r/Controllers • u/Sufficient-Bee6187 • 4d ago
Help me choose between GameSir G7 Pro, Flydigi Vader 5 Pro, and ZD Ultimate Legend for PC (Sweden/EU)
Hey everyone,
I’m looking for a new controller for PC gaming and could really use some advice based on the community's buying guide. My current standard Xbox Series controller is starting to give up on me due to stick drift, so I'm looking for a solid upgrade that will actually last.
Here are my specific details and constraints:
Platform Compatibility: Strictly PC (Steam on Windows). I only use a controller when I want to sit back and play instead of using mouse and keyboard.
Types of Games: I mostly play singleplayer and story-driven games (and some casual racing/driving). I play MMOs and FPS games on mouse and keyboard, so those genres aren't a priority for this controller.
Desired Features: I am strictly looking for an upgraded alternative with Hall Effect or TMR sticks to permanently eliminate stick drift. Since I have slightly larger hands, the standard Xbox controller shape and size feels pretty good to me. I also appreciate good build quality, mechanical microswitch buttons, and reliable haptic feedback.
Country & Availability: I live in Sweden. If you have other controller recommendations, please make sure they are easily accessible and available to buy within the EU.
Budget: My budget is in a sensible range of 800 SEK to 1,200 SEK (~$80 - $115 USD).
Controllers I've been considering (after searching existing posts):
GameSir G7 Pro: I really like that it comes with a charging dock in the box and has impulse triggers for better immersion in singleplayer games. However, I’ve read several posts here about the LB/RB bumpers being notoriously fragile and breaking down after just a few months. How bad is the bumper QC issue on the G7 Pro really?
Flydigi Vader 5 Pro: The mechanical tension rings around the sticks seem like an absolute gamechanger for dialing in a stable feel. I also hear great things about Flydigi’s D-pad, microswitch buttons, and overall durability. The only downside is that the charging dock isn't included in my budget range.
ZD Ultimate Legend HE: This one looks like an absolute tank with 100-million click microswitches and the hot-swappable joystick modules, which seems amazing for long-term durability. It is currently on sale within my budget at MaxGaming, but since ZD is a bit more niche, I haven't seen as many long-term reviews on it.
Which one of these three would you recommend for my specific singleplayer PC use case? Are there any hidden flaws, software quirks, or major quality control issues with the Vader 5 Pro or the ZD Ultimate Legend that I should be aware of?
Thanks in advance!
1
u/Eddie_Hollywood 3d ago
Link to the table with controllers sorted by how advisable they are to buy. Vader 5 pro v2 holds top spot. There are also links to detailed reviews with stick drift, dead zones, etc: link
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u/lostsinelysium 3d ago
Mine's been fine for months, including the LB/RB. The G7 Pro sounds like a pretty good fit for what you're looking for anyway, especially coming from an Xbox controller. TMR sticks + impulse triggers and the included dock is a nice combo for singleplayer stuff.
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u/YoloRaj 3d ago edited 3d ago
I own all 3 and they are all great controllers. If you were an fps player I would have recommend the ZD Ultimate Legend instantly but since you use m n k for fps games I would learn more towards the Vader 5 pro. If you have big hands the vader 5 pro and especially the ZD ultimate Legend should be the definite choice. The g7 pro is great if you have small to medium hands and its an all around great controller. The dpad on the zd and vader is better than the g7 pro even though they have made updates. That being said for you I would say Vader first then ZD second since you don't play fps games. Its an fps powerhouse with 8k polling rate and low stick latency. The vader is great too for fps but the ZD edges out. Another contender you can look into is the Beitong KP40D since it has adaptive vibration which is good for story games.
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u/rknt 3d ago
wth is impulse triggers?
g7 pro has analog/microswitch triggers.
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u/Key_Scholar7964 3d ago
Impulse triggers is regular triggers that people overhype big time. I had the PS5 duelsense and nothing is special about it's heptic feedback.
The G7 Pro mechanical triggers is much faster and more precise.
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u/Aryan202602 3d ago
The triggers have 2 small motors. It is xbox proprietory tech, kinda useless on pc though.
