Recently, as game ports to PC start getting worse and worse I've started thinking about getting a Gamepad. I want a decent one that will last though.

So, your opinions -

Gamepad or stay with the classic keyboard/mouse
Wireless or wired
Rumble or no rumble

And any other suggestions.

So far I've found two decent ones - The Xbox 360 (Wireless) Controller and the Logitech (Cordless) Rumblepad 2

I'd especially like to see opinions about wireless stuff. I haven't got any wireless computer things in the house except Wi-Fi and remote controls. What is likely to intercept the connection and is there any significant lag.

Wireless would be better, because with it, It'll be easier for me to contact the gamepad to the home cinema computer.

There are some reviews but I want the opinions of "real" people.

EDIT: Should have posted in the hardware section..

Well I love the 360 controller. It fits my hands perfectly and I've never ended up with sore fingers or anything, even after really long periods of play. And they have rumble built in anyway. In fact, I like them so much I recently bought a 3rd 360 pad for my PC (wired though because I sit next to my computer anyway and I don't want to be switching my 360 on when I switch on the PC controller )

We've had a lot of wireless stuff flying round our living room, from mice and keyboards to random remote controls and nothing seems to intercept anything else or cause any lag. I originally thought they were Bluetooth but I don't think they are. Either way, I've never had any problems.

I've heard that you won't get the same experience with gamepads on PC, compared to the consoles, as the games are optimised perfectly for their respective controller, while i've heard that PC versions doesn't work that good even if you connect the PS3 gamepad, or XBOX one...
I saw that for example COD4 on PC with a gamepad is not as good as when you play it on a console, the controls simply doesn't work as good..

Quote from Boris Lozac :

I saw that for example COD4 on PC with a gamepad is not as good as when you play it on a console, the controls simply doesn't work as good..

Well, gamepad is hardly the best controller for FPS. No point using in when you get much more out of keyboard+mouse combo. On the otherhand, gamepad should go well with sports games.

Quote from Crommi :

Well, gamepad is hardly the best controller for FPS. No point using in when you get much more out of keyboard+mouse combo. On the otherhand, gamepad should go well with sports games.

Offcourse, what i meant is, that it's not working the same as on consoles, it's not as precise or something like that, movements on the gamepad are not the same, etc... While for the sports games, sure, PES 6 works great with gamepads on PC..

Yea, I understand what you mean. On consoles they have the advantage of tweaking controller configs to match perfectly with the gamepad in terms of sensitivity, sharpness and linearity.

Quote from Boris Lozac :

Offcourse, what i meant is, that it's not working the same as on consoles, it's not as precise or something like that, movements on the gamepad are not the same, etc... While for the sports games, sure, PES 6 works great with gamepads on PC..

I really can't understand what you mean. According to your theory, wheels should function better on consoles too. I don't think they do.

EDIT: Oh, Crommy explained it. But you can configure these things manually too I guess.

I was thinking of getting one a few weeks back when I was playing the GRID demo. I thought that the control issues were mostly down to using keys, but since then the game's been so universally bagged from a sim/physics POV that I doubt I'll fare much better with a controller.

They are expensive too, which surprised me. Around $80 or so for the 360 controller? That's too much for one of those things, in my mind.

I use a ps2 dual-shock pad running through a USB adapter I got off Ebay.

Quote from Crashgate3 :

I use a ps2 dual-shock pad running through a USB adapter I got off Ebay.

I used this setup for years, mostly for emulated games and stuff. Works well. These days though I use a 360 controller, just fits the hands nicer, and feels more natural, suppose because I mostly play on the 360. White one for PC, black one for Xbox, easy

I have about 3 Xbox360 controllers (2 of them for hire to sister for her 360) and I love them. They are brilliant for PC and Xbox. Better for PC if either the application natively supports Xinput, but still good with the XBCD drivers.

360 controller, works perfectly on the PC, and is a top notch piece of kit IMO

I'd say it depends on what games you play most. For LFS an xbox controller is a pretty good alternative to a wheel. For FPS shooting games I wouldn't suggest it. Again I don't know what you play. Oh and I'm pretty sure wireless xbox controllers don't work for PC.

They do, but you need a receiver for the PC (I assume it plug into a USB like the regular controllers do).
But the problem is this: will the 360 switch itself on when you turn on the controller? And if not, how does it know the difference?

Most wireless devices have a 'wireless association' button you can press to associate them with a specific receiver, so once you associate them with the USB receiver, they won't trigger the 360's internal one.

i have the logitec cordless rumblepad, but i dont use virbation.
i only use that pad for rfactor (cracked, maybe buying soon)..

Quote from Stefani24 :

i have the logitec cordless rumblepad, but i dont use virbation.
i only use that pad for rfactor (cracked, maybe buying soon)..

nice job sayinng you crack a game...

O/T 360 controller is perfect for games onn pc i love it but now i got my dfp so i only use it for xbox

Quote from PLAYAPIMP :

nice job sayinng you crack a game...

O/T 360 controller is perfect for games onn pc i love it but now i got my dfp so i only use it for xbox

Yeah, but rTractor suxx, waste of money, you wonder why lots of ppl crack it?

Before you ask... No, no I don't... I don't have this game, I deleted it after 10 minutes