Thrustmaster Eswap X Pro review – is the future of controllers modular?

Search, we exist. There are Computer players who desire a controller around a keyboard and mouse for the majority of game titles, significantly in titles like Rocket League or racing video games. The high-stop gamepad marketplace has received traction over the previous couple a long time, with customisation turning out to be a vital element as brand names compete for our sweaty paws. The newest brand to toss its hat into the ring is Thrustmaster, and its applicant, the Thrustmaster Eswap X Pro, is a $160 / £150 Xbox and Computer system-appropriate pad with a modular design. Could this make our checklist of the best Laptop controllers?

The standout function of the Eswap X Professional controller is its modular ecosystem, which Thrustmaster coins ‘T-MOD’ – this means the thumbsticks, D-pad, facet grips, and triggers can all be swapped to different positions, and with the additional order of color packs, you can also tweak alter the look of the controller.

Upon opening the box, I was pleasantly amazed with the develop good quality, experience just as solid as my trusty aged Xbox One controller. Included in the box is the 10-foot braided cable (which you will require to use as there is no wi-fi relationship in this article), a neat carrying bag, and a pair of substitution convex thumbsticks, reminiscent of people discovered on the outdated PS2 and PS3 controllers.

1st impressions can be deceiving as the Eswap X Pro originally seems like any other 3rd-social gathering controller on the current market, but it is received that modular trick up its sleeve.

Professionals:


Most customisable controller you’ll come across


Exceptional ergonomics


Major make top quality


Disadvantages:


No wireless connectivity solution


Buttons alternatively of paddles on the rear

style and design

Contrary to a ton of garish 3rd occasion sport controllers, the Eswap X Pro’s design is rather wise in its regular color plan, despite it searching wildly unique to the regular Xbox controller. Certain, it doesn’t scream ‘premium’ in quite the exact way as the Xbox Elite Sequence gamepad, but despite a couple of too several lines and edges, it is frequently understated.

If you are utilised to the conventional Xbox One particular controller then the greater size of the Eswap X Professional might make changing difficult, but if you have acquired big arms then it is a fantastic fit. If your arms are smaller, you might obtain the controller a very little also large – especially when trying to arrive at all around to the added programmable buttons on the rear.

You will also discover a headphone jack on the base with quantity and microphone controls, fantastic if you want to hook the most effective gaming headsets as a result of the controller.

When it arrives to the modular component of the pad, all parts can be swiftly swapped around by pulling on their magnetic attachments, bar the triggers, which can be taken out with the provided crosshead screwdriver. There’s no want to get worried about elements slipping off for the duration of gameplay nevertheless – the magnets are really sturdy, and I couldn’t see any way for these to be pulled loose accidentally while taking part in.

Thrustmaster despatched us above its blue colour pack, far too, which commonly fees £45 / $50, which include new thumbsticks, a D-pad, triggers, and aspect grips. To be trustworthy, I favor the sleek glimpse of the original bronze colours, but it’s strictly optional. The authentic magic listed here is that the modularity signifies if your thumbsticks put on out in a couple of several years time, you can give the pad a new lease of lifestyle by just obtaining a new thumbstick, alternatively than chucking out the controller you have used so substantially funds on.

You can swap the thumbsticks on the Elite Collection pad, also, but if you get a trouble like stick drift then usually the thumbstick housing is the real trouble and thanks to the Eswap X’s modular style you swap the total issue for a cleanse reset.

Heck, you could technically even swap out your D-pad for a third thumbstick, which, although becoming a neat occasion trick, is totally pointless. It would be wonderful to see a minor additional solutions in the accessory lineup, much too, like a disc-formed D-pad similar to the just one on the Xbox Elite Sequence.

efficiency

The wired-only link was a deliberate choice by Thrustmaster, in order to realize “near-zero response times”. Whilst, I can not say I have recognized any enter lag on my very own wireless controller, which I have been applying with my Pc for several years, and I missed the litter free of charge emotion of a wi-fi controller. Microsoft’s Xbox Elite Collection controller is promoted for aggressive gameplay way too, but nevertheless has the selection to hook up wirelessly. On the moreover aspect, there’s no way the removable cable will slide out during gameplay, with a locking mechanism for the cable and controller port. And you won’t at any time be fishing all around for a pair of AA batteries mid-clutch, like I’ve accomplished a lot more periods than I’m keen to confess.

