Aussie Bargain Guide: Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot Pros, Cons, and Where to Score It Cheap!

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Despite nan sanction of this product, Turtle Beach isn't being clandestine astir nan game-changing characteristic of its latest controller. The 'pivot' being referenced revolves astir nan expertise to radically (and comparatively quickly) reconfigure nan buttons and instrumentality positioning of this unit. I've surely seen that done earlier successful different devices, though not rather this stylishly.

Being an Xbox-centric controller, nan thought was to mostly support nan existing asymmetrical instrumentality creation but besides unfastened nan doorway to much perfect power for retro-minded and/or fighting-obsessed users. Essentially, location are 2 diagonal input modules that tin beryllium rotated independently of 1 different to either region sticks from nan equation, bring d-pad power to nan forefront of nan 'home position,' and/or supply a right-side look for illustration a Mega Drive 2's six-button array.

I've comberan to opportunity it, though—personally, I've observed complete nan people of 40 years of gaming that 2 types of players exist. Folks who doggedly, monogamously instrumentality (ha!) to dedicated conflict sticks erstwhile punching on. Secondly—and I'm successful this camp—players who mostly conscionable make do pinch immoderate controller is astatine hand. Because we've utilized truthful galore weird and chaotic controllers complete nan decades (see: N64 and GameCube), our brains simply accommodate to immoderate is successful our mitts successful nan moment.

I excavation that a 3rd type of gamer tin now exist, 1 who has patient ideas astir what instrumentality configuration ought to beryllium paired pinch what genre—like vino snobs do pinch cheese. I'm wholly good pinch having features not tailor-made for maine thrown my measurement arsenic I'm appreciating nan worldly I usually worth successful immoderate controller—stylish appearance, ergonomics for marathon sessions, build value that tin return my reasonable levels of abuse, and thing that tin springiness maine an separator complete an force utilizing stock-standard controllers. Pivot has each of that.

When it comes to first impressions, I'm each astir nan Pivot's two-tone aesthetics, moreover earlier nan Transformers-esque modules commencement to rotation impressively into action. The neon aqua and pinkish highlights that accent nan instrumentality lodging and "extra" buttons springiness a beautiful '80s touch, and it's bully to spot a dab of colour applied to nan sliders that fastener nan housings and pemisah trigger extent connected nan rear (typically nan astir chromatically ignored portion of a controller).

Speaking of sexy, I'm a instrumentality of nan high-contrast Command Display that dominates nan area supra nan Xbox Logo. If nan rhetorical mobility connected your lips is, "Well, who moreover looks downwards astatine their controller?" nan reply would be: group who want to quickly customise their 3.5mm port-dispensed audio, move fastener mappings, and get societal media notifications without reaching for a phone. Note: Switching from gamepad functionality to this HUD paper tin beryllium toggled via a cardinal '+' button. Simple. Effective.

When it comes to inputs, nan Stealth Pivot is rocking membrane tech for buttons and d-pad, arsenic opposed to nan mechanical tech of nan much premium Stealth Ultra. That translates to somewhat longer recreation clip but besides little clickiness to irritate your ears (though I cognize immoderate group really excavation that sound). Meanwhile, nan sticks are nan always-appreciated HALL effect, which are considerably little susceptible to stick-drift issues that tin harvest up connected Microsoft's charismatic controllers.

On nan backmost we person 2 other programmable paddles, which, if you're caller to nan concept, are superb for keeping your thumbs permanently locked connected looking and moving while jumping / reloading / immoderate tin beryllium put astatine your ringing fingers and pinky tips. You besides person immoderate beautiful emotion triggers that tin beryllium manually slider locked to make their input characteristics beryllium much aliases little integer (0 to 100% quickly).

Before we move distant from nan aft section, I should for illustration to statement nan rear-mounted sliders, which, erstwhile unlocked, tin let you to twist nan analog sticks to little aliases raise their height. Personally, I was beautiful happy pinch nan modular stalk setup, but I tin besides spot nan benefits successful rendering them much nub-like for immoderate benignant of faster-responding PSP experience.

We should astir apt get to nan main logic why we're here, though—the rolly-poly modules that fto you switcheroo your inputs. Once you unlock nan near broadside / correct broadside mechanisms from nan back, you tin easy pivot these 2 housings complete to uncover caller options. On nan correct side, that intends going from a correct instrumentality and 4 look buttons to nary instrumentality and six buttons. On nan left, you modulation from having your accustomed near instrumentality sitting supra a dpad to a dpad hovering supra 2 further look buttons (tied to your LSB and RSB functions).

I gotta say, I was impressed by nan easiness and deficiency of devices needed pinch this switching process, not to mention nan velocity pinch which it tin beryllium achieved. More importantly, however, is that erstwhile nan modules are locked into your preferred array, nan controller becomes stone coagulated again. There's nary perceivable flex aliases slippage connected nan hinged elements. That would person been a woody breaker.

For me, nan adjacent point connected nan awesome interest is d-pad feel. I still judge that if you're superior astir modern fighting games, you really ought to put successful a stick—just arsenic I'd steer a petrolheaded gamer towards a wheel. That being said, we're surviving successful nan property of emulation and charismatic remasterings of classical games—there's perfectly a request to person a versatile controller that tin slay astatine CoD successful 1 convention and smash retired immoderate precision platforming successful Alex Kidd nan next.

Also, while it flies successful nan look of my ain proposal and preferences, I took this for nan hadouken trial successful nan precocious released Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics. Imagine my astonishment erstwhile this d-pad perfectly made nan people pinch each tatsumaki, dragon punch, and fireball I threw its measurement complete nan people of an awesome 20-hours worthy of artillery life. Better yet—and this isn't to beryllium understated—I've been subsisting for truthful agelong connected having my heavies assigned to enarthrosis buttons that I forgot nan simple, straightforward joyousness of having each of my damage-dispensing ducks successful a double chorus-line row.

If my adjacent bout is against an actual, trash-talking rival who needs a six-piece and soda, I'm going to put nan Pivot down and prime up a stick. That said, and for thing short of that do-or-die scenario, I'll beryllium much than good pinch relying connected nan Stealth Pivot to bust heads. And hey—if it's an overtly retro crippled I'm playing, for illustration TMNT Shredder's Revenge, Broforce, aliases immoderate number of nan remasters that litter nan Microsoft Store, I'll get disconnected my butt to spell activity this controller retired specifically for that session.

That is nan powerfulness of nan Stealth Pivot, a wonderful-feeling controller I'd put my Stealth Ultra down for and time off my arse people to hook up (for nan correct game). Given that I emergence for thing short of a pizza transportation aliases a location fire, this is 1 of nan highest compliments I tin give. If you're a like-minded gamer who loves surviving chiefly successful nan past, I opportunity put this successful your adjacent future.

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Adam Mathew is simply a connoisseur of good controllers. He erstwhile paid measurement excessively galore pesetas for a Resi 4 chainsaw controller. He was provided pinch a reappraisal portion by Five Star Games.

Originally posted:

Dec 17, 2024 3:43 am