It's been a busy first half of 2025 in the controller world. As the resident controller reviewer here at GamesRadar+ I've been up to my eyeballs in review samples - so much so that I've reviewed 12 pro controllers since January. With so many sets of buttons out there to choose from, shopping during Prime Day can get tricky. How do you know which will suit your hands? How do you know which is the best PC controller for you?
I'm going to try and make things easy for you. I've searched through all of the Prime Day controller deals I can find at Amazon, and I've found my five personal favorites. It should be no surprise that some of the latest and greatest controllers I've reviewed this year haven't made the cut - these are mostly brand new and probably won't see discounts until later in the year. However, there are a few I've reviewed from 2025 that aren't afraid to get their hands dirty, including the GameSir Tarantula, which is only $59.99 at Amazon.
The Manba One is - one - of the best controllers I've reviewed in 2025. It bucks a trend that bothers me about a lot of modern pro controllers. It has a screen on it so you can customize its various features. Usually, that ends up feeling half-baked and more of a gimmick than anything else, but the Manba isn't afraid to make its screen a larger design element so that it can actually, y'know, be useful and easy to navigate. I had a great time using this controller, it's one I'd highly recommend down at this price, and it's four back buttons give it so much versatility when it comes to competitive multiplayer games.
✅ Good for: Players who want four back buttons, and those who don't want to use annoying PC apps to get the most out of their controller.
❌ Not so good for: Those gamers who want a premium-feeling product. There's a fairly plastic build here, which seems stable enough, but hardly up there with the biggest brands.
🎮Plays with: PC, Nintendo Switch
I was always a big fan of the DualShock 4 from the PS4 days. Although it wasn't anything special compared to the pro controllers that launched during that era, it was always supremely comfortable, and remedied the tiny grips of the previous PlayStation controllers so that your pinkies actually fit on it - imagine that!
The GameSir Tarantula Pro carries on its legacy, using the exact same dimensions and comfort while moving it forward into this era of gaming. There are two back buttons, TMR thumbsticks, loads of extra mappable face buttons, and a whole lot of comfort.
✅ Good for: PlayStation fans looking for a PC controller, those who only need two back buttons, and gamers who want a comfortable controller.
❌ Not so good for: Players who love an Xbox / asymmetrical layout.
🎮Plays with: Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PC
My good friend and trusted freelancer Fraser Porter reviewed this controller for us, awarding it a perfect five-star score. Having played with PowerA controllers before, I thought it might be pretty great, but Fraser's review made me seek one out for myself and test it. He wasn't kidding.
There are some amazing controllers out there this year with four buttons on their backs, but few provide better value than the PowerA Fusion Pro Wireless. Its twisty thumbsticks adjust their height with just one turn in either direction, and that's a standout feature. Its ghost RGB looks stunning, and even turned Fraser (who isn't a fan of RGB) into an RGB-eliever.
✅ Good for: Players who need four back paddles, and those who like RGB
❌ Not so good for: People who only want a basic controller
🎮Plays with: Xbox and PC
I think the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro has flown under the radar of a lot of PS5 players, which is a real shame. This controller takes up the flag of the Revolution Unlimited, a PS4 controller that was probably, looking back, the best PS4 controller of its time. The Revolution 5 Pro arrived a little later than the Victrix Pro BFG, the DualSense Edge, and the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro, and thus it didn't feel like it made a massive impact. Its price has dropped more often than not, but it's honestly the underdog of the PS5 market right now.
I just reviewed the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited, a new and improved version of it, but it reminded me how great this pad actually is. If it had a bit more modularity (ie, if you could take more of it apart and put it back together in ways that suited you), it'd be right up there with the very best available.
✅ Good for: Players who like a larger controller, and those who need four back buttons.
❌ Not so good for: Gamers with smaller hands
🎮Plays with: PS5 and PC
I would go so far as to say there has never been a better controller than the Victrix Pro BFG, or the Victrix Pro BFG for Xbox. Are these a little less premium-feeling than some of the newer pro controllers that have dropped this year? Sure. But their modular designs are still second to absolutely nothing else in the market. These are pro controllers you can cater to you and the games you play, and that's gold dust because everyone's hands are very individual to them, and so are the ways we all grip controllers.
The four back buttons on these controllers are probably the best of any I've tested. The rubberized grips add comfort to what are actually quite angular grip shapes. The Xbox version honestly might be the better deal here, and since it has rumble for additional feedback, it's probably better value. Still, that's for you and your platform of choice to decide.
✅ Good for: People who want a competitive controller that's extremely versatile
❌ Not so good for: Folks who want a comfortable controller who don't care too much about back buttons.
🎮Plays with: Xbox, PlayStation, and PC (just buy the right version for your platform)
Prime Day doesn't end here. Check out some Prime Day Kindle deals next, or Prime Day PC deals, and Prime Day Meta Quest deals.
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