I have used a batch of game controllers over the years. From the original PlayStation to the latest Xbox, you’ve probably used the controller on every mainstream console at least once. What was true, until recently, was that the official controller was going to be the best. They would outperform third-party options in ergonomics, responsiveness, connectivity, and battery life most of the time.
However, this has slowly changed over the years: first-party controllers have started to have more issues, while the build quality of third-party controllers has improved to be more or less on par with Sony’s, Microsoft and Nintendo.
Taking this into consideration, the PB Tails Metal Crush Defender Game Controller It’s a really interesting concept. It is a unique, high-quality driver that works on multiple devices and avoids the problems that plague first-party drivers today. But while the concept is great, it needs a little more polish to be a genuine contender.
The drift problem
The biggest problem that most people struggle with with their controllers (including me) is joystick drift. This issue, seemingly ubiquitous in Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo controllers, is caused by analog sticks becoming less and less accurate over time, to the point where they eventually start constantly detecting slight directional inputs even when not touched. .
Photography: Henri Robbins
There are quite a few theories as to what causes this, with the most popular attributing the drift to smaller (and therefore more fragile) joysticks, cheaper components, and tighter manufacturing shortcuts or tolerances to reduce the “dead zone” in the center. . of the controller.
Regardless, the problem became big enough that Nintendo faced a class-action lawsuit over it. The problem is apparently not prevalent (or, more realistically, profitable) enough for first-party manufacturers to start using joysticks that don’t drift. Instead, most gamers accept that they will have to buy a new controller when theirs starts to fail, look for DIY repairsor look in the aftermarket for drivers that don’t have this problem.
The solution to the Hall effect
A fairly common solution is to equip your Switch’s Joy-Con controllers with Hall effect joysticks which can eliminate stick drift. But installing something like this is quite technical and complicated for the average person, and voids the warranty, so it’s not a great solution.
Enter PB Queues. The company’s controllers use Hall effect switches (you can read more about the technology in this explainer), which it claims are resistant to drift over time. Their newest model, Metal Crush Defender, goes one step further. This controller uses tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) joysticks, which are theoretically more responsive, precise, and durable than typical Hall effect joysticks. In addition to this, the controller has support for multiple devices. It is compatible with Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Raspberry Pi and Switch natively and wirelessly. The only platforms missing are Xbox and PlayStation.
