The 6 Best Alternative Controllers To The PlayStation 5’s DualSense
Topics: List, PlayStation, PlayStation 5, Tech
Featured Image Credit: Razer/Sony Interactive Entertainment/Corsair
Topics: List, PlayStation, PlayStation 5, Tech
As good a controller as the PlayStation 5’s DualSense can be, it’s not without its flaws and may need replacing. Sometimes, we might want a new controller with extra umph. Whatever your reason, it’s always nice to have some choices.
When it comes to feeling extra immersion when playing your favourite video games, the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller is excellent, thanks to its Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers.
Whether it’s feeling a pull of a bow and arrow in The Last of Us Part II, a bumpy terrain in Forza Horizon 6 or a strong gush of wind in Astro Bot, arguably, the DualSense is the best official controller for immersion.
However, it does come with a major caveat, and that’s the dreaded stick drift. This is essentially prolonged wear of the analogue modules that cause one of the sticks to move an in-game character or camera without you touching the controller. I’m fortunate enough to have only experienced it once, and that was when playing Ghost of Yotei, but others may not have been so lucky.
Advert
So, if you’re on the lookout for a new controller that not only feels premium quality but also restricts the chances of encountering the dreaded stick drift, then we’ve got some solid recommendations for you.
Oh, and before we proceed. I will be using the RRP for the controllers below. However, if you shop around, there’s a good chance that you’ll find some (if not all) of these discounted in sales at some point.
Amazon's Prime Day is currently live, and runs from 23rd to 26th June, and if you're after one of the controllers at a genuine discount rather than RRP, here's what's actually worth knowing before you buy.
Sony doesn't tend to discount its own DualSense or DualSense Edge much during Prime Day, so if you're hoping to see those drop significantly, it's unlikely.
The Nacon Revolution 5 Pro has had a proper price drop for Prime Day, down to $129.99 from its usual $199.99 at Amazon, which is its biggest discount to date and a new lowest-ever price. That's a genuinely good moment to pick one up if you've been considering it.
The Victrix Pro FS ESports Playstation Fight Stick, has also got a discount, down from $399.99, to $249.99. A great alternative controller if you play Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat.
The moment you hold the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro, it feels great in your hands, thanks to its rubberised texture for added grip and its adjustable weight. It has Hall Effect modules, which not only make the analogue sticks a bit more precise but also drastically reduce the chances of stick drift.
It also has trigger stops so that you can switch the L2/R2 from a long press to an instant press. Remappable buttons, which include four back triggers, swappable weights, D-pad, analogue sticks and caps, as well as deadzone tuning. Typically, the Nacon Revolution Pro retails around £150/£160.
Sony’s highly-rated PlayStation Access Controller is designed to help those with disabilities get the most out of their games. It’s highly customisable with its layout and plates, features button remapping, stores profiles, and is fairly small in size, so it can be placed almost anywhere. It also links up with the official DualSense controller (as well as others). The PlayStation Access Controller has an RRP of £79.99/$89.99.
This is a fantastic premium controller for the gaming accessory specialists, Razer. The Razer Raiju V3 Pro has paddles on the rear of the controller, as well as swappable analogue sticks and caps. There are also a ton of customisable options in its free desktop app.
It has TMR analogue modules and Hall Effect triggers, which means analogue stick drift and trigger wear should be pretty much nonexistent with this controller. It has an RRP of £199.99/$219.99.
This is the latest controller from SCUF, and it could be its best one yet. Not only does this controller have four extra buttons at the back, but it also has two on the left and right handles. It has trigger stops on the L2 and R2. Even the D-pad and face buttons have a mouse click.
It’s worth noting that the Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers have been removed, but that’s for the benefit of improving your accuracy, and not being derailed by a sudden vibration when lining up a perfect sniper shot. It also makes the controller a little lighter in the hand. The SCUF Omega also has rubberised handles, and the controller faceplate is easily moved and replaced with its instant magnetised connection. It has a mobile app that lets you customise just about every function on the controller and save it to multiple profiles. This brand new controller has an RRP of £209.99/$219.99.
Much like the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro, the Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded is an absolutely solid choice below £200. You can swap the analogue sticks, the D-pad (and that includes symmetrical and offset), it has Hall Effect modules and triggers. You can feel its quality in your hand. Out of all the controllers on this list, it’s probably the most customisable, along with the PlayStation Access.
What’s more, this is a great alternative if you want a controller that resembles the design and layout of the Xbox controller, rather than a DualSense. The Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded has an RRP of £179.99/$209.99.
This is different from all the controllers above, but if we’re talking about alternatives, this is the most alternative on this list. Granted, this is an arcade stick and not a controller. However, if you’re passionate about fighting franchises such as Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, or retro beat em’ ups like Streets of Rage, when it comes to replicating the arcade experience at home, you can’t go wrong with a quality arcade stick.
The Victrix Pro FS Arcade Stick has a durable aluminium chassis that is not only sturdy but surprisingly light. High-quality Sanwa Denshi buttons are used on arcade machines. The joystick and buttons are ultra-responsive, and the foam padding and weight make it very comfortable on your lap. However, this is a pricey unit with an RRP of £349.99/$399.99.
READ MORE: Ranking the 13 Best PlayStation Games Of All Time