DualSense Edge analysis: The new PS5 pro controller costs almost 4 times more than a normal controller so the question is clear, is it worth it?

It has a scary price, so no matter how good the idea of ​​having “a DualSense pro” of the highest quality sounds, it is logical to ask yourself the question: is it really worth the close to 240 euros it costs? After testing for days DualSense Edge with several games of playstation 5 and even some other pc, I can guarantee you that this new peripheral from Sony is a real pass. Just by holding it in your hands you already notice the premium character of its components; but it is that under its casing it also hides software that can delight the most dedicated players. And yet, if you ask me if it is worth buying or not, my answer may not be very useful to you at first because in the end, everything it will depend on what you are looking for and whether what the PS5 pro controller offers fits those needs and your budget.

As a premium controller, it seems to me that it is at a very high level, one of the best on the market, with some options of personalization who are an example to follow. But the DualSense Edge also presents some other aspects that could be improved such as the battery life, which is less than that of the DualSenseSo not everything is perfect. With the aim of helping you as much as possible in your decision to buy or not this PS5 controller, I will tell you what my experience with it has been like.

Design and features of the DualSense Edge

At first glance, the new Sony remote is practically identical to the original DualSense, but as they say, the difference is in the small details, and those of the DualSense Edge are really good. As I told you, it is enough to hold the remote in your hands to realize the quality of the materials used. It feels extremely familiar, it’s the DualSense you’ve gotten used to by now, but even being heavierit is quite comfortable and unquestionably better to the touch.

He touch panell, for example, which now sports a black finish with the iconic PlayStation symbols, has a nicer surface; like that of the triggers L2 and R2, which also have improved grip with a rougher finish ideal to prevent fingers from slipping. The usual in this class of premium peripherals, go. But if we talk about news, the most important physical change is just below the analog sticks, with two Fn buttons that give access to the game profiles that we have created, with different configurations adapted to each of the titles in our collection.

The back of the controller also allows us to insert two button toggle/half dome to expand the customization of the peripheral, which is great for certain kinds of video games such as driving games, for example, in which these metal levers are perfect for manual gear changes with little effort and intuitively due to their position on the controller, as they sit on the grips of the DualSenSe Edge. The half-vault buttons, on the other hand, have a more peculiar design that requires a little more “work” from you to activate it, it is more difficult to press them by mistake, but they are great for action games like God of War: Ragnarokin which I assigned the dodge and special attack moves to avoid lifting the thumbs off the sticks.

Speaking of the sticks, these are identical to those of the original DualSense but with the novelty that now you can easily change the cap of the sticks to adapt its grip to your preferences depending on the game you are playing at that moment. For example in Gran Turismo 7 I have opted for one of the concave caps for the left stick, while in a shooter like Modern Warfare 2 I have used that same cap with the right stick.

If you’re a fan of action, you’ll be glad to know that you can, too. put “caps” on adaptive triggers on the DualSense Edge to increase or decrease the travel of these buttons. In a speed game you want to have the trigger at 100%, but in a game like returnable, in which you shoot non-stop, it has come in handy to be able to shorten the trigger travel as much as possible so as not to reduce fatigue. In this sense, there are three configurable levels, independent for each trigger, which further increases the customization options.

What’s included with the DualSense Edge

I make a brief stop here to tell you in a more visual way everything that the DualSense Edge includes.

• DualSense Edge Wireless Controller
• Braided USB-C cable almost 3 meters long
• 2 standard caps
• 2 tall dome tops
• 2 low dome covers
• 2 half-dome rear buttons
• 2 rear toggle buttons
• Connector housing
• transport case

A simple remove and put perfect for demanding players

During my first few hours with the DualSense Edge I didn’t think I was one of those gamers who would run amok changing settings on the device; removing and putting the covers of the sticks or even using the rear buttons intensively. And yet here I am, doing all that, because one of the greatest virtues of the new PlayStation controller is that it is extremely quick and easy to change even its physical components, which encourages you to want to get the most out of it.

