The Challenger Looks The Part
Drakong’s The Challenger mirrors the official Xbox controller layout, adding two rear buttons, M1 and M2, that sit within easy reach of the player’s fingers.
Testing with Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Wars Zero Company showed M2 functions as the A button and M1 as the B button, letting gamers keep both analog sticks active during combat.
The device is plug‑and‑play, requiring no configuration, and includes a dedicated screenshot button.
There’s A Cheaper “Feel”, But That Didn’t Bother Me At All
Out of the box, The Challenger feels lighter than official hardware, with softer button travel and trigger pull typical of budget controllers.
Despite the reduced tactile feedback, the controller delivers zero input lag and works immediately with games such as Overwatch and Fable, eliminating the need for calibration.
Drakong guarantees the design resists stick drift, a flaw that plagued earlier PowerA models; the reviewer has observed no drift after extensive use.
Although long‑term durability remains untested, The Challenger has become the go‑to PC controller for the reviewer, offering a cost‑effective alternative that outperforms competing third‑party options.
