How a PS5 Pro DualSense can compete with the Xbox Elite controller

techradar.com:

I'm all for a PS5 Pro controller existing, but Sony will need to really impress if it's planning on entering an already crowded market.

The PS5 has a phenomenal official controller in the DualSense, but Sony has been noticeably quiet on a more premium option. Recently, though, leaker Tom Henderson published a report(opens in new tab) detailing that an official PS5 Pro controller could well be on the way.

As it's just a rumor, it's worth taking Henderson's report with a pinch of salt. However, it details a controller that checks most of the boxes you'd expect from other Pro pads like the Xbox Elite wireless controller. Removable analog sticks, rear paddle buttons, and trigger stops for a heightened level of customization.

Yet besides that and a vague mention of «significant software upgrades,» there's no inkling of how a potential PS5 Pro controller can really separate itself from the pack. Just how would the theoretical pad sit shoulder-to-shoulder with Xbox's elite offering?

It makes perfect sense for a premium console to have a similarly premium controller. So why hasn't Sony jumped on the Pro controller bandwagon yet?

Perhaps the tech giant feels like its DualSense controller is already plenty premium. And that's fair. With its haptic feedback and adaptive triggers especially, the PS5 pad offers features that are a cut above the competition's base models.

But let's look at the aforementioned Xbox Elite controller for a second. When it comes to Pro pads, it's arguably as premium as it gets. Changeable sticks, comfy rubberized grips, and a sleek black finish characterize Xbox's high-end pad as a luxurious purchase – with a high price tag to match.

I expect a PS5 Pro controller to at least meet some of these criteria. It'll