The PS5 DualSense Edge Controller could be getting a big upgrade – but not from Sony
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The PS5 DualSense Edge Controller could be getting a big upgrade – but not from Sony
These analog stick modules could be the only ones you'll ever need
One of the standout features of the PS5 DualSense Edge Controller is that you can swap out the analog stick modules if they ever need to be replaced – handy if your pad develops stick drift over time and your warranty has expired.
However, as I noted in my PS5 DualSense Edge Controller review, as pleasing as this feature is, Sony could have opted to use the more durable and stick drift-proof Hall effect sensors, instead of the classic potentiometer joysticks that eventually wear down.
Luckily, a solution could be on the way from a third-party manufacturer. GuilKit Design, the company behind the KingKong 2 Pro controller for Nintendo Switch, is working on a stick-replacement kit for the PS5 DualSense Edge Controller. The kicker is the analog sticks will use Hall effect sensors and not the error-prone potentiometer sensors, which means they may be the only replacement sticks you ever buy.
The reason why Hall effect joysticks are superior is that they don’t suffer from any wear and tear as there’s no physical contact with the sensor itself. Potentiometer joysticks use electronic circuits to register inputs, while hall effect joysticks use a magnetic system. With nothing to wear down over time, Hall effect sensors have a huge advantage and are seen as being immune to stick drift as a result.
GuliKit is already working on replaceable joysticks for the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con, which are notorious for developing this frustrating issue. Consumer watchdog Which? recently concluded Joy-Con drift is a mechanical fault and has urged Nintendo to offer “no-quibble” repairs and replacements.
Before you get too excited over the potential of upgrading your DualSense Edge with these new analog sticks, there’s a chance that Sony may intervene. The company has shown it doesn’t take kindly to third parties using its designs in the past. Sony famously stopped companies from selling PS5 console covers before it eventually released faceplates of its own.
Cheekily, skin manufacturer dbrand wasn’t deterred by Sony’s lawyers, and after releasing a similar design to the original PS5 faceplates that were eventually stopped, dbrand released a 2.0 version that it claims improves on Sony’s offering and throws a ton of shade at the company in the process.