How to Choose a Gamepad: Tips for Beginners
The keyboard, mouse, and smartphone sensor are not enough for all computer games. Board games do not need any additional devices. But in action and fighting games, dynamics and fast response provide gamepads.
Gamepad is a gaming controller, a kind of joystick that is held with both hands. There are many such devices on sale, and they differ in type, price, device compatibility, layouts, and capabilities. One example of this is the cronus zen ps4 which makes your game an easy win.
With a High-capacity Battery and Sticks – For Your Smartphone
Gamers have popular well-known games for PC, which were reworked for smartphones, or revived on Android stories for Sega, Dendy, and other “antique” consoles. The specifics of emulation does not allow them to fully play them with the sensor gadget. For this there are gamepads with a special attachment, which make a smartphone a full-fledged and self-contained game console.
Many Gamepads are called universal – this means that they will work on all Android, iOS and PC devices. The option is practical, but it’s better to be on the safe side: to make sure that the gamepad fits exactly to Apple gadgets, you need to make sure that it is licensed under the MFI program – you can study the packaging and ask the seller.
To feel control over the actions and realism of the game, especially in shooters, a gamepad should have several analog sticks – movable manipulator keys. There are gamepads with only one analog stick or no stick at all, but in my opinion they are suitable only for VR games.
Usually gaming controllers for smartphones are wireless and connect to them via Bluetooth. The range is not important here, because the gadget and gamepad are always near each other, but the device due to the built-in battery will be heavier than a wired one.
You should pay attention to battery life. On some models, the battery lasts for 35-40 hours. In order not to break away from the game for a long time to recharge, you can save battery – for example, turn off the vibration response. This is a feature that allows you to feel the events in the game before the sounds or appearance on the screen. Not all gamepads have it.
For a gamepad to be compatible with the most popular games, it is better to choose models from well-known manufacturers – the developers optimize the game for the top devices faster.
With the Right Input Standard and Convenient Shape – For the Computer
Do not be blindly guided by the high price – first of all, a gamepad for PC should fit the operating system of the computer. This information is on the packaging, the manufacturer’s website and a reliable seller.
An important parameter is the API or Input Standard. PC gamepads can support one of two APIs – Direct-Input and X-Input – or both at the same time. The Direct-input standard requires each button to be configured separately for some action in the game – a feature that appeals to those who like to keep the process under control. With the X-input standard, the control buttons are set from the beginning – just plug and play.
Devices with both types of API are convenient if you have to share the gamepad with someone: one player adjusts the joystick to each game in a special way, the other one prefers not to waste time on it.
With a wired gamepad you don’t have to worry about charging like you do with your smartphone, but in this case the limitation is the cable length. With a wireless gamepad you can sit at a distance, but such a device is always heavier.
The point of a gamepad is ergonomics and compactness, so there is no need to choose the maximum number of buttons. The device doesn’t have to become a second keyboard – 10-12 buttons are enough to satisfy all your gaming needs.
Movable manipulators in the form of analog sticks are the main and integral advantage of a gamepad. They create a feeling of presence and help you keep the situation under control in shooters and other action games. You can feel the convenience of the sticks with your fingers – they should be smooth and precise.
A gamepad should be comfortable because vid gamers play for hours. Uncomfortable models literally after 2-3 hours of play cause blisters. You should hold your device before buying – it should not fall out of your hands, be too heavy, and creak when you press the buttons. The rubber grips prevent the gamepad from slipping out of your hands at the most important moments, the rough surface is comfortable for your palms.