PowerA OPS V1 Wireless Controller – Hall Effect Heroism on a Shoestring

In the great controller caste system, PowerA has long pitched itself as the thrifty cousin to the big brands — never quite premium, never quite disposable. The OPS V3 Pro, with its burly design and thumbstick bravado, tried to muscle into “pro” territory with mixed results. Functional, yes. Refined? Not quite. It looked like it wanted to bench press the competition but ended up struggling with the warm-up set.

Now comes the OPS V1, a spiritual sibling that looks like someone hit “reset” on the whole ethos. It’s lighter, cheaper and — if you don’t go for the branded gaming tie-in version —  plainer. The ‘V1’ naming feels almost ironic — a supposed downgrade that sneaks in Hall effect sticks, reliable wireless modes, and a design that trades aggression for agility.

Where the V3 Pro stumbled with over-engineering and awkward ergonomics, the V1 seems to ask a simpler question: what if we just made a good controller… and left it at that? It doesn’t come for your wallet like the DualSense Edge. It doesn’t glow like a Vegas slot machine. But in a market bloated with bloat, the V1’s stripped-back honesty might just be its greatest strength.

Box Contents

You don’t buy the PowerA OPS V1 for decadence. There are no plush cases or sticker sheets promising a kawaii glow-up. Instead, you’re handed the essentials: a USB-C cable, a wireless dongle, a couple of thumbstick caps and the controller itself. Still, there’s a kind of honesty to it: no RGB fluff, no pretense. Just a budget controller that wants to get down to business — and maybe win you over with some surprising tricks.

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Performance & Build

If the OPS V1 were a car, it’d be an old Honda Civic with a souped-up engine and questionable cupholders. There’s more going on under the bonnet than the plastic casing would have you believe — but that casing does feel like it’s seen better factories.

Let’s start with the good stuff. The controller boasts tri-mode connectivity — Bluetooth, USB-C, and low-latency 2.4GHz wireless via dongle. Whether you’re docked, handheld, or floating in the nebulous world of cloud gaming, it’s happy to play ball. And then there’s the real gem: Hall effect sticks and triggers. That’s right — drift-resistant tech in a controller that costs less than some charging docks. In practice, the sticks are smooth, responsive, and far sturdier than the price point suggests. The D-pad, too, is crisp and confident, miles ahead of the mush you'd expect in this bracket.

But don’t let that lull you into thinking the OPS V1 is punching in every round. The three-stage trigger locks sound like a pro-level feature on paper, but the top setting is akin to a flaky old friend: promising precision, delivering confusion. And while the pad is comfortably light, it strays dangerously close to “cheap-feeling.” The plastic shell may be matte, but the sensation in hand is more Fisher-Price than finesse.

Style & Versatility

Visually, the OPS V1 is a study in restraint. Unless you opt for one of the game-branded variants — such as the Fortnite-themed unit we were sent to review — it’s all black, all business. It doesn’t beg for attention, which might be refreshing if you’re tired of controllers that look like they’ve just rolled off a rave bus.

Ergonomically, though, it’s better news. The textured grips are a step up from the rougher, scratchy surfaces found on the V3 Pro, and the whole thing sits comfortably for long sessions. The programmable back buttons are also a win — functional, easy to remap, and blessedly driver-free. That said, they sit a little too proud from the shell. If you’ve got excitable fingers, you may find yourself activating them more by accident than design.

Still, it’s a controller that plays well across PC, Android, and cloud, which is not to be sniffed at.

The Caveats

For all its ambition, the OPS V1 sometimes forgets the details. There’s no onboard dongle storage, so expect to misplace that tiny transmitter the moment you need it. The trigger locks, while conceptually sound, are unreliable in their upper tier — a frustrating flaw in a feature that’s supposed to boost control fidelity.

The plastic casing, though functional, doesn’t inspire confidence. This isn’t a pad you’ll admire on a shelf. It’s the one you leave in your bag or lend to friends — not because it’s bad, but because you’re not emotionally attached. Unless, of course, you’ve got a themed pad.

There’s no companion app, no RGB, no charging dock — all understandable omissions at this price, but omissions you may notice when you’re comparing peripherals.

Overall

There’s a sort of scrappy charm to the PowerA OPS V1. It’s not trying to dazzle with bells and lights; it’s a working-class pad with big dreams. Hall effect sticks, rock-solid wireless modes, decent battery life, and a price tag that feels almost apologetic.

But it also cuts corners, and you feel those cuts: the inconsistent trigger locks, the plasticky shell, and a few ergonomic quirks that may test your patience in marathon sessions. It’s not a rival to the Xbox Elite or DualSense Edge. But it doesn’t want to be. It just wants to be good enough, and in most ways that matter — it is.