If you are shopping for a controller for the PS3 on Amazon, you may noticed several generic controllers that look just like the Dual Shock 3 but can be bought at just a fraction of the price. The only difference, at least in terms of looks, is that the home button features the P3 logo instead of the PS logo. The low price sounds tempting considering that you can earn the extra money saved to buy more video games instead of accessories. Nevertheless, the items may cause too much trouble than they are worth.
First, let’s talk about some of the few positives of the generic P3 controller. The knockoff gamepads do come in a variety of colors, a few of them weren’t covered in the official Dual Shock 3 units. The options that are available include yellow, purple, red, blue, green, orange, black, pink, silver, white and gold. The prices are also cheap and could go down even further with promotional deals and during sales period such as Black Friday.
Unfortunately, you do get what you pay for. The build of the controllers feels cheaper when compared to the official ones. A lot of customers are also complaining about multiple buttons not working as intended some of the time during gameplay sessions. Furthermore, there are multiple reports of the P3 completely malfunctioning.
Some of the issues could be associated with using cheaper parts in addition shoddy manufacturing. On the other hand, Sony may be responsible as well. The company released multiple firmwares for the PS3 over the years. These system updates could change how some of the accessories function. With the generic P3 controllers not being officially licensed, Sony have no obligations in releasing fixes for the third-party devices.
In the end, you should not be sway by the low price and fancy colors. The knockoff controllers are not worth the trouble and may break sooner rather than later. Avoid the generic P3 controller and, instead, stick with the official accessories.
So is the Dual Shock 3 the best controller for the PS3? Not necessarily. Sony launched the Dual Shock 4 along with the PS4. The next-generation pad provides a more ergonomic feel due to the concave triggers, longer grips and better analog sticks. The Dual Shock 4 previously require a USB connection to be used on the PS3. Recent firmwares allow the user to connect wirelessly through Bluetooth.
The compatibility is still not yet 100 percent in regards to the Dual Shock 4 and the PS3 as there are issues with the PS button, vibrate function and Sixaxis motion control. Nevertheless, Sony seems to be committed with making the new controller compatible with the old system.