Best/Decent Wireless Controller(s)?

aminerva

aminerva

CAG Veteran
I've searched through the archives and found CheapyD's recommendation for the Fountech AirStyle wireless controller, but that review was from almost a year ago. So before making the $40 or $50 investment, I wanted to see if anyone else had a favorite?

If it makes a difference, I sit about 6 to 10 feet from the PS2/TV, and do not use a cordless phone in the house. I do have a wireless laptop card, but do not have a wireless access point in my apt. Not sure if those will influence interference issues.

Thanks very much for any help

Tony
 
if ur gonna spend 40-50 u should get the ones from costco. u get a pack of 2 for like 50 (or 40 i cant remember). i forgot what the names were, but my friend bought them and they worked great.
 
[quote name='moe11888']you should still get the airstyle controler[/quote]

Yeah, I don't think there have been any better wireless controllers made for the PS2.

Check gear.ign.com if you like, but I think the Airstyle is still considered the best.
 
if ur gonna spend 40-50 u should get the ones from costco. u get a pack of 2 for like 50 (or 40 i cant remember). i forgot what the names were
Click to expand...

I think the $50 wireless pair package are Pelican brand. Anybody have these and care to give us your review?

I have the Pelican Chameleon (clear plastic) corded model and am unimpressed with the quality. The wireless ones look like they are identical except wireless versions. I do like the re-positioning of the L2 and R2 buttons. However, the face buttons are somewhat sticky and sometimes unresponsive unless pressed harder than normal. I'm assuming the wireless versions have the same quality issues but I'd love to be proven wrong.
 
I purchased one AirStyle from Lik-Sang, with shipping it was right at $50. I saw Hyper-Cafe had them, but on their website they were more expensive, and I hesitate to buy through Ebay (Hyper Cafe also offered them on Ebay for a little less) b/c returns can be such a problem.

I've heard differing accounts of Lik-Sang, but I'd never used them before & thought I'd test it out on a $50 charge.
 
[quote name='aminerva']I purchased one AirStyle from Lik-Sang, with shipping it was right at $50. I saw Hyper-Cafe had them, but on their website they were more expensive, and I hesitate to buy through Ebay (Hyper Cafe also offered them on Ebay for a little less) b/c returns can be such a problem.

I've heard differing accounts of Lik-Sang, but I'd never used them before & thought I'd test it out on a $50 charge.[/quote]

I haven't used Lik-Sang since they got "busted" by Nintendo a while back. I ordered a screw driver designed for the Nintendo 3-prong screws. (Afterburner anyone? :D) It took a little over 3 weeks to get my package but that was due to my cheapness. I didn't want to pay for fast shipping from China. I was satisfied with the transaction overall and would do business with them again.

My 2 cents.
 
AirStyle arrived Friday (only 10 days, pretty good for the cheapest shipping at Lik-Sang). So far so good. It eats batteries, but I have lots of rechargeables so it's ok.
 
The AirStyle controllers are alright, but nothing compares to the Logitech controllers for either the PS2 or XBox. I've tried them all, and have always experienced interference at the worst possible moments in the game. I haven't had ONE problem with the Logitech controllers for either system. The only downside is that they are rather expensive. If by chance you start to have problems with your AirStyle controllers as I did, break down and get the Logitech units. You won't regret it.
 
I have the Logitechs for both my Xbox and PS2... have to agree... nothing is better hands down. Xbox version is a tad tighter.

I tried a Pelican one and it was a POS. Returned it same day. I also have a Mad Catz one, not bad but no comparison to the Logitechs. Justdeals.com has had them for both systems refurb for $29.99. Well worth it!
 
Question--have you guys that are saying the Logitechs are better actually TRIED the Airstyle, or are you just going by what you have? I'm looking for a wireless controller too, but haven't been impressed with my PC Logitech gamepad, so I'm leaning towards the Airstyle too at this point. Convince me otherwise?

hohndog--What kind of problem did you have with your Airstyle?
 
The Airstyle is the only wireless controller I've ever tried, but except for the shoulder buttons, it feels better to me than the OEM wired controller that came with the PS2. The shoulder buttons are fine, but not quite as nice (which is basically the same thing IGN said when reviewing the Airstyle).

It does eat batteries though, no doubt about that. I've played in normal analog mode w/out vibration on, and get an average 5 hours out of my NiMh rechargeable batteries.
 
