Most PC gamers would rather die than let you take away their mouse and keyboard. But for third-person action games, racing, or emulated retro games, gamepads may still be worth using. If your controller isn’t quite working properly, you can calibrate it in Windows 10 to make sure that every movement translates to your game with 100% accuracy.

Here we comparison the four most popular game controllers & explore which one is best for PC gaming. US links Sony DualShock 4 Controller: http://amzn.to/1Qe. 15 PC Games You Should Play With A Controller. Keyboard and mouse might be the old standards of the PC platform, but they're by no means the only way to game on a computer. Native support for Xbox.

Why Would I Need to Do This?

Although many gamepads, like the Xbox One or Xbox 360 controllers, are usually calibrated for gaming on a PC right out of the box, others may need you to calibrate them before the system recognizes all their movements with complete accuracy. For example, if you use a Nintendo 64 controller with a USB adapter, it will almost certainly need to be calibrated before you can use it.

In other cases, you may just have an old controller that needs a little help. For example, maybe you have a button that’s sticking and you aren’t sure just how much the computer is able to read from it on each press. Or perhaps your gamepad has a worn down thumbstick that doesn’t seem like it’s tilting as far as it could. The calibration tool can help you dial in your controller so it’s as accurate as it can be.

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We’ll be using an Xbox 360 controller for this guide, since that’s what we have, but it should work pretty much the same for any gamepad you plug in.

Open the Calibration Tool

To find the Calibration Tool, begin by going down to your Start Menu, and selecting “Settings”.

Once in Settings, click on the tab for “Devices”:

After the next window, scroll down to the link that reads “Devices and Printers” inside the “Printers and Scanners” tab, and click on it.

(You can also get here by going into Control Panel > Devices and Printers in all versions of Windows).

RELATED:Why You Should Get an Xbox Controller for PC Gaming

From here, the controller should pop up as long as it’s already connected. If not, make sure you have all the latest drivers installed for the controller of your choosing.

Find the controller, and right click it to bring up the following drop-down menu. From here, click on the option for “Game controller settings”.

After you click this, the following window should automatically pop up. From there, click on the “Properties” button.

The window that follows will contain two options: “Settings” and “Test”. To start, choose the Settings tab, and then click the button in this window that reads “Calibrate”.

From here, the Calibration Wizard will automatically begin taking you through the process to get your controller set up properly. (This window is also where you’ll find the button to “Reset to Default”, in case you want the tool to automatically reset any changes that were made during a previous calibration run.)

Calibrate Your Controller

Again, we’re using the Xbox 360 controller here, so you may see slightly different windows depending on your controller, but most of it should be very similar. Click Next to start the calibration.

The calibration tool will start off with the “D-Pad” calibration, which on the Xbox 360 controller is actually the left thumbstick. At first, it will ask you to leave the thumbstick alone so it can find the center point.

Let go of the thumbstick and click “Next”, at which point you’ll be taken to the next screen.

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Although it’s not necessary, we recommend selecting the “Display Raw Data” box, which will show you exactly where the resting point for the thumbstick is with quantifiable numbers. This data is valuable because it will tell you if either of your thumbsticks are starting to wear down due to overuse, and can help you to diagnose any reasons why your in-game accuracy might be slipping.

From here, swing the left thumbstick all the way around its full range of motion a few times. You should see the small cross hit all four corners in the box above, or at least touch all four sides of the box.

Next, you’ll run through the same set of tools for any “axes” on your controller. These could be pressure-sensitive buttons like the Xbox’s left and right triggers, thumbsticks, or they might just be regular buttons on some gamepads.

In our case, the Xbox 360 triggers are measured along the Z-axis, and should register anywhere from 100% (resting) to 200% (pulled down completely). The X-axis calibrates the Xbox’s right thumbstick for horizontal movement, so for that, you just need to pull the thumbstick all the way to the left and the right, and see if the full range of motion is being appropriately registered.

The same goes for the Y-axis (vertical movement). Swing it up and down, and as long as you see the numbers “0%”, and “100% at the extremes of both the top and the bottom of the thumbstick’s range of motion (as well as resting in the middle at 50%), your controller is properly calibrated. As you can see in the example above, the X-axis of my right thumbstick actually rests around 52%, the product of old age and a lot of intense rounds of Halo Online.

