The Cordless Precision uses a small USB RF transceiver to communicate with the controller, just like their MediaBoard for the PS3 that I reviewed recently. You simply drop the included AA batteries into the controller and plug the transceiver into the PS3 and you’re good to go. You cannot turn the PS3 on with the controller, however, because the USB transceiver won’t have power until the PS3 is already turned on. If you are like me, you tend to grab your controller and turn the PS3 on with the controller’s PS button while you are walking towards the couch. Not being able to turn the PS3 on with the controller is a very minor nuisance though, ultimately.
My first impressions of the controller were very positive. What I immediately liked best about it was the stiff L2 and R2 buttons. One of the biggest complaints about the SIXAXIS is that the L2 and R2 triggers are too soft and deep. I think we all got used to it pretty quickly and it works fine like that, but the approach Logitech took on the Cordless Precision is great. L2 and R2 only move about half as far as they do on the SIXAXIS and they provide a nice sense of feedback when pressed. It’s like stiff brake and accelerator pedals on a car versus looser ones; both work, but I prefer the stiffer feel as opposed to the looser one.
Most of the rest of the controller is more standard; the face buttons and L1 and R1 do not differ greatly from the SIXAXIS. The D-pad is quite a bit different though; it is a ‘solid’ D-pad as opposed to Sony’s ‘split’ D-pad design. I’ve dealt with both long enough that they are almost transparent to me except in fighting games where executing special moves requires half-circles and so forth. The D-pad on the Cordless Precision works fine, but it’s actually kind of noisy. It clicks and clacks during use and while that’s better than it having technical shortcomings, it’s an interesting design problem but not a critical one.
The center of the controller houses four buttons and the silver Logitech logo. The buttons on the left of the Logitech Logo are the D/Mode and the Select buttons. The D/Mode button allows you to use the D-pad instead of the analog sticks in games that support it. On the right side you will see the PS and the Start button. The PS button was sorely missing on the Logitech’s wired, fan cooled PS3 controller the ChillStream, so it’s great to see it added here. The PS button cannot be used to turn the controller off or turn the system on, but it functions as you would expect otherwise. All in all I am pleased with the controller’s size and feel, as well as the button placement and feel. I also like the controller’s finish; the black smooth coating is not only good looking, but also rejects fingerprints and stays cool and comfortable during long sessions. Speaking of long sessions, you can play your ass off and this controller will still be rockin. You can expect about 300 hours of use out of two AA batteries thanks to the auto-sleep function that kicks in after five minutes of inactivity.