Cosmox Gaming is finest identified for its leverless arcade controllers, and though it experimented with a modular joystick in its Hautepad X mannequin, it has but to completely embrace the extra conventional arcade stick. Till now, that’s.
The Hautepad C-AS is a devoted combat follow a few neat methods up its sleeve. The primary is that it takes inspiration from Cosmox’s personal C-AT controller by together with adjustable buttons, that means you possibly can increase or decrease the peak of every enter to fit your preferences. The second is that it consists of modular ‘LS’ and ‘RS’ buttons that may be swapped out for analogue sticks. So, very like the SWORL or the Hautepad X, you should utilize the C-AS for extra than simply preventing video games – if you may get used to the setup, after all.
The RRP is round $250, however store round a bit and you can simply discover one for considerably much less – presumably nearer to the $130-140 mark.
Aesthetically, the C-AS is maybe Cosmox’s boldest design to this point. The metallic plate is a shining gold color, lined with a refined but putting sample made up of the corporate’s brand. Sounds garish on paper, positive, nevertheless it genuinely appears to be like beautiful in particular person. I obtained the gold model for evaluation, nevertheless it’s additionally accessible in gray and purple. You have additionally received the same old LCD display within the high left and a few neat RGB lighting across the buttons and important physique.
The stick itself feels good, nevertheless it wants a bit of labor for future iterations. Cosmox has endeavoured to maintain the C-AS as skinny as potential, which suggests the stick isn’t made in the identical approach as industry-standard levers like Sanwa. It utilises microswitches for directional inputs, and whereas these actually present some good, clicky suggestions, it’s not fairly on par with the arcade sticks from, say, Punk Workshop or Qanba.
The opposite, maybe extra urgent, difficulty is the lever’s top. Popping out at 64mm (shaft and ball high included), it’s a smidge too excessive for me. It’s nonetheless completely usable, and also you would possibly personally discover it good for your tastes, however I favor a lever that sits a little bit decrease.
The excellent news is which you can whip out the magnetic lever and swap it for one more suitable choice, in case you have one accessible. I changed mine with the lever from the Hautepad X (57mm excessive) and located this way more snug.
The principle inputs comprise Wind Engine switches, which really feel good and responsive whereas staying fairly quiet (although you’re clearly going to get some auditory suggestions once you’re whacking them at pace throughout a match in Road Fighter 6). You’ve received your normal eight motion inputs together with an additional M1 enter above and the 2 modular inputs on the backside.
Up on high, the operate buttons home extraordinarily clicky mechanical switches that really feel very satisfying to press. All inputs are hot-swappable, too, so you possibly can customise them with any suitable Kailh switches, whereas the caps can be swapped round in order for you a extra devoted Swap structure (and thank goodness the labelling is on the buttons, not the primary physique).
Identical to the C-AT, you too can modify the peak of the primary inputs. The instruments to attain this are housed within the gadget’s inside, so merely press the button on the again to push the metallic body out and entry them. Then you definitely align the software with the 2 small holes on the outer rim of the inputs, twisting them clockwise or counterclockwise to regulate the peak. With three top choices accessible, the distinction is refined, however with a little bit of experimentation, you’ll discover that the proper setup makes for a a lot improved gameplay expertise.
Essentially the most fascinating function is the power to swap out the 2 modules for analogue sticks. As normal, ‘LS’ and ‘RS’ inputs are put in and you may map these to no matter you want by way of the net configurator. In any other case, you possibly can pull the modules out and swap them for the analogue sticks. These really feel fairly good; very similar to what you would possibly discover on the Swap 2 Pleasure-Con by way of dimension and really feel, together with the power to click on them in for ‘L3’ and ‘R3’ inputs.
Finally, the C-AS is designed primarily for preventing video games and traditional arcade titles, however the analogue sticks do a minimum of open up the opportunity of utilizing it for extra titles. Whether or not it’s first-person like Metroid Prime 4: Past or a third-person title like Cronos: The New Daybreak, the C-AS works, although I wouldn’t essentially suggest it over a typical Professional Controller or Pleasure-Con.
One very last thing to the touch on is construct high quality. The C-AS is a fairly heavy gadget, weighing in at practically 2kg. That is good for an arcade stick, as you’re going to be yanking the lever about fairly feverishly at instances, so it’s good to have one thing that may keep fairly secure. The non-slip padding beneath helps with this and it covers your complete underside of the primary physique.
As is normal for Cosmox’s controllers now, the USB-C slot on the high features a locking mechanism to make sure you do not by chance yank it out whereas taking part in.
Conclusion
As Cosmox Gaming’s first devoted arcade stick, the C-AS is a stable effort that gives extra options than your common controller whereas sustaining an impressively slim type issue. The buttons really feel nice, and the customisable modules are a fairly cool contact if you wish to experiment with totally different management schemes.
The one main disadvantage is the lever itself – which is form of the entire level of the controller. It feels ok with some first rate suggestions, however in case you’re coming from a Sanwa JLF or comparable, it would really feel a bit missing. It is also a contact too lengthy for my liking; a number of millimetres shaved off would make an enormous distinction.
The pattern used on this evaluation was supplied by Cosmox Gaming.
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