Press J to jump to the feed. @kpifixit. 1161 Executive Dr. W. Richardson, TX 75081 USA, Playstation Replacement Thumbstick Mechanism, We stand behind our product and want to help with finding any potential solutions when issues occur. Sony isnt the only company to use off-the-shelf joystick modules, but, like Microsoft, theyve made it difficult to repair this consumable component. View cart for details. Sweaty Customs helps you unlock your full competitive gaming potential with repairs and controller customization. I have a red one and the sticks do feel a bit stiffer than the white one that came with the system. Then theres contamination from the external world. Everyone should have seen this coming. Just feels a bit odd, not bad per se. Either quality control is an issue, or they're buying whatever parts are available. It may not display this or other websites correctly. But we think most people would prefer to be a bit more realistic about something as unglamorous as a thumbstick. Lets take a look at Alps spec sheet for the RKJXV series, a ThumbPointer (Stick Controller) made for Game purposes. I haven't noticed any difference on my red one. I can barely stand to use the new controller. Joshua M - I have ordered a red since my launch controller has already crapped out. I have two white ones and the buttons feel different. A smaller circuit board would hold the joystick and its necessary wires and chips, then connect to the main board with a detachable cable. We stand behind our product and want to help with finding any potential solutions when issues occur. Here Are 5 3D Printing Surfaces to the Rescue, How to Boost Your Wi-Fi Speed Up to 5x With These 2 Easy Fixes. That calibration profile is stored on the controller board, not in the joystick itself. Reply, Note: We reached out to Alps Alpine, Sony, and Nintendo for comment on this post; we did not hear back before publishing.You could also disclose that microsoft while using the exact same parts, actually funded this article, repairguy221 - This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. All replacement parts are sold "as is" and are non-refundable. EDIT 3: After 23 days, my controller has worn in and feels great. So summary is - give your new controller a month to wear in. Can confirm the sticks are more stiff on the black controller. I did feel I could snap the DualShock in half. Forget about what idiots in here have said, just because they both use the same ALPS potentiometer, that doesn't mean they will feel the same. I see a lot of things taken for granted in this piece, Andrea Vultaggio - Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device. Like it's harder to get it "over the hump". yenrug - Several months and hundreds of hours in. 1 DualSense has lost the spring in the RT, 1 DualSense has very bad drift on RS (as if stick moving downwards). Over time, the wiper scrubbing back and forth against the resistive pad creates imperfections, altering the voltage readings across the terminalsthink of a skipping record or scratched CD. If you do, you will void the warranty, meaning that you can't return the DualSense to Sony for a replacement. Knowing what we know about who made this thing and how it works, lets move onto where it doesnt work. For particular circumstances, please contact us to arrange alternative shipping methods (Additional shipping charges will apply). Just a light dab. I'm struggling with the DualShock to DualSense transition for my preferential highly competitive game where I have mastered whipping the light DualShock sticks around (Fortnite). My other white controller has a really stiff options button you have to press down really hard and a 'soft' x button that doesn't have the 'bounce' of the other buttons. Second, while we do recommend you clean your controller, we wouldn't suggest jumping in the shower with it or hosing it down in the garden. If your DualSense controller is still under warranty and assuming you have your proof of purchase, you should be able to return it to Sony and get a free replacement. Furthermore, we suggest placing the potentiometers from the original mechanism on the newer ones, and ensuring that the mechanism is as flat as possible on the board when installing. One of my white controllers has a very tiny drift on the right analog stick. I've had more problems with brand new PlayStation and Xbox controllers in the past year than I have over the previous 30+ years of gaming. Wouldnt it be just breaking in a new controller and being used to your old controller being less stiff to frequent use? Be aware, when controllers are built new from Sony, the X and Y-axis values are calibrated to the specific board they are initially installed on. Maybe its just that one is newer than the other. The hardware might be the same but the mapping might be different. Both joystick modules are soldered to the controller board, with 16 solder joints apieceincluding two wires to remove, for the haptic motors on each side. Thanks for the perspective. Unlike the buttons and analog directional pad, the DualSense thumbsticks sit directly atop the main controller board. The fix for some kinds of looseness is a dead zone calibration. However, bear in mind that you may need to wait a while before your call makes it to the front of the queue. The magnets could wear out over a very long timeline, but magnets are also replaceable. The best tools are a cotton swab and high-concentrate isopropyl alcohol. It is simply a case of dipping the cotton swab in a little alcohol and gently cleaning each thumb stick and its housing. All mail-ins go through a pre-test, repair, and double post-test process for proper calibration. It's so tiny that in most games you don't see it as it's in the dead zone but in Oddworld: Soul Storm, Abe keeps aiming left all the time, it's