The DualSense Edge gamepad, which will be available for $200 on January 26th, has a long list of improvements. However, battery life will not be one of them.
However, there is one unimpressive change from the original DualSense controller.
Here’s the full statement from the company:
The DualSense Edge wireless controller’s operating time is moderately shorter than the original DualSense wireless controller because we’ve included many more features within the same form factor and ergonomic design as the original DualSense controller.
We wanted to strike a good balance between wireless operating time and delivering robust, high-performance features. Additionally, the longer USB braided cable is also great for competitive players who prefer playing with a wired connection to avoid wireless interference – this option preserves battery life.
According to DualSense Edge product manager Tomomasa Mizuno, Sony set out in late 2018 to create a “high performance” premium controller, holding over 100 research sessions with pro gamers to figure out the biggest pain points.
According to him, the company eventually challenged itself to create an uncompromised gamepad in the same form factor as the excellent DualSense gamepad that came with the PS5.
However, despite the fact that every generation of Sony wireless controller has had poor battery life, including the original DualSense, it appears that Sony is not addressing this issue this time.
In my experience, the DualSense lasts longer than my DualShock 3 and DualShock 4, but I still bought a dedicated charging stand because it still runs out of battery at inconvenient times. You can use such a stand with the DualSense Edge, too, or plug in the bundled 2.8-meter USB-C cable if it’ll reach your couch. Tomomasa Mizuno added.
Sony is also not directly addressing joystick drift, a phenomenon in which normal wear and tear on potentiometer-based joysticks causes them to wear out over time and give false readings — most notably in the Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons, though Sony’s PS5 controllers are not immune.
To read our blog on “The PlayStation 5 is only around an inch thick due to its custom water cooling,” click here