The 7 Best PS3 Controllers
Updated by · How we research
Refurbished originals or third-party pads? Seven PS3 controllers compared by motion sensing, pressure buttons, battery and PC use. The Sony DualShock 3 leads. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Sony stopped making PS3 controllers years ago, and much of what's on the shelf now is the same DualShock-shaped clone sold under dozens of names. So buyers now choose between refurbished Sony originals and third-party pads. This page is for anyone still playing PS3 games, running emulators or using a pad on a PC.
From the manual
- Sony's box has no USB cable; the pad uses the PS3's A to mini-B cable, so check that a refurbished one comes with one. p. 2
- Rumble can be turned on or off from the menu the PS button brings up. p. 2
- Left unused for a long time, it needs a full charge at least once a year to keep working. p. 2
- Sony doesn't sell the battery on its own and says the case screws should come out only when the pad is discarded. Sony Japan support page
Why the Sony DualShock 3 is our top pick
On paper the original still outlasts its best modern rival. Sony rated a charge at up to 30 hours with rumble off and about 15 with it on,4 from a 610 mAh cell,1 and the rumble can be switched off from the PS button menu.1 Our runner-up, the Retro Fighters Defender Bluetooth, is rated for 10-plus hours a charge.3
The gap is wider on a computer. The Defender connects to a PC by USB cable only,3 while the original pairs with Windows over Bluetooth through the free DsHidMini and BthPS3 drivers, which also read its motion sensor.5
The runner-up wins on supply. Sony has ended service for every PS3 accessory, doesn't sell the battery on its own and puts a typical cell's life at about 500 charges,2 so any original you buy now is old stock or refurbished. The Defender is new, charges over USB-C and works on a PS4 too.3 A sound refurbished original is the better pad; when none is on offer, the Defender is the safer buy.
| Sony DualShock 3 | Retro Fighters Defender Bluetooth | |
|---|---|---|
| Rated battery life | 30 h rumble off, 15 h on | 10+ h |
| On a Windows PC | Bluetooth or USB, free drivers | USB cable only |
| Charging port | Mini-USB | USB-C |
| Supply | Refurbished; Sony service ended | New, on sale since March 2023 |
Sources
- Sony DualShock 3 1Instruction manual, CECHZC2E (PDF), p. 2 2Battery and charging, Sony Japan support (Japanese)
- Retro Fighters Defender Bluetooth 3Product page and specifications
- 4Engadget: Sony on DualShock 3 battery life with and without rumble (2007)
- 5DsHidMini driver for DualShock 3 on Windows (GitHub)
From the manual
- Firmware updates run from a phone: install the ShootingPlus v3 app, then hold the screenshot button while pressing Home. p. 1
- The first connection to a PS3 has to go through the USB-C cable; after that it pairs wirelessly. product page
Retro Fighters Defender Bluetooth firmware update instructions (PDF)
From the manual
- Motion control works only in Bluetooth mode; on a PS3, pair it by cable first, then unplug and press Home. pp. 2, 6
- The retro receiver serves only a PS1 or PS2; a PS3 connects over Bluetooth, the USB receiver or the cable. p. 12
- Rumble has four strength levels, set by holding Start and pushing the left stick up or down; it ships at 70 percent. p. 8
- If it misbehaves in Steam, turn on Steam Input in Steam's settings. p. 14
From the manual
- Each pad's first connection to a PS3 must be by cable; pair and test one pad at a time. p. 1
- A pad used on another console, or reset, may need pairing again by cable. p. 1
- Motion and rumble work only in games that support them and have them turned on. pp. 1-2
- Don't try to replace the built-in battery, and skip fast-charge-only adapters that may not give standard 5 V. p. 2
Editor's Notes
November 4, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
We read Sony's DualShock 3 manual and battery support page, Retro Fighters' Defender Pro guide and Defender Bluetooth firmware sheet, and Okhaha's two-pack manual, added notes from them under four picks, and added a section on why the DualShock 3 leads. We corrected the Defender Pro's motion sensing, which works on a PS3 over Bluetooth, and the DualShock 3's battery details: the cell is built in, and Sony's 30-hour figure is with rumble off. We also noted that the counterfeit tells forum posters cite are hints, not proof.
