Logitech ChillStream Gamepad for PC

So I purchased this controller to replace my old Logitech Dual Action thinking okay its a nice upgrade and the fans will be a nice touch. I was wrong, I'm still using the Logitech Dual Action for the simple reason of I need to be able to use the RT and LT. Those two are only recognized as a Z-Axis control, and its impossible to program them to anything else. Really was a waste. I now have this controller collecting dust, because it will never get used. No point in returning since, by all rights, its not defective. It just doesn't work as I expected it to. My opinion if you don't want a headache DO NOT buy this controller. Get the Playstation style since the R2 and L2 buttons work perfectly on them.

The Logitech ChillStream gamepad is by far one of the best gaming controllers I've used in my long gaming history. One of the biggest pros for me is the style of the controller. Based heavily off of the Xbox 360 controllers, it's very easy to map and get used to, especially if you own or have owned a 360 as I have. The feel is almost exact to the 360 controllers as well, so there is nothing to really get used to aside from the fan vents. Now, the controller has 2 fan options, one being a kind of subtle fan that hardly cools the hands or prevents sweating. In that sense, it's kind of useless, but much quieter so it may be optimal for those needing to use it in a quiet environment or for those who casually game and/or have seldom sweating in the palms. The second fan option, however, is much faster and, in turn, louder. It does a magnificent job keeping my hands cool even during intense gaming sessions which prevents the controller from slipping and provides for precision gaming. If your hands are prone to sweating during those intense gaming sessions, and are familiar with the Xbox 360 controller, then I would heavily recommend this controller. For the price, this unit is definitely worth it. If you are a casual gamer, however, or tend to play games that don't use a controller (FPS, RTS) then I'd suggest something cheaper for the sake of price vs. usage.

The cooling fan feature is not really for me but this is a very serviceable gamepad. I have an XBOX 360 and this is a decent imitation of that system's controller. It's much lighter and smaller, so it feels cheaper/shoddier in general than the XBOX 360 controller, but the button layout and dual analogs are close enough to trick my thumbs into thinking I'm using my XBOX. I've only used this to play NBA2K12 on my PC.

on my xp it wouldn't detect the darn controller, then when I installed the software, all I saw was a progress bar go to max, and an ok button unfreezing, when I hit ok, the setup closes and theres nothing installed on my pc. so then I'm told I have to install updated drivers, so I go to their website (logitech.com) only to be redirected.....[wait! logitech doesnt even host their own drivers?...nope) I'm redirected to Microsoft.com to find out I have to authenticate my version of windows with Microsoft to download drivers for a logitech hardware controller!....whatever, I waste half an hour downloading the necessary authentication software from 'microsoft', to download 'logitech' drivers, to find out that the first microsoft authentication software is having problems, so I do the secondary authentication procedure of microsoft. I get the dam pc authenticated(3 hours passed), and download one of the 2 drivers available from the redirect page of logitech.com the dirver crashes/I get an error message when I install it, so I go through all that again to download the second driver available, same thing the driver pops up an error message when I installed it. then I read, (on blogs after wasting time search for them of course)I read that I have to install the microsoft drivers for the xbox360 PC controller....for the 'logitech' chillstream. after 2 hours looking for it on the internet, it didnt solve the probe either. a friend gave me a cheap wallyWorld ps2 controller for the pc, which didn't work for his vista, and thats what I'm using now.... if you do have vista...(my condolences), this controller might work for ya... risk it if you wish now im trying to get amazon to refund my money to my card, after going to the refund page, getting the return instructions, and shipping the dam controller back to them a month ago, still no refund to my card... to be fair the controller though a bit small feels nice to the hand and handling, and has a big fan that blows nice air to the hands when on. but it didn't work for me.

