Is This How Long The PS5 DualSense Lasts?
The DualSense controller was revealed by Sony well before the accompanying PlayStation 5 made its public debut. In that time, fans have pored over every aspect of the new controller. If a new info leak is to be believed, then fans may have a new reason to look forward to the power of the DualSense.
The latest apparent leak comes from a Twitter user who claims to have been able to do a hands-on test with the DualSense 5. They have included photographs of a DualSense in their possession, which lends quite a bit of credence to their comments. The user claims to work for a company that designs accessories for major console manufacturers, including Sony and Microsoft, but this has yet to be confirmed.
In addition to loving the look and feel of the controller, this person had some really exciting things to share regarding the controller's battery life. According to this user, "The battery capacity is 1560mA, much more than the PS4 [controller]." They also mentioned that it seemed like the DualSense may support some kind of upcoming "quick charge technology," which is exciting for anyone who doesn't want to wait a long time while their controller recharges.
VGC has put into perspective exactly how much better the capacity is for the DualSense when compared to the DualShock 4. As pointed out by VGC, "PS4's DualShock 4 has a battery capacity of 1000mA, resulting in a charge life of between 4 and 7 hours depending on use. At launch, the DualShock 4 had a smaller battery of 800mA." In other words, if this tester's claims are true, then the DualSense has more than 50% higher battery capacity than the current DualShock 4, as well as nearly twice the capacity of the original release of the DualShock 4).
This would seem to back up a previous claim from a user on Reddit who said they were also able to perform a hands-on test with with DualSense. According to Reddit user viper_on_fire (who has since deleted their original posts), the battery life of the DualSense lasts "around 3 to 4 hours" longer than the DualShock 4. Again, these reports should be taken with a grain of salt. However, if this turns out to be accurate, then the DualSense's battery may last between 7 to 11 hours before needing a recharge. That's some serious uninterrupted gaming time.
However, VGC also makes an interesting point concerning how that extra battery life could actually be utilized. The DualSense has been designed to support several functions and features that the DualShock 4 does not have. These include the controller's adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, which respond to stimuli both from the game and the player to create a more immersive experience. These features could utilize a decent amount of battery power on their own, which could in turn use up that extra 560mA of power. If that's the case, then there's a chance that the overall length of the DualSense's battery life would actually be pretty comparable to that of the DualShock 4. In this scenario, the extra battery power would just be going toward compensating for those extra features.
On the plus side, a recent patent discovered for the DualSense could revolutionize the way PlayStation controllers recharge. This patent snaps onto the back of the DualSense, providing players with some triggers on the bottom of the controller that can be mapped to perform various functions. On top of that, the patent depicts some type of charging apparatus within the back button attachment that would allow for a quick charge when the controller is placed on top of a charging mat of some kind. In other words, Sony is apparently putting a lot of thought into ways to max out the DualSense's overall battery life and make recharging it more convenient for gamers.
This stands in stark contrast to how Microsoft appears to be approaching the battery life of the Xbox Series X controller. Specifically, those controllers will still use actual AA batteries to keep them powered up. It's surprising to see a next-gen console using batteries instead of a built-in rechargeable pack or something of that nature. However, it has been argued that Microsoft went this route in order to provide users with a choice: you can use AAs or pick up a rechargeable battery pack.
Overall, it looks like Sony diehards have even more of a reason to hype up the power of the PlayStation 5 and the DualSense controller. As the release of the new console draws closer, it will become clear just how accurate these leaks truly are.