Sony has finally given players a look of the new PS5, or at least a look at the controller with which players will be interacting with the Next-Gen console. Dubbed the DualSense, as opposed to the DualShock, the announcement of the PS5 controller has easily been the most exciting reveal of the month, even if we're only about a week in.
Well before Sony's PS5 controller reveal, Microsoft had also decided to show off the Xbox Series X's controller as well. While there a plenty of differences between the two controllers, there are also a number of similarities that bleeds the two designs together.
Sure do look alike
If we're talking about bleeding these designs together, then of course the first place to look is the physical design of the two controllers. This is actually a more important design decision than many might assume, with the design of the controller determining how it feels in a player's hand, as well as how easy the design is to use. Other manufacturers have struggled with creating comfortable and stylish designs in the past, and that has cost them when it comes to choosing which console to get.
However, it appears that when looking at making a comfortable design to hold, Sony has stepped fairly far into Xbox territory, with many fans comparing the DualSense and Xbox Series X controller. In fact, this comparison has become the source of a number of DualSense memes since the controller was first revealed. However, the face value is about where the the comparisons between the two controllers stop and the contrasting aspects of the Next-Gen systems show themselves.
Battery
A hotly debated topic, the controller batteries completely set the DualSense apart from the Xbox Series X controller for a number of fans. With a built in battery, Sony claims that the DualSense lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge, although that time can very depending on different factors from the choice of game to controller settings. However, the Xbox Series X controller won't have a built in battery, instead choosing to run on AA-batteries like its earlier predecessors.
Surprisingly enough, the preference for included batteries or having an opening to slot in disposable batteries is actually fairly split between players. In fact, Xbox found that half of players prefer AA-batteries, which is how Microsoft justifies continuing to run on disposables as opposed to allowing players to charge their controllers. From this perspective, the DualSense's built-in battery may actually balance its appeal to players trying to choose between the PS5 and the Xbox Series X.
Haptic Feedback
This is possibly the biggest difference between the two, and anyone who's played any game on Nintendo's Switch console that makes use of this feature might understand why. In truth, Haptic Feedback is a buzzword that essentially means that the rumble of the controller is more complex to some degree than the standard rumble packs that come in most controllers. This is what led to so many successes in the early days of Switch, even with games like 1-2-Switch that sold well, regardless of scoring low with reviewers.
Fortunately for the PS5, the DualSense includes Haptic Feedback, a feature that Sony had previously hinted at, but the official reveal finally confirms as a certainty. Now, the Xbox Series X controller is said to have a fairly advanced system of rumble packs, but it isn't expected to reach the definition of Haptic Feedback. This feature also leads into the design of the triggers on the back of the controllers, with both offering advances in the technology, but only one being able to offer the type of real-time simulation that Haptic Feedback can achieve.
Triggers
Both controllers have a new type of trigger, referred to as Impulse Triggers for Xbox Series X, and Adaptive Triggers for the DualSense controller. While both features claim to be able to make the player feel small tensile feelings from within the game, like pulling a trigger or drawing a bowstring, it's how these two accomplish this task that sets them apart. The Xbox Series X controller uses rumble packs built into the triggers to add sensation to act of pulling the button, but the DualSense utilizes the Haptic Feedback mentioned in the controller's initial announcement to simulate tension and force much more accurately.
Most players may never even notice the difference between these two features when playing, unless they are put up against each other side by side. However, that doesn't mean that one does not have an advantage over the other, with Haptic Feedback coming out just above the Xbox Series X's rumble packs. That being said, looking back at physical design again, Microsoft's controller does have a leg up with textured triggers built in a more ergonomic style that some players may find more comfortable during long stretches of gaming.
Share Button
This is last, and certainly least, as it has the least impact on how players actually play a game, but more of an influence on how they share their favorite gaming moments. The Xbox Series X is finally getting a proper share button, similar to the PS4's share button that Sony introduced to gaming in the last generation. Of course, this means that the DualSense's create button, which some fans have dubbed the Honk Button, is likely more advanced than both the PS4's option and will likely be a step ahead of Xbox's new function.
It should be noted, however, that little is known about the DualSense's create button or Xbox Series X's share function, so comparing the two now is slightly more difficult. However, with a head start above its competition, Sony will likely be leading on that front for the time being. All together, there are dozens of reasons to choose either Next-Gen system over the other, from system spec comparisons to the newly displayed controller features, meaning that when it comes to tech, it's hard to say if there is a clear winner between Sony and Microsoft just yet.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X are set to release in Holiday 2020.