Organizer - Gadget news

The Competitor is a no-nonsense symmetrical Xbox controller that barely puts a foot wrong

8:00 pm | December 19, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: Final Fantasy, PC, UK, US | Comments: Off

The Competitor: one-minute review

The Competitor is an Xbox and PC-compatible controller from manufacturer Hyperkin that adopts a DualSense-like appearance and symmetrical thumbstick layout. While it does feature niceties like drift-resistant Hall effect sticks and triggers, I’ve found it to be a blissfully simple controller.

The Competitor has no fancy RGB lighting, no gyro sensors, no trigger locks, no wireless connectivity options, and no supporting apps or software. It’s also impressively cheap, has a nice design, and a great idea or two of its own. Its straightforward nature serves it well, and it’s one reason why it’s one of the best Xbox controllers I’ve tested in quite a while.

Some of my favorite controllers in recent years have been the likes of the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro and GameSir Tarantula Pro - both gamepads that are stuffed with desirable features that definitely make their price tags trend upward. The Competitor’s stripped-back, simplistic nature is actually quite refreshing in comparison, and is a staunch reminder that controllers don’t need to be a smorgasbord to remain appealing in the contemporary market.

There are some slight missteps. I’ve never been a fan of the PlayStation-style D-pad adopted here, the Menu and Share buttons are rather awkwardly-placed, and - while this is certainly personal preference and not indicative of The Competitor’s quality - it lacks wireless connectivity. Though at its relatively low price point, it’s easy to forgive these shortcomings.

The Competitor review: price and availability

List price: $49.99 / £39.99 (around AU$74.95)
Available from most major retailers in the US and UK
Compares in price to similarly cheap controllers like the GameSir Kaleid

You can get The Competitor today for $49.99 / £39.99 (around AU$74.95), making it one of the cheaper Xbox and PC controllers that’s actually worth recommending. Readily available at Amazon in the US and the UK, you’ll also likely find it at your local retailers of choice, including Best Buy in the US and Argos in the UK.

The cheaper Xbox controller spectrum has gotten broader in recent years, with pads like the GameSir Kaleid ($49.99 / £59.99) and 8BitDo Pro 2 ($44.99 / £39.99) also coming in at similar price points. The Competitor, rather fittingly, has some tough competition in the space, then, but I’d definitely say it’s comparable in quality to those aforementioned pads.

The Competitor review: Specs

Price	$49.99 / £39.99 (around AU$74.95)
Weight	7.1oz / 200g
Dimensions	6.2 x 5.0 x 2.5in / 158 x 127 x 64mm
Compatibility	Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
Connection type	Wired (USB-C)
Battery life	N/A

The Competitor review: design and features

The Competitor differs from most Xbox controllers in its symmetrical thumbstick layout and design that’s practically identical to that of the DualSense Wireless Controller. You’ll find the same boomerang-esque shape here, with similarly designed D-pad and face buttons.

I wouldn’t say build quality is luxurious, certainly not up to the DualSense standard, but it does the job at its price point. That is to be expected, though, given the lower price. Otherwise, nothing about the controller screams cut corners or lazy design; it’s an extremely tight ship. Usually, you’d expect one or two blemishes to stand out on budget-friendly controllers.

But my only issues, really, are the slightly awkward placement of the central Menu and Share buttons, as well as the spongy-feeling PlayStation-style d-pad. However, the latter comes down to personal preference more than anything else.

The color scheme of The Competitor is quite pleasing, too. It sports a black and white aesthetic in a sort of ‘X’ pattern across the front of the pad. The face buttons and d-pad have a translucent, glossy finish that feels quite nice against your thumbs, too.

The Competitor review: Performance

The Competitor is a strictly wired controller. However, that’s not strange at its relatively low price point, so easy to forgive. That said, if you’d prefer a wireless model, you may be better off checking out similarly priced gamepads like the Xbox Wireless Controller or 8BitDo Pro 2.

What isn’t a guarantee for cheap controllers is the inclusion of drift-resisting Hall effect thumbsticks, but they are here on The Competitor. The sticks themselves feel great, too, with solid responsiveness and a rugged textured finish around the edges.

The Competitor features two remappable buttons on the rear of the controller. And these are easy enough to customize by holding the mapping button on the back, in conjunction with one of these rear buttons and one of the main ones on the front.

