If you’re searching for the best custom controller on Google, then chances are you want a leg up in whatever game you play.

I’ve been through it, wanting to compete or at least play competitively online. And if you’re not trying to play that way, then you wouldn’t be looking for a custom controller.

This review will be of the best custom controller for each system, so there will be no more wondering what you should buy. I should also mention that these controllers are all prebuilt, meaning they have very little you can change about them.

If you want to fully customize your custom controller, then read my article on the best websites to buy custom controllers.

You’ll probably end up paying somewhere between $150-$300 for a controller. With that price, you’ll know what some of the best controllers are after reading this article. And you can finally be one step ahead of all your opponents and annihilate them on the battlefield.

So get ready as I review the best custom controller for each platform.

What Are The Best Custom Controllers

Scuf Instinct Pro – Best Controller Overall

BIGBIG WON Wired Controller – Best Budget Controller

Razer Wolverine V2 Pro Wireless Gaming -Best Custom PS5 Controller

Scuf Impact FPS – Best Custom Controller PS4

Xbox Elite Series 2 – Best Xbox Custom Controller

PowerA Fusion Pro Wireless Controller – Best Custom Nintendo Switch Controller

Scuf Instinct Pro

Breakdown

Compatibility: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Connectivity: Wired/Wireless

Brand: Scuf

Programmable buttons: 4 programmable rear buttons (paddles)

Color options: Multiple

Overview

The Scuf Instinct Pro is a versatile, premium wireless controller designed for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One gamers. It has numerous features that will keep you ahead of the competition such as instant triggers, remappable paddles, interchangeable thumbstick, and my personal favorite, the profile switch.

Key Benefits

Instant triggers let you dominate opponents by giving your gaming controller shorter hair trigger locks. For FPS gamers, having mouse-like triggers will help you kill your enemies faster. How? Because every millisecond counts and the instant triggers will make your bumpers/triggers fast like a mouse click.

This Xbox controller also has 4 remappable rear paddles that give you complete control. Each paddle can be mapped to a unique face button or any other button on your Xbox controller. Allowing you to keep your thumbs on your analog stick at all times.

Unlike most custom controllers, what I like most is the profile switch capability. This allows you to save multiple settings for your button remaps which is amazing if you play different games. So if you play MMOs, FPS, and fighting games, you can easily toggle your profile switch and change your button remaps for that type of game.

If you play first-person shooters, you will love the interchangeable thumbsticks. Having the extra height will make your shots more precise and give you better aim. I know you want to have Shroud like aim but on an Xbox controller. It won’t make you god-like immediately, but you will see a vast improvement in your accuracy.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Save up to 3 different paddle configurations
• Smoother gameplay and less choppy character controls
• Improved accuracy and precision

Cons:

• Expensive
• Depending on your hand size and how you hold your controller, you might not like the paddle positioning.

My Take

The Scuf Instic Pro will take your gaming to the next level. Trust me this Xbox wireless controller has all the bells and whistles that you need in a custom controller for Xbox and you will thank yourself later when you’re dominating everyone at a pro level.

I know it’s expensive, but the controller will last you a while before you need to think about buying a new one. So give the Scuf Instic Pro a try, there’s no risk because it has a 1-year warranty.

BIGBIG WON Wired Controller

Breakdown

Compatibility: PC, Nintendo Switch

Connectivity: Wired only

Brand: BIGBIG WON

Programmable buttons: 2 rear buttons

Color options: RGB lighting

Overview

For Nintendo Switch and PC gamers on a tight budget but who want the benefits of a custom controller, the BIGBIG WON wired controller is your answer. I mentioned in the intro how most controllers will be $150 – $300, well not this wired controller. This is the solution for all those on a budget, albeit only if you play on Nintendo Switch or PC.

Key Benefits

With the Rainbow-Lite Nintendo Switch controller, you will gain a complete competitive advantage due to the turbo, macro, and button remaps. Now these are not the typical remaps you would see on a custom controller. And I will explain how each differs and how it will help you gain a competitive advantage.

