NOTE: Copy pasta from another thread.
I want to take this time to fully endorse this particular white controller, especially for those of you who have a worn-in/faulty controller, or if you just want one for parts. I worry that mine will eventually die, so I bought two, just in case they happened to be decent. Here's my take:
NOTE: My hands are massive, and devoid of hand-fat. I hold the controller with index fingers wrapping up along the curve across the top, with index tip/first knuckle in the center of the cups of the L/R triggers. Rest of the fingers rest naturally along the back of the handles. I gently "pinch" the controller laterally at the tops of the handles, just below the raised portion that houses left analog/face buttons. These left and right sections of the controller rest directly between the index and middle knuckle of the palm flesh. If you don't hold the controller the way I do, your results/preference may vary.
This thing feels incredibly good. I saw some bad reviews on the amazon page, and was really worried I might get a controller with a super-loose analog stick, faulty buttons, etc. Imagine my surprise when I wrap my mitts around this beauty.
One of the features I always take note of is left analog stick stiffness. The data I was given back in 2005 was "stiffness, from stiff to loose: platinum > black > indigo > spice." To clarify, this assumes a similar level of wear on controllers used in any test/sample (all of them are new in packaging, or all of them have been [ab]used for 800-1000 hours). Even today, my two platinum sticks are noticeably stiffer than the two black ones. I have a strong preference to a stiff analog stick.
Now, it's been years since I touched a GameCube analog stick fresh out of the packaging, but the one on this white gamecube controller I just opened is quite rigid, which I prefer. Not so stiff that it squeeks, but definitely higher resistance than the two platinum models I've owned. C-stick is slightly less rigid, but I believe this has been consistent across controller revisions. C-stick also has a nice texture to it, similar to the surface of a dualshock analog stick, but finer (I can't recall whether new-in-box GameCube controllers featured this back in the day).
L and R triggers feel identical in springiness, but the click sensation at the bottom feels extremely tight compared to my black/platinum. To phrase it another way, the amount of pressure needed to depress the triggers until they "click" feels demonstrably higher.
A B X and Y buttons feel absolutely the same, D-pad feels like garbage (I have never touched a D-pad on any GameCube controller that didn't), but curiously, the start button has slightly more resistence than my old controllers, *and* it has a texture to it. Again, first fresh GameCube controller in almost a decade, so I don't remember if Start had a texture.
Finally, the Z button has a more pronounced click when depressed, and feels less spongy than the older ones, probably a difference in wear.
So there you have it. Whether you're on the fence about them, or just mildly curious, I hope my breakdown is useful for purchase reinforcement, or at least some debate fodder.
) I have seen some that press fine but I'm sure after A LOT of use the bad ones will get better.
