The search for the perfect controller has been under the lens of the gaming industry giants for many years. Every big name, with its pros and cons, has tried to respond to the needs of the community. The search for a tool capable of satisfying pro players, casual gamers, newbies and customization lovers is complicated upstream. A company with announced difficulties and which, inevitably, is affected by market demands. The DualSense Edge starts from this assumption and, in fact, is forged by Sony under the careful scrutiny of users and veterans. After tests and technical analyses, it has rightly come to the conclusion that the backbone of the new controller must absolutely draw heavily on the DualSense. It is not only a revolutionary tool for the industry, but perhaps a true symbol of the next generation PlayStation.
Appearance and connotations are therefore shaped on the basic shape, while the work has been concentrated on customization. Let's go into detail. It is right and at least necessary to start from the first stumbling block of this analysis: Is the DualSense Edge worth €239,99? I'll try to answer this question by reviewing the pros and cons of the product, but also thinking about its use. The new PlayStation home controller is, by definition, a premium addition how much you need to play on console. It does not want to replace the normal DualSense, but offers an alternative to satisfy some needs inherent in certain target users.
The DualSense Edge in a competitive perspective
I lived a parenthesis of my life in the eSports field and I know the tools necessary for a professional. Always being on top with gaming equipment is not only advisable, but imperative to fit the best. On LANs, or in any case medium-large tournaments, you bring your own controller and headphones in general. Not because those present are not of quality, but for a simple personal choice. Having access to an easily transportable controller, with all the quality accessories and adaptable to your needs down to the smallest detail is a great comfort. Change the sensitivity of the keys, add more on the back to make some actions immediate, or calibrate the various components in a few steps, it's a small art that makes all the difference.
In general, competing products are not always of good quality, do not have simple spare parts and are not fully customizable. Veteran users, competitors looking for something made to measure and those who juggle in an export perspective will be happy to know that this is an excellent purchase. The price of the DualSense Edge, following this reasoning, is not wrong at all. The modified controllers have a price that often flies above €200,00so if you use PlayStation as your platform, you now have a solid alternative to enhance your experience, even with more customization possibilities. Although the weight is slightly more than the regular DualSense (50 grams to be exact), even considering the variety of interchangeable parts, the controller easily adapts to various types of games.
Is DualSense Edge an answer to drifting?
Do you play fps? You can adjust the pressure of the upper keys to make the shooting speed more immediate, use the interchangeable rear sticks (or half domes). to jump more easily and change the analogs to your liking. Are you a fan of fighting games? You can also assign the commands that best suit your combos to the rear buttons or fine-tune the sensitivity of the upper buttons. For example, I tried to indulge myself with the settings and flexibility of the DualSense Edge to set the commands I would like on any action RPG. They are clearly personal choices, but placing a lever on the left back side to open the map and a half dome on the right to dodge more immediately, I have to say I found a nice rhythm after a few minutes. Clearly they are tests on customization and there are many possibilities to try.
However, the controller can save three different configurations, which can be used by the same person on different playful genres or can be the styles of three different players who live under the same roof, to offer you more examples. The price therefore appears justifiable for an assiduous player and a competitive one, but in a casual perspective? To answer this question we have to turn the spotlight on the individual components and details of the DualSense Edge. The first huge problem of the latest generation controllers is drifting: a word that terrifies players and lightens their wallets. Wear and - sometimes - videogame adrenaline can generate a very annoying problem on a controller in the long run, i.e. the implementation of false movements, even when we don't touch anything.
The DualSense Edge will have accessible spare parts
This makes gaming sessions frustrating and potentially irritating, but no industry giant has completely solved this pesky problem. The DualSense Edge tries to offer a viable alternative to this mess, allowing you to replace the analogs entirely. The so-called lever modules can be removed for cleaning or replacement, even if they do not boast very cheap prices (€ 24,99). However, it must be admitted that this is not a frequent expense and that, in most cases, it can be digested even after the first year of a controller's life. The analog caps themselves are interchangeable and can be high or low, so as to meet the needs of those who want a different tactile experience, especially as regards friction.
