By James Bentley

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Huzzah! Microsoft no longer makes the best PC controller and it’s been dethroned by a brand you may not have heard of

James Bentley

17 September 2025

Twas a long reign.

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(Image credit: Future)

Best PC controller

Ever since I’ve been aware of our ranking of the best PC controllers for gaming, the Xbox Wireless Controller has sat atop it. And that’s for good reason. With comfortable textured grips, a great feel, a sturdy build, and a classic look, it’s still a bit of a banger five years after its Xbox Series X refresh. That refresh added a new share button, and it adds a lot for someone like me who clips arguably far too much from my games.

However, when we got our hands on the GameSir G7 Pro, we knew it was special, and it has now been crowned the best PC controller by us here at PC Gamer. The G7 Pro absolutely deserves the pro name. The front plate, thumbsticks, and face buttons can be swapped out and replaced. The red model we tested came with three included D-pads, but only the one face plate.
As well as coming with programmable paddle buttons at the bottom, the G7 Pro has two near the top bumper, and, most importantly, the thumbsticks are Hall effect, which means you can say goodbye to drift.

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Best PC controllers in 2025: the pads I recommend for PC gamers

GameSir G7 Pro Tri-Mode review

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Stick drift is pretty much the biggest downside of the Xbox controller, but that’s not the only way this little GameSir wonder comes out on top. It’s super solid and has lovely, clicky buttons. With 2.4 GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired options, it has rock-solid connectivity too.

With ten hours of battery life from a charge, the G7 Pro does just fine in battery, but what makes it all better is the included charging stand. Given that it looks pretty great, you will naturally pop it back on charge every night. This means that if you regularly put controllers back where they should be, you can avoid intentionally charging the G7 Pro pretty much forever. The battery-operated Xbox controller does have decent battery life, but I’ve grown sick of fishing around drawers for a few extra batteries in the heat of battle.
Notably, the GameSir G7 Pro is just $10-15 more at MSRP (depending on the colourway) than the Xbox Wireless Controller. When you factor in that you need the Xbox wireless adapter to play it wirelessly on PC, this price discrepancy balances out, and even ends up a little in favour of the G7 Pro.
As well as crowning the G7 Pro as the best controller in our guide, we have cut down the options to just four. The best high end choice, the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro, has managed to solidify its spot at the top of the board, and the Scuf Instinct Pro is still our favourite wired-only option. Cutting the list down to just four does mean that GameSir now takes up half the list, as the GameSir Nova Lite is our favourite budget controller. What an underdog story. Long may GameSir’s reign last.
The quick list

Best PC controller 2025All our current recommendations

1. Best overall:
GameSir G7 Pro
2. Best budget:
GameSir Nova Lite
3. Best high end:
Razer Wolverine V3 Pro
4. Best wired:
Scuf Instinct Pro

👉Check out our full guide👈
The best PC controller

Best overall

1. GameSir G7 Pro

Check Amazon

The best overall
This little feature-packed beast dethroned the Xbox controller, and for good reason. It offers a great feel, strong connectivity, won’t get stick drift, and it’s only slightly more expensive than the Microsoft-made controller it beats.

Best budget

2. GameSir Nova Lite

£17.99 at Amazon

£23.07 at Banggood UK

£24.99 at Currys

£24.99 at Currys

The best budget
You don’t need to spend a fortune to have a great controller. The Nova Lite is as affordable as they come, is wireless, and even sports Hall effect thumbsticks.

Best high end

3. Razer Wolverine V3 Pro

£179.99 at Razer

£187 at Amazon

£199 at Currys

£199.99 at EE Tech & Gaming

The best high end
Razer’s latest Wolverine is the best version yet, thanks to the Hall effect thumbsticks and triggers, plus some super-clicky face buttons. It’s very expensive, but you’ll never have to suffer from stick drift ever again.

4. Scuf Instinct Pro

£169 at Amazon

£169 at Amazon

£169.99 at very.co.uk

£169.99 at Scan

The best wired
You can really make this controller your own, in a way you just can’t with comparable premium controllers. It’s pricey, no doubt, but great for colour-matching to your setup.

James Bentley

Hardware writer

James is a more recent PC gaming convert, often admiring graphics cards, cases, and motherboards from afar. It was not until 2019, after just finishing a degree in law and media, that they decided to throw out the last few years of education, build their PC, and start writing about gaming instead. In that time, he has covered the latest doodads, contraptions, and gismos, and loved every second of it. Hey, it’s better than writing case briefs.

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Best PC controllers in 2025: the pads I recommend for PC gamers

GameSir G7 Pro Tri-Mode review

Controller prices are highway robbery these days, but even I can’t deny this exceptional deal on Xbox pads for Amazon Prime Day

GameSir’s G7 Pro has removable faceplates, TMR sticks, and 1000 Hz polling rate for under $80

The sequel to the best high-end Hall effect controller just dropped with Razer’s esports focussed Wolverine V3 Pro 8k PC

At $35, this Prime Day controller deal is so good I’m never buying a PC controller from Microsoft or Sony ever again

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