Drakong's $35 Challenger Has Hall Effect Sticks AND Triggers for Basically Nothing
Hyperkin's sub-brand Drakong just announced a new Xbox and PC controller called The Challenger. It's $35. It has hall effect sticks and hall effect analog triggers. That's the whole story, basically. Everything else is gravy.
Why Hall Effect at This Price Is Actually a Big Deal
Hall effect sticks don't wear out the way traditional potentiometer sticks do. No stick drift. Ever. That's the promise, anyway, and it's generally held up in products that use them. Controllers twice this price often skip hall effect entirely. The Challenger has it on both the sticks and the analog triggers, which is the part that surprised me when I saw the spec list.
Drakong is a Hyperkin sub-brand, so there's some pedigree here. Not first-party pedigree, but Hyperkin has been making controllers long enough that this isn't some random dropship situation.
What You're Getting
Full rundown: hall effect sticks, hall effect triggers, two programmable back buttons, haptic feedback, textured grips, and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom edge. Ships with a 10-foot USB-C cable, which is a legitimately good length if you're playing from a couch.
It's wired-only. That's the trade-off. At $35 with this feature set, something had to give, and wireless is the obvious cut. If you play at a desk that's probably a non-issue. If you're on a couch 8 feet from the TV, that 10-foot cable covers you but barely.
The Back Button Thing
Two programmable back buttons on a $35 controller is the other thing worth flagging. Back buttons used to mean you were buying an expensive pro controller or a third-party add-on clip. Seeing them here at this price point suggests the feature is just commoditized now, which is fine. More ways to jump-cancel without lifting your thumb is always good.
Should You Order One
Shipments start July 9th, it's on Amazon right now if you want to lock one in. At $35 the risk is pretty low. The hall effect sticks alone are worth that for a backup or desk controller. If the build quality holds up, this could be a genuinely good budget option. If it doesn't, you're out $35 and a little annoyed.
One thing to watch: hall effect on paper is great, but implementation matters. Some budget controllers advertise it and deliver a mediocre version of it. Won't know until people have it in hand.
Worth ordering if you want a cheap wired option that shouldn't develop stick drift. Skip it if wireless is a hard requirement.
Source: Ign