Black Friday isn’t here yet, but that hasn’t stopped Sony from launching an excellent holiday promo, which runs until December 18th. The ongoing sale includes everything from the PlayStation 5 console 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 above deal price applies to Sony’s base model – including black and white variants – you can also pick up a limited edition model inspired by astro bot (Walmart/Best Buy), god of war (Amazon/Walmart), and yotei’s ghost (Walmart/Best Buy) for about $64 (also $20 off). The controllers start at a higher price than the vanilla model, but keep in mind you’re still getting them for $10 less than the regular DualSense’s normal cost.
The DualSense will look familiar to longtime PlayStation fans, but it has important technical features that set it apart from Sony’s first DualShock gamepad. A good example is the haptic vibration of a wireless controller, which can make gameplay feel more immersive. Feeling a slight rumble on alternate sides of the controller when a character walks on sand is an example of what’s possible. The triggers also have variable tension, which, in some games, requires you to push down with more force during certain scenes. This is a great feature and we want more developers to adopt it.
As far as table-stakes features go, the DualSense has some nicely 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 for around eight hours, which should be enough to get you through most gaming sessions. It’s not compatible with other consoles, but you can use it with a Mac or PC by plugging it in via Bluetooth or with a USB-C cable.