Xbox360 Wireless Controller for Windows

Author: Antti Hakala Published: 27.02.2007 Manufacturer: Microsoft Product Group: Game console related In English Suomeksi

How good it looks, feels and works

Most striking thing about how this controller looks, is the white colour. Combined with a bit of grey makes it look worthy. White is fresh colour again in pc world, most of the new hardware being black. My biggest concern so far is how white areas will look after a year of gaming? The pad feels pretty much the same size than old Xbox controller S. It also has the same amount of buttons (10). Main difference is that the black and white buttons have been replaced with new 'bumber' buttons that are to be used with forefingers above triggers. Also the headset connector has changed it's place. It's now found between the user and controller to make wire run more free.

Wireless gaming controllers can't have any lag or breakups on connection to be usable. This controller is truely highly usable. I tried the longest distance I could in my apartment to see how good it performs. 15 meters and one wall in the way, not your everyday gaming situation but this pad managed to stay in touch with the receiver. Excellent. Surely the distance affects batterylife, but signal quality is good anyway. I tried to find delay or lag while gaming but wasn't able to spot any, though I think it's easier to feel delay in mouse than in the gaming pad. Overall I was comfortable with the 'response time' as this pad felt the same as the ones with cord. Wireless operation is more convenient in real use than one would imagine while reading the advertisement.

Testing with games

• Splinter Cell 3
• Flatout
• Flatout 2
• Halo
• GTR 2
• Need For Speed Carbon
• Track Mania United

All the buttons were fully assignable in every game I tried. GTR 2 is the only game where wider range of motion for analog sticks could be useful. Steering wasn't precise enough, partly because of the narrow sensitivity slider in the GTR. Pad is good to hold and hands don't get sore while playing, thanks to it's good shape and light weight.

Even if the game has support for Force Feedback, it doesn't mean it would automatically support Vibration Feedback. This is not the controllers fault, but none of the games I use to play supports this function. Strangely enough, even Microsoft's own game - Halo, didn't support vibration while playing it with PC. If thinking positively, more battery life is gained in exchange. Customers are not being fooled since the package states that suppor is required to have feedback working.

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