October 17, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
Several of the 2020 picks, the Oubang Graffiti + Black, KPLN Wireless, Voyee Black and EasySMX Wired, no longer turn up as products at all, and the Arsenal Gaming Raven, CForward Wireless, Tonsum Blue and Snakebyte Wired are unavailable or now sold under other names.
The Sony DualShock 3 stays on top. Forum regulars still say the original is best, and on paper they're right: it has every feature PS3 games use. Sony stopped making it years ago, so we now point to a refurbished unit with a warranty rather than a dwindling stock of so-called new ones. The ZD-V+ stays too, as the wired pick for PC players.
New are the Retro Fighters Defender Bluetooth, the third-party pad forum posters recommend most, the Hyperkin Brave Knight for wired play, the Retro Fighters Defender Pro for anyone who still has a PS1 or PS2 hooked up, and two budget clones, the Diswoe PS3-W02 and the Okhaha M-P3 Two-Pack.
We stopped at seven. Past these, the shelf is mostly the same DualShock-shaped clone sold under dozens of names, and listing more of them wouldn't help anyone choose. No lab has tested PS3 controllers either, so we relied on maker pages, manuals, forum discussions and owner feedback, and we say where a fact comes only from the seller.
Earlier notes
September 23, 2020, by Kaivaan Kermani:
The PS3 is the latest console that I own. I had grown up on a PlayStation 1, and then got a PlayStation 2 when that had released. I never got a PlayStation 4, because, by the time of its release, I was looking at colleges and studying for my SAT’s and ‘preparing to be an adult’, and I haven’t really had the time to get back into gaming since. However, I’ll probably clear out my schedule eventually and get a PlayStation 5 once Rockstar releases the new GTA – or just move onto GTA 5 online, if that takes too long to happen.
Suffice it to say that I’m quite a fan of the shape and feel of the traditional PlayStation controller, which has basically kept the same look since the original release of the PS1 all the way up to the PS3, although, obviously there have been minor changes, like the addition of DualShock, and L2 and R2 buttons, etc.
Universal Gaming Controllers: The previous editor had done a good job of adding consoles that offer compatibility with a variety of platforms, like the ZD-V+, Snakebyte Wired and EasySMX Wired, which is perhaps why they look so generic and not like traditional Sony PS3 controllers in the first place. A couple of them do remind me of Xbox controllers – which I don’t personally like – but I can’t deny the fact that they’re versatile options. Add to this list the Arsenal Gaming Raven, which looks like a PS4 console, but can be used on either PS3 or PS4. Do note that none of these options are wireless.
Updates to This List: I was happy with the universal-type controllers and wanted to focus on adding higher-quality traditional-style aftermarket controllers to our list – the ones that look and feel like the Sony PS3 controller.
These controllers all have the same buttons and basic shape, but can vary in terms of quality, battery power, charging time, wireless range, motifs, and more. For instance, the Voyee Black, which I’ve added has grooves in the back of its handles, and this makes it somewhat more ergonomic and easier to hold. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it does feel a lot sturdier when you’re playing racing games, or barreling down the highway while running from the cops, especially if you tend to get sweaty fingers.
Also, for the benefit of making an easier and more accurate value-for-money comparison, I’ve made it a rule to only include single controllers and not packs of multiple controllers, which is one of the reasons that I’ve removed the Molgegk Bundle. [2026 update: the current list includes one two-pack, the Okhaha M-P3, as its pick for two players.] Other options like the Bek Design Wireless and Chengdao Black were struggling with quality-related issues, and so it was just a matter of finding higher quality alternatives like the Tonsum Blue and CForward Wireless.