These mounts make the DualSense Edge definitely a reliable and potentially immortal product, even if it is necessary to evaluate the availability of spare parts. If that doesn't turn out to be a problem, then I'm inclined to put this on the pro scale. In the cons, however, I would like to position the removable portion of the controller that allows us to free the analogs. The material does not seem suitable for prolonged wear and I have been terrified of doing damage several times. Sure, I'm literally the clumsiest user in the world, so I'm the extreme, but I'd like to leave the doubt on that. I don't deem the piece to be poor quality or poorly designed, just delicate, so be careful.
The back of the DualSense Edge is its heart
The rear keys are the flagship of this product, because they allow you to hover towards an immersiveness that I had never experienced with a controller in hand, and I have tested them all. The ability to switch between thumbsticks and rear half domes offers excellent customization, so much so that I immediately felt that feeling missing when I got home. The small pieces in question are of excellent quality and are magnetic, so you will have no problem replacing them quickly. The second commendable fit is the adaptive trigger adjusters, which allow you to change the pressure level of the upper buttons and adapt them to the gameplay.
Simple to calibrate and with immediate gratification in play sessions. Instead, I feel conflicted about the evaluation to be made regarding the introduction of the two new buttons, located just below the analogs: the FN keys. One is used to adjust the volume in game and game chat, while the other to quickly switch to the DualSense Edge configuration menu or, vice versa, return to the current game.
In the duration of my experience I don't feel like considering them killer grafts, but they can be a nice addition for the lazy ones. Having only these two reasons for being, I sometimes perceived them as superfluous or, better to say, with little impact compared to the others, which are fundamental instead. I don't even consider them suitable to be cataloged in the cons list, because their position does not disturb the experience and in any case their use can be appreciable when necessary. It is necessary to evaluate them in longer game sessions, but here I go down to trifles.
Easily transportable and well equipped
Finally, among the tools provided I found it useful too the lock for the USB socket and the supplied cable. The latter is about three meters long and is far more resistant than the others I'm used to. These are assessments that must be emphasized when it comes to analyzing controllers that boast longevity. The USB lock is useful because it does not allow the wire to detach from the DualSense Edge, even after clumsy blows. I myself am guilty of having brutally forgotten the dangling wire with the controller attached and of having made the poor DualSense take nasty tumbles. Being able to charge it in its handy case (supplied) and connect it to the wire while it's inside with the USB lock is a guarantee for someone in the clouds like me.
In the economy of what has been said so far, we are here to await the verdict of the scale on the DualSense Edge. I start by saying that I'm always tremendously meticulous about every detail when it comes to such multifaceted and articulated products, so I took the liberty of telling you legitimate sensations and thoughts. It is not a question of thinking only about the price, but also about the use in a temporal perspective. The product will be available from January 26 and will be sold in its carrying case with the USB cable, two sets of caps for the analogs, two sets for the rear buttons (toggle and dome patch) and USB lock. I was specified that the spare parts (if ever needed) will be available, so the price seems justifiable to me, considering what has been said above.
The verdict
It is a perfect accessory for the most avid and competitive users, but also for those who want a more immersive experience. A competitive gamer who already spends about the same amount on a modified controller now has a higher quality and also more flexible alternative. The casual gamer must reflect on how he wishes to direct his experience. I can assure you that, even after a few minutes, the quality of your gaming session will skyrocket. However, it is an all-round DualSense Premium, therefore suitable for those who want to make the definitive leap in quality for today's market.
Personally, considering the nightmares drifting has given me in the past and the appreciation I've always had for controllers suitable for customization, it seems to me a product that is also suitable for those simply looking for a reliable, long-lasting accessory that can be adapted to different videogame genres. A must for veterans, a leap in quality recommended for casuals.
