Thrustmaster GPX LightBack Xbox 360 and PC Gamepad

My Purpose-- I bought this pad to use with my *PC*. I am not a big console user, so my review is primarily for PC users. My Pad Usage History-- I've been using game pads for 20+ years, and have owned many different types. This is the 3rd Xbox360 Pad that I've owned. The first two were Microsoft OEM pads that I keep with my Xbox360 (which I rarely use). I also own 1 PC-only pad (Logitech) which I've had for over 2 years. On to the Review-- I find this controller to be significantly more sturdy and reliable than an OEM 360 controller. It also looks a lot cooler. One of my OEM controllers already had some loose analog response right out of the package, brand new. But this one feels and functions perfect and solid in every way. It is very well built, to the point where it puts Microsoft OEM controllers to shame--even the ones that work well out of the packaging. Some other reviewers have noted that the triggers might fatigue your fingers. It's true that the triggers require more pressure to use than OEM controllers. Personally it doesn't bother me, because I feel like the beefier springs also provider better kinetic response to your hand and are also more durable and will last longer. Further, there's a gaming purpose to these beefier springs. The controller is designed to allow you to easily sense and micromanage exactly how far (in or out) you have moved the trigger... and even has an LED indication for you to visually view this detail, incrementally. So there is a method to the madness, rather than it just being a random quirk. Considering that this is supposed to be a 360 controller, this pad is NOT programmable. It wasn't marketed as such, so that's fine, but I'm just saying. Even though I have several other OEM 360 controllers, I've never actually connected one to my PC. Pads made for the PC frequently are programmable, which is why I've never tried a 360 controller until now. I've never wanted to lose that customizability. Yet, after being thoroughly disappointed with the overall "feel" of gaming with my "pc-only" controller, I've kept looking... Which is what spurred me to buy this one. And honestly, my eyes have been opened by using an actual XBox360 controller on my PC. It turns out that a 360 controller makes huge amounts of difference in how console games play on PCs. I run a Microsoft Windows machine, so it detects 360 controllers without hiccup. In the past, I have sworn and cursed every time I bought a new PC game, and had it turn out to be a game which was first made for console and then "ported" onto PC platform. Such games are notoriously terrible to play on PC... because of the awkwardness of the controls makes them unbearable to play. HOWEVER, since connecting this 360 pad to my PC, suddenly my console-ported PC games respond and play as if I were playing on an actual console. The awkwardness is gone. Such awkwardness is always still present when I use an exclusively "made-for-PCs" game pad. In retrospect, it sort of makes sense, if you use a pad that was designed for a console, then your console games should work pretty well with it (even if said console games are being run on a PC). In a nutshell... this pad has made console-ported games on my PC actually worth playing. It totally makes or breaks the experience. In theory, any 360 controller should accomplish this end... but, as I stated earlier, this controller feels to be of particularly high quality and durability compared to OEM 360 controllers. Bottom Line-- If you don't think that finger fatigue (from the beefed up trigger springs) will be an issue for you, then I don't think you can go wrong with this controller.

Other than the fact that now Xbox One controllers are becoming compatible with PC, This Xbox 360/PC gamepad get's the job done, and pretty well. It felt familiar but slightly different then a normal Xbox 360 controller. It did require some configuration for it to be recognized at least on Windows 7 64 Bit although. This was done through device manager and by selecting the driver and finding the proper driver for it that is already pre-installed. A good controller, the buttons and vibrations is on par if not better. The only thing not worth while is the lighting up thumbsticks or pressure triggers.

The controller works fine for my games and such, but I was really disappointed when the joysticks don't light up like they show in the picture. To be fair this is false advertisement and they are liable for lawsuits but I don't think I would go so far as to do so...

well...I've had this for only a few days, and already the left trigger is 'ghost pressing'. *edit* So, I sent the first one back and got another. I was hoping that the first one was just defective. -The replacement worked great for about a month and then I recently noticed that the right joystick will veer to the left on its own. Extremely disappointed and frustrated. I really wanted this controller to work out because I really liked the slim design.

I've bought this for a PC. The analog sticks are indeed more accurate than Microsoft's X360 controller. The triggers are a bit harder to press and seem to have a smaller course, although they seem more accurate. The digital buttons feel cheaper than Microsoft's, as well as the Xbox logo art. Trust me you won't care about the LED lights because you'll be looking at the screen, not at the controller. These are not worth the extra price. Gaming: It was a pain to install the drivers for this one on Windows 8.1. It is NOT recognized seamlessly. I had to search all over the Internet to find out the user must force Microsoft's X360 drivers onto this. Even after figuring out the drivers, I couldn't make this work with Star Citizen because the menus got all crazy on the analogs (I don't care if it's at Alpha, because Microsoft's works just fine, and Thrustmaster claims this to be fully compatible with Microsoft's drivers). On Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed the controller doesn't vibrate ever on single player. BUT if I plug in a second controller (a Microsoft one), then it is the Microsoft controller that vibrates, even though I'm playing with the Thrustmaster (and vice-versa - Thrustmaster's vibrates when Microsoft's should). After failing on both games I gave up on this and sold it. For a piece of hardware way more expensive than the original Microsoft equivalent, I was really disappointed.

