controller buyers' guide feature comparison
first-party systemsoriginal purposeother recommended applicationsscreenpower gaugesconstructionsupported operating systemsretail price
Aide
(NS-112)
field medic service industry
secretarial work
social work
patient care
law enforcement
backlit LCD high-carbon steel Companion
ATOS/E
ATOS/CX
L$ 900
Scout
(NS-115)
military logistics courier service
mail delivery
personal trainer
tour guide
none high-carbon steel Companion
ATOS/E
ATOS/CX
L$ 800
Aegis
(NS-476)
frontline combat law enforcement
private security
holographic nanoweave steel Companion
ATOS/E
ATOS/CX
L$ 1000
Mesta
(NS-120)
industrial logistics manufacturing
facilities management
none pressed steel Companion
ATOS/E
ATOS/CX
L$ 900
Nightfall/3
(NS-409)
public security law enforcement
private security
LED array high-carbon steel Companion
ATOS/E
L$ 800
DAX/3 physical intimacy companionship
social work
education
holographic aerospace titanium + carbon fiber Companion
ATOS/E
L$ 1000
DAX/3
mini
physical intimacy courier service
mail delivery
companionship
cyborg management
personal trainer
none ceramic + carbon fiber Companion
ATOS/E
L$ 900
DAX/2 physical intimacy companionship
social work
education
backlit LCD aluminum + ABS plastic panelling Companion
ATOS/E
L$ 900
DAX/2
mini
physical intimacy courier service
mail delivery
companionship
cyborg management
personal trainer
none ABS plastic Companion
ATOS/E
L$ 750
Relic (oXq.205.4i) labor replacement companionship
private security
civil service
none metal-matrix nanocomposite Companion
ATOS/E
ATOS/CX
L$ 900
Artifact (oXq.205.8i) pilot surrogate private security
military logistics
holographic metal-matrix nanocomposite Companion
ATOS/E
ATOS/CX
L$ 1000
Sprocket(vFT.904.k0) art companionship none ceramic-matrix nanocomposite Clockwork
Companion
ATOS/E
L$ 900
Revenant (NS-478) convergence platform frontline combat
long-range reconaissance
extreme athletics
holographic mixed nanocomposites Companion
ATOS/E
ATOS/CX
L$ 1200
partner systemsoriginal purposeother recommended applicationsscreenpower gaugesconstructionsupported operating systemsretail price
Cranial Drive
Barthes Asset Control BaCdrive
cyborg management service industry
secretarial work
patient care
none high-carbon steel Companion
ATOS/E
L$ 800
XSU
Yutani Springs Type 712
domestic service service industry
companionship
education
holographic titanium Companion
ATOS/E
L$ 900

Still unsure? Check out overview of main controllers for more detail about the history and uses of each controller.

Aside from the differences above, all controllers come with the same features and vary only slightly in terms of sounds and pre-packaged data to better facilitate the purpose for which the controllers were designed. The actual software on the controllers is as described below:

operating system comparison

Companion 8.6

Companion 8.6
with ATOS/E 12
ATOS/CX 12

Clockwork 8.6

expected releasenow availablenow availablecoming soonnow available
subsystem control
granularity in what features are enabled
video input
low-light enhancement
audio input
audio output
autonomy verbal onlyverbal onlyverbal only
power amplifier
motors
rapid motors
flight with rapidwith rapidwith rapid
faster-than-light (FTL) transit
text radio input SMS in SMS in
text radio output SMS out SMS out
GPS
face recognition identify identify IFF identify
device bus always onalways onalways on
supported device buses
compatible methods for interfacing with devices
light (civilian peripheral control)
weapon extensions
weather service
IFF
public network
autonomy control systems (ACS) partial partial partial n/a
user control architecture
who can use the system, and how
unauthenticated access
local/remote access distinction
on-board user ranks user, manager, owneruser, manager, owneruseruser, manager, owner
central user management hierarchyhierarchyAT/XNMS
charger compatibility
what charging methods can be used
ACS-compatible chargers n/a
UMD/Qetesh chargers n/a
NS RCG chargers n/a
NS FRG chargers n/a
Refactor chargers ≤1.2 ≤1.2 n/a
NS BSD chargers (e.g. ARC) n/a
induction from environmental sources n/a
personality control
speech pipeline
custom application support
voice feedback
on-board control HUD Screen Console Manager Screen Console Manager Shield Command Environment n/a

† Support is included but presets are not. Voice card data must be copied from another system or a commercial add-on.

To learn more about the differences between Companion, ATOS/E, and ATOS/CX, see this support page.