Do your black/red DualSense controllers feel different?

[Alek]

A friend of mine bought a Black Dual Sense controller and he's been telling me that the analog sticks feel a lot stiffer - even beyond their initial break in period. I wonder if this is an actual hardware change that might exist to combat stick drift (as higher tension sticks do tend to drift less), or just a coincidence? Could anyone that has both their white and black DualSense controllers together do a quick test and post your thoughts?

Below is my friends most recent remark on this. I thougth maybe with a larger sample size you folks could help me get to the bottom of it. Perhaps his is just defective, or perhaps it's a real change.

 

[GinoFelino]

Have a new white and a new black controller. Can confirm the sticks are more stiff on the black controller.

The sticks on the white controller only have slight resistance on the initial push, while the sticks on the black controller have resistance all the way through. I think I prefer the stiffer analog sticks tbh.

 

[Samaritan]

The sticks on my black controller feel a little more stiff, but I think that's just due to it being brand new and my white controller's sticks having about 100 - 120 hours on them.

 

[JusDoIt]

Not to me. I go back and forth between the stock controller and the Midnight Black when I have a long gaming session. When one needs to charge I put it on the cradle and pick up the other one. I can't tell any difference.

 

[mindsale]

I just got a red one but haven't opened it yet. I'll report back. I anticipate them just feeling different from wear.

 

[Bony Manifesto]

As someone who's had three standard DualSenses, the quality control on these controllers isn't great. Sometimes the sticks are stiff, sometimes the buttons are stiff, sometimes everything seems fine and then after a month the left stick starts drifting to the left.

I don't know what's happened to controllers. I've had more problems with brand new PlayStation and Xbox controllers in the past year than I have over the previous 30+ years of gaming.

 

[Deleted member 17990]

Nope feels the same tbh.

 

[Ahti]

The sticks on my black controller feel a little more stiff, but I think that's just due to it being brand new and my white controller's sticks having about 100 - 120 hours on them.

Click to shrink...

This.
Sticks from new controllers often times feel (more) stiff...because they`re new.

 

[SixelAlexiS]

The left stick on my white controller is pure trash for example, is bumpy af when pushed on the left and right, it's quite "sticky" too when in idle position.
The right stick is ok overall. Have to say that the DS4 stick were muuuch better and if Sony is really going for more stiff stick then I'll really hate it. The more stiff the stick is the less control you have, and I would hate to see them going backward on this.

 

[bushmonkey]

One of my white controllers has a very tiny drift on the right analog stick. It's so tiny that in most games you don't see it as it's in the dead zone but in Oddworld: Soul Storm, Abe keeps aiming left all the time, it's really annoying. My other white controller has a really stiff options button you have to press down really hard and a 'soft' x button that doesn't have the 'bounce' of the other buttons.

I had similar problems with all my PS4 controllers as well (all 10 of them over the years). I haven't had much luck with Playstation controllers overall.

 

[Kyuuji]

Not that I've noticed.

 

[OrangeNova]

Friend got their PS5 and a Black Controller when they got it, asked them about the sticks and they said they feel identical.

Probably just wear on your white controller

 

[AnOwlWithKnees]

Nope, feels identical on mine across my two whites, red and black.

 

[GinoFelino]

Again, literally no wear on either of my controllers and the black analog sticks are noticeably stiffer.

May just be different sourced parts at random.

 

[Patrese86]

Might have to get a black one then as I want stiffer resistance. Playing Warzone it's too twitchy even with the sensitivity turned down

 

[ɣGammaɣ]

Both pretty new, feel the same.

 

[Ocean]

The sticks on my black controller feel a little more stiff, but I think that's just due to it being brand new and my white controller's sticks having about 100 - 120 hours on them.

Click to shrink...

Ditto here

 

[BranCrackr]

As someone who's had three standard DualSenses, the quality control on these controllers isn't great. Sometimes the sticks are stiff, sometimes the buttons are stiff, sometimes everything seems fine and then after a month the left stick starts drifting to the left.

I don't know what's happened to controllers. I've had more problems with brand new PlayStation and Xbox controllers in the past year than I have over the previous 30+ years of gaming.

Click to shrink...

