Updated: September 3, 2026 · AceGamer Editorial

Quick answer — In PS4 mode — the rear switch set to P4 — the AceGamer HyperShadow D4 provides the three pieces of DualShock 4 hardware that most third-party PS4 controllers leave out: a clickable dual-point capacitive touchpad, a built-in speaker, and a 3.5 mm TRRS jack for a wired headset and microphone. It also syncs its indicator light with in-game events, wakes the console from sleep with a Home press, and supports up to four controllers per console. All of these are PS4-mode features: in Bluetooth and 2.4G modes for PC, Switch and mobile they do not carry their PS4 behaviour. This guide explains how each works, how to route audio to the speaker or headset in the PS4's settings, what stays PS4-only, and what to check when one of them does not respond, all from the D4's user manual.

Which PS4-specific features does the D4 have?

Six, all documented in the D4's manual under its PS4 connection: the clickable touchpad, the built-in speaker, the 3.5 mm headset and microphone jack, in-game light synchronisation, console wake-up from the Home button, and multi-controller support for up to four pads. The manual describes PS4 compatibility as full — buttons, motion, vibration and touchpad all supported.

Why this matters is best understood from the other direction. PS4 games were designed around the DualShock 4, and many of them assume its hardware is present: the touchpad opens the map or inventory, the speaker plays a radio crackle or a reload click, the jack carries chat audio without a separate adapter. A third-party pad that omits any of the three breaks something in a meaningful number of titles, which is why inexpensive PS4 controllers without a touchpad make poor replacements no matter how good their sticks are. The D4 keeps all three and adds the pro features — TMR sticks, four back buttons, switchable triggers — that the DualShock 4 never had.

The boundary to hold in mind throughout is that every feature on this page is a P4-mode feature. The rear switch has to be in the P4 position and the controller paired to the console, as described in how to connect the D4 to a PS4. The full specification is in D4 specs and price.

How does the touchpad work?

The D4's touchpad is a capacitive surface that tracks up to two touch points and clicks down as a button. In PS4 mode it behaves as the DualShock 4's touchpad does: swipes and taps register as touch input, and pressing it registers as the touchpad button that games use for the map, inventory, gestures and menu shortcuts.

The manual describes it as a capacitive touch-sensing pad supporting a clickable TOUCH button, and lists touchpad support among the D4's full-compatibility features on PS4. In practice the two behaviours games rely on are both present. The click is the common one — a large share of PS4 titles map the touchpad press to a map screen, a scoreboard, a photo mode or a menu, and a controller without a clickable pad leaves those functions unreachable. The touch surface is used less often but matters where it appears: gesture inputs, swipe-to-navigate menus, and the handful of games that use two-finger touches. Dual-point tracking covers those.

A few practical notes. The touchpad sits in the same central position as on a DualShock 4, so muscle memory transfers. It has no separate configuration on the D4 — there is nothing to enable, and it works as soon as the controller is paired in P4 mode. And its behaviour is defined by each game rather than by the controller, so a title that does not use the touchpad will not respond to it on the D4 any more than it would on a DualShock 4. The D4 makes no claim to touchpad function on PC or mobile, where the X-input profile it uses has no place for one.

How does the built-in speaker work?

The D4's built-in speaker plays the controller-side audio that PS4 games send to the pad — radio chatter, weapon clicks, notification chimes, the sounds a DualShock 4 owner is used to hearing from their hands. It is active in PS4 mode, and its volume is controlled from the PS4's own settings rather than on the controller.

The manual lists the built-in speaker alongside the 3.5 mm jack as PS4-mode audio hardware. The PS4 treats a controller speaker as a system audio device: games that use it send specific cues to the controller, and the console's controller settings include a volume control for the speaker. On a PS4, that control sits in the console's Settings under the Devices and Controllers section, where a speaker volume slider governs how loud the pad's audio plays; menu names vary slightly across firmware versions, so look for the controller volume setting if the wording differs.

