Designed specifically for the FPS crowd, the Mad Catz F.P.S. Pro gamepad is an attempt to outshine Sony's official PS3 controller with higher precision and two added, configurable buttons.
The rubber inserts help make the gamepad more comfortable and grip-able, but I wouldn't say they're necessarily necessary, either. It makes you wonder how often you'll have to clean it, seeing how many little spaces there are for dust and grime to work their way into.
The rest of the controller is in good-quality, soft-touch plastic. And the finishing is just as nice as the DualShock 3.
The L2 and R2 buttons are concave, compared to the official gamepad's convex triggers. And you can feel the difference in responsiveness. L1 and R1 are wider than they are on the DualShock 3, but they aren't quite as easy to get to because the body isn't rounded at that spot.
That said, we're pleased with how precise the analog sticks are. Their agility makes them perfect for FPS games, where responsiveness is often a matter of life and death. The sticks on the F.P.S. Pro are concave instead of convex. But since they have less grip than the DualShock, it comes down to pretty much the same thing. It's all a question of preference.
We weren't that impressed with the D-pad, however. It's somewhat rigid, and with the clearly defined directions it'll be good for FPS's and other games that don't make much use of it. Just don't bother with any fighting games, unless you have a thumb of steel and a crate full of band-aids.
The wireless connection is held via a small USB receiver that plugs into your console. There's no Bluetooth, but the connection is 2.4 GHz. We had no problems using it. You recharge the integrated battery via a mini-USB cable, just like the official controller.
However, we weren't as thrilled with the analog stick clicks, which require a certain amount of force. Luckily, you can assign their functions instead to the two combat buttons on the back. We would have preferred a more accessible location for them, but they turned out to be practical after a few hours of training.
Let's not forget that you can also choose between red, blue and pink backlighting for the analog sticks. This is purely aesthetic and can be turned off if preferred.
Lightweight & Precise
The F.P.S. Pro is longer than the DualShock 3, but the classic shape still makes it fit nicely in your hands. People with bigger paws may find it more comfortable to hold than the official controller. It feels surprisingly lightweight. At 187 grammes it's about the same weight as the DualShock 3 (191 grammes), which means the weight is well distributed.The rubber inserts help make the gamepad more comfortable and grip-able, but I wouldn't say they're necessarily necessary, either. It makes you wonder how often you'll have to clean it, seeing how many little spaces there are for dust and grime to work their way into.
The rest of the controller is in good-quality, soft-touch plastic. And the finishing is just as nice as the DualShock 3.
The F.P.S. Pro, shown here in black, along with the wireless USB receiver (2.4 GHz)
The L2 and R2 buttons are concave, compared to the official gamepad's convex triggers. And you can feel the difference in responsiveness. L1 and R1 are wider than they are on the DualShock 3, but they aren't quite as easy to get to because the body isn't rounded at that spot.
Bigger quick-fire triggers than the DualShock 3
That said, we're pleased with how precise the analog sticks are. Their agility makes them perfect for FPS games, where responsiveness is often a matter of life and death. The sticks on the F.P.S. Pro are concave instead of convex. But since they have less grip than the DualShock, it comes down to pretty much the same thing. It's all a question of preference.
We weren't that impressed with the D-pad, however. It's somewhat rigid, and with the clearly defined directions it'll be good for FPS's and other games that don't make much use of it. Just don't bother with any fighting games, unless you have a thumb of steel and a crate full of band-aids.
Rigid D-pad and agile analog sticks
The wireless connection is held via a small USB receiver that plugs into your console. There's no Bluetooth, but the connection is 2.4 GHz. We had no problems using it. You recharge the integrated battery via a mini-USB cable, just like the official controller.
An FPS Gamepad for FPS Fans
The analog joysticks are dexterous and as easy to manoeuver as can be. As a result, your thumbs won't tire as quickly during intense gameplay.However, we weren't as thrilled with the analog stick clicks, which require a certain amount of force. Luckily, you can assign their functions instead to the two combat buttons on the back. We would have preferred a more accessible location for them, but they turned out to be practical after a few hours of training.
On the back: the two combat buttons and their respective function switches
Let's not forget that you can also choose between red, blue and pink backlighting for the analog sticks. This is purely aesthetic and can be turned off if preferred.
Red backlighting for the analog sticks; also available in blue and pink
Pros
- Nimble, precise analog sticks
- Feels good in the hand
- Well manufactured
- Two additional configurable buttons
- Integrated battery
Cons
- No vibrate function / no sixaxis
- D-pad is super-rigid and not very comfortable on the thumb
- L1 and R1 triggers are harder to reach than on the official Sony controller
- Limited choice of button configurations
- Requires an open USB port for the wireless receiver
Conclusion
The F.P.S. Pro is well-designed for first-person shooters. It's precise and the extra buttons come in handy. But it still has some drawbacks, such as no vibrate function and a rigid D-pad.
OUR SCORE
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