Controllers typically come in two configurations—the offset stick layout, notable on most Xbox controllers, or the symmetrical design found on PlayStation’s offerings like the DualSense. While mostly pure preference, which is better is an argument that dates all the way back to the 1900s. As one of the survivors, around since the beginnings of this great gaming civil war, one of the biggest issues with this argument is your preference for controller also often locks you into the corresponding console, unless you want to drop serious cash on something custom.

This is something Hyperkin’s The Competitor aims to fix, by offering symmetrical sticks for Xbox and PC at a much cheaper price than a PS5 controller. As a huge fan of their Duke (OG Xbox pad reboot) I have been very keen to check it out.

The Competitor comes in two colour options, a flat black and a black and white mix up that’s clearly there to evoke those PS5 DualSense aesthetics. The latter is the one I’ve been reviewing, and the way the colours surround the logo always makes me think it’s wearing some kind of Super-Hero outfit. It’s almost comedic parody but still fairly stylish. It has its super suit, but does that mean it’s the greatest good we are ever going to get? (An Incredibles reference to further show my withering corporeal form).

Coming in at around $57 USD, this controller means you forgo a few features, but it’s also surprising what Hyperkin has packed into this pad. Though if you look at the Australian pricing, which ranges from $85 to $120 dollerydoos depending on retailer, it almost feels subpar for the price. You can get something like the PowerA wireless Dragon controller here which has far more features, like extra programmable back buttons and a light up dragon on it, for the same price range.

It’s completely wired, so you can’t connect via Bluetooth or dongle, but comes with one of the longer USB Type-C (Controller) to Type-A cable (PC/Xbox) I’ve ever seen. It almost provides the freedom of wireless, and as a a bonus it, even matches the black and white styling at the connection points.

This means the controller is also fairly light. My scales have it at around 250 grams. The official weight is 234 grams. The lack of batteries to weigh it down, is noticeable when I act like my hands are scales for two controllers, but I can’t say I notice the difference when swapping between this and a standard wireless Xbox Controller for play.

It’s important to note this is far from a DualSense controller. It’s a fraction of the price, for starters, but it also has regular triggers and rather unremarkable and haptics. The triggers remind me a bit of older PlayStation controllers so still have a good feel, but they’re aren’t customisable and are fairly simple. The same goes for the rumble, which could use a little more heft to help me notice when I’m dying while hyper focused.

Something it does share with controllers above its pay grade are programmable back buttons. Because this controller is wired and designed to be plug-and-play the two back buttons which rest on the inner grips of the controller can all be programmed and disabled on the controller itself. No annoying software required. You are limited to which buttons they can mirror, but mapping the left to X and right to B has given me easily identifiable options. They’re also quite comfortable and I rarely find myself knocking them unintentionally, which is a problem I’ve had with other back buttons.

Hall effect sticks are a really considerate touch on a controller that comes in at under $60 USD. They’re smooth and bounce back to the centre with vigour. When I first started the textured rims of the sticks were very rough but they’ve since worn down, or my thumbs have worn up to tackle their surface. They work well for fast aiming in shooters like Doom Eternal and slower paced games like Baldur’s Gate 3, though the D-pad is still king for selecting enemies, and almost everything else in the latter.

The D-pad is also fairly competent but it’s far from my favourite. It feels so small under my thumb and raises at the far edges which gives an uncomfortable slide to the centre. I like being able to roll my thumb around and hit all the buttons, but it always feels a little harsh. It’s also quite pretty, having a transparent coating like the other face buttons, but my thumb has never been able to get an enjoyable feel on it.

Then face buttons are labelled with the Xbox configuration, but they also don’t quite feel right. There’s a lack of certainty when pushed as they have a slight smoosh to them. The bumpers are similar with that slightly delayed or soft touch push. I often set bumpers to dash and sometimes special while I attempt speed runs on Hades 2 and they don’t always fire as expected. I’ve even noticed my cast not actuating without being rather heavy on the B button. The main takeaway for me is my speeds are generally slower with the competitor than with a standard Xbox Wireless controller.

It’s great to have the option of a symmetrical stick layout that works so easily with pc and Xbox, and the Hyperkin Competitor delivers this at a fairly reasonable price point for those in the right region. For folks in the US you get a feature-full easy to use piece of kit that likely costs less than fueling up your car. Aussies on the other-hand could easily pick up something swankier at the same price, and probably get better Hades 2 speedrunning times for the option.