Sony Details PlayStation Monitor With Built-In Controller Dock And FlexStrike Fight Stick

Sony is poised to launch its previously-teased and highly-anticipated PlayStation Gaming Monitor, complete with a built-in DualSense charging hook, alongside the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick in August. But what actually sets these peripherals apart from other options available to PlayStation and PC gamers, and are they worth your hard-earned cash? Here is what you need to know before monitor preorders open on June 5, followed by the FlexStrike on June 12.


First, the previously-covered 27-inch 'PlayStation Gaming Monitor With DualSense Charging Hook' (full product name, and yes, it's a mouthful). Viewed in isolation, the monitor's not bad at all. It supports 120Hz output on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro, as well as 240Hz output on PC or Mac, complete with variable refresh rate (VRR) support through HDMI VRR or AMD FreeSync Premium.

The monitor uses an IPS panel rated for 95% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage and seamless input-switching between console and PC, including support for PlayStation Link-enabled wireless devices across platforms. There's a healthy abundance of additional ports beyond the expected dual HDMI 2.1 and single DisplayPort 1.4 port, including a headphone jack, a USB Type-B port, a USB Type-C port, and two USB Type-A ports. All the USB ports are rated for 5Gbps, with the Type-B going upstream and the rest going downstream.

Add in two built-in 3W stereo speakers, 100x100 mm VESA mounting support, 5.5 inches of height adjustment, 5-22 degrees of tilt, and the DualSense charging dock, and you have what appears to be a strong gaming monitor for PlayStation gamers. Sony even touts Auto HDR Tone Mapping features for connected PS5 and PS5 Pro consoles. What, then, is the catch?

Well, if you noticed it uses an IPS panel, you already know one of the catches. There's simply no way the HDR on this monitor will compete with existing mid-range and high-end HDR monitors, especially not OLEDs. A peek at the specs sheet even reveals this monitor only hits a measly 350 nits. With no mention of the number of dimming zones available on the display, the outlook is not optimistic in terms of actually turning around a strong HDR picture.

Additionally, the PlayStation Gaming Monitor with DualSense Charging Hook is set to cost a whopping $349.99 USD when it launches. Sadly, our previous verdict to skip this in favor of cheaper 120-240Hz IPS displays or similarly-priced OLEDs remains intact.


Where things get a little more interesting is with the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick. Regarding terminology, these kinds of controllers are often also referred to as "arcade sticks" due to the controls also being familiar to genres like beat-em ups or shoot-em-ups that were popular in arcades (remember those?). This kind of controller isn't strictly limited to fighting games, though for any game reliant on a second analog stick, you will of course want to use a traditional gamepad instead.

But where the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick gets truly interesting is when you compare it to other prominent fight stick options. For one, its wireless mode is limited to the proprietary PlayStation Link adapter, which can support two at once over a single adapter and is rated for a 4-millisecond response time, far outclassing Bluetooth connectivity. There's also wired connectivity, of course.

For the purpose of fighting game tournament play, PlayStation consoles are standard, so an officially-licensed PlayStation arcade stick makes play between home and tournament seamless, even for PC players.

Additionally, while the FlexStrike does mostly just look like a standard 8-button arcade stick, it does tout some premium features. This includes being able to switch between square, circle, and octagonal stick gates according to user preference and an ergonomic tilt that seems suited to long-term play.

Perhaps most intriguingly for the $199.99 price point is that it actually bundles a custom sling case for transport completely free. Having seen many players struggle to transport their arcade sticks in the past (including bag-related mishaps during long trips,) that actually is pretty good.

So when the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick fully launches on August 6th for $199.99 USD, I actually won't be complaining about its pricing or features compared to its competition. While the official PlayStation blog does seem to be overselling the monitor a bit, the FlexStrike looks to be a legitimate competitor against other options in its range of $150-$250 fight sticks unless you demand leverless control.