The instant grip of the original Dual Shock 4 controller revision was awesome. Coming from the Dual Shock 3 and the Xbox 360 controllers, the grippy texture of the Dual Shock 4 was a revelation at the time.
Since I wasn’t going to pick up a white console any time soon, I did the next best thing and picked up a white Dual Shock 4 controller for $40. It’s gorgeous and the improved rubber material on the thumb sticks will undoubtedly last longer but they had to sacrifice that initial grip factor that I loved.
I accept that sacrifice if it means that the controller will last more than a year.
The complaints against the Dual Shock 4’s thumb sticks began around the PlayStation 4’s launch day and I chalked it up to bad luck and early design and manufacturing oversights. I wasn’t denying the potential problem but I wasn’t too worried about it either.
Unfortunately, my Dual Shock 4 has succumbed to the same thumb stick splitting issues.
I contacted Sony via their online chat and opened up a case within 15 minutes. They’re going to send me a coffin to ship back this Dual Shock 4. I’m hoping the replacement they’re sending me are a bit more resilient. I read the new white Dual Shock 4 controllers feature tougher rubber sticks but they’re also more slippery.
The Dual Shock 4 makes a wonderful first impression. I loved the grip of the thumb sticks but they simply don’t last. Even before the splitting of the thumb stick covers, other issues were cropping up. I’ve been playing FIFA and Diablo III over the past couple of months. They’re left stick heavy games which you can surmise by the photo above.
I started to notice my left thumb slipping as the cover deteriorated. What I initially adored became a liability. I was tempted to replace the thumb sticks with the Xbox One’s which are made out of hard plastic with grip textures. I decided to contact Sony first but if the replacement fails me, I’ll take matters into my own hands.
If I do go down the path of opening up my controllers, I might even replace the controller with a larger 2000 mAH battery. The lowly 1000 mAH is enough for my play session but just enough for one. If I don’t charge it afterwards, my next session will likely be cut short.
My brother’s launch controller also has issues. His controller’s left stick is exhibiting the stuttering and drifting issues. As soon as he can locate his receipt, we’ll contact Sony for his controller’s issues.
Needless to say, these early Dual Shock 4 controllers have a few build quality issues.
At the time of writing, my PlayStation 4 is sitting in some warehouse in this city. It actually arrived on Saturday but UPS is waiting to deliver it to me on Monday. That’s not too bad considering Amazon.ca started shipping on launch day.
Despite the delays on my personal console, I was still able to participate in the launch day festivities. My brother was able to pick his console up on launch day morning without any fuss.
