
Buy Nacon Compact Wired Controller from ozgameshop.com
NACON's Wired Compact Controller packs in an impressive range of features, including a touchpad, stereo headset jack, and vibration motors.
View detailsWe’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!
In the early days of the Xbox One vs PlayStation 4 debate, the biggest argument for the Microsoft army was the superior Xbox One Wireless Controller. These days, PlayStation's significant lead in exclusive titles reduces the importance of Xbox One's quality hardware, and the Xbox One Elite controller, while an engineering marvel, gets little use when you've got nothing else to use it for.
While Sony hasn't come out with a competitor to the Xbox One Elite's gamepad, there have been some officially licensed third-party controllers from the likes of Hori, Nacon and @PLAY that have tinkered with the feel and size of the DualShock 4 without changing the layout and look dramatically. The latest of these is the Nacon Compact Wired, a wired solution with minimal changes to the original DualShock 4 design (as opposed the Nacon Revolution Pro which was fatter with added macros) and the controller we got to wrap our digits around for this review.
NACON's Wired Compact Controller packs in an impressive range of features, including a touchpad, stereo headset jack, and vibration motors.
View detailsThe Nacon Compact Wired comes in a huge variety of colours and styles. The matte selection comes in black, grey, blue, red and orange.
However, there's also a translucent range that comes in clear casing with red, blue and green with extra LEDs. They've got a bit of a retro feel that brings back fond memories of my translucent purple Game Boy Color.
For the sake of this review, I went with the matte grey controller. I couldn't resist that classic PlayStation look.
From a distance, the matte Compact Wired doesn't look overly impressive but up close the smooth matte finish, patterned touchpad and glossy triggers look different enough from the DualShock 4 to stand out. You'll obviously make more of a statement with the flashy translucent controllers but if you're like me, you'll want to opt for the more subtle matte finish.
The Compact Wired has a textured touchpad that isn't as large as the standard touchpad and it doesn't wrap around the top of the controller. Not much of a change there but the Compact's chunkier build makes it a little awkward to use the touchpad. Not that you use it for much more than opening a map these days anyway.
Speaking of underused features, the Compact Wired does away with the DualShock 4's tiny tinny speaker and luminescent light bar. Whether it's the little vwoop noise when you boot up Aloy's Focus in HZD or taking a call from your lousy mates in GTAV, it's always a pleasant surprise when developers decide to take advantage of the little speaker and light bar. More importantly, some PSVR games use the light bar to track the player.
The last gimmick to get the axe here is the SIXAXIS motion controls. And while I can't for the life of me remember the last time I used SIXAXIS controls, if my memory serves me correct, there are certain games like Heavy Rain that use it quite frequently (if not, require you to use it).
So for the saving of $25 to $30 you're forfeiting those standard features. If you're not big into VR, motion controls or light and sound effects you're halfway to throwing down the money for a Nacon Compact Wired. The last hurdle is wired controls.
First, let me say I personally have no qualms with the Compact Wired's USB shackles. The cable is roughly 3 metres, which is more than enough for my cosy loungeroom and it's always a relief to know the controller is ready to go at any time (the Micro USB gnomes frequent my apartment regularly).
Thankfully, the Compact Wired's "soft touch" finish is a pleasure to hold in your hands. The DualShock 4's longer arms mean I'm constantly reaching for the L and R shoulder buttons, whereas the Compact Wired's shorter, stockier design encourages a claw-like grip where your index and middle fingers are constantly at the ready.
Before this, I've only gone naked and wireless but playing with the Nacon Compact Wired has made me see the light. Reaction times in twitch-based games like Furi feels a lot faster and I can no longer use my input lag excuse during a tense round of Overwatch.
The Compact Wired's incredibly tactile buttons also help here. I've always found the DualShock 4's buttons (particularly L2/R2) a little spongy which can get a little annoying in the heat of battle (when you swear you activated your ult at the last second). When you press in the shoulder buttons on the Compact Wired, there's a solid "click", so you know for sure you pressed that button.
