Technologies

PDP’s Victrix Pro BFG Is Hands Down the Best Pro Controller I’ve Used. Here’s Why

PDP’s top Xbox and PS5 controllers are pricey, but the high level of customization and overall design make them worth the money.

I would never claim to be anywhere near the level of a «pro» gamer, and I always thought high-end controllers like Sony’s DualSense Edge and Microsoft’s Xbox Elite were a bit overkill. I considered them great for the pros and streamers, but not worth the money for everyday gamers like me.

Then Turtle Beach, PDP’s parent company, sent me its Victrix Pro BFG controllers, and my eyes were opened. The controllers certainly haven’t turned me into a superstar gamer, but they’ve absolutely convinced me that they offer benefits for nonprofessionals that make the extra cost worthwhile. The granular levels of customization combined with the superb in-hand feel make for a highly compelling pro-level experience, making it one of the best console controllers I’ve tested.

What I like about the Victrix Pro BFG

The design is top-notch

For me, one of the most critical aspects of a controller, if not the most, is how it feels in my hand. I have small hands, so my palms and fingers need to sit comfortably on the controller and easily reach all the buttons. I also prefer solid, tactile feedback that lets me know my input registered. I use a mechanical keyboard during the day, so I’m simply used to reliable, clicky feedback from my devices.

The Victrix Pro BFG controller nails that aspect. When I unboxed it, I was a bit worried at first that it would be too big, but after a few hours with it, that worry vanished. It’s almost exactly the same size as a PlayStation DualSense controller and just slightly longer than an Xbox controller, but its ergonomics feel better in my hand. The added rubber grips on the handles also help. It weighs slightly more than either first-party controller at 298 grams (10.5 ounces), but I hardly noticed.

PDP makes two versions of the Victrix Pro BFG — one for Xbox and one for PlayStation — and both are officially licensed by Microsoft and Sony. The designs are mostly identical, with some minor functional exceptions. The only major difference is the touch panel on the PlayStation controller in place of the Xbox button. Unlike the Xbox controller, the PS version also has a PlayStation logo on the function button.

From a design perspective, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to a DualSense or Xbox controller. The Victrix Pro just feels so great to hold and use for prolonged periods. I gamed for hours with it and my hands never got tired, unlike they would with the DualSense controller.

Another nice bonus is that the Victrix Pro BFG’s battery life is solid as well. It beats the DualSense Edge controller handily (which isn’t hard to do) with a 2,000mAh battery and a stated 20-hour play time. That lines up with my testing. The Elite Series 2 controller gets closer to 30 hours of battery life, so it may not quite get there, but 20 hours is still respectable.

Customization is the name of the game

While I love the design of the Pro BFG controllers, their functionality is what truly sets them apart from almost every other controller out there. It’s not too uncommon now to see controllers that let you replace the sticks and possibly the D-pad, but PDP lets you swap out entire control modules, giving you deep levels of customization across the whole controller.

Two modules can be swapped out: the left module houses the left stick and D-pad, while the right module houses the right stick and X, Y, A, B (or PlayStation) buttons. Using the included screwdriver, you can physically remove the entire module. You can rotate them to change the position or even replace them.

PDP includes a fightpad module with each controller, which swaps the right analog stick and buttons with a six-button layout designed for fighting games. These buttons are flat and slightly larger, and also add RB and LB buttons for quicker reach.

Extra modules are sold separately with Hall Effect triggers and buttons so that you can upgrade your gameplay even more. And they include two additional D-pad layouts, two additional thumb sticks and two different gates for the thumb sticks.

For connectivity, there’s an included USB-C cable and a 2.4 GHz wireless dongle, and the Xbox version also has Bluetooth. Both models will work with PCs, but the Xbox version also works with compatible Bluetooth devices. The Xbox controller supports the Series X and S, Xbox One and Windows 10/11 PCs, while the PlayStation controller supports the PS4, PS5 and Windows 10/11 PCs.

Not only can you customize most of the buttons physically, but you can also remap them via the Victrix Control Hub for Xbox and PC. In the app, you can map nearly every button to a different input and diagnose and calibrate any issues with the buttons, joysticks or triggers. It can also store up to three different profiles on the controller to quickly switch your layout between games. For example, jumping between game modes and maps on a game like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, or even loading up an entirely different game.

The Pro BFG has a five-position trigger stop to set the depth wherever you want. This was huge for me as it drastically reduced my response time and improved my performance in Halo Infinite, Black Ops 6 and other shooters. I instantly noticed a big difference in my gameplay after I adjusted them.

Lastly, both controllers have solid audio enhancements. The Xbox controller supports Dolby Atmos, while the PS version supports Sony 3D audio on PS5. They both have low-latency audio and support for EQ profiles and customization.

What I don’t like about the Victrix Pro BFG

For all that I like about these controllers, they aren’t perfect. The first thing I noticed was that the PC app is a bit buggy. It also looks like it was designed for mobile devices, as the UI is big and spread out, and feels a little like an app that’s still in beta.

