YMMV, I treat it on demand, but in most cases it’s unused.

Civ: End turn

Driving games: Shift paddle

It’s like the 4th mouse button. Sometimes you don’t realize how much you might enjoy having it mapped.

PORTAL

Civ VI and Inscryption required me to use the pads. Basically everything else is sticks.

I am absolutely some of that NMS time. I just run it at default, and I get about an hour. Which is great, because after that I really should take a break.