I love the deal with buttons on this, which boast an exceptionally tactile, clicky truly feel that is a great deal more specific than the normal Xbox pad. They’re small-profile and give a gratifying and noticeable click considerably like you get on a quality mechanical keyboard change. They don’t just feel nice however, they assist out in combating video games like Avenue Fighter V, generating it certainly apparent when I’m hitting just about every enter and finally creating it easier to string combos collectively.

Flicking the two switches on the again of the controller halves the journey of the triggers, giving them a additional analogue, tactile experience. In FPS online games in which you do not require to modulate the quantity of trigger you are making use of, I did like owning that limited journey for aiming down sights and firing. Then, of system, it is a very simple flick back again to the entire result in journey that’s required in racing game titles like Forza Horizon four – no want to jump in and out of the program.

The thumbsticks on the Eswap X Professional are Thrusmaster’s own S5 NXG, which the organization also promises have double the lifespan of its earlier sticks. In comparison to a regular Xbox controller, the sticks really feel a lot smoother, and look to spring back again to the heart more aggressively.

The thumb grips themselves are really distinctive much too, but they still just can’t conquer the supreme comfort and ease and grip of those people on PlayStation’s DualShock four and DualSense controllers. The D-pad on the other hand, is just alright as opposed to the up to date dish-formed D-pad on the Xbox Collection X controller, which feels significantly better to use and is a third of the price tag.

Thrustmaster’s ThrustmapperX software program is used to tweak the pad, letting you customise two profiles for the controller that you can swap involving on-the-fly. In the computer software you can change vibration across the controller, increase useless zones for the triggers and thumbsticks – helpful if you run into drift a couple decades down the line – change the sensitivity of the thumbsticks, and remap controller buttons. I did not come across myself tweaking about in the software also substantially, however, as the pad felt quite a lot best out the box – and for the online games where by I wanted to alter sensitivity, I just transformed it in match.

You can also assign the 4 programmable rear buttons either through the integrated program, or with the mapping button on the controller itself. Thrustmaster has picked out not to go for actual physical paddles like we have viewed on most other pro stage controllers, opting for buttons alternatively, which feels like a bit of a skipped option when most other controllers in its price array have them – and there’s no alternative to get paddles as an incorporate-on, possibly.

Continue to, they carry out the same function, and the positive aspects of these programmable rear buttons actually come to be clear when actively playing shooters like Get in touch with of Obligation: Black Ops – Chilly War, letting me reload, leap, and swap weapons without having owning to depart the thumbsticks. They have just the appropriate amount of money of resistance to halt accidental presses, though however currently being straightforward to activate in a rapidly-paced shooter.

I also assigned the rear buttons in Forza Horizon four for changing gear, which feels a lot additional intuitive than employing the regular X and B buttons. You can switch amongst two distinctive mapping profiles with buttons on the controller, alternatively of having to start Thrustmaster’s mapping program just about every time you want to change, which is very hassle-free.

The Thrustmaster Eswap X Professional is a sound, top quality option if you want to enhance your Laptop gamepad. It ticks just about all the exact same packing containers as Microsoft’s Xbox Elite Sequence controller and Razer’s Wolverine Best at a very similar price level, but goes a stage more with it’s modular design permitting you exchange thumbsticks to get a several a lot more years out of your controller, and the ability to adopt both a PlayStation or Xbox thumbstick layout depending on your preference.

It is a disgrace that there is no way to use this wirelessly, specially offered the hefty price tag tag, so it is tricky to see this as a very good selection for dwelling area gaming. Smaller sized palms may possibly also battle with the dimensions maximize more than the typical Xbox pad and even Elite Collection controller. It’s undoubtedly a viable different to Microsoft’s premium pad, but if you like ergonomics and aesthetics then the Elite Collection is continue to the pad for you.