Two habits are worth mentioning. First, if you use a headset through the jack, the PS4's audio settings decide whether game audio goes to the headset, the TV, or both, and the controller speaker's cues usually follow the headset when one is connected; check the output settings if a cue seems to vanish. Second, the speaker draws power, and it is one of the features that pulls the D4's rated battery life toward the lower end of its 7-to-20-hour range in a long PS4 session. Turning the speaker volume down in the console settings is a modest battery saving, as covered in D4 battery life explained.

How does the 3.5 mm headset jack work?

The jack on the bottom edge of the D4 is a 3.5 mm TRRS socket — four contacts, carrying stereo audio out and a microphone in — and the manual specifies that it supports a stereo headset and microphone in PS4 mode. Plug in a wired headset with a TRRS plug and the PS4 routes game and chat audio to it and takes voice from its microphone.

This is the feature that lets the D4 stand in for a DualShock 4 in online play. On a PS4, connecting a headset to the controller's jack is the standard way to get chat audio and a microphone without a USB headset or an adapter; the console detects the headset and offers output options. In the PS4's audio device settings you can choose whether the headset receives all audio or chat audio only, set its volume, and adjust the microphone level — the same options a DualShock 4 headset connection offers, because the D4 presents the jack the same way.

Three points to get right. The plug must be TRRS — a single 3.5 mm plug with three black rings — which is what gaming headsets and phone earphones with an inline microphone use; a headset with separate headphone and microphone plugs needs a TRRS splitter. The jack is PS4-mode only, per the manual; on PC, connect the headset to the computer directly. And a headset drawing power through the jack is another draw on the battery, alongside the speaker and vibration, so a long online session with a headset sits toward the seven-hour end of the D4's rated range.

Which kinds of PS4 games rely on these features most?

Open-world and action-adventure games lean on the touchpad click; horror, shooter and story-driven titles lean on the speaker; anything played online leans on the headset jack. If your library is heavy in any of those, a controller missing the relevant hardware is a daily irritation rather than a footnote.

Touchpad-heavy genres. Open-world games routinely put the map or the quest log on a touchpad press, and action-adventure titles use it for inventories, photo modes and journals. Some role-playing games use swipes across the surface to page through menus, and a small number of puzzle and party titles use the surface itself as an input. In these, a pad without a clickable touchpad forces you to dig through menus that the game assumed were one press away.

Speaker-heavy genres. Horror and story-led games use the controller speaker for radio calls, whispers and item pickups that the sound design places in your hands rather than on screen; shooters use it for reload clicks and hit confirmations. The cues are small, but they are part of how the game was mixed, and a silent pad drops them.

Headset-dependent play. Any online multiplayer with voice chat, and any single-player session where you want game audio without disturbing the room. A controller-side jack is the simplest route to both on a PS4, and its absence means a USB headset, an adapter or the TV's own headphone output.

The corollary is fair to state: a player whose PS4 library is single-player, offline and light on touchpad use would be well served by a pad without these features. The D4 includes them so that the choice does not have to be made, and its pro features are the reason to prefer it over a DualShock 4 even in that case.

What does in-game light sync do?

The manual describes the D4's indicator light changing dynamically with game scenes in PS4 mode — its example is the light turning red at low health — which mirrors the way PS4 games drive the DualShock 4's light bar as a player-facing cue. It is an indicator effect for you to see; this guide does not present it as a camera-trackable light bar.

On the DualShock 4, the light bar does two jobs: it shows the player's assigned colour and it reacts to games that use it — red when health is low, a flash on a hit, a colour that matches your character. The D4 reproduces that second job on its indicator, so the ambient cue a game sends is visible on the controller. It also does the first job: on a shared console the PS4 assigns each of up to four D4 controllers a colour — blue, red, green or pink — and the indicator shows it.

The distinction to be clear about is tracking. The PlayStation Camera tracks the DualShock 4's light bar for PSVR and for the few camera-based games, and the D4's documentation describes no light bar for that purpose. If you use PSVR, keep a DualShock 4 for it; the D4's light sync is for you, not for the camera. If the indicator is too bright in a dark room, hold OPTION and B for three seconds and move the left stick to cycle 100%, 70% and 30% brightness, with 30% the default, as covered in switching D4 modes.

