PS5 DualSense drift — this teardown just revealed the cause

PS5 DualSense drift — this teardown merely revealed the crusade

(Epitome credit: Geoff Keighley)

The PS5'southward DualSense is the latest controller to endure from globe-trotting issues, but an iFixit teardown has revealed what's likely causing the irritating trouble.

iFixit noticed that at that place are a lot of factors that tin can contribute to DualSense drift. The master i seems to be that the potentiometer joystick modules only have an operating life of two one thousand thousand cycles and means they will eventually neglect, peculiarly if you lot're into long gaming sessions.

Where to buy PS5: All the latest stock updates
I've fallen out of dear with the PS5'southward DualSense — here's why
Plus: The Black PS5 is finally here — and it'south cheaper than we idea

The potentiometers are fabricated by Japanese company Alps Alpine, which notes their operating lifespan in its spec sheets. Two million cycles might seem like a lot at first glance, only iFixit did the math and discovered that'southward far from the case.

In fact, someone gaming for ii hours a day could begin to feel potentiometer failure within four to vii months, depending on the games you're playing. Evidently, that's just an estimation, and the potentiometers tin fail before or after that window.

iFixit was quick to point out that these modules are not sectional to the DualSense either. They're the verbal same ones that are used in the PS4'southward DualShock 4, Xbox 1 controllers (including the $180 Xbox One Elite controller) and the Nintendo Switch'southward Pro controller.

Other factors affecting the oncoming drift include plastic stretching and stress on the jump mechanism that helps eye the joystick, as well every bit general crud and dirt that builds up over fourth dimension. According to iFixit, the amount of solder used to connect these components to the motherboard means you'd need some serious soldering gear to replace them.

At that place has been an increasing number of complaints relating to DualSense drift in the months since launch. One Reddit user even claimed that their controller started drifting within x days of buy.

While Sony has promised to gear up all malfunctioning controllers still under warranty, it'due south not been enough for some people and the company is facing a class-action lawsuit from disgruntled players.

iFixit insists that this isn't the way information technology has to be. The problem stems from the fact gaming companies are using cheaper components that are difficult to replace, making controllers expensive to repair when those components fail.

The site notes that older controllers, like those on the Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo 64 don't have similar problems. The old uses magnets that can be easily replaced, and the latter uses an optical sensor that withal seems to function accurately fifty-fifty afterward the analog stick itself started to fail.

Everything fails eventually, but it'southward clear more than tin can exist done to delay the inevitable.

More: Can't detect a PS5? Become 1 of the best gaming laptops instead

Tom is the Tom's Guide's Automotive Editor, which means he can usually exist found human knee deep in stats the latest and best electric cars, or checking out some sort of driving gadget. It's long fashion from his days as editor of Gizmodo Great britain, when pretty much everything was on the table. He's usually institute trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining that Ikea won't let him purchase the stuff he actually needs online.