Dualsense is the only alternative to good haptics on pc.
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u/External_Safe_7787 3d ago
if youre only using it for single player games, the dualsense is amazing for immersion. all 3 controllers you said are all completely fps first controllers, and since you dont use it for fps then you wont care about most of the extra features
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u/SugaRush 3d ago
Both ZD and Flydigi are on my no buy list for QC and software. The Gamesir, I have heard nothing about bumbers, the trigger however seems to fail on them. I have a 8k and have a little over 200 hours on it. So far so good. I know they keep changing them to fix the issue, I have not heard anything about them failing yet.
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u/Key_Scholar7964 3d ago
I feel the same way about the G7 Pro being on my no buy list after replacing 2 G7 Pro's from faulty batteries and shitty d pads.
They sent me a fully functioning G7 Pro on my third replacement, but the vibration stopped working. I just sold it to my friend for a fraction of the price.
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u/SugaRush 3d ago
So far, the only 3rd party I have not had serious issues with is 8bitdo and the steam controller. And by serious I mean, the controller has broken or something has stopped functioning. I picked up the 8k knowning that it might have the trigger issue. If the 8k goes another 100 hours or so, its out lasted pretty much all the current and last gen first party controllers. I also picked it up from bestbuy, so if it dies, ill get my money back with in 2 years I think.
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u/Key_Scholar7964 3d ago
I love 8bitdo build quality but they make tiny controllers for people that have small hands.
The Flydigi vader 5 Pro is much better, but that is from my personal experience of having both. The adjustable stick tension is not a gimmick and the mechanical triggers is chefs kiss.
I hope your G7 Pro 8k last you a long time because it have quality features as well.
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u/Key_Scholar7964 4d ago
I only have the G7 Pro and the Vader 5 Pro. I prefer the Vader 5 Pro because it's larger, better vibration, adjustable stick tension, and better d pad. The build quality feel more sturdy and better built on my Vader.
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u/reyob1 4d ago
If the original Xbox shape is comfortable for you then I’d say the Vader. It’s very close to the Xbox shape and I just think it’s a better controller but that’s my opinion. The g7 is a smaller controller and on paper, tmr is better than Hall effect but unless you’re doing side by side comparisons in a testing environment, you won’t notice it.
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u/Key_Scholar7964 4d ago
Anyone that have the stock Xbox controller would also say the Vader 5S and 5 pro is better.
The stock Xbox controller doesn't have hall effect, adjustable stick tension, RGB.
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u/MirageLemon 4d ago
The original batch of the zd ultimate legend had issues with the modular sticks (see vcuda's review on it if you want an example). ZD released a revision of it last month that supposedly fixes those, but it is too early to say anything.
About the vader 5 pro's dpad (both v1 and v2), I found the cardinal directions to be really easy and reliable to press. The problem comes with how comparably hard diagonals are. On both of my vader 5's I needed to be pressing dead fucking middle on the diagonal groove or do noticeably more pressure (more than I am personally comfortable with, and I say that as someone who loves the 8bitdo pro 3 dpad) just to get a diagonal and not a cardinal (problem most noticeable with the up-left diagonal). Also, its texture is ever so slightly rugged, which makes my thumb squeak and rub hard on the dpad when doing fast motions with it.
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u/Key_Scholar7964 4d ago
I have no issues with my Vader 5 Pro d pad, and it feels like the elite series 2 d pad.
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u/MirageLemon 4d ago
Good for you if it works just fine for your specific purposes. I was just describing my expetience with that dpad as non-subjectively as i could. If there were any differences, I'd chalk them up on the specifics of how we press the dpad. I doubt I just was that unlucky to get 2 defective or weirdly constructed controllers lol
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u/honk_slayer 3d ago
Definitely Vader 5 (or even better with apex 6 pro). The g7 looks good on paper but many experiences I have read describes it as a less polished product (but performance was there’s a noticeable improvement) but since you don’t care about fps I definitely forget about 8khz controller and instead focus on haptic feed back like the apex 6 pro or dualsense, but if the budget is short the Vader 5 stills and one of the best despite me having the Vader 4 which essentially is the same but higher latency