Turtle Beach PDP Realmz Wireless Controller: Minecraft Diamond Print review Hallie Frederick | usagoldmines.com

Novelty PC and Xbox controllers are nothing new, with all method of untamed, fantastic, and wacky designs having adorned them through the years. Nevertheless, this new Minecraft controller from Turtle Seashore/PDP needs to be among the many most enjoyable we’ve ever seen, even when it does have the ridiculously lengthy official title of Turtle Seashore PDP Realmz Wi-fi Controller: Minecraft Diamond Print.

With Turtle Beach no stranger to crafting a few of the best PC controller designs round, this new Minecraft model has a robust pedigree, and due to a eager eye for design, the corporate has crafted maybe the right reward for the most important Minecraft followers in your life.

Specs

Options

Exterior of its elaborate design, the Minecraft Diamond Print is a comparatively customary Xbox-style controller, nevertheless it does have a couple of extras of observe. On the entrance, becoming a member of the usual array of Xbox-layout twin thumbsticks, D-pad, ABXY buttons, Xbox button, and three fundamental face buttons is a perform button. Double faucet this and it’ll mute the microphone of any headset hooked up to the controller’s audio jack, plus it may be utilized in mixture with different buttons to carry out additional actions.

One such set of actions is that in the event you press the perform button with the D-pad instructions, you may alter the controller’s audio. Faucet up and down to manage the headphone quantity, or left and proper to change the combination of your sport and chat. It’s a very neat system and it’s handy that the audio options don’t seem in Home windows till you plug in a headset, so that you don’t have the annoyance of the controller interrupting your audio the second you plug it in.

On the rear of the controller are two paddles/buttons for offering a few additional fast entry features. As with the opposite buttons, these could be remapped utilizing PDP’s Management Hub software program.

One other key improve over a regular Xbox wi-fi controller is that the battery right here is an in-built rechargeable unit, which the producer claims can last as long as 40 hours, although it doesn’t give the mAh ranking for the battery, and doesn’t specify the affect of the vibration motors and LED lighting on battery life.

Exterior of this, although, the Minecraft Diamond Print doesn’t boast any of the opposite extras of some premium controllers. So, you don’t get triggers that may swap to a short-throw mode, there aren’t any swappable elements, and the thumbsticks and buttons are customary. There’s not one of the Corridor Impact thumbsticks or microswitch buttons of some choices. It’s simply a regular Xbox controller design with a few little extras.

Design

As with its options, the core form and really feel of the Minecraft Diamond Print could be very a lot that of a regular Xbox controller, however with ever so barely wider entrance palm grips. As a substitute, it’s the look of this controller that makes it actually stand out from the gang.

The whole unit is constructed from clear plastic, letting you see the internal workings of the controller and naturally gaze upon the statue of Steve. The little figurine is held from the again, so he seems to be floating within the heart of the right-hand grip, with the LED lighting that shines from additional contained in the controller illuminating his proper facet.

Different enjoyable design touches embrace the creeper painted onto the floor of the left grip, the putting mild inexperienced coloring, and the funky patterns that adorn the highest of the PCB contained in the controller. It’s a mixture that’s simply so pleasant.

I had thought, and maybe hoped, that the Steve determine could be suspended inside so that might transfer round, and even that it could be detachable, however sadly that’s not the case. From a product longevity viewpoint, although, it’s a good choice to have him in a hard and fast place.

General construct high quality feels superb – even when the sticky plastic used to  present the ultimate wrap of the controller appears amusingly token – with agency, responsive controls and a solidity to the entire unit. Nevertheless, the plastic used could be very shiny, so any dents or scratches will present up fairly prominently. The texture of the plastic additionally makes me suspect it could be barely extra crack-prone than some. As such, whereas this can little doubt carry a lot pleasure to the youthful Minecraft gamers in your life, it might not put on the trials and tribulations of a gaming life fairly so effectively as a controller with a textured end or rubberized sections.

