How much difference is there in the force required to press the buttons on Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox, and Steam controllers?
There are many different types of game controllers, and naturally, the force required to press the buttons varies. LTT Labs, an overseas media outlet, shared the results of their actual measurements.
You're Pressing Buttons Harder Than You Think | LTT Labs
The controllers tested by LTT Labs are as follows. The four buttons on the right side of the controller (A/B, X, Y, etc.) were used for testing.
• Steam Controller (2026)
・Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller
Xbox Wireless Controller
PlayStation DualSense Edge
We are using force gauges to perform measurements in a more precise manner.
The results are as follows. The unit gram force (gf) represents the force exerted by a 1-gram object under Earth's gravity, and is used to express the weight of keyboard switches, for example. Most keyboard switches operate at 30-70 gf.
| controller | Button tactile feedback [gf] | |||
| Top button | Down button | Left button | Right button | |
| Steam Controller (2026) | 93 | 93 | 107 | 88 |
| Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller | 93 | 97 | 95 | 91 |
| Xbox Wireless Controller | 107 | 116 | 118 | 89 |
| PlayStation DualSense Edge | 122 | 117 | 118 | 136 |
Regarding the finding that the DualSense Edge is 30-40 gf more powerful than the Pro Controller, LTT Labs wrote, 'While this is not a fatal flaw for most people, it could affect usability, fatigue, and ergonomics for some. Nintendo may have discovered that the force applied to buttons is weaker depending on the user's hand position, or they may be targeting younger generations with smaller hands and less strength.'
When actually holding a controller, you apply force by pinching the buttons with your thumb and other fingers, and in this state, a person can exert more than 10,000 gf of force. When measurements were taken under the assumption of actual use, it was found that even a normal press easily exceeds 200 gf. LTT Labs states, 'Even with a relatively gentle long press when I maintain a boost in Rocket League , I exceed 300 gf.'
The force applied to the button is shown in the graph below. The red line shows the force applied to the button until it is fully pressed, and the blue line shows the force gradually released until the system no longer detects the button press. Below is the Steam Controller (2026) graph.
Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.
Xbox Wireless Controller.
This is the PlayStation DualSense Edge.
During testing, it wasn't always possible to press the center of the button. There were instances where pressure was applied to the edge of the button, causing it to sink slightly, before the rest of the button was suddenly pressed down, which is why the graph is distorted. LTT Labs stated, 'This can happen even when using a normal controller, but less frequently because fingers press the button over a wider area.'
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