Saitek P3600 Cyborg Rumble Pad
Home : Hardware : Reviews : Saitek P3600 Cyborg Rumble Pad


<< Previous1 2


Another unusual feature of the P3600 hardware is the FPS button sitting top and center of the unit. Pressing this button automatically maps the sticks and buttons to standard first-person shooter keyboard commands. This ensures that the P3600 will work with all FPS games, even those that do not support game pad style controls. Being a PC gamer as well as a console gamer, I am of the opinion that a control pad will never be able to offer the level of control in a FPS that a mouse and keyboard can. That said, if you are a console gamer just graduating to PC and are not accustomed to mouse and keyboard control, the P3600 is ideal.

The ole' joystick switcheroo.


A final cool addition to the P3600 is the ability to turn on its “precision mode”. Using the included, robust software package any button on the pad can be designated to activate this feature. By doing so, the sensitivity of the control sticks drops considerably, allowing you to aim much more accurately. This can be vitally important when doing things that require a subtle touch, like sniping. Again, I feel that having press a button to aim precisely makes less sense than just using a mouse and keyboard, but that really depends on how accustomed to game pads you are.

I really only had a couple of minor complaints with the P3600. First, while the software is very robust, it is not as user-friendly as some of the competing brands’ software. This is not to say that it is difficult. It could just use a tiny bit of refinement. Also, I would have liked to see a backlit button array, rather than the bright primary colored paint that is currently used. Whether this is a cost saving, or engineering decision, I don’t know, but I feel the current design cheapens the appearance a bit. Admittedly these are nit-picky complaints, but when a unit is as solid as the P3600, those are the only complaints to be had.

Conclusion:

For gamers that are in love with gamepad control, or for those of you who are just moving from console to PC gaming, you couldn’t ask for a much better option than the P3600 Cyborg Rumble Pad. As a control pad alone, the unit is comfortable, solid, and responsive. The strong software package, coupled with several unusual, gaming-specific features, really adds value to the P3600. With a MSRP of $34.95, you really can’t go wrong.



Highs
Fast responsive control; Comfortable and solid form factor; Customizable joystick positioning; “Precision Mode” for enhanced accuracy; FPS button maps keystrokes to control scheme; Rumble feature.

Lows
Slightly less user-friendly software package than competitors; Primary color paint on buttons doesn’t fit overall look.

Final verdict
A great gamepad, especially for those moving from console to PC gaming.

90%

Oct 27, 2007

Review by Zack Stromberg.

Send this review to a friend.

<< Previous1 2


Add a new comment below