Recently we did a comparison on what many people consider the best controllers available from third parties including the Scuf Vantage, Astro C40 and the Nacon Revolution Unlimited. One of the most common questions has been “Why not just use an Xbox Elite controller?” While not exactly an easy feat, the functionality has been challenging to perfect due to differences in connection design. Until now there really hasn’t been a way to get an Xbox One controller to work flawlessly with the PS4.
How Does It Work?
In its simplest form it’s just a USB stick. By plugging the Gam3Gear Brook USB stick into one of the USB ports, you are ready to rock and roll with any compatible Xbox One controller. The one downside is that you must be wired to your controller at all times. So if you’re trying to get rid of cables this isn’t the product for you.
The basic features that come with the Super Converter are vibration, button remapping, turbo mapping, and hot swapping with all compatible devices including gamepads, joysticks, and racing wheels. If you’re intentionally trying to use one of your favorite Xbox controllers and are curious if it’s compatible, make sure to check the list of compatible devices prior to purchasing.
Button mapping functions similar to what you’d assume based on the layout similarities between the Xbox One and PS4 controller.
Lost Functionality
With any foreign hardware that is not native to a console, you’re bound to lose some functionality. So what do you lose with the Gam3Gear?
- Light sensor bar : If you play PS VR or simply just like the light functions of the Dual Shock 4, you will lose this functionality. It’s not supported and Xbox Controllers don’t have this built in natively.
- Built in speaker : A number of PS4 games take advantage of the built–in speaker on the Dual Shock 4. This is not supported.
- Console Power On : Even though you are hardwired in, you are not able to power on your PS4 with an Xbox controller.
**The Dual Shock 4 touchpad button is technically supported but not implemented very well**
Testing and Demo
We tested a number of controllers and games to make sure we didn’t run into any limitations based on controller/game type. The controllers we tested included a basic Xbox controller, Xbox One Elite, PDP Stealth Series Wired Controller, and a PDP Mortal Kombat Gamepad. To note, we also tested the Logitech G920 Racing Wheel only to find out mid-test that it has yet to be supported.
During our tests we did not run into any issues, including noticeable lag or buttons not working as they should. Both the turbo and button remapping was also tested without any issues. The games we tested were The Last of Us Remastered, Gran Turismo Sport, Nier: Automata, and Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator.
Closing Thoughts
If you’ve grown accustomed to using the offset joystick layout or Xbox centric controllers, this may be the perfect product for you. I’ve always been the type of gamer that has preferred first party controllers over third party due to functionality and durability concerns. Personally I’ve run into hand cramps after playing a shooter using the Xbox One Elite controller and then jumping into God of War with a Dual Shock 4. If you’re hesitant transitioning to an Xbox One controller for your PS4, you may be surprised with how easy it actually is. Check out our video with a full breakdown and demo.
