Introduction
E3 2015 is well under way and has already showcased plenty of PC and console controllers for gamers to get to grips with.
Peripherals are no longer dull slabs of black plastic; as Microsoft's new Xbox Elite controller shows, some can be exciting slabs of black plastic too. Others even add a splash of colour: Razer's new Mamba gaming mouse, for example, helps you blow away enemies with pinpoint precision while emitting every colour of the rainbow. Cute.
And if Final Fantasy VII fans aren't still weeping with joy over the prospect of a PS4 remake, Sony's retro-themed 20th Annivairsary controller (pictured above) is sure to open the floodgates.
Click on for our rundown of the best controllers from E3 2015.
1. Xbox Elite controller
It's rare for a controller to almost steal the limelight at E3, but Microsoft's customisable Xbox Elite controller came pretty close. Looking like something that Mortal Kombat's Cyber Smoke would use to execute fatalities, the Xbox One and Windows 10-compatible pad comes with two pairs of paddle switches on the reverse, along with a host of extra precision functions for the triggers, analogue sticks and a crystal-like D-Pad. Nearly everything on it is tweakable and swappable - from the trigger's actuation levels to the thumbsticks themselves. The PS4's DualShock 4 controller finally has a contender.
2. Hori FPS Plus
The PS4's DualShock 4 controller is one of the more popular console pads out there, but not everyone appreciates its symmetrical analogue stick placement. Japanese peripherals company Hori is looking to reel them in with its Xbox-style Horipad FPS Plus controller, which takes the Xbox One pad's stick layout and mashes a PS4 touchpad in the middle. As its name suggests, the Horipad is designed for shooters and comes with three levels stick sensitivity. It looks like a bit of a frankenpad from early promo shots, but PS-owning shooter fans hankering for Xbox-style thumb placement could find lots to like.
3. Razer Mamba
Razor has refreshed its popular Mamba gaming mouse with Chroma Lighting and a 5G, 16,000 DPI sensor that's geared for multiple displays and 4K monitors. It's wireless too and can run for around 20 hours before needing to be put back in its charging dock. Chroma Lighting means that it can display 16.8 million different colours, which should make for an attractive light show when paired with one of the company's Razer BlackWidow Chroma keyboards.
4. BenQ XR3501
Curved PC monitors usually allow for slightly more immersive gaming compared to their flat counterparts, but BenQ's 34-inch XR3501 promises to make a real difference when it comes to racing titles. That's because it has a 200R curvature, lending it once of the widest curves around, which is especially pronounced due to its 21:9 "cinematic" aspect ratio. Placing three of these 2,560 x 1,080 panels side-by-side and firing up Project Cars or Assetto Corsa is bound to rev petrol heads' engines - especially if they have a meaty graphics card to get the most of the XR3501's fast 144Hz refresh rate.
5. Steelseries Stratus XL
Last year SteelSeries launched the Stratus iOS game controller, which was a great option for lag-free gaming but proved a mite too small for our bear-sized paws. The company appears to have listened to complaints with the new Stratus XL Wireless Gaming Controller for Windows and Android, which is closer to an Xbox One controller in size. It features two top shoulder buttons and two rear triggers, an 8-way D-pad, two clickable analogue joysticks and four LEDs for player indicator and battery status level.
6. Nyko Type Pad
If you use your Xbox One to browse the internet, or simply hate punching in letters and numbers using a controller's thumbsticks, the Type Pad could be the accessory for you. Effectively a QWERTY keyboard that connects to the bottom of Microsoft's controller, it comes with a rechargable battery, a pass-through headphone jack and a built-in speaker. Watch out for it in late 2015, when it'll ship with an MSRP of $29.99 (around £19, or AUS$ 39) - $34.99 (around $x - £22.20 - $45.60).
