DualSense Edge Gaming Controller Specifications
The DualSense Edge is the most customizable controller Sony has ever released, and features a slew of new software features and buttons. I’ve been playing great games on this controller, but the high price suggests its best use case will be for competitive gaming.
Feature Highlights
Removable joystick The joysticks can be easily removed and replaced.
USB-C Braided Charging with Stackable Connector The new DualSense Edge charger is thicker with a braided design and can be locked onto the controller while playing.
introduction
Sony has finally thrown its hat into the "pro" controller ring with the DualSense Edge, the most customizable controller the company has ever made.
While the PS5’s default DualSense is one of the best controllers of the current generation of consoles, Sony has decided to take things up a notch with the DualSense Edge. While it may look strikingly similar to its predecessor, the Edge is packed with customization options, more buttons, and seamless integration with the PS5’s software.
However, with a hefty price tag of £209.99/$199.99, the DualSense Edge controller is arguably only worth it for hardcore gamers, as some may find the excessive customisation options overwhelming.
design
Black and white color
Removable joystick covers and joystick covers
Comes with a white carrying bag.
The DualSense Edge feels like a premium controller; it weighs a little more than the original DualSense at 322 grams and feels very solid. Every button has a great response, with the back buttons and triggers feeling satisfying.
The Edge moniker fits the aesthetic, as the design is sharper than the original, and sports the same black-and-white theme as the PS5. The buttons and trackpad are black, with glossy black plastic surrounding the controllers. And while it’s only a small detail, I do like the PlayStation branding on the touchpad; it seems to have a bit more character than the original controllers, even if the smooth plastic does pick up fingerprints easily.
Each trigger button on the back of the controller is now covered in rubber, providing a much better grip. The two new function buttons live below the joysticks; I don’t think they’re as easy to reach while playing as I’d like, but given their intended functions, that wasn’t a big deal.
The controller comes with a slew of accessories, including two pairs of joystick covers, a charger lock, two domes, and two levers that attach to the back of the controller. The controller features traditional covers, with the additions being high-dome and low-dome. After some testing, I found that the low-dome sticks worked better for me, as they reduced travel time and felt more precise.
I much preferred the dome buttons over the levers, as I was constantly pressing them when using the latter. The domes were very comfortable and allowed for better hand placement. Since they can be attached magnetically, switching them is really simple, and I found that some games work well with a combination of the two.
All of this stuff is included in a white carrying case, which features a passthrough port for charging. While I can’t see myself using the case to take the console out on the go, I do think it’s necessary to keep all of the accessories together. The case is sturdy and substantial, and I think it will protect the console well if you choose to use it for travel.
There’s a section in the box for an extra joystick. Almost every controller can suffer from joystick drift — though I’ve always found the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Cons to be the worst offenders of this — so it’s good to see Sony giving people the option to swap out a joystick rather than replacing an entire controller.
Swapping out the controllers is very simple; just release the front panel from the button on the back, flip the switches next to the controllers and slide them out. The fact that they’re only £19.99 from the PlayStation website makes them even more accessible and is one of the only features of this controller that could be considered affordable, albeit in the long run.
While I don't own a Dualsense charging station, the DualSense Edge is just the right size to use and features a 3.5mm headphone jack as well, so you won't have to worry about replacing any existing PlayStation accessories.
performance
Strong haptic feedback
Adaptive triggers
Weak battery compared to DualSense
I was impressed with the DualSense Edge’s performance, as it seems to have only one weak point: the battery. Sony claims that all the added features shorten the battery life, and that’s certainly the case in my experience when compared to the regular DualSense controller.
I was able to play about two hours of Cuphead on PS5 and three hours of Binding of Isaac on PC before my controller died, using default settings. I assume that lowering the controller’s light and turning off haptic feedback would prolong this. The braided charging cable that comes with it was long enough to comfortably accommodate my setup, though that won’t be the case for everyone.
The included charger lock was also helpful, as I had constant issues with the regular DualSense disconnecting from the USB-C charging during particularly intense gaming sessions. I think its inclusion here is great, though I hope it’s purchased as a standalone product in the future.
The DualSense Edge does feature haptic feedback, though it’s not as strong or specific as the base DualSense. The vibrations add a nice level of immersion; in God of War Ragnarök, I felt the Leviathan Axe leave Kratos’s hand, and I could feel the gentle purr of my cat protagonist in Stray. While I can’t say it’s completely different from the DualSense, I’ve always thought that haptic feedback is a welcome presence.
Moving on to the adaptive triggers, there’s a choice between full range, mid range, and short range. Full range doesn’t change the triggers and is better suited to gradual control — like braking in Gran Turismo 7 — while short range is tighter and more precise, and I’ve found it works best in FPS titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Dead zones can also be customized for triggers.
I had a great time using the DualSense Edge and felt like I had more ways to play than before. However, getting used to the new button layouts was more difficult than I expected and I noticed my muscle memory taking over in some instances, rendering the back buttons and some of the new features useless.
As more time goes by, I think I'm more adept at the new design, but I wouldn't buy this controller with the expectation that it will immediately improve your performance while gaming.
programming
All buttons are customizable.
Adjustable joystick and dead zone movement
The function buttons are very useful.
Once you’ve connected the DualSense Edge to your PS5, you have the option to run through all of the software’s features. While this list originally felt overwhelming, Sony has done an excellent job of running through each feature and making customizing the controller much easier than I expected.
In terms of software customization, there are a lot of options. First, I was able to remap every button on the controller, including the new buttons on the back of the controller. The only downside to this is that games don’t update to these new settings, so I had to make sure I remembered my new button layout whenever I got a button prompt in-game.
I was able to adjust the dead zones for the joysticks and customize the preset sensitivity curves, with the final section allowing me to adjust the dead zones for the triggers on the back of the controller. Unlike the button mapping, these settings require a bit of trial and error as I found that some modes and presets didn’t complement certain games, and I concluded that the dead zones within the adaptive triggers only worked for me in a handful of titles.
While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it does take some time to figure out which settings work best for you; I found that the Fast mode and High Curve adjustment worked best on my joystick in games like Battlefield 2042, as it allowed for faster response times, while games like God of War benefited from slower, more gradual movement.
The function button brings up a small overlay menu, with four different profile options. After some tinkering, I think the best way to handle this is to create four profiles for different genres, such as FPS, platformers, and racing games, as I found that most games benefited from having a specific setting tailored to their playstyle.
Switching between profiles was very easy and much less intrusive than I expected, with the ability to jump straight back into my game. Creating and editing these profiles was also very smooth, and while it’s only a small feature, the ability to give each profile a custom name meant I could be as specific as I wanted without fear of forgetting which profile matched which game, or person.
I was originally frustrated by the limitation of only having four custom profiles, but Sony has addressed this by having a dedicated section for unassigned profiles. This gives the profile system a lot more freedom and means I can create profiles for almost every game in my PS5 library and store them away when I need them, keeping my most used profiles at the forefront.