20 Best Cheap Ps4 Controller (2022 Updated)

I have 11 DS4 controllers and all of them have drift or dead problem with L3 or R3. Sony always claims it’s abuse or normal wear and tear. I technically have 12 controllers. Other than the PCB it’s not really Factory and still works fine.

I repair just about anything with a circuit for a living. These things are engineered to fail or by someone who cares more about saving money then keeping customers happy. 1. The resistive film on the analog joysticks.

These have a reduced contact surface promoting wear. “With exception a few revisions I’ve seen have either multiple contact points on the wipers or just have slightly larger surfaces on them. ” (Why Analog contact media over Digital sensors, It beats me?) 2.

The Tactile switches are not designed for endurance. The L3 and R3 and will always wear prematurely. (They should use high endurance micro-switches like those found in most high end computer mice. ) 3.

Last but not least. These controllers come with an onboard CPU and yet lack any ability to auto calibrate? The Console itself should even compensate for jitter or centering/adjustments, but you don’t see it as an option anywhere? Now with some modern tech the DS5 has the same issues (and more) as far as wear and tear.

Final Thoughts: Battery tech has advanced leaps and bounds over the years and we are at the point we can put infrared digital joys in the controllers with next to zero impact on battery life or even use even lower powered solutions like magnetic field sensors(MFS) Hall Effect(HE)*.

This would increase reliability as no moving parts need to make physical contact inside the joys. Wear can be extended by using a bearings on the pivots/cage to keep the joystick center. *Some companies already do these methods and senors.

Getting a product licensed and approved to be used on their platform wouldn’t be in Sony’s best interest. Now Here is the Gotcha. As far as quality the PCBs are decent and great for modding. Price to Durability I would recommend a cheap offbrand controller as they most often have the same Joys across the board.

That said, remember you get what you pay for. Three $20 controllers will get you about 800-1000hours of vigorous use or one Branded DS4 for $60 can get you about 265~335 hours of vigorous use. Anyways, maybe someone finds this informative.

Kudos Happy gaming!.

Initially it looked good, sturdy and reliable. But along the way, I experienced many issues with it: – the controller randomly switches off, in the middle of a game. And it can take several seconds before being able to switch it back on.

Quite infuriating to die in a game because the controller went off in my hands unexpectedly (and it’s not a matter of battery) – the left key (or stick maybe) getting pressed continuously when I don’t touch it.

Basically, it’s as if I was going left all the time. It requires to reset the controller, or the console, and hope for the controller to switch on without continuously going to the left this time. – the PS button appears to get blocked too often when pressed.

I need to rub it gently to unblock it. – When switching on the console with the controller, I need to switch on the controller a second time once the console is on. My previous controller remained on from the first press on the PS button.

My previous controller was a DualShock 4 v1, this is my first DS4 v2 controller. So maybe these issues are inherent to this new model? maybe I had a faulty controller?.

I honestly feel like I paid full price for a refurbished item. When I first opened the box the first thing I noticed was that the box didn’t have tape on the cover of the lid nor did it come with directions.

It came with a charge cord which I found very strange because most PS4 controllers DON’T come with a charger cord. You have to buy that separately, then I noticed how LIGHT the controller felt. It said PS4 on the buttons, but it didn’t FEEL heavy like the normal PS4 controllers feel when you get them with the console purchase.

The buttons felt extremely loose, especially the X button and the R1 and L1 buttons and NOW the X button is “sticking” and doesn’t always play right. Later when I looked at WHERE I’d purchased this controller from because I admit I didn’t check before pressing the “purchase button” it was from some THIRD PARTY SELLER THAT SOLD FOOTWEAR?????? And when you click on the seller’s site, it leads nowhere.

Next time I want to buy REAL electronics, I’ll go to Best Buy.

This Dark Grey-Blue controller is not original Sony PS4 Dual Shock controller. It’s a cheap Chinese counterfaight version. The packaging is not original Sony. Inside the packaging the plastic is thin and cheap.

I have got 3 original Sony PS4 Dual Shock controllers of 2013, 2016 and 2021 (only two on photos, as my son was using the third one). All of them look the same quality and with identical details. The controller in this ad is much lighter than the original Sony one.

The controller in this ad has got NOT original Sony screws on the back side. Joysticks are laggy and sent delayed response in the game. The plastic finish of this controller is cheap and totally different than on the original Sony controller.

None of my three Sony controllers have a light strip on the middle pad – this one has, which is wrong. Middle Playstation button on this controller is of matt grey colour while on my all three original controller is shiny black.

The plastic around this button seems like worn out while on the original Sony is consistent new looking. Charging port of this controller has got a different finish that on the original Sony one. The texture on this controller back side is totally different than on the original Sony Controller.

