Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions a good, compatible, mini game controller? I use an Xbox360 controller at home, but I would like one to carry around with me for use with a laptop. Small and light are prime factors, but compatibility is also key, the XB one for instance works straight off in most games. The only one I can find is the steelseries one, which looks great, and I have a mouse by steelseries and quite impressed with their products. Strange it is the only one I could find though. It also seems hugely expensive:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SteelSeries-Free-Mobile-Controller-PC/dp/B009AOFNU4/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520510721&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=SteelSeries+Free+Bluetooth+game+controller


There is a cheaper one, but it has terrrible reviews:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SteelSeries-Wireless-Controller-Bluetooth-Rechargeable/dp/B00HSB2EZI/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1520510721&sr=8-4-fkmr1&keywords=SteelSeries%2BFree%2BBluetooth%2Bgame%2Bcontroller&th=1

I suppose I can take the XB one, but with a mouse, charge block etc. starts getting quite a big amount.

Rather surprised not a single person had an opinion on this.

I have a bad tremour. Best thing for me is play with a keyboard so I can put my wrists on the table or desk. Holding a pad is not something that works well with me.

No worries, I had given up on it. Yes, I use keyboard mouse for most things, but platformers, fighting, driving games are just easier with controller. I have some 4hours on a train so for a laptop and would probably play some lego games or something. Hence why I was look g for a small one. But yes, it's a large amount for just a controller, so might get a small mouse.

Sadly i have no experience with smaller controller, but on other gaming boards
this thing gets mentioned alot.

8Bitdo SF30 PRO Bluetooth Gamepad

I've actually been debating on going back to a wired mouse. I seem to have a lot of key and mouse lag with the mmo I play.

I have to wonder if all the other wireless connections around me at the library is also an issue. (I've never read up on the wireless documentation.)

While I do own one and it is great, I'm not quite sure that's what they mean when they say micro?

Unless they're working down from the Duke or the mech commander pad. But anyways, this is probably the smallest controller.

Yeah I was going to mention that my Logitech F310 goes fine in my laptop bag and that I used to have an old "mini-game pad for laptops" like 15 years ago but it isn't that relevant anymore as I recall it was a gameport controller (no USB, and it had only one analog thumbstick). But those were not what the OP wanted to know about anyway, so...

I guess people just don't buy those mini gamepads that much then? First time I heard about those particular models and they seem kinda nifty, but since my F310 goes fine with my laptop, I guess I don't see a point in buying one myself. Is it bluetooth or what? I have a wireless Logitech mouse (and keyboard) which work great for me without lag, but I still prefer a wired mouse because it is lighter to move and not as bulky (obviously because it doesn't have a battery and the extra wireless electronics inside).

The Logitech mouse is using its own proprietary Nano USB dongle, not sure if it is still considered "Bluetooth" or what is the exact technology it uses.

I stick with the larger Logitech mouses. M310 I believe. It's not Bluetooth. (edit: Spec sheet says "Advanced 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity ") Looking around the library the days I'm there, seems like that's what everybody uses which makes me wonder if that's what the issue is.

Yes saw those snes like controllers and other old console ones, they are cool. Really not a fan of wireless devices myself, would rather have wired mouse/controller. That is small. I suppose then it question is what's the game comparability like? Have had controllers before which just are t recognised or working. Xbox controller has worked in mostly all games so far.

Maybe the main reason I like my Logitech wireless mouse and keyboard from time to time is that together they reserve only one USB port as they share the same Logitech Nano USB receiver. Too bad Logitech's wireless F710 gamepad doesn't support Nano so it could be used as the third device on that one USB port...

Then again, Bluetooth versions don't use any USB ports I guess, but I am unsure if they then have either lag, connectivity and/or high power usage issues, that e.g. the Logitech Nano devices don't have at least for me. I know e.g. that if I use the Bluetooth connection of my mobile phone or tablet in order to get audio from an external BT speaker, it eats their battery like crazy, so I am unsure if BT in itself is very power hungry?

But yeah, wired mice are lighter and leaner in design than the wireless ones... To me the big question is, do they support XInput, and do they have all the same buttons, analog pads and analog triggers as a real XBox360/XboxOne controller has? Modern games pretty much expect XInput, I presume.

That depends on the game. There are two simple questions.

How old is the game? If it existed before the 360, then there's no such thing as Xinput.

If the game is after the Xbox, does it support other things than the annoyingly proprietary Xinput?

Dinput is the most common input standard, but some developers just seem to forget that there are things other than the 360 controller. (Spelunky, Fez, et al.)

The nice thing about the 8bitdo controllers is that with certain button combinations you can set them to different modes. Thing is, the games I play are so old that it doesn't matter. :B

I don't have that model, but I'd like to vouch for the quality of 8bitdo's gamepads. I have the SF30 (not pro) which is a straight SFC/PAL SNES controller clone and it's excellent.

I use a MOGA Hero Power A.
Works as Xinput device on Windows platforms and is recognized by most games. Small, slim, fits in my pocket and you charge the battery with the included USB micro cable.

It works for my Android tablet and for my Windows PC. It is bluetooth only, so no direct plug in. You'll need a bluetooth connection to pair it with your device or a dongle to use with it if your gaming device doesn't have/support Bluetooth.

EDIT: Apparently my experience with it working on Windows devices is not typical and should be taken as I had to use some 3rd party software I don't remember or that I was very lucky in getting it to work.