The PlayStation 5's DualSense controller is likely to wear out well before the console itself, chiefly due to relatively short battery life and susceptibility to stick drift, a defect where analog sticks register input on their own. Anyone worried about their PS5's long-term reliability should factor in that the controller, not the console, is usually the first component to need attention or replacement.

On a full charge, the DualSense typically lasts 6 to 12 hours, with graphically demanding titles that heavily use haptics, adaptive triggers, the light bar and speaker (such as Astro Bot and Returnal) draining it closer to the six-hour mark. The premium DualSense Edge fares worse still, offering just 5 to 10 hours from its smaller 1,050mAh battery (versus 1,560mAh in the standard pad) to make room for extra hardware like rear paddles. Stick drift, meanwhile, results from natural wear or sweat ingress and cannot be reliably prevented, though cleaning analog inputs with rubbing alcohol or compressed air, and keeping firmware updated, can help stave it off.