Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller
Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller Input lag comparison
| # | Connection | Mode | LatencyAverage (ms) | Polling RateMedian (Hz) | Jitter | OSBuild ver. | FWTester ver. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latency P82 | ||||||||
1 | Cable | XInput | 0.21 0.74 | 8000 | 0.13 0.07 | Win 11 10.0.26200 | 1.2.6 5.3.0.0 | |
Stick LatencyP82 ✓ Selected 0.56 ms 0.74 ms 0.91 ms 0.07 ms 8000 Hz | ||||||||
2 | Cable | XInput | 0.21 0.75 | 7940 | 0.15 0.06 | Win 11 10.0.26200 | 1.2.6 5.3.0.0 | |
Stick LatencyP82 0.57 ms 0.75 ms 0.86 ms 0.06 ms 8000 Hz | ||||||||
3 | Cable | XInput | 1.20 0.78 | 8000 | 0.15 0.21 | Win 11 10.0.26200 | 1.2.6 5.2.4.5 | |
Stick LatencyP82 0.6 ms 0.78 ms 1.3 ms 0.21 ms 8000 Hz (see 📊) Polling Rate 0.09 ms 0.12 ms 0.36 ms 0.03 ms 8000 Hz 7640.2 Hz Note: This test are based on polling rate and do not represent actual input-lag. |
Latency
Our visualization focuses on Average Latency, presented as vertical bars to make comparing performance across different connection modes (Wired, Bluetooth, Dongle) instant and intuitive.
The chart differentiates between:
- Button Latency: How quickly the game registers a physical button press.
- Stick Latency: The delay in registering joystick movement (tested at 99% deflection).
Visualizing Stability (Jitter)
You may notice that the top portion of some bars is semi-transparent or "faded". This represents Jitter (instability):
- Solid Bar: Represents the stable, consistent average latency.
- Faded Top: Indicates the variance. A larger transparent area means higher jitter, implying the controller's response time fluctuates. A solid bar with little to no fading indicates a highly stable connection.
Deep Dive: Click the arrow to reveal Probability Distribution Charts. These show the exact breakdown of every input tested, displaying Probability (%) on the Y-axis and Latency (ms) on the X-axis.
Polling Rate vs. Latency
It is crucial to understand that Polling Rate and Latency are measured using two entirely different methodologies on our site:
- Latency (ms) is measured by the Prometheus 82 hardware. It captures the physical movement of the stick or button via hardware interrupts with microsecond precision. This is the "real-world" delay.
- Polling Rate (Hz) is measured via a Software Tool. It shows how often the OS receives reports from the USB stack.
Common Myth: A higher polling rate (like 8000 Hz) does not automatically guarantee lower latency if the controller's internal processing is slow. Conversely, a high polling rate on a chart might show fluctuations (e.g., 7800Hz instead of 8000Hz) due to OS jitter or CPU scheduling, which does not necessarily impact the hardware latency measured by the P82.
To test your own gamepad's polling rate, you can use our tool: Download Polling Rate Tester.
Testing Methods
Gamepadla ensures data integrity by combining three distinct testing methodologies:
-
Prometheus 82 (P82): Our gold standard. A custom-built hardware device that physically actuates buttons and sticks. It uses high-speed hardware interrupts to capture events, making it independent of the controller's polling rate. It provides an error margin of only ±1ms for buttons and sticks. View on GitHub.
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GPDL Tester: An electrical monitoring tool for highly accurate button latency. While P82 simulates human-like mechanical movement, GPDL focuses on the electrical signal speed. View on GitHub.
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Software Polling Test: A pure software diagnostic to check communication frequency. We use this to verify if a controller actually reaches its advertised specs (e.g., 1000Hz or 8000Hz) at the OS level. Download Software.
Note: By comparing hardware-level latency (P82) with software-level reports (Polling Test), we can identify if a controller has "fake" high polling rates or poorly optimized firmware.
