PS3 Controllers

It seems it is impossible to get first-party Playstation 3 controllers these days. Third-party controllers are also becoming scarce. Only three options seem to be readily available, and I have one of each.

The first two are both made by Powera, one wired, one wireless. They use the same case, and feel the same in the hand.  The wired version will run you 15-20$, the wireless 30$.

The wired Powara controller is very light, and feels cheap. It has no rumble motors, or sex-axis support. However, it handle modern games well, with the sticks being accurate, and the buttons being responsive. 2d games are not easy to play with this controller due to the placement of the d-pad.

The wireless version is heavier, and feels a bit better in the hands for it. In addition it has dual rumble motors and six-axis support. This has the same strength and weaknesses as its wired counterpart. It has decent battery life running for about 20 hours on 3 AAAs.

Both of these are alright, at least for modern games. If you play a lot of 2d games, or PS1 classics, these are not very good options.

The final controller is made by PDP. It runs 20$, wireless and is made of clear plastic with lots of LEDs. Thankfully the LEDs can be turned off.

Unlike the other two this controller has the same layout as a first-party PS3 controller, while being a little thicker in the hands. It runs on two AA batteries, getting roughly 18 hours play. It has dual rumble motors, and supports six-axis. The buttons are responsive and springy, and sticks are accurate and feel good on the thumbs. The d-pad is decent, having a central pivot.

Overall, of the options available I think PDP Afterglow is the way to go. Combines a low price, with the proper Playstation controller layout. Making it good for all game, not just modern ones.