Should you customize your DualSense? Here’s how it went for me.

The Sony PlayStation 5 is over two years previous at this level, however it’s nonetheless tough to get. Fortunately, the official controller for the console — generally known as the DualSense — is way simpler to seize. It’s additionally broadly suitable with PCs, Macs, Android telephones, and iPhones, so it’s price trying out even when you don’t personal a PS5.

Though the controller is available in varied colours, there’s nonetheless loads of room for extra choices. As such, you is perhaps trying into attempting to customise a DualSense to make it extra your individual, match your rig, and even be extra practical on your wants. You would possibly then marvel if it is a good concept since taking any digital gadget aside might be daunting.

I used to be on this scenario just lately. I wished to customise my DualSense to play PC video games and was a bit nervous to make the leap. In case you are in the identical boat, let me let you know how I obtained by way of all of it so you possibly can have a greater concept of what to anticipate.

Most individuals who wish to change up the look of their controllers are in search of a brand new aesthetic expertise. Nonetheless, my method was a bit extra utilitarian. Though I personal a PS5 and two DualSense controllers for it, I additionally personal two different DualSense models that I exploit for PC video games.

See additionally: What’s the very best controller for PC customers?

Steam’s controller help makes the DualSense broadly suitable with fashionable PC video games. Sadly, it faces an enormous downside with older titles: button mismatching. For instance, if I play a contemporary Steam recreation, the DualSense will work tremendous, with on-screen buttons matching what’s on the controller itself. On older titles, although, Steam will deal with the DualSense as an Xbox controller. This makes the icons that show on-screen affiliate with the traditional Xbox ABXY face buttons. A DualSense doesn’t have these, which leaves me pissed off as a result of I can’t see which button is which.

In different phrases, the sport will say “Hit the A button,” and I’ll must do not forget that meaning the cross button on the DualSense. This actually frustrates me.

Hardcore players seemingly have these buttons all memorized and can assume I’m loopy. As a extra informal gamer, I don’t have them memorized, which might be problematic with video games which have quick-time occasions. That’s once I actually need to have the ability to see the buttons. Additionally, when you’re questioning why I don’t simply purchase an Xbox controller as an alternative, there are two causes for this: gyro help and the touchpad. Xbox controllers don’t have both of those options, and they’re particularly necessary to me as a result of I do plenty of console emulation, and accessing a mouse cursor and gyro makes that a lot nicer.

All of for this reason I purchased some DualSense ABXY face buttons from this Etsy vendor. Previous to my buy, I didn’t look into how I’d get them into the controller, however I figured it could actually’t be that tough, proper?

To do the customization, I adopted together with this YouTube video. The controller is out of focus typically and the YouTuber says “guys” manner too usually, however the directions had been clear and solely went over the data I wanted — nothing extra, nothing much less.

Fortunately, I solely wanted a pry software and a tiny screwdriver. Utilizing a pry software is at all times nerve-racking as a result of I’m involved I’ll break the skinny items of plastic proper off. So I stepped into the method fairly nervous.

Nonetheless, it was truly so much simpler than I anticipated. Getting every half off was fairly simple. And, because you don’t must mess with any of the circuitry to swap out the buttons, there wasn’t a lot threat of doing irreparable hurt to the gadget.

Within the photographs above, you possibly can see the final steps. You first take away the decrease faceplate guard, after which your complete again of the controller. You take away the battery, unplug the ribbon cables of the circuit board, transfer the circuit board out of the way in which, after which take off the faceplate. As soon as that’s off, it’s only a matter of swapping within the new buttons. Then you definately merely reverse all of the steps to place it again collectively.

The YouTuber does the entire course of in real-time throughout the 15-minute clip, which suggests it ought to solely take about quarter-hour to do the swap. I went a bit slower however nonetheless had all the things carried out in lower than half-hour. The controller appeared nice and labored simply in addition to it did earlier than I disassembled it.

In case you’ve ever used a tiny screwdriver to take a gadget aside, you’ll be tremendous customizing your DualSense controller. It appears sophisticated due to what number of components it’s essential take away to get to the faceplate, however it is so simple as unscrewing some screws and snapping off some plastic bits.

What’s extra, Sony’s inside design for the controller prevents you from placing any buttons within the incorrect place. So that you don’t even want to fret about reassembling it solely to seek out that you just by accident put the circle button within the sq.’s place. It’s just about foolproof.

After all, when you’ve by no means carried out something like this earlier than, it is best to method this with warning. Improperly eradicating the ribbon cables, particularly, may result in a completely bricked $70 controller, which might not be good. Additionally, opening up your controller may void its guarantee, so do that at your individual threat.

In the long run, although, I really like how practical my new controller is and I’m very glad I went out on a limb to make this customization occur. My solely remorse is that I simply swapped out the buttons. Now that I understand how simple it’s, I wish to get customized components for the entire thing! Possibly that will likely be my subsequent venture.