A controller is one of the most important aspects people keep in mind while choosing a console. The Playstation controller has witnessed some dramatic changes over its years. The first Dualshock controller was launched back in 1997 as a secondary peripheral. However, with the launch of the Playstation 2, the Dualshock became the primary controller for the console. Since then, it has evolved into a favorite controller for a number of gamers around the world. The controller has a wide array of features that makes it stand out amongst the rest.
Here are 5 of the reasons why the Dualshock 4 is the best controller ever, and 5 reasons why it isn't.
10 It's The Best: The Headphone Jack
The Dualshock 3 controller, unlike the Xbox 360 controller, which was its competition at that time, didn't have a dedicated headphone jack. However, Sony ensured that the same isn't the case for the Dualshock 4.
Some controllers put the jack in a weird place which can cause the wire to get tangled while playing, causing a lot of annoyance. However, that's not a problem on the Dualshock 4. The Dualshock 4 has a headphone jack located just at the front end of the controller and it is really well placed.
9 It Isn't: Size Matters
One of the prime reasons the Dualshock 4 controller is not preferred by users is because of the controller's size. The controller is a bit on the smaller side. That makes it really uncomfortable for people with large hands.
While the controller has undergone some design changes from the previous controller, making it significantly lighter than the Dualshock 3, the small size of the Dualshock 4 is still a problem. However, we hope with the revamped design of the DualSense controller, things will change.
8 It's The Best: The Share Button
One of the most interesting additions to the Dualshock 4 controller was the Share button. And, it is has turned out to be one of the best as well.
The Share button is a really handy inclusion on the controller which provided features that no other controller had at its time of launch. This turned out to be very useful in the age of social media, where we regularly share our gameplay videos and screenshots on the internet. Not to forget, the PS4's ability to directly share stuff to social media bundled with the Share button on the controller made sharing content a breeze.
7 It Isn't: Button Placement
The button placement in the Dualshock 4 is really weird, to say the least. That is the Share and Options button. The controller has a small form and is designed for small hands, but then the two Share and Options buttons are out of reach when players are holding the controller normally.
Unless a gamer has really long thumbs, reaching the two buttons is a bit of a hassle. This again is something that has been fixed in the design of the DualSense controller and is a pretty welcome change. It's good to see Sony addressing the issues which were present in the Dualshock 4.
6 It's The Best: Motion Control
The motion controls in the Dualshock 4 makes it a really fun interactive controller to use without owning a dedicated motion controller. Some games use motion control from time to time for a variety of tasks.
Players can also use the Dualshock 4's motion control for moving their cursor on the screen for typing. This makes it very easy to type stuff on the PS4, since moving the analog or using the D-pad every time gets really annoying. They just need to tilt their controller to the respective directions they wish to move the cursor to and the gyroscope does the rest.
5 It Isn't: The TouchPad
We all might agree to the fact that the Dualshock 4's Touchpad was indeed a failure. Sony had been on point with innovations and creativity with their Dualshock 4 controller, but this one barely managed to be relevant.
However, while one aspect of it fails miserably, it kind of does a good job in another. It serves as a pause button. The button is in the middle of the controller and since it occupies a large space, there is little probability of players not being able to find the button when they want to pause the game in a hurry.
4 It's The Best: The Light Bar
What is the use of a controller if it doesn't look appealing and doesn't exude that gaming vibe? The light bar just ticks that box for fans of the good ol' RGB. The light bar in the PS4 is not just for aesthetic purposes. It works with the PS Camera to deliver some amazing AR stuff. The PS Camera tracks the light bar and thus it has improved the motion-sensing immensely. Coming back to the aesthetic aspect, users can change the color of the light bar and when there are multiple controllers connected to the PS4 they all light up in different colors.
That's not all. The light bar changes to different colors in some games depending on the situation. For instance, the light bar turns red in some games when character health is low. It looks the best when characters are wanted in GTA V and it starts flashing blue and red like a police siren.
3 It Isn't: The Light Bar
Yeah, it's true. The light bar is great, but there's a catch. The fact that gamers can't turn off the light the bar is a bummer.
There are a number of reasons why players would want to turn off the light bar. For instance, if someone is gaming in the dark, the light bar can get distracting. Or players might want to save some battery to help the controller last longer. The only option right now is to dim the light bar, since turning it off isn't an option.
2 It's The Best: The Speaker
The speaker in the Dualshock 4 is another ground-breaking feature the controller incorporates. There are a few games that use it, but when players hear those audio cues from their controller, it takes the immersion to the next level.
A good example is Horizon Zero Dawn. The Focus, the device Aloy uses to scan the environment and for a variety of other stuff, emits a sounds whenever gamers activate it. The fact that this sound comes from the controller and not from the primary speaker makes players feel like they are wearing the device themselves. Pretty cool, eh?
1 It Isn't: The Triggers, Analog Stick & PC Support
The Dualshock 4's triggers are curved in shape to offer better comfort while holding the triggers. However, the triggers are actually a tad small and it makes it uncomfortable for people with large hands. Speaking of the analog stick, the analog sticks do have a curvature now for supporting the fingers while holding them, however, unlike the Xbox One controller it is raised in the center which feels not as good as the Xbox One controller
Finally, coming to PC Support. The Dualshock 4's PC support hasn't been the best. While Steam has started supporting Dualshock 4, there are times when Steam or games fails to detect it. Players can rely on a 3rd party software like DS4Windows, but that isn't cent percent reliable as well and causes issues too.