I’ve been playing my PS4 for the past two weeks, exclusively using the NACON Wired Compact Controller. Using 3rd party controllers is a real crapshoot, but thankfully this NACON Wired Compact Controller Review is all positive.
The NACON Wired Compact Controller was announced in February and are officially licensed by Sony, giving them a much-needed edge over other 3rd party controllers.
NACON Wired Compact Controller Review
Although the NACON Wired Compact Controller is marketed and named as a compact controller, it’s really not noticeably smaller than a standard DualShock 4.
It’s not quite as wide and is more boomerang shaped than the real-deal. The NACON Wired Compact Controller really does feel essentially the same in your hand though.
The main difference with this controller is that it’s wired rather than wireless. There are pros and cons to having a wired controller. The pros being that you never need to worry about it going flat and that the wire is long enough to almost not notice.
The cons of having a wired controller are the wire itself and the fact that after so many years playing with wireless controllers, the feeling of being tethered can be a little offputting.
It’s really not that big of a deal though. In all honesty, after about an hour of using the NACON Wired Compact Controller, I had already forgotten that it was wired.
Comfy & Responsive
All of the standard buttons of the DualShock 4 are included on the NACON Wired Compact Controller. Surprisingly, every button felt great to press.
Usually, there’s some clunkiness or cheapness to the form and function of 3rd party controllers, but not so with the NACON Wired Compact Controller.
The face buttons feel identical on the NACON Wired Compact Controller as they do on an official DualShock 4. The D-Pad is the same as those found on Xbox One and Switch Pro Controllers and is one solid button rather than four separate ones. It doesn’t change the way using the D-Pad feels and never caused me any dramas.
Part of that could be due to the fact that D-Pads aren’t used that often in modern gaming, but again, it comes down to the overall quality of the NACON Wired Compact Controller.
Not perfect, but close
The analogue sticks on the NACON Wired Compact Controller are definitely smaller than those on an official DualShock 4. They’ve also been given some additional height. Official DualShock 4 analogue sticks are quite short and stumpy and I personally use extenders to improve precision and movement.
The NACON Wired Compact Controller’s analogue sticks need no extensions as the extra height makes aiming and movement more precise.
The sticks also have a deeper concave that makes it easier for your thumbs to rest comfortably. When moving the sticks, there’s a nice amount of resistance and great snapback. It’s just another example of the high quality of this controller.
All in all, the face buttons of the NACON Wired Compact Controller are immaculate, though the touchpad, options and SHARE buttons are a little problematic.
The touchpad doesn’t sit flush with the controller like the DualShock 4 and so I tended to accidentally press it on occasion. Especially when the action was getting intense.
The options and SHARE buttons also sit much higher than their official counterparts and like with the touchpad, I did, on occasion accidentally press them when I didn’t mean to.
Great Value For Money
As with the face buttons, the shoulder buttons and triggers feel great to use. They do definitely veer closer to the cheaper feel of some other 3rd party controllers.
I wouldn’t say that using the shoulder buttons is bad. It’s certainly one part of the controller that feels lower quality.
The PlayStation button is also a little bit of a disappointment. Pressing it doesn’t turn the PS4 console on despite the controller being connected to the USB port. You’ll also need to press the PlayStation button to turn the controller on even after turning the console on.
Having to turn your PS4 on by pressing the power button on the console or another DualShock 4 is somewhat annoying. I wish the NACON Wired Compact Controller could turn my console on, but in reality, it’s not a deal breaker.
An excellent substitute
Official DualShock 4 controllers retail for somewhere between $70 and $100 AUD and are certainly well worth the cost. If you’re looking to spend a little less money or are looking for a slightly smaller option the NACON Wired Compact Controller is pretty [erfect.
No 3rd party controller will ever be able to fully replace the official one, but the NACON Wired Compact Controller comes damn close.
As I said earlier, I’ve used theNACON Wired Compact Controller exclusively for the past two-weeks. I’ve played games in all genres and the controller has performed pretty much perfectly.
The few issues I had with the touchpad, options and SHARE buttons weren’t ever enough to ruin my gaming session.
This is easily one of the most impressive 3rd party controllers I’ve ever used and I highly recommend it.
The NACON Wired Compact Controller is available for $49.95 AUD from JB Hi-Fi.
This NACON Wired Compact Controller Review was written based on the use of a controller provided to PowerUp! by the distributor.
