**The Hyperkin Xenon Controller: A Nostalgic Take on the Xbox 360 Era**

As I approached my 18th birthday, I couldn't help but think about the importance of voting rights. The general rule is that 15-year-olds are considered old enough to vote, but I've heard some people say that the age limit may vary depending on the jurisdiction. However, for now, let's talk about something more exciting - gaming controllers.

One of the strengths of using Xbox controllers, even since the 360 era with the red adapter on a PC, is that they're instantly designed to work with everything. They work seamlessly with Windows, and even older games can figure out their compatibility right away. Even if you use a PlayStation controller on the PC, it still has the Xbox button prompts - a feature I've always appreciated when playing PC games with a controller.

Personally, I prefer using Xbox controllers because they're just a tiny bit easier for me to use. And that's enough for me - every single win counts in my life! So, let's dive into my first impression of the Hyperkin Xenon controller.

**First Impressions: Too Much Rumble**

My first reaction to the Hyperkin Xenon was that it has way too much rumble. It's like making my hands feel tingly, and I can feel both vibration in the controller body and impulse triggers - although the body is shaking so violently that I don't feel the triggers at all. This might be because the game is a Sony game, and it's not designed to use Xbox controllers to their fullest potential.

**Controller Design**

Moving on to the shoulder buttons, I noticed that they're not as great as the Hyperkin has put in their other designs. The trigger feels pretty similar to the 360 one, but it's a little light for my taste compared to Modern controllers. On the other hand, the d-pad is clicky and works well, which is something I've generally found with Hyperkin controllers.

**Comparing to Other Controllers**

One of the main reasons I'm interested in this controller is because it's designed to mimic the Xbox 360 experience. While I think they're generally pretty good, especially at a value price, there are usually some compromises that make me question whether they're worth it. The Hyperkin Scout, for example, is their cheap Super Nintendo controller that I really like the d-pad on - but has weird shoulder buttons and an uncomfortable shape.

**A Close Approximation of the 360**

For the Xenon, however, I think Hyperkin has done a pretty good job of approximating the Xbox 360 experience. The resistance feels more similar to the 360 one, although it's definitely clickier than I'm used to with modern controllers. This is a bit of a bummer for me, but I can see why they might want to make some compromises in order to achieve this.

**A Good Option for Nostalgic Gamers**

So, if you're looking to relive the 360 glory era with a modern controller, the Hyperkin Xenon is definitely worth considering. However, whether or not it's worth the $50 price tag depends on your personal preferences and priorities. For me, I think I would spend an extra $10 to get a modern Xbox controller - they feel more comfortable, more premium, and are generally better-designed.

In terms of features, one major advantage of the Xenon is that you can use it wired right out of the box or buy a wireless dongle for it. This makes it a convenient option for those who prefer the look and feel of a traditional Xbox controller while still wanting to take advantage of modern wireless technology.

**Conclusion**

Overall, I think the Hyperkin Xenon is a solid choice for anyone looking for a nostalgic gaming experience that's also compatible with modern PCs. While it may not be perfect - particularly when it comes to the sticks - it's clear that Hyperkin has put a lot of thought and care into designing this controller.

