Miscelleneous by stefan @ 2011-10-31
The Mad Catz F.P.S. Pro Wireless GamePad for PS3 has a solid build and comes with some unique features like anti-slip grips on the sides, adjustable backlight for the thumbsticks and two extra programmable buttons underside the device, to help us while gaming intensively with our friends.
At first I would like to thank Mad Catz for offering me a sample of their F.P.S. Pro Wireless GamePad for testing and reviewing.
"Mad Catz is a leading global provider of innovative products for the interactive entertainment industry. Mad Catz develops and markets accessories for videogame systems and PCs under its Mad Catz (casual gaming), Saitek (simulation), Cyborg (pro gaming), Eclipse (home and office) and TRITTON (gaming audio) brands. Mad Catz also operates e-commerce and content websites for videogame and PC products under its GameShark brand, develops, manufactures and markets proprietary earphones under its AirDrives brand and publishes and distributes video/PC games. Mad Catz distributes its products through most of the leading retailers offering interactive entertainment products and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia."
XL "Combat" Buttons for on-the-fly Custom Remapping
Get a leg up on the enemy with the improved "Combat" buttons on the F.P.S. Pro Controller. Located right where your ring fingers normally grip the bottom of the controller, these new larger, textured buttons are even easier to find and can be operated without the need to remove your fingers from other controller buttons. A simple selector switch allows for quick and easy remapping of the "Combat" button function.
Quick-Fire Triggers
New quick-fire triggers now feature a shorter throw and better spacing to provide optimal response in all situations. They reside close enough to the bumper buttons so that you can toggle between the triggers and bumpers with minimal finger movement.
Ergonomic Non-Slip Grips
Unique firearm-inspired grips with a soft-touch surface enhance comfort and control. They're ideal for marathon gaming sessions when comfort matters most.
Immersive Backlit Analog Stick Modules with 3 Adjustable LED Colors: Green, Red and Orange
Backlit analog sticks provide a distinctive look without affecting night vision. Alter colors at will to suit your mood; just slide a switch to either pick your color or turn off the effect entirely to conserve battery life.
The F.P.S. Pro Controller from Mad Catz comes shipped inside a small cardboard box, with a photo of the product on the front side; the controller can come in 3 different colors (Stealth Black, Army Green or Swat Blue) and the version type can is found written on a small sticker, lower left side:
On one of the box sides we can take a look at one side of the product, without opening the package:
The back side explains us the main product components, in multiple languages:
The top side can be opened further to reveal more information regarding the main product:
For security, the box is sealed with a circular transparent plastic sticker:
Besides the controller, inside the package we can also find the WiFi adapter, an instruction manual and the USB cable for charging purposes:
The WiFi adapter has a small activity LED which blinks during controller detection mode and stays lit after the connection has been established; its top side features the Mad Catz logo:
The bottom side of the adapter comes with the product serial number:
The instruction manual shows us how to install and operate the product, of course, in multiple languages:
Compared to the original Sixaxis PS3 controller, the one coming from Mad Catz looks more solid and it also feels heavier:
The D-pad is composed from a single plastic piece and we do not have individual buttons as on the Sony PS3 controller; also compared to the Sixaxis, the D-pad buttons seem to need more pressure to be activated:
Each thumbstick has a rubberized top and the bottom is made from white plastic:
The central Select and Start buttons have their position changed, but we do not need a lot of time to get used to this because these buttons are not used too often. The PS button comes with a new logo, which looks like an arrow:
On the right side, we can locate the triangle, square, circle and X buttons, which have the same feel as on the original controller:
Between the thumbsticks, we can find an ON/OFF switch; a good feature of the F.P.S. Pro controller is the fact that it automatically stops after a while when not used, to avoid accidental battery discharges:
On each side, we can find ergonomic non-slip grips:
While looking in the back of the controller, we can find the R1, L1, R2, L2 buttons, which have a modified shape compared to the Sixaxis, but are easy accessible:
Here we can also find the LEDs that act the same way as on the PS3 controller, along with the USB port for charging the product:
The bottom is also made from rubber, which gives the product a nice feel when used for extended amounts of time:
The controller is equipped with two extra buttons, which can be remapped with the functions we select by using the bottom switches; initially, the buttons are set on the “LED” function:
To add an extra level of detail, Mad Catz has chosen to light up the thumbsticks in 3 different colors; this can be done by accessing the Combat 1 and 2 buttons on the bottom of the controller; to save battery life, we can also turn off the LED light completely:
Mad Catz have done a good job developing a solid built PS3 controller, with which we can get enough liberty of movement thanks to the wireless capability and can be held securely by using the anti-slip grips. Compared to the Sixaxis, the F.P.S. Pro brings to the table two additional buttons that can be programmed on the fly by using the switches on the back of the device.
After using the Sixaxis for a long time, when I have switched to the F.P.S. Pro controller it seemed a little more “fat”, bulky, mostly because of the rubber surface, but I have got used to it really fast. In the end, it seemed more comfortable compared to Sony's offering, which has only a plastic surface.
The two backlit thumbsticks give the controller a nice look, and besides eye candy, if we have more devices of the same model we can identify them by looking at the colored LEDs. To save battery life, we can always turn off the backlight, but what it seemed weird during testing was the fact the controller does not remember the light setting it was put on after the controller turned off and then back on (it defaults to red light).
The product can be found in the GameShark Store for about 39.99 Euros.
I would like to thank again to Mad Catz for making this review possible!