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The DualSense controller is probably one of the worst made controllers i have ever owned

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Was lucky enough to secure 2 ps5s on launch (one for me and 1 for my son) and while i realise there are many of you who are yet to get a ps5
when you do you are going to experience probably the worst build quality since the old Atari 2600 rattle joysticks for the dualsense

Now before we get people jumping in and defending the dualsense..im not having a go about the dual-sense functionality
this is a discussion about the build quality of these controls

So far im up to 6 broken controllers and the only way of pro-longing the life of the control is to turn off the dualsense functions which is completely stupid
and we should not be expecting controllers to last only a couple of months using them the way they were designed

Sons ps5
1st dead control (3 months after launch) Stick drift on right stick and Right trigger stuck on always on unless you physically hold it out
2nd - (2 months after the replacement) X button stuck...both L2 and R2 triggers loose and remain on
3rd - This one has lasted about 6 months as he turned off dual sense on all games but now we have the same issues as the last 2

Mine
2 out of my controls lasted 3 months..and i only game for maybe 1 or 2 hours a day and i take pretty good care of my stuff
The third controller i turned off dual sense functions as well (like my sons) and its also lasted much longer but once again im staring down the barrel of having to replace
2 controllers within a short amount of time as this control has also given up

The main issue seems to be the cheap springs that are used in the trigger any google search you will come up with hundreds of topics about broken controllers or loose triggers
and while many of you are happy to just take them back to the store and replace we should not still be dealing with issues like this after countless class actions against companies
for controller's with defects


bO6r6WV.jpg

SxV1FAM.jpg


i miss the good old days where you could literally demo your drywall in your house and hammer in some nails / bludgeon to death someone and then jump
in and play some Streets of rage with your controller and not miss a beat

These controllers were the Nokias of Gaming
1A6BrVy.jpg
 
I dont understand how you able to break 6 controllers.
Im still using my first dualsense since Jan.
i thought it was just me but i have a number of freinds on my list that have also had the same issues
the main games i and my son play are Wreckfest/BFV and R6 Siege

We also have blown through the first party stuff...spiderman caused 3 of the controllers to give out

To describe how it first starts you notice your trigger press is much easier and eventually it gets stuck in the on position unless you physically pull it out
you will start to see a gap between the R1 and R2 triggers.....Not so much on the left triggers as these dont get as much of the vibration but these also come loose
 
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Codes 208

Member
Ive only had to replace my controller once (bad R2) other than that I have very little complaints (other than battery life)

definitely wouldnt call it the worst though. The n64 trident and sixaxis/ds3 exist.
 
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Aenima

Member
My 2 Launch dualsenses still going strong. I pretty much just use 1 of them since the other is just for swap in case the one i use gets out of battery.

I was getting signs of stick drift in both thumbsticks playing Genshin Impact, as the game has very tight deadzones. I tilted the sticks and blew up inside a couple times and all signs of drift dissapeared from both sticks.
 

SlimeGooGoo

Party Gooper
You know, I wish companies would just stick to what has worked for the past 10 years but made it better and more robust.

I'm not trying to flame or anything, but adding new features to a controller is not a zero cost solution.
Those new features mean that they have to cheapen some other parts in order to keep the price in the $60~$70 range.

I like that Microsoft basically kept the same features and design as the Xbox One controller, but improved some things (like the DPAD)
The result is a more robust controller, and also cheaper than the Dualsense.

I'm not saying Sony doesn't have the right to attempt to make an innovative controller in some way or another, but they should at least have kept the option for people to use the Dualshock 4 controller (for PS5 games), which is more mature and people have tons of them laying around.
 

bender

What time is it?
My launch controller is going strong. *knock on wood*

I was most unlucky with x360 controllers. As much as I loved the design, it usually only took a matter of weeks or months before they developed stick drift. I guess I'm lucky in the fact that I hate Nintendo's Joy Cons.
 
