KontrolFreek CQC Signature thumbsticks for Xbox One Review

There’s nothing wrong with fancy designs and big tall sticks, but when you want to show off your brand, all you really want is a big old logo and some bright colours. The KontrolFreek CQC Signature thumbsticks do just that.

But I’m not sure they are the ones for me and my gaming sessions.

The Close Quarters Combat Signature series is KontrolFreek’s chance to big up their name, ensuring that gamers on all formats never forget exactly who is powering their accuracy. Whilst some lines go down the route of ‘one big, one small’, the CQC’s opt for two mid-rise sticks that come in at just over 6mm each. With a rock hard black bottom bringing the ability to firmly grip your Xbox One controller, and a softer (but not too soft) rubberised green top proudly emblazoning the KF logo, the sticks look lovely to use and initially feel great to touch.

But upon use I’ve been disappointed.

The unique concave/convex style that attempts to cover both angles just means that my thumbs, especially the left one that is doing the majority of the work, occasionally fail to grip sufficiently, with the contact between myself and my sticks seeing me being ‘pushed off’ the top. Instead I always seem to end up with my grip being determined by whatever is left right on the edge of the grips – something that doesn’t in anyway bring the trust needed. Admittedly, the grip it affords on the edges is of a high quality, but the domed effect that the KF logo puts in place stops me from getting the confidence needed from them.

However, if you’re one of those who preferred the convex-ness that some sticks bring, or have slightly smaller hands that may occasionally fail to reach the big stick risers, then these may just do the job. Overall though, the KontrolFreek CQC Signatures are disappointing to use and even the promise of a perfect combination for deadly accuracy can’t make me want to keep them attached to my controller for any length of time.

I thought that I would enjoy the shorter style that the CQC Signatures bring, but the lack of faith I have in them is a bit of an issue.

You can buy the KontrolFreek CQC Signature thumbsticks for Xbox One direct from KontrolFreek right now.

Related – An unboxing!