[_Ash_]

Quick question, does anyone use 3rd party controllers for gaming? I'm looking at getting a couple more but the official Sony Sixaxis controllers are pretty pricey.

I see Giotech do one but I could do with some feedback before buying.

[F1_Dave_E]

in my experience 3rd party controllers have often been complete garbage compared to the official sony pads.

can't remember the make but i used a 3rd party ps3 pad about a year ago, the trigger's were crap, the buttons way too stiff & the analog sticks were far too sensitive.


intrestingly every 3rd party pad i've ever used (for ps1/ps2/ps3, xbox/xbox360 & gamecube) have suffered from overly sensitive analog sticks?

[heyrehair]

Avoid ! Avoid ! Avoid !

[Section9]

I'd say avoid third party ones, but I was in the same boat a little while ago when my second official controller broke. I got a Mad Catz one from Tesco for about tenner - because I needed to get one for that evening - and it does the job, but is really not on par with the official ones.

[Gormond]

You can clones of the official controller on eBay from China, I found them to be pretty good.

[TechnoGeek]

Not used it myself but i have heard that the Logitech controllers are very good, best place for a replacement dualshock 3 is Ebay

[_Ash_]

cheers guys

After doing some further research it would appear the a lot of the 3rd party controllers are more hassle than they're worth. Problems pairing with the console, flimsy build quality...

I'll save for the official one

[kania]

I bought an official one from Amazon for £30, so a bit less than most retailers. HTH

[Hotbird]

Never liked third party controllers, always go official IMHO

[Gormond]

Originally Posted by _Ash_

cheers guys

After doing some further research it would appear the a lot of the 3rd party controllers are more hassle than they're worth. Problems pairing with the console, flimsy build quality...

I'll save for the official one

This wasn't the experience I had, I got a couple of sixaxis clones from eBay and they look and feel just like original controllers and for about a tenner it's hard to complain.

I keep one official controller as my main and the clones as my spares or if mates are around.

[mojobrew]

If you can even remotely afford official controllers always do it. Really not something to cheap out on, unless it's a third or fourth controller purely for the twice a year you do four-player bomberman.

[Gazinuk]

My sixaxis are still going outlived my ps3 lol, got 2 official white an 1 black dualshocks still going strong , the build quality on the controllers is pretty nice

[Hotbird]

Originally Posted by Gazinuk

My sixaxis are still going outlived my ps3 lol, got 2 official white an 1 black dualshocks still going strong , the build quality on the controllers is pretty nice

Both my Sixaxis controllers developed faults, one has a loose analogue stick which can also stick in the up left position and the other has a sticky trigger. Both work fine if I need four controllers but they cannot be used as main controllers any more. Which is a shame as I preferred the Sixaxis over the Dualshock as they were lighter and had no rumble.

[Manyforms]

I can't speak on the reliability of 3rd party controllers, however I've had particularly bad experience with the Dualshock 3's.

They've gotten probably the most minimal amount of use you could give a controller over the last 4-5 years (bought my ps3 in 2008) It's a BR and Netflix player more than a gaming system. The first game I bought for it was Tekken 6, which i've played about 2 hours. I have the official Sony bluetooth remote that i use to navigate those menus.

to my surprise. Both of the Dualshocks i've purchased, the boards under the buttons have gone bad. I can still use the directionals fine. But the buttons on either don't work. I'm sure this is a rarity and maybe the non-use even contributed to this somehow. But 2 hours of use for a $50 controller leaves a lot to be desired in terms of quality.

[Hotbird]

Originally Posted by Manyforms

I can't speak on the reliability of 3rd party controllers, however I've had particularly bad experience with the Dualshock 3's.

