The DualSense Edge Wireless Controller
Fatima Khaled Moflehi
The City College of New York
ENGL: 21007 Writing for Engineering
Professor Crystal Rodwell
5/8/2024
Table of Contents
The main parts of the DualSense Edge controller set: 3
The main parts of the DualSense Edge controller features starting from the front include: 5
The Main parts of the DualSense Edge Controller Features From the Rear: 6
Subparts of Controller (Front): 8
Subparts of Controller (Rear): 11
Fatima Moflehi
4/3/2024
Professor Rodwell
ENG 21007
Technical Description
Product: Dual Sense Edge Wireless Controller
Introduction:
The DualSense Edge Wireless Controller is a PS5 gaming console that was made to be a newer version of the already well received DualSense controller but with additional features. From the very first video game controller in 1967 where the design was a simple two-button device, controllers have gone through many developments through trials and errors that took us from single-button interfaces to the complex innovations today that make up the Playstation 5’s DualSense Edge controller (Morgan Tremaine 2020). The design team were able to gather insights from professional gamers and esport players to help design the new controller so their gaming experience can be personalized and adapted for each player( Tomomasa Mizuno 2023). The controller weighs approximately 325 grams and has a dimension of 6.3×2.6×4.2 inches (w/h/d) (Sony Store Online Thailand n.d) . The controller was released on January 26, 2023 as the first-ever ultra customizable controller developed by Playstation (Isabelle Tomatis 2022). Its adjustable features help make each controller personalized to its owners playstyles for any game. The new features include button remapping, the ability to fine-tune stick sensitivity and triggers, options to swap between multiple control profiles, and a unique on-controller user interface (Isabelle Tomatis 2022). The display controls can also be customized by interchangeable sets of stick caps and two interchangeable sets of back buttons that come with the controller. The controller also comes with a USB cable and connector housing that locks the cable to the controller so the wire does not unplug from the controller when gamers play with excessive movement.
To fully understand the features of the DualSense Edge controller each part should be looked at and understood.
The main parts of the DualSense Edge controller set:
The DualSense Edge controller comes purchased as a whole set that includes six additional items to use with the controller. This includes a USB cable, stick caps, back buttons, connector housing, and carrying case.
Figure 1 (left to right): Carrying case, USB cable, Controller, Back Buttons, Connector Housing, and Stick caps
Controller
The DualSense Edge Wireless Controller is a black and white controller with a hybrid material of plastics, rubber, and silicone.
USB braided cable
The USB braided cable is a black colored cable wire wrapped with a nylon weave and it is used for charging the controller as well as syncing it to different devices.
Standard Stick caps (already attached to controller)
The set includes two black standard size caps made out of silicone that are already attached to the control sticks but can be replaced interchangeably with other caps provided with the controller package. The stick caps are used to maintain the height of the thumbsticks to help players maneuver easily.
Low dome caps
The set provides two black silicone low dome shaped stick caps as an alternative option to the standard stick cap
High dome caps
The set also provides two black silicone high dome shaped stick caps as an alternative option to the standard size cap
Back Button (dome shaped)
The set provides two black dome shaped back buttons made of metal that can be replaced interchangeably with the lever shaped back buttons.
Back Button (lever shaped)
The set also provides two black lever shaped back buttons made of metal that can be replaced interchangeably with the dome shaped back buttons.
Connector housing
The connector housing is a black structure or shell that secures the electrical connection of the USB cable to the controller and protects it from external interferences such as excessive movements while playing that may cause the cable to disconnect.
Carrying case
The set also provides a white zip up storing case that has an external material of shockproof Ethylene-vinyl Acetate copolymer and fabrics and is made to fit the controller, stick caps, back buttons, USB cable, and connector housing. Also it contains a hole for the USB cable so the controller can be charged while zipped up in the case,
The main parts of the DualSense Edge controller features starting from the front include:
The front or the outer part of the controller contains four features that are the stick caps, Fn button, stick modules, and front cover.
Figure 2: Front of the controller that shows front cover laid out separately and one of the two stick modules taken out with stick cap and fn button attached to the module.
Stick caps
Black silicone caps attached to the stick modules that can be customized between the standard size cap, low dome caps, and high dome caps.
