How to Know If You Bought a Fake DualShock 4 Controller – PS4

I bought a fake DualShock 4 Controller months ago; I was expecting it to be a legitimate product only to find out that it is counterfeit. The amount of detail these counterfeits have is almost identical to the original controller. Even though the differences are small, you can easily pick out minute details like weight, the feel of the buttons, and how LED lights should work.

What is the Difference Between Counterfeit and Knock Off?

Even though both terms are used interchangeably because of how similar their nature is, knock-off and counterfeit are different things.

Knockoffs are products that resemble another product, they are not the same identical item. These products are usually sold by known brands to compete with the item that inspired them by selling it at a much lower price than the original. It is not necessarily illegal but a company that had its products copied can sue for copyright infringement or plagiarism. 

A counterfeit is a blatant replication of an item that willfully infringes upon the copyright and trademark of that product. It is illegal so many vendors would attempt to sell this online and in back-alley shops. The vendors mostly look for online storefronts that have lax measures to prevent counterfeits in the marketplace.

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What are the Red Flags that You Bought a Fake DualShock Controller?

The first thing to check is the price and if the seller presents it as an authentic DualShock controller.

A new and authentic DualShock 4 controller will not be sold by a seller at an exceptionally low price. Some of these vendors would sell fake DS4 controllers for 15 dollars or cheaper. 

If the controller is not a secondhand or a refurbished item, there is no reason for it to cost almost 70% less than the price of a new DS4 controller.

Another one to look at is the packaging. Most of the fake controllers’ packaging looks legitimate at first glance but you need to check for misspellings or bad edits of the logo. Another one is that most fakes have packaging where the plastic is molded to the shape of the controller, this was the packaging used for version 1 of the wireless DualShock controllers. Counterfeiters use this packaging design to fool any buyer not paying attention.

Remember, real DualShock 4 controllers don’t come with a USB cord in the box. If your controller comes with one there is a high possibility that it is a counterfeit product.

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If I Already Bought One, How Do I Spot If I Have a Fake DualShock 4 Controller?

Weight

A fake DS4 controller is much lighter than the original controller. The real DS4 controller usually weighs 210 grams while the fake ones are between 185 – 200 grams.

Build Quality

The plastic parts of the fake ones do not fit well and there are gaps between the seams of the plastic covering of the controller. You can also see the seamlines of the molding they used to counterfeit the plastic chassis of the controller.

The DS4 controller’s speaker does not work or for some it does work but it makes strange buzzing noises.

The LED lights have limited colors and cannot be changed through the PS4 setting and the Steam controller configuration settings. With the controller I have, the LED only has 3 colors, white for wireless connection, yellow for wired connection, and purple for PC wired connection/XBOX wired connection.

The light bar in the trackpad is just a solid bar of light shining through while in the real Dualshock 4, it fades out at the edges.

Buttons and Sticks

The feeling when using the fake DS4 controller is like the real one, the only difference is that the fake ones use a more matte finish in both D-pad and controller buttons. 

The same with shoulder and trigger buttons, they are almost identical to the real one.

The analog sticks are much harder to fake. Stick buttons are much louder when pressed and much more finicky when in use. The sticks don’t track movement very well and it would often overshoot turning a character or aiming which can be frustrating.

Trackpad and Gyro

They also both work with PS4 but it almost doesn’t work with PC/Steam. If the Trackpad is smooth without any texture on the surface, it is a fake.

If the Fake DualShock 4 Controller Works Just Like the Real One, Why Should I Buy Authentic DS4 Controllers?

The first is the warranty, Sony gives you a limited warranty on every DualShock 4 controller that you buy. If the one you bought has any factory defect or got damaged, it can be replaced or repaired through a warranty.

You are also buying a quality product that has undergone quality control to ensure that it will not break in a couple of months. That cannot be said with fake DualShock 4 controllers, the one I bought already had its L2 trigger get a bit loose.

You might not be able to use other features such as customizable light bars.

Latency and the finicky control that the fake controller has can ruin your game.

How Do I Avoid Buying a Fake DualShock 4 Controller?

Buy from reputable shops and online stores. To be sure, just buy it from the official Sony Store or any Authorized dealers. 

Check the availability and prices of original PS4 controllers in the following links

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