Hardware · 2026-04-18
TMR and Hall-effect sticks
Both designs avoid a carbon track. Neither is visible to the Gamepad API except through how still the center is.
What to check first
Buy on the measured center, the latency you care about, and the button quality, not on a sensor adjective alone. A cheap Hall module with a noisy center is worse than a fresh potentiometer. Sample any new pad for 3 seconds on the drift test before you rely on it in a match.
- Hall: magnet and a Hall element.
- TMR: a different magnet sensor with similar drift resistance.
- Potentiometer: the wear path you already know from Joy-Con and DualSense.
Confirm the reading on the live tester before you buy parts or change firmware. The number on that page is what your browser actually receives.
A practical next step
Repeat the same test after each change and write the resting radius down. A fix that does not move that number did not fix the sensor. If the offset stays above about 0.12 with your hands off the sticks, plan a module replacement rather than another software pass. Model notes live in the controller library.
Frequently asked questions
Does this page change my controller?
No. GamepadTesters only reads the Gamepad API in your browser. Calibration writes, firmware updates, and stick swaps happen in the maker’s tool or at a repair bench.