DualSense Edge: A shorter battery life is annoying, but can hardly be avoided
The DualSense Edge could confront us with an empty battery more often than we would like.
“Moderately shorter” – This is how Sony describes how long the battery of the upcoming DualSense Edge, the company’s first pro controller, lasts compared to the conventional PS5 gamepad.
Sony also refers to the cause in its statement: The additional functions should drain the battery faster. So let’s take a look at whether the statement is justified and explain why a larger battery was not simply used.
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This is why the battery life of pro controllers is shorter
It is logical that Sony justifies the shorter battery life of the DualSense Edge with the additional functions (such as the back paddles). Most of the innovations have an electrical component, so they are connected to an electrical circuit.
The signals from the back buttons need to be captured and processed, just like those from the two function buttons on the front. There are also memory chips on which the profiles that adapt the controller to your needs are stored.
In this trailer, Sony presents all the new features of the DualSense Edge:
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DualSense Edge – This is how the design of the pro controller came about
Due to the increased complexity, the circuit board to which all the individual parts are connected should generally be a little larger than that of the standard DualSense and also consume more energy.
How much exactly that will be is not clear from the statement “moderately shorter”. The SCUF Reflex Pro, which comes with similar features, will last about ten hours of pure gameplay when new. The DualSense Edge should also be in this range.
Only a few components do not affect the battery:
Only the trigger stops (switches that shorten the travel of the L2 and R2 triggers) have no effect on the battery life, as they work purely mechanically.
So why not a bigger battery?
Sony has always used internal batteries in its wireless controllers, with the DualSense using a 1580 milliampere-hour (mAh) lithium-ion model. The charge lasts for around 12 hours of playtime, at least when new.
Of course, over time, like any other rechargeable battery, the capacity decreases as the chemical components wear out. Nevertheless, it is disappointing to see that the expensive luxury model has to rely on the 2 meter long charging cable even earlier.
The battery is compact and can be easily replaced with the conventional DualSense.
But Sony’s consideration is understandable: A lithium-ion battery with a larger number of battery cells would have weighed more. At 335 grams, the DualSense Edge is almost twenty percent heavier than the original, so it could be too unwieldy for some users with a heavier battery.
The company also indicates that the compact form factor can no longer be maintained with a more powerful battery. Replacement batteries with higher charging capacity (like this one from Lioncast) for the normal DualSense fit into the housing of the standard controller without any problems, but the additional control elements of the Edge could in fact limit the available storage space in the housing of the professional counterpart.
The design of the two DualSense models should be exactly the same in terms of size.
Of course, once we get our hands on the DualSense Edge, we’ll take a look under the hood and see if the battery is easily swappable. The possibility of self-repair is guaranteed with the usual DualSense by a simple screw system, hopefully we will keep it with the Edge. Here we have demonstrated it using broken L2 and R2 triggers, the procedure is exactly the same when replacing the battery:
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Easier than you think: How to repair stuck or loose L2/R2 keys in just 10 minutes
Of course, costs also play a role. Despite a wide range of functions, the DualSense Edge is cheaper than comparable pro controllers. A larger capacity battery would have had a major impact on the retail price and deprived the Edge of a key selling point.
Our opinions on the DualSense Edge:
The DualSense Edge release is already early next year
We can’t wait to unravel the mystery of actual battery life. After all, the pro gamepad will be released on January 26, 2023 at a hefty price of 240 euros, which is competitive compared to the competition. In our preview you will find out whether you should scrape together the necessary change.
Is a lower battery life a KO criterion for you?
Reference-www.gamepro.de
