There are two main contenders to choose from when looking for a Vita grip: the PDP one here, or the Hori grip. Hori's grip looks like it has better grips that are extendable handles, but has one huge problem. The Hori grip requires a lock-in on the power jack of the Vita and as far as I've been able to tell, there's no pass-through. This means you can't use it while the Vita is plugged in. But the Vita is portable, you say? Well, I'm not looking for grips to use on-the-go as they ad extra bulk to the device and I'm never playing for very long when I'm out of the house. I wanted something that I could use while plugged in to the AC adapter as needed, while playing at home in my chair or in bed, or whatever. At the time I was playing Ragnarok Odyssey at all hours of the day in my free time, and needed to charge the Vita up at least twice a day. (Note, we're talking 5+ hours per day of play time here). I also own a Nerf grip, which is fine for some situations like if you're sitting upright and looking down at the Vita near your lap, but it only offers real grip on the back of the Vita. The sides and bottom (bottom meaning where the headphone jack and data/charge port are) are virtually uncovered.
Anyway, my first impression with the PDP grip is that the grip "nubs" might be too small to even make a difference, but that's not true at all. Sure, they could probably be a little bigger and provide more comfort and support, but they definitely get the job done. The whole thing feels a little flimsy and is one big piece, plus the two trigger buttons, so if the grip nubs were any bigger, it might compromise the item's structure. I do worry that I'll break the grip while it's not on the Vita, but once it's snapped into place, it's very snug and sturdy. I haven't had any problems with my screen protector at all (I've heard some complaints about various grips pushing up the corners of some third-party screen protectors). All of the buttons and ports are unobstructed, including the rear touch pad. It takes a little getting used to to reaching around the triggers to hit the volume or power buttons, but it's not a problem.
As for the triggers, they leave a little to be desired, but I think part of that is due to the Vita's L and R buttons' looseness to begin with. The triggers move up and down freely, and are further "back" than the L and R buttons, so in pressing the triggers down, there's an odd angle on the insides of the grip where the moving bits actually press down on the real L and R buttons closer to the front. If you have a hard time visualizing that, try to get a side-view or top-view of the grip and you'll see what I mean -- if the Vita were a PS3 controller, L and R would be L1 and R1 and completely covered and hidden, while the triggers would be placed around where L2 and R2 sit. The triggers are easy to use, but can be a little awkward at times depending on how you hold your hands on the grips. But again, I feel like the Vita's L and R buttons have a similar problem so the flaw there is not entirely on the grip's design. It also helps to hold the triggers ALL THE WAY DOWN, as you are basically pressing a button that presses another button. If you don't press the trigger down firmly enough, it's possible the L/R button on the Vita might not register. This didn't seem to be in an issue in games where you use quick, hard taps on the shoulder buttons (like shooting in FPS games), but I found it to be a bit uncomfortable to maintain that position while holding down the right trigger for extended periods (Ragnarok Odyssey requires you to hold down R while moving to run). I could see a similar issue with L in shooter games that use that button to "aim down sights", or racing games that use R for acceleration, and so on.
While I'm entirely pleased with the grip, it's not perfect. I do like it better than the Nerf and Hori grips, though, and it's well worth the money. I've got fairly big hands and playing Vita, PSP and PSone games for hours on end can be torture with the Vita's right-at-the-edge button placement; this grip fixes that!
Similar items that may ship from close to you
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Reviews with images
Submit a report
A few common reasons customers report reviews:
- Harassment, profanity
- Spam, advertisement, promotions
- Given in exchange for cash, discounts
When we get your report, we'll check if the review meets our Community guidelines. If it doesn't, we'll remove it.
Sorry, there was an error
Please try again later.Top reviews from other countries
Hendrik
PS Vita Attachment Super! , zu teuer!
Reviewed in Germany on February 12, 2014Bruno
Better than a cheaper grip alternative I tried. Worth going for his over an alternative
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2016
Activist290
Sehr gut, ein Gefühl wie beim PS3 Controller, leider auch EXTREM teuer!!!
Reviewed in Germany on December 12, 2013
