The 7 Best PS3 Controllers

Editor's Notes

October 17, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:

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.

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.