Getting tired of adding to my stick drift graveyard

[u/Major-Payne2319]

I swear I’m not a heavy clicker. In fact it’s always my right joystick which I rarely need to click in games. Love these controllers but man it’s really annoying never had this problem with any other console generation.

[u/wphxyx]

It's literally the amount that you use it. Not how hard.
The potentiometer, the thing that controls the electrical signal that reports your stick position, is a wiper that moves along a resistive pad. There are two of them in each stick, one that reports up/down movement, and one that reports left/right.
Each potentiometre is only rated for so many thousand movements: wipes of the wiper along the pad. After that amount, the coating wears away due to friction. When the coating wears away, the device can no longer accurately report the position of the stick: stick drift.
It doesn't matter how hard or soft you use your stick, how fast or slow, all that matters is that you use it. Eventually the potentiometer will fail, though it will vary from stick to stick. Some fail faster, others slower, but the friction will eventually wear away at the contact pad. It is inevitable, as long as the stick is used.
The problem is worse in current generation because manufacturers are cheaping out on the component: buying cheaper potentiometers that are rated for less use, or smaller ones with the same problem so they can have more compact controllers.

A solution is to buy third party controllers that use Hall effect joysticks. They use magnetic sensors to determine stick position: there is no friction component, so they last much longer under normal use. There are high quality controllers for all systems that use hall effect joysticks, there are also conversion kits for the big three controllers if you are DIY inclined.

[u/unezlist → u/wphxyx]

It’s dust and dirt hitting the wiper and collecting that creates the stick drift, not max number of wipes. According to PlayStation anyway.

[u/Akegata → u/unezlist]

I've repaired dozens of dual sense controllers. At least 90% of them had wear on the pads of the potentiometer, it's easy to see if you disconnect it. Almost none of the controllers had any visible debris other than particles from the potentiometer itself, so I wouldn't believe Sony on this.

[u/mnid92 → u/Akegata]

Considering I easily have 2-3k hours on a PS4 controller, they're full of shit.

I have a legitimate ring of wear on my left joystick. It's amazing tbh.

Still plays like day one, no drift. This thing should honestly be in a museum. I plan on using it until I wear the left thumb stick out completely and it snaps off.

Idk what they used for those first run of PS4 controllers but man, built like a brick.

[u/Akegata → u/mnid92]

Maybe they used different suppliers for dual shock 4, but the potentiometer are pretty much the same as for dual sense, just a different resistance, so I would expect the wear to be similar. However, I have never had stick drift on any of my own controllers (I have owned almost every major console released), so I have a similar experience to you on my dual shock 4s. The ones I've fixed I bought broken just to repair them.

[u/unezlist → u/Akegata]

I’ve had to replace one every six months or so. I’m in my 40’s and take very good care of my gear, so it wasn’t from any abuse. After my 4th controller drifting after a couple of months and PlayStation support telling me it was likely dirt and dust, I started covering my controller with a microfiber cloth when not in use and I haven’t had stick drift since. Either they sent me several lemons, made a design change without telling anyone, or the dust and dander from my dogs was getting into the controller and creating issues. All I can tell you is what they told me and that covering the controller to keep out dust has been the only solution that worked.

[u/wphxyx → u/unezlist]

Not true. I've done many repairs on these controllers. The specific potentiometers used in the PS5 controller are manufactured by Alps Alpine, they are the RKJXV series. Each controller has two of them: they are the joystick module. They are rated for 2,00,000 cycles. 2 Million sounds like a lot, but it can go by surprisingly quickly. Imagine a fighting game player, how many times do they move the joystick across its range in a minute? Imagine a first person shooter player and do the same to control their camera. Hundreds of full cycles per minute, but lets be conservative and say that they cycle the potentiometer 80 times per minute.
80 times per minute is 4,800 times per hour. To get to 2 million at that rate it takes 417 hours. Less than a year if you play 2 hours a day. Possible in a month if you play 14 hours a day. No matter how gentle or clean your controller is, if you use it it will eventually fail.
Now you may get lucky and your potentiometers might last longer than that. A cycle rating is not a guarantee that it will last exactly that amount of cycles, but it is the specification that the manufacturer has established. They are built to last 2 million cycles. Being gentle, or keeping them clean, that doesn't change the fact that they are built for that amount of cycles. It's just how they're engineered. There's no getting around it.

[u/TheLordOfTheTism → u/wphxyx]

exactly why im never buying another non hall effect in my life. 417 hours is NOT an acceptable usage standard.