The d-pads in particular were mentioned by a few reviewers and general people online after release; not necessarily defective, but just having different feel between multiple brand-new controllers.

 

[EXXo]

My White Dualsense got stick drift so had to open my black and red, defo more stiff on the sticks.

 

[Poldino]

I have a black one, it feels the same as the white one. Maybe it's just that one is newer than the other

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

I have ordered a red since my launch controller has already crapped out. Maybe if the analogs are stiffer this one won't pick up an analog drift like my old one did which made playing Ratchet and Clank impossible.

 

[silver1289s]

It feels a bit more stiff for sure. I honestly prefer it. I just assumed it was because I had already word down my other two controllers.

 

[Disco Infernal]

The left stick on my white controller is pure trash for example, is bumpy af when pushed on the left and right, it's quite "sticky" too when in idle position.
The right stick is ok overall. Have to say that the DS4 stick were muuuch better and if Sony is really going for more stiff stick then I'll really hate it. The more stiff the stick is the less control you have, and I would hate to see them going backward on this.

Click to shrink...

I returned two controllers that had the analog stick issues where it feels like you have to push through a barrier to get to the outer barrier.

 

[DC5remy]

I swear my black one feels like it has more grip

 

[Syntsui]

Every single different controller feels different regardless of their color. That's how it's always has been.

 

[SixelAlexiS]

I returned two controllers that had the analog stick issues where it feels like you have to push through a barrier to get to the outer barrier.

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Yeah, my brother has the same issue with his controller that was bundled in the console... DualSense stick quality control is just terrible.

 

[Stacey]

Feels the same to me (cosmic red)

 

[Perkin_Warbeck]

I haven't noticed any difference on my red one. Maybe I can try comparing them later.

 

[Ruck]

The sticks on my red one feel a little more tense but I kinda like that. The buttons however feel like total ass. You have to press them really hard to register and they're not definitive at all

 

[Lowblood]

I don't know what's happened to controllers. I've had more problems with brand new PlayStation and Xbox controllers in the past year than I have over the previous 30+ years of gaming.

Click to shrink...

Yup, same (though in my case it's Playstation and Nintendo, I've had good luck with Xbox controllers so far). I get that tech has changed and different parts are used these days, but I can't believe that old N64 and DualShock 1 and 2s that I own are still trucking and new stuff seems so faulty (despite being around 3x the price).

 

[LiK]

I have both colors and they feel the same to me. They probably think it feels more stiff cuz it hasn't been broken in. Just use it more. Can't imagine it's stiff enough to give you wrist pain. If it's an issue, just go exchange it.

 

[Digital Savior]

I have two white ones and the buttons feel different. Either quality control is an issue, or they're buying whatever parts are available.

 

[AndrewGPK]

Just compared my white with my black. Sticks do seem to be a little stiffer on the black. Don't know if that is a new versus worn thing, or they've switched it up.

 

[MZZ]

Just thought its a new vs used thing. No problems though.

 

[Diarrhea Day-Lewis]

Wouldn't it be just breaking in a new controller and being used to your old controller being less stiff to frequent use?

 

[KeRaSh]

My red controller feels exactly the same as my original white controller.

 

[Erikun]

I have a red one and the sticks do feel a bit stiffer than the white one that came with the system. It could be that it's new though.

 

[crienne]

I have a red one and the sticks do feel a bit stiffer than the white one that came with the system. It could be that it's new though.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, same here. I don't particularly mind though.

 

[Alek]

Seems like it's probably just a quality control issue given how mixed peoples impressions seem to be.

Yeah I know that sticks lose their tension with use, so that's obviously a factor too, but my friend seems to think his black controllers stiffness goes beyond that.

 

[MrMiyamoto]

I have the red one and I have noticed the sticks are stiffer, I also feel like the triggers are a bit different? Just feels a bit odd, not bad per se.

 

[Working_Stiff]

I literally just received a red one in the mail 5 minutes ago. It feels slightly tighter to the pack-in white one I've been using and 100% identical to the second white one I've hardly used.

 

[Lord Error]

I have the new red one - it's absolutely identical to the original white one, triggers, sticks, buttons all feel the same.

 

[Disco Infernal]

Considering none of the white ones feel exactly the same, I expect the new colors will all be a crapshoot as well.