Thrustmaster seems to have been around as long as computer games themselves, and is still churning out a regular complement of controllers and accessories to satisfy the modern punter. This vibration feedback gamepad is actually compatible with the Playstation 2 and Playstation 3 as well as the PC, with a dual connector at the end offering fittings for both.

When you look back at the history of gamepads, it took the PC market quite a while to realise that consoles clearly know best. We've seen hordes of rather ugly and unusable offerings in the past, but in recent years it's become clear that aping the layout and range of controls of modern console controllers is clearly the only way to go.

That's what Thrustmaster has done, at least to a certain extent, with the Run N' Drive. You'll find twin analogue sticks and two triggers for each finger along with the conventional button layout. In addition there are two further triggers underneath and an optical wheel around the main D-pad, which can be configured for a range of uses depending on what game you're playing and has two degrees of sensitivity.

A series of modes automatically change the function of certain buttons to offer anything from 3 up to 7 axes of control. These added features do bring a tad more versatility to the pad, and in addition to more traditional uses such as sports simulators you'll also find it works nicely for games like flight simulators or action/adventure titles.

You're provided with software to configure the controls and cover anything you can't already do in-game, and you'll find internal memory that can save your favourite configurations for either PC or Playstation use.

In terms of potential configurations the Run N' Drive is excellent. But as any seasoned gamer will tell you, what's almost more important in a gaming controller, particularly in the case of gamepads, is comfort. Since your hands are often tightly gripped around each side of the device you really need to be able to get your fingers to the controls without discomfort, and unfortunately Thrustmaster hasn't been quite as successful here.

The arms at each side are rather slim so you have to grip them quite tightly, which consequently reduces your range of movement. The top triggers in particular are a bit of a strain to reach, and if you need to use both analogue sticks at the same time you'll find that they're very close together. Realistically this experience is likely to vary depending on the size of your hands (and perhaps your dexterity) so it's advisable to grab one in person to see how it feels for you.

In terms of offering a better solution than the default Playstation controllers it doesn't really succeed for us, despite offering some nifty extra features. PC users may find it suitable for occasional use and it's certainly not the worst gamepad we've seen by any stretch, but in considering comfort a premium we'd sadly choose to let the Run N' Drive pass us by.

The Run N' Drive is about as feature-packed as they come, but we had issues with comfort and with prolonged use could see it putting quite a strain on your hands. Since this is our only real concern it'd still be worth taking it for a 'test drive' if you're considering a purchase.