I know you're exploring other options, but I insist on the Xbox 360 controller, the compatibility alone makes it worthwhile, it's going to work natively with nearly every PC game supporting controllers, you don't have to use additional software just to play games with a controller.

There are good reasons why the Xbox 360 controller is largely regarded as the best out there and had so much success and popularity, I was used to Sony Dual Shock controllers, so it took me a while to adjust to the layout, but I don't regret my choice, it's a solid, durable controller, clicky triggers, tight joysticks and the wireless version allows you to sit back and relax comfortably on your couch if you're inclined to do so (if you don't mind the extra weight of the batteries).

Hmm, I didn't even think to check Argos.

CEX is pretty good, I often look there for stuff but didn't think about trying for controllers.

Actually, the F710 is more than just a wireless F310. It also hv vibration within the hand grips or wat some may call rumble pads. There used 2 be a F510 which is a wired F710 (or a F310 with rumble if u prefer 2 call it that way) but unfortunately it is no longer in production.

Anyway, glad u found urself a cheap controller already. I only hope it's durable cos frankly i dun really trust other brands other than the main 3 (Logitech, Microsoft & Sony), haha. ;)

I'll toss in another vote for the Logitech F310. I have been using it for years and it has yet to give me a single ounce of trouble. And as previously said, the switch in the back for the different input modes is really helpful when games want to get cranky :)

Recently bought this http://www.speedlink.com/?p=2&cat=N28&pid=46827&paus=1

So far, seems good, and is far better than XBOX 360 controller which was twice expensive, because D-pad actually works.

The Wii U pro controller is awesome. It has the best D-Pad, the analog sticks are located in great positions, it is quality built and has 80 hour battery life!

The controller is fantastic, I wish my PS4 controllers got more than 6-10 hours of battery life and weren't so damn cheaply built (why are the trigger buttons on PS controllers just pure shit?). The Wii U pro controller is so great it annoys me every time I have to switch to the Wii U Gamepad in Breath of the Wild to complete one of the stupid gyro levels.

I've found that my generic Logitech game controller works great for anything I need it to do on PC. Unless you plan on playing something with a convoluted control scheme.

I've never done any N64 game emulation since I don't know a good way to map the clumsy N64 controller controls to a modern, normal gamepad.

Wow, who paid your cheque and where can I get the shilling rights? Just what kind of PC are you using that has an inbuilt bluetooth adapter that can capture the signal from the Wii-U pro controller natively?

I actually love the Gamepad. If there was anyway to hook that up to my laptop I'd happily do so, it's really comfortable and easy to use.
I've never actually used a proper pro controller, but they do remind me a lot of the Xbox controllers (though I have no doubt the quality is better, Nintendo have always made the best controllers).

Sigh.

Right then.

* MajicMan is absolutely right that the battery life of the Wii U Pro Controller is absolutely fucking insane. 80 hours is perhaps an exaggeration, although I did play through Breath of the Wild - 126 hours long - and only had to recharge the controller 2 or 3 times in two months.

* It's not unusual for people to be rocking Bluetooth adapters on their PC for other purposes. I have one so that I can send photos and APK files back and forth with ease between my phone and PC. I also use to connect my DualShock 4 on occasion, although that would work with a direct USB connection.

* With a bit of setup work on PC, the Pro Controller is ergonomically one of the best pads out there, especially if you're not playing something that is dependent on the analogue triggers. It's one of the few pads I can sit there and play with for hours - something which I've not been able to do with the DualShock 4 (despite being massively better than the DualShock 3) or the Xbox 360 pad (whose d-pad I fucking hate). It's the best controller at the very least when it comes to playing FPS with a gamepad, alone due to the stick placement.

...

Anyway, adaliabooks, if you're looking for a cheap controller, I can strongly recommend the Speedlink Torid:

Despite the apparently flimsy build, the one I bought two years ago and despite everyday use is still going strong. The D-pad, while not great, is still infinitely better than the 360 or Bone pad. Analogue triggers offer a decent amount of precision and resistance in the price range. It lets you switch between native XInput mode and native DInput mode by holding down the Guide button (which you can't do with a 360 pad). Advantage of native DInput mode is the ability to assign triggers as digital buttons (essential for quite a few older titles like GTA3), the ability to swap D-pad and left analogue stick by tapping the Guide button, and the support for DirectInput vibration.

If you use the Torid in XInput mode, it works just like a regular 360 pad, although certain Unity games have a problem with it not being a "real" 360 pad. That's the case with all unofficial 360 pads though.

Negatives: It's not a controller that necessarily stands up well to abuse - I broke the bumper buttons on mine by dropping it once. It seems a bit flimsily built.

Don't really recommend the Logitech Fx10 pads (F310 is wired/no vibration, F510 [no longer produced] is wired/vibration, F710 is wireless/vibration). Battery life on the F710 is appalling and reliant on AAs. No internal charging mechanism so you can't recharge NiCd batteries. Triggers have way too little travel distance and way too much resistance. Bumpers tend to break in a short time from ordinary use. D-pad is absolutely horrid. The pad as a whole is more robustly built than the Torid though.

I've got three laptops that all came with Bluetooth as standard so I doubt it's that unusual.

That's what I'm counting on to use the pad I've bought on my laptop (which is technically a pro controller, but not).

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll keep that in mind.

I have 2 'Rock Candy' Xbox 360 controllers and they work perfectly - just plug in and play - no need to download drivers or anything like that. I paid around £13 each for them from Amazon.

Note to others: You can't get Rock Candy devices anywhere but the UK, except by way of import, which for a controller is just silly.

Can't speak for the 360 controller, but I picked up a Rock Candy Wiimote while I was in the UK and I must confess I wasn't entirely happy with it. Lacked MotionPlus functionality (something which was assumed to be included in all Wiimotes sold at that time), the buttons felt oddly positioned and really janky (the + and - buttons, which are in the middle of a real Wiimote, were located on the sides and needed a fair push to click, making it a pain in the arse to pause the game).

Mind you, the visual appearance of the Rock Candy devices just screams early 90s - you know, when it was cool to build devices with transparent acrylic so that the innards were visible for all to see.

I like everything about the 360 except the shoulder triggers. Too much, er, play.

Well, the ProCube was a bust.

While the official Nintendo Pro Controllers apparently connect quite easily to PC, third party ones are trickier and require a separate adaptor. I couldn't get it to be picked up or recognised by my Bluetooth at all, which was a risk I knew when I got it.
So it's going back, which is a shame because it seemed pretty good and exactly what I was looking for, but never mind.

Back to the drawing board, I'll look more closely at a few of suggestions everyone has put forward.