Last Updated on October 30, 2015
I’ve actually been using the Afterglow Xbox controller for PC for a few years now. There are some cool features with it that makes it worthy of its current price point!
Like I said, it has been a few years now that I’ve been using this controller and it’s definitely a great controller. When compared to a generic Xbox 360 controller, it is at the same price range but instead it glows with awesomeness! 🙂
I hope you find this post helpful, that’s my aim here since I have had a ton of experience using this controller with many different games!
With that, let’s get to the review.
Product: Afterglow Wired Xbox 360 Controller for PC
Price: $27.19
Cheapest Place To Buy: Amazon.com
Warranty: 3 Months
My Rating: 10 out of 10
This Controller Packs A Punch
What I mean by this is that it’s extremely long lasting, durable, packed with some extra features, cheap and awesome.
I use my Afterglow controller pretty often, especially when it comes to certain third person games and driving games. If I am playing any first person shooter then I be sure that I game with the mouse simply because it is much more precise and accurate with that precision than any Xbox 360 controller out there.
My specific game-pad version of this bad boy is the blue version, just like the one pictured above. Trust me, there would be times where I would die and have to respawn in some games and… well… let’s just say that it’s got some hard plastic to it, as well as some durable pads. 🙂
Yes, I sometimes would let anger take me over and yes, I’ve dropped this controller in times of frustration. Although these days I don’t get nearly as angry, I just really need to put it out there that it has survived my past temper tantrums towards it and that is proof of its durability!
Not only is it reliable to the angry gamer, but it’s got some sweet lights inside of it as well that you can control. There is a button on the backside right behind the right hand holding portion of the controller, I’ve circled where the button is located on my controller in the picture to the right.
You press it once to keep the LED’s, another time to keep them off and then a third time to have them pulse with the vibration of the controller when you are in some action. There’s no way to turn off the rumble feature, just to controller whether the lights pulse with them or not.
I personally keep my controller at the rumble lights option because keeping them on is too distracting for me when I am gaming sometimes but I still want to have the atmosphere that the lights give off. The rumble feature delivers that exact experience with the click of a button!
A Controller That Provides Atmosphere
This controller is not only useful for gaming, it’s also useful for providing a cool atmosphere.
The lights are actually a lot bright than you think, and they will shine bright, especially in a dark room. I have taken a photo of mine in some dark lighting to show how much it shines off of a surface, it can seriously be used as an ambient small lamp if you so choose to! 😛
Personally, I love my overall atmosphere when I am gaming. A darker room with some extra lighting, especially with the blue color, it’s just awesome for me!
I haven’t seen the other color options in person but I’m certain that the green and red options are just as ambient as this blue one that I use.
If you can relate with me here, having a cool atmosphere with your gaming accessories, then I’d definitely recommend picking this up for sure! It’s perfect for setting a good atmosphere.
Get The Right Drivers Before You Use It
This section of the post will be brief. The drivers for this controller are required, they are the same drivers used for the official Microsoft Xbox controllers for Windows.
For the most part, the drivers that need to be installed will be detected when you plug in the controller, but if not then here is a link to download the correct driver for this controller.
Simply go to that link, download the one for your corresponding operating system and enjoy! 🙂 You might also be able to go inside of your device manager in Windows and right-clicking the device to download the driver but as I said, most Windows PCs will be able to detect the hardware automatically and download the driver for you.
This Controller Is King, Hands Down
When you compare this controller to the many other Xbox 360 controllers out there for PC, even the unofficial ones, this controller is the big winner, hands down. The only downside to this controller, which is a very minimal one, is that it is not wireless. Personally, I like a wired controller because I won’t have to replace any batteries and you never know when down the road your controller dies right in the middle of a game!
When you compare this to the traditional Xbox 360 controller, it just makes total sense to get one with some sweet lights! The only reason I could see someone not wanting to get a game-pad that has LEDs inside of it is if you just personally don’t like the lights or if you are looking to save $1 on your total purchase.
I have also researched other controller that light up and so far I haven’t been able to find high quality ones for a great price like what Afterglow controllers deliver on. I found this Tron controller which sells for over $150. I also found this Fus1on Tournament controller that sells for almost $60 and some of the reviews mention that the stick fell out of the controller after using them for mere months!
