6. Mayflash F500 FLAT
The Mayflash F500 FLAT is a stickless installment in the long running F500 series. The controller has L3 and R3 buttons as additional action buttons. Also, the start button being recessed makes it harder to press accidentally.
The width of the F500 FLAT makes it comfortable for lap and desk play. Plus, the controller is large enough with plenty of wrist space. Not only that, the rubber feet at the bottom also enhance stability.
As for the two turbo speeds, they include 15 times or 25 times per second. For your convenience, the F500 FLAT has turbo and mode light indicators.
The F500 FLAT is not that heavy to carry. Its metal enclosure and base increase security overall. Moreover, there is a headphone jack. Next to the jack are a mute button and port for a rumble wrist strap. There is an USB-A port to insert an adapter for extended compatibility with more consoles.
Otherwise, the cable comes out of a compartment on the left, and the F500 FLAT also arrives with USB-C, micro USB, and OTG USB cables.
If needed, the F500 FLAT’s buttons are easy to replace because of the easily visible bottom screws. Sanwa buttons are compatible as well.
The F500 FLAT’s interior is color coded and neat. There is a clear acrylic panel, and you can you get custom art to make the controller a mirror image of yourself.
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5. DuelPad Zen
The DuelPad Zen has a 16 button layout and comes with extra parts & rubber feet. DuelPad calls the Zen’s layout an ergo-split layout, which is for decreasing wrist discomfort.
Basically, you would be tilting your wrists at a slight angle when using the Zen, and the movement buttons are farther apart from the attack buttons than what you might be accustomed to.
The Zen’s buttons are smooth, and they do not sound as loud as your average buttons. Also, they should not come off if you perform intermediate techniques like sliding or pianoing.
When playing, the Zen should not slip, even without the installation of the optional feet. The controller is light enough to carry without getting tired, but it has enough weight not to forget that you are still carrying it.
The Zen is slim, but it passed a malleability test when pressing on its top panel. With that said, the controller contains USB-C ports in the back and on the left. Of course, you can detach the cable if you need to.
There is a USB-A port as where you can insert an appropriate dongle to make the Zen compatible with additional consoles. There is also a built-in screen that lets you know important info like which buttons you pressed.
When it comes to looks, the Zen is an acrylic controller with matte black and crystal variations. The matte black variation uses Ghost switches, and as for the crystal variation, it comes with White Rain switches. The switches are low profile, linear, swift, and quiet, but if you have another style in mind, the switches can be hot swapped.
The Zen’s aesthetics can be beautified with LED, and there are as many as 35 themes. The buttons and controller light up with flair. As a last tip, the controller accepts custom art to represent your personality.
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4. GuileKeys GK-21
The GK-21 is an acrylic controller with 21 primary buttons, so you can use the directional buttons with your left and right hands in unison, but if you do not need 21 buttons, the GK-16 edition only has 16 buttons.
The buttons of the GK-21 are rimmed, and as for the turbo functionality, it allows you to press one button and have that one press result in many inputs, requiring less effort from you.
Regarding the RGB button, it refers to the LED that the GK-21 has, which glows around the buttons and through the midsection in an attractive way.
When it comes to the GK-21’s switches, they are Kailh Choc Reds that are hot swappable, so if you have another preference, you can just change the switches.
Continuing on, you can find a screen that lets you know valuable intel to boost your experience. For instance, you can watch your button presses, and you can also see the GK-21’s current SOCD cleaning mode.
When it comes to the connectivity, the GK-21 lets you pick from a USB-C port in the back and another one on the left side. Compatibility-wise, the RP2040 chip runs on the open source GP2040-CE firmware with negligible lag.
If you plan to play on more consoles than the GK-21 supports, there is a USB-A port to boost the controller’s compatibility through an adapter.
To wrap things up, here are some freebies your GK-21 order may include:
- Couple of extra keycaps
- Couple of extra switches
- Switch puller
- White USB-C cable
- Black USB extension cord
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3. Haute42 T16
The Haute42 T16 is a controller with larger buttons and low profile Kailh Choc switches for fast presses. There is another edition with less buttons too. Luckily, the latency of the buttons is less than a millisecond.
The T16 is an acrylic controller with chamfered edges for your skin’s comfort. There are anti-slip feet to make your controller stay in place during matches.
The SOCD cleaning includes the essential modes of up priority, neutral, and last input priority, so tournament legality should not be a problem. In addition, the T16’s screen lets you know your inputs, input mode, and SOCD mode.
The T16’s USB port conveniently comes out of the center back, and you can find an EXT port on the right, which is where you could insert a dongle for added compatibility.
LED makes the T16 even more attractive when you press its big buttons. You may also be glad to know that the artwork of the controller is customizable, so you can have characters from your favorite game displayed on it.
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2. Haute42 R16
The Haute42 R16 has 16 buttons, with one button being for your left pinky. The Kailh Crystal low profile switches allow you to press the buttons quite quickly. The input latency is less than a millisecond, and you can even make use of turbo for fast inputs with little effort.
The USB port conveniently comes out of the R16’s back center, and on the right, there is a port for an adapter to enhance your controller’s compatibility.
The R16’s onboard screen reveals information that includes your inputs, the current SOCD mode, and so on. What you can also get with the controller includes an extra switch, switch puller, and option buttons.
The R16 is a beauty, especially due to the LED when you press its buttons while gaming. The controller exists in a black edition too. The controller can also accept custom artwork to make your controller represent what you like.
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1. Haute42 U16
The Haute42 U16 has a top plexiglass layer and an injection molded bottom. The controller has 16 buttons that are enough for modern fighting games, and the U12 edition only has 12 buttons if you do not need many buttons.
The buttons of the U16 have a smooth finish to them, and the button rings make you feel like you are pressing standard arcade buttons. The jump button is bigger than the rest, allowing you to press it without max precision.
The U16’s switches are fast and quieter than average. Another awesome tidbit is the size of the wrist resting area you can enjoy with this spacious controller. An additionally awesome feature is the screen that tells you useful information like whether you are using the directional buttons as a left analog stick or D-pad.
Whether you like to play with a controller on a desk or your thighs, the U16 has got you covered. You see, the controller has built-in pads so that it does not slip when you game.
If you would like to place the U16 on your thighs, the controller is large enough not to have to squeeze your thighs together, and the controller’s lightness makes long gaming sessions more comfortable. In addition, the controller has a slim body, and it might even fit into a laptop or tablet sleeve you already own.
When you order the U16, you do not have to worry about buying your own cable because Haute42 ships a USB-C to A cable with it that is detachable. If you would like to extend the controller’s compatibility, you can insert an adapter into the designated USB-A port.
With the U16, you also get an extra switch in addition to a switch puller because of the hot swappable switches that allow you to customize how the controller feels. You can change the buttons too if you want.
Now, you may be glad to know that the U16 is one of the easier Haute42 controllers to customize the artwork of to represent your personality. Just unscrew the top plexiglass, insert your new art, and screw the plexiglass on again.
That said, we at The Arcade Stick would love to provide custom artwork for your U16. We have a team of dedicated professionals ready to serve you, and we have had experience designing custom art for Haute42 controllers, so please feel free to get in touch with us if you are interested in our custom art service.
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