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.

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.

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.