As someone who values comfort and performance, I would recommend spending an extra $10 to get a modern Xbox controller instead. However, for those who are truly passionate about reliving the 360 era or want a unique gaming experience, the Xenon is definitely worth checking out.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enI've heard a lot of people say that the Xbox 360 controller is their favorite controller ever it's certainly up there for me and in its generation oh boy did it ever kick the PS3 controller's butt first generation Xbox's revision control the S kicks the ps2s but I don't like the GameCube controller you don't like having a good uh analog stick on the right side no no the idea of this controller as you can see is to bring back 100 percent the Xbox 360 controller it looks feels smells this one smells old it's definitely a little bit lighter that being said they are only producing a wired variant which at first kind of seems like a bit of a shame but then I realize how much trouble Wireless can be it's nice just to like plug it in and have it work let's see what's Alice is in this box um to that end there's what seems to be a very long USB type-c cable proprietary stuff always sucks USBC is definitely a huge win this is long though I'll go down this is it's 10 feet it might not be long enough if it's your living room PC and you have to plug around the back or right around some stuff but for most scenarios especially if you're right around your PC 10 feet is is more than enough thank you for not cheaping out on that hyper King outside of that we get a sticker quick start guide and a little purchase cardboard I'm bringing in my actual 360 controller it's a little beat up but it'll give us an idea of the comparison it's the same cool hey video's done thank you for watching this video before we even compare let me give you just kind of General hand feel first impression is it's it's fairly light uh it almost feels like it doesn't have Rumble in it but it does and it actually has Rumble triggers which is a cool little update uh bringing it up to par with the Xbox One and series X controllers the Plastics feel pretty convincing in terms of almost feeling as good as the Microsoft's ones they feel a little bit cheaper they're stiff and rigid but the texture on it is a little bit off I might just be used to 15 year old controllers and the touch of that the screw layout looks pretty identical I almost wonder if they got the exact moldings from Microsoft this is actually an Xbox branded product and so it wouldn't surprise me if they got the official molding from Microsoft themselves if you didn't tell me that this wasn't a first party controller I would have a hard time saying it's not it shares the same strengths which was the great triggers for the time good analog sticks uh very comfortable shape and it shares the ultimate weakness which is the worst d-pad of all time different sound I don't think they feel quite as good I think these the original ones feel a little bit better in terms of analog sticks they feel fairly light I use mostly a dual sense uh and a third-party Xbox One controller and both sticks feel a little stiffer than this not the end of the world I know some people like that like really Snappy feeling um but I find they feel a little cheap these are potentiometer base sticks they're not hall effect unfortunately but in a product such as this I'm not super surprised the clickiness of the sticks actually feels a little bit better on the hyperkin than the decade old 360 controller but I don't love the plastic finish feels okay not certainly not as good as the Xbox One and series X controller in terms of buttons in the middle it has basically the same things you know start equivalent uh select equivalent and then also a little the share button I believe that's what that is in an absolutely Valiant effort to redeem the worst deep out of all time hyperkin has made it slightly more clicky so it gives a little more tactile feedback on the direction you're pressing but when I do my Street Fighter moves test you know the forward down quarter Circle forward I could not tell you what's being pressed at that moment whereas on a like a Super Nintendo controller on a Saturn controller or a PlayStation controller you can like you can feel each part of the press that's going down on the top of the controllers we have the same right bumper left bumper trigger uh type c versus the original Port it has the hyperkin engine versus the Xbox one another little upgrade on the bottom is instead of this proprietary accessory Port we have just a 3.5 mil Jack and I think that's one of the greatest improvements we've made to controllers over the last 10 years although my dream for the Elite Series and the edge series on Playstation is that they would put a good DAC in there because I find when I play like good headphones into my PS5 controller just sounds like doggy doo doo alright that about does it for the physical exploration let's plug this bad boy and test it out but not after I tell you about our sponsor thanks to MSI for sponsoring this video from oopsie I spilled my coffee to epic Gaming marathons msi's got your back and your laptop too they've got everyday laptops for those mildly productive moments value gaming laptops for when you want to accidentally conquer the world and Flagship gaming laptops that scream I'm so awesome even my keyboard glows with Envy so whether you're a master procrastinator or hardcore gamer MSI has the perfect laptop for you disclaimer Amazon laptops do not possess magical powers to clean coffee spills or guarantee victory in