They've gotten probably the most minimal amount of use you could give a controller over the last 4-5 years (bought my ps3 in 2008) It's a BR and Netflix player more than a gaming system. The first game I bought for it was Tekken 6, which i've played about 2 hours. I have the official Sony bluetooth remote that i use to navigate those menus.

to my surprise. Both of the Dualshocks i've purchased, the boards under the buttons have gone bad. I can still use the directionals fine. But the buttons on either don't work. I'm sure this is a rarity and maybe the non-use even contributed to this somehow. But 2 hours of use for a $50 controller leaves a lot to be desired in terms of quality.

If you bought your PS3 that long ago you will likely have Sixaxis controllers which IMHO were pretty shoddy, both of mine have issues. But the two Dualshock3 controllers I have are solid as a rock and they get hammered really hard.

[mojobrew]

I have one Dualshock and two Sixaxis controllers, the two Sixaxis I've had since 2007 and the Dualshock from whenever that was launched. All three have been used loads, all three 100% fine. Not even a slightly sticky button.

I think anyone having had problems with them are down to being unlucky or not looking after them - the official Sony pads throughout PS1, 2 & 3 have been ace, the few times I've cheaped out and bought third party they've gone wrong.

[Section9]

Originally Posted by mojobrew

I have one Dualshock and two Sixaxis controllers, the two Sixaxis I've had since 2007 and the Dualshock from whenever that was launched. All three have been used loads, all three 100% fine. Not even a slightly sticky button.

I think anyone having had problems with them are down to being unlucky or not looking after them - the official Sony pads throughout PS1, 2 & 3 have been ace, the few times I've cheaped out and bought third party they've gone wrong.

Got to agree with you there. I don't know what Sony do, but I can't recall an officially controller of theirs ever failing/breaking on me.

[Function]

My dear beloved bought me a new official pad for my birthday a bit back, not impressed with the life of the battery at all. My original pads seemed to go on for a week at a time and I was on the PS a lot more then than I am now. This new effort is getting charged up every other day.

[sbds1]

I have 2 official pads that are on the go now - My Sixaxis left analogue stick went, and there's a problem with the charging unit in my firs dualshock - replacement battery doesn't do the job.

The two I've got going now, I use one for driving games, and one for everything else. The driving one has got a bit of a loose right trigger, which in shooting games makes me shoot without touching it, or lob grenades at team mates, doesn't make me hugely popular!

Tried a third party one quite early in PS3 life - sold it very quickly afterwards, they simply aren't as good.

[stefmeister]

Originally Posted by Section9

Got to agree with you there. I don't know what Sony do, but I can't recall an officially controller of theirs ever failing/breaking on me.

I'd also agree.

I've still got my original PS1 controller that came with my console in 1996, Its had plenty of abuse through the years & yet that pad still works flawlessly.
Also got one of the original PS1 Dual Shock pad's which I got when they were released in about 1998 & that also still works perfectly. PS2 pads I got with my PS2 in 2001 also still fine.

On the PS3 side i've got a six-axis that came with my PS3 when I got it in 2008 where the R-trigger has gone a bit loose (Caused my me dropping it) but other than that it's still fine. The Dual Shock 3 I've had since 2009 is perfect.


Actually, thinking about it I don't actually recall ever having an issue with an official controller for any of the systems i've owned. Still got all my original controller's for my systems & they all still work perfectly.

[Gormond]

Originally Posted by stefmeister

I'd also agree.

I've still got my original PS1 controller that came with my console in 1996, Its had plenty of abuse through the years & yet that pad still works flawlessly.
Also got one of the original PS1 Dual Shock pad's which I got when they were released in about 1998 & that also still works perfectly. PS2 pads I got with my PS2 in 2001 also still fine.

On the PS3 side i've got a six-axis that came with my PS3 when I got it in 2008 where the R-trigger has gone a bit loose (Caused my me dropping it) but other than that it's still fine. The Dual Shock 3 I've had since 2009 is perfect.


Actually, thinking about it I don't actually recall ever having an issue with an official controller for any of the systems i've owned. Still got all my original controller's for my systems & they all still work perfectly.

Only controllers I have had break on any system over the last 25 years is PS3 controllers. I am currently on my third, the issue both times was the analogue sticks.