We’re at a point where everything is becoming wireless and one of the major things that are wireless when it comes to gaming consoles is the controllers.
Well, just take a look at the Nintendo Switch, the console itself is portable and that’s just awesome as you can take any video game with you on-the-go.
Having to Replace Batteries? What a Pain.
That said, now that controllers for the PS4 and the Xbox One are portable is also means that they require recharging.
It might seem like a negative that they don’t use AA or AAA batteries but it’s better this way so you don’t have to go hunting for batteries and instead, you just have to recharge the controller.
Recharging is the Way to Go
The DualShock 4 controller uses a Micro-USB connection to recharge and that’s a very good design choice while at the same time a dated one.
We would have found a USB-C port to be more up to the times but the use of a Micro-USB input port makes recharging the PS4 controller a lot more universal.
One of the main problems when it comes to charging the DualShock 4 that many people complain about is the battery life.
That’s why we at Charger Harbor have chosen the best chargers for the PS4 controller.
The use of Micro-USB is more Universal
The best thing about a controller or basically any portable device using a Micro-USB to another USB connection for recharging is that you can use quite a lot of charging electronics to charge it with.
In this case, we’ve chosen the best portable, wall, and car chargers to charge your PS4 controller with.
Chargers in this Guide:
Best Portable Chargers for DualShock 4
The portable charger is going to be one of your most-used types of charging electronics when it comes to charging the DualShock 4. Why is that? That’s because when it comes to charging a device with a wall charger or a USB port directly located on your PS4, you have to deal with the range of the charging cable.
Using a portable charger means that you don’t have to care where the charging cable is or where you have to sit. As you can just have the portable charger right next to you, charging your controller and game on without being uncomfortable.
Anker PowerCore 10000
One of the simplest portable chargers on the market and also the most purchased comes from a leading brand within this charging electronic space. Anker.
This PowerCore 10000 portable charger of theirs has a 10,000mAh power capacity. In case you didn’t know, the DualShock 4 controller has a 1,000mAh battery capacity. 1,000mAh of power isn’t too much, but it’s still a decent amount to fit into a controller. So with this PowerCore 10000 charger, you’re able to charge the PS4 controller to its max power about 7 times.
Why not 10 times?
Well, that’s because power capacity goes through a conversion during charging and some power is lost. Something that happens with all portable chargers.
Only a Single Port, but that’s all you Might Need
There’s just a single USB-A charging port on this power bank it has a charging speed of 5V/2.4A, and the max charging speed of the PS4 controller is 5V/1.0A.
Don’t be worried, just because the charging speed of the power banks higher than the max speed of the DualShock 4 does not mean that it will damage it. The controller will simply charge at its max charging speed.
The same thing is true for Quick Charge ports with charging electronics, you can still use Quick Charge ports with a PS4 controller, it just defaults to standard charging.
Just go for Standard Charging
If you or someone you know has a damaged controller due to using a Quick Charge port, then the fault is on the controller.
But since there have been incidents of controllers getting damaged with Quick Charge, we’ve avoided placing any charging electronics using the charging tech.
Overall, this PowerCore 10000 portable charger is everything that you’ll need when it comes to charging your PS4 controller with its capacity and a single port that you can solely use to charge your controller.
Read Review for Anker PowerCore 10,000 Portable Charger
Specs of the Anker PowerCore 10,000 Portable Charger:
- Power Capacity: 10,000mAh
- Output: Max Output: 5V/2.4A
- Input: 5V/2.0A Via Micro-USB Input
- LED Power Indicators: 4 LED Dotted Power Capacity Indicators
- Size: 3.6 x 2.4 x 0.9 inches
- Weight: 6.4 Ounces
PowerCore 13000 Portable Charger
However, if you do need a portable charger that uses two charging ports because you want to charge another device at the same time while you’re recharging your controller, Anker has their PowerCore 13000.
