Playstation system, DUALSHOCK

By Jessica Shook | Posted August 28, 2021 at 06:53AM

Description



 Playstation®4 system and DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller

Rating

4.5

Summary

Pros

Pros:

Great new features

Special PSVita and PlayStation camera features

HDMI cable connection

Instant free games and content with Playstation®Plus membership

Superior 1080p graphics on most games

500GB storage


 

Cons

Cons:

Slow connection speeds when connected with Wi-Fi over hardline

Paid membership required - but not anymore than any other platform

Must buy accessories separately

Needs internet connection for online features

As a veteran PlayStation® gamer and customer I can honestly say that the console has greatly evolved since its first generation release. The PlayStation was my first ever console and I've stuck with it through the years through thick and thin, outright refusing to switch to Microsoft’s Xbox. Now that I have PS4 I can say I made the right decision. For full feature information start here, http://www.playstation.com/en-us/explore/ps4/features. As for the PlayStation camera you can teach your PS4 to recognize you, use voice chat in your games, access system commands, connect with the game world via broadcasts. You can broadcast yourself in play with the camera, add picture-in-picture video of yourself during game play live streams. Easily create then share a narrated game walkthrough in HD video. Voice chatting through four built in mics.  The camera has 3D depth sensing and  DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controllers light bar track a players movements throughout. It allows you to log in instantly with facial recognation and then navigate the system menu hands free with your voice input. Controlling in game actions through physical gestures puts your gaming in motion. PSVita features, that’s better left for someone else as I couldn't even begin to tell you anything about them as I have never owned one. 

What's in the box?

The PS4 comes with the Playstation®4 system, DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller, HDMI® cable, AC power cord, Mono headset, USB cable, and Printed Materials.

What's new?

The PS4 has so many new and awesome features. The new controller can be a bit jarring to use at first but it is clearly superior to previous models. The DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller feels very different but yet familiar at the same time. The analog sticks and trigger buttons have a better feel and are a vast improvement for those more competitive gamers on games such as Battlefield 4 and other FPS games. They are easier to use and the material on the analog sticks have a grip-like material eliminating the need for grip covers without it being overly thick and clumsy, although being thin this could lead to them wearing out faster on the down side. The biggest difference is the all new touch pad. I'll be honest, when Sony unveiled its first look at the PS4 and its controller, I had my doubts. To put it simply, I thought it was ugly and looked so differently from previous generation that I was afraid that they had changed too much. The touch pad isn't used in all PS4 games, and those that do utilize it have only positive effects. This touchpad now in my opinion has just added value to this new controller.

The most exciting change to the controller is the all new share button and built in gameplay recording function. Sony encourages PS4 users to share their experience with as many people as possible and thus added a simple gameplay capture device into the PS4, allowing you to now record your gameplay, edit it, and share it. The console even has a free basic editing application called SHAREfactory for gaming videos. This is my favorite feature because like a lot of people on the PS3, I can’t afford a professional capture device or the software needed to edit and make gameplay videos. The recording function also gives you the capability of live streaming your gameplay on Twitch or Ustream; however I don’t recommend live streaming any online gameplay unless you have a good internet connection as it can cause connection issues. Thus losing your live streaming and causing lots of frustration.

As a more competitive gamer, the best change is the party chat feature. PS4 has added the party chat feature that was previously unique to the Xbox 360. The party chat makes communication in online gameplay with friends much easier, and it’s even great if you just want to hang out with your friends in a party chat while you watch Netflix, or edit a video in SHAREfactory, or even play a single player game.

More than a gaming console!

The PS4 isn't just about gaming either. It has many other applications such as Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, RedBox instant, Amazon and that is just the big stuff. There are other various other television and movie applications, a default web browser, even Music and live broadcasting features. All of these applications are easy to access and are right there for you when you first start up. I personally only use Netflix or watch my Blu-ray movies on it but it has a large selection of different television applications. The only thing that is missing is the YouTube application, which at the 2013 E3 conference Sony stated that the feature would not be available at launch but would be added soon, and was again confirmed at the 2014 E3 conference. While it is taking longer than usual it isn't really Sony's fault as it has something to do with licensing.

Gamer Focused, Developer Inspired

While Sony and the previous Playstation consoles have had some problems, this next generation console trumps any doubts I have ever had about the company. You can see that Sony has listened to its customers (and still is), taken their positive and negative feedback about previous generations, and adapted with its market. With PS4, Sony has made the users and their experience its main focus. For them it’s about the gamers, which is a breath of fresh air since most companies could seem to care less about their customers these days, but Sony seems on top of all the bugs and fixes them promptly from my experience.

Base price: $399.99 plus tax not including the addition fee for PSN membereship and is sold at most stores like Gamestop, Walmart, Target, Best Buy.


Conclusion

I look forward to everything PS4 will have to offer in the future, and I have no doubt that the years to come will be exciting, groundbreaking, and fun. 


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