PS3 Wireless Keypad Review

I am not much of a chatter, but I hate to input text in my various electronic devices via a remote control. The navigation is awkward in many cases and just slow, especially if you do it frequently. With PS3 getting one of the best Netflix clients around, I started to use it more frequently as my main Netflix streaming device (PS3 Netflix review here) and soon I realized I really need something to type more efficiently when I search for a certain movie. There are several different devices that serve the same purpose but in my experience many 3rd party attachments are badly designed and don’t fit the original product very well. While more expensive, I decided to buy the PS3 Wireless Keypad made by Sony and hope for a pleasant experience. I now have the keypad for more than a month already so I feel I can offer a good look at its qualities and shortcomings.

1. Installation

The PS3 Wireless keypad fits on the top of a PS3 controller and includes a clamp to secure it tightly to the controller body. While covering a large portion of the controller, including Select, Start and PS buttons, the keypad itself also includes these three buttons so the functionality is not lost. Because these three buttons are rather extensions of the original buttons from the controller, they won’t work if you are trying to use the keypad in standalone mode.

The keypad comes with a limited charge in the box but it is strongly recommended to charge it before the first use. A smart design require you to turn on the keypad before using it (dedicated On/Off button) so it doesn’t discharge.

Prior the first use you’ll need to pair the keypad to your PS3. This is done automatically when you charged it via a micro USB cable (not included).

2. Design

The design is impressive overall, with a look that matches the original Sony PS3 controllers and the fit is tight and elegant. The most used keys are larger and easily accessible. That being said, you won’t be able to see them in the dark so a back-lit feature would have come in handy.

What I also like design wise is that even with the keypad attached, your game-play is not affected and the added weight is minimal.

3. Functionality

The keypad has dual functionality – as a keypad used to type and as a touch pad (press the dedicated touch pad key) - used to simulate a standard notebook touch pad behavior including the two mouse buttons. In this mode, the ASCII characters don’t work.

In my experience, the touch pad functionality sucks – I never liked the Thinkpad style touch pads, I want instead to be able to move my finger over a touch sensitive area.

4. Conclusion

If you want a faster way to input text on your PS3, this keypad won’t disappoint. There are no major complaints here, other the rather high price (but we all know how the game console manufacturers are pricing their accessories, don’t we? Just remember the XBOX 360 wireless controller initially prices for $120 if I remember correctly).

The design is nice, it fits the controller well and secure and it gives an impression of durability. Too bad it is not back-lit. maybe in the version 2.0 that Sony will sell for twice as much . At the time of writing, the PS3 Wireless keypad sells for around $40 at Amazon.