really annoying. You are, after all, constantly pushing joysticks against their limits, sometimes quite hard, whether drifting in Forza or stressfully racing the clock in Overcooked. x1 Playstation Replacement Thumbstick Mechanism. You can also track the return here, so you will know when a replacement is on its way. Perhaps gaming companies cant reconcile the obvious truth that joysticks fail with the image of their technology as immaculate, bleeding-edge, a completely seamless entertainment experience. We recommend the use of a computer aided program such as a CronusMax, DS4Windows, or other controller software to view your value offsets. You are using an out of date browser. Related: PS5 Controller Teardown Suggests DualSense Drift Was Inevitable. Friend got their PS5 and a Black Controller when they got it, asked them about the sticks and they said they feel identical. Inside the N64s center joystick were optical sensors that read input much like an older ball mouse. Note: We reached out to Alps Alpine, Sony, and Nintendo for comment on this post; we did not hear back before publishing. Mere months have passed since the PS5s hotly anticipated launch, and already theres a class-action lawsuit brewing over joystick drift on Sonys high-tech DualSense controllers. If you order increased or extreme tension, you will notice there is a yellow switch inside the mechanism, rather than the black one that is normally on stock mechanisms. Or you could cover up all the other components with high-temperature tape, heat up a whole pot of solder, and dip it in for the win. It's subtle but noticeable. Without the factory calibration tool, brand-new replacement joysticks canahemdrift. Averaging ten different 30-second intervals, they made roughly 100 full potentiometer rotations per minute. Finally, theres the boogeyman weve all been trying to ward off since the days of NES cartridges: contamination. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. This isn't ideal if you want your DualSense to last. If your DualSense is drifting, here are a few things you can try to solve the problem. Thank you so much for commenting, which has made me feel like I'm not crazy. Shipping methods and cost will be available at checkout. Playing Warzone it's too twitchy even with the sensitivity turned down. If you play a less stick-intensive game than a first-person shooter, rotating 80 times per minute, youll hit 2,000,000 rotations in 25,000 minutes, or 417 hoursthats just 209 days, playing 2 hours per day. Whether that is explained by lag, by a different curve, the phase of the moon, I don't know. There are obviously lots of reasons to love it, too, but DualSense drift is a problem that Sony needs to deal with sooner rather than later if it is to keep its loyal PlayStation customers happy. Who knows the particulars of the PS5 joysticks better than the company that makes them? For instance, the constant plastic-on-plastic grind of gaming creates plastic dust that can accumulate inside the joystick mechanism. My White Dualsense got stick drift so had to open my black and red, defo more stiff on the sticks. Likewise, you don't have to press the thumb stick buttons in too hard, as these are delicate components that are easy to operate. The first potential cause of drift is the hardest to avoid: wear to the potentiometers. Tempting as it may be to blame Alps for the PS5s drifting issues, they probably arent the villain of this storybecause, brand name notwithstanding, this joystick module looks extremely familiar. Search around eBay and other shopping sites, and youll see variants of this model number listed alongside many PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch Pro Controller joystick replacements. - eBay Money Back Guarantee - opens in a new window or tab, cleared payment - opens in a new window or tab, - for PayPal Credit, opens in a new window or tab, Learn more about earning points with eBay Mastercard, - eBay Return policy - opens in a new tab or window, - eBay Money Back Guarantee - opens in a new tab or window. Join our newsletter for tech tips, reviews, free ebooks, and exclusive deals! If your controller drifts, try the above solutions and see if they work for you. Replacements will correct issues with stick drift, broken plastic retainers, and slow turn in most cases. I just walked over to my DualShock and the sticks are very light compared. Lets not lay all the blame at the feet of these little resistors, though. Pricing and methods may vary depending on the shipping location. We gave a detailed blow-by-blow of the controller disassembly in our PS5 teardown, so here well zoom right in on the joysticks. The left stick on my white controller is pure trash for example, is bumpy af when pushed on the left and right, it's quite "sticky" too when in idle position. Suffice to say, these things could be a lot easier to fix. DualSense drift occurs when the PS5 registers movement on screen despite the player not touching the controller. You could dream bigger and design pin sockets for the controller module, like the kind seen on the ErgoDox keyboard. It gets in the grooves, under the shoulder triggers, under the face buttons, and just about anywhere else there is a recess. Accessibility, joystick drift on Sonys high-tech DualSense controllers. No device, rated for 2,000,000 cycles, especially a vessel of frustration or obsession, can maintain perfect performance forever. Don't forget to disconnect and turn off the controller before you start cleaning it. I have used my old DualShock for a few months and worn the heck out of it. Potentiometers are vulnerable to extreme temperatures, humidity, oxidation/corrosion, and yes, small particles. Just try and convince us that console companies couldnt make a mint selling limited edition themed controller parts. A