Topic: I was wrong about the DualSense , sorry sony

After spending some time with my series X controller that i got about 2 weeks ago to try on my PC for shooters, and other games, & i gotta say that the DualSense is superior . being the doomer that i am , i was reluctant to the controller at first , and just written it off as an ''xbox controller wannabe'' , but it turns out i was really wrong and sony really mastered making the perfect PS controller. aside from the battery life , the thickness and symmetrical analog placements feel really good, i admit the gimmicks are cool and id be sad if they go, and i really love the built in mic feature. the series X controller feels less comfortable and has a less durable feel to it with no features and the d-pad/analogs are in inconvenient areas. the d-pad also feels like one big button with a 360 motion to it, and to add salt to the big wound - BATTERIES!!

the dualsense is admittedly the best controller ever (sorry xbox360), crazy how times and opinions change over time

Really agree, I love the 360 controller but the Dualsense is great and the best PS controller, I really the dualshock 3, so I'm glad they got rid of that design.

@nomither6 I really,really dislike the Dualsense. The shape is just fractionally wrong for the size and heft of my hands so I end up cramping after short periods of playtime (a problem I've never had with previous iterations of the Sony controller) and the adaptive triggers do my head in. My favourite is still the Switch Pro, even if the D-Pad is a bit iffy.
PS I always regarded the the use of batteries on the Xbox controller as a major plus. If it dies mid game you can just pop in another rechargeable and away you go! No need to plug in and wait for the controller to juice up.

I like the dualsence, particularly the haptics (shout out to the difference between your dog-sled travelling on snow to ice when playing God of War: Ragnarok) but… I do actually prefer offset thumb stick positioning of the Xbox (& most other manufacturers) controllers if I’m honest.

I’ll be keeping an eye out for a good third party PS5 controller with the Xbox input layout but the PlayStation haptics and adaptive triggers. That would be the perfect controller for me personally.

within 20mins of having an Xbox Controller, i found it cheap compared to dualsense. light, clicky noises using dpad, and its not got a nice feel to it when holding in RT, you feel plastic case round it.

dualsense, wish the battery was better, touchpad a little smaller.

Both have their good and bad sides and just depends where your preferences lie (or the size and shape of your hands) which suits one best.
The Xbox series controller can feel cheaper, but the shape of the controller and placement of the sticks and dpad suits my hands better. I also prefer the batteries, since i use rechargeable battery packs, if one is empty i just grab a new one from the charger.
The dual sense has the touchpad and the "gimmicky" stuff like haptic feedback which are better than the xbox controller. But just like @LN78 the controller hurts my hands after some time, because of the shape and size of the controller. The placement of the dpad and stick also doesnt really help with that.
That why i personally prefer the series controller since i can keep it in my hand the entire time while gaming, while the dual sense i generally put down in between cutscenes for instance.

I can't disagree other than with the batteries complaint. Just buy a good rechargeable battery pack and you're set on Xbox. I don't use it much anymore, but when I was using my Series X more often, I was getting around 40 hours on one charge. If Sony either gave us the option to put in our own battery packs or just put in one that was much better, then it would be a near perfect controller.

Well, that and either minimizing or just getting rid of the touchpad entirely. It's too close to the buttons, so I do occasionally run my finger along it, which is annoying for games that use it heavily like Ghost of Tsushima or when typing out messages on PSN.

@LN78 that’s too bad , but it can’t be worse than the dualshock 3 can it ? besides , i don’t use the gimmicks myself , and have them off , but the options the dualsense offers is nice .

and although you can just pop in new batteries & play with xbox controllers (bonus if you have rechargeable) ..……….y’know what , you actually have a point ; if the dualsense dies , you have to connect the usb cable to it & not everyone has their PS5 in convenient spots to play connected , good point .

it’s not a dealbreaker though 😏

I prefer not having batteries, rechargeable or not. I have other electronic devices which use rechargeable batteries that I change out and I find it a hassle. For me it’s easier to have two controllers that I switch out when one dies. In the same way you can keep a battery charged and ready to switch out, I keep the second pad charged and ready to switch out. Easier to just push a button than pop the battery chamber open and get the batteries switched. Plus, this way I’ve got the option for couch co-op, and a backup for when/if one of them malfunctions one day [knocks on wood].

But yes, the form and feel of the DualSense is inferior to the DS4, imho. You really feel it when you go back to your DS4 and feel how nice and snugly it settles in you hands. So much more comfortable for me. The DualSense feature more than make up for the lesser comfort though. I personally love the adaptive triggers and haptics.

I like the Dual Sense, it's probably a little more comfortable than DS4 which was also great. Not a fan of the adaptive triggers at all, doesn't do anything to add immersion for me just feels weird at best and like my controller is broken at worst. Haptics are kinda cool, but I am someone who turns rumble off historically so I can take it or leave it.

I like the DualSense but it’s the first controller I’ve ever had go faulty on me 🤷🏻‍♂️

The battery life is a bit rubbish but I think the icon for the battery level always makes it look worse than it is; I only charge when it’s flashing empty and it’s easy enough to plug into my laptop usb if I want to use it and it dies.

@nomither6 You don't need to use the charging cable that came with the console or for it to be connected. Any similar USB charging cable and plug adapter will suffice.

In terms of the actual controller, the DualSense is one my favourites of all time. I love all the bells and whistles it offers, and when you play something like Returnal it is pure gaming bliss.

@kyleforrester87 It would have been better if it was named the Dual: Sense.

@Thrillho the stick drift fortunately hasn’t affected my FOURTH dualsense yet & i completely forgot about it when i made this post 🤣 i bet if/when it happens i’m gonna hate the dualsense again .

you’re right about the battery icon , but then again , this probably only applies when all the gimmicks of the controller are off and the light bar is dim

@JohnnyShoulder yeah , but it’s like - let me go get an entire laptop vs let me just switch batteries . like i said though , it’s definitely not a dealbreaker compared to the discomfort and inconveniently bland xbox controller . the built in mic alone is really huge for me .

@Th3solution id probably share your sentiments if i could get my hands on a DS4 . it’s been years , but i remember caping for the DS4 because of the better grips and feeling of control in your hands

@KilloWertz i’m so used to that damn touchpad that i’d be lying if i said i wouldn’t miss it if its gone 😕 it still serves as big button though

@Lavalera yeah you’re right , it’s all preference because i feel the exact same way you feel in reverse about the series x controller ; the triggers hurt the joints of my fingers .

@nomither6 I get why it's on the DualSense, and that's because of backwards compatibility. Some PS4 games used it and wouldn't function properly without it. That doesn't mean it has to be so damn big though. I do like it as essentially a second Start button, but if it was smaller than it wouldn't be right next to the buttons and it wouldn't be so easy to touch by accident.

It was on the DS4 because it was a gimmick, but it never took off. Now it's just literally in the way. It didn't even work as intended on God of War Ragnarok, where one side was supposed to bring up the map and the other would bring up the character stuff. It rarely ever brought up the map.

@KilloWertz i agree