Stick test of Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller
Stick test results for Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller gamepad • Cable connection • XInput mode • FW 1.2.6, by Sylvester
Comment: Analog stick mechanism: Custom 3D-Print analog sticks with ball-bearing mounted Analog stick sensors: AKNES Gulikit TMR Xbox sensors
- Inner D.ZoneNone
- Outer D.Zone0.5 mm
- Circle Error2.6 / 2.7%
- Stick Bitness11.0 bit
- Stick Centering0.6 / 0.5%
Inner Dead Zone
The Inner Dead Zone is the area around the center of the stick where small movements are not registered. This helps prevent stick drift or accidental inputs, but if the dead zone is too large, it can make aiming less precise, especially in games requiring fine control. We evaluate the Inner Dead Zone based on how much you need to move the stick before it responds—the less movement required, the better.
The Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller has no Inner Dead Zone. The stick responds immediately to even the slightest movement, which is excellent for aiming accuracy and micro-control. This makes it a great choice for precision-heavy games like first-person shooters (e.g., Valorant or Apex Legends).
For comparison, many budget gamepads often have a moderate to large Inner Dead Zone, while premium controllers typically aim for a slight or no dead zone for better precision.
Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how the Inner Dead Zone works.
Outer Dead Zone
The Outer Dead Zone is the area near the edge of the stick’s range where further movement isn’t registered. This can make the stick feel less responsive at full tilt, affecting actions like quick turns or maximum speed in games. We evaluate the Outer Dead Zone based on how much 'lost' range there is—the smaller the dead zone, the better, as it allows full use of the stick’s range for more precise control.
The Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller has a slight Outer Dead Zone (0.5 mm). There’s a small portion of the stick’s range that isn’t registered, but it’s minimal and unlikely to affect gameplay noticeably.
For comparison, budget gamepads often have moderate to large Outer Dead Zones, while premium controllers strive for minimal or no dead zone to maximize control.
Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how the Outer Dead Zone works.
Circle Error
Circle Error evaluates how closely the stick’s movement follows a perfect circle. A high Circle Error means the path is more square-like, which can cause inconsistent speeds when moving diagonally—your character might move faster or slower than expected. The lower the percentage, the better, as it ensures smooth, uniform movement in all directions.
For the Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller, the Circle Error is 2.6% for the left stick and 2.7% for the right stick. This is a good result, providing smooth diagonal movement similar to premium controllers.
For comparison, budget gamepads often have Circle Errors above 12%, resulting in 'square' feeling sticks, while high-quality ones aim for under 8% for better smoothness.
Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how Circle Error impacts performance.
Stick Bitness
Stick Bitness measures the precision of the joystick’s analog input, similar to bit depth in audio. Higher bitness means more distinct positions the stick can register, leading to smoother and more accurate control. Lower bitness can result in 'stepping' or less fluid movement, especially noticeable in slow, precise actions like aiming.
The Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller has a Stick Bitness of 11.0 bits on both sticks. This is excellent precision, comparable to high-end controllers, ensuring smooth inputs in demanding games.
Note: This result was recorded with Stick Tracer version 2.5.4.0, before movement-based True Bitness was introduced. The values above represent digital bit depth only; metrics like Step Resolution are not available for this older test.
For comparison, many budget gamepads have around 8 bits, while premium ones often exceed 10 bits for superior accuracy.
Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how Stick Bitness affects control. It is important to note that the video specifies the resolution of the stick, not the bit depth; the higher the bit depth, the higher the resolution.
Stick Centering
Stick Centering measures how accurately the joystick returns to its neutral (center) position after you release it. A good Stick Centering value prevents stick drift—a common issue where your character or camera moves slightly in a game, even when you're not touching the stick. The lower the percentage, the better the centering, and the less likely you are to experience drift.
For the Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller, the Stick Centering is 0.6% for the left joystick and 0.5% for the right stick. These are excellent results, as most high-quality gamepads typically have values below 2%. This means the Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller is unlikely to have any drift, making it a great choice for games requiring precise control, like shooters or racing titles.
