It was expected by all PlayStation 5 players since that had taken shape in the summer of 2022. The two-way border finally arrives on January 26 to offer Sony fans a more exclusive controller, aimed at appealing to professional gamers in particular.
The advantages
Everything good that we think of the DualSense in better
The DualSense Edge takes its black and white color codes from the PS5, but mostly the design of the DualSense. Side by side, they are very clearly in the family, almost twins. The grip of the handles that have become more rounded is very pleasant to hold. The now only black buttons and especially the pad, also black with PlayStation motifs, mark the other immediate visual differences.
The DualSense Edge incorporates everything that made its predecessor famous: haptic feedback to “feel” in-game situations, adaptive triggers for different sensitivity settings, or even built-in vibrations for added immersion. Note that the L2 and R2 triggers now benefit from a textured anti-slip coating.
However, it is not popular with competitive gamers, because the symmetrical sticks, considered less ergonomic, are still around, PlayStation does not want to put off its trademark. If in hand, it immediately has a familiar, but slightly heavier feel (336g vs. 234g), you quickly spot the two small (Function) buttons located at the bottom that allow you to activate saved profiles. And that’s it. It is impossible to attribute another function to them and their interest seemed limited to us.
Palettes finally on the back, but…
At the back comes the raison d’être of this controller, the customizable addition of extra checkpoints. Two options are offered: bow knobs or paddles. Surprisingly, you can’t mix the two batches as is often the case with this type of high-end controller. A choice will have to be made.
But it is also on the back where we find a button to adjust the depth of the L2/R2 triggers in three levels. This will come in handy depending on the games. A shooter game will favor a very short, nervous trigger press, while a long key press will be effective for racing games.
Accessories Galore
Like any “pro” controller, the DualSense Edge comes with its army of customization accessories to adapt to the most diverse players and their multiple expectations. Supplied in a transport box, it comes with three sets of caps, two sets of paddles, a charging cable and a lock to secure the cable in case of charging or playing with the controller connected to the console.
You can recharge the controller without ever taking it out of its case via a rear hatch that’s as impractical as it is unsightly with the huge hole visible in the charge. We’ll have one small drawback to this PlayStation-branded storage box: it’s certainly sturdy and overall stylish, but it’s also white and very cluttered.
Domed caps are also provided (flat ones are standard on the DualSense), with a more or less long stem. To replace them on the joysticks, just shoot them. We do it with caution for fear of breaking the material that seems plastic and fragile enough not to support it too many times. To change suits, there is no need to force. Simply press the “release” button on the back which will allow you to detach the front of the DualSense to access and swap the modules.
A simple configuration like all
As soon as you connect the DualSense Edge to the updated PS5, the configuration proposal appears. Otherwise, you just have to go to the settings to take advantage of the software dedicated to the driver. This is where you can remap all the buttons on the controller, adjust the sensitivity of the analog sticks individually, define the layout of the stick strokes, set the Fn buttons to custom profiles (then just do Fn+ square/triangle/cross/circle to access it). It is at the end quite pushed in the possible adjustments.
Settings and profiles made on the console are then transmitted to the DualSense Edge which saves them to memory, even if you’re going to play on another PS5 or on a computer via Bluetooth. On the other hand, you won’t benefit from the latter, except for some PC games when playing wired, adaptive triggers, and other haptic feedback.
our reservations
The price
This is clearly where the shoe has tightened since its formalization. The DualSense Edge is sold at a price of 239.99 euros. It is three to four times more expensive than the basic controller of which it nevertheless occupies the main functions. Is the software processing, the interchangeable chopsticks, and the paddles attached to the back enough to justify such a difference? I’m not sure…
Autonomy
Very sensitive point of the initial DualSense, Sony unfortunately did not learn from its mistakes with the DualSense Edge. Autonomy is one of the weak points of the PS5 controller that we would have dreamed of seeing corrected in the high-end model. Unfortunately, the DualSense doesn’t do better, or worse. It hardly exceeds 6-7 hours of play and it will be fashionable to go through the settings to reduce everything that can be (LED lighting, sensitivity, etc.). Alternatively, you have the option of playing the PS5 wired with the included 2m cable. Best for latency and performance, not gaming ergonomics.
Conclution
With its DualSense Edge, PlayStation is not going astray, far from it. The Japanese offers a command that takes the excellent foundations of the initial DualSense of the PS5 and adds customization options and additional functions. This should satisfy a good number of players, including those who will be happy to have additional controls on the back. Two main concerns remain: autonomy always weak and requiring frequent recharging of the controller. And especially the price. At €240 for add-ons that ultimately aren’t as revolutionary as we’d hoped, Sony seems to be paying a high price for novelty. It’s still $90 more than the competing Xbox Series 2, offering a bit more control and versatility.
Source: BFM TV
