Logitech ChillStream Review

Logitech is a well known computer peripherals manufacturer that has produced some of the all time best computer mouses, keyboards, and gaming controllers. Logitech knows exactly how to make products comfortable and work well at the same time. Their experience in the industry really shows, and shines, with their latest gaming controller, the Logitech ChillStream gamepad for computers.

The ChillStream is Logitech’s first product to include a fan. The fan is located on the back of the controller and it is used to keep your hands cool and sweat-free while gaming on your PC. Although the idea of putting fans into gaming controllers isn’t really anything new, Logitech’s ChillStream does it extremely well, while still having a nice and lightweight overall feel.

The design of the ChillStream is almost exactly like the Xbox 360 controller. The only real difference is that the ChillStream is more curved and it melds in much closer to your hand. There are two analogue joysticks, one directional pad, four main buttons, four shoulder buttons, a back and start button, a center Vista guide button, and a little button to control the airflow. The button layout works great for all games, but it will take time to configure and find the best button layout.

Installation is easy and painless. After installing the drivers included on a small CD and rebooting, you are ready to go. You will need to configure the controller options and button layouts for each game, which is easy to do, but it can take some time to figure out what works best. The controller connects to your PC through USB, so there is no annoying charging or complicated issues with wireless communication.

The best part about the ChillStream is the way that it feels. The back side of the controller has a “Soft Touch” spray finish that is amazingly smooth and comfortable. The top half feels just as good but is also painted silver.

The excellent and smooth feel of the controller feels even better once the fan is turned on. Each side of the controller has three vents where air flows out and onto your hands. One vent is located on the top silver surface, another is on the side of the controller where the palm of your hand is, and the last is underneath the controller.

The fan works great and does indeed keep your hands very cool, but there are a few problems. First of all, if your grip is a little too tight your hands cover up all of the vents. Once this happens, air is not being pushed through the controller onto your hands and therefore defeats the purpose of the controller. Because of this, you need to loosen your grip for the air to flow through the controller as it should. Also, along with the fans comes noise. The ChillStream’s noise level isn’t that bad on the interval fan setting, but once you crank it up to high it sounds almost like a hair dryer. Alright, it isn’t as loud as a hair dryer, but it is two or three times louder than the sound of an average computer (outside of the case). The one fan also does not output a significant amount of air. The air coming out of the controller is just enough to keep your hands cool and not sweaty.

Although the fan isn’t anything great, the important part is that it works and isn’t in the way. The fan has to be pretty small so that it can fit inside of the controller case and not weight the thing down or make it too bulky. The fan is cool, but don’t expect to be blown away!

The Logitech ChillStream is overall a great controller for computers. It is nice, compact, fits well with your hands, feels silky smooth, and keeps your hands cool all at the same time. There is however nothing really new or revolutionary about the ChillStream. The fan is a neat feature, but not very impressive. If you are in the market for a new computer gamepad, the ChillStream is well worth the $40 price tag.