For essentially the most half we affiliate Thrustmaster with a few of the most advanced of third celebration gaming equipment. That’s some extent hammered house when you think about that we’ve beforehand been arms on with their T248 Wheel for racing or the T.Flight Full Equipment X for after we resolve to take to the skies. Hell, you’ll be able to return to 2017 and browse our ideas in regards to the Thrustmaster Y-360X 7.1 Powered Ghost Recon Wildlands Version Headset for Xbox if you wish to know the way difficult issues are – even that title scares us foolish.
However that’s not stopping Thrustmaster from persevering with to make a reputation for themselves and with the eSwap X Professional Controller for Xbox, they’re carrying on their mantra. And though this one actually feels advanced from the skin, getting arms on and having fun with what it is ready to present to your gaming classes is one thing of pleasure.
Construct. Program. Alter. Rearrange. That’s how Thrustmaster promote the eSwap X Professional and we weren’t significantly positive we’d get on with that vary of movement; the sheer quantity of customisation it permits is past one thing that might normally be of enchantment. However regardless that we’ve not gone as deep with this one as is humanly attainable – the quantity of customisation obtainable is fairly excessive – as an ordinary Xbox controller it does the job properly. In reality, it does the job higher than many.
A beefy previous unit, the Thrustmaster eSwap X Professional controller feels fairly good in hand. It’s somewhat larger than a traditional Xbox Wi-fi Controller, however is of a really good weight, coming in at some 319 grams. It does after all include all the standard Xbox buttons and options you’d anticipate; a few thumbsticks, a really good D-Pad, face buttons, Menu, View and Share and the requisite triggers and bumpers. In case you’re in any respect aware of an Xbox controller, you’ll be proper at house with the eSwap X.
However then Thrustmaster do extra, guaranteeing those that need to customise issues can achieve this. We’d go so far as to say that that is the best and most customisable controller we’ve ever been hands-on with – whether or not you’re bored of the standard set-up or want to change up for private causes, Thrustmaster have you ever lined.
So what are you able to do with the eSwap X Professional? Nicely, a modular design is current right here and held in place by way of a sequence of robust magnets are aspect grips, the D-Pad itself and each thumbsticks. All of them slide into place, gripping with ease, detachable in a matter of seconds with zero instruments required. On a private degree we’re unsure why, however do you have to then want to change the D-Pad positioning for the left thumbstick for instance, making this Xbox controller extra according to a PS5 controller, you are able to do so. Hell, you’ll be able to even transfer that D-Pad over to the opposite aspect of the pad, changing the fitting thumbstick do you have to so want. Once more, why? Nicely, we’re not right here to inform you methods to play your video games, and neither does it appear are Thrustmaster.
Nevertheless you’ve got issues set-up, it is a good controller to make use of. It’s extremely tactile each when it comes to how issues are in hand in addition to regarding the micro-switched buttonry, with just about every part feeling nice to the touch. Thumbsticks are extraordinarily clickable and while the face buttons don’t depress as a lot as we’re used to, hardly ever will you ever miss a beat.
It’s the same story when it comes to the set off and bumpers too. The triggers don’t simply look nice with a metallic tackle issues – complementing the D-Pad and thumbstick surrounds – however they’ve a little bit of texturing to make sure that there’s little probability of you slipping off the vitals as the warmth rises. They’re additionally switched, so if you would like much less – or extra – journey, you’ll be able to take pleasure in it. The triggers are additionally swappable do you have to want much more personalisation with Thrustmaster coping with quite a few varied colored accent packs. The bumpers are equally good, once more brilliantly clickable and mean you can situate your fingers in place, prepared to fireside. Simply bear in mind, these bumpers are fairly loud in use.
Constructed properly into the slice-of-pie formed apron of the Thrustmaster eSwap X Professional Controller is the standard smattering of Xbox function buttons. Menu and View are each properly positioned, nevertheless it’s fairly unusual to see the Nexus button and that of Share switched up from the norm. That’s not a foul factor, nevertheless it does take somewhat getting used to – we gained’t disclose the quantity of instances we’ve shared a screenshot after we’ve been scrabbling round for the Xbox dashboard. It’s what it’s although and the design of this space, with the Thrustmaster brand adorning it, has been put collectively properly.
So what else do now we have? Nicely, very similar to just about each third celebration controller that involves the Xbox scene nowadays, across the again sees 4 programmable buttons. Round in form, these actually aren’t as instantly hittable as one thing just like the paddles on the again of an Elite Collection 2 controller, however they do the job nonetheless. We’ve discovered that our center fingers sit on the third and 4th buttons by default, shifting as much as the first and 2nd when the time requires it. It feels somewhat unusual saying that, however on the finish of the day it’s not one thing that might ever be a difficulty.
Programming these buttons is a cinch. It really works along side two totally different controller profiles, each actioned by way of a sequence of buttons on the entrance face of the controller. A easy press of considered one of these, adopted by the MAP button after which miserable the buttons you want to allocate takes a matter of seconds. It’s a extremely neat system that works close to flawlessly.
Alongside these profile and MAP buttons on the entrance are a 3.5mm audio jack port, a mic mute and quantity controls. We’ve lengthy been followers of on-controller audio controls, guaranteeing that you simply by no means must take away your arms from the controller in an effort to kind issues out, and people in place on Thrustmaster’s eSwap X Professional controller are equally good.
And if you really want it, downloading the ThrustmapperX app from the Xbox Retailer provides the chance to convey much more adjustments.
As with something although, perfection isn’t fairly discovered with the Thrustmaster eSwap X Professional Controller. For a lot of, the truth that it is a wired controller will instantly put them off, even when the braided cable that runs between console and controller is a good size at some 300cm in size. Extra nonetheless will level to the truth that Thrustmaster are utilising a Micro-USB port for that cable – actually, we’re within the 2020’s now and there ought to be no signal of Micro-USB being left anyplace on this earth. Stick some USB-C in there please Thrustmaster.
Apart from that cable although, there’s not an excessive amount of to dislike about what Thrustmaster have put along with the eSwap X Professional Controller for Xbox. It is a properly configured controller that comes with a bunch of customisable choices, guaranteeing that the person gamer could make it their very own. Many could by no means really feel the necessity to make use of all of its methods and we’re personally on the aspect of those that run this as default straight out of the field (though we could slap some color on it by way of an official equipment), however for those who’re available in the market for a simple-to-use but complex-should-you-wish controller, it’s the Thrustmaster eSwap X Professional controller that ought to be in your arms.
Enormous thanks exit to Thrustmaster for offering us with their eSwap X Professional Controller for Xbox for overview. You’ll be able to go to Thrustmaster direct for those who want to decide a unit up for your self; anticipate to pay round $179. In case you like what you discover, quite a few accent kits in varied colors are additionally current. Inexperienced Camo or Orange Crystal, anybody?
