Gamepad Tester

May 10, 2026 ยท View on GitHub

A high-performance diagnostic tool for gamepads, built with C++23 and SDL3. Designed for precise measurement of hardware performance and input visualization.

Gamepad Tester Preview

Core Capabilities

  • Latency Measurement: High-precision hardware-to-OS input delay tracking using SDL3 high-resolution timestamps.
  • Polling Rate Analysis: Real-time frequency (Hz) monitoring with peak rate tracking to identify hardware limits and connection stability.
  • Input Visualization: Full mapping for axes, triggers, and buttons with real-time pressure and position feedback.
  • Hardware Testing: Built-in rumble/haptic feedback testing for both weak and strong motors.

Usage example

This tool helps you identify hardware issues before they impact your gameplay. For example:

  • Early Drift Detection: Identify even microscopic stick drift or jitter that isn't yet visible in-game.
  • Warranty Validation: Use precise polling and latency data to verify if your controller meets manufacturer specs or has technical issues, helping you provide proof for warranty claims or returns.
  • Performance Optimization: Ensure your gamepad capabilities are enough for competitive play.

Technical Implementation

  • Modern C++: Built using the C++23 standard.
  • Native Performance: Utilizes SDL3 for low-level hardware access and cross-platform compatibility.
  • Immediate Mode UI: Powered by Dear ImGui for a lightweight and responsive interface.
  • Standalone Build: No external library installation required; all dependencies are managed automatically via CMake FetchContent.

How to run

Linux (AppImage)

  1. Download Gamepad_Tester-x86_64.AppImage from the releases page.
  2. Make it executable: chmod +x Gamepad_Tester-x86_64.AppImage.
  3. Run it!

Linux and MacOS

Download the latest .tar.gz release for your platform from releases page.

Open your terminal and run:

mkdir Gamepad_Tester
tar -xzf gamepad_tester_linux_x86_64.tar.gz -C Gamepad_Tester
cd Gamepad_Tester && chmod +x gamepad_tester
./gamepad_tester

Windows

You can right-click the .zip file and select Extract All, then run gamepad_tester.exe.

Alternatively, use PowerShell:

Expand-Archive -Path gamepad_tester_windows_x86_64.zip -DestinationPath Gamepad_Tester
cd Gamepad_Tester
.\gamepad_tester.exe

Build from source

Prerequisites

  • CMake 3.10 or higher
  • A C++23 compatible compiler (GCC 13+, Clang 16+, or MSVC 19.36+)

Build Instructions

  1. Clone the repository: 
    git clone https://github.com/zoltcode/Gamepad_Tester.git
cd Gamepad_Tester
  2. Configure and build: 
    cmake -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build build --config Release

Linux Note

On Linux systems, ensure your user has permissions to access /dev/input/ devices.

License

This project is licensed under the Apache 2.0 License. See the LICENSE.txt file for details.

Notice on Assets

The source code of this project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0. Third-party assets, such as the icons, are subject to their own respective licenses and are not covered by the Apache 2.0 license.