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Forums - Sony Discussion - Ranking PlayStation Controllers

 

Favorite PlayStation Controller?

PlayStation Original Controller 0 0%
 
Dual Analog 0 0%
 
DualShock 2 6.90%
 
DualShock 2 0 0%
 
Sixaxis 0 0%
 
DualShock 3 1 3.45%
 
DualShock 4 26 89.66%
 
Total:29
Wman1996 on 15 July 2020

I'm not the PlayStation veteran that many here are. I've only owned the PS4 myself, and I've played some PS2 and PS3 here and there. That being said, how would you all rank the controllers. Feel free to chime in, even if you've only used a few. PS Move Controllers will obviously not be counted, as they're in a league of their own. At the moment, don't rank DualSense. Nobody has used it. However, if this thread is still alive later this year and into the future you can add in a DualSense ranking then.

The controllers are...

PlayStation Controller

Dual Analog 

DualShock

DualShock 2

Sixaxis

DualShock 3

DualShock 4

So I've only played with three of these, and I would rank them like this.

1. DualShock 4: Battery sucks, but I still like this controller a lot.

2. DualShock 2: Never got use out of the analog buttons, but still fine.

3. DualShock 3: It's comfy and functional enough.



Lifetime Sales Predictions 

Switch: 151 million (was 73, then 96, then 113 million, then 125 million, then 144 million)

PS5: 115 million (was 105 million) Xbox Series S/X: 57 million (was 60 million, then 67 million)

PS4: 120 mil (was 100 then 130 million, then 122 million) Xbox One: 51 mil (was 50 then 55 mil)

3DS: 75.5 mil (was 73, then 77 million)

"Let go your earthly tether, enter the void, empty and become wind." - Guru Laghima

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Leynos on 15 July 2020

DS4 so far is the only good controller Sony has made. The others are awful. Cramped to hold. I hated every PS controller until DS4. DS4 is a good one. Not as good as XBO or Switch pro but still good. Comfy to hold but the batt life needs to be better.

Last edited by Leynos - on 15 July 2020

Bite my shiny metal cockpit!

KLXVER on 15 July 2020

Yeah, the DS4. One of the best controllers of all time.



Wman1996 on 15 July 2020
John2290 said:
I picked DS4 but I still think it looks a bit off. I was way better with the DS2/DS3 and six axis but they were a wee bit too small and a lot less comfortable for prolonged use, however the design was something I grew up with and I had a certain way of handling the design I had to give up with 360 and ds4 but I do prefer the ds4 now over much anything else. Trackpad, motion controls, speaker, symmetrical sticks, great trigger compression, VR usage, it has it all but for some loose l1/r1 or "bumpers", not such great battery life and it lacks a pleasing look, although at least on charging it's quick and ready in no time.

If the DualShock 4 had a way better battery, a smaller light bar like the one on the DualSense and no touchpad (since the touchpad is very rarely used in a meaningful way), I think it would by my favorite controller ever by a significant margin.

For reference my favorite controllers (in no particular order): GameCube, Xbox 360, DualShock 4, and Switch Pro Controller. I'm sure DualSense will end up being up there. And the reason I don't favor the Xbox One controller over the 360 is because I've only used it for a few hours over a period of about 5 years now. If I had used it more, I'd probably prefer it over the 360 controller.



Lifetime Sales Predictions 

Switch: 151 million (was 73, then 96, then 113 million, then 125 million, then 144 million)

PS5: 115 million (was 105 million) Xbox Series S/X: 57 million (was 60 million, then 67 million)

PS4: 120 mil (was 100 then 130 million, then 122 million) Xbox One: 51 mil (was 50 then 55 mil)

3DS: 75.5 mil (was 73, then 77 million)

"Let go your earthly tether, enter the void, empty and become wind." - Guru Laghima

NobleTeam360 on 15 July 2020

Dualshock 4> everything else.



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S.Peelman on 15 July 2020

The controllers have never been PlayStation’s best part, to say the least, but I thought the first DualShock was fine in its time. I liked the weight. The Sixaxis is fine too, though it is quite light. It’s wireless ofcourse which is a plus. The DS4 sucks however, it’s terrible. Not only is it still too light, it’s also too bright. The lightbar is completely annoying. Useless too, but not as useless as the touchpad, for which I still never found a use other than being just a huge start button. Its batterylife is non-existant, like, really, and the buttons are too ‘mushy’. But, rant aside, I never tried the very first PlayStation controller, the DS2 and the DS3, though I assume the DS2 is mostly like the original DS, and DS3 is like the Sixaxis.



Jpcc86 on 15 July 2020

DS4 I guess, even if the touchpad feature was very much underused, but I've found all of them equally fine to be honest, its boggles my mind when someone say they are uncomfortable, they've all been just plain alright.



COKTOE on 15 July 2020

DS4. I'm not picky though. I've liked every controller for every system I've ever owned, and always adapt to any initial awkwardness I've felt. I guess the Intellivision wasn't that good, even for it's time. Atari 5200 sucked. Thought the Master System controller wasn't as good as the NES although decent....But from 16-bit onward, I've liked all of them.

As far as ranking the PS controllers, it's a straight line back in time, as they've always added/improved to the basic foundation. The DS4 had been the only real change in form-factor.

Last edited by COKTOE - on 15 July 2020

- "If you have the heart of a true winner, you can always get more pissed off than some other asshole."

dharh on 15 July 2020

I've used every one of these controllers and they keep getting progressively better. I have a feeling the PS5 controller will be the same, the best iteration yet.

Not that this should come as a surprise to anyone. Each iteration of the XBOX controller has been better.

Nintendo controllers are the ones that can sometimes have issues. Where radical design changes, obviously most required because of the complete difference in how games are played on the platform, can render the controller horrible for traditional style gameplay that I always focus on. Someone who has better experience with the Pro controllers, have they gotten better each time since the Wii Pro Controller?



A warrior keeps death on the mind from the moment of their first breath to the moment of their last.
VAMatt on 15 July 2020

I like the Dualshock 4 quite a bit. The battery is absolutely terrible though. I also wish it was a little heavier.

I don't like this trend to integrated batteries. I'd much rather just swap out Iand keep playing wirelessly when needed. But, it looks like I'm in the minority. In any case, I hope the batteries in the next-gen controllers are a hell of a lot better than the DS4.