The first is the regular button remapping that we are all used to. By activating the customizable button mapping, you can change the ‘X’ button (on a PS5 controller for the sake of example, even though this is a Nintendo Switch controller) to one of your rear buttons.

The macro and turbo mode gets very interesting for the Rainbow Lite controller. Macro recordings allow you to input a series of buttons all into one single button. For example, if you play fighting games, to do a combo you need to press multiple buttons to perform an action.

Macros cut this time delay by storing it into your back button and now you only have to press one button instead of multiple to complete the same action.

Turbo mode is an old practice that most gamers don’t use anymore. It allows you to hold a button that would otherwise be “tap to fire” in something like FPS games or a fighting game. So if you’re supposed to fire once per press, it allows you to rapidly fire without ever letting go of the button to restart the action.

These 3 remapping features will easily give you a complete advantage when playing games like Super Smash Bros.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Can activate hair trigger mode to reduce the travel distance of your back bumpers/triggers.
• 2 multi-functional rear buttons for greater control.
• Customization options for macro, turbo, and button remapping
• Transparent case so you can keep your controller clean (looking at all you snackers!)

Cons:

• NOT a wireless controller and only works wired.
• Will need to adjust in-game settings because of the 0 deadzone

My Take

Look, if you’re a pc gamer or Nintendo Switch player, you have no reason not to give this controller a try. It has a lot of the most important custom controller features for really cheap. If you don’t like it, well you didn’t spend hundreds of dollars on something you don’t like. So buy it now and stop getting destroyed by players using custom controllers.

Razer Wolverine V2 Pro Wireless Gaming

Breakdown

Compatibility: Playstation 5 and PC

Connectivity: Wireless and Wired

Brand: Razer

Programmable buttons: 6 remappable buttons

Color options: Black and White

Overview

The Razer Wolverine V2 Pro is a premium Playstation 5 gaming controller tailored toward extremely competitive gamers. Basically, if you’re not trying to win, you do not need to buy this controller. What makes it so great is the Razer technology that is used in their gaming mice and keyboards are put together into a gaming controller.

Key Benefits

I would like to start by mentioning the Razer chroma rgb lighting. Probably one of the more useless specs for actual gameplay improvement. But it looks amazing and you can customize it to have different colors and effects. Perfect for those who like an RGB PC gaming setup.

Now to more performance-based benefits. The Wolverine V2 Pro is extremely unique, featuring the Razer hypertrigger. These are simply adaptive triggers, instant triggers, digital triggers, or whatever a company wants to call them.

The hyper trigger is unique because it’s a slide-lock switch that you can change depending on the game you’re playing.

This PS5 controller has an 8-way microswitch D-pad. What the heck does that mean? Well, you can have more precise movements that don’t accidentally click another input. For example, performing a complex combo in a fighting game but accidentally clicking down on the d-pad when you meant to press right on the d-pad.

The Razer Wolverine has what they call “razer mecha tactile action buttons” that are insane when you know what it does. It gives your face buttons (X, O, square, triangle)reduced actuation meaning you will click your buttons faster than someone with a standard controller. Inevitably you will destroy your opponents because you can perform actions faster than them.

And probably the most important feature in a custom controller, the 6 remappable buttons. Now this might be overkill because you probably won’t use all 6 remappable buttons. But the option is there if you want to. You can remap any of the extra buttons to the normal buttons for your convenience and for absolute control.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Interchangeable thumbstick, (shorter domed sticks for aggressive play styles and longer concaved sticks for precision and accuracy).
• Advanced phone app to remap your buttons, change chroma effects, the sensitivity of analog sticks, and store 4 profiles for your gaming controller.
• Hyperspeed wireless for lag-free gaming.

