Following on from my gaming accessory review, we are taking a look at Brook Gaming adapters today. Over the years, I have discovered that one can never have enough controllers, especially when people are over to play. But owning multiple consoles has made things a little messy. The fighting game genre has served me with countless hours of fun and the arcade experience at home has been with me ever since the Xbox 360 had Street Fighter IV and the Third Strike Online Edition. Using controllers on other consoles has been possible for a while now and Brook are known as one of the best in the business.
I personally tested the Xbox 360/Xbox One to PS4 Super Converter that allows a wired Xbox One or 360 controller to be used on both PS4 and PS5 (based on PS4 backwards compatibility). You’ll need another converter specifically for PS5 games. The dongle comes in a bright green and the setup is easy enough, I made sure to update the firmware on arrival, Brook have continued to support this product for years since 2016. Updates still happen in 2021. Updating is easy with the provided utility on their page.
After updating, simply plug the dongle into the PS4/PS5 and plug in a wired controller into the other end (USB A). Input lag is minimal and I’ve enjoyed using my older fight sticks on PlayStations for a while, a great solution if upgrading internal PCB’s are not an option. I have also used a wired 360 and Xbox One controller to play FPS games, it works very well. A little calibration to sensitivity may be needed but it’s very much plug and play.
The downsides that stand out mostly relate to communication and sound capabilities. Sound will not be transmitted through the Xbox controller headphone jack, nor will a microphone work. To get around this, a dedicated USB headset may work or if times a desperate, grab a spare (even part broken) PS4 controller and use that instead. It’s a grossly convoluted process requiring two accounts to sign in and join the same party but it works. And if you are looking for a wireless solution, this has no capability. Depending on region the converter might not be on the cheap side either and perhaps just buying a separate controller altogether would be more appropriate. For those who have bespoke controllers or a desire to use the Xbox controller, this is a great product.
Brook Converters:
https://www.brookaccessory.com/index.html
