An iFixit investigation finds out what the operating life of the PS5 controller sticks is; which can explain the drift of some models.
The popular YouTube channel iFixit, which specializes in peripheral and electronic device repair, has conducted an investigation to determine the possible motive behind the drift of the PS5 DualSense controller joysticks. This annoyance is affecting more and more players by making these potentiometers detect movement or tilt even when they are straight; like the famous Nintendo Switch Joy-Con, whose drift or deflection prevents the sticks from returning to their natural position.
As explained in their latest video, from iFixit they have accessed an official report from the manufacturer of the PS5 DualSense sticks, ALPS, where it is specified that their useful life is around 2,000,000 cycles when tilted and around 500,000 cycles when pulsed (LR / R3). These figures, translated into hours of gameplay, would be approximately 417 hours of gameplay in titles like Call of Duty: Warzone, a first-person shooter where both sticks are constantly used.
In other words: a PS5 player who plays games of about two hours a day, has to expect that his DualSense can have a useful life of about seven months; From that date, the dirft may begin to appear and it is necessary to go to repair or technical service. Other reasons that can cause drift on the PlayStation 5 controller is the entry of dust; although in this case there are home ways to solve it.
The drift, an increasingly recurring problem in current controls
There are other players who have also reported failures in the DualSense L2 / R2 triggers, the vibration of which ends up stopping working properly, but those problems are apparently not related to this investigation.
With regard to Nintendo Switch, the European Union, through the BEUC (The European Consumer Organization), a body dependent on the EU, has requested an investigation against Nintendo after receiving more than 25,000 complaints regarding this problem. These complaints, expressed by users from countries throughout Europe, have already been referred to the European Commission. Even Microsoft, owner of the Xbox brand, has been facing legal suits in court since last April 20. In this case, it is about drift problems in the Xbox Elite Series 1 and 2, the premium controller of the Xbox range.
It is advisable to make use of the product warranty included in the purchase of all these peripherals, of between one and two years from the manufacturer in most brands, so that they are responsible for covering the costs of this type of inconvenience.
