The HyperX Clutch Gladiate feels surprisingly good for its affordable price.
About the HyperX Clutch Gladiate
Credit:
Reviewed / Christopher Coke
Keep a firm grasp on the game situation and your controller with the comfortable textured grips.
- Price: $35
- Connectivity: Wired only, USB Type-C to Type A
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 6.10 x 4.35 x 2.56 inches
- Weight: 280 grams (9.88 ounces)
- Cable: 9.8 feet, detachable
- Device Compatibility: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One S, Xbox One, PC
- Material: Plastic
- Special features: Trigger locks, two programmable rear buttons
The HyperX doesn’t take many risks with its design and that works to its benefit. The layout of its sticks and face buttons is identical to the official Microsoft Xbox controller. There’s no flashy RGB like the PowerA Spectra, but you can see a bit of the HyperX identity come through in the red and black joysticks and rear buttons.
The identical layout makes the controller feels immediately familiar when held, so it’s easy to get up and running with, though isn’t a one-to-one match. The grips are textured and feel slightly narrower, which makes the controller seem smaller in the hand (it’s actually millimeters larger). The lack of internal battery also makes it feel a bit lighter and cheaper overall.
The inputs are about on par with the stock Xbox controller. The joysticks have slightly less tension and tinier dead zones, which make them feel slightly touchy but responsive. The face buttons and D-pad also on par with the stock controller, so you’re not sacrificing much here.
What makes the Clutch Gladiate special, however, is its combination of programmable rear buttons and trigger locks.
The PowerA Enhanced Xbox Controller and PDP Rematch both offer programmable back buttons for around the same price, but the HyperX is one of the only affordable controllers that also offer trigger locks, allowing you to customize how deeply they depress.
Programmable rear buttons are nothing new, but they’re a staple feature on expensive, high-end controllers like the $180 Xbox Elite Wireless Series 2. Unlike the Elite controller or 8Bitdo’s offerings, you won’t need a special app to program it since remapping is done on the fly by holding the P1 button below the detachable cable.
Remapping the back buttons will change game-to-game based on your preferences, but I found them genuinely useful inside and outside of competitive genres. In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 I mapped one button to sprint and another to go prone to make myself nimbler, but in Hogwart’s Legacy I swapped to sprint and dodge. They’re reliable and easy to access, but being positioned directly under your finger also makes them easy to hit by mistake if you grip too tightly.
The trigger locks, however, are a bit of a letdown. Each trigger can be locked to reduce travel with a toggle switch that cuts travel in half. It’s a literal middle ground with too much travel to feel like a hair trigger but not enough to provide a satisfying pull.
Should you buy the HyperX Clutch Gladiate?
Yes, it’s a great value at this price
Credit:
Reviewed / Christopher Coke
The HyperX Clutch Gladiate is fully compatible with Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles, as well as PC.
The HyperX Clutch Gladiate is very good for the price. For a bit more than half the cost of an official Xbox controller, you’re getting a gamepad that’s almost identical in size, is responsive enough for competitive shooters, and adds additional features like programmable buttons and trigger locks—a difficult combination to find among Xbox controllers at this price.
You’ll have to consign yourself to being tethered with a wire to use it, but that’s to be expected. It truly belies its affordability with how it feels in the hand. The grips are a touch more compact than the stock controller, which makes it feel smaller (it’s not) and its lack of battery makes it noticeably more lightweight. The sticks aren’t quite as springy, and the trigger locks allow for too much play to really feel “rapid fire.” If you don’t need those trigger locks, you can trade them for a bit more flair with the PowerA Enhanced Xbox Controller or PDP Rematch and still have easily programmable rear buttons.
Even with those shortcomings, it’s hard to argue against the value you’re getting for $35. The combination of programmable buttons and trigger locks is rare at this price, and the HyperX Clutch Gladiate outshines similar competitors like the Nacon Pro Compact controller.
Though it’s not perfect, the responsiveness and feel are so close to the stock Xbox controller that it really doesn’t feel like a step down. If you’re on a budget and need competitive features, the HyperX Clutch Gladiate is definitely worth a closer look.
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
Meet the tester
Chris has been specializing in PC and audio-related tech since 2015. Find him at IGN, Tom’s Hardware, PC Perspective, MMORPG.com, and more.
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