Efficiency

That very same shiny end additionally barely impacts the efficiency of this controller when it comes to its really feel. By and huge, I didn’t discover its slick end induced points, but when your palms are notably dry or begin to get sweaty, the graceful floor gained’t present as reassuring a grip as textured controllers.

In any other case, the efficiency of this controller is essentially on par with a regular Xbox Wi-fi Controller. The buttons and sticks really feel decently responsive with loads of management achievable with the latter, although a regular Xbox Wi-fi Controller is only a contact smoother. I’d say this controller feels barely extra on par with $50 choices when it comes to total thumbstick/button really feel.

Likewise, you don’t get any ultra-high polling fee choices right here, however I didn’t discover any lag when utilizing the controller wirelessly or related on to the PC by way of its USB-C port. Stick drift will finally turn out to be a problem with this controller, simply because it does with a regular Xbox controller, because it makes use of customary thumbsticks, nevertheless it’s rock stable out of the field.

On the subject of battery life, this controller simply lasted for per week of informal use with out a top-up, with its 40-hour complete battery life amounting to over 5 hours of gaming daily. For many avid gamers, a top-up each week or two will suffice.

Software program

A fast phrase on PDP’s software program for this controller… It’s okay. Infuriatingly, it requires you to join a PDP account to entry it, plus it’s surprisingly sluggish to load, and you must reload the software program to get it to acknowledge your controller, in the event you overlook to plug it in earlier than opening the app.

As soon as loaded, although, it’s a slick-looking app with features pretty clearly laid out. I notably appreciated the truth that the icon for this controller precisely matches the Minecraft model, not a generic model.

Features embrace having the ability to alter the useless zone dimension, swapping the thumbsticks, inverting their axes, adjusting audio ranges, tuning set off useless zones, altering the vibration depth, and re-mapping buttons. One essential perform you may’t change, although, is the LED lighting.

Nevertheless, whereas the lights can’t be modified, they aren’t simply on on a regular basis. They’ll glow inexperienced when the controller is powering on and searching for a wi-fi connection,n however then stay off whereas gaming till you faucet a button (transferring the thumbstick doesn’t depend) at which level they flash a boring white. Faucet one other button and the sunshine flashes barely brighter, after which in the event you hit numerous buttons the lighting will flip vivid inexperienced.

Which will sound quite distracting however, in observe, it’s not too unhealthy, and is the truth is hardly noticeable in a well-lit room. In a darkish room it’s positively extra noticeable nevertheless it by no means outright bothered me.

Worth

The Turtle Seashore PDP Realmz Wi-fi Controller: Minecraft Diamond worth is $79.99, making it $5-$10 dearer than a regular Xbox Wi-fi Controller. As such, given its barely decrease high quality in some areas, you’re positively paying a premium for the enjoyable Minecraft design, however that is nonetheless an affordable worth choice contemplating the hassle put into its design.

Alternate options

Xbox Wi-fi Controller

At this worth, the clear fundamental various to this Minecraft controller is to only get a vanilla Xbox Wi-fi Controller. They’re effectively constructed, work reliably (stick drift put on however), and are first rate worth.

Learn our full Xbox Wireless Controller review.

Verdict

The Turtle Seashore PDP Realmz Wi-fi Controller: Minecraft Diamond Print clearly isn’t going to turn out to be a brand new go-to choice for these searching for a top-tier sport controller, or one that gives the very best worth for the efficiency you get. Nevertheless, for avid gamers into Minecraft, although, the design right here is completely charming, and the options and efficiency of the controller are stable sufficient to go together with it.

You positively pay a premium for the design right here, with the texture of the controls being extra in keeping with controllers which are round $20 cheaper. Nevertheless, you do get an in-built rechargeable battery and a wi-fi connection, which the vast majority of cheaper choices don’t embrace. Plus, the efficiency right here continues to be greater than first rate sufficient, most crucially for enjoying Minecraft.

In the event you’re searching for extra methods to manage your PC video games, take a look at our best gaming mouse and best gaming keyboard guides for our prime KBM choices.