We’ve been followers of the controllers that PowerA put out for years. In truth, we’ve been hands-on with greater than we care to recollect, with our most up-to-date outing being that of the Sonic Model Benefit Wired Controller. But again in 2021 it was the PowerA Spectra Infinity Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox that blew our little thoughts, retaining the smile on our face through the inclusion of a number of colored zones, lighting up our gaming classes like by no means earlier than.
Now PowerA are again, however this time they’re going greater, higher, bolder and nicely, brighter – fairly actually. For they’re discovered taking their Benefit Wired vary of controllers, and mixing it with some newly enhanced Spectra concepts. The result’s the PowerA Benefit Wired Controller with Lumectra. And this one does a lot greater than add some fancy colors to your Xbox controller.
We received’t go into an excessive amount of depth when it comes to what PowerA deliver to the desk with their Benefit Wired Controller. What we’ve got right here with the Lumectra tagged product is just about the identical as that seen within the Sonic Model controller, eradicating the blue hues related to the quickest hedgehog within the land and preferring to run an all-black pores and skin.
Which means you’ll end up with an Xbox controller in hand that’s extraordinarily acquainted. Just about equivalent to an official Xbox controller – but with a cable tying you into your console – it feels nice in hand. Lighter than a wi-fi providing, thumbsticks are properly concaved on the highest with a massively grippy outer ring to make sure that your thumbs won’t ever slip off while within the warmth of the motion. The d-pad is greater than able to offering what’s required too, while the face buttons are straightforward to hit, clickable and properly raised from the physique of the controller. Throw within the Xbox Nexus button, the trio of Menu, View and Share buttons and twin rumble motors in-built and also you’ve bought all the things you’d need from the face of an Xbox controller.
Additionally in place is a normal 3.5mm audio jack for plugging in your favorite wired headset, while bumpers are straightforward to press and the triggers click on in like the most effective of them. These triggers even have 3-way set off locks on them, so in the event you’re a kind of avid gamers seeking to finesse their expertise, PowerA have you ever coated.
A clean entrance face plate is nicely complemented by a textured rear. Frankly, this can be a controller that feels nice in hand.
Nevertheless it’s within the finer particulars the place the PowerA Benefit Wired Controller with Lumectra ups the sport. Look carefully when the controller is off and also you’ll see the all-black physique is detailed with a number of gentle strips. There’s a big one which flows throughout the outer physique, extra surrounding the d-pad, others that encircle the thumbsticks and extra located round every face button. It’s these parts that gentle up as quickly as you plug the controller into your console – USB-C to USB-A – with the hues and modes proven all dictated by the participant.
Across the again of the Benefit Wired Controller with Lumectra are these set off locks in addition to a few programmable rear-mounted buttons, located proper beneath the location of your center fingers as you maintain the controller. A easy press and maintain of a MAP button, adopted by the buttons of your alternative will will let you set these further buttons up as you want. It’s a easy course of, one which shall be fairly acquainted to anybody who has used any such controller kind beforehand. We are able to’t say that we use them an terrible lot, however that’s all very a lot a private style; others will lap up the chance to utilise again buttons.
However then, alongside that MAP button, across the rear are two extra choices – INT LED and EXT LED. Are you able to guess what these do?
We’ll begin with the primary of the 2 – INT LED – and that is used to manage the lighting in place on the controller itself; the Inside LEDs, if you’ll. A mixture of face buttons, triggers and d-pad will let you assign an enormous vary of colors and mode varieties to the PowerA Benefit Wired Controller with Lumectra, mixing and matching as you see match. We’ve personally discovered some preferences in having our controller kitted out in Xbox inexperienced, but in addition have a little bit of a liking to an ever-scrolling, ever-changing color palette. As we sit right here now, the Benefit Wired Controller with Lumectra is fortunately switching issues up, altering from purple to orange to yellow to inexperienced to blue. It seems good.
Nevertheless, preliminary set-up of a color that’s to your liking is a little bit of a faff. There’s such a spread of choices obtainable, alongside a myriad of button presses, that we discovered issues a little bit overwhelming initially. However as soon as set in place, and as soon as you start to know the method you must undergo, issues are completely superb and dandy.
So what of the EXT LED button? Nicely, as you might anticipate to listen to, this lets you change up some ‘exterior’ LEDs, with PowerA together with a 1.20 metre (4ft) RGB LED Strip within the field with the controller. They’re additionally promoting for much longer LED Strip choices too, all of which may then be managed by the PowerA Benefit Wired Controller with Lumectra.
These LED strips are both powered by USB-A (plug it right into a console or commonplace USB-A enabled plug), or include a 3-pin UK plug as commonplace. As soon as related up and caught in place – as an example, to the again of your TV – so long as the controller can ‘see’ the IR transmitter connected to the LED strip, you’ll be able to then change the colors and mode as you would like. It’s all very intelligent and – very similar to the color altering of the controller itself – works an absolute deal with when you get used to how every controller button amends the lighting.
With an in-line management connected to every LED strip too, in the event you desire to make use of the PowerA RGB LED Strip as a standalone system, away from the controller, you are able to do so. It’s not fairly as ‘magical’, however it all works superb. With hundreds of color combos throughout the controller itself, after which extra on the LED strips, there’s subsequent to no probability that you just’ll not be capable of discover some type of gloriously glowing gentle set as much as swimsuit you and your gaming habits.
What all this implies is that ought to you be seeking to up your gaming model and fancy one thing that brings all the color you would ever need, the PowerA Benefit Wired Controller With Lumectra ought to be the one to purchase. The inclusion of a Lumectra LED strip within the field is an efficient transfer by PowerA, elevating this to a complete new degree. It’s helped that the controller itself is elegant too – a minimum of in the event you can look previous the necessity to cable it into your console. Is it an excessive amount of to ask for a wi-fi Lumectra controller? Possibly battery life points would maintain it again…
Enormous thanks exit to PowerA for offering us with the PowerA Benefit Wired Controller with Lumectra for evaluation, in addition to the extra 5.5m (18ft) standalone Lumectra RGB LED Gentle Strip. You’ll discover them obtainable for round £54.99 and $19.99 respectively.
