Sony's DualSense Edge won't fully address battery life, joystick drift

Impressions for the PlayStation 5's incoming DualSense Edge controller are out, and Sony confirmed (to the Verge) that the its battery is "moderately shorter" compared to its original counterpart.

The first DualSense controller that came with the PlayStation 5 at launch lasts at least 5-10 hours unplugged. So "moderately shorter" for the DualSense Edge may mean players can use it unplugged around 8 hours before charging is required. 

A Sony representative told the Verge the shorter battery life is owed to the controller's new features. Similar to the Xbox Elite controller, the Edge can be customized and tweaked using button remapping, plus interchangeable back buttons and stick caps. 

"We’ve included many more features within the same form factor and ergonomic design as the original DualSense controller," explained Sony. "We wanted to strike a good balance between wireless operating time and delivering robust, high-performance features."

As a way of preserving the Edge's battery life, Sony pointed to its braided USB cable, which it said is "also great for competitive players who prefer playing with a wired connection to avoid wireless interference."

Another issue from the original DualSense controller that won't get a full fix with the Edge is joystick drift. The issue is more prevalent in the Nintendo Switch's Joy-Cons, but sometimes PS5 controllers get so worn down over time they give false input readings. 

On the bright side, the DualSense Edge's sticks are modular, meaning owners can swap them out without much hassle. Sony confirmed that modules will be made available on the PlayStation website on January 20, 2023 (before the Edge's January 26 launch), and physical third-party retailers will have the modules for purchase in late February.