PlayStation 5 DualSense Controller Unboxing Reveals PC And xCloud Android Streaming Support

dualsense 4
Sony's PlayStation 5 is scheduled to launch on in mid-November, but it appears that today was the big day for reviewers, who have started to receive the massive next-generation console. Actual reviews for the PlayStation 5 are likely under a strict embargo, so we won't be getting any thoughts on how games play or how it compares to the PlayStation 4/PlayStation 4 Pro just yet, but we are getting a look at the all-new DualSense wireless controller.

As you may already know, the DualSense controller is the successor to the DualShock 4, and brings some new functionality to the table. The big additions are haptic feedback and adaptive triggers along with a complete redesign which makes it much larger than its predecessor. YouTuber Austin Evans wasn't able to give his impressions on the PlayStation 5 for obvious reasons, but his NDA didn't stop him from unboxing a DualSense controller and trying it out with some "alternative" hardware.

Naturally, he attempted to use the DualSense with the PlayStation 4 Pro that he had on hand, but the elder console wouldn't recognize it wirelessly. Even plugging it in via wired connection didn't seem to allow it to function with the PlayStation 4 Pro. For reference, Xbox One controllers are operable on the Xbox Series S/X and vice versa. 

Using Bluetooth, Evans was able to connect wirelessly to a Google Pixel 5 and play streamed games via Microsoft's xCloud service -- how's that for cross-platform interoperability! On the PC side of things, it should come as no surprise that the DualSense was able to work just fine (via a cable) with a Microsoft Surface Laptop Go.

Evans also decided to do a proper teardown of the DualSense controller, and discovered a 1,560 mAh battery inside. Considering that the DualShock 4 has a 1,000 mAh battery inside, we're hoping for a significant increase in runtimes. 

Sony's PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition will launch on November 12th priced at $499 and $399 respectively.

Brandon Hill

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

Opinions and content posted by HotHardware contributors are their own.