Introduction:

        Saitek is perhaps best known for their joystick and gaming keyboards but do not fail to deliver the goods on the P3000 Wireless Gamepad controller. The unit is the most impressive PC game pad I have used and I found the unit to perform excellently with only a few minor shortcomings. The P3000 uses RF technology to provide the user with un-tethered game play using only a USB port (it needs no other power requirements).

The P3000 comes with two batteries, each of which are rated to last eight hours of continuous use when fully charged.  Unfortunately, the batteries are finicky when they have not been charged in a while and cause the controller to act strangely – sometimes not even coming on when using a battery that the base station said was ready for use.  Extended charging resolved all of these issues, however, as conditioning by a full charge caused the batteries to work fine and the controller to behave normally. 

Manufacturer Highlights:

-2 quick-fire shoulder triggers
-8-way D-pad
-6 responsive buttons
-2 analog joysticks with built-in buttons
-Shift Key – provides up to 20 programmable functions
-LCD battery life indicator
-2 rechargeable power packs for 24/7 gaming
-Stylish docking station and integral charger

Overview:

        The P3000 is the embodiment of a product with design roots in efficiency and usability that has been wonderfully executed to provide a superior product. Out of the box we find the controller, base station, two batteries, and a drivers and software CD. I would recommend charging each of the batteries for at least 12 hours before use. If you don't, you will probably experience finicky performance from the game pad.

     The base station connects to any PC via a single USB adapter and does not require any additional power. It is so nice to have a device that doesn't come with yet another power brick. The base station has a changing slot for the battery not actively in use. The LCD of the unit displays "digital" or "analog" mode status, as well as "A" or "B" channel status - both of which are toggled via center buttons.

The LCD provides the user a battery charge indicator, and a red button also flashes when the battery becomes low.  This red button is a "shift" button which provides an entirely separate second configuration for all the keys. The same key can be assigned to a shifted and non-shifted designation. I do not really think this feature is feasible for most people as very few gamers I know could actually make use of this feature.