| Price | Etsy |
| Compatibility | NS / PC |
| Dimensions | 8.5″ x 3.8″ x 0.8″ |
Quick Facts
- You can switch to D-pad mode.
- You can also change the SOCD cleaning mode.
Performance
The vsFIGHTER is an all-keys controller that aims to be smaller, slimmer, and more customizable than the average arcade stick. It features 16 programmable keys/buttons, 12 of which are Cherry MX compatible and four of which are menu/auxiliary tactile buttons: left stick, right stick, select, and start.
The keys have a satisfying plastic quality to them, and the Kailh hot swappable microswitches are linear. Everything is nice and responsive.
The vsFIGHTER does not come with wrist support, so you are expected to use it on a table where your palms will rest on. Thankfully, there is a foam pad covering the entire bottom to secure the controller during play.
Hardware
The top plate is clear acrylic, which supports sandwiched artwork. As for the base, it is also acrylic. If you press hard, you will notice that the acrylic is malleable, but that should not be an issue during normal play. To crack the vsFIGHTER open, all you need to do is unscrew several screws.
While there is a USB-C port, a cable is unfortunately not included. Another observation is that the USB cable sticks out awkwardly because of the lack of the depth in the port, but that does not affect functionality. Either way, the vsFIGHTER seems to constantly be improving with each edition.
On a side note, QMK support is also available, and the open source firmware runs the low latency DaemonBite that you can update.
Appearance
The stock design is not much of a looker. The colorful keys are nice to see, but the appearance seems to be plain overall. Thankfully, you can remove the clear plexiglass by unscrewing several screws to insert your own artwork, such as artwork you acquire through our custom artwork service.
Here is a vsFIGHTER art example by our James Tran:
Conclusion
This is an impressive entry by LeafCutterLabs.
- Performance is on point
- Decent stability
- Fairly easy to mod
- Malleable material
- Rough looking
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