Hyperkin Competitor pro wired controller review – bringing the comfort of DualSense to PC and Xbox
Hyperkin provides players with a more PlayStation-orientated solution for those on Xbox who want to mimic the ergonomics of the PS5's DualSense.
Xbox players who want to swap out the standard gamepad's qualities for something a lot more akin to the DualSense experience on PS5 will absolutely want to check out Hyperkin's new Competitor controller.
For all the Xbox eco-system’s faults and flaws (especially given recent events) the one thing most players seem to agree upon is that the controller is great. Evolving all the way back from the original Xbox console’s Duke, the Xbox Series X|S controller’s offset analogue sticks, firm grips, and responsive triggers make for an incredibly solid gamepad design that PlayStation, for the most part, always seems to have trouble rivalling.
It seems a bit weird, then, for third-party manufacturer Hyperkin not to want to try and even perfect it but instead remove most of these design principles outright. They’re replaced in favour of something more reminiscent of the PS5’s DualSense controller.
That’s exactly the remit behind Hyperkin’s remit with the Competitor. And better yet, it’s not even trying to hide it. Complete with translucent face buttons, a symmetrical analogue stick layout, and more miniscule Start and Options buttons Hyperkin has, in effect, copied PlayStation’s homework for its latest controller.
Sure, there are a few bonus features thrown in for good measure skewed towards pro-level players. However, if you want to enjoy a more PS5-orientated ergonomic play experience on your PC and Xbox console, this is very much the ideal solution.
Hyperkin Competitor controller design
Getting right to the design of the Competitor, and there are times where I really have to double take to make sure it isn’t a legit DualSense controller. I was sent the standard colourway for this review, and the slick combination of white and black tones is enough to fool anyone this is a gamepad made in-house by PlayStation.
Look closer, though, and the slight design differences make themselves known. The standard PlayStation symbols are replaced with Xbox’s X, Y, A, and B buttons, for example while the DualSense’s large touchpad face button is replaced with a smart-looking Xbox button. Delving deeper, the Competitor's D-pad is separated, making for a different feel to the Xbox controller's solid layout.
None of these slight differences ruin what has been the clear underlying goal here: to look and feel like a PS5 DualSense controller as much as possible. Even the form factor and materials used for the analogue sticks have that slight sense of roughness you’d find with the PS5’s controller.
Honestly, if you blindfolded me and put it into my hands, for the first minute or so I likely wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Assessing the Competitor’s design, let alone critique it, proves a tricky task then. It’s wildly derivative, but that is because it’s supposed to be. Job done, I suppose.
Hyperkin Competitor controller features
Features-wise, the Competitor both has more and less going on than the gamepad that inspired it. In terms of the latter, this is a pro controller that is only able to be used wired capacity, removing a major appeal of both the standard DualSense and Xbox Series X|S controller for a lot of casual players. The benefit to this, of course, as Hyperkin will tell you is that it removes any chance of lag or latency. This may be true, but it still feels like a bit of an oversight.
In more good news, the Hyperkin pulls out all the stops in terms of reliability. This is most seen through the use of Hall Effect thumb sticks, which almost guarantees that stick drift isn’t something players will need to worry about.
Similarly, the use of Impulse triggers gives hitting the LT and RT buttons a great sense of feedback without any sponginess. In shooters like Call of Duty and Battlefield it feels good to aim down sights and then unleash a clip, truly letting the Competitor live up to its name.
A final shoutout should also go out to the customisable back buttons located on the Competitor’s back. True, this is something that’s expected on pretty much all third-party controllers by this point, but it’s still nice to have them there. Especially since they don’t get in the way when gripping the gamepad harshly.
I also really appreciated the ability to lock them into place when not in use via separate nub switches on the back. Overall, in terms of features, the Competitor delivers in a way that doesn’t surprise – outside of the lack of wireless functionality, anyway.
Hyperkin Competitor controller performance
The performance of the Competitor is largely expected, with button inputs feeling responsive and reliable during the five or so hours I put it through its paces. Being wired you would expect very little latency or lag and this proved to be the case when playing through games such as Little Nightmares 3 and Ball x Pit.
Remapping the back buttons to your preferred input is also a straightforward process. I never failed to get the controller to recognise on either my Xbox Series X console or PC either. Overall, the Hyperkin Competitor controller delivers smooth and reliable performance, akin to the first-party gamepads both PlayStation and Xbox offer.
Just a quick word on price, the Competitor is unironically fairly competitive when placed up against both the legitimate DualSense and Xbox Series X controller. At just £39.99 / $49.99 it's actually undercuts what the first-party platforms are offering, especially their respective 'Pro' options. True, you do sacrifice the luxury of wireless play, but considering the Competitor's Hall Effect and textured features, it's a pretty good trade off.
Overall thoughts on the Hyperkin Competitor controller
The Hyperkin Competitor controller is a third-party gamepad option that sets out what it wants to do, for the most part. It aims to look, play, and handle like a PS5 DualSense controller and ticks almost every required box in the process. Sadly, wireless play is a luxury you won’t find here in this instance, but this drawback is mostly made up for by the inclusion of Hall Effect thumb sticks, Impulse triggers, and a pair of non-invasive customisable buttons neatly tucked away on the back.
I do find myself questioning who the controller might be for. Because while it plays absolutely flawlessly and succeeds in bringing a more PS5 flavoured play experience to PC, so too does a standard DualSense controller.
In this sense, that only leaves its core user base as Xbox Series X|S players who don’t particularly like using an Xbox controller. But these are a rare breed. All that said, if you want to treat your Xbox more like a PS5 – although without the first-party PlayStation games to match – the Hyperkin Competitor is a successful experiment in copying PlayStation’s blueprint.
Rating: 4/5