I mainly play Apex using a mouse and keyboard on PC. However I've also played using a controller on PC, to see what the problem was about, and I've recently played on a friend's console to compare the difference.
PC (Mouse and Keyboard): The easiest method in my opinion. You can move in insane ways (which is why they removed things like tap-straifing and b-hopping), and can have way better aiming capability. (Cross-Plat Lobbies)
PC (Controller): You're honestly putting yourself at a disadvantage here. You lose movement capability, such as moving while looting a deathbox, and the aim assist seems to get in the way of shooting to some degree. (Cross-Plat Lobbies)
Console: Playing with a controller felt easier, as there was a better flow to movement. However I found the aim assist getting in my way most of the time, as it slows down the aiming to an unhelpful degree while shooting, and doesn't exactly offer much accuracy at all. Sure, there's slightly less recoil, but there's nothing noteworthy about that. (Console Lobbies Only)
I've played using the default settings for the controllers on both PC and Console.
I'm pretty sure the main reason why people think aim assist is broken and overpowered, is because a bunch of people just slap on strikepacks and xim mods. This kind of stuff removes recoil completely and can even allow the use of a mouse and keyboard on console, which is also being combined with the aim assist. Which doing that just makes the aim assist look broken to other players.
Bottom line is this: the aim assist is just an assist. It doesn't aim for you, it doesn't fully fight recoil for you, and it doesn't even hold your hand in a fight.
When dying to a console player, if they're moving like they're on a mouse and keyboard, (especially looting like one), it's xim, if they have absolutely no recoil and seems to be tracking a bit too well, that's most likely a strikepack.
Legitimate console players are a lot more average then you may think, with the legit masters and preds just being slightly better then the rest.
Out of all the inputs, mouse and keyboard is by far superior.