The Best Third-Party PS5 Controller, According To Gamers

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Gaming on Windows is cool, but there are countless things you need to know before building a PC — including the ridiculous pricing of certain components right now. Consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, on the other hand, are ideal if you're looking for a more affordable and easier entry into gaming. It also helps that they ship with game controllers — which is inarguably a more relaxed way of enjoying games when you're planted comfortably on your couch.

Specifically, the PlayStation 5 DualSense is one of the best game controllers money can buy. It comes with a touchpad, thumbsticks that are symmetrically aligned, and adaptive triggers that provide resistance when pressed. It also comes with a built-in microphone and speaker, so you can start talking in-game without plugging in an external headset. Despite all the praise, the DualSense controller isn't devoid of complaints. Users have reported lackluster battery life and stick drift — both being problems that can break the gaming experience.

Fortunately, you aren't restricted to using Sony's in-house controllers with your PlayStation console. There is a decent selection of third-party controllers for the PS5 that rival, and sometimes even beat, the DualSense controller. Based on feedback provided by gamers and reviews from experts in the industry, the PDP Victrix Pro BFG and the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro are popular picks for several reasons.

The PDP Victrix Pro BFG is a pick that is regularly recommended by gamers in forum posts. Though it doesn't ship with Hall effect thumbsticks out of the box, you can buy them as an add-on replacement part. It features wireless connectivity through a dongle, but can also be connected via a Type-C cable.

CNET called the PDP Victrix Pro BFG the best pro controller they've ever used, praising its ergonomics, battery life, and customization options. You can swap out not just the D-pad and sticks, but also replace the X, Y, A, and B buttons that sit together on a different module. At the top, near the L2 trigger, is a three-way switch that lets you switch platforms between PS4, PS5, and PC. You can download the companion app on Windows to remap the controller's buttons and diagnose stick drift issues.

That said, at $200, the PDP Victrix Pro BFG is considerably more expensive than a regular DualSense wireless controller, and is priced the same as the feature-heavy DualSense Edge. Though its premium build and rich customization support make it worth its asking price, you do lose out on the cool haptics and adaptive triggers that Sony's first-party controllers offer. This may not seem like much of a loss on paper, but haptic feedback adds noticeable oomph to the overall gaming experience.

The Nacon Revolution 5 Pro is one of the three officially licensed wireless controllers by Sony — the PDP Victrix Pro BFG and the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro being the other two. It features an asymmetrical thumbstick design and boasts a feature that automatically puts it ahead of the competition — Hall effect thumbsticks. With the technology built in, you don't need to spend extra for an aftermarket modification.

It comes in a handful of colorways and ships with a toolkit in the box, which lets you customize the thumbstick sizes, caps, and replace the D-pads. The controller is compatible with the PS4, PS5, and PC and connects to your device via a wireless adapter. You also get a 3m-long cable for lower latency gameplay. Like other pro controllers, the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro is priced at $200, despite lacking adaptive triggers and haptic feedback.

The Nacon Revolution 5 Pro made it to IGN's best PS5 controllers list, being praised for its customization options and accurate thumbsticks. It is also a popular recommendation by gamers on forum posts. That said, there have been complaints about Nacon's poor after-sales service when the controller started acting up. GamesRadar gave the controller a score of 4/5 and highlighted its comfortable design and rich feature set.

Anyone who is even moderately engrossed in the game controller discussion knows that it's really difficult to find one that's outright better than the DualSense controller that Sony sells. Being first-party helps, but the availability of features like haptics and adaptive triggers puts it automatically ahead of most third-party wireless controllers. So, if you're looking for a controller from a different brand, it's assumed that you are okay with losing these quality-of-life features.

Some of the better third-party controllers also don't come cheap — both picks we've mentioned are priced noticeably higher than the base DualSense controller. However, you do get much better customization support, which is always nice to have for something as personal as a game controller. To make selections for this read, we referred to feedback from real users and reviews from reputable publications such as IGN, CNET, and GamesRadar.