Topic: PS4 Controller what do you think?

I really like the PS4 controller with all its features it fits well in the hand has a good weight to it as well. Its just a crying shame that so many of the features never get used. The track pad for most games might as well not even be there. It could be used a lot more in FPS where you could swipe to reload or change weapons. The sixis again could be used a lot more in games but again its not being used. I guess part of the problem is that Sony and Xbox have different controllers and so games companies are not going to use the extra features unless there is some incentive from the company. I know it would never happen but having the same features even if they were designed differently would allow controllers to be used to their best ability.

I added some Kontrol Freeks to my pads and that's improved grip and accuracy in gaming. If I was a better gamer think the improvement would have been greater. Negative point is the batter life which could be better seem to be plugging it in all the time. A simple solution would have been to provide a longer charging cable I do not mind a cable but the one provided is too short.

I am liking the different controller colours that are coming out especially the 20th anniversary and darth vader version. Not sure white was the most practical colour for the vader sticks though.

I like that you can use the PS4 controller on the PS3 but without mapping for the start button its hard to play some of the games and you then have to pair it each time you swap consoles which is a pain but guess its the same for all blutooth devices.

Totally agree on the weight and fit - I own all the "latest" gen consoles and I prefer the DS4 to all of them. My hand hurts when playing XBOX one for a long time, just doesn't fit in the hand as well and I don't think the triggers and shoulder buttons are nearly as easy to use without adjusting your hands.

That being said build quality is the major issue for me... both my launch ones died from different causes... The first one's thumb grip totally wore away (common problem with early ones) and the second one's left stick stopped working altogether (first started being unresponsive when going right, then just stopped eventually). On top of that there are the squeaky/sticking L1 and R1 buttons (easy fix).

I replaced the thumb stick on my worn one, with the spares from the other broken one, put on a cover and also got a kontrol freek stick for the right hand stick (agree it is much nicer for FPS games!) - and that's still my main controller now (I also have a white one, and I have a new black one which I got with my 2nd PS4 (first one blew up).

Regarding the battery, I modded the LED PCB and removed the LED entirely - which has pretty much doubled the battery life of my DS4. I wouldn't recommend doing it if you only have one (its a bit fiddly) but as I had the broken spare one I did it on that. All Sony need to do is allow users the option to turn that off via firmware. My little mod does the trick nicely though, however as the LED isn't there you can't tell when its charged or even turned on!

The designs are nice, not sure I like the vader one, probably looks better in the flesh. My favourite controller design is still the XBOX One Titanfall one, I really hope they do something similar with Titanfall 2 on PS4.

I am from the other (dark?) side when it comes to controller preference. I preferred the Xbox controller over any of the PS controllers. The asymmetric layout suited my hands a lot better. I always found that after a short while, my left thumb would ache and often cramp up because of the angle and fact it rarely leaves the thumbstick compared to the right which often had the buttons to press. I also found the triggers at a weird angle that made racing/driving games very uncomfortable for me for anything more than half an hour. It may be down to have double jointed thumbs and quite large hands though.
However with this generation, I have not had any of these issues with the DS4. I have been able to play for many hours without discomfort, the triggers are better positioned and angled and the general size feels more suited to my hands. Obviously the battery life is something I would change - or at least go a similar route to Xbox with a battery or rechargeable pack. I do find the 'Options' button is too prominent/easy to hit by mistake but that's probably just me. I still think I prefer the the asymmetric layout but I do think the DS4 is by far the best PS controller in terms of comfort and usability. I used to consider 'games' based on the controller and found the previous PS controllers limited my choice of game as well as my ability to play for as long. With the DS4 though, I have so far had no issues with it as such and now don't factor it in to any decision - for example I would buy FPS and racing games purely on the xbox because of the comfort of the controller for me - now the controller (either) doesn't factor in at all.

From my perspective, I have to give a lot of credit to Sony and whoever helped with its redesign. Obviously its kept its iconic styling in general but the comfort, usability over longer time and general feel from my perspective is a massive improvement. I would have said that the layout would never be that comfortable to use for longer gaming sessions for me and yet the DS4 has proved it can.

As far as I am concerned though my best Controller in both terms of style and build quality has to go to the Xbox Elite controller. The combination of the brushed metal and velvet black is certainly classy as well as improves the overall build quality too. The paddles do add a bit more function to it as well. I would certainly buy a DS4 'Elite' style controller if it matched the XB1 version on style, price, build quality and functionality.

I grew up with the N64 controller, I'm pretty sure that's the reason why I rarely dislike any controller. The DS4 a good controller, although I have heard and seen the control sticks wear down pretty fast. I really hope that's something I don't have to worry about for quite some time. I don't really mind the battery life as my PS4 sits next to my TV and I can easily plug the charging cable in at all time. Also, the lack of Start and Select buttons was something I needed to get used to at first. I'm satisfied though, no real complaints from me.

