Wired game controllers

Wired connection

— wired manipulators are noticeably lighter and cheaper than wireless ones; in addition, they do not have restrictions on the time of continuous operation. The main disadvantage of this option is the actual presence of a cable, which limits freedom of movement and can create inconvenience. At the same time, this drawback is not so often critical: for example, the steering wheel or joystick does not particularly need mobility; in gamepads for desktop consoles, the wire can be made quite long; And if that's not enough, you can buy an extension cable.

The connection itself is most often carried out via a USB connector; energy for work usually comes from it, however, some “gluttonous” devices (primarily rudders with powerful feedback systems) use a power supply (see “Power”). In terms of gaming platforms (see "Compatibility"), the wired connection is most popular in PC and Mac controllers, since such controllers are usually placed in close proximity to the system unit / laptop. In models for desktop consoles, this option is much less common, in mobile accessories it is extremely rare, and wired controllers are not used at all with Apple TV.

Also worth mentioning here is a specific wired connection option — a serial connection used in some sets of two gamepads (see "Features"). In such cases, one of the gamepads is connected by wire to the second gamepad connected directly to the PC or set-top box. This allows you to do without extra wires and use one connector for two controllers, but somewhat reduces reliability — a malfunction on the "communication line" can disable both gamepads at once.