These great sticks literally last forever and will outlast any controller you buy. Some of our aluminum joysticks are located in the third controller. Aluminum on plastic is much more responsive and smoother than the plastic on plastic you get stock. That's why the $150 Elite have aluminum-based joysticks. These are not very grippy. They are quite stubborn, but control freaks are in demand. If you buy these and free controls, you can buy replacement high-end mini joysticks sold by the same manufacturer. The ones I recommend instead, but they're good thumb grips. We love her