5 Ways To Boost Your PlayStation 5 Controller’s Battery Life
ThePlayStation 5’s DualSense wireless controlleris one of the most advanced controllers ever. It offers several features that enhance your gaming experience, such as haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, a built-in microphone/headset jack, speakers, and whatnot. However, the features that set this controller apart from others in the market rely on the controller’s battery, and that is where things start to fall apart. Since its launch, PlayStation 5 has received positive feedback for its design and performance, but what troubles users the most is the controller’s battery life.
At the moment, Sony sells two PlayStation 5 controllers, namely the pack-in DualSense wireless controller with a 1,560 mAh battery and the new DualSense Edge wireless controller, which, despite being more expensive than the standard controller, only has a 1,050 mAh battery. Regarding the original DualSense controller, the company promises a battery life of 12 to 15 hours. However, several reviews claim that the controller averages eight to ten hours, depending on usage. While that could be alarming for some users, DualSense Edge, the premium PlayStation 5 controller from Sony, lasts about six hours on a single charge, which is a major trade-off.
So does that mean that PlayStation 5 owners have to settle for the poor battery life of the DualSense controller, or is there something they can do about it? If you are one of the PS5 owners rethinking your purchase, we have some useful techniques that can boost the battery life of the DualSense controller.
Turn off the controller’s lights and speaker
As mentioned earlier, the short battery life of the PlayStation 5’s controller results from all the super cool features that it comes with, and to boost the battery life, you would have to disable some of them. To get more out of your DualSense controller, turn down the indicator lights. Oddly, Sony doesn’t allow you to shut it off entirely. Nonetheless, there’s an option to lower its brightness.
Another way to save yourPlayStation 5 controller’s batterylife is turning off the in-built speakers. Like the indicator lights, the speaker also consumes a fair amount of your controller’s battery, draining it faster than you would want.
Disable Haptic Feedback and Trigger Effect
Do you enjoy the haptic feedback on the controller with the intense on-screen action? Sony has included dual actuators in the DualSense and theDualSense Edge controllersto provide an immersive feel. Depending upon the game, they are programmed to rumble with every hit you take on the opponent or when you drag your car off the track. Still, these actuators can take out a big chunk of the controller’s battery during long gaming sessions. Hence, if you want to boost your PlayStation 5 controller’s battery life, setting the vibration intensity to low, or turning it off entirely, makes sense.
Another headlining feature of the PlayStation 5 controller, Adaptive Triggers, adjusts the triggers' resistance per your in-game environments and actions. However, the Adaptive Triggers rely on several hardware components in the controller, including an electric motor, a geared wheel, and a lever. Ultimately, all these components increase the load on the controller’s battery, draining it quickly. Hence, if battery life is your topmost priority, set the Trigger Effect Intensity option in the Controller (General) menu to weak or off.
Turn off the controller when not in use
While these are the features that consume your PlayStation 5 controller’s battery, there are a few power and charging-related settings that can help you get more wireless playtime. There might be times when you have to leave the PS5 controller on the table and attend to the person at your door or answer an important phone call. You could be away from the console for a while, but the controller keeps using its battery.
Some users forget to turn off the controller and pick it up the next day, only to find it dead. To avoid spending the battery when the controller is not in use, set a power timer.
If you don’t want to set a timer, you’re able to manually turn off the PlayStation 5 controller. There are two ways to switch the controller off.
Ensure that your controller charges during Rest Mode
Now that you know about the power-related settings that can help you boost your PlayStation 5 controller’s battery life, let’s discuss the charging options. You must know about the Rest Mode of your console. For those who are unfamiliar, Rest Mode is a low-power standby mode that can download updates and charge your controller via the console’s USB-A ports. You can even set the duration you want Rest Mode to charge your controller.
The controller’s LED lights pulse orange when charging in the Rest Mode. If you’re a regular gamer, the Rest Mode could help you charge your controllers during breaks. While these methods should help you get some extra mileage from the PlayStation 5 controller, there are also a few other tips to fall back on. First, if you’re a professional gamer or a streamer, having an extra PS5 controller is better than relying on a single unit. Additionally, you can get a long USB wire to play as long as you want, as the controller draws power from the console while charging its battery simultaneously. Last but not least, avoid overcharging your PlayStation 5 controller.
