Hyperkin’s The Competitor controller review: A solid corded entry for Xbox gaming

Gaming Writer

Publish Date: December 2, 2025

After a very long wait, one of the most highly anticipated new controllers, The Competitor, is available now. The latest offering from Hyperking aims to be good in many ways and keep the price low by not using wireless tech. It’s great for Xbox, PC, and cloud gaming, giving gamers a solid, if not totally amazing, corded option for their gaming sessions. Team Overlord sent Jaxon a review sample, and here’s how I experienced the controller.

Hyperkin’s The Competitor pros

While I have long been an Xbox player, only getting a PlayStation just a couple of years ago, I much prefer the shape and the feel of the PlayStation-style controller to any Xbox controller. Right off the bat, the best thing about this particular Xbox controller is that it’s very much like the PS5 one. It’s shaped the same way, and it has a very similar feel. The button layout is really stellar, and it feels great in the hands.

The buttons proved to be lag-free, which we suspect will make it especially good for competitive gaming. The more intense the gaming, the more players might be drawn to this controller.

It comes with replaceable joystick caps, which is a huge bonus. Stick drift can be annoying, as can the wear and tear that those pieces of the controller inevitably get. Have any controller long enough, and the joysticks will quickly get worn down. This extends the life of the controller by a good amount since the most-used buttons can easily be replaced.

Depending on what type of controller players have, replacing the joysticks can cost up to $115, so we recommend this for the simple reason that at least one repair is of no extra cost.

Hyperkin’s The Competitor also has two buttons on the back that you can customize for certain options when gaming. I was playing Hollow Knight: Silksong on Xbox with it, and the buttons were for bind and jump, which made it a lot easier to move around and dodge. It doesn’t have a ton of customization options like an Xbox Pro Controller, but it’s a step up from the standard device.

Controller cons

Team Overload

As mentioned, this is a corded controller, and those mostly pale in comparison to cordless controllers. It’s nice not to have to replace batteries or charge the remote up, but players do need to keep it connected, which is a bit restrictive. The cord is quite long, which is a bonus, but it’s still not feasible to be too far from the console itself. The cable is removable, but only for storage or travel. Players cannot disconnect the controller and still play. This is a benefit for competitive gaming, but any casual gamers will be restricted there.

And since it has no battery inside, players may notice that it feels too light, like I did. I enjoy a bit of weightiness to my controllers, which is why the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller has been one of my all-time favorites. Too light is certainly better than too bulky, but it’s still not quite ideal.

Furthermore, many players may come away frustrated with the triggers and bumpers. The standard Xbox controller has a nice click when using those buttons. The click is not really present here, so it sometimes feels like the buttons are not being pressed at all. It was a little awkward, and since the right trigger is a button I use quite often in Silksong, it was something that really stood out.

The PlayStation 5 controller and Nintendo Switch Pro Controller also have that problem, so it’s more of a personal preference, but when it comes to Xbox gaming, the bumpers and triggers feel better on the standard controller.

The color scheme here is also a little disappointing. White and black are common for controllers, but that means this one fails to stand out. Players can purchase the all-black version, which is a little better. There’s also going to be a blue and a gold option in the future, but they’re not available yet.

Price evaluation

$49.99 for a versatile controller is not bad, so players may find it worthwhile to invest. However, some of the standard corded controllers for Xbox or PC are much cheaper. Gamers do get a few bells and whistles, but I’m not sure they’re quite good enough to justify the hike in price, especially with it being a standard white and black controller.

Final Verdict

While there are some nits to pick here, Hyperkin’s The Competitor controller does enough to warrant a purchase. It’s not a horrible price, adds a few useful features, and allows Xbox players to use a controller with a better layout. Plus, it’s versatile, has a really long cord for spacing, and comes with a couple of key replacement features. It’s not perfect, but it’ll make for a solid entry to any player’s gaming tech stash.