Performance Designed Products, better known as PDP, began as a company in California back in the late 1990s. Flash forward to now, and they are disrupting the gaming peripheral industry with fully licensed products. One of their newest additions to their peripheral family is the Ultra Slim Charge System. There are a few reasons why this is pushing the market, even with its similar competitors.
Above the Competition
There have been many companies that have created charging systems for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with Nyko being a commonly known one. Microsoft even provides its own products for this purpose as well. So what makes this different? To be honest, it is the little things that count in this instance.
The term slim is often overused, but in this case, this is the best way to describe this device. When rested, the charging system’s base is less than an inch high. It is only 2.3″ wide and 7.5″ long. The Dualshock 4 and Xbox One controllers are much wider than the base, so it needs to be set on a surface wide enough for the controller to rest on.
Charging
There are 2 versions of the PDP Gaming Ultra Slim Charging System. One for Dualshock 4 controllers, and one for Xbox One controllers. The Dualshock 4 battery capacity is 1000mAh, with a charge rate current 650mA. This means that the maximum time to full charge is 1.5 hours. If charging via USB from the PS4, that time is usually 2.5 hours.
The Xbox One battery capacity is 1100mAh (when using included battery pack) with a charge rate current of 450mA. This means that the maximum time to full charge is 2.4 hours. Since the battery efficiency of the Xbox One controller will outlast a Dualshock 4, it’s not too concerning that it takes longer to charge.
In most cases, the controllers will sit on the charging system and charge overnight. The only downside, if there is one, is that the charging system only supports 2 controllers at once. For the majority of people, that is perfect, but larger families will need to buy a second one if more than 2 controllers need to be charged.
Indicators and Connectors
There are 2 light bars on the device to signal when each controller is charging or completely charged. When charging, the LEDs will light and dim each bar with a breathing effect. When the controller is charged fully, the light bar will glow with a solid color. Additionally, there are light bars along each side, under the device. This provides an ambient backlight which every company seems to think all gamers want.
The DualShock 4 version uses a dongle that hugs the controller. It’s a bit of a bulkier piece than the Nyko charging system, but it hides itself by matching the design of the controller.
The Xbox One version is likely the best. It comes with a charging pack to put into the controller in place of the batteries. Included is a replacement battery cover that has a hole for the battery pack. This hole allows the battery to make contact with the charging system when the controller is placed on the charging base.
In terms of execution, the Xbox One version is the most well designed, as it doesn’t require a dongle. However, this is not PDP gaming’s fault. The DualShock 4 controller doesn’t exactly allow the replacement of the Bluetooth battery, so a dongle is very much needed.
Final Reaction
The PDP Gaming Ultra Slim Charging System may have a long name, but it provides a faster charge with a minimalist design. It is something that can be used in a living room without looking tacky or out of place.
It just recently went on sale a little over a week ago, but is well worth the $29.99 at which it is priced. Check out the PDP Gaming website for more information on purchasing the device for DualShock 4 and Xbox One controllers.
Rating: 5/5 Atoms
Specs & Features
- Animated LED charge status
- Micro-suction material
- Magnetic port alignment
- Auto-dimming ambient lights
- Fast charge
- Dimensions – 1.89 H x 5.31 W x 8.19 L
A unit was provided by PDP Gaming for review purposes.
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