Review: Hyperkin The Competitor Controller

There's an odd quirk about the Xbox controller. Its general layout is so successful that it has not only gone essentially unchanged since the very first generation of the console, it effectively became the de facto design for game pads across the industry. Despite that ubiquity, it's sometimes hard for Xbox players to look at the likes of the PlayStation 5’s sleek, monochrome, symmetrical DualSense controller and not feel the tiniest pang of envy. What does it take to get that elegant design approach on Microsoft's monolith?

The answer, for some, will be Hyperkin's cheekily named The Competitor. Compatible with Xbox consoles and PCs, it adds some functional upgrades to the default Xbox pad while gently rearranging its inputs to mimic Sony's current-gen controller, all while borrowing its aesthetic for good measure.

Cribbing Notes

This is hardly Hyperkin's first somewhat ...