Nyko Power Pak for Playstation 4
By Jon McSwain
Gaming accessory company Nyko recently released a Power Pak for the Playstation 4. It is a snap-on battery pack that fits into the existing Micro USB port on the back of the PS4 controller to recharge the battery.
More from Reviews
- The Walking Dead: Michonne Episode 1 Review
- The Legend Of Zelda Twilight Princess HD Review: New Light
- Corsair Void Surround 7.1 Universal Gaming Headset Review
- ‘Dying Light: The Following’ Review
- SUPERHOT Review – Super. Hot. Super. Hot. Super. Hot.
Nyko says that the
Power Pak
will double the existing battery life of the controller allowing for longer gaming sessions. Nyko director of marketing Chris Arbogast said,
"It’s lightweight and does not impede gameplay or ergonomics, enabling users to extend their gaming sessions"
There can be many potential issues with attaching a peripheral to a controller. The fact that Sony likely spent millions of dollars researching and developing an ergonomic and concise controller, (taking hours of gameplay into consideration) makes it a difficult venture creating a piece of hardware that attaches to it. Having said that, it was not all bad. It is a nice effort in creating a means to quickly keep your wireless gaming session going.
When I first put the Power Pak on I was pleasantly surprised at how little I noticed it. It is as small as one can truly expect such a battery to really be, at least considering the price of the attachment. It immediately powered back on my controller and I quickly resumed my game. It was from this point that they area gets a little foggy. Sony has created, arguably the best controller and to alter that design in any way, no matter how good an effort, seems debatable at best. Especially when considering the already relatively reasonable battery life of the PS4 controller. Is it completely out of the question to plug in the controller when it dies? I tend to think not. However, for some the thought of connecting a cord to their controller is, well, out of the question. For those people, this is a really solid attempt at extending the battery life.
After several hours of using it, I surmised that the weight was bearable and if I had to play games wirelessly then it was a pretty good option. It is very reasonably priced at $19.99MSRP, and currently on Amazon for $14.99. The Nyko Power Pak is a great option for anyone hell-bent on remaining wireless, for everyone else I suggest plugging in.