The only other downside for me was trying to use the Hall Effect module in the right slot of the Xbox controller. Once installed, it bugged out pretty hard and acted like I was constantly pulling the left trigger. This seems to be a known issue, though, going back at least several months, so who knows if or when it will ever get fixed.

Worth every penny

I consider myself somewhere between a casual and hard-core gamer. I’m a bit more advanced than someone who just logs on occasionally to kill a few brain cells, but I’m far from a pro — or even particularly good. And I can say that every aspect of my gaming was improved when using the Pro BFG.

The feel in the hand, the immense customization options and even the simple addition of back buttons have made playing games much more enjoyable. The BFG isn’t cheap, but it is competitively priced — at least the base package is. At $180, it’s more affordable than the DualSense Edge, only about $20 more than the Elite Series 2 and cheaper than many other pro-level gaming controllers. However, most of the latest pro-style controllers, like Razer’s Wolverine V3 Pro, come standard with Hall Effect sticks and triggers, which can increase longevity and keep drift in check. You’ll have to pay an extra $40 for the module to add that feature to the Pro BFG.

You’re paying a little more for the modularity, but if you want to improve your gaming experience, the PDP Victrix Pro BFG is absolutely worth it.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Sept. 19

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Sept. 19.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

I didn’t get off to a great start with today’s Mini Crossword, completely blanking on 1-Across. Thankfully, the other clues were easy, and that answer filled itself in. Need some help? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Cancel on plans at the last moment
Answer: FLAKE

6A clue: Shade of light purple
Answer: LILAC

7A clue: ___ acid (protein builder)
Answer: AMINO

8A clue: Sarcastic «Yeah, sure»
Answer: IBET

9A clue: Sardonic boss on «Parks and Recreation»
Answer: RON

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Stylish panache
Answer: FLAIR

2D clue: Party game that tests how low you can go
Answer: LIMBO

3D clue: Visitor from outer space
Answer: ALIEN

4D clue: Philosopher who posed the question «What can I know?»
Answer: KANT

5D clue: Environmentally friendly prefix
Answer: ECO

Technologies

Your Old Android Isn’t Dead. These Tweaks Can Bring It Back to Life

Clear space, optimize your battery and update the basics. These quick changes can make an old Android phone feel snappier.

You don’t need the latest Android flagship to get good performance.

Thanks to longer software support from brands like Google and Samsung, older models can still run smoothly, as long as you give them a little attention. Clearing out unused apps, updating your software and tweaking a few settings can breathe new life into a device that feels sluggish. These quick fixes can help your phone last longer and save you from spending on an early upgrade.

Before you start shopping for a replacement, try a few simple adjustments. You might be surprised by how much faster your phone feels once you free up space, optimize battery use and turn off background drains.

Whether you use a Samsung Galaxy, Motorola or OnePlus phone, chances are you can still improve battery life and overall speed without buying something new. Just remember that Android settings vary slightly from brand to brand, so the menus may look a little different depending on your phone.

Don’t miss any of CNET’s unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

Settings to improve your battery life

Living with a phone that has poor battery life can be infuriating, but there are some steps you can take to maximize each charge right from the very beginning:

1. Turn off auto screen brightness or adaptive brightness and set the brightness level slider to under 50%

The brighter your screen, the more battery power it uses.

To get to the setting, pull down the shortcut menu from the top of the screen and adjust the slider, if it’s there. Some phones may have a toggle for auto brightness in the shortcut panel; otherwise, you need to open the settings app and search for «brightness» to find the setting and turn it off.

2. Use Adaptive Battery and Battery Optimization

These features focus on learning how you use your phone, including which apps you use and when, and then optimizing the apps and the amount of battery they use.

Some Android phones have a dedicated Battery section in the Settings app, while other phones (looking at you, Samsung) bury these settings. It’s a little different for each phone. I recommend opening your settings and searching for «battery» to find the right screen. Your phone may also have an adaptive charging setting that can monitor how quickly your phone battery charges overnight to preserve its health.

Why you should use dark mode more often

Another way to improve battery life while also helping save your eyes is to use Android’s dedicated dark mode. Any Android phone running Android 10 or newer will have a dedicated dark mode option.

According to Google, dark mode not only reduces the strain that smartphone displays cause on our eyes but also improves battery life because it takes less power to display dark backgrounds on OLED displays (used in most flagship phones) than a white background.

Depending on which version of Android your phone is running, and what company made your phone, you may have to dig around the settings app to find a dark mode. If your phone runs Android 10 or newer, you’ll be able to turn on system-wide dark mode. If it runs Android 9, don’t despair. Plenty of apps have their own dark mode option in the settings that you can use, whether or not you have Android 10.

To turn it on dark mode, open the Settings app and search for Dark Mode, Dark Theme or even Night Mode (as Samsung likes to call it). I suggest using dark mode all the time, but if you’re not sure, you can always set dark mode to automatically turn on based on a schedule, say from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day, or allow it to automatically switch based on your location at sunset and sunrise.