gaming check out msi's epic summer sale at the links down below look at me I was about to plug this in without even showing off the other and clearly Superior Colors Let's do that is a really nice red oh with the gray accents too it's usually hard to beat pink but uh I found myself surprised by my color choices these days amazing experience I don't like the pink it looks cheap so far red is in the lead still better than the white almost no plastic in this box which I appreciate this is like a cardboard the only plastic is around the cable which although it's a shame pretty acceptable uh by most packaging standards so nice job all right so now for the David goche official color rankings what I would buy I think I'll do red black pink white whatever texture they're using on their Plastics makes the pink look really cheap and third-party okay so each color actually comes with a different colored cable so pink comes with pink and red comes with red okay it's the details if you were bringing back the 360 era yeah you probably want it because you like this controller but you also like the the Aesthetics of it you know that retro Aesthetics which is pretty crazy to think the 360 is turning 18 years old this year it's old enough to vote I think the general rule is 15 years but I've heard some people say no one of the strengths of using the Xbox controllers even since the 360 ERA with the red adapter on a PC is that it's instantly designed to work with everything it works with Windows it works with all the games steam can figure it out right away and even older games even if you use a PlayStation controller on the PC will still have the Xbox button prompts traditionally when I play PC games with the controller I choose Xbox controllers because it's just tiny bit easier and that's enough for me tiny bit easier I need all the wins I can get in my life guys I need every single one okay uh first impression it's way too much Rumble like it's really intense it's like making my hands feel tingly there is both vibration in the controller body and the impulse triggers although the body is so violently shaking that I don't feel the triggers at all it might also be that this game as it's a Sony game isn't designed to use Xbox controllers to their fullest uh the trigger feels pretty similar to the 360 one it's a little light for my taste compared to Modern controllers but it feels pretty good let's see the shoulder buttons the hyperkin has the better shoulder buttons it feels a little more inconsistent on the button press like how much I have to press down on each part but that was a big problem I had with the 360 like when you press here it's such a short travel but when you press here it's like a freaking inch man I feel like the sticks are tall the hyperkin one the shaft is a little thinner uh and it looks slightly more elevated from the controller yeah definitely yeah yeah and I don't know if I love that there's some times where it's kind of cool to have the extra Precision that a heightened analog stick can give you definitely not a a deal breaker but that's something I've kind of generally found with hyperkin controllers is they're generally like pretty darn good especially because they're coming generally at a value price um but there's usually like one or two things about them that are almost too much of a compromise I have like the hyperkin Scout which is their cheap Super Nintendo controller and I really like the d-pad on that it's very clicky but then the shoulder buttons are weird and off and the whole shape of it's just like a little bit wrong and that's what I'm finding with this is that it's really close to a 360 controller and if I wasn't you know holding a real 360 control in my hands some of these things might not bother me the resistance feels more similar to the 360 one but it's definitely clickier and then when you compare it to the the modern Xbox controller these things have like almost no feedback like it's kind of really easy to press and it makes me sad that that's the direction they went these feel so much better to me uh this is slightly too clicky that's a pretty normal hyperkin thing I think with a bit of wear after about a year these would feel more similar to the 360 one the hyperkin Xenon is a pretty good approximation of the 360. getting used stuff is always a role that ice you might get lucky uh you might get a good deal or you and you might get one that's not super worn or you could get one that you open up and has a family of cockroaches living inside being able to buy a new version of an absolutely beloved and Classic Controller is really nice the few compromises are a bit of a bummer especially the sticks seems like a strange one to me to get so wrong uh but everything else is a pretty good experience as long as you can turn down the rumble and so if you really want to relive the 360 glore era uh with a modern controller this is a good option but is it worth the fifty dollars they're asking for I probably would spend the extra ten dollars and get a modern Xbox controller I think they feel comfortable more comfortable they're more premium yeah the face buttons and the shoulder buttons are a little bit less good but the d-pad is clicky in the way that you need it to be and it's just an overall better controller and you can use it wired right out of the box or you can buy a wireless dongle for it and so I have a hard time recommending the Xenon unless you specifically want the 360 feel which you might want and in that case it's pretty pretty good just like the segue to the conclusion is pretty good thank you for watching this video please like And