RELATED:How to Control the Windows Desktop With an Xbox or Steam Controller

Unfortunately, while the software side of calibration does help you to find out how well your controller is responding to your movements–and even course correct for a faulty thumbstick to an extent–the only hardware fix when it starts to get worn down like this is to head down to the store and pick up a new controller altogether. Or, if you’re feeling handy, you can buy parts like thumbsticks online and replace them yourself.

Once you’ve run through all four calibrations, you can click “Finish” to move on to the testing portion of the process.

Test the Calibration

Once the calibration process is finished, it’s time to test out the results. In the same window you started from (with the “Settings” and “Test” tabs), now you’re going to want to click on the “Test” tab.

From here, any movements or button presses you make will automatically appear on-screen. This is a good way to determine exactly how quickly the buttons are registering–if they’re registering at all–as well as making note of how close (or far away) the thumbstick is resting from an even 50% after you move it around a bit.

Once you’ve finished your tests, make sure to hit Apply before you close out the window, and you’re done!

Although most modern controllers will come calibrated out of the box to work flawlessly with Windows, it never hurts to go in and re-calibrate once every few months just to be sure you’re not missing any headshots due to a controller that’s out of whack.

Image Credits: Pexels

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Even though PC gamers (correctly) worship at the altar of the gaming mouse and gaming keyboard, for certain driving, flying, and 3rd-person games, some experiences are better played with a controller. And of course, controllers are also almost always better for Comfy Couch Gaming when your gaming PC is plugged into your gaming TV.What's more, unlike on consoles, PC controllers don't have to conform to a particular style or design, so choosing the right controller depends on what you're using it for. Some are loaded with customizable buttons, while others stick to a simpler design, and like any PC accessory, there are a lot of options to choose from. If you’re on the lookout for a new PC gaming controller, here are five solid choices to get you started.

TL;DR – These are the Best PC Controllers:

  • Steam Controller

1. Xbox One Controller

Best PC Controller

Xbox One Controller
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The Xbox One Controller is pretty much the de facto PC game controller. While it requires either a wired USB connection or Microsoft Xbox One Wireless Adapter for Windows, no other gamepad on this list is as fully PC compatible as the Xbox One Controller. In 99% of cases, you won't have to do any button mapping with games, as most just recognize this controller as if you were playing with an actual Xbox One S or Xbox One X.
Aside from its ease of use, the Xbox One is sized well and has good button placement that should make it a good option for most users no matter what sized hands they have. The triggers are also exceptional and it even has a good D-Pad for playing retro games.

2. Logitech F310

Best Budget PC Controller

Logitech Gamepad F310
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If you're a devout keyboard and mouse gamer who only imagines themselves very rarely using a gamepad, the Logitech F310 is a great option. It only costs $15, but it includes everything you need including dual joysticks, bumpers and triggers, four standard face buttons, and even an eight directional D-Pad.
Those short, nubby grips don't make for great ergonomics, but that shouldn't matter if you're only picking up a controller for short bursts to drive vehicles in games like Grand Theft Auto V or Battlefield V.

3. Astro C40

Most Customizable PC Controller

Astro C40 TR
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The Astro C40 TR (read our review) is the most customizable PC controller you can buy. Whether you want longer joysticks, a circular D-Pad, shorter trigger throws, different functions keyed to this controller's extra pair of underside buttons, the Astro C40 TR lets you do it all. But then it also lets you swap the position of the D-Pad and left joystick depending on whether you like the Xbox or PS4 layout better. The right thumbstick also sits on a removable module, which means you can replace three major components of the controller if they wear out.
Customizing the Astro C40 TR expands even further when you get the to software, which allows you to remap single button on the controller, tweak the sensitivity on the joysticks and triggers, tune the sound mix that comes through the 3.5mm audio jack, and even shift the balance of rumble on the left and right sides of the controller.

4. Sony DualShock 4

Best Bluetooth PC Controller

DualShock 4
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The Sony DualShock 4 works beautifully with gaming PC over Bluetooth. While you probably won't need an extra dongle—and if you do, the dedicated DualShock 4 USB Wireless Adaptor or any Bluetooth Adapter will work—to connect this controller to your computer, you will need to run an extra bit of software called DS4Windows. Once installed and you've done a little button mapping, you'll be all set.
The beauty of using a DualShock 4 with your PC is you not only get the usual gamepad controls, but you can also take advantage of its gyroscopes to add motion controls. You can even choose to add the touchpad into your control scheme if you so choose.