Keep your home screen free of clutter

Planning to hit up the Google Play Store for a bunch of new Android apps? Be prepared for a lot of icon clutter on your home screen, which is where shortcuts land every time you install something.

If you don’t want that, there’s a simple way out of this: Long-press on an empty area of your home screen and tap Settings. Find the option labeled something along the lines of Add icon to Home Screen or Add new apps to Home Screen and turn it off.

Presto! No more icons on the home screen when you install new apps. You can still add shortcuts by dragging an app’s icon out of the app drawer, but they won’t appear on your home screen unless you want them to.

Read more: Best Android Phones You Can Buy in 2024

Set up Do Not Disturb so that you can better focus

If your phone routinely spends the night on your nightstand, you probably don’t want it beeping or buzzing every time there’s a call, message or Facebook alert — especially when you’re trying to sleep. Android offers a Do Not Disturb mode that will keep the phone more or less silent during designated hours. On some phones, this is referred to as the Downtime setting or even Quiet Time.

Head to Settings > Sounds (or Notifications), then look for Do Not Disturb or a similar name. If you can’t find it, search for it using the built-in search feature in your settings.

Using the feature, you can set up a range of hours when you want to turn off the digital noise. Don’t worry, any notifications you get while Do Not Disturb is turned on will still be waiting for you when you wake up. Also, you can typically make an exception that allows repeat callers and favorite contacts’ calls to go through. Turn that on. If someone is calling you in an emergency, odds are they are going to keep trying.

Always be prepared in case you lose your phone or it’s stolen

Is there anything worse than a lost or stolen phone? Only the knowledge that you could have tracked it down if you had turned on Google’s Find My Device feature.

To prepare for a successful recovery, here’s what you need to do: Open the Settings app and then search for Find My Device. It’s usually in the Security section of the Settings app.

If you have a Samsung device, you can use Samsung’s Find My Mobile service, which is found in Settings > Biometrics and security > Find My Mobile.

Once that’s enabled, you can head to android.com/find from any PC or mobile device and sign in to your account. Samsung users can visit findmymobile.samsung.com to find a lost phone.

If you have trouble setting any of this up, be sure to read our complete guide to finding a lost Android phone.

Assuming your phone is on and online, you should be able to see its location on a map. From there, you can make it ring, lock it, set a lock screen note to tell whoever has it how to get it back to you, or, worst-case scenario, remotely wipe the whole thing.

And always keep your phone up to date

As obvious as it may seem, a simple software update could fix bugs and other issues slowing down your Android device.

Before you download and install the latest software update, make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi, or else this won’t work.

Now, open the Settings application and type in Update. You’ll then either see Software update or System update — choose either one. Then just download the software, wait for a few minutes and install it when it’s ready. Your Android device will reboot and install the latest software update available.

There’s a lot more to learn about a new phone. Here are the best ways to boost your cell signal, and here’s a flagship phone head-to-head comparison. Plus, check out CNET’s list of the best cases for your Samsung phone. More of an Apple fan? We have tips for boosting your iPhone’s performance, too.

Technologies

Your Pixel 10 Might Have Issues With Older Wireless Chargers

You might want to try taking the case off your phone in order to successfully charge it.

When Google introduced the Pixel 10 lineup in August, it became one of the first major Android phones to receive the Qi 2 wireless charging standard, which Google calls Pixelsnap. However, users noticed issues with wireless charging on the Pixel 10 almost immediately after its release.

Some people are having trouble charging their phone with the new Pixelsnap charger, and others are having issues with older wireless chargers, including Google’s own Pixel Stands. The bulk of the problems happen when a case is on the phone — whether it has the magnet array or not.

I own both the first and second generation Pixel Stands and both will charge my Pixel 10 Pro XL without an issue if there’s no case on it. However, when I add a case to my phone, the problems begin.

I have three cases for my phone, the Mous Super Thin Clear Case, the Magnetic Slim Case Fit by Grecazo, and a no-name soft TPU case. If my phone has any of those cases on and I attempt to charge it while it’s vertical, it starts to charge and then stops after a second or two, and keeps doing that.

I can fix this for the first-generation Pixel Stand by turning the phone horizontal, but it will still charge very slowly. I can’t seem to fix it at all for the Pixel Stand 2 — vertical, horizontal, it doesn’t charge.

Not everyone has this issue

The problem doesn’t seem to be universal. CNET editor Patrick Holland said he had no issues charging the Pixel 10 Pro during his time with it.

A Google spokesperson told me the Pixel 10 lineup is not optimized for older Qi wireless charging standards, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the phones won’t work with older wireless chargers.

Qi 2 is backwards-compatible with older standards, but the phone’s height and charging coil placement on both the phone and the charger are still factors. If you’re having problems, you might see if removing the case helps.

The prospect of potentially needing to replace your older wireless chargers with newer ones isn’t ideal, especially if you shelled out $80 for one or both of Google’s own Pixel Stands. Still, if you want the best wireless charging speed for your brand new Pixel 10 phone, it won’t be with wireless chargers that only support older Qi standards.