This controller should be priced around 20 and no more. DON’T BUY IT!.

There are many PlayStation controllers on the market but in my opinion this is the best value. The layout is classic and this controller is supplied with the PlayStation from new. By buying from John Lewis you know you are getting the genuine article and you also get an extended warranty in case the product fails.

In time all controllers are subject to drift depending on how much you play. When I buy a new controller I always fit silicone thumb caps for extra comfort and grip. Best controller for gaming in my opinion.

Everything works great on this product. I appreciated that it arrived very fast and pretty much is exactly what I purchased. As a first-time buyer, I purchased the play station from this seller without disappointment.

I bought two play stations days apart and they were both in great shape as described. There have been no issues, and both recipients are happy with them! I would be willing to buy from this site again in the future.

Our products works flawlessly now. That’s why I am going to give 5 Stars!!!.

I love the playstation vr but wish this product wasnt so light sensitive and more destructible. They break so easily and cost a pretty penny. It has been the same design since the ps3 and with them releasing another playstation system this year I really think they should of been able to come up with a better design by now.

But still fun just needs improvement.

My wife had ordered the VR headset for Christmas, but we were kind of limited to certain games. Purchasing the Move Motion Controllers has really amp’ed up our gaming experience!!! As soon as we received the Move Controllers, we downloaded Beat Saber and some other demos! The kids realized that Rec Room is a totally different experience with the Move Controllers.

As designed, the product is great and offers a good controller options to children with hands too small for the standard DualShock 4 controller. My only (small) gripes: 1) I wish there was at least a wireless version available (even if it cost more).

2) I put my PS4 into rest mode every time when I shut it down; upon booting it up from rest mode, I have to unplug and replug the controller from the USB hub I have attached to my PS4 in order to get the PS4 to recognize/realize it is plugged-in.

Theres a chance (havent tested), if plugged directly into the PS4, this may not be an issue; but, with the PS4 only having two USB ports, I dont have an extra USB port on the console available in my particular setup so I have to use the USB hub method.

only issue is the length of the cable. i understand for eye safety, it is best to sit a distance of 3x the size of the screen away. so this controller shouldn’t be used on a screen larger than 32” – that is at max cable stretch.

so maybe best on a 26” or 22” set etc. A usb extension could fix this for larger tv sets, or risk damage to the gamers eye sight & keep using it as is. I am unsure how it will function in terms of usb 2 & usb 3 data transmission.

I am looking forward to buying a 2nd with some extensions. definitely prefer it over the official sony shaped controllers.

Its pretty good, works on PC, works on emulators + steam, great value for a simple controller. Build quality is ok, i’m not a big fan of the rubber select + start button but d-pad and action buttons are pretty solid, triggers are fine and cable is long.

I waited 2 years to make this review. Here it is. The quality is amazing. Arrived in mint condition. The mic port worked. The charge port worked. The battery lasts all day long. No drift issues after a few months, but after 2 years, only slightly that is easily fixed by blowing into the joysticks.

I suspect dirt since I am a heavy gamer. If you’re looking for a Ps4 controller that doesn’t give out on you easily then I suggest buying off Best Buy. I still use the controller to this day and it has been good to me through shooters and rpgs alike.

The product was heavy as a legit Sony Ps4 Controller should be. Came in a squared box as it should be and not some plastic box formed like the controller as it should not be. If you’re a fellow gamers finding it difficult as to where to buy a good controller, then go with Best Buy.

Trust. Thanks Best Buy. I’ll be buying my Sony hardware products from you guys from now on.

This controller was way better than what I thought it was going to be. I love the buttons that are on them and the fact that they look different. Also, the grip is comfortable and the color, of course, is amazing.

I know the term is you get what you pay for but I got way more than I paid for. Love this!!!.

Great quality! Husband and son loved it. The design is nice and I love how I came with spare joystick cushions. Looks like it will last a long time. Definitely recommend this controller

I’ve been struggling to play Final Fantasy 14 with my family. My wife and in laws are on PS4s, and I am on a Windows 10 PC. My BIL suggested I try a Dualshock 4 controller. I wanted one that would work via bluetooth and the cheap knockoffs don’t seem to work with Bluetooth according to the MFGs.

Sony has made top notch stuff for decades, and this is no exception. One thing to note, Bluetooth function REQUIRES your PC has bluetooth support. I bought a USB Bluetooth dongle from Amazon for next to nothing to add the support to my desktop since my cheap laptop doesn’t have a GPU enough to support my games and is only good for work stuff.

Bluetooth pairing was quick and easy, Gameplay using the controller on FFXIV has been fantastic. MUCH better than struggling with the keyboard so far.