The thumbsticks sit a little higher than the sticks on DualShock 4. This offers more precision in first-person shooter games for the simple fact that it offers a wider radius and more space to move. The sticks are also 100% plastic, which is a godsend. At the time of writing, I've replaced three DualShock 4 controllers thanks to a worn out silicon thumbstick (and one a busted L2 trigger) so knowing I'll never have to worry about that is a relief. The sticks are also nicely textured and concave so you really don't miss the silicone.
However, for purely aesthetic reasons, the wired setup is a bit of a mess. I like to keep a tidy entertainment unit with no wires hanging out the front and the Compact's cord has become my worst enemy. I've almost stopped using my DualShock 4 entirely (almost, more on that in a second) so every morning I wake up to a nasty rubber serpent slithering from my console, all the way to my lounge. Look, wrapping it up and packing it away is not a difficult task, I know. But I've been mollycoddled by the joys of wireless and now anything else is just an inconvenience.
The Revolution Pro Controller 2 comes with a detachable USB-C which is probably more likely to get swiped from my lounge room to charge someone's smartphone, but admittedly a much smarter choice in almost every way.
This leads me to my last gripe. The power/home functionality. The comfort of wired is always having a controller ready when you respond to the call of duty. However, that comfort is reduced when you realise the PlayStation home button on the Nacon Compact Wired does not power the PlayStation 4 on.
This isn't just my last gripe, it's my biggest. It means I a) have to manually power the PlayStation 4 on or b) have a traditional DualShock 4 handy. Nacon has some pretty swell support on its website and offers regular updates for its products, so I'm hoping this is something that can be fixed in a future patch.
The Nacon Compact Wired controller will set you back $59.99 through ozgameshop and $49 through JB Hi-Fi. For comparison, a standard DualShock 4 will cost you $75 to $80 through ozgameshop and $75 to $89 through JB Hi-Fi.
While it took me a while to get used to the Nacon Compact Wired's fatter design and larger buttons, it has quickly become my go-to controller option. If not for its smooth matte grip and weightier design, then definitely for the sheer convenience a hardwired controller option offers.
While nobody needs an extra three-metre cable in their life and the power/home issue button means I always need an official DualShock 4 on hand, these are small shortcomings for an otherwise stellar alternative. An alternative that comes in at up to $40 cheaper than the standard DualShock 4, too.
It's a necessity if you want to play multiplayer games online but are you really getting your money's worth?
Dubbed the “Netflix of video games”, Game Pass gets you a lot of bang for your buck but not everyone will see its value…
HyperX’s Clutch Wireless is a pretty blatant Xbox clone controller, but that imitative look is one of its biggest strengths.
We haven't seen a definitive racing game in the P2E space as yet, but NFT racing game Nitro League is shaping up as a contender.
Which console is best for you? The Switch OLED, normal Switch or Lite Switch?
The HTC Vive Focus 3 looks to deliver a premium grade, wireless virtual reality headset with back-end features suited for businesses. Is it any good?
The Recon controller provides some much needed extra control for Xbox and PC gamers but makes some trade offs to get there.
ASUS's ROG Flow X13 GV301 is one of the most "2-in-1" laptops we've ever tested, just as capable as a simple lightweight ultrabook as it is a higher end gaming laptop.
Big gaming laptops are heavy beasts, right? Nobody told the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 GA503 that, because it beautifully balances power and lightweight construction.
The Razer Blade 14 2021 gives you an astonishing quantity of gaming power in such a small laptop, although like most premium gaming laptops, it's at a price that some may find challenging.
Hi! I’m loving the compact Nacon controller. I’m having a little thing though with it and I don’t know if its because I got a 5 USB thing and because of that it sometimes doesn’t respond.
Hi Rad,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. 😃
Yes, that could possibly be one reason why your controller does not respond. Sometimes, it has to do with your USB port. What I can advise is for you to try using a stand-alone USB port. Usually, even if you use a 5-USB port, but if it is of good quality, it should work. So, if it works with stand-alone USB port, but does not work with your 5-USB port, then the problem could be the USB port and not the controller.
If all else fail, please refer to the user’s manual or better yet, get in touch with your seller and see if they can provide you some quick solutions.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua