‘Thanks to that superior sensing tech, its responsiveness really wowed me’ — Scuf’s new wired controller draws close to some of the best Xbox controllers on the market, even if it can’t fully eclipse them

Scuf Valor Wired: two-minute review The Scuf Valor Wired is a mid-range wired PC and Xbox controller.

It’s actually the second controller to bear this moniker, with the previous version equipped with the less-sensitive Hall-effect thumbsticks rather than the TMR ones here.

But is a wired controller worth the investment right now, when there are so many cheap wireless alternatives to pick from? Despite its mid-market price, the Valor Wired feels suitably premium in the hand.

Thanks to its lightly textured grips and thumbsticks, I always felt like I had a firm grasp on it, even with sweaty palms during particularly stress-filled FPS tournaments.

I also love the silky-smooth plastic of its faceplate, while the Smoke colorway I tested looked gorgeous, with its translucent gray body and orange highlights.

The Valor Wired isn't a poser, though: many of its features equal those of the best Xbox controllers on the market, even if it can’t fully eclipse them.

Rocking the TMR thumbsticks more usually seen in premium pads, the Valor Wired won’t succumb to stick drift and should prove more sensitive than Hall-effect alternatives.

Meanwhile, its dual-mode shoulder triggers allow you to switch between full-range analog movement and clicky micro-switches — sadly, they’re not quite as sensitive as the more premium TMR triggers of some pads — and provide discrete vibrations from the grips for more immersive gameplay.

Remappable back buttons deliver plenty of options for in-game shortcuts, although I’d rather its face buttons were of the faster micro-switch variety than the more spongy ones here.

Many of these inputs are customizable in Scuf’s flexible and easy-to-use companion app, available for both Windows and Xbox.

Whipping up personal profiles for shooting and racing games took barely any time at all — I was able to tweak dead zones and set custom curves based on my needs, as well as remap buttons to suit my requirements.

Saving my preferred profiles to one of three slots on the controller was simple, and I could rapidly flip between them in-game with a single press of a button.

But how does all of this translate to performance? Pretty efficiently, it turns out.

Not only do those TMR thumbsticks offer better durability, but they felt sensitive and responsive, delivering great control over the steering wheel in Forza Horizon 6 .