Black Friday isn’t here quite yet, but that hasn’t stopped Sony from kicking off an excellent holiday promo, which runs through December 18th. The ongoing sale spans everything from PlayStation 5 consoles to Sony’s latest accessories — including Sony’s standard DualSense Wireless Controller, which is now matching its all-time low of $54.99 ($20 off) in multiple colors at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.
Although the aforementioned deal price applies to Sony’s base models — including the go-to black and white variants — you can also pick up limited edition models inspired by Astro Bot (Walmart / Best Buy), God of War (Amazon / Walmart), and Ghost of Yōtei (Walmart / Best Buy) for around $64 (also $20 off). The controllers start at a higher price than the vanilla models, but recognize that you’re still getting them for $10 less than a regular DualSense normally costs.
The DualSense will look familiar to longtime PlayStation fans, but it has significant technical features that set it apart from Sony’s earlier DualShock gamepads. A good example is the wireless controller’s haptic vibrations, which can make gameplay feel more immersive. Feeling a slight rumble on alternating sides of the controller as a character walks through sand is an example of what’s possible. The triggers have variable tension, too, which, in some games, requires you to push down with more force during certain sequences. It’s a terrific feature, and something we wish more developers would adopt.
As for table-stakes features, the DualSense features some nice textured grips and a built-in microphone, which lets you chat with other players online without a headset. You also have the option to plug a wired headset (or headphones) into the controller’s 3.5mm audio jack. It charges via USB-C — no surprise there — and can last up to eight hours or so, which should be enough to get you through most gaming sessions. It isn’t compatible with other consoles, but you can use it with a Mac or PC via Bluetooth or by plugging in with a USB-C cable.