Does the D4 wake the PS4 and support several controllers?

Yes to both. The manual states that pressing Home on a paired D4 wakes the console from sleep, and that up to four controllers can connect simultaneously with the console assigning each a colour.

Console wake is the daily-use feature that many third-party pads lack and that earlier information about the D4 left unconfirmed; the manual settles it. Leave the PS4 in rest mode, pick up the D4 with the switch on P4, press Home, and console and controller come up together. The only condition is that the D4 has completed its one-time wired pairing on that console.

Multi-controller support means a household can run two, three or four D4s on one PS4, each with its own back-button assignments stored on the controller and its own player colour on the indicator. A DualShock 4 can share the console alongside them as a separate player. Pairing each controller is the same wired-once procedure, covered step by step in how to connect the D4 to a PS4.

Do these features work outside PS4 mode?

No. The touchpad, speaker, headset jack, light sync, console wake and four-controller support are all tied to the P4 protocol. In Bluetooth and 2.4G modes the D4 presents as an Xbox-style X-input controller, and that profile has no place for a touchpad, a controller speaker or a controller-side headset.

The last two rows are the reassuring ones: the pro features that define the D4 travel to every platform, because they live on the controller. What stays on the PS4 is the hardware that only the PS4 knows how to use. That is how the platforms work rather than a shortcoming, but it is worth knowing so that a PC player does not buy the D4 for its touchpad. PC behaviour is covered in connecting the D4 to a PC.

What if a PS4 feature does not respond?

1. Confirm P4 mode. Every feature on this page needs the rear switch in the P4 position. In BT or 2.4G the touchpad, speaker and jack will not function on a PS4 even if the controller connects.
2. Confirm the wired first pairing was completed. If the D4 was never plugged into this console with a USB-C data cable and Home pressed, it is not properly paired; do that step once.
3. Touchpad not responding: check that the game uses it. Try the touchpad in the PS4's own interface — a press in the home screen or a swipe in the media player — to separate a game that ignores it from a controller problem.
4. No speaker audio: open the PS4's controller settings and raise the speaker volume; then check the audio output settings, since a connected headset can redirect controller cues.
5. Headset not working: confirm the plug is a single TRRS plug, seat it fully, and check the PS4's audio device settings for output to headphones and the microphone level. A headset with separate plugs needs a TRRS splitter.
6. Light not syncing: not every game drives the light; confirm in a title known to change the light bar colour. If the indicator is dim, raise brightness with OPTION and B.
7. Console will not wake: the D4 must be paired on that console and the switch on P4; then a Home press wakes it.
8. Reset if all else fails. A paperclip in the rear reset hole for a frozen controller; L1, R1 and Home held for three seconds for a factory reset, then repeat the wired pairing.

If a feature still fails after a factory reset and fresh pairing, contact AceGamer support through the contact page under the store's one-year free replacement policy on the warranty page. Cross-platform troubleshooting is in D4 not connecting: fixes.

How does the D4 compare with the DualShock 4 and other pads here?

On these six features the D4 matches the DualShock 4 on the ones that affect gameplay — touchpad, speaker, jack, light cues, wake and multiplayer — and does not claim the one that does not: camera-tracked light-bar positioning for PSVR. Against most third-party PS4 controllers, it is the rare pad that keeps all three pieces of audio and touch hardware.

The DualShock 4 remains the reference for PS4 integration: official, PSVR-capable, and backed by Sony. What it lacks is what the D4 adds — TMR sticks instead of drift-prone potentiometers, four back buttons, switchable triggers, trigger haptics, a 2.4G dongle and USB-C — at a lower price. The trade is laid out feature by feature in D4 vs DualShock 4.