These remappable buttons are assigned by default, which I typically find a touch annoying. However, this is alleviated by a handy feature you don’t see on all that many controllers. There are lock switches for both remappable buttons, which can prevent them from being pressed in entirely. It’s arguably a bit of a workaround to keep them unassigned, but I welcome the ability to manually enable or disable them in such a way.

Should I buy The Competitor?

Buy it if...

You want an affordable, effective controller
The Competitor simply does what it says on the tin (or, um, the cardboard box, I suppose). It’s a straightforward gamepad with no obvious flaws, available at a fittingly competitive price point.

You’re looking for a drift-beating option with light features
Hall effect sticks and two remappable buttons are present here. It’s on the lighter side in terms of features, but it’s really all a controller at this price needs to stand out.

Don't buy it if...

You want a more robust D-pad
Some game genres, like fighting games and platformers, benefit from a more well-rounded d-pad than the one on The Competitor. I actually love the circular design of the Xbox Wireless Controller's d-pad, and would recommend it over The Competitor if that's something that will be important to you.

You’re on PS5
The Competitor isn’t compatible with PlayStation hardware, despite the DualSense-looking design. Consider checking out our best PS5 controllers guide if you’re shopping for a Sony gamepad instead.

The Competitor review: Also consider

If The Competitor isn’t quite competitive enough for you, here are a couple other options very much worthy of consideration.

	The Competitor	Xbox Wireless Controller	GameSir Super Nova
Price	$49.99 / £39.99 (around AU$74.95)	$59.99 / £54.99 / AU$74	$44.99 / £49.99 / AU$89
Weight	7.1oz / 200g	8.5oz / 241g	9.3oz / 263g
Dimensions	6.2 x 5.0 x 2.5in / 158 x 127 x 64mm	5.9 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 150 x 105 x 60mm	6.1 x 4.2 x 2.3in / 156 x 106 x 59mm
Compatibility	Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC	Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC	PC, Switch, Switch 2
Connection type	Wired (USB-C)	Wireless (Xbox), Wired (USB-C)	Wireless (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz USB dongle), Wired (USB-C)
Battery life	N/A	Varies, around 20-40 hours	15 hours

Xbox Wireless Controller
Always an incredibly solid choice, the official Xbox Wireless Controller isn’t big on bonus features, but it offers incredible reliability and is available in countless color options these days.

Read our full Xbox Wireless Controller review

GameSir Super Nova
While losing Xbox compatibility, this is a fantastic and affordable wireless controller for PC and the Switch family of consoles. I’d go for this one if you’re after a PC controller and interested in a budget-friendly wireless option. Oh, it comes with a charging dock and some lovely color options, too.

Read our full GameSir Super Nova review

How I tested The Competitor

Tested for one week
Primarily tested on PC
Played a wide range of games

I tested The Competitor over the course of about a week, putting the wired wonder through its paces primarily on a gaming PC with my Steam library. All my go-to games were present here, including Final Fantasy 14 Online, Tekken 8, Elden Ring Nightreign, and Tokyo Xtreme Racer.

Given the shape and feel of the controller, I tried to compare the experience of playing with The Competitor to that of the DualSense Wireless Controller. Obviously, the PlayStation controller is more feature-rich, with bespoke haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, as well as its touchpad. Build quality isn’t quite as strong with The Competitor, in comparison, but it’s certainly not miles off, given the price.

First reviewed December 2025

Ricoh GR IV: two-minute review

I'm already a fan of the Ricoh GR series of premium compact cameras, having purchased the GR IIIx several years ago. There really is no other camera this small that can shoot photos that look this good – and that's why I've featured it in my best compact camera and best point-and-shoot camera guides.

My GR III series camera is far from perfect, though. It's prone to damage, its autofocus can be really sluggish at times, and it could do with a built-in flash. I'd also love a tilt screen – oh and poor battery life is another gripe among users.

Despite these limitations I still carry my Ricoh with me most days, but I've been keeping a keen eye out for the arrival of its successor, in the hope it could deliver particular upgrades and become my perfect compact. Well, the Ricoh GR IV is finally here, six years after the GR III, and I've had my hands on it for around three weeks, with the new camera in one pocket and my GR IIIx in the other.

So is the GR IV my dream upgrade? Not quite... but it is a better camera in many other ways. I'm disappointed that the build quality is mostly the same (besides what Ricoh says is better sealing on the new lens), in that it isn't technically weather-sealed and so will need looking after, even though its feels decent in the hand.