Fn button
The Fn button is a black shortcut function button made of ABS plastics and is used to alternate between profiles while gaming, adjust volume, and access profile editing page.
Stick Module
The controller functions with two replaceable stick modules made with a black plastic frame and is used for movements and precision aiming while gaming.
Front cover
The controller has a black replaceable front cover made of plastic that can be customized in different colors for the aesthetics of the controller
The Main parts of the DualSense Edge Controller Features From the Rear:
From the rear of the controller there are two stop sliders and two back button slots to attach one of the two pairs of back buttons that were included in the set.
Figure 3: Rear of the controller that shows the two stop sliders and two lever shaped back buttons.
LR/R2 stop sliders
Two gray sliders (one in the left and the other in the right) are made to set the stroke level of LR and R2 buttons. The sliders have three modes that are labeled at the side of the sliders, from the top is the long stroke, the middle is medium stroke, and the bottom is short stroke. Stroke levels are how far you can push down the buttons.
Back Buttons
The controller has two back slots that are made for the two interchangeable metal back buttons that are offered in two different shapes (dome and lever).The back buttons are used to provide a comfortable grip on the controller.
Top of controller:
The top of the controller has three main components which are the R1/R2 buttons, the USB port, and the L1/L2 buttons.
Figure 4: Top of the controller where the R1/R2 button is shown and the L1/L2 button is shown and the USB port in the middle of the black.
R1 Button
The R1 button is a black button that is used for gameplay functions which means that the function depends on the game but the R1 button is mostly used for triggers by default.
R2 Button
The R2 button is a black button used for gameplay functions which means that function depends on the game.
Both the R1/R2 buttons are made of premium ABS material.
USB Port
The USB port is a small port at the top of the controller that is used to plug in USB cable
L1 and L2 Buttons
Both the L1 and the L2 buttons are black buttons used for Gameplay functions which means that the function depends on the game.
Subparts of Controller (Front):
The front of the controller has many subparts that hold most of the functions used when playing with the DualSense Edge controller. There are seventeen different playing buttons and four functional features such as the headset jack, speaker, light bar, and player indicator.
Figure 5: Subparts of the front that includes directional buttons, action buttons, left and right sticks, mute button, (PS) button, Fn button, speaker, microphone, light bar, create and options button, touch pad, and headset jack.
Directional Buttons (4)
There are four directional black buttons made of ABS material and it is used to highlight any items on the screen as well as direct different areas on the screen. There is a left, right, down and up button.
(Create) Buttons
The create button is a white button placed next to the directional buttons on the left of the controller for the use of displaying the create menu and giving the ability to take screenshots and video clips.
Light Bar
The light bar is an LED light that lights up in different colors that gives indication to what player you are playing as well as indicates certain things. For example, the light bar will show blue when connected to a playstation, red when a second DualSense joins, and green when a third player has been added, and purple when a fourth player has been added.
Touch Pad
The controller touch pad is a flat black button made of plastic placed in the middle of the controller above the stick modules and is used for gameplay functions which means that its function depends on the game, it can also be used as a mouse for an ons-screen cursor.
Player Indicator
The controller’s player indicator is a light that flashes to indicate a profile switch. It is right under the touchpad.
(Options) button
The options button is a small white button similar to the create button but on the right side and it is used to display the options menu on the screen.
Action buttons (4)
The actions buttons are four black buttons that have an outlined white shape on each button and it is used for functions that differ depending on the game. There is a cross button, a circle button, triangle button, and square button. Although each button depends on gameplay functions there are default functions for each of the four action buttons. The cross button selects the highlighted items, the circle button cancels a command, the triangle button rearranges items on a list or view related information, and the square button can be used as a shortcut for the context-sensitive command and to view more functions for a specific item.
Right stick (R3 button) and Left stick (L3 button)
The right and left stick module is a black stick that gives an easy drift for players to move in the game or get used for gameplay functions. The stick module has stick caps attached to it to give the drift an adjustable height for the players comfort while playing.
Fn button (use in combination with other buttons)
The fn button is a black button attach to the stick modules and is labeled as a combination button because it is used with other buttons. The fn button when combined with any action button would switch between profiles, when combined with the options button it is used to customize profiles, when combined with the up/down button it would adjust the volume of the players headphones, and finally when combined with a left/right button it would adjust the audience balance.