Among third-party pads, the split is stark. Licensed pro controllers from Nacon and Turtle Beach include a touchpad at around $199. Budget unlicensed pads at $15 to $40 frequently omit the touchpad, the speaker or both, and almost always use potentiometer sticks. The D4 sits between them: the full PS4 feature set with contactless sticks at $49.99. The category is surveyed in the best third-party PS4 controllers and the touchpad question specifically in the best PS4 controllers with a touchpad. Browse the D4 in AceGamer's PS4 controllers.

View the AceGamer HyperShadow D4 →

Frequently asked questions

Does the AceGamer D4 have a working touchpad on PS4?
Yes. In P4 mode its capacitive touchpad tracks two touch points and clicks as a button, so PS4 games that use the touchpad for maps, inventories, gestures and menus behave as they do with a DualShock 4. It needs no configuration; it works once the controller is paired in P4 mode.

Does the D4 have a speaker?
Yes, a built-in speaker active in PS4 mode. It plays the controller-side cues PS4 games send to the pad, and its volume is set in the PS4's controller settings rather than on the controller. The speaker draws power, so lowering its volume helps battery life in long sessions.

Can I plug a headset into the D4?
Yes. The 3.5 mm TRRS jack supports a stereo headset with a microphone in PS4 mode, and the console routes game and chat audio to it and takes voice from its mic, with output and mic level set in the PS4's audio device settings. Use a single TRRS plug; separate plugs need a splitter.

Does the D4 have a light bar?
It has an indicator light that the manual describes syncing with game scenes in PS4 mode - turning red at low health, for example - and showing the player colour the console assigns. It is a player-facing cue; the D4's documentation does not describe a camera-trackable light bar, so PSVR should be assumed to require a DualShock 4.

Do the touchpad and speaker work on PC?
No. They are PS4-mode features. On PC, Switch and mobile the D4 presents as an X-input controller, a profile with no place for a touchpad, a controller speaker or a controller-side headset. Connect a headset to the PC directly. The back buttons, triggers, vibration and other pro features work everywhere.

Why does the touchpad not respond in my game?
First confirm the switch is on P4 and the controller completed its wired first pairing. Then test the touchpad in the PS4's own interface; if it works there, the game simply does not use it. Not every PS4 title assigns a function to the touchpad, on the D4 or on a DualShock 4.

How do I control the D4's speaker volume?
In the PS4's Settings, under the Devices and Controllers section, where a speaker volume slider governs controller audio; the exact wording varies slightly by firmware. A connected headset can redirect controller cues, so check the audio output settings if a cue seems to disappear.

Can the D4 wake my PS4?
Yes. The manual confirms that pressing Home on a paired D4 wakes the console from sleep, matching the DualShock 4's PS button. The controller must have completed its one-time wired pairing on that console, and the rear switch must be on P4.

How many D4 controllers can I use on one PS4?
Up to four, each assigned a player colour - blue, red, green or pink - shown on its indicator. Pair each with the same wired first step, one at a time. A DualShock 4 can share the console alongside D4 controllers as a separate player.

Is the D4 a full replacement for a DualShock 4?
For gameplay, yes: touchpad, speaker, headset jack, light cues, wake and multiplayer all work, and TMR sticks, back buttons and switchable triggers are added. It is not Sony-licensed, does not claim PSVR camera tracking, and does not support the PS5, so keep a DualShock 4 for those uses.

Sources & methodology

The D4's touchpad, speaker, headset jack, light synchronisation, console wake and multi-controller behaviour are taken from the AceGamer HyperShadow D4 user manual (version 2.1) and the official product listing as of September 2026. PS4 audio and controller volume settings are described at the level of the console's standard settings menus, whose wording varies by firmware version. Where the manual does not describe a behaviour — camera-tracked light-bar positioning, PS5 support, touchpad function on PC — this guide says so rather than assuming. No test measurements were taken.

• AceGamer HyperShadow D4 — product page · user manual.
• Specifications — D4 specs & price.
• Related — connect the D4 to a PS4 · D4 vs DualShock 4.
• Hub — pro controller guides.