The DualSense Edge will be with us sooner rather than later. We’re bringing you everything you need to know about the upcoming PS5 Pro controller ahead of its January release date.
The DualSense Edge was announced at Gamescom 2022’s Opening Night Live presentation. Sony debuted the controller at the showcase with an all-too-short teaser, showing off the upgraded controller and the bespoke features that give it a few notches higher than the regular DualSense wireless controller.
While the DualSense Edge isn’t coming until next year, we’ve seen the standard DualSense sell at all-time low prices during the winter sales events, with the Cyber Monday PS5 deals sure to carry the torch forward. It’s definitely something to keep on your radar.
Sony is the last of the three major console manufacturers to offer a more advanced controller for its system. Microsoft led the pack with its Xbox Elite Wireless Controller and again with the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2. Then there’s the Nintendo Switch Pro controller, which is more standard but offers remarkable battery life over the standard Joy-Con controller. controllers.
Now that Sony has thrown its hat in the ring with the DualSense Edge for PS5, what can we expect? Read on to learn everything we know so far about the DualSense Edge controller.
DualSense Edge: straight to the point
- What is it? Sony’s ‘Elite’ DualSense controller
- When can I buy it? January 26, 2023
- What can I play it on? PS5
DualSense Edge: price and release date
Thanks to a recentFeatures Trailer (opens in new tab)and recently PlayStation blog post, we now have a release date and pricing information for DualSense Edge. According to Sony, it will retail for $199.99 USD / €239.99 / £209.99, launching globally on January 26, 2023 and one month before PSVR 2. Unfortunately, no Australian price was provided.
It places DualSense Edge above Microsoft’s Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, which retails for $179.99 / £159.99 / AU$249.95. With Sony recently raising the price of the PS5, we’re not surprised accessories have followed suit. The DualSense costs $69.99 / £59.99 / AU$109.95, while the Xbox Wireless Controller is slightly cheaper at $59.99 / £54.99 / AU$74.99.
In the UK, US and Europe, pre-orders for DualSense Edge and replaceable stick module are exclusive to the PlayStationDirect (opens in new tab) store. However, this will be offered to “other participating retailers” later on February 23, though no details on companies have been given.
DualSense Edge: design
The silhouette of the DualSense Edge is almost identical to the standard controller. But that is by no means a bad thing. The DualSense is already a cleanly designed, comfortable pad that didn’t need much refinement in the first place.
The aesthetic differences are more obvious. The central touchpad is sleek matte black, adorned with PlayStation’s square, circle, cross and triangle iconography. The d-pad and face buttons have also been changed to black, instead of white on the original. What we have is a striking contrast to the standard white DualSense controller.
The bottom of the controller, which houses the microphone, PS button and analog sticks, is now a glossier black. The sticks themselves, triggers and the back of the controller also all seem to have a firmer and more textured grip.
DualSense Edge: battery life
By far the biggest downside to the DualSense is its meager battery life. Clocking in at between 4 and 10 hours on a single charge, it falls well short of the pads on competing systems. Unfortunately, even with Sony’s recent reveal, we still don’t have any concrete information on the DualSense Edge’s battery life.
Still, it’s something Sony would like to improve on from the basic pad, even if it’s just a marginal improvement over a few hours. In comparison, Xbox’s Elite Series 2 has a battery life of about 35-40 hours on a single charge. We don’t think the Edge will live up to this given all the features the Xbox pad lacks. But we’d like to see improved battery life of at least around 15-20 hours.
DualSense Edge: features
The DualSense Edge may look good, but its value as a pro standard pad will be judged by its features. For the most part, it looks like Sony is pulling out all the stops in this regard.
As you’d expect, the Edge is going to be very modular. The sticks, stick caps and back paddles can all be swapped and adjusted based on your personal preferences. Line layout and sensitivity are also fully customizable. Not only can players fully customize their button layouts, they can also customize stick deadzones, as well as activate travel distance and sensitivity.
All this can be done directly from the controller itself. A dedicated Fn button (function) opens a separate user interface that allows players to adjust their controller settings in the blink of an eye. Plus, you can save profiles for when you need them most. Switching from Demon’s Souls to Gran Turismo 7? Switching profiles ensures that your controls work properly no matter what game you’re playing.
You can expect all the best features of the DualSense to return. Haptic feedback, adaptive triggers and motion controls are all present and accounted for when it comes to the Edge. Finally, everything comes bundled up in an included carrying case, and you can charge the controller via a USB connection while it’s stored inside.