As much as I love the DualSense Wireless Controller, it’s far from perfect. If you frequently use your PlayStation 5 for more than a couple of hours in a single sitting, you’ve undoubtedly found yourself frustrated by the gamepad’s Achilles heel: its terrible battery life.
At launch, I managed to get about ten hours of use from the controller on average, which isn’t a great figure in itself. Flash forward to today and I’m often struggling to squeeze out more than six hours of playtime. It’s natural that batteries degrade over the years, but having to keep plugging in my controllers for charging while my system is on standby is a little inconvenient.
This is where my favorite member of the official PS5 accessory lineup comes in, a small add-on that’s affordable and ideal for keeping your DualSense controllers fully charged. I’m talking about the DualSense Charging Station, which easily ranks among the best PS5 accessories right now and can be picked up for just $29.99 / £24.99 - or even cheaper around major sales events. It’s much less costly than buying a fresh new DualSense every couple of years and comes with a whole range of handy advantages on top of combatting your battery life woes.
Topped up
As the name would suggest, the DualSense Charging Station is designed solely for charging your DualSense (or DualSense Edge) controllers. It’s a compact bit of kit, coming in at around 6 inches / 16 cm long and 2 inches / 5 cm wide with dedicated space for holding up to two controllers at the same time. Unlike some of the bulky and unappealing third-party controller charging stations on the market, this official option also boasts quite a sleek and eye-catching design.
It looks a little bit like a miniature PS5 overall, with a black central column sandwiched by two little white panels. Laid flat on a surface, it’s the perfect complement to the console itself. The small size means that it can be easily stashed just about anywhere in your gaming space too, whether that’s a side table, on your desk, or in a media center right alongside your PS5.
Unlike using the controller charging cable included in the PS5’s box, which needs to be plugged into a USB port on the console itself, the charging station receives its power through a standard plug socket. If you’re sick of having to schlep across the living room to take your controller off charge whenever you want to play, then a charging station positioned right next to your sofa is definitely the way to go.
Another thing that sets the charging station apart is its use of the DualSense charging port. If you’ve ever wondered what those two little metal contacts on either side of the controller’s 3.5mm jack are for, it’s this. Putting the controller on charge is as simple as sliding the controller into the charging station with a satisfying click; a system that has the added bonus of reducing the chances of damaging your controller’s USB-C port through frequent use. It is worth bearing in mind, however, that the use of this port does mean that the charging station isn’t compatible with many of the best PS5 controllers from third-party manufacturers. If you rely on a controller like the Victrix Pro BFG, you’re going to need to stick with USB-C options for now.
It’s the one accessory that I would say truly punches above its weight
If you are using compatible controllers, everything is so quick and easy that, with the charging station on hand, I never find myself unable to play thanks to a depleted battery. If you own two DualSense controllers, it can even be helpful while you’re playing. If your controller battery starts to run low in the middle of a long gaming session, simply slide your other controller out and slot the one that you were just using into place. By the time the second controller is running dry, the first will be fully charged again and ready to go.
There’s also the fact that the charging station gives you a dedicated place to store your DualSense controllers even when they don’t need to be charged. Keeping your controllers on the table, the floor, or even shoved between couch cushions is a risky business, especially if you don’t live alone. With how fragile the DualSense controller can be, being accidentally dropped, stood on, or sat on could put it out of action for good. If your controllers are snugly secured in the charging station, there’s a much lower chance of damage.
With all this in mind, there’s little reason not to recommend the DualSense Charging Station for almost every PS5 owner. It’s the one accessory that I would say truly punches above its weight, dramatically improving your experience for about the same price as a discounted PS5 game deal.
You might also like...
- Our round-up of the latest DualSense controller deals
- The best PS5 bundles and deals going now
- Check in with our PlayStation Portal restock tracker
