When it comes to gaming, my first experience with a home console was the PlayStation 2. Days were spent messing around in ATV Offroad Fury in an attempt to fling myself into out of bounds spots I was discovering in the moment because I sucked at the actual races. What this meant for me was that I only knew of the DualShock and the symmetrical sticks that came with it, at least until I got a chance to use an Xbox 360 controller, and since then it was all over for me.
But when HexGaming sent over their Phantom to check out, I decided to give it a shot, and skip from my experience with a DualShock 3 to something built on the DualSense platform instead. Is this a controller worth grabbing? And should you spend your hard earned dollars on it? Now’s the time to find out.
HexGaming Phantom Specs
Getting this out of the way first, the HexGaming Phantom is an expensive controller. Topping the charts of what I’ve reviewed at $229 for the standard version, and $249 for the version with Hall Sticks, which at this price is the only one I’d even recommend. So consider that when talking about this controller.
- Sticks: ALPS or Hall effect
- Triggers: Hall Effect
- Face Buttons: Membrane
- Bonus Features: Adjustable Triggers, Additional Stick Caps, K1-K4 programmable buttons, Hex DRIFTX module support, Vibration
- Battery: 1560mAh
- Connectivity: USB-C Wired, Bluetooth
- Compatibility: PS5, X86, Android, iOS
- Weight: 297 grams
What I Like
The Customizability
There’s a lot you can do here, and when I see this, I like to mention it. The back buttons are customizable, the sticks are customizable as well. If you want, HexGaming includes rubber bumpers to put on your stick that allows you to protect their shaft while gaming. Alongside that, they include what they call a Calibration tool box in the included carrying case to adjust and calibrate the sticks on your controller.
When it comes to making the controls do what you want, the Phantom gives you the option to cover that from head to toe. But if you prefer changing things like stick location or button type, you may need something else.
Ergonomics
If there’s one thing that I can’t fault HexGaming for it’s the ergonomics of the Phantom, and for good reason. The ergonomics are the same as a DualSense. You’ve got rubbery grips that I always worry about the longevity of, and symmetrical sticks that line up with my thumbs nicely. I will comment though, using the longer stick tops were less comfortable for me, but I can see the appeal for most other people.
Overall they did really well, I have a couple gripes, but that’ll be brought up soon enough.
Controls
In all honesty, I like almost everything about the controls from top to bottom. The trackpad is usable for what it is, the face buttons have nice travel and aren’t too loud, and the D-pad is as good as it can be. The sticks and triggers also feel really good in day to day use, though I will mention R1 and L1 do have a bit of extra wiggle than I’d usually expect.
I even appreciate the short throw triggers on this one. Flip the switch and they become micro switch triggers that activate on the spot and in the moment. Overall though, they’ve nailed the top and front controls and if that’s all you needed you could be happy with everything here.
What I Don’t
Price
An obvious one, but one worth mentioning. For $229, or $249 for the version with Hall Sticks, you’re paying a lot of money for a controller. The standard DualSense is $70, the DualSense Edge is closer to $200. The most expensive controller I’ve reviewed is the Beitong Zeus 2 Elite and that’s currently down to ~$95 on Amazon at the time of writing. And that one had swappable face button modules, on top of everything else.
For the price, you know what you’re getting, but it almost feels too expensive at this point.
The Back Buttons
It’s cool that you can have up to 6 profiles on your back buttons, but when they’re super easy to activate, it makes you not want to use them as much. K1-K4 are all light clicky back buttons, and when I say clicky I mean it. They’re super easy to press to the point I try to make sure they aren’t really mapped to anything. I found myself pressing K2 and K4 accidentally the most as they fell right within the natural grip of my fingers when not trying to reach for them. They’re useful, but you’ll need time to adjust.
Software?
Because this is primarily a PS5 controller, you’re not really looking at any PC based software. Everything is on the controller. From back button mapping to stick calibration and everything in between. If you’re like me and you appreciate not having to download more just to do less, this will be perfect for you. Just remember, you might end up having to look things up just to remind yourself how to adjust your mappings.
Final Thoughts
Overall it’s a good, and solid controller. HexGaming made a controller that anyone could use for their PS5 if they’re willing to spend the money for all of the features. Primarily I did use this on PC to standardize testing, but also because I haven’t had much experience with gaming on PlayStation outside of visiting friends and family.
Compared to other controllers in my collection, I think there are cheaper options that would serve a lot more of the general audience, think an 8BitDo Pro or Ultimate. However if you’re looking for a specific controller for PS5 and PC, this might be a good option? Just make sure to skip the cheaper standard potentiometer option as the hall effect is what you should get.
And maybe just try a DualSense first. This thing costs as much as a PS Portal.
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