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[fastmower]

I still have my original DS4 and its in perfect condition. I feel very lucky based on the reactions in this thread.

 

[Hoho for breakfast]

I made a thread awhile ago about the shit quality. Nothing has changed since then. Pretty sure Sony hasn't even remarked on any issues.

It's great while it lasts and that's about the best I can say for it.

 

[Sword Of Doom]

I love the texture of the sticks when the controller is new but they wear out so damn fast. I'm using grips on them but I hate having to do that

Also had the squeaky trigger issue

 

[Lexad]

My only issue is the pad on the left thumb stick is starting to tear. Otherwise the controller is leaps and bounds better than the DS3.

 

[TEH-CJ]

Yup mate its really bad. I have been though so many DS4 controllers its not even funny. I wont even mention how many.

Also I don't know if anyone knows this. But the white DS4 is lighter and has different feel to the sticks compared to the other models and the rumble is a lot more pronounced. I light the heavier blue ds4 I have better personalty.

 

[Amory]

Yeah the ds4 is shit quality. I've never used one (either mine or my friends') where the rubber on the analog stick wasn't peeling off.

 

[weevles]

I have two launch DS4s. I have no trouble with the sticks, but the R1 on one of the controllers is a little sticky. Nothing too bad right now, but it does make playing Bloodborne a little extra nerve wracking at times lol.

I think the rubber stick wearing out is dependent on how you play. I've never had that issue before ever, but some people I know constantly have this issue no matter what kind of gamepad they use...

 

[Rimon-hanit]

This is so odd, I keep hearing horror stories about the DS4 but I like literately(that is to say figuratively) sweat acid, I want trough 2 DS3 a year, yet I owned a PS4 since lunch and the controller is still like new.

anyway hope sony iron the issue out in future iterations.

 

[Stimpack]

I've had 2 out of 3 DS4s wind up with major thumbstick problems. Not just tearing, but there's something wrong with the deadzone where if you press it in certain direction it bugs out. It acts like it's not being pressed fully, so you'll start walking instead of running.

One is a launch DS4, the other is a relatively new glacier white model. They were both purchased brand new. It really pisses me off.

 

[wenis]

I still have my original DS4 and its in perfect condition. I feel very lucky based on the reactions in this thread.

same here. I bought two of them and they're all still original parts and everything. no problems at all.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

sounds like you got one of the bad initial batches (it all the ones with the stick covers wearing off early). i have a white destiny bundle and it gets played heavily with no issues

I've been using grips on my white controller since I got it so I don't know if it has bad sticks. My launch DS4 did not as far as I used it. It's the damn triggers failing that is killing me the most.

 

[fastmower]

same here. I bought two of them and they're all still original parts and everything. no problems at all.

Yep, I have a second that is also perfect. I should have mentioned that too.

 

[Altered Juice]

disappointing because it seems that every non-black ps3 controller i buy can't last a full fucking year. it didn't take long before the metallic gold controller i bought in november started craping out.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

Yep, I have a second that is also perfect. I should have mentioned that too.

What games do you two play and how often?

 

[Gouty]

Ive had pretty much every known issue. Peeling rubber, R1 sticking and most recently a dead zone in my left stick where characters will stop walking.

 

[Justinh]

Damn, it's unfortunate to see so many people having problems with their DS4s. I bought a red one not long ago. I don't have a PS4, but I wanted one just to mess around with on PC and I haven't had any problems with mine.
I've installed those knock-off Xbox one sticks on mine...Oh, and I rarely use it (I prefer the Xbox One controller).

Why the hell did I spend 80 clams on this thing?!

What do people mean that their L2/R2 buttons are breaking btw? Just curious...is the little lip thing actually breaking off or are they just not "activating?"

 

[JohnnyMoses]

My launch controller is in great shape! The only issue I have is that the rubber is starting to peel on the sticks. Other than that everything else is fine.

I wouldn't consider it to be in great shape if the rubber is peeling off the sticks.

I bought a second ds4 because the sticks on my launch ds4 were peeling, smoothed out and felt almost sticky. I could see this happening if I were a dirty grub, but I made it a point to wash my hands before using my ps4 shortly after launch because of all the problems with peeling being posted on here. My only thought is they built it that way on purpose to get people to buy more controllers. It really doesn't make sense to change the material they used on the ds3.

 

[Old Gimlet Eyes]

I've been using the same dualshock 4 since launch and haven't had any issues at all. I feel lucky for this based on this thread and those before it. The only complaint would be the battery life, but that is usually because I forget to put it on the charger when I am done with the previous session. Otherwise, overall build quality has been solid.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

Damn, it's unfortunate to see so many people having problems with their DS4s. I bought a red one not long ago. I don't have a PS4, but I wanted one just to mess around with on PC and I haven't had any problems with mine.
I've installed those knock-off Xbox one sticks on mine...Oh, and I rarely use it (I prefer the Xbox One controller).

Why the hell did I spend 80 clams on this thing?!

What do people mean that their L2/R2 buttons are breaking btw? Just curious...is the little lip thing actually breaking off or are they just not "activating?"

