A relative newcomer to the gaming controller market, PB Tails was established in 2020 and made a name for itself with the unique PB Tails Choc Controller which was launched with a highly successful Kickstarter Campaign. The team at PB Tails focuses their designs on an ethos that all gamers are different, and this shines through with their controllers, with each one having a range of distinctive faceplates you can attach to express your style. More recently they have launched the PB Tails Crush Controller which although is a more traditional controller, has continued with this exciting approach to customizable designs and again was launched with a well oversubscribed Kickstarted Campaign. In this PB Tails Crush Controller Review, we’re going to take a look at this latest launch and discover whether or not its usability also lives up to its unique visuals.
Table of Contents
A Customizable Visual Appeal
As highlighted in the introduction, PB Tails is a company that prides itself on producing controllers that have unique visuals and allow gamers to express their own individual styles. However, do they pull this off, and if so, how well!? Simply put, in my humble opinion, extremely well, and let me show you how!
For our review, we were sent a copy of the PB Tails Crush Controller in their China White color. This all-white color gives it an elegant style with a nice gloss shine to it that also doesn’t seem to pick up any nasty smudges from your hands, maintaining its classy look even after a lot of use. I can even vouch for that after having been eating an enormous pizza while trying out the controller for this review!
On top of this, the team behind the controller has added visual RGB lights that add a bit of pop to it while gaming. There are a range of options that will light up the controller in different styles that you can seamlessly switch between with a dedicated button included on the controller. The colors have taken inspiration from all the favorite consoles such as the Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and even the Dreamcast for those after a bit of nostalgia!
Of course, the China White style might not be for everyone and thankfully the PB Tails Crush Controller is available in several cool designs. This includes Ruby, Azurite, and the Metal Series – Ghost. On top of this, the faceplate is magnetic, so if you get bored with your current design, you can easily swap this out for a new one. No need for any tools either, you can simply pull it off and slide another one securely into place.
Lastly, in terms of visuals, it is worth mentioning the classic design. Indeed, this is a controller that looks exactly like we expect for a modern controller. Although the PB Tails Choc expressed itself with a retro design, the Crush has taken a more modern route. I prefer this and to be honest, there’s a reason in my opinion why most controllers now look like this; they simply play better in your hands!
Flawless Cross Platform Connections for Uninterrupted Gameplay
There are basically 2 routes that controllers can go down when it comes to connectivity – wireless or wired. For the Crush, PB Tails have opted to do both, a great way to please everyone! Indeed, there are 3 ways in total that you can use to connect to your device;
- 2.4G Wireless Connection;
- 5.0 Bluetooth; or
- USB-C Wired Connection
If you are a player who is concerned about latency then you will likely opt for the wired connection. However, this, in our opinion, is a bit annoying with wires constantly getting tangled or reducing your mobility, and, to be honest, we don’t really find the latency on a wireless connection to be that big a problem outside the elite levels of fast-paced games FPS like CoD: Mobile or MOBAs such as League of Legends. As such, during testing, we mostly stuck with the Bluetooth and 2.4G Wireless Connections and found these to work flawlessly, putting to bed any connection concerns and allowing us to move around more freely when gaming.
On top of this, it is a truly versatile controller with a huge range of devices supported. We tested it on 3 of them, Android, Switch, and Windows, but it should also be noted that PB Tails does confirm that it can also be used with macOS, iOS, and Raspberry Pi. The only thing lacking, in our opinion as sometimes console gamers, is that both the PlayStation and Xbox are missing from this list which does prove to be a bit of a shame.
Lastly in this section of the review, let’s discuss if the PB Tails Crush Controller is plug-and-play or a little more complicated. In testing, when it came to wired gameplay using the included USB wire, everything was incredibly straightforward. No settings, no downloading of specific software like other similar controllers, I simply plugged it into my PC’s USB port and was thrashing around the neon-lit streets of Asphalt 9 in no time at all. Thankfully, this was also the case when testing the wireless connection on the Switch and Bluetooth connection on my Samsung S23 and Redmagic 8 Pro phones. Although these take a few more steps, there is again no additional software required and it is the same process you would see for any other Bluetooth device you own with clear instructions also included in the box the Crush came in.
Intense Gaming Sessions in Comfort
Now that we have covered the unique aesthetics and excellent connectivity options of the PB Tails Crush, it is time to talk about how this controller actually feels to play. However, for anyone who has used an Xbox controller previously, the answer should be pretty obvious, excellently well. The design is clearly modeled on these tried and tested controllers and you would easily think that is exactly what you are playing with. And, of course, with such a well-proven design, it is no surprise that it feels great in your hands. It even adds a few improvements such as a Turbo button and a screenshot button. Although the controller did feel slightly light at first, a quick weigh brought it in at a comparable weight of a PlayStation controller, perhaps this is a testament to a quality ergonomic design. In addition, it proved itself as a very robust piece of hardware after surviving a couple of nasty drops from our clumsy hands.
As is the standard, the controller also features hall-effect controls, designed for lasting precision and a drift-free response with joystick caps that can also be replaced with others. In addition, the buttons have a great mechanical feel, giving you that desired feedback that ensures you know that you have actually pressed the button. We personally really don’t like those controllers that have over-modernized with touch-style buttons that make it difficult to know that you have made an action.
One specific downside we have noted is the controller’s usability with mobile devices. In our opinion, a controller that is attached to your phone is a better option if this is all it will be used for. However, if you expect to use the Crush mostly with your Switch or PC then this is not a concern at all. You can also always buy a gaming controller clip that will attach your mobile to the controller though you will have to find an unofficial product as PB Tails do not appear to stock one of these.
Before we close out this PB Tails Crush Review, we must also mention the battery. At 860mAh, it has a great capacity that can last for up to 10 hours of wireless gaming. This should hopefully be enough for even the most hardcore gamer! If not, then you can always plug it in for charging while you play or wait the short 2-hour charge time for it to be fully charged again.
Specification Table for the Data Lovers
| Dimension | 156.6mm*103.05mm*66.3mm |
| Battery Capacity | 860mAh |
| Battery’s Operation | 10 hours |
| Charging Time | 2 hours |
| Charging | Type-C |
| Weight | 250g |
| Material | PC |
| Colors | China White, Ruby, Azurite, and the Metal Series – Ghost |
| Audio | None |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 |
| Wireless | 2.5G |
| Wired Connection | Type-C |
The PB Tails Crush Does Not Disappoint
As should be clear by now, we loved putting the PB Tails Crush controller through its paces for this review. It worked great across all devices with the only real drawbacks being its somewhat lightweight feel and the lack of a clip to attach it to our mobile phone. Overall, if you are a Switch or PC gamer who dabbles in some mobile gaming, you cannot go wrong with this device. The connection shows no obvious latency, is plug-and-play, has huge versatility across a range of gaming devices, looks and feels great, and even comes at a pretty nice price point! If this all sounds right up your street, then head on over to the PB Tails Website now and pick up your Crush Controller.
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