Controllers don’t change, right? Wrong!
Most people have already seen the specs for the new Play Station console, but what about its controller? The controller has the ability to totally make or break your gaming experience, but it isn’t typically the focus of the new console hype machine. The new PS4 controller is a major improvement over that of the PS3 and it has some features that completely knock out the Xbox One’s controller. Here’s why!
Read: Finally Sony Reveals PlayStation 4 for $399
Improvements on Existing Features
Not every aspect of the PS4’s controller is brand new—it’s still a controller, after all—some of the features have been upgraded. Sony’s DualShock 4 gamepad made some great changes that make the controller more comfortable and easier to use.
- The analog sticks have been altered. The center (where your thumb goes) is now concave, so it is easier to rest your thumbs on them. The sticks have also been spaced a bit farther apart to make it fit in your hands more comfortably.
- The trigger buttons have seen some redesign work. The DualShock 3’s trigger buttons had numbers on them, were notoriously slippery, and sloped downward. The new controller’s trigger buttons have been engineered to be less slippery and they slope upward. They are also numbered as L1, L2, R1, and R2.
- Recharging! One of the best changes is that you can charge the controllers when the console is off, so you don’t need to worry about leaving it the system on to charge. Overall, the controller’s design fits the hand better and has a more lightweight feel.
Brand New for DualShock 4
Sony hasn’t been sitting around with the presumption that they know what people like; they have been actively innovating for the PS4, and that includes some cool, new features for the DualShock 4. These features take advantage of modern technology and imbue the PS4 with a very 21st century feel.
- Touchpad placement: The PS4’s controller features a touchpad right in the center. Although it isn’t gigantic like the WiiU’s touch controller, it is large enough that players will be able to use it for zooming in (you can pinch and zoom), swiping, and clicking like you would for a mouse. Although not much has been said yet about how these will be integrated into new games, experts expect that it will add a new, interactive dynamic to PS4 games. Imagine zooming in to examine your surroundings for secret passageways, for example.
- Lightbar: The best part about this is that it lights up with different colors depending on which controller you use, making it much easier to figure out who’s who. The light pad also has a way to interact with the Eye camera and it can change color in response to things happening in-game.
- No “start” and “select” buttons, which surely marks the end of an era. They have been replaced with “share” and “options,” reflecting the console’s connectivity and greater range of playability options.
PS4 versus XB1 Controllers
It looks like the DualShock 4 is definitely this generation’s superior controller. The Xbox One’s controller hasn’t changed much at all, except to make the analog sticks a bit taller and it has added vibration technology (which Sony, of course, has been doing for years). The XB1 maintains the Xbox 360’s larger, FPS-centric controller design.
Sony’s PS4 controller, DualShock 4, has a lot of cool, new features that optimize it for this generation of gaming. The physical design is more comfortable and its features, such as the touch screen, promise a more interactive gameplay system.
John Gower is a writer for NerdWallet, a personal finance website dedicated to helping gamers save money with financial tips on everything from marketing strategies to the best CD rates.
