Sony has finally revealed the cost of the DualSense Edge, and honestly, its hefty price tag is a bit of a shock.
The DualSense Edge wireless controller for PS5 will set you back a lot € 199.99 / € 209.99 (Australian price to be announced). For your money, you get interchangeable mods like thumb caps and rear paddles, textured grips, white-on-black aesthetics, and miscellaneous, including a carrying case and locking USB-C connector housing.
That's slightly more than the cost of a standard DualSense controller, which sells for $69,99 / £59,99 / A$109,95. It's also beyond the ballpark of the Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller. $179,99 / £159,99 / A$249,95. It's also not a million miles away from the cost of an Xbox Series S, which is usually priced at €299.99 / €249.99 / AU$499.
As Sony's first foray into the 'Pro' controller market, the DualSense Edge will have to seriously impress at this high price point. But given everything we know so far, I'm not entirely convinced it's up to the task.
More than a few DualCents
Yes, Pro or premium controllers are usually expensive. And in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, buyers will often wonder if expensive Pro controllers are worth it. When it comes to the Xbox Elite Series 2 or third-party pads like the Revolution X, I'd say I personally got what I paid for.
But that won't be reason enough for the average buyer. Pro controllers are a luxury purchase but, even for these reasons, I think the DualSense Edge is clearly not worth its higher price tag, while its competitors offer more for less.
At first glance, the Edge seems to at least match the Elite Series 2 from a features standpoint. Textured grips, editable mods, trigger deadband toggles, and profile settings are all standard, present, and accounted for.
However, the Edge only has two rear paddles compared to the Elite Series 2's four. Its new function buttons don't appear to be remapped and sit just below the analog sticks, where they could be accidentally pressed quite easily. At least when it comes to clumsy people like me.
We've also not heard of any improvements to the DualSense's exceptional haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. That, and the lack of detail on battery life, is worrying given that's the only area where Sony's excellent platform could seriously improve.
Now, the DualSense Edge is likely to be just as good as its default counterpart. Pro features are always welcome, and the included USB-C connector housing is a fantastic addition. But when you can buy a completely custom Xbox Design Lab Elite Series 2 for a comparable price (or cheaper in the UK), I think Sony may have overestimated how much PS5 owners are willing to spend on a Pro pad.