software program, ‘PowerA Gamer HQ’, acquired an replace all through the method of scripting this evaluation, which rectified the initially irritating customizing expertise. Earlier than the replace, all of the software program would let me do was take a look at out the rumble, and audio by the headphone port, and calibrate the buttons. Now I’ve entry to customise the RGB zones by Gamer HQ. It’s only a disgrace the software program can also be moderately gradual to load.

Whereas PowerA did rectify the principle problem of this controller, having one of many most important options be such a middling expertise was a disgrace. I’ve such a surplus of PowerA controllers, that I even have a few of their licenced ones on show, introduced alongside merch from the media the IP design is from. The PowerA Benefit wired controller with Lumectra received’t be becoming a member of them any time quickly except I’m ever within the mindset to create a shrine devoted to a few of the most irritating peripheral experiences I’ve needed to date.

Must you purchase the PowerA Benefit wired controller with Lumectra?

The PowerA Benefit wired controller with Lumectra is obtainable for $44.99/£34.99, and is available in each black and white fashions, instantly from the PowerA web site. You can even buy a bundle for $54.99, which comes with the RGB lighting strip in case you’re trying to gentle up your PC gaming setup even additional.

When you aren’t bothered by the shortage of a wi-fi mannequin, the PowerA Benefit wired controller with Lumectra is a strong price range strategy to introduce much more RGB into your gaming setup. But, whereas the Benefit controller has all the standard you’ll be able to depend on with regards to Xbox controllers, its extremely irritating and awkward technique of customization, means you’ll have to depend on the accompanying software program to totally get pleasure from its illuminating endeavors.

PowerA Benefit wired controller with Lumectra Alternate options

When you’ve obtained sufficient flashy peripherals in your desk that you could possibly host your personal gentle present, the Fusion Professional 3 Wired controller for Xbox can also be PC appropriate. The guy PowerA controller can also be formally licensed and swaps the fantastical lighting for interchangeable thumbsticks.

Being on the mercy of a wire isn’t at all times enjoyable, so you’ll be able to’t go unsuitable with the Xbox wi-fi controller. It’s as formally licensed as they arrive, and being from Microsoft it’s natively appropriate with Home windows 11, though you’ll have to hand over the RGB lighting for a extra plain design.