HyperX Clutch Gladiate RGB Gaming Controller - Review

Editor's Note: HP India provided IGN India with a review unit of the HyperX Clutch Gladiate RGB Controller for this review.

Gaming controllers are one of the market's most essential and popular accessories. While they are unavoidable for console gamers, they have become popular in the PC gamer market instead of the usual keyboard and mouse combination with time. Several factors, including price, build quality, missing features, and the need for customisation, have led to the creation of an opening for third-party options. This expands the range of available controller options beyond the official controllers available from console makers Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft.

Indian Landscape and Third-Party Controller Options

Before we start with anything, it is crucial to offer some context. For this, we need to look at the options currently available in the market. Indian online stores often have low-end controllers from Chinese brands like RedGear or Indian brands like Zebronics and Ant Esports. Looking at the Indian brands, the low-end controllers are rebranded Chinese controllers with logos of local consumer electronic companies. Considering the lack of diversity in the third-party controller market, this segment is open to disruption from an established player.

Now, let us look at the Redgear Pro Wireless controller, a popular choice for Indian gamers. This controller is marked as “Amazon’s Choice” on the e-commerce platform, and looking at the publicly available sale estimates on Amazon India, both the wired and wireless versions of the RedGear controller have sold over 1,000 units in the last month. In contrast, the official Xbox Series X/S controllers have sold just over 200 units in the past month. One of the likely reasons could be the affordable cost of the Redgear Pro Wireless controller at ₹1,599.

Focusing on the market opening, some more successful active brands include Asus, 8BitDo, Razer, and PowerA. HP also announced its HyperX Clutch Gladiate RGB controller for Xbox at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2023. Almost a year later, the company launched the controller in the market in November 2023, and now, after a few months, it is available in India for ₹3,990.

While the HyperX controller has unique aesthetics and official Xbox certification, it raises the question whether it is worth spending the extra money for this wired option from HP’s gaming peripheral brand. Find the answer to this question and many more in our HyperX Clutch Gladiate RGB Controller review.

HyperX Clutch Gladiate RGB Controller: Design, RGB Lighting, Button Layout and Other Features

Design

RGB Lighting on the Controller

As for the RGB aspect of the HyperX Clutch Gladiate RGB, it features six bright RGB LED modules on the front. These LEDs are customisable via a P1 button underneath the controller. By double-tapping the button, you can use the left and right buttons on the D-pad to cycle through three modes: static, breathing effect, and rainbow. You can adjust the brightness of these LEDs using the up and down buttons on the D-pad.

Trust me when I say this: the LEDs can get extremely bright. If I set them to the highest brightness and stare at them for a few seconds, the patterns remain visible even when I look away. Fortunately, you can fully customise them, including completely turning down the brightness or disabling them altogether. I set them at halfway brightness because I loved how the rainbow effect looked.

Controller Button Layout

The HyperX Clutch Gladiate RGB follows the standard Xbox layout regarding button positioning. The Gladiate RGB will feel familiar and welcoming if you have used an Xbox controller. The buttons are pretty similar to those on the official Xbox controller, including the textured grip on the thumbsticks. However, the bumpers and triggers differ; they are made of smooth plastic and lack the texture of the official Xbox controller.

Looking at the body of the controller, the Gladiate RGB features a shiny, smooth plastic feel throughout. It is worth noting that a standard, non-RGB version of the Gladiate is also available in the market, priced slightly lower at ₹3,290. Unlike the RGB version, the standard Gladiate has textured grips on the back to provide a better hold and comfort during extended gameplay sessions. We don’t see any texture in the Gladiate RGB.

The face buttons of the Gladiate RGB — X, Y, A, and B — feel good when pressed and are satisfyingly clicky without making much noise. However, the D-pad feels soft and mushy, which I don’t like. Sometimes, I am unsure if I have pressed a button on the D-pad until I see the corresponding action on the screen. The bumper buttons have a shorter travel distance than I would prefer, but it is not a significant issue. Triggers are smooth, though not quite as refined as those on the official Xbox controller.

Additional Customisation Features and More

HyperX has also added trigger lock toggles on the back of the controller, allowing you to shorten the travel distance of the triggers if desired. Speaking of the rear, apart from the trigger lock toggles and the P1 button for customising the LEDs, there are two additional rear buttons, P2 and P3. These can be mapped to any of the front buttons. They are quite clicky and positioned nicely, making them comfortable to press while gaming.

At the bottom of the controller, we also get a 3.5mm headphone jack for connecting wired headphones or earphones while playing. This is especially important if the length of your wired headphones (or earphones) is relatively small, and you want to game sitting away from your PC or laptop. With everything being wired, there is no latency, giving a quick and responsive experience. This makes the Gladiate RGB suitable for competitive gaming with fighting and FPS titles.

Software

The HyperX Clutch Gladiate RGB doesn’t require any software for customisation; everything can be managed directly on the controller. Double-pressing the P1 button on the back lets you adjust the LEDs, while holding it down allows you to map the P3 and P4 buttons. While it is convenient not to need software to manage the controller, remembering how to adjust settings can be a hassle. Nevertheless, since the Gladiate RGB is officially Xbox-certified, it offers a seamless plug-and-play experience on Windows without any issues.

Gaming Experience on HyperX Clutch Gladiate RGB Controller

The HyperX Clutch Gladiate RGB controller is a wired controller, but at this price range, it would have been nice to see it supporting wireless connectivity. Regardless, the controller comes with a conveniently long USB-C cable for easy connection to your PC or console. I tested the controller on my Asus TUF A15 laptop and Alienware Aurora R15 desktop. Both systems promptly recognised the controller without any hiccups.

As for games, I tried a variety of them using the controller, including EA FC 24, Forza Horizon 5, Need for Speed Heat, WWE 2K24, and Ghost of Tsushima.

For the first five games, I used the Gladiate RGB in multiplayer sessions with friends, both locally and online. I experienced no connectivity issues or failures in detecting my inputs in both modes. In WWE 2K24, I mapped the dodge button to one of the rear buttons, which gave me a competitive advantage.

Ghost of Tsushima demands precise reaction timing for parrying, dodging, and striking. To improve my gameplay experience, I used the rear buttons in this game by mapping them to jump and parry/dodge actions.

Worth the Money?

While the HyperX Clutch Gladiator RGB controller may seem pricey compared to options in the sub-₹1,500 range, it offers plenty of features and a fun design to justify its cost. While it may not be as expensive as an official Xbox controller, it still provides an upgrade from cheaper, low-end alternatives. Another critical factor is the solid after-sales support that HyperX can offer through its existing HP after-sales ecosystem. While there are cheaper wireless options out there, one cannot expect the same quality and design from them.

Overall, the HyperX Clutch Gladiate RGB Controller strikes a good balance between affordability and functionality. This makes it a solid choice for gamers looking to take their gaming experience to the next level without breaking the bank.