What is the best controller for you? Some might think of the Xbox controller, which has established itself as the de facto standard for gamepads today, while others might point to the Nintendo 64 controller, which was the first to introduce analog sticks. Or perhaps some might remember the Wii Remote and Nunchuk as the best controllers, which offered a unique control experience through motion recognition.

Personally, if I had to choose the best controller for myself, it would undoubtedly be the PS5 DualSense. The biggest reason is that it completely changes the gaming experience. Haptic feedback delivers a much more detailed tactile sensation, distinct from conventional vibrations, while adaptive triggers enhance immersion through tension that varies according to the situation. The built-in speaker in the controller is also a key feature. Depending on the game, radio voiceovers or parrying sounds are output through the DualSense speaker, naturally bridging the gap between the game and the player. Of course, not all games actively utilize the DualSense's features. Generally, proper support is found in PS5 first-party titles or comparable second-party games, while in third-party games, it is not uncommon to find it difficult to feel a significant difference compared to a standard controller. There was also a platform issue involved. Specifically, regarding the PC environment. While all features could be fully utilized on the PS5 via a wireless connection alone, a wired connection was required on a PC to properly take advantage of the DualSense's capabilities. It was disappointing that when connected wirelessly, key features such as haptic feedback were often limited or only simple vibrations were supported. However, those disappointments may now come to an end. This is because a method has recently been revealed that allows you to connect the DualSense wirelessly using a Raspberry Pi while fully activating haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and even the DualSense speaker function. We decided to check for ourselves what the actual user experience was like. 'Raspberry Pi Pico 2W' to serve as the DualSense PC dongle ©INVEN Reporter Yoon Hong-man First of all, you need to buy a Raspberry Pi Pico 2W. It must be the Pico 2W, not the Pico 2 or anything similar. You need to modify this into a DualSense wireless receiver, or a dongle. You don't need to worry about having to solder just because it's a modification. You just need to upload a single file, and that's it. Please keep in mind that the cable is a USB 5-pin cable, not a USB Type-C cable. If you have obtained a Raspberry Pi Pico 2W, the rest of the installation process is simple. If you visit the DS5Dongle GitHub page, you can see everything from the installation files to the official guide at a glance, but since there is actually no need to check them one by one, I will explain it to you in one go.

Once you insert the uf2 file, the Pico 2W will automatically restart and will no longer be recognized as a storage device. Essentially, it has been modified into a dongle. You might be wondering what to do when a new version is released and you need to update, but there is no need to worry. Simply disconnect it from the PC, press and hold the BOOTSEL button on the Pico 2W, and reconnect it to the PC. It will then be recognized as a storage device again.

If you have turned the Pico 2W into a dongle, all you have to do now is pair it with the DualSense. Press and hold the Create button and the PS button on the top left of the DualSense until the light blinks; this indicates that it has entered pairing mode. At this point, if you bring it close to the Pico 2W, it will automatically recognize and connect. If it doesn't work properly, unplug the Pico 2W cable, reconnect it to the PC, and keep it close. Press and hold the Create button + PS button simultaneously to enter pairing mode ©INVEN Reporter Yoon Hong-man Now, you need to check if the DualSense is properly connected and if its functions are working correctly. It's probably my turn. For the test, I tried two games: 'Stella Blade' and 'Star Wars Jedi Survivor'. We selected them as test games because both utilize everything from haptic feedback and adaptive triggers to the DualSense speaker. When you open the hologram map, a distinctive sound is output through the DualSense speaker, and As you travel down the wire, it provides a trembling vibration, and As you travel down the wire, it delivers a trembling sensation. When pulling an enemy with the Force, you can feel the tension being applied differently depending on the enemy's weight or resistance. ©INVEN Reporter Yoon Hong-man

As 'Stella Blade' was also a PS5 timed exclusive, it makes perfect use of all the DualSense's features. Personally, I wouldn't say which feature was better or worse, but among them, the sound coming through the DualSense speakers when parrying really enhanced the tactile feel and immersion of the parrying process in many ways. We were also able to confirm that this was perfectly implemented wirelessly. The video below was recorded with in-game sound turned off, and you can see that the parrying sound is output through the DualSense when parrying. The clear sound when parrying enhances the tactile feel and adds to the immersion ©INVEN Reporter Yoon Hong-man Thanks to the Pico 2W, it seems safe to say that the limitation of ‘wired connection,’ which was the biggest obstacle when playing games with the DualSense on PC, has virtually disappeared. Of course, it is not without its drawbacks. As mentioned in the introduction, games that actively utilize the DualSense's features are still centered around first-party titles. Nevertheless, there are certainly titles like 'Cyberpunk 2077' and 'Star Wars: Jedi Survivor' that fully utilize the unique features of the DualSense, despite being third-party games. The DualSense elevates gaming immersion with various functions distinct from conventional controllers. Now that it is free from wired limitations, why not properly enjoy that experience wirelessly on your PC?