The PowerCore 13000 portable charger is just like the PowerCore 10000, but it has a higher power capacity and it uses two USB-A ports.
Each of the two ports has a charging speed of 5V/3.0A.
So your controller can charge at its max charging speed while you can charge another device such as a smartphone, tablet or another device at the same time.
This power bank also maintains the same small form factor that you can practically take anywhere with you.
Read Review for Anker PowerCore 13000 Portable Charger
Specs of the Anker PowerCore 13000 Portable Charger:
- Power Capacity: 13,000mAh
- Output:
Both Ports Capable of 5V/3.0A
Max Output: 3.0A
- Input: 5V/2.0A Via Micro-USB Input
- LED Power Indicators: 4 LED Dotted Power Capacity Indicators
- Size: 3.8 x 3.2 x 0.9 inches
- Weight: 11.2 Ounces
EasyAcc 20,0000mAh Power Bank with 4 Output Ports
High capacity portable chargers are one of the most useful power banks that you can own. Simply because they just have so much power that you can use. This EasyAcc portable charger shows just that.
It has a 20,000mAh power capacity that can charge the DualShock 4 to it still full power many times over while at the same time charging your smartphone and a tablet to full power too. At the same time is right, because this EasyAcc charger uses four USB-A output charging ports.
More Ports than Usual
Most high capacity power banks on the market have 3 USB-A charging ports, but there are very few that use 4 USB-A ports. So you can charge four devices at once with this power bank.
Each of the ports has a charging speed of 5V/2.4A and the max output of the charger is 4.8A.
So you can use the max power of two ports at once, but if you’re charging four devices at once with the max output of 4.8A being reached then that will result in slower charging speed because the max output will be split.
That said, when it comes to charging a DualShock 4 while at the same charging other devices, charging speed isn’t a worry as the controller will charge at its max charging speed either way.
Double the Recharging Speed
Recharging this power bank is also another reason that we recommend it. That’s because this power bank has two Micro-USB input ports.
Each of the input ports has a charging speed of 5V2.0A, so when you use them both at the same time, you end up with a recharging speed of 4A which is very fast.
Read Review for EasyAcc Monster 26,000mAh Power Bank
Specs of the EasyAcc Monster 20,000mAh Power Bank:
- Power Capacity: 20,000mAh
- Output: Per Port: 5V/2.4A Max Output: 4.8A
- Input:
2 Micro-USB Input Ports / Per Port: 5V/2.0A / Max Input:4.0A
- LED Power Indicators: 4 LED Power Indicators
- Size: 6.6 x 3.1 x 0.9 inches
- Weight: 1.2 Pounds
Lumina 15,000mAh Power Bank
A top intermediate power bank on the market is Lumina’s 15,000mAh portable charger.
A 15,000mAh power capacity is quite high and can provide full charges for the PS4 controller and also for smartphones and tablets too.
That said, what isn’t intermediate about this power bank is its charging.
There are two USB-A ports on his power bank and each of them has a charging speed of 5V/2.4A and the max output of this charger is 4.8A.
So you can use the max power of each port at the same time. Recharging this power bank is done through the Micro-USB input port.
Easier to Tell How Much Power is Left
So there’s quite a good amount of power capacity, for your devices, and to top it all off, this power bank has a Digital power capacity display.
The display shows three digits and that’s surprising with most power banks on the market shows only two digits.
Read Review for Lumina 15,000mAh Compact Portable Charger
Specs of the Lumina 15,000mAh Compact Portable Charger:
- Power Capacity: 15,000mAh
- Output:
Both Ports: 5V/2.4A
Max Output: 4.8A
- Input: 5V/2.0A Via Micro-USB Input
- LED Power Indicators: LED Power Capacity Display in Numeric Value
- Size: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches
- Weight: 1 Pound
Anker PowerCore 5000
One of the simplest types of power banks that you can purchase are ones with low capacities. Don’t underestimate low capacity portable chargers though, and that’s because they can still have a good amount of power and a fairly alright charging speed.