On the plus side, I was already happy with the image quality from my GR III, but Ricoh has introduced a new 26MP sensor and refined the lens to further improve quality, while the sensor has improved 5-axis stabilization.

Ricoh GR IV compact camera in user's hand, flowers behind — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

As mentioned, I was hoping for a built-in flash this time around, but the GR IV doesn't have one; ditto a tilt screen. I also wanted much better autofocus performance, but I'm not seeing enough of a difference.

On the flip-side, again, the GR IV delivers some significant upgrades that I didn't see coming: internal storage is bumped up from 2GB to 53GB, there's a new bigger battery with approximately 20% better capacity, and the body is even slimmer, with a refined grip making the camera feel even better in the hand.

You get the picture – the GR IV is a decent upgrade for certain users, but one to skip for others. I for one can't see a good enough reason to splash out, but I understand why others would. And for those who are new to the series and looking for a premium compact, you won't find a better one at this size.

A word of thanks

A special mention goes to Park Cameras (UK) who loaned me the Ricoh GR IV and made this review possible.

One final, and significant, entry for the 'cons' column is that the list price has been hiked by around 20% over the GR III's, depending on where you live (the GR III originally cost $999 / £899 in 2019). I firmly believe that $1,150 / £1,000 is a much fairer price for the GR IV than $1,500 / £1,200 / AU$2,200.

What has caught my eye, however, is Ricoh announcing that a GR IV Monochrome is in the pipeline, which would be the first black-and-white-only camera in the series. I'm a fan of the black-and-white profiles in these cameras, and I shoot the majority of my pictures in monochrome, so this niche version could well be my next camera purchase.

🇬🇧 The Ricoh GR IV costs £1,199 at Park Cameras

Ricoh GR IV compact camera in user's hand — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Ricoh GR IV: price and availability

Launched on August 20, 2025
Announced alongside the new Ricoh GF-2 flash
Priced at $1,499 / £1,199 / AU$2,199

The Ricoh GR IV was first unveiled in May 2025 and went on sale from August, with a launch price of $1,499 / £1,199 / AU$2,199. That's an approximately 20% mark-up over the GR III, depending on which region you live in.

I wish the GR IV had a built-in flash, but in its absence Ricoh has done the next best thing, launching a new GF-2 flash that sits in the GR IV's hotshoe and is suitably tiny. It wasn't available to me while I was testing the camera, so I'm yet to use it, but it's also compatible with GR III cameras (with reduced funtionality) so I expect I'll be buying one.

Ricoh GR IV: specs

Ricoh GR IV Specs
Sensor	APS-C, 5-axis stabilization
Resolution	26MP
Video	1080p up to 60fps
Lens	18.3mm (28mm equiv.) f/2.8-16
Screen	3.0in, 1.04m-dots
Dimensions	109.4 x 61.1 x 32.7 mm
Weight	262g (with battery + card)
Battery life	250 shots (approx)
Memory	microSD, internal 53GB

Ricoh GR IV: design

Slim body and refined grip give a secure and comfortable single-hand hold
Easily slips into a pocket
Still no built-in flash or weather sealing
Internal storage upped from 2GB to 53GB
Fixed touchscreen can be hard to see in bright light

The GR IV might look largely the same as the GR III, but there are design tweaks to the new camera that add up to improve the overall handling.

Its width and height are essentially the same, meaning the GR IV will still easily slip into a trouser pocket – the same can't be said for the bulkier Fujifilm X100VI. What's new, and seriously impressive, is that Ricoh has slimmed down the GR IV compared to the GR III, while keeping the grip depth the same.

The GR IV immediately felt different in the hand to me, having been so used to the GR III – the slimmer body and refined grip give a secure and comfortable hold with just one hand, however you're holding the camera. It's a tiny design tweak that makes a big difference – I often want to shoot with one hand using my GR III, but to do so comfortably I've had to attach a separate thumb grip.

Ricoh has reverted back to the ± button that was on the GR II, but dropped from the GR III. This can control the likes of exposure compensation, and overall it's a welcome return, even if I found myself tapping the button all too easily.

