PS4's new performance controller goes heavy on customization
While the standard DualShock 4 controllers that ship with the PlayStation 4 are probably enough for most gamers, there will always be a subset of users who want more customization options for their gamepads. Enter the SCUF Vantage, a new performance controller being developed as an officially licensed PlayStation product. If you want more options when it comes to control schemes, the SCUF Vantage definitely seems to be the controller for you, but only if you're willing to plop down a significant amount of cash.
One look at the promotional shots of this controller is enough to know that it's quite a bit more serious than the DualShock 4. Additions include a pair of sax buttons on either side of the controller, along with four paddles on the back side of the device. There's also an audio touch bar at the bottom of the gamepad that allows you to increase and decrease in-game audio without taking your hands off the controller.
Things get a little more intense when we look under the faceplate – which is magnetic and can be swapped out if you so choose. The vibration modules in the SCUF Vantage can actually be removed, which will make your controller lighter and cut back on hand fatigue, at least according to Sony. The Vantage also supports interchangeable D-pads and control pads, so you can change between the two at your leisure, as well as adjustable hair triggers that can help with accuracy and response time in FPS games.
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You can remap the buttons on the controller by pressing the remapping switch beneath the audio bar, and like most of these advanced controllers, you can also equip the Vantage with a number of different thumbstick mods. In the end, this is basically Sony's answer to the Xbox One Elite controller, and the Vantage shares a lot of similarities with it – most notably, a left-side layout that seem to be heavily inspired by Xbox One's gamepad.
If this seems like a controller you want to own, you might want to start saving up. Sony announced a $169.95 price tag for the wired-only SCUF Vantage today on the PlayStation Blog, while the wireless model will run you a whopping $199.95. We'll see it launch later this summer at SCUF's online store and at GameStop.