subscribe if you want to check out some more controller review content why don't you check out my video where I unbox the Dual sense Edge and have some strong opinionsI've heard a lot of people say that the Xbox 360 controller is their favorite controller ever it's certainly up there for me and in its generation oh boy did it ever kick the PS3 controller's butt first generation Xbox's revision control the S kicks the ps2s but I don't like the GameCube controller you don't like having a good uh analog stick on the right side no no the idea of this controller as you can see is to bring back 100 percent the Xbox 360 controller it looks feels smells this one smells old it's definitely a little bit lighter that being said they are only producing a wired variant which at first kind of seems like a bit of a shame but then I realize how much trouble Wireless can be it's nice just to like plug it in and have it work let's see what's Alice is in this box um to that end there's what seems to be a very long USB type-c cable proprietary stuff always sucks USBC is definitely a huge win this is long though I'll go down this is it's 10 feet it might not be long enough if it's your living room PC and you have to plug around the back or right around some stuff but for most scenarios especially if you're right around your PC 10 feet is is more than enough thank you for not cheaping out on that hyper King outside of that we get a sticker quick start guide and a little purchase cardboard I'm bringing in my actual 360 controller it's a little beat up but it'll give us an idea of the comparison it's the same cool hey video's done thank you for watching this video before we even compare let me give you just kind of General hand feel first impression is it's it's fairly light uh it almost feels like it doesn't have Rumble in it but it does and it actually has Rumble triggers which is a cool little update uh bringing it up to par with the Xbox One and series X controllers the Plastics feel pretty convincing in terms of almost feeling as good as the Microsoft's ones they feel a little bit cheaper they're stiff and rigid but the texture on it is a little bit off I might just be used to 15 year old controllers and the touch of that the screw layout looks pretty identical I almost wonder if they got the exact moldings from Microsoft this is actually an Xbox branded product and so it wouldn't surprise me if they got the official molding from Microsoft themselves if you didn't tell me that this wasn't a first party controller I would have a hard time saying it's not it shares the same strengths which was the great triggers for the time good analog sticks uh very comfortable shape and it shares the ultimate weakness which is the worst d-pad of all time different sound I don't think they feel quite as good I think these the original ones feel a little bit better in terms of analog sticks they feel fairly light I use mostly a dual sense uh and a third-party Xbox One controller and both sticks feel a little stiffer than this not the end of the world I know some people like that like really Snappy feeling um but I find they feel a little cheap these are potentiometer base sticks they're not hall effect unfortunately but in a product such as this I'm not super surprised the clickiness of the sticks actually feels a little bit better on the hyperkin than the decade old 360 controller but I don't love the plastic finish feels okay not certainly not as good as the Xbox One and series X controller in terms of buttons in the middle it has basically the same things you know start equivalent uh select equivalent and then also a little the share button I believe that's what that is in an absolutely Valiant effort to redeem the worst deep out of all time hyperkin has made it slightly more clicky so it gives a little more tactile feedback on the direction you're pressing but when I do my Street Fighter moves test you know the forward down quarter Circle forward I could not tell you what's being pressed at that moment whereas on a like a Super Nintendo controller on a Saturn controller or a PlayStation controller you can like you can feel each part of the press that's going down on the top of the controllers we have the same right bumper left bumper trigger uh type c versus the original Port it has the hyperkin engine versus the Xbox one another little upgrade on the bottom is instead of this proprietary accessory Port we have just a 3.5 mil Jack and I think that's one of the greatest improvements we've made to controllers over the last 10 years although my dream for the Elite Series and the edge series on Playstation is that they would put a good DAC in there because I find when I play like good headphones into my PS5 controller just sounds like doggy doo doo alright that about does it for the physical exploration let's plug this bad boy and test it out but not after I tell you about our sponsor thanks to MSI for sponsoring this video from oopsie I spilled my coffee to epic Gaming marathons msi's got your back and your laptop too they've got everyday laptops for those mildly productive moments value gaming laptops for when you want to accidentally conquer the world and Flagship gaming laptops that scream I'm so awesome even my keyboard glows with Envy so whether you're a master procrastinator or hardcore gamer MSI has the perfect laptop for you disclaimer Amazon laptops do not possess magical powers to clean coffee spills or guarantee victory in gaming check out msi's epic summer sale at the links down below look at me I was about to plug this in without even showing off the other and clearly Superior Colors Let's