Best Gamepads/Controllers 2024
After a rather lengthy discussion about the Gulikit controller being my number one pick for all-around best controller ever made, I decided I need to put together an article about all the best controllers for various use cases. This is a list of the best game controllers on the market in 2024 based on my own experience. I've tried all these controllers myself and am not just picking things blindly! Oi.
The Best All-Around Budget Controller
I have a lot of budget controllers, and I understand people's hesitance to buy such things. They're cheap for a reason: they're often off-brand hardware that isn't supported anywhere and doesn't work quite as well as the official hardware. However, there's a lot of budget controllers which are good despite the price and are likely priced so low because they kept costs down in ways other than build quality.
The best budget controller in my opinion is the 8bitdo Ultimate C. I have 2 of these, one I got for my wife via Temu for free as an order bonus and one I bought for myself via Amazon. These controllers typically go for $25 on Amazon with a normal price of $30, but you can find them way cheaper on Temu or AliExpress, usually around $20 or as a free bonus item for some orders. Definitely worth shopping around for this one!
Best Non-Budget All-Around Controller
This category goes to Gulikit's KK3 Pro controller. It works with iOS, PC (Windows or Linux), Switch, Xbox One S (not sure of other Xbox consoles) and Android. It's wireless out-of-box for Switch and supports the Amiibo NFC figurines/cards. It also has anti-drift joysticks and very premium triggers. The KK3 Pro, unlike its older, cheaper models, has optional back triggers, which could be very handy for competitive games, racing games, and macros as well as emulation purposes. I personally have rocked the original KK1 Pro controller for 2 years now and love it to this day. Once I need a replacement, whenever that is, I'll likely grab the newest model from AliExpress or Amazon. Please note that the older models of Gulikit's flagship product are still also very valid options.
Best Switch Controller
This goes to the KK1 Pro or the KK2 Pro. It's an older model of the Gulikit KK/"King Kong" line of controllers. Every version of the Gulikit King Kong controller has Amiibo support (as long as you choose the "Pro" edition), so you could buy an older model to save a few dollars, but the newer models add some improvements to other functionality, like macros and additional back buttons/triggers. I personally use the original KK1 Pro which I got from Amazon for $45 years ago. You could also spend a bit more for the feature-rich KK3 Max. However, I don't think the Switch benefits much from the newer models, so if all you're going to use the controller for is Switch, cheaper is better. Also, the standard wireless adapter for PC only works with KK1 and KK2 as far as I can tell, but there's also the Goku adapter which works not only with all versions of Gulikit's controller but also a lot of other controllers, but I can't say in good confidence either wireless adapter works well. You can read up on the KK1 and KK1 Pro here.
Best Xbox Controller For PC
If you ever used Xbox One controllers for PC, you'd know the dongle doesn't always work and the controllers have a mix of USB port styles (micro USB and USB C) and not all of the controllers are Bluetooth-enabled, making it difficult to recommend them for wireless play. However, if you have a party and need to support 4 players on one system and don't want people tripping over wires, you really only have 2 choices: Xbox One controllers or PS5 controllers. Now, I would suggest having a mix of different controllers in case your friends like one style over the other, but I also remind you that the Xbox 360 controllers have hotswappable AA batteries! This is great for people who play for long sessions and want to keep going once their batteries die without plugging the controllers up to something. That Xbox 360 controller design was pretty awesome, and most of these controllers will work quite well in 2024 on Windows 10+ with little hassle. The Xbox 360 wireless adapter for these controllers is a little bulky but has a lengthy cord built into it to allow it to fit any USB port fairly easily.
Best PlayStation Style Controller for PC (on a budget)
Well, I hate to say it, but the best PlayStation controller in general is the official PS5 one. It connects to PC via Bluetooth or USB and works mostly out-of-box with Windows 10+. The price of this controller is becoming quite absurd even with discounts, though, so I suggest looking at third-party offerings or going with an older PS4 controller if you can find one cheap. You could also go for a renewed PS5 controller for $70. I'd personally go third-party and try to get hull effect joysticks, but I was unable to find a PS5 controller style with new style joysticks at this time. Sorry, Sony fans!
Best Arcade Fighter Stick for PC and Xbox
I don't have a recent Xbox console and have no intention of ever getting one again, but I don't mind a Xbox-themed stick or something that works with Xbox as long as it also works on PC. I have considered the 8bitdo Xbox White Fighter Stick.
Best Arcade Fighter Stick for PC and PS5
I have a PS5, so finding a stick that works with that is ideal for me. That said, I'm not tied to the console at all, and my primary concern is both PC compatibility and Raspberry Pi 4+ compatibility. For this reason, the stick I'd choose for PS5 is the HORI white official PS5 stick. Please note that I don't have any clue what this stick is like and have no personal experience with it. I just really love previous HORI products I've used, so the brand sold me. I'll likely change my mind when i actually get a stick for myself, and I'll update this list if I need to. 
Best Arcade Fighter Stick for PC and Switch
Get the 8bitdo one! It looks fantastic!
Best Budget HOTAS for PC and PS5/Xbox
I have only really used a single HOTAS outside of really expensive gear. The one I've tried and ultimately recommend to most people is the Thrustmaster T.Flight for PS5, PS4 and PC. It works decently, is priced well, and can be found a lot cheaper than retail if you shop around. You can also get a Xbox edition of this HOTAS, and I have used this version as well, and they're very, very similar in both feature set and reliability and both work well on PC. I kept the PlayStation one because I like the black base color. I can't really say much else about this HOTAS because I hardly ever utilize these things, but word of caution: No Man's Sky does not officially support any flight stick. You'll likely only really enjoy a flight stick if you like flight sims or Elite Dangerous or something else that focuses specifically on being inside a cockpit.
Cool Side Thing: N64 Controller Upgrade!
8bitdo released a Nintendo 64 hull effect joystick replacement, but it's kind of pricey for what it is. Still, if you're looking to futureproof your N64 controllers, these replacement joysticks should be a huge improvement.