Premium control at a premium price.
Controllers are almost as much of gaming as the games are. Having the right controller has always been a debated topic. Some like the offsetting analog sticks, but a good d-pad is still necessary. When Microsoft introduced the Elite controller for Xbox One many (myself included) balked at the idea of a nearly $200 controller. After spending time with one though, it is hard to go back. Astro has been one of the top names when it comes to audio peripherals, but now they are dipping their toes into the premium controller market with the C40 for PlayStation 4, and it stands on the same level as Microsoft’s premium offering with even more features.
While it may seem arbitrary, packaging goes a long way in making that first impression. The box for the C40 is slick and sturdy. The controller itself comes in a protective clamshell case with padding, a charging cable, and a few customization pieces. I felt like mine was missing a few since there were empty slots, but that is apparently normal. That is one of the features of the controller, replaceable thumb sticks, d-pads, and even the ability to swap analog sticks into various positions. They also sell faceplates to make the controller my own, much like their audio hardware.
MSRP: $199.99
Platforms: PS4, PC
Price I’d Pay: $199.99
The first thing I noticed was the weight behind the controller. When I spend $200 on something, I want it to feel like I got my money’s worth. The weight feels good and it relays the feeling of a premium controller. The first thing I did was switch the analog sticks to offsetting as I prefer that layout. The kit comes with the tool necessary to do that, and the process was quick and painless.
Customization is king when it comes to these kinds of controllers. The C40 not only allows physical alteration, but also functional. There are two triggers underneath the grip that can be assigned to any button. Unlike the Elite controller though, these can be assigned on-the-fly. Simply tapping a button on the back and then tapping which trigger you want to assign, and finally tapping the face button you want it to mimic. It is as simple as that, and makes customization so much easier. There are also trigger stoppers and a button that switches the controller between wired and wireless.
The included USB cable has some length to it, and the response time wired is claimed to be tournament ready. I am not an expert on input lag, but testing a few fighting games it felt just a touch more responsive in wired mode. The wireless mode comes with a caveat though. It takes up a USB slot on the PS4 for its dongle. For standard owners that is a premium slot, while Pro owners have the luxury of having one extra. Though being a power user like myself I already had to taken up by an external drive and VR, so I had to swap between the dongle and the charge cable, which was a pain.
The customization goes further though with the software for the C40. While I enjoy being able to customize my Elite on the Xbox itself, the C40 requires a PC (at least for now) for its tinkering. It is incredibly powerful though, and easy to use. Simply plug in the USB cable and I could save infinite profiles with button remaps and even stick sensitivity and dead zone. I could only load two profiles onto the controller, but the others are saved on my PC anytime I wanted to swap them out. I ended up leaving the USB on my PC and just docking it to charge there so I could customize if I wanted before moving it to my PS4. The controller also works on PC wired or with the dongle, which is a nice touch.
I put a number of games through the ringer with excellent results. Everything from simple indie platformers such as Hob and Timespinner, to big budget games like Spider-Man and Horizon Zero Dawn. Then I moved on to test the d-pad with games like Street Fighter V and Fighting Layer EX. They all performed great. The controller feels wonderful with almost any genre. If I had to knock a few things it would be that the triggers on the grip are a little out of place. I found myself tapping them from time to time, and the d-pad is a little stiff until I wore it in. Otherwise it felt much better than the standard Dual Shock 4.
The Astro C40 is a premium controller at a premium price. The USB dongle takes up precious real estate and the triggers can be wonky at times, but outside of that it earns its hefty price tag. The quality of the build here is just outstanding. It is now my preferred PS4 controller for all things gaming. I am not sure it overtakes the Elite as my current favorite controller, but it gives it one heck of a run for its money in every department. At least Sony now has a premium controller worth touting. Shame it had to come from a third party instead of internally.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
