The PlayStation 5 controller, the DualSense, has been revealed to the public for some time now, and when it was first revealed, it did little less than make the entire internet explode with reactions and hot takes. However, the DualSense looks like a great little controller with some positive and negatives, and today we’ll be going over them.
10 Amazing: The Colors
Let’s start off with the positives, the color scheme on this thing is great. The two-tone design is a big move for PlayStation, easily setting the DualSense apart as their boldest controller yet. It also might indicate that we’re in for a mostly-white PS5, which will be a great step away from the usual black that we’re used to seeing.
9 Worried: The Joysticks
The joysticks, on the other hand, are not so great. They look to be the same as the ones on the PS4’s DualShock 4, which would wear down incredibly easily after even a very normal amount of use.
Hopefully, these aren’t exactly the ones that we used on the DualSense’s predecessor, as they’re something that would hold this futuristic controller back.
8 Amazing: Adaptive Triggers
One feature that we’ve heard quite a bit of talk about are the DualSense’s adaptive triggers, which can simulate pushback and resistance in order to emulate different feelings that you might come across in the real world. This can really help to fully immerse players in the virtual worlds that they’re inhabiting in a way that they’ve never been before.
7 Worried: The Joysticks
One more complaint about the joysticks, but seriously, couldn’t they have offset these things? Sure, this is a matter of opinion, but offset joysticks work great on Microsoft and Nintendo’s controller offerings, couldn’t Sony have followed suit? They just don’t feel as great when they’re symmetrical.
6 Amazing: The Microphone
The built-in microphone on the DualSense is a great new addition to the controller. Sony even said it themselves that, while a plug-in microphone will be preferred for long gaming sessions, the fact that players can so quickly jump into a voice call straight from their controller is fantastic. More ease of use is never a bad thing, and this innovation will come in handy pretty often, especially if you play online a solid amount of time.
5 Worried: The D-Pad
Eh, this could go either way, but the D-Pad looks… interesting. Are these the type of buttons that will get smudgy and dirty quickly, or will they continue to look pristine after a good amount of use? This is, of course, something that we’ll be able to find out after testing the controller for a bit, so the jury is still out on this one. Let’s hope Sony made sure to figure out a way to keep this white controller as clean as possible.
4 Amazing: The Create Button
The DualSense 5 replaced the Share button with a Create (or Honk) button, and this could actually be great rebranding of the service that will allow players even more tools to share their great gaming moments online.
What will the Create button be able to do? Make GIFs? Add voiceover? There’s simply no telling now, but considering that Sony felt that it was important enough to give the button a brand new name, we’re likely in for some nice changes.
3 Worried: The Touchpad
This isn’t really a “worry,” but more of a “why?” Why is the Touchpad back as such a prominent feature of the DualSense? If it did just make a return for backward compatibility, it could easily have been shrunk to take up a lot less real estate on the controller. Does this mean that Sony is doubling down on the Touchpad? Maybe they’ll find a way to finally make use of this piece of the controller. It’s massive, so they’d better find some use for it with upcoming games.
2 Amazing: USB-C
This is something that we already knew about, but it is so nice to see that the DualSense will be taking advantage of USB-C compatibility, meaning that we have one less type of cord that we have to keep sitting around the house. Now if we could just get Apple to jump on the bandwagon, we’d finally reach optimal performance. But, let’s be real. That will never happen. Well, at the very least, we can get rid of the last remaining Micro USBs that are sitting in some drawer in the house. Somewhere.
1 Worried: No Back Buttons
The back button attachment that Sony released for the DualShock 4 was a great move for accessibility, allowing gamers to hold the controller in a way that worked for them. Why then, are these buttons not part of the DualSense? The back button accessory was released very recently, so it seemed almost certain that it was going to make a return on the DualSense. The fact that it isn’t back is a shame. Let’s hope that at the very least, gamers who took advantage of the back button accessory can continue to use it with the DualSense.
NEXT: Where Are The DualSense Back Buttons?
