PS3's Sixaxis has the lowest battery life?
- Posted February 1st, 2008 at 09:03 EDT by
- 11,965 views
- 100 Comments
The Sixaxis controller, Sony’s priority technology for the PlayStation 3 which allows the user to manipulate the game environment in a number of ways by tilting the device in a number of directions. It has been a feature that has had its ups and downs. Some developers take advantage of it while others do not.
No matter how much time and money the developers spend on trying to make the PS3 experience unique through sixaxis, what is the use of the player’s experience is only going to be short term?
Through a recent study at Gamepro, reports have uncovered that when compared to the Wii and Xbox 360 controllers, the PS3 sixaxis turns out to be the controller with the shortest battery life. The sixaxis controller is the more lightweight of them all and probably the more technological savvy with the Blue-Tooth connectivity and all.
However, because the controller lacks an auto-off feature, Gamepro revealed that the battery life for the sixaxis last only nearly 19 hours. This is compared to the 36-hour lifespan of the Wiimote and 57 hours for the Xbox 360 controller.
This is really uncalled for. While the PS3 controller may present some heafty features, Sony needs to make some strides to ensure the overall enjoyment last a substantial amount of time. With 2008 being a big year for PlayStation 3 owners, we will all no doubt be using the console a lot in the coming months and naturally do not want to have to continuously recharging the controller. Hopefully Sony will introduce something that last a bit longer in the near future.
Source: GamePro
Comments
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Scarl |
Scarl- 9:21am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 3
It lasts long enough for me too... and it charges up pretty fast. :-)
My friend has a couple wireless controllers for his 360, and I think he buys batteries for them. I much prefer being able to just connect a USB cable when I am not using my PS3 so the controllers are always at full charge.
EDIT: That must be left "on" but just idle, I've used controllers that were lying around for 5 or 6 days "off" before without any problem and the article did say "auto off feature". I doubt I could game for 19 hours straight... but would it be me or the controller that needs a break first? :-)
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Wintee |
bluedotred- 9:28am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 5
Yeah but on the other hand I didn't need to BUY a wireless pack for it unlike the 360.
It came free, so I'm not going to complain. I've not noticed myself recharging it every 19 hours either .Dont know where they got their figures from. Saying that, I do have two of them and often switch them over.
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Triple Dk |
TripleDk- 9:36am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 7
19 hours is okay, I guess? Besides, you can still play while it charges!!! We all played with wires back in the time, so for a small time (the Sixaxis recharges pretty darn fast actually) can't you just move your chair a bit closer and add a little wire!?
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Pmosis
- 9:44am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 8
This is misleading. What are the times of the wiimote and the xbox 360 controller if you dont let them go in standby? ie. For continuous play time which one lasts longer? This sounds like they are keeping the PS3 controller on the whole time "because it doesn't have an auto-shutoff" while they are giving the other controllers time to rest.
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Paranoimia |
Paranoimia- 9:50am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 10
This is pretty much irrelevant. (a) I suspect that very few people use their PS3 for 19 hours straight, and (b) when you're not using it, just plug it in to your PC to keep it charged. That's what I do, and that's why this whole subject is irrelevant nonsense.
Although it does support my theory that certain areas of the industry are becoming increasingly desperate to find reasons to knock the PS3 at all costs!
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BD_BLACKAZZ |
BD_BLACKK- 9:51am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 11
im not complaining ..... last long enough for me
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mrdctaylor
- 9:52am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 12
It seems to last MUCH longer than my Wii remotes. Plus, iyou don't have to hassle with changing the batteries out. I use rechargeables on my Wii, but it is still a main to swap them out. It is much easier to plug the controller in and use the Folding@home timer to turn the PS3 off in an hour. Problem solved.
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se7enthsign |
Se7enthSign- 9:55am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 13
That sucks, but the SIXAXIS is also the ONLY controller that is rechargable out of the box.
For the PS3, after 19 hours, you plug it in and recharge it.
For the others, you go buy new batteries. (or buy a charger)
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frank_magnet |
Frank_Magnt- 10:09am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 16
Lasts plenty! who plays for 19 hours straight anyway?
And come on own up who was sad enough to play the xbox for 57 straight hours?
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killercop |
killercop- 10:10am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 17
I could have foretold this for a long time, I thought people knew this. It's obvious the PS3 controller use more power. SIXAXIS is made of more advanced techonoly and better quality. And you don't have to buy additional batteries either. The coming new DualShock 3 will consume more power also as rumble will be in it too.
What I also think is when people compare gaming consoles. It's like comparing apples to peaches and oranges. We have Wii as the cheap gaming solution, but the performance and feautes are also very poor compared to PS3 and Xbox 360.
Then we have Xbox 360 as a middle solution, medium price and medium performance and features.
And then we have our beloved PS3. This is the premium gaming solution as performance and features excels the other, the price is also higher.
It's like comparing a Ford Ka, Wolkswagen Golf Plus and a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII or a cheewing gum, bag of chips or a 25$ chocolate bunny at the local chocolate store.
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-Zaku- |
SlashZaku- 10:20am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 19
I could have sworn when I had my 360, I was charging the controller every other game session :| There was even a time I charged if for a whole session and booted up again later in the night to see it wasn't fully charged (the lights were twirling).
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tretormenn |
French- 10:28am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 21
I have no complain about it. I don't need to start my car to get to d closest store for buying new batteries.
