Snakebyte offers us a new controller for PS4, the Game:Pad 4 S Wireless, a wireless controller that comes to play on the entry and mid-range market. Let's see together what she has in her stomach.
The very small package contains the controller, its Micro-USB charging cable and instructions. The bare minimum, especially since the Micro USB cable is very short from the top of its 120cm and therefore will not be practical in many charging situations.
The controller exists in several colors, but it is the blue Camouflage that we received in test. Personally a little disappointed because the Bubblegum Camo model (Pink Camouflage) seemed prettier and more harmonious (question of taste), but in the end, the photos do not do justice to the Blue Camouflage which looks much better in real life than in the promotional photos.
First observation when taking the controller is that it is light. And for good reason, its first flaw is not to integrate movement recognition. Although this feature is not widely used in-game; I was just starting Detroit Become Human borrowed for the second time from the media library next to my house. So no luck that its absence goes unnoticed here and which is a basic feature of the official controller sold with the console... What was my surprise to find myself in a dead end with my other controllers completely discharged on the first pass where the function is needed. I will manage to make progress on this game one day, but I digress: let's go back to the Game:Pad 4 S Wireless controller and take it in hand to have confirmation of the first impression when unboxing: the ergonomics are not great .
Not that it's completely bad, but there's so much better out there. The controller tries to be compact and as a result, the fingers do not fit well either on the direction cross or even on the front buttons.
More surprisingly, the slice buttons are made in such a way that the triggers take place naturally by their size at the expense of the small R1 and L1 which do not even pass in the way of the fingers and require particularly awkward gymnastics to press on them.
But that's unfortunately not the worst, although it sets the tone, because at worst I ask for the layout of the Share and Options keys. These two buttons are placed just above the left and right joystick respectively. And when I say just above, understand that they are almost glued to the base of the joysticks. Super practical to have to remove your fingers from the joysticks to be able to take a screenshot or to go to the menus of a game! *sarcasm +9999*.
But all is not negative, even if honestly it is what is essential which poses problem on this controller.
The touchpad, although smaller than that of the official PS4 controller, is efficient and detects movements correctly. As for the very angular design of the handles, it is not so unpleasant in the hands, contrary to appearances, even if the overall appearance is still very plastic... But for an entry-level controller, we will not no longer ask him for a perfect finish. Just that the controller is efficient and that the battery has a decent lifespan before having to recharge it, which is not really the case, since it will only be necessary to count on about eight hours of autonomy before having to recharge it.
As a second extra controller when friends arrive for a few games, why not, especially given its price of €29,99 on The Amazon. But for use as a main controller, investing in the Game:Pad 4 S Wireless controller would clearly be a mistake because of its flagrant lack of ergonomics...
