Oops! Best Buy Leaks Sony's DualSense V2 PS5 Controller Teasing A Possible Big Upgrade
It appears as though Sony is getting ready to introduce a revised DualSense controller for its PlayStation 5 game console. Best Buy is certainly under that impression, which jumped the gun with an official product listing on its Canada portal. The DualSense V2, as it's apparently called, is not in stock but the listing does tease a possible bump in battery life.
According to the listing, the DualSense V2 offers "exceptional 12-hour battery life, on a full charge" and comes with a charging station. Unfortunately, there's no mention of the actual battery capacity. For reference, the current iteration of the DualSense sports a 1,560 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack built into the controller.
The battery life claim of the DualSense V2 is what many outlets have latched onto with Best Buy's surprise reveal, but is it truly better? Maybe my Google-fu isn't up to snuff this today, but the only official claims from Sony that I could find are buried in an FAQ and the controller's product manual (PDF), neither of which specifically mention how many hours users can expect.
Instead, the FAQ states, "Under most conditions, battery life is expected to be similar to the DualShock 4 wireless controller." Likewise, the user manual indicates that the built-in battery has a "limited lifespan" that will gradually deteriorate with age and time. It also states that "battery duration may vary depending on the usage condition and environmental factors."
Speaking from personal experience, if the DualSense V2 can truly offer 12 hours of battery life, it would indeed be an upgrade over the current controller (regardless of how long Sony may claim the current iteration can last).
Outside of the possible battery life improvement, the only difference I'm seeing is the inclusion of a charging station. Every other specification appears the same, including dynamic adaptive triggers (Sony doesn't use the word "dynamic" in all of its messaging, but does on the DualSense's main product page), a built-in microphone, haptic feedback, wireless connectivity, and so forth.
The DualSense V2 product pictures on Best Buy Canada's website also appear the same, though it looks like the retailer is using official images of the current controller. Best Buy may have simply recycled the current listing as a template for the new one and has yet to fully flesh it out, since Sony hasn't actually introduced a new controller yet. That said, it shows the MSRP at $89.99 CAD, which is right around $67 USD.