The spring is failing causing the triggers to not return to the neutral position. They work without the springs as the rubber on the actual button is springy but you lose tension and it wears out that rubber faster especially because the triggers use a blade to press on the rubber instead of a flat surface.

 

[CREMSteve]

I've got two DS4s, both are over a year old and get a ton of use. Neither have had any issues.

 

[LX_Theo]

No issues here.

Unfortunate for the minority who gets hit with the issues but it happens with all tech.

 

[wenis]

What games do you two play and how often?

i play a lot of everything. Bloodborne, FC4 (still trying to get all trophies), that new Wolfenstein, Spelunky, GTAV, and occasionally games of CoD:AW

 

[sn00zer]

My audio stutters like a mofo in my headphones connected to the DS4. Seems like a fairly common problem thats only partially mitigated by resetting the controller.

 

[golem]

Neither of my DS4s will hold a charge for more than 10 sec, and apparently they wont turn on the PS4 with just the cable plugged in either. It's a real pain in the ass- need to get around to replacing the batteries.

 

[NervousXtian]

Yeah, Sony really did a shit job with the build on these.. 2 of my 3 show wear on the sticks one is really bad.. I need grips for it.. the triggers on 2 are iffy but work, just feel weird now.

Disappointed as my DS3 (despite how I hate it ergonomically) are all still perfect and all my 360 pads have been abused as fuck and work perfectly too.. except the one my son spilled coke all over.. it sticks... but it still works.

 

[staticneuron]

So, let's summarize:

• Crappy battery life. Especially aggravating considering things like an option to turn the damn light off would improve this but somehow that option is not available for the user despite abundant requests.
• Bad quality rubber on the thumbsticks that wears off quickly or gets uncomfortably sticky
• Creaky sounds on buttons or build
• Overall fragility (many complaints about broken, unresponsive buttons after less than one year of use)
• All of that on a 60$ price tag
• 18 months after the release, Sony is still manufacturing the same low-quality controllers

Did I miss anything? What the hell is Sony waiting for to address this?

Because this issue isn't widespread. It wasn't even widespread at launch. Gamers rose a stink but it seemed to be a specific batch. I have two controllers from launch and experienced non of those issues. Actually I take it back, one controller has a broken trigger due to baby sis tossing it across room but other than that no issues, no peeling rubber no, loud noises.

The thing about these threads is that people will speak up when there is an issue. And normally only the people that have an issue, so when you read a thread full of issues, you might want to reel in expectations about this being a huge issue because with 20 million sold, there would be a much bigger stink about this. There is nothing to compare it to, because it would be odd for people to make threads just to report that everything is working as expected.

EDIT: and despite not being able to turn it off you can dim the DS4 lights. Makes battery life not an issue for me.

 

[Applecot]

Not sure if it's a usage thing. My personal launch DS4 has zero issues but I've definitely heard of cases; and seen display models with basically no rubber on the sticks. (Like basically all of the display models)

 

[RedAssedApe]

I wouldn't consider it to be in great shape if the rubber is peeling off the sticks.

I bought a second ds4 because the sticks on my launch ds4 were peeling, smoothed out and felt almost sticky. I could see this happening if I were a dirty grub, but I made it a point to wash my hands before using my ps4 shortly after launch because of all the problems with peeling being posted on here. My only thought is they built it that way on purpose to get people to buy more controllers. It really doesn't make sense to change the material they used on the ds3.

same here. out of the box my ds4 was a nice tacky rubber with good grip. after 1.5 years of use its smoothed out and lost a lot of that grip especially if your hands get sweaty.

i don't think its some kind of conspiracy though. they've already changed the material back to something closer to ds3 sticks. likely due to the number of failures and complaints? that or it was just a bad batch at some factory.

new ds4 sticks are a hard plastic now. less grip out of the box but it seems like it'll be a lot more durable and not be prone to tearing and wearing out. its not as comfortable though :\ trade-offs i guess.

 

[TheJoRu]

The triggers on my white one are a bit iffy, especially R2. It's like the back of it is stuck on something right in the beginning when pressing it, so you have to press slightly harder to unstuck it (this does not happen with L2). Then at the very end it snaps back into its "stuck" position. Repeat for every press you do.

Oh, and they squeak. A lot. Pencil didn't make any difference whatsoever.

 

[Hoho for breakfast]

The triggers on my white one are a bit iffy, especially R2. It's like the back of it is stuck on something right in the beginning when pressing it, so you have to press slightly harder to unstuck it (this does not happen with L2). Then at the very end it snaps back into its "stuck" position. Repeat for every press you do.

Oh, and they squeak. A lot. Pencil didn't make any difference whatsoever.

The trigger sticking is just like mine was and sounds like a broken R2 button. I believe it's because there's a plastic bar piece kind of like a hinge on the inside of the button that holds the spring and snaps the button into place, and one side of that bar breaks after use causing it to angle and stick, or not spring back like it's supposed to if the side with the spring is broken. I just got done fixing one with that issue. The replacement buttons are cheap (I bought an L2/R2 with spring set for $1.25 off ebay. Or you can get a pack of 5 sets for under $7).