Not Much Power but it’s all you Need
That’s exactly what this PowerCore 5000 charger has to offer.
It has a 5,000mAh power capacity which is enough to charge your PS4 controller to full power about 3 times.
Just a Single Port
At the same time, the single USB-A port on this power bank has a charging speed of 5V/2.0A. So it can charge your DualShock 4 at its max charging speed, too.
If you’re purchasing a low capacity power bank such as this PowerCore 5000 then it’s only meant for use with a single device because of its limited power capacity, and it’s one of the best types of power banks that we recommend getting if you want to charge only one device with it.
Read Review for Anker PowerCore 5000
Specs of the PowerCore 5000:
- Power Capacity: 5,000mAh
- Output: 5V/2.0A
- Input: 5V/2.0A via Micro USB Input
- LED Power Indicators: Three-LED status system
- Size: 4.2 x 1.3 x 1.3 inches
- Weight: 4.8 Ounces
RAVPower 22,000mAh Power Bank with 3-Ports
The final power bank that’s best for the DualShock 4 controller is RAVPower’s 22,000mAh power bank.
This charger has a very higher power capacity of 22,000mAh that can be used to charge your controller multiple times and the same is true for charging smartphones to full power too.
Three Powerful Ports
The charging with this power bank is also great and that’s because it has three USB-A charging ports.
Each of the three ports has a charging speed of 5V/2.4A and the max output of the charger is 5.8A.
So even if you’re charging three devices at once, the charging speed will still be quite fast for each of the devices that you’re charging.
Recharging is done through a single input port and it has a charging speed of 5V/2.4A.
Read Review for RAVPower 22,000mAh Power Bank Charger
Specs of the RAVPower 22,000mAh Power Bank Charger:
- Power Capacity: 22,000mAh
- Output:
Per Port: 5V/2.4A
Max Output: 5.8A
- Input: 5V/2.4A via Micro USB Input
- LED Power Indicators: 4 LED Power Capacity Indicators
- Size: 6.5 x 0.9 x 2.8 inches
- Weight: 14.4 Ounces
Best USB Wall Chargers for DualShock 4
A USB wall charger is probably what you’re using to currently charge your PS4 controller or maybe you’re just using your PS4 to charge it.
It makes sense to do so, wall chargers are very reliable charging electronics that can charge quite a few devices at once and at the same time can charge them at fast speeds.
The wall chargers that we’ve chosen to be the best for the PS4 controller are a mixture of charging stations, so you can have easier access to the charger and your controller.
There are also wall chargers that are really meant for just charging your controller and not using it, but that depends on how close the AC outlet is to you.
Anker PowerPort 2 Wall Charger
One of the most simple wall chargers on the market is Anker’s PowerPort 2 wall charger and it’s simply because it uses just two USB-A ports. Each of the two ports has a charging speed of 5V/2.4A and the max output of the charger is 4.8A.
So you can charge the DualShock 4 at its max speed while charging another device at a faster charging rate too. Apple iPads can charge at their max charging speed with 2.4A.
Another reason to get this wall charger is that of its extremely small size that’s a cube and it uses a retractable AC adapter so the PowerPort 2 wall charger is easier to take anywhere that you want.
Read Review for Anker PowerPort 2 Wall Charger
Specs of the Anker PowerPort 2:
- Ports: 2
- Quick Charge: No
- Output: 2.4A Per Port | 4.8A Max Output
- Protective Technology: Yes
- Size: 2.2 x 2.2 x 1.1 inches
- Weight: 4.6 ounces
RAVPower 4-Port Charging Station
Charging stations are the perfect type of charging electronics if you want to have the charger closer to you and so you don’t have to worry about the charging cable that’s being used with your controller.
The Form Factor of a Desktop Charger
That’s what this RAVPower 4-port charging station is like and that’s because it uses a 6-foot power cord.