I was playing Super Mario emulated on my laptop a few months back when my wife (then fiancée) came in and exclaimed, "Super Mario! I want to play!" I needed a new controller and, needless to say, my wife needed one as well. I started looking around for something that'd do the job and last us a while. To my surprise, I found that the quality on game pads is lacking. For a while, the best reviewed game pad I could find was another Logitech and the left analog stick commonly had "floating" issues (the stick would cause you to drift down) after pretty light use. This is apparently pretty common for all Logitech controllers. I then found this controller and felt like the fan was a bit of a joke, but since it is a bit more expensive and so clearly geared toward XBOX gamers, I felt like it aught to be at least a little more resilient and ready for someone who knows what a decent controller aught to feel like. So, when I purchased two of these, my primary concerns were that the left analog stick would begin to float and that the airflow would be pointless and maybe a little annoying if it accidentally got turned on. After about 3 months of average use, the analog stick is fine and, very much to my surprise, I absolutely love the airflow on my palms. Over the summer I actually wished I could get a little more airflow out of it, but I expect that over the winter, the low setting will be just right. The only disappointing thing I've found with the controller so far is this: In Mario 3 there's a particular level (one of my favorites, actually) in which you must fly while holding shell. To do this, you have to use what I call the B, A+ move which involves pressing and holding the B button with the tip of your thumb while repeatedly hitting the A button with the meat of your thumb. I have no problems doing this on a classic NES controller, my old (terrible) Saitek P150 and I've also done the same with the GameBoy where the buttons are angled the wrong way. I can't, however, do this on the ChillStream using the X and A buttons as B and A respectively. I have to change hand positions to use the tips of my index and middle finger to do it well enough to pass the level.

Maybe I'm asking too much out of an industry that's been around for how many decades now? Good: They copied a great design (xbox) dual analog sticks are very accurate. Obviously we got enough buttons to satisfy most games. Vents around the controller are for fans to cool your hands. Bad: They copied a great design but it's a copy... Biggest flaw is the analog triggers (or should I say "trigger"). Left Trigger can't be bound unless Right Trigger is bound to its opposite function... in other words they act as a single analog switch with a dead zone when neither are pressed. Xbox is superior in controller shape (Chillstream was made for baby hands) D-pad feels loose but it might actually be more accurate than Xbox (I don't care for either) No added software to rebind buttons and/or analog axis'. Conclusion: I'm going to buy an Xbox controller for my PC and hope it works better. I expect more out of Logitech because usually their hardware is the best quality when you look at keyboards and trackballs. I currently own a Gravis controller with a great design, but occasionally it needs to be reconnected to the USB port as it will turn off mid-game play.

This controller is comfortable to hold for extended hours of game play. I do have small hands though. The build quality is solid and feels nicer than most cheap controllers out there. The analog sticks feel smooth and buttons respond nicely, though the D-pad does feel cheap and clicky. It does feel smaller than an Xbox controller. The fan seems gimmicky, but I have used it more than expected. Even on the highest setting it isn't THAT noisy, most will stick with the lower setting. You'll typically hear your PC more than this controller+fan unless you like to hold your controller up to your face for some reason. Don't expect a huge amount of air from the fan though. So why knock off two stars? Well, for the same two reasons other reviewers have mentioned. 1) The controller defaults to the fan on every time you cut your computer on with it plugged in. If you plan on leaving this controller plugged in and just picking it up when you need to, you'll get frustrated. Several times I've noticed the fan was on for the controller after who knows how long (wasn't loud enough for me to notice right away). If only they could have had the controller default to OFF instead... 2) The RT/LT shoulder buttons. I bought this controller to play side scrolling games (mmo's etc.). I need as many programmable buttons as I can get. Who in their right mind would take away the ability to program all the shoulder buttons?! There are four shoulder buttons, the two fancy trigger-like shoulder buttons are the ones that are stuck adjusting z-axis forever. The top two smaller shoulder buttons are programmable. Even using programs such as JoyToKey I've had no luck. (If someone has found a way around this, PLEASE let me know.) Two extra programmable buttons doesn't seem like much I suppose, but I hate that I had to change my play style in games to fit this controller instead of the other way around. If they had fixed the shoulder button issue I would have given this five stars with a warning of the fan default (not a huge deal breaker). It's a shame really. This controller was so close to being perfect for me.

This controller comes with a nice, long cord, and it's remarkably versatile. I use xpadder to map the controls how I want them, and I've never had a problem. The best part is that this controller can be pretty useful even outside of games - using it to control your mouse and certain other functions. Granted, one of those small, wireless mouse/keyboard things is even better for that (I also have one of those), but this works in a pinch. As far as the layout and ergonomics, I don't have particularly large hands, and this thing feels pretty comfortable to hold for long periods. The layout is obviously modeled on the Xbox controller, which is a pretty good one. The fans are OK, kind of noisy, but you probably won't notice that much while playing a game. The fan is more of a bonus than a real selling feature.