As far as the actual hardware goes, you find a lot of vast improvements since the last controller set up. The DS 3 was a ‘squat’ controller, and it had no room with the controller in the end. Anyone with larger hands, or longer fingers, found it highly uncomfortable to play for an extended period of time. The Dualshock 4 fixed this, and it’s quickly clear to those who take a look. The sticks are immediate for noticing, they are farther apart, and the length of the wings is a bit longer as well allowing for a much more comfortable grip. Every button is easy to reach without making the player feel they are crunched in.
The newest feature, however, is not one that has gone over well. The touchpad simply lags out too much. When you need to scroll quickly with it, you can feel the overwhelming amount of lag that there really is between controller and console or PC. It just doesn’t keep up. The rest of the buttons and controls hold up just fine, only this one spot seems to have caused a bit of concern.
The biggest ‘hoorah’ that’s been given is the fact that the analog sticks are finally concave on top, much like the Xbox controllers. While that may not seem overly important if this is your first PlayStation controller, trust us, it does make a difference when you play. With a concave top, your thumb is less likely to slide when you are playing, which can cause a lot of problems when you are playing racing games or are holding the stick in one direction and have t9o quickly switch directions. Without that groove, your thumb will easily slide right off and cause you whatever direction you are trying to go.

The overall design seems to have remained the same since the original Playstation hit the market. The only real changes have been the additions of analog sticks, which of course was needed thanks to the onset of 3D environments. You have your square, circle, triangle and X buttons on your right and your directional buttons on your left. You have a left and right analog stick which allows you movement and viewpoint and you have top and bottom for both right and left trigger buttons on the front. While you can set up what keys do what for some games in their menu’s there doesn’t seem to be a way to set them for every game. It’s of course not a pro controller, but it is one of the tops of the line out there for PS4 so it’s the one everyone is likely to have to work with.
A couple of extra design changes were more aesthetic than game-changing. Where the older controls did have a slightly boxier appearance, the more rounded framework can be a little on the refreshing change, and if you are feeling super ‘fancy’ you can pick it up in a variance of color as well instead of the old stereotypical black controller which has been Sony’s main staple for controllers.

This is where the Dualshock both accelerates and has a hiccup all at the same time. While that may sound confusing and contradictory, truth is that the Dualshock actually outperforms the 3rd in the line in almost every way. It is set up better for comfort and grip, has a better response to the player and overall makes the 3rd attempt seem like a complete failure for a controller. However, Sony shot for the stars when they came out and fell a little short of their newest addition to the setup.
The hope, we believe, was to match and surpass the usefulness the Xbox has had for controllers since the 360 at the very least. You can use Microsoft controllers easily with your PC and it requires little to no set up depending on what version of Windows you are running and even works almost as easily with the Apple. This has been a great selling point for both the system as well as any additional controllers for Microsoft, after all, it meant you could play games on both your PC and your console and did not need to get extra accessories. By making their controllers compatible, Sony caught up with the whole PC and console joining, but they wanted to take it a step farther. Not only did they want it to work well as a controller, but in the games that still required a mouse to play in order to reach certain menus, they decided to add a touch mousepad to the controller as well. This was the one downside. Unfortunately, while there is next to no lag in response with the rest of the controller, the mousepad actually lagged so poorly that it made certain games nigh impossible to play- or at least not worth using the pad in. So, while the idea was a good one, we believe it will likely take a few more tries before it works as they wanted it to on the PC. Good luck to them, but don’t buy this for that particular feature if it is the reason you are going for it. If you are going for the 4 for any other reason though, we definitely encourage it.

The Dualshock 4, just as those before it, has no real issue with connectivity. The controller is meant to be wireless and holds up to the task of staying connected to whatever device you are able to connect with. This is an important issue for any wireless controller from any system. If you can’t hold a connection, then you won’t be able to play, and you will lose gamers rapidly. It also comes with its own charging cable, so unlike some off brands, you don’t have to concern yourself with purchasing other parts just to play with it. The good news is you can keep playing and stay connected through the cable even after your battery pack runs down after about 6-8 hours of play, allowing you to continue gaming (albeit closer to the machine) while charging.

This is the part we are all likely to find good in comparison to most other controllers on the market (at least if you lay PS4 and not a different console). This controller won’t run you quite as much as either the Xbox or the Nintendo. Sitting at around $40-$60 depending on where you purchase it, you’re paying at least $10 less than the other consoles want to charge for theirs if not paying even less. The Dualshock 4 can be found on most sites so it isn’t like you’ll have to hunt far and wide to find it either. Despite its issues with the onboard touch mouse pad, the rest of the controller is superbly designed and is much better quality than many expected this time around. So, it is definitely worth a look if you need an extra controller for your PS4 or you simply want a Playstation style controller for your PC.
Is it worth getting a second controller? For this price, and with as many multiplayer games as are being released on the PS4 we say yes! You are getting a great deal for having a multi-use controller, and it is from a company with a really good reputation for their products. Add to that, the price is not high at all, with other consoles charging $70 or more for a secondary controller.

When you think of PlayStation, you are obviously thinking Sony. They not only handle making the console and its controllers, but they also produce most of the games available- and don’t just stick to their own console either. Sony makes games that cross-platform, produce the TVs and sound systems you may be used to with them and even produce movies and music. To say Sony is a name you’ll catch on the air, gamer or not, is an understatement. Their brand has been around and touched many things in our lives.
As far as their console goes, they are also one of the most reliable companies for controllers to play with. They may not always have the best design aspects, but their controllers work and are not likely to have problems in most instances. The worst issue seems to be sizing things comfortable, but they have renovated that. They also continue to hold a high bar for others to meet when it comes to new ideas. Once again, some things may not work right at first, but you can count on them to work the bugs out and bring you newer and better.

-Wireless
-Comes with charging cable
-Great brand
-Rechargeable battery pack
-Ergonomic
-Easy to set up
-Price

While this controller has its downsides between the amount of battery life and the laggy mousepad, the rest of what it has to offer is actually worth mentioning. With a great price comparatively and the easiness on the hands and wrists to use, this controller takes back Sony’s hold on its own console as far as controllers go. Since some of the controllers we have actually looked into don’t, we feel it is also important to consider that it comes with everything needed including a charging cable. The fact you can continue playing while you charge back up is also a rather decent bonus since a few with the ability to play longer on a charge actually can’t be used once the battery is dead and needs to be recharged. Overall the DualShock 4 overcomes its predecessor, and with the innovations, Sony obviously is going for, we may soon have a controller that can handle most games whether they be on the PlayStation or the PC. That says a lot since there is quite a bit of competition in the area from other companies who have been compatible for longer. The fact that Sony is actually thinking of a great long-term goal makes us wonder how Microsoft fell behind on one of its biggest assets. All in all, we find this controller impressive for its price, to say the least. It may not be the best out there, but it is definitely making the rest have to play hardball to keep ahead of the game!