do that is a really nice red oh with the gray accents too it's usually hard to beat pink but uh I found myself surprised by my color choices these days amazing experience I don't like the pink it looks cheap so far red is in the lead still better than the white almost no plastic in this box which I appreciate this is like a cardboard the only plastic is around the cable which although it's a shame pretty acceptable uh by most packaging standards so nice job all right so now for the David goche official color rankings what I would buy I think I'll do red black pink white whatever texture they're using on their Plastics makes the pink look really cheap and third-party okay so each color actually comes with a different colored cable so pink comes with pink and red comes with red okay it's the details if you were bringing back the 360 era yeah you probably want it because you like this controller but you also like the the Aesthetics of it you know that retro Aesthetics which is pretty crazy to think the 360 is turning 18 years old this year it's old enough to vote I think the general rule is 15 years but I've heard some people say no one of the strengths of using the Xbox controllers even since the 360 ERA with the red adapter on a PC is that it's instantly designed to work with everything it works with Windows it works with all the games steam can figure it out right away and even older games even if you use a PlayStation controller on the PC will still have the Xbox button prompts traditionally when I play PC games with the controller I choose Xbox controllers because it's just tiny bit easier and that's enough for me tiny bit easier I need all the wins I can get in my life guys I need every single one okay uh first impression it's way too much Rumble like it's really intense it's like making my hands feel tingly there is both vibration in the controller body and the impulse triggers although the body is so violently shaking that I don't feel the triggers at all it might also be that this game as it's a Sony game isn't designed to use Xbox controllers to their fullest uh the trigger feels pretty similar to the 360 one it's a little light for my taste compared to Modern controllers but it feels pretty good let's see the shoulder buttons the hyperkin has the better shoulder buttons it feels a little more inconsistent on the button press like how much I have to press down on each part but that was a big problem I had with the 360 like when you press here it's such a short travel but when you press here it's like a freaking inch man I feel like the sticks are tall the hyperkin one the shaft is a little thinner uh and it looks slightly more elevated from the controller yeah definitely yeah yeah and I don't know if I love that there's some times where it's kind of cool to have the extra Precision that a heightened analog stick can give you definitely not a a deal breaker but that's something I've kind of generally found with hyperkin controllers is they're generally like pretty darn good especially because they're coming generally at a value price um but there's usually like one or two things about them that are almost too much of a compromise I have like the hyperkin Scout which is their cheap Super Nintendo controller and I really like the d-pad on that it's very clicky but then the shoulder buttons are weird and off and the whole shape of it's just like a little bit wrong and that's what I'm finding with this is that it's really close to a 360 controller and if I wasn't you know holding a real 360 control in my hands some of these things might not bother me the resistance feels more similar to the 360 one but it's definitely clickier and then when you compare it to the the modern Xbox controller these things have like almost no feedback like it's kind of really easy to press and it makes me sad that that's the direction they went these feel so much better to me uh this is slightly too clicky that's a pretty normal hyperkin thing I think with a bit of wear after about a year these would feel more similar to the 360 one the hyperkin Xenon is a pretty good approximation of the 360. getting used stuff is always a role that ice you might get lucky uh you might get a good deal or you and you might get one that's not super worn or you could get one that you open up and has a family of cockroaches living inside being able to buy a new version of an absolutely beloved and Classic Controller is really nice the few compromises are a bit of a bummer especially the sticks seems like a strange one to me to get so wrong uh but everything else is a pretty good experience as long as you can turn down the rumble and so if you really want to relive the 360 glore era uh with a modern controller this is a good option but is it worth the fifty dollars they're asking for I probably would spend the extra ten dollars and get a modern Xbox controller I think they feel comfortable more comfortable they're more premium yeah the face buttons and the shoulder buttons are a little bit less good but the d-pad is clicky in the way that you need it to be and it's just an overall better controller and you can use it wired right out of the box or you can buy a wireless dongle for it and so I have a hard time recommending the Xenon unless you specifically want the 360 feel which you might want and in that case it's pretty pretty good just like the segue to the conclusion is pretty good thank you for watching this video please like And subscribe if you want to check out some more controller review content why don't you check out my video where I unbox the Dual sense Edge and have some strong opinions\n"