friend of mine bought a Black Dual Sense controller and he's been telling me that the analog sticks feel a lot stiffer - even beyond their initial break in period. Need more tension in your right joystick? So, for example, your character might move in Fortnite, even though you're not actually touching the DualSense. In the end, then, the real culprits of drift are humans, and profits. Youre not getting these joysticks out without soldering gear: at minimum an iron, flux, a desoldering braid and/or solder sucker, and patience. Your house is not a cleanroom. We and others have had some success eliminating drift by cleaning out the potentiometer internals with compressed air, contact cleaner, and/or isopropyl alcohol. What do you mean thumbstick tension? In order to work, they have to measure joystick movements from a consistent, neutral starting point. You must log in or register to reply here. We suggest the highest concentrate alcohol you can get. My red controller feels exactly the same as my original white controller. I have probably just abused the heck out of my controller. The stick tension on the dual sense is so tight! Thanks for everyone who commented, and told me their sticks feel the same. We went a more traditional route, blasting it with hot air until the solder gave way. It is just a case of heading to the PlayStation.com Fix and Replace page and from there you can start your return. I swear my black one feels like it has more grip. This is for your stick click, and we hav found these to perform better on higher tension mechs than the black switch. I don't know what's happened to controllers. Calibration can help if you have a consistent, uni-directional issue with your joysticks centering mechanism (return spring). Nobody wants to experience a defect when they get a new console, and this is one reason not to love the flagship controller. Put one terminal at each end, so you can apply a known voltage across the entire strip. Sticks do seem to be a little stiffer on the black. Thank you! The voltage reading at the wiper changes predictably based on the wipers locationcloser to one terminal or the other, or right in between. Unfortunately, this means dirt gets under the thumb sticks, too. Deeper inside, however, are joystick modules that could have been held over from when Seinfeld was on the air. EDIT: I just found this video: PS5 DualSense Controller Teardown - A Repairability Perspective. R3 for crouching and L3 for editing feels much tougher to press. Reply, The Elite Series 2 Uses adjustable tension analog sticks. He's measured the DualSense stick tension to be 59g, which is 5g higher than the DualShock 4. Right now I'm thinking either FN on PS5 or the DualSense itself has a different response curve (I'm using expo). The higher the concentration, the less water it contains, meaning a lower chance of water-damage to the internal circuitry. EDIT: Found a video showing they are indeed the same potentiometer! These controllers are cheaper to produce up-front, but more expensive to fix when they fail. But nothing lasts forever, and potentiometers are no exception. I use the Dualshock way more because the sticks are way more loose. I think it's interesting two people here said they feel exactly the same as DualShock. The joystick itself was susceptible to physical sag and leaning, but the sensors were likely still reading true. When you move the joystick with your thumb, it rotates two little shafts, one connected to each wiper. EDIT 2: After several days of upping my sensitivity settings / boosts etc in FN advanced controller settings, I'm getting close to how it felt before. As another guy said, maybe I just have to "wear them in" and over time they will loosen up. Maybe the Nintendo Switch Pro controller. I've of course turned off all the haptic, feedback and vibrations in FN and the PS5 controller setttings. The DualSense feel lovely, luxury but like driving a Mercedes milk truck compared to the DualShock. I hope! As someone who's had three standard DualSenses, the quality control on these controllers isn't great. Like the DualShock 4 that shipped with the PS4, the PS5 controller appears to suffer from drifting. You don't need to take it apart as you probably don't have the correct components to fix it with, anyway. I literally just received a red one in the mail 5 minutes ago. Underneath that plastic cap, the dirty secret is that they all use the same joystick hardware. I'm just used to my clapped out controller I have abused. You could, for example, pry off the housings of the potentiometers and either clean or replace the rotating wiper. They probably think it feels more stiff cuz it hasn't been broken in. Now add a third terminal, called a wiper, that slides back and forth along the strip. It has new adaptive triggers and advanced haptic feedback. Reply, 2022 iFixit Licensed under Creative Commons Privacy I have the same tension issue it literally pisses me off so much it feels like im fighting the controller and the few racing games i play make it instantly noticeable going from ps4 to ps5 controller. In regards to your posit, I'm not trying to be competitive, but to play at the skill level I was previously, in the lobbies I was previously, with the friends and squads I was previously, to have the same fun I was previously. We suspect this contributes more to a looseness in joystick pointing, rather than consistent slow-walking drift. Very late to reply to this thread, but you're actually right. In the meantime, some games allow you to change the deadzones, so you can still play on regardless. So the DualSense has more range and will take more effort and/or longer to reach the maximum speed when the stick is pushed towards the edge. It feels slightly tighter to the pack-in white one I've been using and 100% identical to the second