PowerA OPS v1 – One Minute Review
The PowerA OPS v1 is a wireless PC controller that also supports mobile devices and cloud gaming services. Being a cheaper alternative to the PowerA OPS v3 Pro, it understandably misses out on some of that controller's standout features. These include Lumectra RGB lighting, “quick twist” joysticks, and remappable bumper buttons.
That said, the OPS v1 is still a decent option if you're on a budget. There are drift-resistant Hall effect joysticks here, as well as four remappable buttons on the back that can be programmed into the controller with a dedicated button. You also get a Turbo button feature and support for 2.4Ghz, Bluetooth, and USB-C connectivity.
One particularly impressive aspect of the OPS v1 is that the textured grips on this controller actually feel better than those on the OPS v3 Pro. On the more expensive gamepad, I found the textured grips to be a little too rough in longer gaming sessions. In this case, they are discreet and provide the perfect amount of grip for comfortable sessions of any length.
The controller itself, and its various buttons, bumpers and triggers, feel quite cheap overall, using rather flimsy-looking plastic. It's not terrible by any means, but it's certainly a downgrade compared to the v3 Pro and many of the best PC controllers out there today.
PowerA OPS v1: Price and availability
- $49.99 / £49.99 for standard model
- Fortnite Special Edition for $54.99 / £54.99
- Available from PowerA in the US and Amazon in the UK
The PowerA OPS v1 was released in August 2024 and is available to purchase for $49.99 / £49.99. It's available on the PowerA website in the US, but those in the UK will have to rely on retailers like Amazon to secure the bag there. TO fortnite Also available is an edition (shown throughout the review) that features a distinctive livery. This one is a little more expensive: $54.99 / £54.99.
It's significantly cheaper than the PowerA OPS v3 Pro, which costs $99.99/£99.99 and is a solid alternative at half the price. As mentioned, the lower price means the OPS v1 has fewer features, so you may want to keep that in mind when comparing the two models.
Admittedly, at this price, the OPS v1 has some very tough competition in the form of the GameSir T4 Kaleid, which costs $41.99 / £41.99. You're missing out on wireless connectivity with the GameSir pad, but it's more than made up for by excellent build quality, gorgeous microswitch buttons, and a lovely RGB profile.
PowerA OPS v1: Specifications
| Price | $49.99 / £49.99 |
| Compatibility | computer, mobile |
| Connection type | Wireless (2.4 GHz, Bluetooth), wired (USB Type C) |
| Battery life | 20 hours |
| Characteristics | Hall effect thumbsticks, four remappable back buttons, three-stage trigger locks, textured grips |
| Software | PowerA Player Headquarters |
PowerA OPS v1: Design and Features
- Cheap feeling construction
- Textured grips are preferable compared to the OPS v3 Pro
- Quite simple and completely black aesthetic.
As a cheaper controller, you can expect the PowerA OPS v1 to be slightly scaled down in terms of design and feature set, especially compared to the OPS v3 Pro. Firstly, the build quality of the OPS v1 is poor in comparison, with a cheaper plastic presumably to keep gamepad costs down.
As with the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro, I'm also not a fan of the simple, all-black aesthetic of the standard OPS v1 model. The special edition fortnite However, the version is certainly flashier and is the model I would recommend if you're willing to spend $5 more (and, naturally, if you're a fan of the free-to-play shooter).
One aspect of the OPS v1 design that I really like is the texture on the back of the grips, and on the bumpers and triggers. The textured grips on the OPS v3 Pro were too rough for my taste. Here, however, they are a comparatively light touch and feel much more comfortable as a result. The added texture on the bumpers and triggers is a really nice touch as well.
In terms of features, the OPS v1 appears with Hall effect joysticks that are quickly becoming the standard for third-party controllers. Now it's pretty rare that I test a driver that lacks Hall effect, but it's great to see more affordable gamepads adopting this technology. Sony and Nintendo, take note.
PowerA OPS v1: Performance
- Perfectly responsive during wireless gaming
- A decent 20 hours of battery life
- Like the OPS v3 Pro, the trigger locks don't work very well
There really isn't much to complain about when it comes to the PowerA OPS v1's performance while gaming. I've tried games from a wide variety of genres in my Steam library, including Street Fighter 6, Final Fantasy 14 online, Cyberpunk 2077 and Shin Megami Tensei 5: Revenge. All of this is to say that the OPS v1 is a perfectly suitable controller no matter what type of single-player games you like.
Included in the box is a 2.4GHz wireless adapter, which offers a 500Hz polling rate that responds solidly to wireless gaming. Still, I would recommend the wired connection if you are interested in playing the best fighting games or the best FPS games for maximum responsiveness, but you can't go wrong here either way.
Unfortunately, as was the case with the v3 Pro, the OPS v1's trigger locks are hit or miss. When unlocked or set to half lock, the triggers work perfectly fine. However, I found that the highest category simply didn't work in any of the games I tried. It's a huge shame as it's a feature that's always nice to see on cheaper gamepads.
As for battery life, according to the manufacturer, you get about 20 hours here. I found this to be accurate during my time testing the controller, as I had to charge it from empty after about a week of gaming that consisted of 2-3 hour sessions each day. Expect the OPS v1 to also take a few hours to fully charge when connected via USB-C. For optimal efficiency here, I recommend charging with the included cable and potentially leaving it plugged in overnight so you don't have to wait.
Should I buy PowerA OPS v1?
Buy it if…
Don't buy it if…
Also consider…
If the PowerA OPS v1 isn't right for you, we have a couple more suggestions that we've tested and reviewed for your consideration below.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Row 0 – Cell 1 | Row 0 – Cell 2 | Row 0 – Cell 3 |
| Row 1 – Cell 0 | PowerA OPS v1 | PowerA OPS v3 Pro | GameSir T4 Kaleid |
| Price | $49.99 / £49.99 (no AU availability currently) | $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179 | $41.99 / £41.99 / AU$88 |
| Dimensions | 6.14 x 4.25 x 2.48 inches (156mm x 108mm x 63mm) | 6.14 x 4.25 x 2.48 inches (156mm x 108mm x 63mm) | 6.14 x 4.21 x 2.36 inches (156mm x 107mm x 60mm) |
| Weight | 0.6lb/272g | 0.6lb/272g | 0.47lb/212g |
| Connection type | Wireless (2.4 GHz, Bluetooth), wired (USB-C) | Wireless (2.4 GHz, Bluetooth), wired (USB-C) | Wired (USB-C) |
| Compatibility | personal computer | personal computer | PC, Nintendo Switch |
| Software | PowerA Player Headquarters | PowerA Player Headquarters | GameSir T4k app |
How I tested PowerA OPS v1
- Tested for a week, 2 to 3 hour sessions each day.
- It is primarily played on PC in a wide variety of games.
- Compared and contrasted to the more expensive PowerA OPS v3 Pro
I tested PowerA OPS v1 for about a week, doing 2-3 hour gaming sessions each day. During my time using the gamepad, I found that I only needed to charge it once. That total time lasted about 20 hours, which matches PowerA's battery life claim.
I made sure to try a wide variety of PC games, including Cyberpunk 2077, Mistrian Fields, Vampire Survivors, Street Fighter 6 and Final Fantasy 14 online. This is a mix of my favorite games and a few that I determined would fit perfectly into the OPS v1 budget.
First review in September 2024