February 17, 2019, by Brett Dvoretz:
Whether you are a traditionalist or just looking for a top of the line option, nothing beats the offical Sony Dualshock 3, which is why it claimed the number one spot on our list. Since many people game on more than one console, we included the ZD-V+, Arsenal Gaming Raven, and EasySMX Wired, which are all compatible with at least three platforms, if not more. For those who feel style is just as important as in-game performance, we included the KPLN Wireless and Molgegk Bundle, which both come in a bunch of cool designs.
Special Honors
iFixit DualShock 3 Battery iFixit sells a replacement battery for the DualShock 3, along with the small tools and free step-by-step guides needed to fit it. A fresh cell is the cheapest way to bring back an original Sony pad that no longer holds a charge. ifixit.com
DsHidMini DsHidMini is a free, open-source Windows driver that lets a DualShock 3 or Sixaxis work with PC games, by cable or, with its companion BthPS3 driver, over Bluetooth. It's the cleanest way to put an original PS3 pad to work on a Windows computer. github.com
Originals, Clones And The Features PS3 Games Use
Both have pressure-sensitive buttons and the same Bluetooth and mini-USB connections, and both are long out of production.
Sony made two wireless pads for the PS3. The Sixaxis arrived with the console in 2006 with motion sensing but no rumble, and it weighs about 137 grams. The DualShock 3 added rumble in 2007 in Japan and 2008 in the U.S. It's heavier, about 180 grams by Sony's 2012 spec sheet, and has an opaque shell, where the Sixaxis is slightly see-through. Both have pressure-sensitive buttons and the same Bluetooth and mini-USB connections, and both are long out of production.
Those features matter more than they seem. Some games read how hard you press a button, and some ask you to tilt the pad, so a controller without pressure sensing or motion can leave parts of a game unplayable. Check both on any third-party pad. Retro Fighters, for example, says its Defender Bluetooth has both, while its older 2.4 GHz Defender has no motion sensing on a PS3.
Counterfeit Sony pads are common. Forum posters on GameFAQs and ResetEra point to a few tells: lights and a PS button that sit proud of the shell, thin or blurry lettering, motion sensing that doesn't work, short battery life, and a Windows PC naming it something like PS3 Pad instead of PLAYSTATION(R)3 Controller. Treat them as hints, not proof. Benjamin Höglinger-Stelzer, the Austrian driver developer who maintains DsHidMini, wrote on the project's GitHub in 2021 that the casing, the back label and the USB IDs are easy for counterfeiters to copy, and that some owners of genuine pads see the PS3 GamePad name. A price far below other listings is a warning, and a seller that takes returns is the real safeguard. Clones that say openly they aren't Sony pads, sold in every color and in skull, camouflage and graffiti prints, are a different thing: honest copies, though owners report more variation in quality from one unit to the next.
Wired Or Wireless, Pairing And Batteries
A wired pad never needs charging or pairing and can't drop its connection, which suits a PS3 close to the couch or a PC on a desk. A wireless pad lets you sit anywhere, but it depends on a battery. The DualShock 3 has a built-in 3.7-volt lithium-ion cell of 610 milliamp-hours, by Sony's spec, and Sony's U.S. arm told reporters in 2007 that a charge lasts up to 30 hours with rumble off and about 15 with it on. Sony's Japanese support page gives a typical life of about 500 charges and says the battery isn't sold on its own, so a pad more than a decade old often runs far less. iFixit sells a replacement battery that fits it, though Sony says the case screws should come out only when the pad is thrown away.
To pair a wireless PS3 pad, plug it into the console with a USB cable, turn the PS3 on and press the PS button. The PS3's Bluetooth handles up to seven devices at once. Retro Fighters gives the same first step for the Defender Bluetooth. While it's plugged in, an original pad charges and keeps working over the cable.
Every wireless pad here has a built-in rechargeable battery. Charge it from the console or a standard 5-volt USB port, and stop using any pad whose battery swells, gets hot or smells. Sony has also announced that the PlayStation Store will close on the PS3 starting in July 2027. Games you already own stay playable and can be downloaded again, so a good controller still has years of use ahead.