You just take the controller apart and replace the button and you'll probably be good to go. There's videos for this issue on Youtube and such so you can see what to do.

Edit: I had a squeaky one too and fixed it but I don't remember what I did. I may have dabbed some wd40 into it using a q-tip but do not quote me on that and read up on it before doing anything because I don't want to ruin your controller.

Edit: Here's 5 sets of triggers + springs for $5.15 at Amazon

 

[Warablo]

So, let's summarize:

• Crappy battery life. Especially aggravating considering things like an option to turn the damn light off would improve this but somehow that option is not available for the user despite abundant requests.
• Bad quality rubber on the thumbsticks that wears off quickly or gets uncomfortably sticky
• Creaky sounds on buttons or build
• Overall fragility (many complaints about broken, unresponsive buttons after less than one year of use)
• All of that on a 60$ price tag
• 18 months after the release, Sony is still manufacturing the same low-quality controllers

Did I miss anything? What the hell is Sony waiting for to address this?

-Shoulder buttons eventually stick

 

[User 479360]

I hope that I won't have an issue with my two DualShock 4s, because they're so damned expensive ($74.99 plus 13% tax) here now, because of our dollar.

I had to return one because of a sticky L1 button, back when The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was released. I've had the replacement since, but haven't used it much because I only use my PlayStations for exclusives.

I bought a white one I've yet to test, though, before they went up in price. I'll likely charge it and test it out while playing MKX, which I'm renting from the library, though I don't want to use my nicest DualShock for a fighting game. I'll test it on something out, then not use it until my black one gets worn.

 

[...Scatter...]

Build quality of the Ds4 seems fine to me. It's the damn ergonomics of the sticks that kills me. 2k15 would feel better offset on the XBO controller. It's fine for most games though.

 

[User 479360]

Build quality of the Ds4 seems fine to me. It's the damn ergonomics of the sticks that kills me. 2k15 would feel better offset on the XBO controller. It's fine for most games though.

The Xbox One controller is so great, outside of its too-clicky shoulder buttons.

 

[Vhagar]

Agreed, build quality is all around poor.
Had to return my first one because the triggers made a really loud squeaking sound. Now R1 on my second one gets stuck on occasion, which was especially annoying during Bloodborne.

 

[MAX PAYMENT]

Build quality wise, the ps4 has the worst controllers I've ever owned.

 

[Shivvy_NTL]

My first ds4 lasted a few months before the left rubber wore out. My second one lasted a week. I was like eff it and got rubbers for it.

 

[IvorB]

Yeah it's pretty shocking. I'm getting some travel on mine where the cursor will just move slowly in one direction even while I'm not giving any inputs and now it fails to synch with the console sometimes. In general that state of the PS4 has been an real eye-opener for me. I really doubt I'll be on board for their next console after this. Thank god I bought it from Amazon and live in the EU.

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

Build quality is fine to me so far. The battery life is the worst of any consumer product I've ever used though.

 

[0ptimusPayne]

I just slapped on some gel tabs and never looked back...

 

[The Real Napsta]

I would suggest kontrol freeks cqc

Those can destroy your sticks even faster if you attach/remove them a lot.

 

[Big Chungus]

the rubber on my sticks is melting or something...

the residue is all over the face buttons and it feels weird now

 

[RedAssedApe]

Those can destroy your sticks even faster if you attach/remove them a lot.

i can attest to this. they really dig into your sticks if you're not careful. i couldnt get used to the stick height so was attaching/removing them every couple of weeks. the shorter kontrol freeks are especially bad. they were so tight they were smushing the edges of my sticks and slightly changing their shape lol

 

[Armadilo]

I have been trying to tell PlayStation that their needs to be a new controller or at least options, either they can't acknowledge me or don't care but I would love to get a bigger Dualshock 4 with improved triggers and battery and maybe they could have a 20 to 30% off when you trade in you old controller which would be nice

 

[Inf3cted_b3ast]

I have my original black DS4 that came with my console and I also have the white and camo controllers I bought last year around the time Destiny came out and all my 3 controllers are just fine. Also, I always invite a couple of my friends over to my house for gaming sessions of Fifa and a couple of other games and all my controllers are fine so I guess I'm lucky or something.

 

[DizzyCaffeine]

My GF's 20th Anniversary PS4's trigger is painfully squeeky.

It started within 5 hours of gameplay...

Yup, same issue w/ my 20th anniversary DS4. Squeaks like crazy even though I hardly ever use the damn thing.

 

[zroid]

And they cost $74.99 in Canadia. It's a joke.

 

[QuikNez]

I feel like this thread is making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Who gives a shit if the controller creeks!? Outside of what are likely a few faulty DS4's, the controller is magic.

 

[TouchMyBox]

And they cost $74.99 in Canadia. It's a joke.

Should have stocked up when Amazon.ca was selling them for $30.

 

[PaulloDEC]

My original black PS4 controller is still in great shape, but a blue one I bought a little later suffers from L2 and R2 triggers that feel a little loose horizontally, i.e. they slide to the left and right slightly. Came as a bit of a shock given how tight and precise everything seemed to be on my bundled controller.