Nearly two years after the launch of the Xbox One, Microsoft has finally gotten around to releasing a USB dongle that allows for its controller to be used wirelessly with Windows PCs. So, is it finally time to step up to an Xbox One controller, or should you stick with what you have? While some outlets apparently started selling this $25 USB stick earlier this week, both Amazon and GameStop have the anticipated release date listed as October 27th. Regardless of the logistics, this long-awaited wireless adaptor is good news for PC gamers who are tired of being tethered to their towers with a USB cable. If you don’t already have a controller hooked up to your gaming PC, this is a sweet deal. But is it worth the hassle of upgrading if you already have a controller solution in place? Sadly, there isn’t a simple answer here — it depends heavily on your existing gear and what games you care about playing. That said, it’s safe to say that if you already went to the effort of configuring a DualShock 4 on your gaming PC, there’s no need to switch to this (THE TUTORIAL TO DO THIS CAN BE FOUND HERE http://www.xpgamesaves.com/topic/134635-tutorial-how-to-use-a-ps-4-controller-on-a-pc/). While both Sony and Microsoft’s latest controllers have flaws, they’re still top-notch solutions. And for most situations, they’re completely interchangeable. Throw the Xbox 360 controller into the mix, and things get a little bit more complicated. If you’re happy with what you have, and everything works as intended, you’re not missing out on much. While there were numerous improvements made between console generations, I actually prefer the sticks and bumpers on the 360 controller. But if you’re using a 360 controller, and the hellish D-pad is slowly making you lose your mind, the upgrade is well worth it. When it comes to titles that demand precision inputs (like fighting games and platformers), the newer D-pad is a massive improvement. If local multiplayer games are important to you, it’s almost certainly worth investing in this wireless adaptor. On a single device, it will support up to eight controllers, up to four “chat” headsets, and two stereo headsets. And since it sidesteps the issue of your controllers forming a rat king, it’s worth investing in simply to keep you from pulling out your hair. When purchased separately, you’ll be spending $60 for an Xbox One controller and $25 for the adaptor — $85 in total. But if you buy them bundled, you’ll only be paying $80. Keep in mind, the wireless adaptor only officially works under Windows 10. It’s certainly possible that third-party implementations will make their way to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 machines, but it won’t be a seamless experience like the Xbox 360 controller. And if you’re doing any significant gaming on OS X or Linux, you should stick with a 360 controller for the time being. Maybe someday the Steam controller will be worth its salt, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
