Not every PS5 accessory is worth buying – I’m looking sternly in your direction, currently-unplugged PS5 HD Camera – but I’ve found that one particular add-on for Sony’s console is an absolute must-have this generation: the DualSense Charging Station.
Like many others, I quickly grew tired of fishing out a USB cable to charge the DualSense controller after practically every gaming session, and eventually ended up leaving a cable permanently sticking out the front of the PS5. Hardly ideal.
Though it was incredibly hard to find when the PS5 launched, the DualSense Charging Station is thankfully more readily available, and it’s a crutch that every PlayStation gamer should lean on.
The PS5 DualSense Charging Station really shouldn’t be so impactful to the whole “PlayStation 5 experience”, but sadly it is. The unpredictable battery life of Sony’s clever new pad makes it a necessity, and I’ve found that since picking up the Charging Station shortly after the console’s launch, it’s helped alleviate any feelings of frustration I have when the ‘Wireless Controller battery is low’ prompt appears.
Keep on keeping on
Not only does the DualSense Charging Station not require any of the PS5’s precious USB ports (it plugs directly into a power outlet), but I now sleep easier knowing that whenever I’ve had enough of delivering packages in Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, I simply pop my pad into the dock and it’ll be ready to go when I return.
Better still, if you have an additional DualSense controller to hand, you can hot-swap between pads if you’ve hunkered down for a particular long gaming session. As you play, your other controller will charge so you’ll technically never be caught short again when it comes to battery life.
Game without limits
In an ideal world, of course, the PS5 DualSense controller’s battery life would be good enough that we wouldn’t have to rely on an accessory to solve its biggest problem. What makes things more tricky is that DualSense’s battery life is hard to predict as it really depends on the games you’re playing.
If a title takes full advantage of the controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, sometimes you’ll be lucky to get five hours from a single charge. Play something that isn’t as liberal with the DualSense’s features, though, and you might not see the charge prompt for over 10 hours. It also doesn’t help that the ‘Wireless Controller battery is low’ warning often appears far too early, leading to the false impression that the DualSense could die at any moment.
Sony’s admittedly excellent pad is still my favorite part of the PS5, then, but if you want to spend more time playing and less time waiting for things to charge, grab the PS5 DualSense Charging Station when you can. It’s the easiest recommendation I can make and thankfully isn’t too expensive at $30 / £24.99 (it’s only £20.82 at Currys right now). You also never need to see an unsightly cable hanging from the front of your PS5 again – unless you’re charging the Pulse 3D Headset, that is…
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