PowerA – although founded in 2009 – hasn’t yet had any products covered here at GF, and whilst they have myriad items for sale, ranging from controllers and charging docks through to headsets – across most modern gaming platforms – today we will be taking a look at their wired controller for the Series X/S & Xbox One, in an exclusive Core Blush colour.
Straight out of the box, the controller looks great, with the light pink and black creating a very Pink Panther-esque (or Kirby – as my partner pointed out) vibe. The controller feels solid and isn’t too light, but is certainly lighter than its more official cousins for both the Series X / S & Xbox One.
The PowerA controller is also much smoother, with no ridges or rubber for hand grip - although that shouldn’t be an issue unless you are a particularly sweaty gamer! It’s also not a very ‘clicky’ controller (which I know will please some of you out there!) with the D-pad being smooth, and the buttons on the fascia also being slick and responsive, very similar to the official versions, and not feeling too ‘mechanical’.
The triggers are smooth, but I did notice that – when pushing the thumbsticks in – the clicks are more defined than on the official controllers. The thumbsticks themselves are slightly concave, and feature tiny raised rubber ridges across the edges, which really helps with grip, especially on racing games and when running in FPS titles.
I used the controller for extended gaming sessions on my Xbox, and – aside from the slightly different feel when pressing the shoulder buttons – everything felt comfortable immediately, and I sort of quickly forgot that I was using this for review purposes , which is quite the positive statement, as nothing was niggling me during gameplay.
The one thing that was quite an issue though, was when I was gaming online, and was having audio issues with the headset I was using (H3 EPOS), in that the volume was tinny and low. I couldn’t get any better results through tinkering with the settings, but when I plugged the headset into my official controllers, it worked perfectly. It could be a one-off issue with the specific product I had, but the wired headset socket on the PowerA controller certainly wasn’t playing ball in my case.
SUMMARY
Aside from the headset connection issue mentioned above, this is a sturdy and very cool-looking wired controller that is comfortable to use even over longer gaming sessions.
If I get caught short on battery life on wireless controllers, or if a second player jumps on, I’d have no issue getting this plugged in – whilst whistling the Pink Panther theme, natch.
From the website:
The PowerA Wired Controller for Xbox Series X/S offers the essential features you need for gaming on Xbox. Licenced by Xbox, this controller features dual rumble motors and immersive impulse triggers to bring your virtual worlds to life. Plus, additional features such as a lightweight and comfortable ergonomic design, precision-tuned analogue sticks, anti-friction rings and a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack. Includes an extra-long 10 ft. USB-C cable. Works great on Windows 10/11. Play in confidence with a 2-year limited warranty.
3-Way trigger locks - Set the travel distance of the triggers with three different positions to pull off quicker actions in your favourite FPS games or go full throttle in a high-end race car.
Advanced gaming buttons - Get an edge over the competition with two mappable buttons you can program on-the-fly, mid-game - no system settings to configure.
Dual rumble motors - Take your gaming experience to the next level, providing tactile feedback and sensations that bring your virtual worlds to life.
Officially licenced for Xbox Series X/S and works on Xbox One and Windows 10/11.
Xbox one compatible.
Xbox series X and S compatible.
PC compatible.
Wired.
General information:
Manufacturer's 2 year guarantee.
EAN: 617885108211.
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