Thrustmaster unveiled Heart, a controller for Xbox and PC with Hall-effect sticks

Gaming peripherals manufacturer Thrustmaster has unveiled the Thrustmaster Heart Controller. Compatible with both Xbox and PC, this new gamepad features Hall-effect thumbsticks and mechanical buttons.

Accuracy and durability seem to be at the heart of its design. The name, which is actually an acronym, stands for “Hall Effect AccuRate Technology” – a fancy marketing term for something that seems very similar to the Hall Effect technology already found in many of the best Xbox controllers and PC controllers.

The company says the controller leverages its 15 years of experience in creating Hall effect flight simulation peripherals to ensure the highest accuracy and performance and will not suffer from stick drift over time. The mechanical buttons have an actuation distance of 0.3mm and are claimed to be 64% faster than regular membrane inputs.

It’s also a wired controller, which will likely help reduce potential input lag (and costs) as well. Specs aside, the Thrustmaster Heart Controller has a truly eye-catching overall design. It features a rather unconventional two-tone black and white design, which means it should fit both standard Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S models.

A bright LED strip runs down the center of the controller, separating the two colors and giving it extra character. This lighting can be customized and set to six colors, including orange, blue and red. There are two reassignable rear inputs on the back of the controller. A range of settings, including the ability to remap them and change stick sensitivity, can be accessed via the existing ThrustmapperX software.

The controller will be compatible with PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One. It’s available for pre-order now for $99.99/£89.99 via Thrustmaster and Amazon, and is expected to start shipping next month.