It makes much more sense to go with Afterglow controllers if you are looking for a light up game-pad at all. I love it, it feels exactly like the official Microsoft controller and it has stood the test of time.
To Conclude
All in all, the Afterglow Xbox 360 controllers work great for PC. I have been using this same controller for years now and it’s still just as great as when I bought it new.
So, what do you guys think of this controller?
Are you going to be buying one for yourself?
Or do you have one and want to share your personal experience with it?
If you want to share your experience with it or ask me any questions about it, feel free to use the comments area below! 🙂
Hey there! 👋 I’m Colton, founder of PC Builds On A Budget.
Whether you need help putting your PC together, finding a great pre-built rig, or want some help finding awesome peripherals – I’ve got you covered!
I share my experiences of anything and everything related to gaming PCs with you here. 👍
I was looking for a good controller to use on the PC, and I’m glad I ran across your post. The cheap $27 price tag can’t be beat, especially everything that you’re getting, I think I have some off brand controller, but I’ve heard of AfterGlow, and know they make good products. I think I found my next purchase. Good post!
Hey Chris,
It’s definitely a great choice, especially because of the price point. I’ve used it for years now… still performs just as when I bought it!
Hey there! I really enjoyed your article. I used to have xbox 360 back then when I was in high school. I used to play with it a lot but now that I’m a college I moved to pc and I found out that some games are better to play with controllers. I’ve been searching fot a controller for a while now but I can’t really decide which one to buy. After I read your article I have a clear decision now which controller should I buy. I really appreciate your time for sharing this.
Hey John!
For sure, this controller works right out of the gate with a simple driver installation. It feels and plays just like any other traditional 360 controller just with the added effect of the lighting. Which color did you decide to go with?
This sounds pretty cool and would be great for pc gamers who want to take advantage of pc gaming while wanting to feel like they’re playing on console. Because lets be honest, I love pc gaming for how much more power you can have on your pc vs your console but also am not the biggest fan of using a mouse.
You can realy optimize with these kinds of options, Hook up an hdmi to you pc/tv and hook up this xbox controller, its pretty awesome!
It’s good that this controller has a high durability to it. Sometimes I… “drop” my controller while I’m playing a game.
I really like how you can change the lights so that it’s always on, or just when it rumbles. Also, those are some great colors. That green one makes me think of Halo.
As for the wire? I don’t really mind it when using it on the PC. That way you don’t have to worry about batteries.
I haven’t used a controller for the PC yet.
I really love the idea since console controllers are hands down much better than using keys on the keyboard. Laying back in your chair all relaxed vs huntched up close to the keys and nearly snuggling the screen. The colorful glow is pretty awesome, it would match an alienware computer or laptop perfectly.
Hi there Colton, some great info here. I was just wondering, do they make wireless controllers for PC that do all the above and more? Because that, for me would be the ultimate controller. I am surprised by the price as looking around for an Xbox one controller, wireless, i can find little for under $90. Do you have any recommendations?
Cheers, Kris
Hey Kris,
The Steam Controller would be your best bet. It has a plethora of features, it’s wireless and right now it’s on sale for less than $40! Be sure to check out my review of it!
I enjoy see through stuff. Like, here you can see vibration working and it’s really cool. Plus, it glows. At night it must look amazing. I’ll definitely look into buy this. I wonder if they’ll make cool Afterglow controllers like with Xbox One or PS4? That’d be pretty cool as well.
Hey Alex,
I agree! It definitely has a cool atmosphere in a dark room or at night, there is a setting for it to pulse the lighting as the controller vibrates.
It feels exactly like a traditional Xbox 360 gamepad, it’s definitely worth the purchase price!
Which is better? The steam controller, or this?
Josh,
In my opinion the Steam Controller beats a normal Xbox gamepad. It’s more precise and it works amazing with Steam, the customization of how you’ll be using the controller is crazily thorough and it can be used with games that require a mouse and keyboard.
I’d highly recommend going with the Steam Controller over a Xbox 360 gamepad.
Would you recommend getting Steam? I don’t have it at the moment, but I’ve been considering it. I don’t play many games, and I don’t have a way to pay for some of the Steam games.
Hey Josh,
For sure man! Steam is definitely highly recommended from any PC gamer really.
