I borrowed an Octopad a few years back and decided what I really needed was the whole kit.
But then I can sort of play a real drum kit. No point in buying a whole kit if you don't play drums. All you need is a couple of pads.
What you gain with a pad controller is the ability to hit it with a stick. This may or may not result in a bit more dynamic control of the snares velocity as well as better control of rolls. You can get pretty good a dynamics with your fingers on a keyboard. But the rolls sort of need the sticks.
And a trick I quickly learned was don't quantize the snare of tom rolls. Highlight the rest and quantize but leave the rolls alone. Rolls are a life form out of quantize time.