I have always been a proponent of rechargeable controllers. In a generation where convenience is paramount, with Quick Resume and cloud gaming making it easier than ever to access your games, the last thing I thought I wanted to do was mess around with lithium batteries.
This was one of my biggest complaints with the latest Xbox Wireless Controller at launch. Despite the many improvements, the Xbox Series X‘s companion gamepad was held back due to the lack of inherent rechargeability. You can buy a rechargeable battery pack separately, but that’s about $25 / £19.99 / AU$29.95 on top of the console price – and even more if you have a pair of controllers.
The PS5 . on the other hand DualSense controller seemed to provide everything I could want from a next-generation gamepad. In addition to its great new features, such as haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, the DualSense retained one of the DualShock 4Best features: a rechargeable built-in battery.
But after nearly two years with Sony’s PlayStation 5 controller, I wish it still had the annoying lithium batteries from the Xbox gamepad.
Pack of juice
My DualSense and I have a rhythm going on. It goes something like this: I turn on my PS5 and it immediately reports that my controller’s battery is low. I keep trying to play a game or watch Netflix until it officially dies, then I swap it with my other fully charged DualSense. Rinse and repeat. Every day.
It hasn’t always been that way. When I first got my hands on the PlayStation 5 at launch, I really put the DualSense to the test by playing a lot of games that used the gamepad’s features with little battery interruption. But, as our former hardware editor noted last year, the DualSense’s battery life seems to deteriorate over time. Where it once could take about 12 hours to charge, I’m now lucky enough to get half that.
And it’s not like I’m as busy as I used to be. Usually my DualSense is used to switch between streaming services or play PS4 games I missed the first time around – as it was a bit of a quiet period for tantalizing PS5 exclusives. It’s non-intensive work and frankly, I feel a little guilty. It’s like using a Ferrari GT to take a relaxed Sunday drive. Except that the car runs out of gas every few miles.
In comparison, I bought a pack of 40 (non-rechargeable) AA batteries for the Xbox Series X controller at launch. I have six left. And that’s not because of a lack of playing time; I spent hours discovering hidden gems on Xbox Game Pass and play co-op games with friends. Still, those six batteries will probably last me into next year — and that’s without replacing my primary controller.
Efficient energy
Lithium batteries aren’t necessarily the most convenient solution, but they certainly beat swapping controllers every few hours. And I’m one of the lucky ones: someone who is doing have two DualSense gamepads. Only one comes with the standard PlayStation 5, and buying another will set you back about $69 / £60 / AU$109.95. Do you want a charging station? That’s another $30 / £25 / AU$49. It definitely doesn’t seem worth the price tag if you’re still running out of juice on a regular basis. Especially when the AA batteries I bought (opens in new tab) cost £14.99 (about $17/AU$25).
You don’t need to purchase these extras, of course, but if your controller gives up during an important boss fight, you’d better be prepared to finish it off on your machine. You may have to heed the low battery warning, but honestly, it’s hard to know exactly when your gamepad will fail once that notification pops up. I have noticed that sometimes it can take a few hours and sometimes a few minutes.
There are a few tricks you can try to reduce the battery usage of the DualSense, such as lowering the controller’s brightness bar and disabling the features that are part of its appeal in the first place. But what’s the point of paying out for a controller you can’t use to the fullest? You can also put your PS5 into rest mode so that the controller charges when you’re not playing. The latter may seem like a less enticing option, given the current cost of living crisis. But you can tweak your settings to enable power-saving options, such as setting a time limit on how long your controllers should charge.
Change controllers
I never thought I’d see the day I longed for lithium batteries in a modern gamepad. But the DualSense’s battery life is so frustrating that the past looks better now.
I hope Sony has addressed the battery life issues in the upcoming DualSense Edge controller, a premium version of the current PS5 gamepad. some capacity. There’s nothing ‘pro’ about your controller during a frenzied Call of Duty firefight. But since the DualSense hasn’t made up for the DualShock 4’s battery life shortcomings, I’m not hopeful. It’s just not worth the energy.
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