Annual Review: Six Gamepads
Enough Of Software
I've had more than enough of describing profile software so I've decided that you won't be needing any for the pad. The drivers and programs are the same as for the other Saitek products in this review. Installation of drivers not certified for XP is a bit strange, with sentences half in English and keyboard-mouse emulators you can do without, but the control panel and button allocation do actually work. Still, if you can dispense with the shift key, I strongly advise you to do no more than plug the P3000 into the USB port in Windows XP because all the other functions are detected with no trouble at all.
As Effective As It Looks
This pad turns out to be faultless in use. The freedom of movement it gives you is great. You can easily move five yards away and that is more than enough. Who plays games on their computer at that distance? In combat games, the intuitive buttons, and especially the well-designed D-pad, make the P3000 a formidable weapon. In games where you need a stick, precision is good, but there is a slight flaw in the ergonomics for the thumbs, though nothing very serious. If you are looking for a top-range pad that does everything, then the P3000 is the answer, especially as it is reasonably priced at $69 (59 euros).
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