Each of the ports on this charger has a charging speed of 5V/2.4A and the max output of the charger is 8A.
So even if you’re charging four devices at once, with the max output being reached, each of the ports would have a charging speed of 5V/2.0A.
Still enough power to charge a DualShock 4 controller at its max charging and to charge other portable USB devices at a good speed too.
Read Review for RAVPower 40W 8A 4-Port Wall Charger
Specs of the RAVPower 40W 8A 4-Port Wall Charger:
- Output:
Max Output Per Port: 5V/2.4A
Max Output Capabilities: 8A
- Input: AC 100-240V
- Quick Charge: No
- LED Power Indicator: 1 Green LED at the top of the Charging ports
- Size: 3.6 x 2.3 x 1.1 inches
- Weight: 5.3 Ounces
Aukey 6-Port Charging Station
The final charging station that we have to recommend to charge the PS4 controller is Aukey’s 6-port charging station.
That’s right!
Six charging ports, so you can charge six devices at once and the best part is that each of the ports has a charging speed of 5V/2.4A. The max output of the charger is 12A.
Many Ports with a High Max Output
So even if you’re charging six devices at once, with the max output of 12A being reached, then each of the ports would be able to output a charging a speed of 5V/2.0A.
It’s the perfect type of charger if you’re someone that likes to have a HUB for all your USB chargeable devices, and want to charge your controller along with a lot of other devices.
Or maybe you just don’t like to unplug and plug-in charging cables.
Read Review for Aukey 6-Port Charging Station with Quick Charge
Specs of the Aukey 6-Port Charging Station:
- Output:
Max Output Per Port: 5V/2.4A
Max Output Capabilities: 12A
- Input: AC 100-240V
- Quick Charge: No
- LED Power Indicator: 1 Green LED at the top of the Charging ports
- Size: 4 x 2.8 x 1 inches
- Weight: 6.3 Ounces
Best Car Chargers for DualShock 4
Car charging may not sound like the most helpful form of charging and that makes sense as not many people think of doing it.
It sounds even silly that we’re going to mention car chargers that you can use to charge your DualShock 4, but at the same time, if it’s available, why not consider using it?
Aukey Flush-Fit 2-Port Car Charger
One of the simplest and powerful car chargers that we recommend purchasing is Aukey’s Flush-fit car charger.
Unnoticeable
The first thing that you will notice is that this car charger is very small and it’s so small that the entire car charger can actually fit into your 12Volt outlet.
The charging power is not affected by the small size of the charger and that’s because its two ports each have a charging speed of 5V/2.4A. The max output of the charger is 4.8A.
Specs of the Aukey Flush Fit Dual Port Car Charger:
- Output: 5V/2.4A
Max Output: 4.8A
- LED Power Indicator: Single LED Light
- Size: 0.9 x 0.9 x 1.6 inches
- Weight: 0.5 Ounces
Anker PowerDrive 3
One other car charger that we found to be great is the PowerDrive 3 car charger. each of the ports here has a charging speed of 5V/2.4A and the max output of the charger is 7.2A. So you can use the max power of each of the three ports at the same time.
Charging 3 devices while you’re driving can also be helpful if you want to charge your smartphone and your controller at once while you’re headed over to a friend’s house to play some PS4.
Specs of the Anker PowerDrive 3 Car Charger:
- # Of Ports: 3
- Output: 2.4A Per Port
- Max Output: 7.2A
- LED Power Indicators: Red LED Light Strip
- Size: 1.6 x 1.1 x 2.8 inches
- Weight: 0..8 ounces
Since 2016, Usman has flourished as an independent tech journalist, reveling in the evaluation of diverse tech gadgets, with a particular fondness for charging technology to ascertain product performance. Besides his journalistic endeavors, he helms the Charger Harbor YouTube channel, where he extends his tech insights to a broader audience.