There’s a lot of clever thought backing the newly-released Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot Wireless Smart Controller. Someone has scratched their head and hemmed-and-hawed, to design a controller that addresses a variety of needs, with a very cool quirk to boot.
On the surface, the Stealth Pivot may look like other third-party controllers, but with the flick of a latch, its button components can be flipped around to reveal a whole new array of buttons, including some extra mappable ones.
You’re essentially getting two controllers in one here, with both sets of modules providing options for customising your gameplay, and suiting an array of games. The “base” alignment resembles a standard controller, but you can also switch to D-Pad and buttons only, to maximise capability. For those who frequently play fighting games, for example, there’s plenty of options packed into this controller.
It’s also very easy to switch between configurations, thanks to a quick-locking system. Simply flick the tab, spin down the joysticks (they work in elevated or depressed mode), and rotate the individual modules. Then, you’ve got an entirely new controller work with.
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Not content there, Turtle Beach also packs in a variety of other handy features into the Stealth Pivot. It’s got a display that you can link with your phone, if you choose to keep up to date with the real world while gaming (personally, I don’t, but more power to you). You can also play around with RGB lighting, vibration, sensitivity, and button layout in Turtle Beach’s Control Center 2 app, for that added degree of customisation.
These features are set dressing on top of a well-constructed, well-designed, and very ergonomic controller. On a basic level, the Stealth Pivot Controller feels great to hold. It’s smooth but grippy enough, and fits comfortably in-hand. While there are added buttons on the back chassis, they don’t get in the way, and it’s difficult to accidentally activate them.
Personally, I found this controller much more comfortable than your standard Xbox controller, although it is slightly heavier, thanks to all those individual modules and add-ons.
The buttons themselves also feel great, and align with the satisfying, clicky nature of standard Xbox controllers. I also very much appreciated the Hall Effect joysticks included – they feel very precise in action. My go-to Xbox controller is also currently drifting, so it’s nice to see a controller that accounts for this eventuality.
As a brief rundown, Hall Effect joysticks are currently the best option on the market, as they rely on magnets rather than physical contact, ensuring components don’t wear down quickly. What is very funny about this inclusion is the controller has a very busy visual design that labels these joysticks with “ANTIDRIFT,” so you get the message rammed in.
I will say the controller could do with fewer angular “gamer” touches in design, as it’s fairly verbose with words like “PIVOT” and “STEALTH PIVOT” written all over, but given these are cosmetic and taste-based, they’re not so much of a bugbear.
What I did find frustrating about the controller is that wires remain essential for gameplay on Xbox. While there’s a wireless 2.4GHz adapter for gameplay on PC, and this is very compact and connects easily, with a stable connection, you need to use a USB cable to tether yourself on Xbox. It gives you the benefit of not needing to rely on charge, of course, but with the controller capable of 20+ hours of gameplay on battery, it’s not a massive draw.
That’s really the advantage that using a standard Xbox controller has – wireless is the easy, breezy, convenient way to play games. You need a great controller to overcome that hurdle, and while the Stealth Pivot is a great controller, as a frequent Xbox user, it does feel like it’s held back by its reliance on cables.
In every other aspect, this controller impressed me. It ticks plenty of boxes with its customisation, its Hall Effect joysticks, its novel switching modules, its design and comfort, its battery life, and its solid connection in wireless form. But it is worth noting that its wireless nature will only benefit those playing on PC (and Android), and perhaps it’s this audience that the controller is solely targeting, despite its Designed for Xbox nature.
With that in mind, the Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot Controller is a solid gaming companion for PC users, and one that packs in bright-eyed ideas for well-rounded, easily customisable gaming. It’s certainly a great entry in the market, and one that features enough bells and whistles to dazzle, despite my personal gripes with its wired console connection.
Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot Wireless Smart Controller
Manufacturer: Turtle Beach
Release Year: 2024
Price: AUD $249.95
A Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot Controller was provided to GamesHub for the purposes of this review.
