On the Cutting Edge: A DualSense Edge Review

The DualSense Edge is the latest innovation from Playstation. It is a playstation 5 controller with some additional features to make it stand out from the pack, and today, I’m going to tell you all about it. First of course, a big thanks to Playstation for providing the DualSense Edge for review. Let’s get right into it!

Firstly, I believe it’s perfectly fair to say that the DualSense Edge is Playstation’s answer to the Xbox Elite controller. Many of its features are similar, though some are handled in different ways. Don’t worry, we’re gonna cover everything.

The DualSense Edge is built almost exactly like a standard DualSense controller, except it’s a little fancier, based on feel. The controller seems better-constructed, and is absolutely heavier than the original DualSense. Furthermore, I noticed that the touchpad, which in a standard DualSense kind of jostles really easily, is very firmly-anchored on the DualSense Edge. There are some additional buttons and switches as well, but we’ll get to those in a bit.

The DualSense Edge comes with an absolutely fabulous case with all its accessories nestled inside along with the controller. And when I say nestled, I really mean it. The case is custom-built with slots for each individual piece, each in its place. The USB charging cable sits in a pouch on the inside of the lid, and its additional accessories, like its thumb stick replacements, its back buttons, and so on, are tucked into their own compartments around where the controller sits. It’s a great case for ensuring you don’t lose any piece you’re not using.

The back buttons can be connected and disconnected at will, and rest on the bottom, or back, of the controller, connecting in approximately the middle via custom slots for them. They press easily, and feel natural, though I did find myself accidentally bumping into them while playing sometimes. I don’t really blame the controller for this, I mostly blame my rather large hands. It’s worth noting, though, as anyone with large-enough hands is likely going to encounter this issue should they choose to attach these buttons.

As previously-mentioned, the thumb sticks can also be replaced, and the controller comes with 4 total replacements meant to give you 2 additional options. 2 of the replacement thumbsticks are high dome thumbsticks, and the other 2 are lower. This specifically refers to how the thumbsticks sit when connected to the controller. The higher ones extend further upward from the controller, meaning they literally sit higher when you’re holding it. All of them are dome tops, meaning they are convex circles rather than the default concave thumbsticks the controller starts with. Disconnecting a thumb stick is as easy as pulling it right up, and connecting one just involves pressing it into the slot until you hear and feel a click as it slots into place. Personally, I believe these connections are better than the swappable thumb sticks on the Xbox elite controller, as the Elite uses magnetization, and they often pop free. These just firmly slot in, despite the ease of actually connecting them, and pulling them free does require some effort, making it less likely they will simply come lose of their own accord.

An additional detail, though, is the ability to not just swap the thumb sticks, but to actually remove the entire thumb stick module in case repairs or replacements are required. The DualSense edge does not come with actual replacements for these, but it does present you with a better option than needing to purchase a brand new controller should something happen to your thumb sticks.

Now for something I found particularly neat. In the lower left corner of the controller case, there’s a little rectangular module. At first, I wasn’t sure what this was for, but upon some examination, it became clear. It is a small device designed to keep your USB cable from popping out of the controller if you don’t want it to. You open it up, slide the USB cable in so that the larger, console end sticks out from the bottom, you close it, plug the other end into the controller, and then screw the device into some specialized holes in the controller that are on either side of the USB-C port. These are simple turn screws, and don’t require any tools, but this is enough to keep the cable locked in place. It’s an interesting innovation that I think some folks may really appreciate.

That’s it for the extra parts of the controller, now let’s talk buttons. Specifically, the additional buttons and switches on the controller that cannot be swapped. Right below each thumb stick, there is a function button. These 2 buttons are interchangeable. They will do the same thing regardless of which one is used. There are 2 simply to give players another option for which one they’d like to reach for. These function buttons are used to bring up the additional remapping and profile controls that the DualSense edge supports. More on this in just a bit.

There are also 2 switches, located in the back of the controller near the trigger buttons. These serve to change how much each trigger needs to be pressed in order to be considered a full press. If you are, for instance, unable to press a normal trigger down all the way, you can use these switches to adjust what a full press means. They don’t just adjust some hidden number, though. These switches actually lock the triggers at a certain level, and at its max setting, pressing the trigger in toward the controller barely half way will result in a full press, and the trigger will stop moving. I believe access to these switches, on top of the fact that you still have the option of adjusting trigger sensitivity, makes for great customizability.

Alright, that’s it for the physical bits of the controller. Now let’s talk setup, which is just shockingly easy and, yes, fully accessible. From the moment you connect your DualSense edge to you’re PS5 using a USB-C cable, (which you would need to do with any controller in order to pair it), you’re immediately given a fully-narrated popup which begins as a tutorial and explanation of the controller’s functions. To be honest, it was actually this tutorial that taught me the functions of the switches on the back. I originally wasn’t certain what they were for. Anyway, this tutorial ends with an opportunity to set up your individual controller profiles, which can be switched on the fly whenever you like, and thus could be used on a game to game basis. This is where things get really cool, in my opinion.

Not only do you have the ability to remap the entire controller, assign functions to the back buttons, set sensitivity for each thumbstick and trigger, set profile-specific vibration sensitivity and so on, but you then assign each profile a button. This is where those function keys come into play. Instead of having a 2-position switch to choose a profile, you hold either function key, and press a face button. You can assign these buttons on the profile-management screen. This gives you more profiles to switch between, and is easy to do on the fly, even while in a game. Best of all, you can assign each profile a name, and when you switch between them, you get a helpful, narrated notification that informs you which one you’ve switched to. Also, if you wish to manage these profiles at any time, simply hold a function button for a couple seconds without pressing a face button to bring up these screens quickly. I made a controller profile for myself for use with the Last of Us. I didn’t change much, but I assigned the left back button to the “tap touch pad” function. This means I no longer have to move my hand to get into the crafting menu while playing. It’s a small convenience, but I like it.

In conclusion, I will simply say that the DualSense Edge is now officially my Playstation 5 controller of choice. The solid construction, the familiar controller feel, plus all the customization, make it ideal. This is a fantastic controller with some real innovation behind it, and I can’t wait to use it some more. Consider this highly-recommended from me if you’ve ever wanted to have some real customization options in a well-built controller. Thanks very much for reading!

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