Hey, aminerva, what size are your rechargeables? I've got some 2200 mAh ones I'll be using and wonder how long they'll last in between charges. The good thing is I'm on a RPG kick so I should be able to play in the extended mode!
 
I have a wireless controller from ps2 and a x-box one from Pelican! ts great only 29.99 Its on of the best I've seen! Never any problems! My gamecube is a wave bird and its great to! But then again that one is a actual nintendo product so it should work well! But the pelicans are really good I would recomend them to everyone!
 
I've also got the 2200's (bought one of the charges with 12 AA & 12 AAA from batterspace.com). and like I said, 5 hours of play time is about all I get, but that can be spread out. I don't usually play for 5 hours straight, so in reality the 2 batteries are lasting me about 3 or 4 games, as I play maybe an hour straight most of the time.

So I've had the same batteries in there for 3 days now, and they're still going strong, but that's only been 3 games of TAA and using the controller as a DVD remote as well.

5 hours of playtime is my average with decent batteries.
 
Wow that's not a great battery life. Rechargables will save it if you own them. Unfortunately, I don't use rechargeables... Might be good justification if I decide to purchase an AirStyle.
 
I think it was well worth the $40 investment for the charger & 12 AA/12AAA from batterspace.com. I needed the batteries for other items as well, so it's not just for the controller. No matter which wireless controller I went with, I was going to get rechargeables to go with it.

Still, the other items (Digital Camera, tape recorder, etc...) don't go through the batteries nearly as quickly.
 
The Pelican Wireless Chameleon does not offer for feedback, but the Pelican Predator does.

Both have gotten pretty good review from the game press, but the AirStyle is pretty much the leader according to the press.
 
WOAH! WOAH! WOAH! 5 hour battery life!!! Aminerva, did you use the batteries that where included with the Airstyle? I just ordered one under the impression that it was fairly good with batteries. The IGN guy said that it got 50 hours battery life! If this thing only gets a few hours per set of batteries then there is no point in having one. By the way, rechargable batteries usually suck! I have some and they last for about a second! Can anyone else confirm the battery life of the Airstyle with regular(non-rechargable) batteries.
 
I second the support of rechargebles. I've got two sets of Panasonic NiMH, one 1250 mAH and the other 1900 mAH, and they rock. The newer set came with a one hour charger. We got them when we got a digital camera, but with all the remotes and baby toys we have, they are a lifesaver. Got my sets, including I think 6 AA, 4 AA, and a charger, from BJ's for 20 bucks and 15 bucks [after rebate.]
That said, 5 hour battery life is sad--is that using the force feedback? I've heard that that really sucks the battery.
 
Isn't it a fact that rechargeable batteries don't last anywhere near as long as 'proper' batteries? I don't know for a fact, but in my experience regular Duracell batteries outlast rechargeables by miles. Seeing as Duracells are cheap at Costco, I don't mind going that way but if rechargeables last nearly as long I might invest in some when I get round to getting a wireless PS2 controller.
 
The batteries that came with my airstyle didn't last more than a couple of hours (the first night I played it several hours straight to see if I'd be satisfied). After about 3 hours, I trashed those batteries & switched to my rechargables.

Before I go on though a short note here: I love NiMh rechargables. I've been using them in digital cameras & other devices for a couple of years. They are the reason I don't mind buying a wireless mouse or a wireless Airstyle. Once I've bought them, that's it for batteries for a few years.

So to me, the 5 hour life of a rechargable battery is fine. I swap them out with the others that are charged and go on playing.

Perhaps I should note that the 5 hours time average for me is not that the device stops working. It is just that after 5 hours I start to notice a lag. Not a big deal on a game like ICO, or even MOH: Rising Sun (in most situations) but in the game I've been playing most often, TAA, it is murder.

So I probably could have gotten another few hours of play out of the batteries before they became unusable on most games (maybe even another 5 hours). But since I've got a ton of rechargables there is no need for me to do that. I gave my review based on the way I play my games & the responsiveness I expect from a controller.

Finally, I'm running the Airstyle in normal Analog mode with the Rumble turned off (the default setting). The instructions that come with the Airstyle show an unrealisitc battery life chart. I think 50 hours was if you played in ECO mode (not a responsive) for good alkaline batteries, and 30 hours in ECO mode for rechargeables.

