Xboxaddict.com Article
PowerA Midas Advantage Wired Controller Review
by Peggy Doyle
Even if you're not a gamer, you've surely heard about Fortnite. It's a gaming phenomenon, so much so that kids routinely will break into the character's signature emote dances on school grounds, and even public areas. Even professional athletes, like NFL players, have been known to incorporate these dances into the post-touchdown celebration. There are eSports tournaments played for tremendous amounts of prize money, and Fortnite has their cross promotions on everything from clothing, toys, even lunchboxes and snacks.
Now PowerA has jumped on the Fortnite bus with their newest Xbox controller, the Fortnite Midas Advantage Wired Controller. PowerA is a well-known purveyor of third-party Xbox controllers, so you can be sure you're getting a quality product when it's from them. Let's take a closer look, shall we?
FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS•Code for Bonus Virtual Item Included - Storm King Fist
•Advanced Gaming Buttons - Get an edge over the competition with two mappable buttons you can program on-the-fly, mid-game-no system settings to configure.
•3-Way Trigger Locks - Set the travel distance of the triggers with three different positions to pull off quicker actions in your favorite FPS games or go full throttle in a high-end race car
•Dual Rumble Motors - Take your gaming experience to the next level, providing tactile feedback and sensations that bring your virtual worlds to life.
•Immersive Impulse Triggers - Provides reactive rumble sensations using built-in motors so you can feel the action of the game (Compatibility varies by title.)
•Extra Long USB-C Cable - Provides you with 10ft of distance for more comfort and flexibility than shorter cables.
•Ergonomic Design - Lightweight and comfortable with a diamond textured grip for long gaming sessions
•Smooth Controls - Precision-tuned analog sticks and embedded anti-friction rings for superior controls
•Headset Compatible - Plug in your favorite 3.5 mm headset through the stereo headset jack.
•Officially Licensed - for Xbox Series X|S and works on Xbox One and Windows 10/11
•PowerA Gamer HQ App - Test and calibrate your controller with the free official app.
•2-Year Limited Warranty
UNBOXING
First thing noticed is the official ‘designed for Xbox' on the box and the beautiful artwork of the gold and black design promised inside. This is important as Xbox no longer supports random third-party accessories, so make sure you look for the ‘designed for Xbox' official branding when buying a new accessory.
Inside the box, you'll find a 10ft USB cable. Since this is a wired controller, you won't have a battery option. Because of this, you'll immediately notice the weight of the Midas controller is significantly less than a wireless controller. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just... different.
Since I'm not overly familiar with the Fortnite game, I had to rely on some friends to tell me more about the Midas character who is featured in a stunning gold design on the faceplate of the controller. If you ever want to feel like you know nothing about gaming, ask a kid to explain anything Fortnite to you. I learned more about Midas than I ever needed to know, but apparently, he's a big deal, and the controller is too. There are some other ‘shadow' designs also on the face plate, mostly only seen from certain angles. It's a beautiful design. The back of the controller is a contrasting, but complimentary dark grey. It has a tactile diamond texture pattern grip. It feels nice in your hand, drippy but not sticky.
The included 10ft USB cable has USB-A on one end here it plugs into the Xbox console, and USB-C on the other end where it plugs into the controller. This ensures you can't plug it in the ‘wrong way'. 10ft is the standard for most controller cables and was sufficient for me as I sit fairly close to my console at a desk/monitor combo. In the world of predominantly wireless accessories, I was surprised to see that PowerA went a wired route, but there is still a market for wired controllers, especially when some people don't want to constantly search for and swap dead AA batteries.FEATURES
None of the cosmetics really matter if the controller doesn't perform well though, and I'm happy to say the Midas controller has many more features than expected. It has a standard shaped D-pad which is my choice versus the newer disc styles on some controllers. The buttons have a nicer raised quality to them with a good rebound when pushed, and the sticks feel nicely weighted. All other standard Xbox series buttons are also there, including the stat and select and share buttons.
Now to the unique features of the PowerA Midas wired controller. There are trigger locks on both triggers that can be set if you prefer that. I know it is a feature a lot of gamers who play shooters enjoy. Each trigger can be locked independently, allowing for a bit more customization for the games you enjoy and your gameplay style. There are three extra buttons on the back of the controller as well, one on each of the left and right grips, and a third that allows you to program the other two. These can be programmed to duplicate any of the buttons or the sticks on the front of the controller. Because of the location of these buttons however, you can accidentally press them, so it's something to be aware of.
Your favourite headset can easily be connected to the controller via a 3.5mm jack in the bottom of the controller.
Also, of great importance to Fortnite players. The Midas controller comes with a code for an exclusive cosmetic. In this case, The Storm King Fist weapon. Fortnite is well known to have exclusives spread out among different markets and purchases.
GAMING
I used the PowerA Midas controller playing through a few games on both my Xbox series X and my PC to see how it performed. I have no complaints from any of the RPGS or racing games I tried it with. It performed as expected.
FINAL THOUGHTSWhile I prefer I controller with a little more weight to it, I appreciate the lightness of the PowerA controller when playing for long sessions. My hands never experienced fatigue. If you are in the market for a third-party controller or have a Fortnite fan to buy a gift for, I think the PowerA Midas controller is a beautiful controller and a great price for the features it has at $39.99 USD
**Power A Midas controller was provided and reviewed alongside an Xbox Series X and PC **
Overall: 9.0/ 10