This test methodology intentionally employs a more rigorous approach by implementing small-angle deflection and release, which produces the most challenging conditions for stick re-centering. This technique differs from the conventional maximum-deflection method where the stick is pulled to its full range and released, as small-angle deflection better simulates the micro-adjustments typically executed during actual gameplay scenarios, providing more representative data on potential stick drift occurrence during normal use.
Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how Stick Centering works.
Axis Magnet
Axis Magnet is a form of stick processing where movement tends to 'snap' or cling to the X or Y axis when the stick passes close to it within a certain part of its travel. This can make pure horizontal or vertical movement feel cleaner, but it also alters the real stick path and can distort diagonal or subtle player input.
The Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller shows no Axis Magnet. That means the stick does not artificially cling to the horizontal or vertical axes, so your real movement path is preserved more accurately. This is the preferable behavior for consistent aiming and natural analog control.
Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how Axis Magnet affects stick behavior.
Disclaimer
We tested the Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller gamepad using a single unit, so keep in mind that other units of this model might perform slightly better or worse. In most cases, these differences are minor and shouldn’t affect your experience significantly. The results were obtained with the Stick Tracer program, and some values might vary if you use different software or testing methods.
Testing conditions, such as the gamepad’s firmware version (FW: 1.2.6) or connection type, can also influence the results. If you have this gamepad, we’d love for you to share your own test results! This will help us build a more comprehensive picture of the Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller’s performance across different units.
Full test results can be viewed on the test page.
Stick Movement Linearity Test
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DIY XInput Controller
With the Teensy 4.0 microcontroller from PJRC and the Arduino XInput library from dMadison, you can build a fully functional Xbox-like controller. In the post, you can see the potential if you want to create your own DIY-3D-Print-Controller.
Teensy 4.0 XInput Controller specifications
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User comments
@John Punch @Sylvester I’m asking why the controller has such a strange name here. Wouldn’t it be better to call it “Space Performance V2”, like in your post? That’s actually a big step for the DIY community. What does the ‘V2’ in the name stand for?
of course it would be great if it could be changed. Back then I had to provide some name for the test, and i couldn’t think of anything better, that’s why it has that name for now. But the change isn’t in my hands. V2 stands for version 2; I never released the first version :)
@Sylvester Send me an email (at the bottom of the website) and let me know what needs to be corrected, and I’ll sort it out.
What am I looking at? Also no gyro so no bueno
Never used gyro in my life and I don’t know anyone who actually uses it — is it really that common?
@Sylvester It's not common but it's VERY useful. Allows you to have mouse-level (and some would argue superior to mouse) aim on a controller. That way you have no need for aim assist with sticks.
@Garret's Stories I know what gyro can do, but I’m not aware of any controller whose gyro is as precise as a mouse to the point where it’s actually worth using
@Sylvester Most controllers have gyro good enough to rival mouse, even cheap 3rd party options (assuming it isn't a very terrible controller) are more than usable for competitive play. For gyroscope controllers that exceed mouse precision, you'd have to take a look at the Alpakka controller, that use multiple gyroscope sensors to increase accuracy and reduce noise https://inputlabs.io/blog/dual_gyro Aside from Alpakka, Gamesir and Leadjoy are going to release their own double gyroscope controllers. While we have no guarantee those will be good, if they do the proper work, they could have gyroscopes on the level of the Alpakka. Of course exceeding mouse accuracy is all a matter of debate, but not having a mouse pad that acts friction to your movements is seen as major advantage to gyroscope aiming. Though we are talking about very marginal differences, gyro and mouse are still in a very very similar level when both use the most optimal sensors.
@Garret's Stories That reads like a love letter to gyro
@Sylvester That's cause I appreciate it so much! Always good to dedicate write ups to the nice things in life.
@Garret's Stories Really nice
@Sylvester link ??
@Sylvester Do you have a new link to the projekt? The old one doesnt work anymore?
DM me again in dc.
@Sylvester Are these the retests? Yes I dm you
@Godless Yes
@Sylvester I’ve learnt that your tests were carried out using a modified P82 tester, so I’ll remove them as this isn’t a legitimate testing method. You can still perform button tests using GPDL or assemble a standard P82 tester for joystick tests.