Drakong's Challenger is a $35 Xbox controller with hall effect sticks and haptic triggers

Hyperkin's budget sub-brand Drakong has announced The Challenger, a wired Xbox and PC controller priced at $35. It's available to order now on Amazon, with shipments starting July 9th.

For that price, the spec sheet is surprisingly generous. The Challenger packs hall effect analog sticks, hall effect analog triggers with haptic feedback, two programmable back buttons, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and textured grips — features you'd normally expect on controllers costing two or three times as much. It ships with a 10-foot USB-C cable included.

The obvious trade-off is that it's wired only — no Bluetooth, no wireless option. The bigger unknowns are build quality questions that only hands-on time can answer: how the seams feel in your palms, whether the buttons have satisfying travel, and how the d-pad holds up. At $35, those are risks worth taking for budget-conscious players, but it's worth waiting for reviews before committing if you're particular about feel.

Hyperkin is a well-established third-party peripheral maker known for retro-compatible hardware, so Drakong has a credible parent behind it. The Challenger is live on Amazon now ahead of its July 9th ship date.