Potentiometer Stick

A potentiometer stick reads position through a physical wiper sliding on a resistive track — the long-standing, inexpensive standard behind most controllers ever made. It works well and can feel great for years, but the wiper wears, and that wear is the classic cause of stick drift. It is not disqualifying, especially on a budget device, but when a comparable handheld offers hall-effect sticks for a similar price, the durability difference is a real reason to lean that way.