A while back, my partner gifted me a credit good for one personalized SCUF controller for my PS4 Pro, molded in the image of my idealized pro-gaming controller. It came with two programmable rear paddles that could be set to any button of my choice.
I loved that green bastard, but the romance would only last a few dreamy months, as shortly thereafter I ended up lucking into a PS5. Although that gorgeous controller was compatible with my PS5, it wouldn’t work for any PS5 games proper. And really, once I got my hands on an actual DualSense, there was just no going back. Since SCUF wasn’t yet making DualSense-style controllers, I had to resort to using the actual DualSense that came with my PS5.
… until my partner gifted me a credit for AimControllers, a third-party controller manufacturer that was making paddle-equipped DualSense-style controllers. Although it took about three months for the controller to finally arrive (and the package was in pretty rough shape when it did), I am now the proud owner of a customized AimControllers-brand, DualSense-style controller with four pre-programmed paddles.
So how does it stack up? Well, let me regale you.
First, I should mention that I am in no way in cahoots with either AimControllers or SCUF. Both of these controllers were purchased with my partner’s hard-earned money. That being said, if you happen to be working for a third-party controller manufacturer and are interested in hooking a brother up, you know where to find me…
As I had previously stated, the SCUF controller for my PS4 Pro was rock solid. The color, the grips, the re-programmable rear paddles, the ability to swap out the analog sticks — that controller was really the cream of the crop compared to Sony’s first-party controllers. If I could use it for PS5 games — or rather, if SCUF offered the option to customize a DualSense-style controller (it’s coming, but currently not yet available) — I would’ve happily gone with another SCUF controller.
That being said, the AimControllers option is no slouch; it’s just not as impressive or personalized as my SCUF.
The first downside of this controller is that the rear paddles are pre-programmed, with no option for re-programming by the user after purchase. I don’t foresee needing to actually remap the paddles (I went with R/L3 for the top two and X and O for the bottom two), having the option is a nice touch. They can sometimes get in the way, and it’s easy to accidentally press one or more when placing the controller down at any point mid-game, say for a snack or bathroom break. I admit that this is mostly just a minor annoyance. I don’t play competitive games, and accidental button presses are rarely going to make or break the single-player game experience.
The color options are not as robust with AimControllers as they are with SCUF. But this is something I probably wouldn’t even register had I not previously purchased a SCUF controller. In fact, pretty much all of my minor complaints are only in comparison to my SCUF controller. If you’re comparing it with first-party hardware, the AimControllers option makes for a perfectly serviceable third-party controller. Compared to the DualSense that came with my PS5, the build quality and rumble features appear to me to be identical. The haptic feedback and other such buzzword features are intact. Considering I got a $50 discount by using my Capital One Chrome browser extension, it was absolutely well worth the investment.
If down the road I end up getting a SCUF-brand DualSense-style controller, you can bet your sweet bippy I’ll be back to talk about it. Until then, game on, Wayne.
