Speedlink QUINOX Pro USB Gamepad Review

For years gamepads for PCs were not a thing, now it seems, they have caught up with and even overtake the complex stylings of the console competition. Some prefer them, so, therefore, there is a market. Microsoft and Playstation are forever bettering their input methods from generation to generation and sometimes in between, however with the PC gamers can open a whole next level of customisation and Speedlink knew this, delivering the Quinox Pro. This is a comfortable gamepad, with reconfiguration to the hilt and a price that doesn’t upset.

Looking around the device the front sees most of the action. A D-pad with independent buttons might be one of the more controversial design elements. The non-replaceable thumb sticks are identical and possess a decent amount of travel. Four large action buttons sit to the right with illumination. A Back and Start button sit in the centre with a large Xbox style guide button. A small OLED screen is positioned in the centre bottom region.

On the back, there are 4 accessible paddles and two slider switches, one for switching vibration on and off, the other switches from Xinput to Directinput, cunningly titled X and D. Crucially, the Quinox supports both Directinput, for mouse input signals and Xinput, mimicking the Xbox configuration.

On the bottom are two controller dials which, when pressed or flicked left and right, navigate a menu on the OLED screen.

These dials are separated into left and right and adhere to the left of right thumbstick for the most part. flicking dial brings up the. The left dial configures and selects the Marco modes, remapping buttons to the bumper buttons and paddles on the top and back. Flicking the right dial and using the D-pad turn the LEDs on and off. Time is required to get the most out of these buttons. Initially, they are quite confusing however, the benefits are obvious once you successfully bind a button to a complicated button combination.

The top sees two analogue triggers and two bumper buttons. In addition, there are two programmable buttons. These require quite a bit of extra travel and should not be relied on for frequent usage.

The Quinox connects by a 2.4m braided microUSB to USB cable that is detachable from the controller. This is a good length to please most folks, of course from some I won’t be long enough however it is replaceable with a longer MicroUSB cable. One warning is, do not pull this out unless you have to, plugging the cable back into the controller is not easy and quite frustrating. The braided cable is good quality, tough yet soft to the touch.

In the hand, the Quinox Pro is a comfortable gamepad. Very similar in feel to the Xbox One controller if a little thinner. The rear paddles might be a little uncomfortable for the larger hands however they might just take some getting used to. Gaming feels quite natural however as an old school gamer I found it a little daunting to have so many buttons, something the youth or seasoned gamer might not experience.

The build quality is perfectly acceptable with strong plastic and durable buttons that feel they last a long time and take quite a pounding.There are no details or design flourishes to speak of and this is quite refreshing where an over saturated market has some great controllers with nonsense etched into the body. Speedlink have things, simple and black but not without and an eye-catching dash of red.

Some folks will use a Gamepad for every game, personally I am not a fan of gamepads in general, however, I do concede they have their merit when pairing with the right game. Project Car has some easy benefit from the analogue sticks, platforming games perform well and the controller wipes the floor with any keyboard and mouse combo. However, it cannot measure up to a first person shoot or strategy game that demand keyboard and mouse.

The Speedlink Quinox Pro USB has everything you would want from a gamepad. There is little to fault and a price tag that makes it worth considering. If you want more custom controller options, you can check out SCUF Gaming and the likes.

For more information, check out the Speedlink site here.