Cons:

• No vibration but not necessary for competitive gaming
• Have to pair with Bluetooth on your phone every time you want to change button remaps
• No PC customization app for PC games and players. (Must use phone app)

My Take

For the ultra-competitive PS5 player, you will not be disappointed with the Razer Wolverine v2 pro. You have everything from, interchangeable thumbsticks, 6 remappable buttons, micro switch d pads, hyper triggers, and tactile face buttons for the ultimate control and customizability. Heck, you even get RGB lighting on your controller.

To reap these amazing benefits and stop losing, buy the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro now.

Scuf Impact FPS

Breakdown

Compatibility: PS4/PC

Connectivity: Wired/Wireless

Brand: Scuf

Programmable buttons: 4 remappable paddles

Color options: Multiple

Overview

Despite the PS5’s release, the PS4 still has more players. Many of them, particularly those with smaller hands, prefer the Scuf Impact FPS custom controller for its unique shape and smaller size. This holds true, especially for gamers who play FPS games like Warzone on PC. The Impact FPS is also primarily for the competitive FPS gamer but it can help you in other games too.

Key Benefits

What’s great about the Scuf Impact is that it’s 13% larger than the typical controller. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still small compared to the PS5 or Xbox controllers. But for those who need a little more room but still have small hands for the PS5 controller, you will love how the Impact FPS feels.

It wouldn’t really be a custom controller without remappable paddles. And the Scuf Impact FPS has 4 remappable paddles for your convenience.

What I like the most is the high-performance grips. If you’re like me, your hand gets really sweaty while playing and even more so when trying to clutch up a victory. These grips will give you… well, that grip you need so your hands don’t slip while playing.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Instant trigger and bumpers for mouse-like clicks
• non-slip performance grips
• interchangeable thumbsticks
• Customization options for the features you want

Cons:

• Durability is questionable only if you play 8-10 hours a day

My Take

I like the Sucf Impact FPS since I mainly play FPS games. It’s perfect for gaining an advantage in stressful situations but if you play all day and don’t take care of your controller, the paddles could potentially break on you.

However, I do think it’s still one of the best PS4 controllers out there. And to be completely transparent, your paddles won’t break on you unless you bully your controller like most competitive gamers. So if you have small hands and play on a PS4, Buy the Scuf Impact FPS, you won’t regret it.

Xbox Elite Series 2

Breakdown

Compatibility: Xbox Series S|X, PC

Connectivity: Wired/Wireless

Brand: Microsoft

Programmable buttons: 4 Remappable paddles

Color options: Black

Overview

The Xbox Elite Series 2 controller is a premium gaming controller designed for serious gamers who want the best possible experience. It has many customization options, including adjustable thumbstick tension, shorter trigger locks, and improved paddles. The controller also features better grips and a rechargeable battery. While it’s more expensive than a standard Xbox controller, it’s worth it for the improved features and customization options.

Key Benefits

What Xbox gamers will love the most about this controller is the complete customization you have. With the Xbox Accessories app, you can change just about anything you want on your controller. You’re able to save 3 custom profiles so you can have different button remaps for each game you play.

You can also have adjustable tension thumbsticks on your Xbox series controller. Basically, this allows you to control the amount of force needed to move your thumbstick. Stronger stick tension means more control and precision especially when aiming. And weaker tension means it’s easier to move.

Think right analog stick, higher stick tension, and left analog stick, weaker stick tension.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Interchangeable thumbsticks, d pads, paddles
• 40 hour battery life
• Easily pair and switch between Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC
• Shorter hair trigger locks for fast rate of fire

Cons:

• Paddles will wear down if you play a ton
• Still bulky for smaller hands

My Take

The Xbox Elite Series 2 gaming controller is almost perfect. Like with any controller, you need to take care of it; it will inevitably wear down over time. Luckily, this controller has swappable parts so you can easily switch out what breaks.

I recommend you purchase this controller if you like the Xbox style of gaming controllers and play either PC or Xbox series x. It will be worth the investment.

