XCM Cross Battle Adapter 2.2 for Playstation 3 / PS3

Bottom Line: I would absolutely recommend the CBA 2.2 to anyone who wants to use a 360 controller on the PS3. For me, it was easily worth the price of admission.Short Version: Allows use of Wireless Xbox 360 Controller Responsive and accurate: I noticed no lag and controls felt precise Reprogrammable functions: swapping buttons is simple, intuitive, and works Cons: Price is high and you must own or purchase the wireless gaming receiver to use a wireless controller SixAxis supported only by reassigning an analog stick Uses USB port Can't turn on PS3 with controller Must plug device into PS3 each time it is rebooted to get it to recognize controller correctly Other: While I had no problems with lag or responsiveness, I don't play FPS games competitively and can't give an informed opinion regarding the device's usefulness in that application Long Version: I won't argue the merits of the DS3 controller; it's simply not for me. Since I got my Xbox 360 I've been looking for a way to use my favorite controller on the PS3, and after long last, this product appears to be the solution. Over the years I've purchased three different "clone" controllers to use on the PS3, all of which were disappointments in one way or another (poor build quality, poor ergonomics, lack of responsiveness, etc.). The Cross Battle Adapter has been around for a while, but I've always been wary of the XCM products because of mixed reviews, onerous requirements, and a fairly high purchase price. The previous incarnations of the CBA have required a wired controller, which in my mind is not a complete solution. The latest revision does away with the requirement of a wired controller, although one must now own the Microsoft Xbox Wireless Gaming Receiver to enjoy the wireless feature. I'll start with the bad news. The CBA 2.2 is pricey, and you need the wireless adapter to enjoy it's full feature set. If you don't own one, it will set you back almost as much as a wired Xbox controller. Next, you are going to be using up a USB port on your PS3; this is a USB dongle like all the other competing products. For owners of the slim model, this is bad because you only have a couple of ports to begin with. Although you can turn off the system using your wireless controller, you won't be able to turn it on. I also discovered that I could only get the PS3 to recognize my controller by unplugging the CBA from the USB port and plugging it back in each time the PS3 was started. Finally, while you can program an analog stick with the SixAxis function, there's no native support on the 360 controller. I can't comment intelligently on this feature because I've never used SixAxis in a game. Now on to the good. After figuring out how to make the PS3 recognize my controller after a reboot, the controller performed flawlessly. The CBA allows one to reprogram button functions in an intuitive manner, so I was able to quickly swap the functionality of the R1/R2 and L1/L2 buttons with ease (most PS3 games map the "trigger" buttons to the R1 and L1 buttons by default). I've heard about lag with almost every similar product on the market, but I didn't notice any. All buttons mapped properly and responded as expected. I don't play FPS games competitively, so I can't say with absolute certainty whether inputs were as precise and instantaneous as with the DS3, but in the games I've played (Uncharted 2, Demon's Souls, Infamous), I noticed no issues. Controls were accurate and intuitive. I can't express how satisfying it was to finally use the controller I love for PS3 exclusives I've never been able to enjoy due to my personal dislike of the DS3 controller. If you really want to use your 360 controller on the PS3, this is the way to do it. In my mind, the results are well worth the few extra hoops you must leap through to get to the prize.

4/5