You know, I wish companies would just stick to what has worked for the past 10 years but made it better and more robust.

I'm not trying to flame or anything, but adding new features to a controller is not a zero cost solution.
Those new features mean that they have to cheapen some other parts in order to keep the price in the $60~$70 range.

I like that Microsoft basically kept the same features and design as the Xbox One controller, but improved some things (like the DPAD)
The result is a more robust controller, and also cheaper than the Dualsense.

I'm not saying Sony doesn't have the right to attempt to make an innovative controller in some way or another, but they should at least have kept the option for people to use the Dualshock 4 controller (for PS5 games), which is more mature and people have tons of them laying around.
Sony are forcing the dualsense use on all of their games so i only see the issue getting worse

The Dualshock4 i never had issues with oustide of the first couple of years where the sticks would peel and i still use one of my original controllers for remote play
the only saving grace with the controllers dying so quick on the dualsense is they all fall into the mandatory consumer replacement laws we have in aus

Outside of that you are screwed and have to break open your control
 

GHG

Gold Member
2 launch controllers still work perfectly, one has even had an accidental fall.

Don't know what you're doing to yours but whatever it is, it isn't good for them.

Also...

and while many of you are happy to just take them back to the store and replace we should not still be dealing with issues like this after countless class actions against companies
for controller's with defects

jim-carrey-what.gif
 
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My controller right trigger start to give out. A loose trigger, have the ps5 sicne launch. I guess hoiw long ti last depend on the game you play. If you play fps a lot, it will give out fast.
 

qiqiqiiq

Member
My first dualsense lasted like 5 months before the right stick started drifting, so far the replacement has been working with no issues, but I deactivated the adaptive triggers a long time ago, I know people who had issues too, for example my best friend's dualsense stopped turning on after like 7 months it was either a battery or a usb c port issue, and my boyfriend's dualsense left stick gets stuck in the up position and he has had his PS5 less than a month and bought it brand new.
 

Bankai

Member
I have to admit, there are 2 thing I don't like about it:
1. the mushy feeling D-pad. It's honestly worse than PS3's and even PS4's
2. Durability seems to be a problem with the triggers. I had to get one replaced because of very low tension of the right trigger; it almost felt loose.

Other than that, I absolutely love its functionality and design. Games really are better with great haptics and the sticks are great.
 

FranXico

Member
I love my Megadrive. So much so that I bought a raspberry pi and installed Blast16 just to share the golden age of gaming with my kids.

But those controllers were very fragile. I had to open them up to fix the button contacts. And I'm far from being rough on controllers. Nokia of gaming they are not.

Any controller made in the last 15 or so years is vastly more robust.
 

kurisu_1974

is on perm warning for being a low level troll
My main two issues:

- when i take the PS5 out of sleep mode with the controller, it then loses connection with the ps5, only solution is to hard reboot the console

- i noticed this only with Scarlet Nexus, but I could constantly hear and feel the mechanism in the controller adjust itself, weird creaky noises
 

Urban

Member
Is there a software which I can use on pc to see if my controllers have drifting ?

i have 3 controllers and none of them have any issues but with one I sometimes think the character walks downward
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
My main issue with the build quality is the DPad which, while being a slightly worse design than the PS4 one, does not sit well in its place and will often hit the hard shell of the controller. It is still a really good D-Pad but it took some steps forward and some back…
 
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You know, I wish companies would just stick to what has worked for the past 10 years but made it better and more robust.

I'm not trying to flame or anything, but adding new features to a controller is not a zero cost solution.
Those new features mean that they have to cheapen some other parts in order to keep the price in the $60~$70 range.

I like that Microsoft basically kept the same features and design as the Xbox One controller, but improved some things (like the DPAD)
The result is a more robust controller, and also cheaper than the Dualsense.

