With the Onyx, third-party peripheral manufacturer Hori launches a PS4 controller that can also be used without a cable. Extra buttons are not found on the gamepad – so what does the Hori Onyx have that is missing on the DualShock 4? Our test reveals it.
PS4 gamers who play a lot and regularly on their console often wonder if there are other controllers apart from Sony’s original DualShock 4 that might even give them advantages in the game. This is where some devices in particular come in, which are apparently aimed at pro gamers and usually entice with additional keys and replaceable components. Apart from the company Scuf, which only converts original controllers for its purposes, these devices are almost all cabled.
- Read our review of Scuf Impact for the PS4 here.
- We have also tested the Nacon Revolution Pro and its successor, the Nacon Revolution Pro 2 for you.
Hori Onyx: Bluetooth pairing via PS4 settings
This brings us directly to the first unique selling point of the Hori Onyx: It is indeed a third-party controller for the PS4, which can be operated both via USB cable and wirelessly. However, the device has to be registered in the Bluetooth settings of the console for the first time, but afterwards the Onyx can even be used to turn on the PS4 – wired Pro controllers like the Nacon Revolution Pro 2 can’t do that. The connection did not cause any problems in test mode, nor did we notice a noticeably different input lag than with the DualShock 4.
The workmanship of the Hori Onyx seems moderately high quality – even with the Bluetooth connection.
Design: There can hardly be more Xbox One in a PS4 controller
The Hori Onyx feels a bit smaller than the original PS4 controller. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the devices differ only slightly in size, but the Hori’s form factor means that your hands are closer together. Otherwise, the design of the Hori looks similar to an Xbox One controller, but due to the different shape, the Share and Options buttons have been moved below the touchpad, which took some getting used to, to say the least.
The Xbox gamepad oriented design leads us to the second important feature of the Hori Onyx: The analog stick layout is not symmetrical, like on the DualShock 4. The two sticks are not directly next to each other, but are – just like on the Xbox One – slightly offset from each other vertically. Many gamers prefer exactly this layout so much that they like the Microsoft controller better for this reason alone.
Offset buttons: when the thumbs go searching in the game. Image: © TURN ON 2018
The left analog stick sits higher up, as it does on the Xbox controller. Image: © TURN ON 2018
The control pad is now located at the learned position. Image: © TURN ON 2018
Quality: plastic that feels like plastic
PS4 controllers from third-party manufacturers often don’t come close to the original in terms of quality, and some components of the Hori Onyx also leave something to be desired in terms of workmanship. For example, after a few weeks, the analog sticks already give off a slight crackle and creak, and the pressure points of the R2 and L2 buttons feel oddly less valuable than on the original.
The gripping surface of the controller’s underside is much more roughly ribbed on the Onyx, which, at least for me, leads to sweaty hands a bit sooner. For this, the device has a continuous control pad, which should accommodate players of beat-em-ups. I also like the concave surface of the analog sticks better, but the smooth rubber could be a bit rougher.
Missing features: Not enough for a headphone jack
But there are also features that are simply missing on the Hori Onyx. Most noticeable: the controller does not have a headphone jack. For night sessions, where family members and neighbors should be spared, it is therefore rather less suitable. Also missing is the DualShock 4’s small speaker, which is used for audio output in some games. This is tolerable, but it gives the impression that the Bluetooth signal cannot be used to its full extent here, as with Sony’s DualShock 4.
Don’t be alarmed: Because of the narrower shape, it “slips” the circle key a little bit. Image: © TURN ON 2018
The pressure points of the shoulder buttons didn’t feel that good in the test. Image: © TURN ON 2018
Overall, the Hori Onyx doesn’t offer much that the original controller can’t do as well. Image: © TURN ON 2018
PS4 players using a PlayStation VR system will also still have to rely on the original controller in the process: The Hori Onyx lacks the light bar on the front, which is urgently needed for VR use. Only a small LED light below the PS button serves as a status indicator.
Conclusion: the PS4 controller for the Xbox friend that each of us has
For the 50 Euros that the Hori Onyx costs, you get a controller that, apart from a slightly different layout, offers fewer features than a DualShock 4, even though the latter only costs about five Euros more on average. In addition, the quality of the Onyx seems rather mediocre – even if in the test after a few weeks everything worked so far.
So if you also have that one friend who comes over to gamble often, but constantly whines that he’s better with the Xbox controller and only loses to you because of it – then the Hori Onyx could be the means to put him in his place on the PS4 for good. If you don’t have a problem with the analog stick layout of the PlayStation 4, however, you will hardly find a reason to spend the 50 euros for the Hori.