PS5: DualSense praised for immersive features, while teardown reveals how it works

The hype surrounding the Xbox Series X and PS5 are at an all-time high as Microsoft and Sony gear up for their respective launches next week. This means units are already with influencers and reviewers for a couple of weeks now. Perhaps the most interesting and recent detail available now, deals with the DualSense controller and what it does differently from the DualShock 4.

Unlike the Xbox Series X/S gamepad, which received minor tweaks to improve ergonomics and grip, the PS5 controller is a major overhaul from its predecessor. Ever since the first DualShock controller was introduced, Sony has kept the design unchanged with minor upgrades along the way such as SIXAXIS motion controls on the DualShock 3. The DualShock 4, on the other hand, added a speaker and touchpad into the mix. With the DualSense, players can experience a different level of immersion.

Even before the PS5 was officially unveiled, as early as 2019, Sony was already teasing the capabilities of the DualSense (which was referred to as the DualShock 5 back then). According to The Verge, it appears the advanced haptic feedback system as well as the adaptive triggers add a unique dimension to how users can feel certain on-screen actions. The console ships with "Astro's Playroom" preinstalled and it is practically a unique introduction as to what the new hardware is capable of.

Many describe the level of detail the vibrations of the DualSense can produce as cutting-edge and is beyond what the HD Rumble technology of Nintendo's Joy-Cons can deliver. Nonetheless, the adaptive triggers are supposedly its biggest feature. The tension is automatically adjusted in context to the in-game actions the player performs. It could be pulling a bowstring, shooting a firearm, and so much more.

It remained a mystery as to how the DualSense achieves this, but a teardown of the gamepad reveals that it houses motors with special gears. If there is no current supplied, the L2 and R2 triggers function as normal, but once a game activates the motors, players will feel a varying level of resistance. Depending on the developers, their potential, it offers to enhance gameplay and gives the PS5 an edge over the Xbox Series X/S.