So I like to use Xbox controllers (doesn't matter if it's first- or third-party) because I like the layout, it's just comfortable to me. However I've noticed that on all my controllers in the past few years, the left thumb stick will start to "give out" over the course of a couple months. For instance I'll be pushing it forward all the way, but it won't register for some reason and my character will only move a little bit. Sometimes wiggling it a bit will fix it, sometimes it doesn't. And it's not like I'm squeezing the hell out of the controller or mashing the stick constantly; in fact it's made me try to be more delicate with my controllers, even though I'm just playing the games normally.

Is it just how controllers are, or am I just getting the shit end of the stick?

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[–] Maven@lemmy.sdf.org 38 points 4 months ago (12 children)

The solution to stick drift is buying controllers with Hall Effect joysticks; drift is caused by plastic parts literally grinding down and potentiometers wearing out. Hall Effect sticks don't make contact, so they don't have this issue. Since you like the Xbox layout, 8BitDo's Ultimate controller could be a good third-party option for you.

[–] Gordon@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Do you know if the L2 and R2 use hall effect as well?

I play a lot of racing games, and I find that that L2 especially wears out prematurely on Xbox controllers.

Oddly I don't have any problems with stick drift, just the L2 and R2 buttons become erratic.

[–] Maven@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I don't know, but I suspect they'd've advertised it if that's the case.

For what it's worth though, I've been using an 8bitdo Pro (the predecessor to the Ultimate) daily since early 2020, including a lot of Splatoon (a game with a lot of holding and mashing of both triggers), and the triggers haven't gotten the least bit soft or drifty, and (according to the Windows controller config screen, at least) still smoothly pull through the full analogue range. So they're doing something good, anyway.

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