Another of the virtues of the controller has to do with one of the biggest nightmares of every player: that a stick breaks down and with it, you have to send the controller to be repaired or worse, buy a new one. In this case, the DualSense Edge allows you to extract both sticks completely directly and extremely easily, so in case of failure or breakage you could replace one with the other. Perhaps in the future there will also be better quality sticks such as the Xbox elite controller, although for now, nothing has been said about this.

What I’m getting at is that during the last few days I’ve been tinkering with all kinds of games, those already mentioned, plus others like The Ascent or the terrifying and formidable remake of Dead Space, and the sensations with the command have been quite positive. It is comfortable, you can tell that it is of premium quality, and it is also very easy to configure. The big catch? If we talk exclusively about hardware: the battery duration it is inferior to that of the standard DualSense as PlayStation already announced. Around 5 or 6 hours it can last depending on the use made of the vibration, lighting or sound of the speaker. It is the price to pay for having some of the options already described, but… are you willing to pay it?

In my case, I have no problem using a cable, and the one that comes included with the remote is almost 3 meters long, which is not bad; but I also understand those who prefer to play without anything in between, so as I was saying, this is a very personal matter.

How the DualSense Edge software works

As soon as you connect the DualSense Edge to PS5, the console receives you with a tour that very well summarizes all the configuration options offered by this new Sony peripheral. And the truth is that if you set your mind to it, you can modify enough parameters to create a variety of templates adapted to your tastes and needs. The options range from changing the layout of the buttons to also modifying the sensitivity of the sticks, the intensity of the LED lighting or the haptic feedback, or even the volume of the speaker. You decide with total freedom through a very intuitive user interface that allows you to record all the user profiles you want.

Going back to the God of War Ragnarok example, in addition to adding the back buttons and map them To my liking, I also changed the sensitivity of the two sticks to the fast preset so that the movement of the camera and Kratos himself is faster. But if you’re with destiny 2 and you’re looking for more precision, you can configure the right stick with a dynamic or precise adjustment to favor speed without losing precision either. Wow, there’s quite a lot to choose from and as the weeks go by, I’m sure that as happens on PC with the templates for the Steam Controller or Steam Deck, more and more players will propose their own options to get the most out of the controller.

And although now it is time to talk about the software, I cannot do it without mentioning again the fn buttons located under the sticks, because thanks to them you can switch between all these user profiles without having to pause the game action. Just hold down one of these buttons and press Square, Circle, Triangle or X in turn to activate the profile associated with that button combination. It’s as easy and fast as it sounds. An instant change that can come in handy in changing game situations, such as a shooter where you suddenly need more precision than speed due to the type of weapons you use. As I write this I think about the sniper mission of The Last of Us Part 1to say one.

These Fn buttons also allow you to register different settings for the game’s audio mix and voice chat, so as I was saying, at the software level, the DualSense Edge is quite complete. But beware that despite being able to change the layout of the buttons, and having two extra ones on the back of the remote, you can’t create macros simply and simply because this would cause an advantage over those who do not use the PlayStation pro controller.

That said, there is a limit to the number of profiles assigned to each Fn button, but you can save as many as you want to the console’s memory and then distribute them however you like, depending on the games you’re going to hit.

The autonomy of the battery, the weak point of the new DualSense

As you can see, I couldn’t be happier with the PlayStation 5 DualSense Edge. It’s a controller with exquisite finishes that provides enough customization options so that you can adapt the controller to your tastes and needs depending on the game. But what I like the most is that it is extremely easy to fulfill this wish. In a couple of seconds you can change the covers of the sticks, choose between several profiles with different options and even add the rear buttons. A really intuitive remove and put that invites you to want to experiment with different configurations.

The biggest drawback aside from the price, which is obviously scary, is the battery life. We knew it would be less than the DualSense but still, it seems short for what the command is worth. Depending on the intensity of the game, it can vary between 5 or 7 hours. In the end, the latter is quite personal, but I think that an attempt could have been made to increase the duration a little more to make everyone happy.