Let me start by saying there are few people in this world who want to like this product more than I do. I am a competitive Halo player, and the quality control of Microsoft wired controllers are poor (hence the infamous directional slow turn problem with many of them). Getting a perfectly consistent Microsoft controller that moves the same speed in all thumbstick directions is literally like playing the lotto. Google "slow-turn problem with Microsoft wired Xbox 360 controllers" for more information on that.
Naturally, this Mad Catz product appeared to fill this void. However, after going through 2 versions of this product (I thought the first was defective so I gave another a try), I have come to the realization that this product's problem is more glaring than Microsoft's slow-turn quality control: the Mad Cats MLG controller lacks aiming precision.
Before I dive into that, I want to make it clear that I gave this controller 3 weeks before coming to any absolute conclusions regarding performance performance because I don't believe different is bad. Different can be good, as long as it's different in a good way EVEN if it causes you to be worse initially due to the fact that you have to adjust something new.
However, my problems with this controller don't seem to fit this bill. With this controller, the thumbsticks accelerate to top speed with very little spacial movement. In other words, in an FPS game, if you want to move your aimer at a slow, steady speed rather than at top speed, a regular controller will give you literally more thumb movement space to achieve this steady, slow speed. With the Mad Catz controller, The spacial distance for slow-speed movements is much smaller than other controllers, meaning it will ramp up to full speed with less pressure, thus making it harder to achieve a slow, steady speed.
Another problem, which has been verified on "slow-turn checker" applications, is that the controller reaches 100% top speed before your thumbstick is pushed all the way to the side. This creates a very unnatural relationship between your finger movements and sensitivity on screen, especially if you have been playing with Microsoft controllers for a long time.
Ultimately, both these flaws make precision aiming in FPS games a nightmare ESPECIALLY if your body is used to the "spacial thumbstick distance:game sensitivity" ratio of Microsoft brand controllers.
On a final positive note, I still can't praise the build quality of this controller enough. From that standpoint, it is literally bar none. Rubber gripping is excellent, the build is very durable, and the module system works as advertised.
However, in terms of performance, it fails to meet the thumbstick precision standards of the Microsoft Xbox 360 controller. For that reason, I predict that once the initial release hype of this product dies down, the popularity of this controller in the competitive community will change to notoriety. I predict only a very small percentage (if any) of current professional Halo Reach players will choose to use this product over Microsoft controllers during the 2012 MLG Halo Reach season.
What do I recommend to you, the reader, who is contemplating buying this product? If you have $100 bucks to spend, give it a try, by all means. But DO NOT be afraid to return it back to Amazon when you notice that the aiming in FPS games seems unnatural. Amazon's return policy is very generous and hastle free.
Unless Mad Catz releases a firmware to change the "thumbstick movement:in-game sensitivity speed" ratio to be more precise, this product fails in a competitive environment and fails to be worth $100.
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Best Deals for Mad Catz Officially Licensed Major League Gaming Pro Circuit MLG
I've been waiting quite a while for this controller and I have to say I'm not at all disappointed.The controllers' biggest selling point is the simple fact that you can customize it. For example my set up is a convex left joystick, the ps3 style d-pad, a concave right joystick, a single 35g weight and with the glossy face plate.
I simply enjoyed the feel of the controller. It feels natural in your hands, similar to the regular XBOX 360 controller except with the rubberized grips. When comparing the Pro Circuit to the Onza Razer (not including modifications) I find the Pro Circuit to feel most like the original controller. For me, while using the Onza, my trigger fingers would cramp up due to the slightly adjusted RT/LTs (which made room for second set of LB/RB buttons).
This controller will not make you better at playing video games, but what it does offer you, is the chance to customize the feel of your controller to your liking. Because If your like me and play video games frequently stuff like the d-pad or the height of the analog stick start to annoy you; The Pro Circuit controller allows me to play video games the way I want too with macro adjustments.
I think this controller will appeal to both hardcore and casual gamers alike. I know I simply enjoy it.
FYI: FPS Freeks does fit on the Pro Circuit
Honest reviews on Mad Catz Officially Licensed Major League Gaming Pro Circuit MLG
I bought this controller in January 2012 when it first came out, hoping that it would be the last 360 controller I would ever have to buy. The thumbsticks on all my other controllers are always the first things to wear out, and with this MLG controller, the thumbsticks can be easily replaced -that was the reason I bought it.It's now April 2013, and the actual thumbsticks are still fine, but when playing a game, my view jerks all over the screen and the controller doesn't register the movements I'm making with the thumbstick. This happens with all four modules, so it's probably something to do with the metal connectors within the module bays of the controller or on the bottom of the modules themselves. I've tried cleaning the connectors with a cloth and blowing compressed air into the controller and the modules, but nothing seems to help. It's a miracle if the controller functions properly for more than five minutes.
There's a lot to like about the controller, but none of that matters when it doesn't function properly.
Do not buy this.
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If you told me a few years ago that my video game controller of choice would be Mad Catz brand, I would have laughed in your face. However, things have changed and they now put a much larger emphasis on quality. This controller is by no means cheap, but once you use it, you see what your money is getting you. You get the controller, a set of two XBOX 360 style analog modules, a set of two PS3 style modules, and two sets of faceplates in matte and glossy respectively.The pouch is a nice flourish, although I don't find it very useful--it holds the spare components and the glossy faceplates as I believe the matte style is much more aesthetically pleasing. Because of the ease in which you can swap out the analog sticks, I started using the PS3 style for my left hand and the XBOX 360 style for my right hand. So far it's been working out great and my FPS accuracy has gone up quite a bit.
My only complaint is that while the sturdiness of the controller and the cable is definitely there, some of the modules are a bit flimsy. The top of one of my PS3 analog modules broke off when I was locking it into place (you have to slide it into a groove and then twist), and I was not using much pressure at all. Thankfully, because of the layout I've chosen, I still have a functional controller that suits my preferred style. For $100 MSRP, I expect a little bit more, but it's still the controller I use almost daily, not only for my XBOX 360 but also when I play PC games. By the way, it works perfectly fine on my PC and I have yet to have one single issue with game compatibility or poor performance. I think that says a lot when you're using a peripheral in Windows.
The star I knocked off is for the flimsy module and the slightly below average Mad Catz customer support. They're often slow to respond and based on my experience with other Mad Catz products (Cyborg MMO7), I'd probably have to pay postage to send in the broken component and have it replaced, if that were even an option. Since it's been functional even with the broken component, I haven't actually contacted them for this product, although maybe I should.
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