Sony introduced the Onyx Wireless Controller from Hori, an officially licensed Bluetooth game controller designed for all of the PlayStation 4 consoles. As promised, the Hori Onyx controller is available to purchase as of today, offering owners a gamepad option with a design that differs from the DualShock 4 models.
The DualShock 4 is an excellent game controller, managing to improve upon the PS3’s controller without compromising the things many gamers like about it. That said, the controller isn’t to everyone’s tastes; someone may want a different grip design or a different stick arrangement, both of which are offered by the Onyx.
Whereas the DualShock 4 controller has both sticks on the bottom, the Hori Onyx Wireless Controller features the D-pad where the left stick would be, putting the left stick up where the D-pad is found on the DS4. The grip design is different, as well, being slimmer and shorter leading up to a wider, beefier body (basically, it looks like an Xbox One controller).
The touch pad in the middle is retained, as are dual vibration motors. There’s no light bar on the back of the controller, unlike the DualShock 4, however. Charging is performed with an ordinary micro USB port, but it doesn’t appear there’s a port on the bottom for using a charging cradle.
While there’s no shortage of third-party PS4 controllers, they’re not always up to par as far as quality goes. The Hori Onyx is different, in that it is one of the third-party models that have been officially licensed. The asymmetrical stick design is a welcomed addition to the PS4 controller lineup, but North American availability details and pricing aren’t clear. The controller is available in Europe now, however.
