PS5 DualSense teardown video gives you an in-depth look at the inside of the controller

PS5
(Image credit: Sony PlayStation)

A PS5 DualSense teardown video gives you an in-depth overview of the inside of the controller, with a closer look at adaptive triggers and the haptic system. 

As spotted by NME, the video posted on YouTube from channel TronicsFix takes apart the controller piece by piece to take a closer look at the DualSense's inner workings and gauge its repairability. Once the controller has been disassembled, TronicsFix compares the DualSense with the PS4's DualShock 4 controller and notes that the DualSense has a much bigger battery at 1560mAH, while the DualShock only has a 1000mAH battery. 

As TronicsFix points out, the battery size is likely due to the bigger and more advanced haptic motors featured in the DualSense. The video also goes on to compare motherboards, analog sticks, and touchpads of both the PS5 controller and the DualShock 4. Comparatively, the analog sticks appear to be the same, while the motherboard is more advanced and the touchpad is larger in size in the DualSense. 

What's most interesting is the part where TronicsFix takes out the haptic motors and adaptive triggers (at the 8:35 mark). You can see the system behind the triggers up close, with a spiral gear that turns to change the angle of a piece that pushes up against the trigger to alter the level of resistance as you press the trigger down. 

The adaptive triggers are set to be used to create a more immersive experience as you play, with some games set to use the triggers to replicate the feeling of using a certain in-game weapon, for example. There have been some concerns regarding this new feature when it comes to accessibility, but Sony recently released more details about the accessibility options on the PS5, revealing that the force of the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers can be reduced or turned off. 

Just recently, news revealed that the DualSense faceplate can be removed and replaced, and the new controller can also work on the PS3

Heather Wald
Senior staff writer

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good.