Power A is quickly becoming one of my favorite companies for current-gen accessories. With a variety of tiers of controllers available across all major platforms, players from all walks of the gaming world can find something for their needs. Even fans of the “RGB Everything” movement had the option of having a light-up controller in the form of the Power A Spectra Enhanced controller for Xbox/PC and Switch. While that initial version of the Spectra was well-received, it did feature some notable limitations with its lighting effects. Power A has addressed this in its latest offering for Xbox and PC players with the release of the Spectra Infinity (affiliate link). This new take on the RGB controller features multiple new lighting zones, colors, and effects to produce quite an eye-catching result. Better yet, the controller outperforms a stock Xbox Series X controller in nearly every way, making this a controller to look out for!
What’s In The Box
Review unit provided courtesy of Power A
The Power A Spectra Infinity comes in a compact and very glossy box with a depiction of the lit-up controller placed at the center. A number of key highlights are presented here along with its Xbox designation. The sides of the packaging give another depiction of the controller and highlights the updated RGB lighting. On the back, we get another look at key aspects of the Spectra Infinity including more of its special features. Unboxing the Spectra Infinity reveals the controller, 10-foot mini USB cable, and User Manual.
Aesthetics And Build Quality
The Spectra Infinity shares a build profile similar to an official Microsoft controller but with some added perks. The entire face of the controller features a soft-touch finish which feels great in the hands but does come at the cost of being an absolute fingerprint magnet. The back features a plastic texture finish and I love that it is less harsh on the fingers than the Series X controller. 2 programmable buttons line up nicely with your fingers and can be programmed on the fly to any of the controller’s actions for use in games. Three-stage trigger locks have also been added to the triggers allowing for faster use in different games such as shooters. Headset users will also be happy that volume and mute controls can be found right on the controller itself rather than needing to navigate into the Xbox’s audio menu. And finally, the bumpers have been flattened out, giving the whole frame a more rounded appearance.
The build quality of the Spectra Infinity is solid with the controller able to take your everyday tumbles and bang-up without a flinch. The 10-foot cord attaches to the controller with a snap-lock mechanism ensuring it can’t be pulled out without purpose. If you game in a high traffic room, Power A has included a breakaway cable on the console side of things that can pull free to prevent any damage to your system or controller. The cord being braided is another nice touch to help elevate the perceived quality of the unit as a whole. Each of the face buttons responds satisfyingly to being pressed and the microswitches in the bumpers are especially satisfying.
Thumbstick resistance feels superb and the included anti-friction rings make rotations feel effortless. One thing I will note is that you will want to clean them on occasion as they can begin to grind otherwise. Unlike the D-pad found on the Power A Fusion Pro 2, the one featured on the Spectra Infinity is practically perfect to the touch. One thing I found particularly interesting about the Spectra Infinity though is its triggers. They have very low resistance compared to nearly every other Xbox controller I have ever touched. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, mind you, as it can make rapid repeated taps extremely quick, especially when paired with the trigger locks. For games that require precise positions on the trigger though it will take a second to adjust.
While the build of the controller is important, I am sure you are all here to see the main selling point behind the Spectra Infinity: its RGB lighting! As you can see around the thumbsticks, D-pad, face buttons, and between the controller halves are a number of white plastic pieces. These are actually the light pipes that help distribute the RGB lighting, and when you turn it on, it looks stunning! I honestly had little expectations going into this review that the lighting would actually be that good to look at but I will gladly take the side of the “RGB Everything” crowd here because this looks sick. I mean the practicality of a glowing controller is still very much debatable while in use, but come on, that just looks cool!
On the original Spectra Enhanced controllers, users only had access to 7 colors and the option to rotate between them. On the Spectra Infinity, you get 5 different shades of green, blue, yellow, and red (20 hues total) and each corresponds to the face button of the same color. There are also now 3 zones of lighting allowing for a number of color combinations to show your style. The brightness of each zone can also be set to give a more dynamic look to those specific sections. A breathing effect has also been added that can be enabled per section, allowing for even more customization. Unfortunately, the color cycling effect has been removed.
The best part in my mind about the Spectra Infinity’s lighting effects is that they can all be programmed from the controller itself with no extra software required. I have the new tradition of dynamically changing my lighting depending on how well I am doing during a particular session. I typically like a mix of teal-ish looking greens and blues, but when I start getting owned it’s time to swap over to the pure red to get back into the game! Sure it might sound goofy but it has been fun!
Gameplay
Now, a controller can be the coolest looking thing ever but it wouldn’t matter much if it sucked at playing games. Thankfully the Spectra Infinity has done a solid job of providing efficient gameplay and at least meets or exceeds the standard Microsoft pad in every game I have played. Thanks to the added trigger locks and programmable buttons, the Spectra Infinity even makes for a great lower-tier elite-style controller. While not as good as the Fusion Pro 2 due to the lack of swappable thumbsticks, the rest of the experience isn’t too far off, which was unexpected, to say the least. I would say there are things about the Spectra Infinity I even prefer over the Fusion Pro 2, like the D-pad, and honestly the programable buttons as well. Loading into my assortment of test games I found little to be concerned with. Again, the only thing on the Spectra Infinity I think will feel out of the norm is the looser triggers on games that rely heavily on them. But it really doesn’t take long to get used to them, so hardly an issue in the end.
What It Could Have Done Better
Alright, time to nitpick the Spectra Infinity a bit. While there are certainly a strong number of colors and lighting zones in the controller, I can think of the benefits of possibly adding in more for the more die-hard RGB fans. The lighting along the bottom side of each handle could have also benefitted from an additional LED, as it is far dimmer here than on the rest of the controller and is especially noticeable when using a mix of colors. And finally, while the soft-touch finish feels great in the palms of your hand and fingers, it makes the controller a bit gross to look at and needs constant cleaning. I can only imagine what kind of horrors the Spectra Infinity could look like in a less hygienic gamer’s hands… Some of you out there will also likely take issue that the Spectra Infinity is using micro USB instead of USB-C. Again, I classify all of these in my mind as nitpicks and they actually do little to diminish my overall opinion on the Spectra Infinity.
Verdict
For any gamers curious about the Power A Spectra Infinity, know that for the $45 asking price you get a great Xbox controller that will handle well in all of your favorite Xbox and PC titles and have the added benefit of a unique aesthetic you can make your own. You might need to make sure you clean it on occasion, but overall, the feel can’t be beat. If you are a member of the “RGB Everything” movement, the Spectra Infinity is the controller for you with its great performance and improved RGB lighting options over its predecessor. Regardless of which camp you find yourself in, the Spectra Infinity is ready to play!
