The Flydigi Vader 5S wired controller is a no-frills yet well-designed controller that ticks all the boxes for a quality product for PC players looking for a reliable gamepad.
I know Flydigi for their wireless Xbox-style controller offerings on the PC platform, but as far as wired solutions go, the Flydigi Vader 5S Wired Controller is hard to beat. With the Xbox brand embracing a multiplatform approach, it is fitting that the Flydigi Vader 5S is compatible with both the Xbox Series consoles and the PC. To further sweeten the pot, outside of the controller itself, the Flydigi Vader 5S wired controller includes a 1-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which can be redeemed on both PC and Xbox platforms.
For the purposes of this review, I primarily used the Flydigi Vader 5S Wired Controller on my gaming desktop. Of course, at first glance, the Flydigi Vader 5S wired controller looks strikingly similar to a stock Xbox Series controller, which is commonplace with many officially licensed gamepads. On closer inspection, however, the Flydigi Vader 5S goes one step further, harkening back to the days of the OG Xbox, via the inclusion of a C and Z button right under the A and B face buttons, evoking the Black and White buttons of the Xbox Controller-S SKU.
“The Flydigi Vader 5S wired controller is an excellent wired solution.”
Other interesting features unique to Flydigi include adjustable tension on the sticks, allowing the player to fine-tune the feel of the sticks within a range of 40-100gf, or gram forces. The adjustable tension via the tension rings that encase both sticks is a nice touch and something I haven’t seen before in other controllers from different vendors.
Additionally, the back of the Flydigi Vader 5S includes M1 and M2 macro buttons for extra mapping, in addition to slider-style trigger stops and extra bumpers. Now, as far as extra programmable buttons go, I appreciate the 6-extra buttons the Flydigi Vader 5S includes.
Still, ultimately, I would have preferred the C and Z buttons to be on the back of the pad, alongside the M1 and M2 buttons, as the whole purpose of extra buttons, at least for me, is to give my ring and pinky finger easy access without moving my thumbs off the dual sticks, removing that fraction of delay during heated gameplay moments.
With enough practice, I can see myself learning to actuate the C and Z buttons using the lower part of my thumb, but by default, it can feel awkward, leading to unintentional presses. Thankfully, the placement of the RM and LM buttons, which act as extra micro-bumpers on top of the controller, gives plenty of leeway for those who want to keep their thumbs on the sticks at all times.
When it comes to actually programming or tweaking your profile settings, the Flydigi Vader 5S’s software suite is excellent, offering players an easy-to-use app that makes it simple to modify the gamepad to their desire. Beyond the buttons, the Flydigi Vader 5S wired controller features an eye-catching LED band along the bottom perimeter of the device, which can be customized in the app.
In terms of hand feel and utility over prolonged play, the Flydigi Vader 5S is a fantastic controller, featuring the same build quality as some of their more premium offerings at a fraction of the cost. Specifically, the Flydigi Vader 5S wired controller uses the same mechanical-style switches for its buttons, including TMR sticks used in other Flydigi products, making it feel like it can last the test of time.
Finally, when it comes to the build of the Flydigi Vader 5S, despite being a wired-only controller without an internal battery, the gamepad feels solid in the hand, with a bit of weight that feels better than a lot of wired controllers I’ve used in the past.
“The Flydigi Vader 5S is a fantastic controller.”
One area of the Flydigi Vader 5S that I did not love is its style of D-pad, which features a raised dome-style disc with the cardinal points raised, giving the impression of a cross-shaped design. In practice, despite the cross-shaped impression, I found the disc-style d-pad to feel indistinct, making me less confident in my accuracy when playing fighting games. Fortunately, both the d-pad and the control sticks on the Flydigi can be removed with a little force, allowing easy cleaning and the potential to replace them with other options.
Due to the nature of Xbox-style controllers that conform to a console that does not offer gyro controls, the Flydigi Vader 5S omits this feature. In other words, you’re getting a fairly stock Xbox experience, with the added bells and whistles associated with Flydigi’s high-quality mechanics, switches and sticks.
At the end of the day, the Flydigi Vader 5S wired controller is an excellent wired solution, perfectly suited for use on both Xbox and PC. For PC players who like to emulate other consoles or use adapters that translate X-input devices for unsupported platforms, the lack of gyro support might not be the best option.