PowerA Fusion Pro Wireless Controller

Breakdown

Compatibility: Nintendo Switch

Connectivity: Wired/Wireless

Brand: PowerA

Programmable buttons: 4 paddles

Color options: Black & White

Overview

The PowerA Fusion Pro is a near-perfect custom gamepad for Nintendo Switch. It’s perfect for Switch gamers who want a more traditional button layout on their controller with better ergonomics. Compared to the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, the Fusion Pro has far more customization.

Key Benefits

I like the Fusion Pro because it comes with removable paddles. 4 remappable paddles are great for many games but sometimes you just don’t need or want them. So you can enjoy the luxury of taking it completely off your controller at your discretion.

Just be careful where you place your paddles. You don’t want to lose them.

The Fusion Pro has a nice 20-hour battery life. And if your controller is running low on charge, you get a nice 10-foot charging cable so you can still play.

What’s cool is the swappable parts. I’m a big fan of swappable anything because it gives you the option to change and remove things you don’t need or use. Some of the things you can change are the thumbsticks. You’re able to put on shorter or taller ones and change the caps from concave to convex.

You can also change the faceplate to make your controller a bit more personalized for your liking.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Swappable faceplate, thumbsticks, and removable paddles
• Classic controller design with better ergonomics
• Rubberized textured grips for long gaming sessions

Cons:

• No Rumble, No Amiibo Support
• Ring around analog stick restricts movement. But can easily be fixed by taking off the faceplate and popping it off.

My Take

PowerA’s Fusion Pro wireless controller is the best controller for Nintendo Switch by far. It gives you a classic controller layout with customizable features to improve your performance. The only real complaint is the restricted analog stick due to the ring. But many gamers just easily pop the ring off and then they’re good to go. It’s inconvenient but it works.

Other than that, this is easily the best custom controller for the Switch. So if you’re looking for a classic controller or want to be more competitive in Smash Bros, give this controller a try today. You will not be disappointed.

Buyers Guide: How I Choose A Custom Controller

Choosing the right controller is important for so many reasons. You want to have the perfect optimization for what you deem important. But here are the most important features to look for in a custom controller.

Customization options: Without customizations, you will have just a regular controller. Depending on what types of games you play, you may need some customizations more than others. Always look for things like Stick tension, Rear buttons/paddles, smart d-pad, trigger sensitivity, grips, and remapping capability.

These are many of the features that may be important to you. Real quick, you don’t always need 4 rear buttons/paddles, 2 works just fine.

Design: Personally, I don’t care about a controller’s colors or appearance, but I know many gamers do. A lot of prebuilt custom controllers have predesigned colors and aesthetics. Always pick your favorite one.

Compatibility: It should be a no-brainer that you won’t be able to use your controller on a non-compatible device. Always check to make sure your controller will work for whatever system you’re playing on.

Others: Most controllers are wireless and wired but always be sure to check. Some wireless controllers can have dongles to improve latency, like the Razer Wolverine.

Also, price is usually a huge factor because these gaming controllers are not cheap. It costs to be the best. So always expect to pay somewhere between $150 – $300. If you play on the Switch, consider yourself lucky. Your controllers are usually under $100.

FAQs

Conclusion

Alright, you must be ready and eager to dive back into gaming, right? I figured as much. But before you go, let’s have a short recap.

The best overall controller is the Scuf Instinct Pro. The only problem is, it only works for Xbox and PC. If you’re on the Playstation you want to try the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro or Scuf Impact FPS if you’re on the PS4. Switch gamers, the Fusion Pro is best for you and also one of the cheaper options on the list.

No matter what system you play on, there is a controller for you on this list. So be sure to read the review and give the controller a try. They all have warranties, so you can always return them within the time period. Unless you throw it at a wall while raging.

But seriously, these controllers will help you improve at any game. And if you like the controllers, make sure you share this article with a friend and let them enjoy the amazing benefits too. Have fun destroying the competition!