Using A PS3 Controller On A PC Or Another Console
On Windows, a DualShock 3 needs a driver before games can see it. The free DsHidMini driver, with its Bluetooth companion BthPS3, is the usual route, and DS4Windows is another. Steam Input supports the pad once the computer recognizes it. If you mostly play on a PC, a wired pad that speaks XInput, the mode Windows games expect, skips that setup entirely.
Sony's PS3 pads don't work as controllers on a PS4 or PS5. A few third-party pads cover both a PS3 and a PS4, so check the listed systems if you own both consoles. Cheap clones vary on a computer: they usually work over the cable, while Bluetooth pairing is hit or miss, as one Batocera bug report shows on Linux.
Neither the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall database nor Health Canada's recall site lists a recall for any controller on this list or its maker.
How we researched this
We looked at 22 current and former PS3 controller listings and screened nine in depth. For the picks we read Sony's DualShock 3 instruction manual (CECHZC2E) and its Japanese battery-support page, Retro Fighters' Defender Pro quick start guide and Defender Bluetooth firmware sheet, and Okhaha's two-pack user manual; we found no manual for the Hyperkin, ZD-V+ or Diswoe pads, so their specs come from maker descriptions and listings. Sony America's 2007 battery figures, Retro Fighters' product pages and the DsHidMini driver's documentation and GitHub discussions settled most questions about the original and its rivals. The CPSC's recall database and Health Canada's recall site show no recall for any of these controllers or their makers.
Sources (22)
- Wikipedia: DualShock
- Wikipedia: Sixaxis
- Wikipedia: PlayStation 3 accessories
- Retro Fighters: Defender Bluetooth
- Retro Fighters: Defender (2.4 GHz)
- DsHidMini on GitHub
- PlayStation: important notice (PS3 Store)
- GameFAQs: spotting a fake PS3 controller
- ResetEra: checking if a PS3 controller is genuine
- Reddit r/PS3: best controller for PS3
- Batocera issue 6774
- CPSC recalls
- Wikipedia: PlayStation 3
- Sony: DualShock 3 instruction manual, CECHZC2E (PDF)
- Sony Japan: DualShock 3 battery and charging (Japanese)
- Engadget: DualShock 3 battery life with and without rumble (2007)
- Retro Fighters: Defender Bluetooth firmware update instructions (PDF)
- Retro Fighters: Defender Pro
- Retro Fighters: Defender Pro quick start guide (PDF)
- Okhaha: M-P3 two-pack user manual (PDF)
- DsHidMini discussion 166: telling genuine pads from clones
- iFixit: DualShock 3 replacement battery
Frequently asked questions
What is the best PS3 controller?
Sony's own DualShock 3, because it supports every feature PS3 games use: motion sensing, rumble and pressure-sensitive buttons. If you can't find a good one, the Retro Fighters Defender Bluetooth lists all three, and so does the Defender Pro when it's connected over Bluetooth.
What is the difference between the Sixaxis and the DualShock 3?
The Sixaxis came first, in 2006, and has motion sensing but no rumble. The DualShock 3 added rumble, weighs more and has an opaque shell. Otherwise they work the same way.
Can I use a PS3 controller on a PC?
Yes. On Windows, an original pad needs a driver such as the free DsHidMini, and then it works with Steam and most games. A wired pad with XInput, like the ZD-V+, works without extra software.
Does a PS3 controller work on a PS4 or PS5?
Sony's PS3 pads don't. A few third-party pads, such as the Retro Fighters Defender Bluetooth, work on both a PS3 and a PS4.
How do I tell if a DualShock 3 is fake?
Forum posters point to lights or a PS button that stick out from the shell, thin lettering, motion sensing that doesn't work and a short battery life, and a price far below other listings is a warning sign. None of these is proof, since the developer of the DsHidMini driver says casings and labels are easy to copy, so buy from a seller that takes returns.
Are cheap PS3 controllers any good?
They can be fine as spares or for a second player, and many claim motion sensing and rumble. Quality varies more from unit to unit than with an original, and some owners report pairing trouble.