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Maxkiller |
Maxkiller0- 10:35am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 23
this is fake as i own a xbox 360 myself and im sorry the controller does not have that much battery power if anything a wii would have more and the ps3 controller 2nd as the wii remote can be on alot more time then a ps3 or xbox 360 controller as for ps3 it is more then 19 hours as for a xbox 360 controller im sorry but i had to change batterys like almost every 5hours or so this list is fake or not tested well.
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Galvanise_ |
Galvanise_- 10:44am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 24
Who plays for that long at a time anywho? The simple answer is just charge it after use and before the next use. My controller has never died on me thus far!
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princevegeta1980
- 10:54am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 26
i play alot and i don't seem to recharge that often and when i do it doesn't bother me because it doesn't stop me from playing or watching a film. has anybody tested the dualshock3 to see how long the batterie last's, i heard that they have longer life batteries compared to the sixaxis, is this true?
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FATAL_HAVOC |
FATAL_HAVOC- 10:58am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 27
well i rather have less batterie life then having to buy them all the time
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Daz |
miami2399- 11:04am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 28
Gamepro are just stupid. There is an off feature for the controller. Hit the PS button then hit turn off controller. If its not in use....say while folding.....its not waisting battery life. The Wii mote on the other hand goes through batteries like water.
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Phileoca
- 11:07am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 29
dude. Who cares. Nobody plays for 19 hours straight.
The PS3 controller can be recharged via ANY usb port.The Wii uses batteries. And different batteries have different lengths of time. (Rechargeable batteries don't last as long because the put out more energy).
I have 4 controllers anyway, and they are always fully charged.
Rechargeable controller is better than buying batteries.
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Uncool |
Admodistrator- 11:15am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 31
First of all this doesn't really inidicate what the dualshock3 will be doing right? Also likes someone pointed out, the PS3's controller comes with a rechargeable cable via usb. I had to but a separate charger kit for the 360. which was around $20 which also came with a rechargeable batter pack (again which did not come with the 360 controller off the bat).
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andr3as2006
- 11:20am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 32
Hey if the wii remote and the xbox 360 controller switch off automatic that mean i doesn't work for 40 hours. why they don't try them in-play use to compare the battery life time??
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Staticneuron |
Staticneuron- 11:43am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 34
I really have to call nonesense on this one. While i agree my 360 controller seems to survive the longest between charges, my PS3 controller lasts for a very long time and my wii-mote eats batteries.
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CDT_boss |
CDT_boss- 11:46am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 35
PS3 SIXAXIS uses Bluetooth technology and that my friends uses a LOT of power if you have Bluetooth on your mobile phone and leave it on then the battery time is almost halfen even though Bluetooth is the best choise SONY could take and besides it ain't healthy to play for 19 hours straight! And i think an auto-off feature on the SIXAXIS would just be annoying, you can just press the PS button and turn the controller of that is the best way:-)
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BlueSteel18 |
BlueSteel18- 11:46am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 36
I don't believe this at all. My Sixaxis last WAYYYYYYYYYYY longer than my crappy 360 controller. And who cares about an auto-off feature? When you're done playing your game, turn off your controller. How hard is that? This "study" is a load of dog turds in my opinion. 57 hours for the 360 controller, more like 3 hours....seriously. My 360 controller even dies if i don't use it for a while.
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Amras
- 11:49am GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 37
Yeah I have no complaints about the life, I do fear that the DS3 will be much shorter though, so hopfully they have a better battery in that. They do charge quickly and you can charge them using anything with a USB port, I often use my computer, so they can charge when the system is off, and I'm too cheep to buy a wall jack.
Doesn't the Wii use Bluetooth?
@dale1: Nice! I have a friend who recently had the inside of his 360 melt, he was not pleased.
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kidkotic2001 |
hotshot2001- 12:00pm GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 38
what I know its longer than that we play everyday for about 5 hours a day and I dont charge my remote untill it tells me usually last me about 2 weeks of gameplay they are just hating
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Dmanishigh
- 12:19pm GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 40
Its just a lithium-ion battery like cell phones I think its a 680 mAh so all they would have to do is sell higher capacity batteries and they will last longer my cell phone is a 780 mAh but I can upgrade to a bigger one.
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Lithgow
- 12:43pm GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 44
This is a load of sht to mislead people. The 360 controller, while in use, lasts like 15 hours at very most, while the Sixaxis lasts about 25 hours. I had to fcking switch Wiimote batteries every 10 hours (with rumble and sound turned off, even) and my bro got sick of changing his 360 controller batteries every 5 mins, so he bought a rechargable one. Now he's constantly recharging the dam things, and he has like 4 or 5 of them.
I've never actually charged my Sixaxis since the day I bought it, only plugged it in a few times when I was watching a movie or something. I'm telling you these things are amazing! I played Oblivion about 18 hours straight and barely had like 1 bar taken out of the thing.
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JMelillo57 |
jmelillo57- 12:56pm GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 46
Who cares as long as it works when I want to play and I never have had a problem with that yet.
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WhiplashCC |
WhiplashCC- 1:01pm GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 47
19 hours is long enough for me...The only thing that really bugs me at all is that you can't charge the controller when the system's in stand-by.
Xbox 360 controllers with recharge packs can be charged while the system's in stand-by...Actually, the system (360) can still download demos and stuff while in stand-by..Maybe someday for the PS3
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Shacks |
Shacks- 1:05pm GMT - February 1st, 2008
- 48
That has to be false. I have played all three systems and 360 has the worst with having to charge it once a day. I have not played the Wii as much, but I have to charge my PS3 controller once a week, and I have rumble which apprently lasts even less then no Dual Shock 3.
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