When buying a console, gamers are interested in the system’s performance, the exclusives available for the platform, and maybe the storage volume. But in the operation process, there are new, more ordinary questions – how to get rid of noise in the case, watch YouTube, or how long a PS5 controller battery lasts with a low charge. So today, we will tell you more about DualSense, its characteristics, faults, and battery.
Sony detailed the innovations of the DualSense over the DualShock 4, just as we did about watching YouTube and Netflix on the PS5. These include improved tactile feedback, resistance sticks, light indication, and more. But it, too, has a frequent problem – the appearance of a noticeable input lag. You can fix it, but we’ll focus on the battery in this article.
Battery Capacity and Play Time on a Single Charge
The DualSense controller’s battery capacity in mAh is 1,560. The first and second revisions of the DualShock 4 had 800 and 1000 mAh, respectively. At the start of sales, it was suggested online that the battery life would be twice as long. But, of course, this is not true because the voltage has also increased: it became 4.2V, and it was 3.7V. In addition, the new Sony controller got a lot of new battery-consuming features, including adaptive triggers and multitasking backlighting.
By comparison, the DualShock 4 ran between 6 and 10 hours on a single charge, depending on the game’s intensity. The DualSense has a slightly better play time: 10-12 hours. In practice, the new version of the gamepad holds a charge for about 3 hours long, so yes, an upgrade has occurred. And not only in the hardware – the games for PS5 got support for 4K and HDR, and in AAA projects, you can enable ray tracing technology.
Battery Type
The gamepad has a 1,560mAh lithium battery. On the pages of popular sites for buying PS5, you can also find accessories for Sony devices. Among the batteries are popular standard models of 1500 mAh and higher-capacity 3500 mAh. However, we recommend buying official spare parts or at least from trusted sellers. To do this, we recommend reading the guide on how to buy PS5 by hand.
How to Extend DualSense Battery Life
Set up to play a game with friends through the GameShare feature, and your controller runs out of power? You can play using a wired connection, but it’s not always comfortable. Answering the question of how to make your DualSense work longer, we’ve put together some basic tips to help keep your control device charged. So you can browse Discord and text your friends with party chat on the PS5 and invite them to play!
Recommendations:
- Turn off your gamepad. A trivial piece of advice, but very effective;
- Keep the controller on a dock station near the 4K TV for the PS5. It’s safe and convenient. Also, don’t forget – it doesn’t matter whether you place the console horizontally or vertically. The main thing is to use a stand. This saves you from overheating and jet engine roar noises;
- Use an official charger station. If you buy a replica, be sure to read the parameters of the charger.
Follow These Tips
Also, go to the controller settings and do the following:
- Turn down the volume of the built-in speaker. If headphones are connected, it is muted automatically, but if not, turn it down;
- Turn off or reduce controller vibration. Yes, it does help significantly to increase the running time but spoils the impression of the game. However, if there is no choice or the game does not require this feature – turn it off;
- Adjusting the intensity of triggers. Again, a useful feature, but disabling it positively affects battery life. However, there are three levels of power available in the settings – you can put it on the minimum;
- Setting the intensity of the backlight. Since the DualShock 4, Sony engineers got rid of the annoying during night battles and bright LEDs, but you can not turn off the display. But you can set the intensity threshold – three values are available. You can read about the charge indicator’s features in the official Sony manual. And if it suddenly started flashing blue and does not connect, one possibility could also be a low battery.
- Turn off the microphone built into the DualSense. See “Sound”, “Microphone”, “Microphone status when plugged in” setting – select “Mute”.
If you connect the controller to the console during the game via USB cable, the gamepad will continue to work using a Bluetooth connection. Change the parameter in the settings by selecting the item “Use USB cable” and then, when you connect a wire, the system will automatically disconnect from the wireless connection.
How to Check Your PS5 Controller’s Battery?
Unfortunately, you will not be able to check the battery status using official programs. However, here is how to do a DualSense test for drift and other popular faults.
How do I check the PS5 gamepad battery on my PC? There are many options; one is to use an app on your PC and see the battery status of your controller on Windows 11 (and other systems, but you may need an emulator). The DualSenseX (DSX) software also allows you to configure additional parameters – lights, triggers, and tests. The official page on GitHub. You can find all the settings and links to Steam and macOS devices there.
What to Do if the Controller Does Not Charge?
What to do if the PS5 controller discharges quickly, as told above? Now let’s analyze the options if the battery does not charge. The main reasons include:
- Faulty charging cable. The native wire is good but not the most reliable – with careless use in the places of connection, wires and contacts can break. The way out is to get another wire;
- You are not using the original USB cable. It might be perfectly serviceable, but it has thin wires and great length, which drains the controller faster than it gets power;
- The USB port is dirty or oxidized. The side panels of the PS5 console can be easily removed, so clean not only the ports but also the inside of the PS5 from dust. You can do this without removing the warranty seals. We recommend using a can of compressed air – an effective and safe solution;
- The saddest variant – you got DualSense with a defective battery. Contact customer service;
- Controller failure. If you have spilled liquid on the joystick, you can disassemble and dry it. In this case, the delay between pressing and displaying the action on the screen (impulse lag) is usually not a hardware failure caused by the liquid;
- System error. If the problem started after a software update, it might be the problem. Enter safe mode and reset the console to default settings. Or wait for a new patch from Sony.
When you connect to the port on the front side, you may get a “charging failure in sleep mode” error – solved by charging from the ports on the back panel. And what to do if the console wakes up along with the TV or turns off while in-game, have already told – the malfunction can be solved independently and without recourse to the service center.
FAQ
How to Identify DualSense Revisions?
Look at the FCC ID number. The code is on the back of the controller. You need the last digit of the number – “1” is the first batch, and the letter “A” is the second revision.
What do You need to Contact PS Support?
To contact official PlayStation support, you will need the device’s serial number. It can be found on the back. The PS5 console also has a serial number, which is used to identify in case of contacting the service center. But if you have locks on your games, you do not have to worry about the support service – you do not even have to delete the application and risk losing progress to regain access.
Can I Leave the Controller on Charge Overnight?
Yes. Using the original Sony docking station, the DualSense controller can be left charging overnight. In addition, the battery has built-in overvoltage protection and won’t take too much. In the case of replicas, everything is also quite safe, but you should understand – no one will give you a guarantee.
How to Understand if It’s Time to Change DualSense Battery?
If the controller has stopped charging or does not work from the box, this is a reason to immediately contact Sony support and demand a battery replacement or repair. But before you go to the service center, let’s look at common causes of problems and ways to solve them. Many of them, as well as lags PlayStation 5 systems with high-speed connection over Wi-Fi, are not serious and can be eliminated on their own. But, in any case, do not tear off the seals if the warranty service period has not expired!
Helpful Video
In this article, we have analyzed the main issues related to DualSense and its battery performance. In addition, we found the weak points and the lifespan of the PS5 controller. Careful handling can prolong the life of the joystick, but at the first signs, it is better to test and, if necessary, contact the Sony service center under warranty. Although the case is easy to open, we do not recommend removing the warranty seals in the presence of the warranty – it is better to trust the professionals.
Egor Borisov
PS3 Slim, PS4 Pro, and PS5 owner. I disassemble, clean, and modify consoles and controllers. I share my experiences on this site and tell you about the new console generation.