Speaker
The speaker is a functional feature used for listening to the audio being played.
(PS) button
The (PS) button is both a gray logo and a button that when pressed once gives access to the control center and if held down would go to the homescreen.
Headset jack
The headset jack is a plug in for headphones or headsets and it is right below the (PS) button.
Microphone
The microphone is black button that when pressed allows players to talk to others in their game without the need for other peripherals such as headphones/headsets.
(Mute) button
The mute button is a white button that glows orange when in use cuts off audio and turns off the microphone.
Subparts of Controller (Rear):
The subparts of the back of the controller includes four components which are the stop sliders, the back button slots, the reset button, and release latch.
Figure 6: Rear of the controller that shows stop sliders (right and left) at the top, two back buttons (dome and lever shaped) , a reset hole button in the middle, and a release latch below it.
R2 and L2 Stop Slider
The stop sliders are two gray sliders labeled from long, medium, and short. The sliders are used to adjust stroke (trigger length/stop) of the right R2 and the left L2 buttons which is how far you can push down the button. There are three levels of strokes you can switch to (long stroke,medium stroke, and short stroke).
Left and Right Back Button Slot
In the back of the controller there are two black slots to help attack the left or right back buttons that are given with the controller (lever or dome shaped).
Reset button
The reset button is a very small hole that when pushed through resets the controller settings back to its original state and resets all customized settings.
RELEASE Latch
The Release latch is black latch labeled RELEASE and is used to remove the white cover on the controller for players who wish to replace the stick modules or change into a different cover for aesthetics.
In conclusion, all the intentional details of creating the DualSense Edge PS5 controller can be seen through its technical breakdown as well as physical description of every feature and button built into the controller that helped create a beneficial and customizable tool for all types of gamers.
References:
-(Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc., 2023) DualSense Edge Wireless Controller Instruction Manual,https://www.playstation.com/content/dam/global_pdc/en/corporate/support/manuals/accessories/ps5-accessories/dualsense-wireless-controller-edge/EN_AMER_DualSense_Edge_Wireless_Controller_Instruction_Man_Web.pdf
-(PlayStation Sony, n.d) What are the button functions on PS5 consoles?, https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps5-button-functions/#:~:text=Cross%20button%3A%20select%20the%20highlighted,functions%20for%20a%20specific%20item.
-(Shield, n.d) How to use Headphones and Headsets with your Controller, https://support-shield.nvidia.com/shield-tv-pro-user-guide/index.htm#t=how-to-use-headphones-or-headsets-with-your-controller.htm
-(Chris Littlechild, June 26, 2023) You Should Stop Using The Microphone On Your PS5 DualSense Controller- Heres Why, https://www.slashgear.com/1320014/why-you-shouldnt-use-the-ps5-controller-microphone-dualsense/
-(Isabelle Tomatis October 18, 2022) DualSense Edge wireless controller for PS5 launches globally on January 26, https://store.sony.co.th/products/cfi-zcp1g/?locale=en#
-(Tomomasa Mizuno January 26,2023) DualSense Edge Wireless Controller Launches Globally Today, https://blog.playstation.com/2023/01/26/dualsense-edge-wireless-controller-launches-globally-today/
-(Sony Store Online Thailand n.d) PlayStation DualSense Edge [CFI-ZCP1 G] model
-(PEI-Genesis n.d) The Principles of Manufacturing an Electrical Connector, https://blog.peigenesis.com/the-principles-of-manufacturing-an-electrical-connector#:~:text=The%20housing%20of%20a%20connector,either%20molded%20plastic%20or%20metal.
-(PlayStation Sony, n.d) How to personalize your DualSense Edge wireless controller, https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/personalize-edge-controller/#:~:text=You%20can%20set%20how%20far,medium%20stroke%2C%20and%20short%20stroke.
-(PlayStation Sony, n.d) How the DualSense Edge wireless controller can raise your game – whatever you play, https://www.playstation.com/en-us/editorial/how-dualsense-edge-can-raise-your-game/
-(Morgan Tremaine, May 21 2020) A Brief History of Video Game Controllers,