Image 1 of 8

Ricoh GR IV compact camera on a wooden table, with strong sidelight and dark shadows — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 2 of 8

Image 3 of 8

Close up of the Ricoh GR IV compact camera's video button — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 4 of 8

Closeup of the Ricoh GR IV compact camera's rear controls — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 5 of 8

Closeup of the Ricoh GR IV compact camera's USB-C port — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 6 of 8

Ricoh GR IV compact camera on a wooden table, with strong sidelight and dark shadows, view of the back — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 7 of 8

Ricoh GR IV compact camera on a wooden table, facing up, lens active — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 8 of 8

Ricoh GR IV compact camera on a wooden table, facing up, lens closeed — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Three of my top wishes as a GR III user interested in this successor sadly remain elusive – there's no built-in flash, tilt screen, or weather sealing. Those upgrades alone would have had me reaching for my wallet.

A built-in flash would be supremely helpful for portraits at parties – without one, I wouldn't really use the GR IV in such scenarios. Ricoh has, as mentioned, announced the tiny GF-2 external flash, which is an accessory I will absolutely look into purchasing.

I find the fixed touchscreen of my GR III hard to see clearly in bright light, and it doesn't make low-angle shooting easy. A tilt screen would help no end, but sadly this is another potential upgrade that didn't materialize.

However, it's the lack of weather sealing that's the real kicker for me. I've taken my GR III in for minor repairs twice in the years I've had it – cheap repairs for seized buttons, caused by moisture ingress – while the pop-out lens is beginning to struggle on start up. Ricoh says there is better sealing in the new lens, but besides this, build quality is the same. As such, I'd be conscious of the need to look after the GR IV, which is something I don't want to think about with an everyday camera that's in my pocket.

To Ricoh's credit, there are other upgrades. The internal storage has been upped from 2GB to 53GB, and there's a larger-capacity battery inside too, even if this has necessitated a switch from SD card to micro SD, which is a fiddly card slot on the GR IV.

Ricoh GR IV: features and performance

New 26MP sensor with improved 5-axis stabilization
Speedier start-up time and longer battery life
(Unchanged) 1080p video is an afterthought

If you're unfamiliar with the Ricoh GR series of digital compacts, then you'll probably struggle to spot meaningful upgrades in the GR IV over the GR III – and the former camera is six years old now, having been released in 2019.

For those like me that are familiar, however – and I suspect that's many of you reading this review – the headline upgrade is the new 26MP sensor.

Sure, a 2MP bump from 24MP to 26MP is hardly worth mentioning, but the improved 5-axis stabilization certainly is, and in my opinion it's a key improvement. The GR III has less effective 3-axis stabilization.

Image 1 of 7

Ricoh GR IV sample gallery: big ben at night with a London red bus light trail in front — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 2 of 7

Ricoh GR IV sample gallery: commuters in a busy London train station, those moving are blurred — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 3 of 7

Ricoh GR IV sample images - London underground, the train's movement is blurred — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 4 of 7

Image 5 of 7

Ricoh GR IV sample images - blurred movement of commuters in london underground — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 6 of 7

Image 7 of 7

Ricoh GR IV sample gallery: a busy London street, moving people are blurred — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

I was able to shoot handheld images with a shutter speed as slow as one second, and for most shots at half a second, and detail still looked sharp. This offers the potential for creative long-exposure effects and can improve low-light image quality, assuming you don't need to freeze movement. Check out a few long exposure effect images in the gallery above.

Image 1 of 2

Ricoh GR IV sample gallery: a lone tree on a hillside of a common, black and white — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 2 of 2

Ricoh GR IV sample images - trees ina clearing, black and white photo — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

The GR IV isn't short of color profiles either. I'm a fan of the hard monotone profile which produces punchy black-and-white images with an infrared photography-like effect (see the punchy sky images in the gallery above). At other times, I was drawn to the cinema color profiles for a gritty effect which suited nighttime images across London. In the gallery of images below, I've used a range of these color profiles.

Image 1 of 14

Ricoh GR IV sample images - backlit smoke exiting a ventilation pipe on a London street at night — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 2 of 14

Ricoh GR IV sample images - classic car parked up in front of victorian houses in London at night — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 3 of 14

Ricoh GR IV sample images - outside a London bar at night — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 4 of 14

Ricoh GR IV sample images - London skyline at night — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 5 of 14

Image 6 of 14

Ricoh GR IV sample images - commuter standing a reading a book while waiting for a train — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 7 of 14

Ricoh GR IV sample images - commuter on underground — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 8 of 14

Ricoh GR IV sample images - London commuters — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 9 of 14

Ricoh GR IV sample images - London commuter — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 10 of 14

Image 11 of 14

Ricoh GR IV sample images - grafittied underpass — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 12 of 14

Ricoh GR IV sample images - blurry image of commuters running to catch a train — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 13 of 14

Ricoh GR IV sample images - big ben in London across the thames at night — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 14 of 14

Ricoh GR IV sample gallery: man in winter jacket with a patch of light illuminating one side of his face — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

There's a macro photography setting, which reduces the minimum focus distance and enables proper close up photography. This, as like with GR III cameras, is another string to the GR IV's bow.