I'm neither here nor there on the controller really. I've never been that into the design of any of the PlayStation controllers to be fair. To me it just doesn't feel really comfortable or really uncomfortable. It does everything you'd expect and that's about it. I do like the touchpad and the fact it clicks down, and the odd game uses the light and speaker very well (e.g. Alien Isolation), but overall I feel very so-so about it.

To me, the best controllers still are the GameCube controller and the Xbox 360 controller. Both feel ridiculously comfortable and everything feels the in the right place and the right distance apart from each other. Of course, everyone has different hands so I imagine it changes from person to person.

The feature's on the controller are cool the touch pad and share button etc but the quality and endurance of these controller's are terrible and why is there no official wired version? The battery's suck, the analogue stick's are to short and after constant use become innacurate the micro usb charger is terrible and doesn't alway's work with every lead. I almost feel like Sony released it the state it's in knowing we would be forced to buy new one's when they broke, i'm on my 4th controller in 2 year's I don't know how people rate these controller's out of 10 but I give them a 6, out of PS3/PS4/XBOX1 and the 360 controller's, i've spent a long long time with them all, the PS4's are the worst. I can't wait for Sony to release the elite controller even though I feel robbed or i'll have to buy a scuff controller sooner or later.

Completely missed this topic. The DS4 pads I own have been great. Perfect size, no discomfort. I love the light on the back but have set it to dull for the sake of the battery. My right sticks centring feels a tiny bit out on one controller, but nothing game breaking. All in all 8/10 but I still have my original working, at the current prices for a replacement I would be kicking off.

Crap battery life, and the analog sticks (at least in my case) are peeling away like nobody's business, which is abysmal. Other than that, best controller I've ever used in terms of comfort, grip, button placement, etc.

Totally agree with the above, the battery life is disappointing and the coating on the sticks have worn off on my initial set from Dec 2013.

Other than that, the best controller I have ever had!!!

I don't know why everyone complained about batterylife, I have never had one go out on me while gaming, though when I am not using them they are on the charger. Still if battery life is a problem you can always use a phone charger while playing.

@Tasuki:

Ehh, I think it's a pretty common complaint to be honest, and it was something I noticed very quickly. In fact I play with rumble off and the lights on dim.

Yes, you can always swap out controllers if you have two, but compared to say the Xbox One controller, and especially that fantastic Wii U pro controller (which lasts like 50-70 hours one one charge), it's lacking.

Outside of battery life and initial build quality on launch sticks, it's a phenomenal controller, so ergonomic!!

@sub12: Ah ok I was just wondering cause I have never had a problem with it yet I do see alot of complaints about battery life. I was just wondering if I was missing something that's all.

@ShogunRok: @sub12: Have you tried turning the light Down on the pad? Battery life is much improved.

i like it, for me it's the perfect size and weight, the placement of the buttons and sticks are great and the D-Pad is FANTASTIC especially for 2D style games

and although the placement of the buttons and sticks on the XB controller are fine too especially for FPS and Racing games the damn thing is too big and heavy for me and it hurts my hands (i have RSI from working in Motor Engineering)

@themcnoisy:

Yes, in my post I said I have the light on dim (the lowest setting) and rumble off,

C'mon guys! Don't white knight it!! The controller is awesome but the battery life is pretty poor.

How do I dim the light on the controller? The height of the control sticks can be greatly improved with Kontrol freaks and you can choose the height which best suits your gaming.

@dryrain: If you hold down the P button that's located between the thumbsticks, an options menu pops up and you can dim the lightbar from there

Thanks

@Tasuki: I must admit that I play with no adjustments to the controller that can prolong battery life and most gaming sessions, I end up having to plug my controller into my Laptop to charge it to keep playing. It certainly doesn't last very long from my perspective. I guess this is relative and depends on how long an average gaming session lasts - if it's 1-2 hours then its certainly not an issue but if its 6hrs+ then you will certainly feel it's limited battery life.
It may also depend on whether you own other console controllers too - A plug and charge kit battery on the XB1 lasts so much longer and AA batteries - longer again (weeks/months...) with similar use. All of which makes the DS4 the shortest in terms of battery life and by quite a margin.
I know I could do things to increase its duration and overall its not that much of an issue as I can and do just plug it in to my laptop as its usually nearby and keep playing.

As for the 'thumbsticks' I use thumbstick covers - I bought a set of 4 from Orb. These come with either a dimpled dome or a raised convex.I use a dimpled dome on my left and the slightly higher convex on my right as the extra height can help be more precise with 'aiming/looking'. Ultimately though it also protects the 'rubber' on top. The shafts are thicker than my XB1 thumbsticks and being plastic, will show signs of wear as they rub on the casing. Ideally I would love a DS4 'Elite' style controller with as much customisation as the XB1 version as well as 'metal' construction as I think it will increase its durability. For some gamers though the DS4 is 'adequate' and likely to last its lifetime but for a lot though, I expect they will need a few.

Fantastic controller.