There’s an odd quirk about the Xbox controller. Its general layout is so successful that it has not only gone essentially unchanged since the very first generation of the console, it effectively became the de facto design for game pads across the industry. Despite that ubiquity, it’s sometimes hard for Xbox players to look at the likes of the PlayStation 5’s sleek, monochrome, symmetrical DualSense controller and not feel the tiniest pang of envy. What does it take to get that elegant design approach on Microsoft’s monolith?

The answer, for some, will be Hyperkin’s cheekily named The Competitor. Compatible with Xbox consoles and PCs, it adds some functional upgrades to the default Xbox pad while gently rearranging its inputs to mimic Sony’s current-gen controller, all while borrowing its aesthetic for good measure.

Cribbing Notes

This is hardly Hyperkin’s first somewhat tongue-in-cheek Xbox pad. It previously released the 20th Anniversary Duke Controller—a remake of the original Xbox’s infamously unwieldy pad that no one really liked—so this take on Microsoft’s archrival’s pad sits right alongside that. It’s a controller that comes packaged with a knowing wink.

While the likes of Thrustmaster’s H.E.A.R.T. controller also opt for a black-and-white look that subtly evokes the PS5’s palette, the Hyperkin is more … let’s say "directly inspired," at least for the two-tone model (it’s also available in solid black). The white of the outer hand grips meet in the center, with a black base. That black contrast edges in at the top, subtly creating a fitting "X" design.

Hyperkin The Competitor Controller (left) and PS5 DualSense (right)

Photograph: Matt Kamen

The most immediately striking difference is that Hyperkin’s product swaps the typical Xbox approach of asymmetric thumbsticks for the PlayStation’s horizontal layout. It also separates the D-pad (it’s one piece inside the pad, but splits its cardinal directions so each appears to be its own button), while the ABXY face buttons are spaced slightly further apart. Where the DualSense’s touchpad would sit, we have the Xbox home, menu, view, and share buttons, all blended in rather smartly. An LED ring around the home button just about echoes the lights running the periphery of the DualSense’s touchpad, although it’s really more of an inversion of the regular Xbox controller, where the home button itself lights up.

The Competitor’s thumbsticks come equipped with thumbcaps that mirror the PS5’s, an outer ring with a convex central point, but a pair of Xbox-standard concave caps are included. These easily pop on and off, and can be mixed and matched, if you were so (strangely) inclined.

There are two areas where this departs from both the standard Xbox and PlayStation controllers in terms of inputs. The first is the presence of two programmable rear buttons, M1 and M2. By default, these duplicate the input of the A and B buttons, but holding down the Mode button between them lets you remap them. There are also physical button locks to prevent their use entirely. The other is that while the Competitor boasts a 3.5-mm headphone jack like Microsoft’s official pad, it adds a built-in audio mute button, hidden in the black between the thumbsticks—a nice little upgrade.

Oddly Familiar

In use, the Competitor feels … well, a lot like a PS5 pad. The slightly wider grip fits in the hand comfortably, all inputs are accessible, and those symmetrical thumbsticks sit nicely in reach for all but the smallest hands. A microtextured underside provides a solid grip that, when coupled with its 232-gram weight, makes the Competitor feel particularly suited to longer play periods. It’s all very familiar if you’re already a multiformat gamer, to the extent that it sometimes slightly threw my muscle memory off, reaching a thumb out to do a PlayStation touchpad function and finding only the Xbox system buttons.

Photograph: Matt Kamen

Performance-wise, it outclasses the regular Xbox pad. Hall effect thumbsticks make for incredible precision without risk of contact deterioration leading to stick drift, while anti-friction rings allow for a smoother range of motion. Metal stems on the sticks themselves make for a really durable feel. Meanwhile, the "Impulse Triggers" include that same Hall effect tech—great for racing games where you really want pinpoint acceleration control—plus individual rumble motors for nuanced haptic feedback.

The LB and RB shoulder buttons are much closer in shape to those on the PS5, but not an exact match—the buttons are slightly longer than PS5s and come to a point, but it’s a minor difference that doesn’t affect how you play. The Competitor’s face buttons are bouncy and responsive, and the D-pad feels particularly great for fighting games. Those added M1/M2 buttons are great too, their slightly raised profile inviting you to use them without ever feeling intrusive. All combined, it’s a great pad to play with—except for one fairly predictable flaw.

All Tied Up

The Competitor is yet another wired-only controller, connecting to your Xbox console or PC via a 3-meter USB-A to USB-C cable. As is always my complaint in these cases, this is fine for most PC gamers, who’ll likely be sitting directly at their machine, but for console players in a living room environment, corded pads are an annoyance at best, a trip hazard at worst. It’s also a rubber cord, rather than braided, and feels like the cheapest part of the whole package.

Photograph: Matt Kamen

If this were a competitive, pro-tier pad targeting esports professionals like the modular Thrustmaster X2 H.E., the wired-only approach might be fine—in competitive gaming spaces, every microsecond of response time is pivotal, and a direct connection between controller and device is faster—but it’s not. This is a snazzily dressed design crossover, and one I’d rather use playing Xbox on the couch.

That more casual feel also reinforces that, despite its Hall effect upgrades over the official Xbox controller, the changes the Competitor brings are largely cosmetic. Unfortunately, no amount of rejiggering layouts can make up for the fact that the Xbox as a platform lacks some of the inputs of the PS5: chiefly the central touchpad, but also its gyroscopic sensors and adaptive triggers that can add resistance depending on the in-game action. The M1/M2 custom buttons Hyperkin adds here might bring over one feature from the DualSense Edge controller, but that’s about the limit of what it can do.

Still, if you want an Xbox controller that looks and, for the most part, feels like a PS5 pad, the Competitor does the job. It’s comfy in the hand and offers several material and performance-based enhancements, and even wins back some favor thanks to its bargain $50 price. It’s just a shame you’ll be tethered to your console or strapped to your desk to enjoy what this offers.