I was anticipating for the American release (Euro had it first) for about a month and it was worth the wait. I was looking for a new gamepad for PC and the Thrustmaster GPX was a great choice. The previous Thrustmaster 3 n 1 drive I had was a good one but the size is too small and the analogue stick is too close apart and often my thumbs would collide with one another. The GPX design is like an xbox gamepad but Thrustmaster improved it with better precision on d-pad, analogue sticks and you can plug in a headset with your gamepad. The controller feels comfortable and really solid. I've been playing Geometry Wars and Waves on PC testing out the dual analogue sticks. I didn't have to configure anything at all with the GPX supports both xinput and directinput. It has a great feel to it and easy on the thumbs after playing long session. The LED LightBack sticks was nice but only turns on when it vibrates and hardly noticeable when you're playing games. The cord is nice and long, too bad there isn't a wireless version. Playing Fifa 13 and PES 13 to get the feel of the controller was a great experience. The buttons has a soft touch and easy to work with. I do recommend this controller over the xbox version in comparison in price and value.

This is a very nice controller, has a good form to hold. Thumbsticks are good but time will tell if they hold up or not. The triggers are really tight so this is a good racing controller people getting this for shooters might want to try something else as they are a bit harder to pull as to allow different levels of speed. The light feed back is also night the light under the sticks is pointless but the sensitivity gauges for the triggers is very nice. Over all a great controller has worked without any problems so far only thing I noticed is when I had the controller set down on a pause menu I heard a noise like I had scrolled down one option. Not sure if the controller put a command through to move or it was just the game but I saw another comment on the controller similar to this but I don't think it is a major issue if it doesn't effect in game actions.

i just received the pad and only used if for a half hour or so. the feel is comfortable, i have large hands and though it is a lot smaller than i had expected it is surprisingly comfortable. i will revise this after i use it over the weekend. the sticks feel much better than the XBOX stock controller the buttons are good and responsive. the triggers are a little stiffer and i can see they may tire my fingers over a long haul but i wont really know til i use it for 8 hours or so. the only part i dont care for arae the upper bumper buttons which seem not as sturdy as the rest of the controller. i think my review is in line with what i read from other reviewers. the pad is smaller but feels better constructed than the stock 360 controller. time will tell how it holds up . i was even able to use my Kontrol Freek on the right thumbstick and it feels like it is solid and not going to slip. the price is much better than the stock controller for the xbox but I HATE the whole proprietary wireless thing. i would love to have this controller wireless. if you are looking for an option to the standard pad this is a great option.

Questo penso sia il miglior gamepad al momento presente sul mercato, specie se teniamo in conto il suo costo contenuto. Ha un compatibilità completa col modello Microsoft, cosa importantissima per renderlo perfettamente compatibile con qualsiasi titolo, e risulta però molto più comodo da impugnare, e con una precisione più che doppia rispetto al gamepad della x360, senza contare che risulta più bello con i led che indicano sia il force feedback che la pressione dei due grilletti. E' studiato specificatamente per i giochi di corsa, ma la sua qualità torna molto utile anche in simulazioni di volo/spaziali.

I knocked 2 stars because this controller was not plug and play on windows 7. The drivers did not work for it, and downloading a driver did not fix the issue. The gamepad is officially licensed so it should be plug in play. I came very close to just returning the damned thing out of frustration. Thankfully after some in depth googling I found a solution to the problem. If your controller is not working do the following. Start -> Type in "Device Manager" -> Right Click on the device -> Click "Update Driver Software" -> Select the second option, "Browse my computer for driver software" -> Then Select "Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer" -> Then select "Microsoft common controller for Windows Class." -> Select the newer driver think it was the 2008 version. After that driver installs your controller should work. Final Step email thrustmaster and politely ask them to "Fix their stuff" because you should not have to screw around in your device manager to make a plug and play controller work. I almost resorted to emulating a LICENSED controller to make it work when it should have worked outright. Issues like this are why PC gaming gets a bad wrap for being difficult, when the reality is,it is actually quite easy when developers actually check to verify that their hardware works as advertised. I bought this controller to replace my standard Xbox controller for windows, the standard one worked out of the box no issues. The lights over the paddles are not worth the added difficulty of actually making this controller work. I have yet to meet a single gamer that looks at their controller while playing, as for the added motor's I don't notice them. This is not an improvement over the original controller IMO. Just get the cheaper official controller, it is plug and play, it does work as advertised, it does not require you to modify it via the device manager.

I purchased this primarily for racing games and if you prefer controllers to racing wheels, this is a good choice. The travel in the triggers is longer and smoother than the standard Xbox controllers. So you are much less likely to experience wheel spins and lock-ups. I can't accurately comment on steering since I use an FPS Freak button on the steering stick to lengthen its travel (size of hands is a big factor in determining whether the FPS Freak might be a good additional option for racing with this controller - try it without first). This controller definitely improved my lap times. But don't expect it to put you on a par with a racing wheel on most, if not all, circuits. If you don't or can't set-up a wheel for repeated use, or simply want a physically more relaxed approach to playing racing games, this is a really good compromise.

En mi opinión tiene mejor calidad que el de xbox oficial. Las direcciones análogas y los disparadores tiene mucha precisión. Tiene vibración independiente (izquierda , derecha) En general un excelente control.

Al principio pensé que este mando sería uno del montón, de los genéricos. Pero al parecer, después de un año de uso, me a dejado muy sorprendido. Una calidad excelente, muy chulos los detalles de la aceleración y la vibración. El motor de vibración es increíble y la sensación "hands on" es muy comodo. La única pega que le pongo es el "grip", no hay ningún método de agarre por lo que hace al mando un poco escurridizo en caso de que te suden mucho las manos mientras juegas.