5 Accessories New PlayStation 4 Owners Should Pick Up

So you just got home with your shiny new PlayStation 4, you’re playing some of the launch games, and you realize something is missing. You have your one DualShock 4, and it’s doing the job for you well enough, but you realize, you want some accessories to complement the experience of owning the console a little more.

Fear not new next-gen console owner, because there are some pretty solid accessories available for console right now, and some of definitely worth owning. This list of must-have accessories has everything you need to maximize your PS4 enjoyment.

PlayStation Camera

Unlike the Xbox One, the PS4 does not come with its fancy camera in the box. Instead, it’s available as a $60 purchase, (that still makes the PS4 cheaper, even with the optional accessory) and it adds quite a bit to the console.

Like the Xbox One, but to a lesser degree, the PlayStaion Camera can be used to issue voice commands for navigating around the console. It’s not as robust, and the applications are somewhat limited, but it’s still really cool, and it makes navigating the console easier. It also allows for automatic logging in when you sit in front of it, and it lets you use Play Room, which is a fun little diversion offered on the PS4. Time will tell if the camera becomes a deeper part of the console, but for the time being, it’s pretty cool, and for $60, you really can’t go wrong.

An Extra Controller

I don’t think I need to explain this one too much. An extra DualShock 4 allows you to share some of the next-gen gaming goodness with your friends and loved ones, and with the holidays right around the corner, what better time is there to show off your console while actually having another controller for people to play with?

A new DualShock 4 will set you back $60, but when you consider that you will likely be playing games on the console for the next 5-7 years, it’s not a bad investment. Plus, it serves as a backup in case your main controller suffers some kind of a tragic accident (or the most epic of rage quits) and ends it’s life early.

POWER A DualShock 4 Charging Station

Sony has opted to continue using internal batteries in the DualShock 4, as it did with the PlayStation 3. This has its pros and cons, but one of the main drawbacks is, of course, how you handle the batteries dying. For me, my PS4 is all the way across the room, so charging while playing is not an option unless I want to sit on the floor right in front of my TV. Either that, or I need to use my laptop or another USB source to power the charger, which is still less than ideal. That’s where a charging station like this comes into play.

With the POWER station, you can have two controllers charging at all times. It uses AC power, so you don’t need to sit practically on your PS4 to keep things charging, and it’s styled after the PS4 and its controllers, so you don’t have to worry about it looking out of place. Add in the reasonable $25 price tag, and you have a solid accessory that works perfectly for any PlayStation owner who plans on buying a second controller.

USB Extender Cable

Maybe spending $25 for a charging station isn’t your style, or maybe you prefer to have only one controller and you want to play and charge at the same time. The solution is simple and incredibly affordable: a simple USB extender. You can pick up a 10-foot cable for around $6, and it will easily solve all of your controller charging woes quickly and easily.

The other nice thing about an extender like this is that it’s not specific to the PS4, so if you ever encounter a situation where you need a longer USB cable, you can quickly grab it. You can also elect to just get a really long microUSB cable, as it will server the same job, but I prefer the extra versatility of the extender.

A Better Headset

Sony did something great and something poor with the way it handled the PS4 headset. The great thing is the standard 3.5mm jack that works with almost any headset you can find. The bad part is that the one it included feels like a cheap piece of junk. It’s definitely a worthwhile investment to grab a better set if you plan on doing a lot of voice chat and even more so if you plan to route game sound through it.

Since you can use any headset you want, there is no way for to me to recommend a specific pair, and pretty much anything will be better than the one that’s included. You might even have a better set sitting around your house. Either way, you should definitely consider using it, as you will find the experience vastly improved over the uncomfortable set that comes in the box with the PS4

Your Turn

For those of you lucky enough to get a PS4, what accessories, if any did you buy? Are you sticking with just a single controller, or did you go crazy and get all kinds of extras? Hit the comments section below and let us know!