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| | Manufacturer: Saitek | | Mac OS X: Not Supported  Mac OS Classic: Mac OS 9
Requires: USB Port |
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Ever since Sony introduced the Dual Shock controller for the PlayStation a few years back, nearly every gamepad manufacturer has tried to mimic the wildly successful controller with a similar product of their own. Saitek, has done just that with the P1500 USB Rumble Pad. Featuring two handle grips, a four-button layout, digital pad, and four triggers on the top, the P1500 is a decent game pad that performs adequately and feels great in your hands. But, ultimately, after some intensive testing, the gamepad ends up falling a bit short due to a few imperfections in the design.Melts In Your Hands Overall the P1500 is an incredibly attractive piece of hardware. Its jet-black grips and silver-plated top make it look more modern than other variants available in the market. As opposed to the two analog sticks on the Sony Dual Shock, the P1500 sports only one analog stick on the left side, with right side of the controller empty. Saitek probably decided to omit the right stick since it probably wouldn't be used often. In addition to the digital pad (which I’ve never used in a game) and the four buttons on top, the gamepad has the standard four buttons in the front. The controller feels great in your hands. Even in rather large hands, the curvy game pad fits like a glove, with the analog joystick and four top buttons perfectly positioned for your fingers. Aesthetically the P1500 is a work of art. One of the controller’s more interesting feature is the throttle wheel located near the base of the controller, right below the analog-stick. This throttle can be used can be used in driving games and flight simulations. The remaining four buttons in the middle part of the game pad include the analog and rumble buttons, as well as the start and shift buttons.But Not in Your Mouth Installation is quite easy. Just plug the P1500 into an available USB port and you’re ready to go, provided you have Mac OS 9.0 or later.The first game I tried with the pad was Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, a game which requires quick reactions and lightning-fast button combinations. The controller performed very well, but after many hours of play, I began to notice some flaws in the game pad. First, the analog controller is simply too loose, making precision moves a bit difficult. In addition, the analog controller, if pushed down, also functions as a button. On more than one occasion, I found myself pushing the analog controllers button when I really didn’t want to.
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