5. Xbox Elite Controller

The Step Up Option

Xbox Elite Controller
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If you're interested in just some customizability and two pairs of extra buttons, the Xbox Elite controller is for you. Setting up this premium Xbox controller is just as easy as it is with the regular version. But then, the Xbox Elite Controller gives you a few extra options such as longer joysticks, shortening trigger pulls, and changing out the regular D-Pad for a faceted one.
The Xbox Elite Controller also adds a step up in quality build over the regular Xbox One controller while featuring a rubberized diamond grip. While I wholeheartedly recommend this controller, you should know the much improved Xbox One Elite 2 controller will release later this year on November 4.

6. Steam Controller

Bringing the Touchpad to Controllers

Steam Controller
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The Steam Link might have been another hardware failure from Valve, but the Steam Controller is still great. It's certainly unique among the various PC gamepad as it utilizes two touchpads instead of joysticks. While these two round touch surfaces will act like thumbsticks when swiped, they can also act like a mouse allowing you to click and drag a box over units in an RTS game or place objects in games like The Sims 4.
The Steam Controller unique control inputs add a lot of extra functionality to give you more customize how you play PC games. What's more, you can even download or share control mappings with the Steam community.

7. Razer Wolverine Ultimate

Best PC Controller for FPS Games

Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition
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Pc Game Controllers Ps4

While all the controllers so far have focused on bringing console controls to the PC, the Razer Wolverine Ultimate manages to bring some PC control to game controllers. The Razer Wolverine Ultimate features four underside buttons that are designed to act like a sniper button or DPI switch for gaming mice. Depending on which of these bottom buttons are engaged, the controller can increase or decrease the sensitivity of the joysticks for faster camera panning or carefully centering your target.
The Wolverine Ultimate also gives gamers an extra pair of bumpers, plus swappable thumbsticks and D-Pads. Perhaps what I like about Razer's gamepad is it features some of the clickiest buttons I've seen on a controller, which makes it feel more like I'm playing with a gaming mouse than a controller.

8. SteelSeries Stratus Duo

Ready to Go Out of the Box

SteelSeries Stratus Duo
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The SteelSeries Stratus Duo (read our review) might seem like a controller made specifically for mobile and VR headsets, but it's also a solid option for gaming PCs. For $60 this wireless gamepad comes with its own 2.4GHz dongle included and it even has a built-in battery that's rated for 20 hours of gameplay.
WIndows 10 also automatically recognizes the Stratus Duo as an Xbox controller, which means you don't need to remap any buttons. The only thing this controller lacks is rumble, but if you don't mind the missing haptic feedback, the SteelSeries Stratus Duo is a great controller you can use with a lot of other devices.

9. 8Bitdo Sn30 Pro

Best PC Controller for Retro Games

8Bitdo SN30 Pro
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Pc Game Controllers Reddit

  • UK readers: See it on Amazon (UK)
Playing retro games basically demands an old-school controller and 8Bitdo is one of the best companies making them these days. The 8Bitdo Sn30 Pro is the company's best and most well-rounded controller that takes after both the classic SNES and Wii Classic controller. Between the cross-shaped D-Pad and four traditional face buttons, you should feel right at home playing Secret of Mana or any retro game available legally on the PC. Meanwhile, the 8Bitdo Sn30 Pro's pair of joysticks and triggers will let you play any games from the PlayStation-N64 era as well.

10. Switch Pro Controller

Let's a Go with Nintendo's Controller

Switch Pro Controller
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The Switch Pro Controller is one of the best controllers ever made, and now you can bring that greatness to the PC. Like the DualShock 4, getting this controller to work the PC is easy with a wired connection, but going wireless requires a few hoops to jump through.
Good news is once you've got it paired properly over Blueooth, Steam will automically recognize it as an Xbox One controller with all the button mapping done for you. However, if you're playing games outside of Steam, you're going to need 8BitDo Wireless USB Adapter to make the Switch Pro Controller act like an Xbox One gamepad.

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Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam