On the back of the controller, easily accessible to your middle fingers, you will find two peculiar button-wheel hybrids and a central button for programming the LEDs. The micro-USB port on the controller has a short sheath to help better secure the cable, but a screw-on or clip-on mechanism would have been a better choice. Once connected, the controller defaults to a bright green glow and, even without the accessory app, you can begin adjusting the LED colour and brightness, or set the controller to cycle through them all. While I appreciate that the removable cable makes for easy storage, I expected a sturdier connection or braided cable for a wired device, not a cheap plastic cable. Setting it up is as simple as plugging it into the Xbox One or PC using the included 3m cable. If you ever wanted to understand how the rumble motors and impulse triggers worked, you now have the perfect opportunity to observe them in action.
Immediately noticeable is the completely transparent casing that reveals the complex inner working of the controller. Opening up the box, you’ll find PDP has stuck to the standard Xbox One controller design and the two new “buttons” are comfortably placed, requiring no structural changes to the design.
The Afterglow controller with LEDs set to a radiant green by default. Retailing for the same price as a standard wireless controller, the Afterglow offers up a simple but effective LED lighting scheme and an interesting, semi-successful alternative to the additional buttons and triggers seen on more expensive third-party controllers or Microsoft’s Elite controller. I predict it is only a matter of time before we genetically engineer children with bioluminescent skin cells. The Afterglow Prismatic Wired controller is a solid third-party offering from American manufacturer PDP - and a grim reminder of humanity's current obsession with adding LED lighting to everything.