Half of the cost of the competition and still wins
You get beauty, comfort and performance from the PowerA OPS V3 controller. What else could you ask for?
For those looking for an affordable pro controller, look no further than the PowerA OPS (standing for Over Powered Series) V3. At less than half the cost of some alternatives despite being packed full of exclusive features, it feels like a no-brainer to opt for this gamepad. However, the PowerA OPS V3 is only compatible with Windows 11, Cloud, and Mobile devices, meaning those who play on consoles are unfortunately out of luck here.
Coming in at £99.99 / $99.99 / AU$179.95, the PowerA OPS V3 is a much cheaper pro controller compared to alternatives on the market. The Xbox Elite Series 2 controller sits at a pretty steep £149.99 / $139.99 / AU$249.95, and doesn’t house some of the features on offer from PowerA here. However, it is compatible with Xbox as well as PC, whereas the PowerA OPS V3 doesn’t work with Xbox. Another alternative is the PS5 DualSense Edge, which comes in at over double the cost at £209.99 / $199.99 / AU$339.95.
Wireless pro controller from PowerA
PowerA OPS V3 design
As an RGB fiend, the design of the PowerA OPS V3 blew me away right from the get-go. It offers the benefits of Lumectra RGB lighting, which runs all the way around the controller, behind the buttons and the joysticks. Four lighting zones and three lighting modes make for a gorgeous gamepad. Unfortunately, the shell itself is black and doesn’t come in other colours, which is somewhat disappointing as my entire set-up is white.
In terms of shape, the PowerA OPS V3 is asymmetric and ergonomically designed, including rubberized grips at the bottom. It’s comfortable to hold for long periods of time, even for those with smaller hands. All of the buttons were easy to reach; I never found myself having to strain my fingers or thumbs while using the gamepad.
You get the benefit of hall-effect thumbsticks, making drift an issue of the past with this controller. On the topic of thumbsticks, a pretty cool feature that I wish I had taken more advantage of is the quick-twist thumbsticks. These allow you to adjust the height of your joysticks just by twisting, with three height options to choose from. I ended up just sticking with the lowest height, as this was the most comfortable for me.
As well as all of the expected buttons, you also get six extra mappable buttons. Four can be found on the back of the controller, easily reached with your middle finger. There are then two extra buttons at the top of the controller near the bumpers, which took some getting used to as my instinct to go for these new buttons.
PowerA OPS V3 features
The PowerA OPS V3 battery life is pretty good, clocking in at around 30 hours. While this doesn’t surpass the 40 hours you get from the Xbox Elite controller, it’s significantly higher than the 8 hours I got when reviewing the DualSense Edge controller. By no means is the battery life here jaw-dropping, especially considering it’s even lower if you’ve always got your RGB turned on, but it’s still pretty damn good.
You also get a charging dock in the box with the PowerA OPS V3 which also works as a 2.4GHz connector so you don’t have to worry about using up multiple USB ports for just one controller. The dock connects to the controller magnetically and having it always available on my desk meant I never had to worry about my gamepad dying mid match.
- Form factor: Asymmetric
- Connectivity: 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth, USB wired
- Compatibility: Windows 11, Cloud and Mobile devices
- Extra buttons: 6 additional buttons
- Adaptive triggers: Yes
- Battery life: Up to 30 hours
The PowerA OPS V3 can be used wired for those who want to completely eliminate input lag. However, for those, like myself, who prefer to play wirelessly, the gamepad is compatible with 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth. When using the controller wirelessly, I didn’t notice any lag, stuttering, or issues whatsoever. You’ll find a switch on the bottom of the controller to switch between connectivity modes with ease.
PowerA OPS V3 performance
I tried out the PowerA OPS V3 in a range of titles, from shooters, my primary games, to racing games like Forza Horizon 5 and even cosy games like Stardew Valley. No matter what I loaded into, I found the PowerA OPS V3 worked perfectly. While definitely a pro controller, it doesn’t have to be used as one, considering all the customisation is down to you.
When using the PowerA OPS V3, the mechanical switches made for an extremely satisfying experience. You get a clicky feel and sound, making it easy to realise when you’re button-mashing and eliminate it. The controller was also very comfortable, even during long play sessions. I often feel put off by using controllers when gaming because of discomfort, but the PowerA OPS V3 might have changed that.
One feature I didn’t expect to use but will likely make this controller useful for most is the ability to quickly switch between profiles. A button on the bottom of the controller can be pushed to cycle between pre-saved profiles, which I found so useful for hero shooters like Overwatch 2. Swapped heroes? Change controller profiles in a second without even having to tab out of the game.
Modular and fully customisable controller for Xbox and PC.
Includes Wireless Adaptor for Windows
Comes in White, Blue and Red
The most premium Xbox controller
Overall thoughts on the PowerA OPS V3
Overall, the PowerA OPS V3 is one of the best pro controllers I have ever used. I had no issues at all while testing this controller, and I genuinely cannot think of a single fault, which is astonishing considering the price point when compared to alternatives. You get a whole host of features, some of which you can’t find anywhere else, including the quick twist thumbsticks, as well as a sturdy and beautiful gamepad. I cannot recommend the PowerA OPS V3 enough, for both competitive and casual gamers.
Score: 5/5