Coming in with the HoriPad Pro for Xbox Series X/S, we see if Hori can continue their success with controllers, but this time with a controller for Xbox.
First Impressions
My initial thoughts when taking the HoriPad Pro out of the box was that you could see that Hori didn’t want to stray too far away from the familiar silhouette of an Xbox controller. The controller had a closer shape to maybe the Switch Pro controller, with chunkier triggers and less aggressive bumpers.
You can also see elements of inspiration from the PS5 controller, with a similar handle shape and a slightly squarer overall shape compared to a basic Xbox controller, however the general layout of the buttons is the same as your standard Xbox controller, with the classic X,Y,B,A buttons to the right and a joystick placed on the opposite side.
The Xbox button has a little LED light above it which tells you if your controller is connected or not, meaning you won’t have the annoying experience of trying to work out if your controller is actually plugged in and working.
Design and Performance
Starting with the overall feel of the controller in my hands, the HoriPad Pro really isn’t anything too different from your standard console controller, with all the buttons in the right places and no real bold design moves.
The sticks are smooth and very responsive, letting you easily fling them around. This was great for quick scoping or on games that require quick movements as the sticks could handle sharp movements with no delay or stiffness. The sticks also seemed to excel in fighting games as combos were easy to initiate due to the stick’s high responsiveness and stability, with no wobble or looseness whatsoever.
The d-pad is rather basic, with a very similar design to the standard Xbox controller, apart from a bit more of an elevated bubble-like appearance which did make clicking the d-pad a smoother experience.
The d-pad and right joystick is donned on a glossy black cylindrical panel which has the Hori logo in the middle, which looks quite smart. There is a led that lights up a small profile graphic, with the colour corresponding to the selected custom profile, which can be created using the Hori app on the Xbox store.
The triggers at first thought were rather stiff, however after using them for a while longer I realized they are just not as quick as the normal Xbox Series X/S controller, for example with sprinting in FIFA 23 where you must hold the trigger fully down to reach top speeds, the HoriPad Pro took longer and felt like it required more effort to fully push down than Xbox’s own controller.
This was cancelled out by the sensitivity of the triggers and buttons though, with you not needing to slam fully on the triggers and buttons to get them to work. I mainly noticed this whilst playing strategy games such as Crusader Kings 3 or in fighting games like Tekken and MultiVersus.
These types of games, contrary to sprinting in FIFA, only require you to tap the triggers and bumpers or just use the face controls, meaning I didn’t need to fully hold down the trigger to cause an action. Based off this, my judgement is that the HoriPad Pro is more suited to games that don’t require you to fully hold down the trigger quickly, although the HoriPad will get by.
Customization
There are a few extra buttons compared to a normal Xbox controller, such as a microphone mute button, a profile selection button which allows you to switch between the 4 custom controller setups that you create in the Hori Device Manager app, and an audio button that allows you to adjust the headset volume, along with the mix of the game and chat audio.
When switching through the setups using the profile button beneath the d-pad, a little LED changes colour to indicate which profile you have selected. This isn’t a major design feature, however, it’s a nice touch and helps with knowing which setup you currently have equipped.
You can edit these elements on Xbox’s audio settings menu anyway, so to be honest this feature isn’t exactly needed, however, the ability to have each set up with different audio settings is pretty handy. For example, if I’m playing a single-player RPG game, I could switch to my setup that has the mix fully in favour of game sound, so I get full volume.
Each custom setup allows you to also change the tuning for analog stick sensitivity, trigger travel, vibration strength, and button mapping, really allowing you to make certain aspects the most comfortable for you. One downside regarding the button mapping is that it isn’t too extensive, with only the top four buttons (LB, LT, RB, RT) being available to remap, which seems rather limited to me.
The app is very easy and simple to navigate, which is a relief with some other customization apps for gaming devices being quite confusing, slow and frustrating.
Conclusion
To conclude on the HoriPad Pro, there’s no doubt that it is a competent Xbox Series X/S controller that will do the job. The HoriPad excels in fighting games and strategy games, which isn’t a huge surprise when you see Hori’s extensive fighting stick inventory.
The slightly stiff triggers and bumpers leave room for improvement, with a slow feel to them when playing FPS games, hindering your performance albeit only by a small amount. For the price of around £30-£40, the HoriPad Pro offers a decent amount of customization and performance, with the performance matching the price point in my opinion.
Overall, the HoriPad Pro is a decent option for the Xbox Series X/S if you don’t want to only have a standard Xbox controller, and if wireless isn’t a dealbreaker for you. If you really want something that has a proper ‘pro’ feel, then you will have to spend more money on something like the Xbox Elite controller, however, if a little bit of button mapping and customization will do for you, then the HoriPad Pro is definitely an option.
Product Rating:
Design/Performance: 3.5 out of 5.0 stars
Customization: 3.5 out of 5.0 stars
Value for Money: 3.5 out of 5.0 stars
Overall ranking: 3.5 out of 5.0 stars
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