Saitek P2500 Rumble Force Pad USB

Rating:
Summary: Decent controller
Review: Cons: The rumble is inaccurate - compared to the Logitech wingman rumblepad, it is less compatible. Digital button sometimes doesnt work.
Pros: Good layout, durable design, nice glowing blue light, comfortable to hold, like the PS2 controller, you can click the 2 joysticks, which is good.

Rating:
Summary: Decent controller
Review: Cons: The rumble is inaccurate. Digital button sometimes doesnt work.
Pros: Good layout, durable design.

Rating:
Summary: A Solid Buy for the Console Gamer in You
Review: I bought this controller on impulse after I found myself playing a some ported console games and emulators with no proper game pad, and I was pleasantly surprised by its solid design and features.

After some difficulties getting the drivers installed (a well-documented problem which I resolved by reading the online FAQs and may be resolved in the next driver release as they have beta drivers you can download on the Saitek forums that resolve the issue), I found that the driver software and key programming software is solid and intuitive.

The design of this controller is practically identical to Saitek's P800, and I can't blame them for keeping the same design. All of the buttons are responsive and easy to access, and the directional pad is accurate and solid, though it may take a bit of time to get used to it because it can feel too responsive at first.

The analog sticks are smooth and accurate, and also click in to act as buttons themselves. I wouldn't recommend binding these buttons for any vital tasks in games because they can be accidentally depressed, but for adjusting camera views or some similar functions, it can come in handy.

Overall, the large shoulder buttons and grips make this controller very comfortable for long periods of use, and basically make it a joy to use.

The rumble effects leave a bit to be desired, though, because I have yet to see the rumble effects work in games that don't use TouchSense's technology. This may simply be a problem with the fact that most PC games aren't designed to use a game pad, so there are few that actually have any force-feedback effects for me to really determine if the issue is with the controller or just the games I'm playing. However, in a game that does use TouchSense, such as Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2, the effects are spot on, and overall a bit too intense at 100% gain (I personally set mine down to 60%).

Since rumble capability is the only thing that separates this controller from the P800, you should evaluate your own gaming habits and decide if it justifies the (small) price difference.

Rating:
Summary: Usuable but clumsy. Read for an alternative.
Review: I have been seaching for a good gamepad to use for emulators and other games on my PC for some time now and have found that while there are many great gamepads being made for Playstation 2, X-Box, and other consoles, there are few good PC gamepads worth buying. While there were some positive aspects to this controller, the problems I have had with the other gamepads in the past were evident in this product as well: 1)The buttons were much too close together, resulting in accidental pushes of random buttons; 2)The analog sticks were very loose, without the resistance I was used to in other gamepads (ie. X-Box, PS2); 3)The shoulder/trigger buttons (L & R) were huge, with only one on each side rather than two as most gamepads have now; 4)There was no "start" or "select" button in the center. These functions could be programmed onto other buttons, but this was confusing and difficult to remember; 5)The D-pad (the directional buttons shaped like a plus sign), essential for many games created for older cartridge consoles (ie. SNES, NES, Sega...), was very akward and imprecise. Pushes on the horizontal parts of the D-pad were often interpreted as up or down; 6)Finally, the controller just felt cheaply made, as if it would break easily if dropped. The buttons clicked loudly (I prefer a quiet gamepad) were did not feel smooth to push.

While this controller could probably have sufficed, I was looking for much more from a $30 controller. In the end I returned this product and purchased on Ebay an adapter that allows you to hook a Playstation (or PS2) controller into a USB port and found some original Playstation controllers for very cheap since few people use those any more. Also this adapter allows me to plug two controllers into one USB port for easy multiplay. This has worked flawlessly and ended up being much cheaper (I believe the adapter was about $8 and the PS controllers were given to me by a friend). This is the method I would recommend. I hope this helps frustrated people like me who have so far been disappointed with PC controllers.

Rating:
Summary: mediocre products
Review: I returned the Saitek P3000 Wireless Gamepad because the batteries not working, and random glitches due to the wireless connection during game play. It was consistently a problem.

I decided, to keep with Saitek, but to buy this controller, so i could keep my profiles, and i wouldn't have to send a weekend programming it.

Right out of the box, i discovered the shift button did not work. So now i have to send this one back for a return.

Another weird thing is, when i loaded my profiles with this controller, they were blank. When i open the file, the data is still there. Instead of reprogramming it, i have decided to get the Logitech. I use their game-pads for my XBOX and have never had a problem.

I am convinced the Saitek just makes mediocre sub standard products. Its a name i will stay away from in the future.

Conclusion:
I just bought the , Logitech Wingman Wireless Rumble Pad its by far a better gamepad. Its 2.4GHZ, so it has distance. The software to program custom scripts is miles ahead of the Saitek SST software. When you load the profile, it automatically loads the game which it corresponds with.

Please, if your looking for a game pad, get the Logitech. Save your self the 3 weeks on pain I had to go through.

Rating:
Summary: A nice controller, not perfect, but nice.
Review: This is a nice controller, lots of buttons and programmability, perfect for PC games or playing your favorite console emulators. The key-mapping features are excellent because you can create seperate profiles for each PC game or emulator you use. You can also use the Shift to give each button a seperate function. Setting turbo buttons is easy to learn.

This pad is nice, but not flawless.
Here are my gripes about the P25000.

1: I really don't see the point of having Rumble Pack as there are so few games that even use it. I was never a big fan of rumble and always thought it to be over-rated.

2: This pad is wireless, which might be nice... but then you have to deal with the batteries dying. Personally I like the Saitek P880 better because it doesn't give me any problems.

3: The L and R shoulder button's are a little too flush with the rest of the unit, they should be thicker, stick out more and give a good springy resistence like the rest of the buttons on the P880.

2: Pushing the D-pad up, down, or right makes a tick noise because its edges are hitting against the plastic housing. It doesn't do this when you press Left, there's just a nice rubbery springiness. ALL of the directions on the pad should feel this way. And why a hard plastic D-pad anyway? A softer plastic one would've been nicer and probably last longer.

Actually I had an idea... anyone remember Turbo Touch 360? It was like this little magic flat orange d-pad that sensed the heat of your thumb and kept you from getting blisters, now those were kewel. How come they don't make a PC gamepad with something like that?

The Saiteks come with a 2 YEAR WARRANTY. So in the unlikely event that the controller breaks before then, if you still have your proof of purchase (reciept) you can get a new one sent to you or pick it up at the store you bought it from.