Sony Dual Shock PS4 controllers are absolutely unmatched, they are great quality. The sleek design makes it the idea controller for hours of game play and streaming. The colors are vibrant and the response time when gaming is immaculate.

Never had a lagging or slow down issue and I’ve bought at least 5 of these babies in different colors. They hold a charge great also.

Bought this with the intention of refurbishing the joy stick pots: a tricky enough job even for me as an experienced electronics engineer with lots of past success working with multi-layer printed circuit boards.

Sadly, two things proved too challenging to repair: (1) there was a missing piece of perspex so that light indication could only be seen at the front if the controller ie there was now light/colour bar visible at the top; (2) Unexpectedly, the sound system was dead, meaning that game play was spoiled.

Summary: I would not recommend these controllers and particularly, repair of faulty controllers. The joy stick pots can be replaced with care but it is very easy to damage through vias and through hole plating, making the whole exercise a waste of time and effort.

Springs on buttons can be tightened and joy stick pots and soft pads can be replaced but a fundamental failure of the sound output (reasons unclear) renders the controller pretty much useless.

It’s a really high quality stick at a low price. It’s very sturdy and the thumbsticks are great to use. It does not have 6-axis and wifi but this is not a problem for me. I’m using the stick specifically to play retro arcade games, for which it is perfect.

My only criticism is that it is not suited to playing NBA 2K games because the thumbsticks position makes it difficult to do rotational actions such as spin moves. Also note that the sticks do not have rubber thumb grips and your thumb can slip off, this is easy to cure by roughening them with a nail file (it only takes a couple of minutes and does not effect the appearance of the sticks).

By the way I have stonking big hands and find the controller a very comfortable fit for me.

I love this controller because of its perfect button layout for Street Fighter games. That’s the onIy reason I kept buying this and I haven’t found an alternative yet. Bonus points for the long cord.

But for King of Fighters, a standard PS4 controller is enough. The hate part is its inconsistency. You either get a stiff or super sensitive controller. They always start OK. Then after few weeks it gets stupid–it doesn’t respond correctly, like it has its own mind and set you up to lose every round.

Regardless where its from OR price–from $40’s-$80 they’re all the same. You’ll end up replacing them right away. HORIble!.

This is a great, low-cost addition to any fighting game enthusiast. There are some better options out there but not at this price point. The “clicky” buttons combined with a much more forgiving button layout makes doing those complicated combos so much easier and less taxing on the hands.

Only negative I would level at the design is that it is very light in the hands and also pretty fragile. Would not withstand too many drops and dings.

This is a very good fighting game pad overall. I used this pad for 3 fighting games: Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2, Tekken 7 and Street fighter 5. Dpad feels heavier compared to Dualshock 4 nevertheless feels much more solid.

It feels quite different to DS4 Dpad but if you get used to it, it feels really good. The buttons feel really solid too and are as light as DS4 buttons. The all 4 trigger buttons dont use string like DS4 LR1 buttons so that you can directly feel whether the button is in pressed state or not.

The only disadvantage of this controller is that it feels quite unconfortable if you put your thumbs on main buttons, your second fingers on LR1 button and rest of your fingers under the handles. If you are used to hold your Pad like this, just simply lay your second fingers on LR2 buttons and change your inputs for LR1 to LR2.

In that way it will feel comfortable even with that grip method. I recommend this for all fighting game player who looks for the substitution of their DS4 and dont want to buy an expensive fighting stick.

As when buying any new style of controller, it takes a little time to get accustomed to. For the price range it is good with all buttons being more or less where they are on the official V2 controllers ,Due to copyright they have to use slightly different symbols then the traditional PS square /triangle ect symbols but if you have played on a ps before then that should pose little problem.

The sound quality from attaching headphones to the Mic is really good and audible. The dualshock again is really good and very comparable to the official v2’s Only problem i had getting used to it , was mainly the 2 buttons on the underside of the controller which ,when playing on the COD franchise i had to be mindful of not pressing it which was tough to begin with because they are placed for ease of access in those exact positions.

The button on the left kept changing my primary to secondary weapon , so it must be set up as an additional triangle button. Impart from that everything was good 4. 5/5 rating.

Don’t buy this to save some money, pay the 20euro more and get an original controller as this one is very robust, has drift, feels very cheap and doesn’t play nicely at all. Playing shooter games or any game that needs fast reflexes is a nightmare with this one.

Not to mention as soon as i unboxed it and tested it the right analog stick stayed stuck when moving it to the right and not returning to original position hence making games unplayable. Please do not buy this if you want to enjoy your gaming time.

Working quality is very poor. One stronger touch and its broken. Not comfortable for hands. Worst replicator ever I touch or see. Prices to big for this false. Max 4 dont buy