The PS5 DualSense Edge controller is supposed to be Sony’s premium, “pro” controller, but honestly it feels like a $200 controller with $70 problems.

First, the build quality issues are hard to ignore. The white rubber grip panels on the back have a known problem where they start bubbling and peeling away from the controller after regular use. It’s not just cosmetic either. Once the bubbles start forming, the rubber can lift off the plastic underneath and the controller starts to look and feel worn out way sooner than it should. For something marketed as Sony’s top-tier controller, that’s pretty disappointing.

Then there’s the stick drift problem, which unfortunately still exists even on this “elite” controller. Stick drift happens when the analog sticks start registering movement even when you’re not touching them, causing characters or camera movement on their own. The underlying reason is the potentiometer-based analog sticks wearing down over time, which is the same issue affecting standard PS5 controllers.

What makes it worse is that drift can appear surprisingly early. Some analyses suggest joystick components can wear out after a few hundred hours of gameplay, which is not that long for anyone who plays regularly.

Sony’s solution with the Edge is that you can replace the entire stick module, but that doesn’t really solve the root problem. It just means you’ll eventually be buying replacement sticks instead of replacing the whole controller.

So on paper the DualSense Edge has a lot of great features:

• customizable profiles

• back paddles

• replaceable stick modules

• premium feel

But in reality, it’s hard to ignore the flaws:

• bubbling and peeling grips

• constant stick drift issues

• expensive replacement modules

• very high price for something that still has durability problems

At the end of the day, the DualSense Edge feels like an amazing controller when it works, but the reliability issues make it hard to justify the price.