I've not used ECO mode, so I can't speak to that. I've also not used good quality alkaline batteries (Duracell, Energiser, etc...). I've used decent quality NiMh batteries and have been satisfied with the results thus far.

I suppose it all comes down to how often you play & what's important to you. I own a small condo & use my PS2 as a game machine & a DVD. Since my condo is small, I didn't want wires all over the house so I opted for what the reviews I read said was the best wireless controller for the PS2. I've got the money to spend on the controller & the rechargeable batteries.

So perfect for me, but for those on an allowance or tigheter budget (I remember those days when I was in high school working at restaurants), maybe not right for you.
 
Thanks for clarifying, aminerva. My Airstyle will be here on Monday. I can test it out with both a good set of rechargeables and a set of good standard Duracells or Evereadys and post my findings next week if anyone is interested.
 
You want the best wireless controller? Sell your PS2, buy a GameCube and a Wavebird Wireless. It is the best ever! And battery life? They say that the 2 AA batteries should last around 20 hours. Mine seems to last way longer. And distance is zero problem. I took it down the hall of my dorm and into the basement and my friend said it was still controlling the game. So, if you really want the best, go with Nintendo...
 
Ok....I've been endeavouring and basically tried every wireless controller out there.

Here is the result of my search:
For Playstation 2:
Best Ever Wireless Accessory = PELICAN WAVESTATION
- because it lets you use 2 original controllers and has perfect response time with Full rumble
- While not really a wireless controller...it is a wireless hub and works at 50 Ft. and doesn't interfere with Wireless Ethernet
- Also this can be powered by an AC Adapter or 4 C Batteries....I have yet to run the batteries dead on this thing.....even with 2 controllers...and yes the DVD Remote Works through
- May be hard to find now....

PS2 Wireless Controller Only:
1. HipGear and Airstyle = Tied.....
Both are pretty much the exact form factor as a PS2 Dual Shock....but I've run into interference with Wireless Ethernet (802.11b) with the Hip Gear and I've run into periodic Interference of some sort with Airstyle probably 900Mhz Phone. Short Battery Life

2. Logitech PS2 Wireless Controller....a little big, but overall comfortable....not good for Sports games like madden or ultra precision (like sniping in Socom II) as the analog pad is a little touchy. For everything else....for everything else PERFECT with no Wireless Interference. Good Battery Life and arguably better than the Airstyle if only the form factor was exactly like PS2 Dual Shock.

XBOX WIreless Controller:
Hands Down Best = PELICAN ECLIPSE WIRELESS CONTROLLER
If you can find it in Black (which I've noticed is rare...otherwise get the silver)....this is the BEST wireless controller for XBOX. Same form factor as the S Controller, but has cool 2nd set of should buttons for the white and black buttons. EXCELLENT....I seriously recommend. Though you still have to plug in the headset for XBOX Live but wireless headsets are coming soon. I have yet to kill the Batteries on this thing and I've been using it like crazy for months. EXCELLENT.

GAMECUBE:
Hard to argue with perfection.......WAVEBIRD....now if only they would add Rumble.
 
A guy on the Cheapass Trading board is selling his. Must suck. I canceled mine and got two extension cords instead. No batteries and all the rumble I want! BOOYA!
 
A guy on the cheapass trading board is selling his so it must suck? That's the worst logic I think I've ever heard.

So if I list something for sale on Ebay, or Half.com, or in my local classifieds it must suck? I couldn't just be selling it b/c I no longer want it?

As I've said several times in this thread, the controller is not for everyone. It works great for my situation.

I certainly don't understand why folks have brought up the controllers for other systems as a comparison, except that every thread on every game related discussion list must turn into a "how my game machine is better than yours" fight. For Christ's sake, I was originally asking about the best wireless controller for the PS2 on the PS2 discussion board. Why would I give a rats ass how it compares to the GC or XB controllers? There are discussing boards for all the other consoles for you to extrapolate the various virtues of those systems.

Do you think that when you die & meet your maker, he/she/it is going to place you above all others b/c you bought a PS2/XB/GC?

It is just so asinine.
 
[quote name='jboy']A guy on the Cheapass Trading board is selling his. Must suck. I canceled mine and got two extension cords instead. No batteries and all the rumble I want! BOOYA![/quote]

NOOB. Nuff said. :roll:
 
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