How Long Does 1 Bar Last on a PS4 Controller? Not As Long As We‘d Like…
As passionate PS4 gamers, we‘ve all felt that moment of dread when we glance down to see just one bar left in the top right battery indicator of our trusty DualShock 4 wireless controller. This usually means we have just 1-2 hours of gameplay remaining before it dies.
However, I‘ve noticed the battery drain speed can vary drastically depending on factors like:
- Graphics intensity of the game
- Rumble, headphone, and mic usage
- Battery age and charge cycles
In this guide, I‘ll share statistics, tips, and insight from my experience to help you accurately predict and extend the battery life of your PS4 controller. Whether you‘re mid-battle in Horizon Forbidden West or about to claim victory in FIFA 23, this info will help you avoid unexpectedly running out of juice!
Battery Life Varies by Game Genre
Not all PS4 games drain the battery equally. Due to differences in computing power needed, visual intensity, and player input demands:
- First-person shooters like Call of Duty drain battery fastest
- Action-adventure games like God of War are second-most demanding
- Sports games like FIFA or Madden are easier on battery life
- Less visually-intensive indie games can go the longest
Here‘s a comparison of average battery life across genres, assuming a full charge:
| Game Genre | Average Battery Life |
|---|---|
| First-person shooters | 4 hours |
| Action-adventure | 5 hours |
| Sports games | 6-7 hours |
| Indie or 2D games | 8+ hours |
As you can see, fast-paced FPS games offer only half the playtime per charge compared to simpler 2D indie titles.
So if that last bar popped up after only 3 hours of Team Deathmatches in Call of Duty, don‘t expect more than an hour or two left…time to wrap up the match!
However, if you were playing a casual round of Rocket League, you may still get 3-4 hours to go before charging.
Various Features Drain Battery Faster
The DualShock 4 is packed with features that, while cool, substantially drain battery life including:
- Rumble vibration feedback
- The bright backlighting and activity lightbar
- Headset and microphone support
Let‘s examine how much gameplay you lose from each feature:
| Feature | Battery Life Reduction |
|---|---|
| Rumble disabled | 0% |
| Rumble enabled | – 15-20% |
| Dim lightbar | 0% |
| Bright lightbar | – 10-15% |
| No headset | 0% |
| Headset enabled | – 15-20% |
As you can see, something as basic as haptic rumble feedback can sip away 15-20% of those precious battery hours!
So when that last bar pops up, remember to:
- Turn off rumble
- Dim the distracting lightbar
- Ditch the headset to eek out every last drop of power
Trust me, keeping rumble and your headset active isn‘t worth losing a match or having your epic quest interrupted!
Battery Health Degrades Over Time
Unlike our gaming skills which (hopefully) improve with age, the 500 mAh lithium-ion battery sealed inside the DualShock 4 gets worse over time.
After hundreds of charge cycles, noticeable degradation kicks in resulting in:
- Faster battery drain
- Reduced total capacity
- Shorter gameplay per charge
For example, here is typical battery health by age:
| Controller Age | Typical Battery Health | Gameplay Hours |
|---|---|---|
| New | 100% | 7-8 hours |
| 1-year-old | 90% | 6-7 hours |
| 2+ years old | 70-80% | 5-6 hours |
| 3+ years old | 60-70% | 4-5 hours |
So if your trusty launch-edition PS4 controller from 2013 is somehow still surviving, expect almost half the playtime between charges compared to a brand new DualSense controller.
While batteries can be replaced by handy gamers, it‘s often simpler to retire older controllers as spares once they cross 3 years old or so. Or you could pass it along to share the joys of gaming with a friend who could use a controller!
Either way, the lithium-ion battery aging is important to consider when estimating remaining playtime from that dreaded last bar. If it‘s an older controller, I‘d recommend keeping sessions shorter or having a backup controller or USB cable handy.
Tips to Extend Battery Life
Hopefully by now you have a better understanding of the various factors affecting remaining battery life when you see that last bar.
Here are a few battlefield-tested tips from my gaming experience to extend playtime:
Use High-Quality USB Cables and Chargers
Cheap aftermarket cables and chargers can charge slowly and inaccurately show the last bar too soon. Using the original USB cable and a 2 amp (or higher) wall USB charger will provide optimum voltage and amps for maximum battery life.
Take Breaks to Let The Controller Sleep
During long gaming sessions, take 5-10 minute breaks to let your controller enter low-power sleep mode. Those minutes can add up to extra rounds of your favorite game!
Fully Deplete and Recharge The Battery
For optimal battery health, let your controller fully die about once a month before doing a complete recharge cycle. Avoid frequent partial charging.
Invest In A Charging Dock
A full battery is a happy battery! Accessory charging docks from PowerA and others make it easy to always have juiced-up controllers ready for gaming marathons.
In Conclusion…
So while that last battery bar might only translate into an hour or two at times, understanding what contributes to faster drain can help you optimize settings for longer play.
I hope these statistics and tips from my years of PS4 gaming experiences are helpful! Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments below about keeping our controllers charged up for epic gaming sessions.
Now if you‘ll excuse me, I only have one bar left to crush this final stage of Death Stranding…