They’ve been around and have catered to the PC gaming community for many, many years. They literally have thousands of free PC games that you can try so yes I’d highly recommend downloading the client and making an account! Be sure to join the PC Builds on a Budget Steam Community as well? 😉
If you’re confident in this, then I’d prefer to pick this up and use it for gaming rather than a gaming keyboard and mouse. I don’t intend to play and FPS games, so this feels like the better option for me. Thanks!
It’s a really good controller for any other games that aren’t FPS. I mean, FPS games would be fine with this too it just wouldn’t be ideal to use it with competition FPS games/matches.
Great review Colton on the Afterglow Xbox 360 Controller for PC. It looks pretty sweet.Using a controller with my PC is something I’ve thought about and I realize that it’s becoming more commonplace these days, but I’m just so used to the precision of keyboard and mouse that I don’t see the need to make the switch. I do use a controller with my consoles in front of the TV though. Thx again for the review.
Hey Paul,
You may want to check out the Steam controller if you’re wanting to use a controller yet still have precise movements, I haven’t personally used one yet but I will definitely write up a review once I get one on the 10th of this month!
Score!
I am looking forward to giving it a go then. I currently am using just my PS3 controller with Mountjoy drivers installed so I am hoping this is quite the boost in performance for some of my more action oriented games.
Exactly!
I’m looking forward to using it for third person games and other games such as Rocket League for sure, I’m hesitant on how FPS games will perform but will definitely still give it a try. I’m pretty sure I’ll have to stay with the keyboard and mouse for Counter Strike though for sure 😛
Stay tuned for a review of the Steam controller around the time that it comes out in Nov, I’ll definitely be sharing my experiences with it!
A little off topic but what is your take on the Steam Controller. I have on on pre-order right now but alas I am just getting back into the gaming community after a long absence so I don’t have a lot of friends taking the plunge with me.
Hey Drew!
I’m taking the plunge with you 😛
I have it pre-ordered as well and I am constantly watching videos on it slowly awaiting its arrival on Nov 10th (right as I can get my hands on Fallout 4 😀 )
I’m looking forward to the controller though I don’t think it’ll be a complete replacement for my keyboard and mouse, but it’ll definitely be a good controller to use and possible will replace other controllers that I have. It’ll be perfect to let the girlfriend use the Xbox controller while I’m using the Steam Controller 😛
This looks like a really nice controller and it seems to be very durable. I’ve been doing a bunch of research on it and I would think it would be a good buy with the cool, extra features like the lighting 😀
Do they come with a warranty? That’s important to me since my last controller sort of died out on me in a moments notice…
Thanks!
Hey Dylan,
I love this controller and I’ve been using it for years. Afterglow has a 3 month warranty but you can add more time for only a couple bucks more with Amazon.
I’ve been using my controller for over three years with no problems, so I wouldn’t think that warranty would be something to add on to, best to save the money!
Hi there. This is a great review and I really wish I had got a wired controller myself for my PC as I have had no end of difficulty with my wireless one. One question I did have is, is this a genuine xbox product or is it after market? It sure does look the part and it is a more exciting look for the controller thats for sure!
Hey Matt,
It isn’t an official Xbox product however, it basically has the exact same shape and feel as the official controller.
I’ve used mine for over three years, it is the same quality as the official controller, just looks cooler! 😀
Awesome stuff – this looks stunning!
I’ll be honest with you here – the price seems really good ( maybe because you’re in the US? ).
I recently forked out over £30 for a plain xbox one controller ( that’s about $45 ) and I was really gutted about it. This looks much better and it’s a fraction of the cost!
Chris,
I absolutely love this controller, and yes the price is very low compared to the traditional controllers that you are talking about! Although you’re talking about the Xbox One controller, this one is for the Xbox 360 or for PC players like myself 🙂
It’s a great controller that basically has the same design as the official Microsoft cost, it’s a bargain that’s for sure!
This sounds like a great controller and a good value too. The lights definitely add a cool feature to the gaming atmosphere – your pictures show it off well. You describe this controller also being able to handle some “abuse” – which is always a good thing. 😉
I will definitely check this out! Thanks for sharing!
Hey Jeff,
I’ve definitely been extremely pleased with this controller for the past few years now and I know that you’ll feel the same way!
Enjoy the new controller, glad that I could share this and help you out!