I'm not saying Sony doesn't have the right to attempt to make an innovative controller in some way or another, but they should at least have kept the option for people to use the Dualshock 4 controller (for PS5 games), which is more mature and people have tons of them laying around.
Nah. Adaptive trigger and hd rumble change the game. No way can i go back to bow and arrow gameplay without the tension in the triggers.
 

lh032

I cry about Xbox and hate PlayStation.
You know, I wish companies would just stick to what has worked for the past 10 years but made it better and more robust.

I'm not trying to flame or anything, but adding new features to a controller is not a zero cost solution.
Those new features mean that they have to cheapen some other parts in order to keep the price in the $60~$70 range.

I like that Microsoft basically kept the same features and design as the Xbox One controller, but improved some things (like the DPAD)
The result is a more robust controller, and also cheaper than the Dualsense.

I'm not saying Sony doesn't have the right to attempt to make an innovative controller in some way or another, but they should at least have kept the option for people to use the Dualshock 4 controller (for PS5 games), which is more mature and people have tons of them laying around.
Majority of people will not be going back to normal controllers after the dualsense, the haptic feedback is too good.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
I had one right R2 trigger break and I havent played the console that much. Still have a controller new boxed up in case this one goes or I can finally find sackboy for cheap.
my second pad has been fine so far. Fingers crossed
 

Redefine07

Member
What happens if you are a negative person but still gets 2 PS5s. FU and you say "im not having a go about the dual-sense functionality" after that "pro-longing the life of the control is to turn off the dualsense functions which is completely stupid" , yep....
 

Aenima

Member
Is there a software which I can use on pc to see if my controllers have drifting ?

i have 3 controllers and none of them have any issues but with one I sometimes think the character walks downward
I think there is, dunno the name though. Anyway try tilt the stick and blow in the gaps. Strong blows. The signs of drift dissapeared from my controller after i did that.
 

Keihart

Member
Those same springs are way more fragile on DS4, it's a typical point of failure, cheap and easy to fix DYI honestly.
6 controllers, same issue, turning off the force feedback on the triggers, something doesn't check out.

Have you thought that maybe you are the problem? i know, crazy theory, but i think it's worth entertaining it.
 
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Apeopleman

Member
I foresee a lot of busted L2 and R2 triggers in the coming years for the Dualsense. There’s simply too many moving parts, too many cheap parts aka the spring, and the resistance on the adaptive triggers will only speed up the wear and tear. The triggers use cheap plastic gears for feedback. I cringe Everytime a game makes me press hard on the R2 trigger while it’s ”fighting” me. I know itll eventually give out. Hopefully Sony does a revision for the controller mid gen like they usually do
 
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TrueLegend

Member
Have been saying that from start. Adding functionality by compromising stability is bad engineering. However, breaking 6 does suggest some mishandling on your part. What games do you play? I play games like DMC5 and I haven't broken a controller yet.
 

THE DUCK

voted poster of the decade by bots
I can see where the dualsrnse would wear faster on r2. Mine are fine so far, but its not like they have a thousand hours on them.....
A bit nervous now though considering how many have had trouble and how expensive to replace they are.
 

Ozriel

M$FT
Mine work perfectly since day one. Both of them. If you’ve had 6 fail on you in a year, might I respectfully suggest getting a priest and some holy water? Sounds like a hex or some serious bad luck.

Seriously, though, I’m not sure why you’re having bad experiences with yours. Haven’t seen reports of widespread failures.
 

Gaelyon

Gold Member
I've preordered my PS5 and use it everyday since launch, and my only Dualsense is still in perfect condition. I love it as the best PS controller I ever had.
I really can't understand how you manage to break several in a few months.
 

shubik

Member
Got mine in January and I play a lot. Not one single problem so far. It feels fantastic, the haptics are game-changing and the mic and touchpad are improved over the last version.

My only negative point is the battery life. With haptics going strong, I feel like the DualSense is a little bit too fast empty. More power would be a great improvement.
 
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