The 10 Best PS3 Controllers
This wiki has been updated 24 times since it was first published in February of 2019. The PlayStation 3 is the eighth best-selling gaming console of all time, so it is no wonder people are still using it more than a decade after its initial release. To ensure you can vanquish all of your virtual foes, edge out the competition in every race, and navigate through tricky mazes, it is important to have a responsive and comfortable controller, which is exactly what you'll find here. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Sony DualShock 3
2. ZD-V+
3. Oubang Graffiti + Black
Editor's Notes
September 23, 2020:
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. 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:
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.
4. Arsenal Gaming Raven
5. CForward Wireless
6. Tonsum Blue
7. KPLN Wireless
8. Voyee Black
9. Snakebyte Wired
10. EasySMX Wired
Kaivaan grew up in a little town called York in the north of England, though he was whisked off to sunny Jamaica at the age of 14, where he attended high school. After graduating, he returned to the UK to study electronic engineering at the University of Warwick, where he became the chief editor for the engineering society’s flagship magazine. A couple of uninspiring internships in engineering later however, and after some time spent soul-searching and traveling across Asia and East Africa, he he now lives and works in in Dubai.