Image 1 of 2

Ricoh GR IV sample images - closeup of a mushroom from the ground level — The macro photography setting is totally usable and makes the GR IV an even more versatile snapper. This shot is taken with the aperture set to f/2.8 (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 2 of 2

Start-up time has been improved too, not that the GR III was a slouch. I had the GR III and GR IV side by side and turned the cameras on at the same time, and the GR IV was ready to go a fraction quicker – it makes a real difference for an everyday camera with which you'll often want to be ready to shoot quickly. If this was a wild west showdown against most other cameras, the GR IV would be busting open the saloon doors and demanding a victory whiskey.

I can't say the same for autofocus performance. Ricoh has improved autofocus speed and reliability from the GR III, but not by much. The AF assist light helps in low-contrast lighting, as do additional focusing modes added to the series via firmware updates in recent years, such as new zone-focusing options, but it would be generous of me to Ricoh to say better autofocus is a reason to upgrade here.

Image 1 of 8

Closeup of the Ricoh GR IV compact camera's open battery door — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 2 of 8

Ricoh GR IV compact camera on a wooden table, alongside its battery — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 3 of 8

Closeup of the Ricoh GR IV compact camera's hotshoe — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 4 of 8

Underside of the Ricoh GR IV compact camera, on a wooden table — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 5 of 8

LCD screen of the Ricoh GR IV compact camera — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 6 of 8

Person holding the Ricoh GR IV compact camera up to their chest — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Image 7 of 8

Ricoh GR IV sample images - man in window light — One of the many occasions that autofocus missed the mark (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Image 8 of 8

Ricoh GR IV sample images - blurred london street scene — One of the many occasions that autofocus missed the mark (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Battery life sees a decent improvement. There's a new larger-capacity unit inside which delivers a 20% bump in shot life. Still, where the GR III has poor battery life at around 200 shots, the GR IV's is only less poor at 240 shots. Personally, though, I think limited battery life is completely forgiveable for such a small camera, and it's impressive that Ricoh has squeezed a better battery into what is actually a fractionally smaller camera.

Overall, there are some decent improvements in the GR IV, depending on how and what you like to shoot.

Should I buy the Ricoh GR IV?

Ricoh GR IV compact camera in user's hand with wooden slats in the background — (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Buy it if...

You want a truly pocketable camera with supreme image quality
The 5-axis stabilized 26MP APS-C sensor and refined 28mm lens are a superb combo for photo-philes.

You want an everyday carry that isn't your phone
Slipping into a pocket, the GR IV is a camera that you can carry with you almost everywhere – just don't take it to the beach.

Don't buy it if...

You shoot a lot in low light
With no built-in flash and autofocus that can struggle at times, the GR IV has its limitations in low light.

You want an indestructible camera
Ricoh says it has improved the sealing of the lens to repel dust ingress, but the camera isn't weather sealed, and as such you need to look after it – as I know from my experience with my GR III!

You shoot a lot of video
Maxing out at 1080p, video recording is very much an afterthought in the GR IV. It's nice to have all the same, but you'll be better off using your phone.

How I tested the Ricoh GR IV

Park Cameras loaned me the camera for several weeks
I shot 1,000-plus photos in RAW + JPEG
I carried the camera every day, using it in a range of scenarios

I used the Ricoh GR IV regularly for around three weeks, with thanks to Park Cameras (UK) for the loan. During this time I took over 1,000 photos, documenting everyday life and of course playing with the various color profiles and creative techniques possible with the GR IV.

I pushed the limit of the camera's stabilization, taking handheld long-exposure photos. I shot photos of the same scenes at different apertures to assess the quality at each setting, and checked for lens distortions.

I noted how many photos I could take with a fully charged battery, and in general I've looked after the camera rather than push it in adverse conditions. I bring several years of experience with the Ricoh GR series into this review, most recently as an owner of the GR IIIx.

First reviewed November 2025

I tested the Ricoh GR IV compact camera — it’s a surprising upgrade, for good and for bad

3:36 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Cameras Compact Cameras Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off