white one I've hardly used. One is a spring that returns your joystick to a centered, neutral position when you let go. Replace your stock joysticks which has 65 g/f tension with a new joystick with Increased tension (110 g/f)! Has anyone heard yet of an adapter that lets you use a DualShock on the PS5 with PS5-version games? Nobody wants to shell out $70 for another controller if their new one fails after a couple of months. The Japanese company (formerly Alps Electric, now Alps Alpine) specializes in input and sensing devices. It's just not as quick, with the same settings. Please contact us at. This means the perceptual sensitivity of the DualSense is lower than the DualShock 4. It can wander back into your stick, while you continue generating more of it. Might have to get a black one then as I want stiffer resistance. Anyway, I'm not here to complain - I just want to know if anyone knows if I can change the tension by taking it apart, changing the springs, etc. He is passionate about a wide variety of technology, from games consoles, personal and home audio, through to smartphones and wellness devices. You may already recognize it from the prior-gen PlayStations controller, the DualShock 4. Feb 20, 2021 Just select the DualSense option and the site will guide you through a range of questions to diagnose the issue and start your return. First Layer Woes? Im pretty sure theyre not the same as the ones fount in Xbox One, PS5 and the Switch Pro Controller. Often, though, without a full removal and reassembly, youre just displacing dust, not removing it. Console makers could also choose more reliable joystick hardware in the first place. My loadout involves me needing to spam R3, but now it's a lot harder to press to be efficient. The joystick modules themselves are manufactured by Alpsa name familiar to anyone who has fallen down a deep keyboard hole, or struggled with a trackpad driver. If you are uncertain about the repair, please consult us for a mail in order. Maybe if the analogs are stiffer this one won't pick up an analog drift like my old one did which made playing Ratchet and Clank impossible. If you dont want to solder, there are plenty of YouTube videos demonstrating purported drifty joystick fixes that dont require heatjust a lot of patience, and sometimes fine motor skills. It's not just you. I have a black one, it feels the same as the white one. They should be designed with that reality in mind. You can see an example of these settings from Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. I've got used to the big 'lug of a thing though, and appreciate that when I get killed, and I want to twist it in half, I have no chance. Fitbit Sense vs. Fitbit Versa 3: Which Wearable Reigns Supreme? Some consoles, and even some games, offer joystick or dead zone calibration, which can help put a band-aid on many of these issues. Even better: a modular controller like the Astro, which doesnt look much bulkier than other modern controllers, but features no-solder-needed swap-able parts. You're a legend for following up! Just use it more. Seems like it's probably just a quality control issue given how mixed peoples impressions seem to be. They increased the tension on my controller but they can probably also reduce it. Brand-new joysticks right from the factory are known for having a lot of variance in the resistance values in their individual potentiometers, which requires you guessed it, software calibration at the factory. But for a highly competitive game and long sessions these sticks are tiring my thumbs out and giving me cramps. {"modules":["unloadOptimization","bandwidthDetection"],"unloadOptimization":{"browsers":{"Firefox":true,"Chrome":true}},"bandwidthDetection":{"url":"https://ir.ebaystatic.com/cr/v/c1/thirtysevens.jpg","maxViews":4,"imgSize":37,"expiry":300000,"timeout":250}}. Refresh your browser window to try again. It shows that both controllers use the same alps pot, so it must all be in my head and I'm just used to my clapped out DualShock I have used and abused. Man that explains so much. But there are ways to fix the issue. It wont fix general looseness or a worn-out spot on a potentiometer. Not doing so could damage it even further. I'll report back. Good thread. I'm also hoping they 'break in'. Is there any way to reduce the stick tension? Navigating the return process is reasonably simple. It could include this in a controller and console update so you can change the deadzone from the main controller menu. It feels a bit more stiff for sure. Your hub for everything related to PS5 including news, games and discussion. You were right. for any concerns or questions about our products at your earliest convenience. This fix will only work for certain games, though. Thats not to say that plastic stretching throughout the joystick isnt a factor. One of our teardown engineers measured their own Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) controller interactions for back-of-the-envelope joystick life math. At a more kinetic 120 rotations per minute, thats 139 days at 2 hours per day. I have the new red one - it's absolutely identical to the original white one, triggers, sticks, buttons all feel the same. JavaScript is disabled. So is there a table where we can see which companies use ALPS? The extra travel and a bit more force. Maybe I can try comparing them later. In this scenario, the potentiometers can still accurately read the relative position of the joystick, but that position is objectively incorrect. This is because of DualSense drift. The DualSense feels much more premium from the get-go. Each of these seafoam covers houses a potentiometerthats two per joystick, set perpendicular to each other. But if the problem worsens, you have to expand the dead zone to compensate, making finer joystick control impossible.