When people think of gaming, they typically think of a keyboard, mouse, and computer screen. There is a whole other way to play video games however, and this is on consoles such as the Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. Unlike the computer, these consoles don’t use a keyboard and each of them use a different and unique controller, and not all controllers are created equal.

The Xbox Wireless Controller was released alongside the Xbox Series X/S on November 10, 2020. It boasts an impressive 40 hours of average battery life, an unique hybrid d-pad, and backward compatibility with older consoles. It doesn’t feel much different from past Xbox controllers, but it overall feels more refined and polished. The total cost of this controller comes out to $60.

The DualSense controller was released alongside the Playstation 5 on November 12, 2020. While it only has a measly 10 hours of average battery life, it makes up for it in the sheer number of features and quirks. With a built-in microphone, gyroscope, speakers, and adaptive triggers. Unfortunately, all of these features come at a cost; a $70 cost in fact, $10 above all of it’s competition.

The Nintendo Pro Controller was released on March 3, 2017, making it the oldest of the newer generation of controllers. Even though it’s the oldest, it still has an outstanding battery life of 40 hours. It is pretty plain, but it does have some features, such as a built-in NFC reader and a gyroscope. The price is listed at a reasonable $60.

The Nintendo Joy-Cons were released at the same time as the Pro Controller, on March 3, 2017. Even though they were released at the same time, the two are very different. The Joy-Cons have only half of the average battery life of the Pro Controller, sitting at around 20 hours. However, the Joy-Cons are the most unique out of all of the controllers, due to its ability to split into two different controllers. The Joy-Cons also have a NFC reader, gyroscope, and advanced motion controls. But alongside all of these perks come a crushing amount of flaws. The Joy-Cons are very susceptible to the malfunction dubbed as “Joy-Con drift,” which is when the control stick is permanently drifting to one direction, without the player touching it. And while the Joy-Cons are the perfect size for children, the buttons are way too small to use comfortably with bigger hands. As for the price, the Joy-Cons are listed at $60.

With all of these amazing controllers, one can’t help but to ask the question: which one is the best? It really all depends on what you want in a controller. If you aren’t too serious about games and are just looking for some quick fun, then the Joy-Cons will definitely work for you, but if you want a comfortable, familiar controller, then you’ll probably want the Xbox Wireless Controller. The two most alike controllers are probably the Xbox Controller and the Nintendo Pro Controller, with their button size and joystick placement being very similar. The Dualsense does however have a huge difference from the aforementioned controllers; that being that the d-pad and the left joystick swap locations completely, forcing you to hold the controller near the bottom.

All of these controllers have their perks, but my personal favorite would probably be the Xbox Wireless Controller. It just feels so comfortable in your hands, and the adaptive triggers make it feel incredibly precise and practical. For my second favorite, I would probably choose the Dualsense controller, primarily due to it’s built-in speakers and microphone, and the multitude of other unique features that no other controllers have. For my third choice, I would have the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. I don’t dislike it, but it just feels like an average controller with no special features to set it apart. My least favorite is easily the Joy-Cons. They feel so tacky and small, and are way too expensive for how easy they are to break.