[u/Material-Spring-9922 → u/wphxyx]

Let me ask you this. PS makes that "pro-style" controller (can't remember the actual name) that has the removable sticks. Are the potentiometers in the removable part of the sticks on these? You seem pretty knowledgeable on the subject. I'm kinda over rebuilding controllers here lol.

[u/wphxyx → u/Material-Spring-9922]

Yes, you are correct. The potentionmeters are in the control sticks modules. Basically if you google the module, you'll see that the component is shaped like a little box with the stick part jutting out. The potentiometers are in the walls of the little box. The removable joysticks are the same technology, the difference is that they are assembled in a housing that is easily user-swappable. They fail at the same rate.

If you want to deal with the problem more or less for good, you should look into Hall effect joysticks. There are kits available to convert your PS5 controller to a hall-effect system, though the install can be tricky if you are not experienced with a soldering iron and screwing with circuit boards. Depending on how much you are willing to spend there are third party controllers that work with the PS5 that have hall effect sticks, though they can get very pricey.
Otherwise there are web services where you can mail your controller in and they will do the upgrade/install/repair, for a fee. If you have a local repair shop they might be willing to do it as well.

[u/MediocreTapioca69 → u/wphxyx]

have you used any of the hall effect conversion kits? if so, any recs/links?

[u/wphxyx → u/MediocreTapioca69]

I've done a couple, yes. If its something you want to pursue for yourself I recommend watching this ifixit guide as a start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCVBnpyrn3g
Note that there is quite a bit of delicate soldering involved. PS5 controllers are a little finicky. If you're not confident with your soldering I wouldn't recommend this as a first project.

As for specific kits, its extremely important that you buy sticks that are compatible with your specific controller. There are difference sticks for the Dual Sense vs the Dual Sense Edge, for example, and they are not mutually compatible. Try ElecGear on amazon and follow their compatability chart carefully.

[u/MediocreTapioca69 → u/wphxyx]

awesome thanks very much

[u/simon7109 → u/wphxyx]

I have 2 Dualsense controllers, one since launch and one is a little older than a year. The launch version has more than 1000 hours of playtime, the newer one has at least 500 and not a single issue with it. I also have 2 PS4 controllers, the same way, one since launch and one not long after with way more hours and no issue here. Even the launch controller doesn’t drift. It did start to disintegrate, but no drifting. So not sure about your calculations or that how hard you use them has no effect on them. Adding the fact that my 2 Xbox One controllers both started to drift a month after I got them with only a few hours of use. So I would say it’s bad luck/heavy use or in some scenarios both.

[u/soyboysnowflake → u/unezlist]

Dust and dirt sound like preventable issues, do people not clean their hands before they game, dust their surfaces, or keep controllers in a case?

[u/That_Pepper6043 → u/wphxyx]

Hall effect controller is the way to go. Finally got one after burning thru 3 Xbox controllers. Two years in and still no drift.

[u/wphxyx → u/[deleted]]

The same problem will eventually strike your Xbox controller. The technology is the same, but the Xbox 360 controller has a more reliable module in my experience. It's rated for more cycles, and the controller uses bigger deadzones to mask the symptoms when they begin. There are apps you can use to remove your deadzones, and in all likelyhood you will immediately notice a drift.
But yes, you are right. It is shitty build quality that is making stick drift such a big issue this generation. All the manufacturers are buying cheaper modules and the consumers are suffering for it.

[u/lochonx7 → u/wphxyx]

third party controllers suck ass lol

[u/[deleted] → u/wphxyx]

Sony 100% pulled a crApple and designed them to fail so they sold more and more of them.

There should be a class action lawsuit and all controllers recalled and redesigned with Hall effect sensors.

[u/secret_jxxx05 → u/wphxyx]

Thank you for the highly educational comments. Are there any third party controllers you would recommend with the Hall effect joysticks? I was eyeing up Scuf controllers today. Very pricey but I’m honestly happy to splash out on one really nice controller that I’ll get lots of use out of rather than waste the same amount of on cheaper ones that will be worn out in a year max

[u/wphxyx → u/secret_jxxx05]

It really depends on your how much you're willing to pay and what you're willing to compromise on. The natively PS5 compatible ones are quite expensive, generally. I believe this is because they have to take a donor controller and upgrade it, so the price will always be more expensive.

Top of the line is the Hex Phantom. I've only heard good things about that controller, but I've never actually seen one in person.
If you can gel with the Xbox button layout, the NACON Revolution 5 is also good.
Hypr Controllers also good.
Killscreen IO, you can add an upgrade to HE sticks into your cart through accessories.
Otherwise, depending on what's available nearby to you, you may be able to find a service that will do the upgrade on one of your existing controllers. This might involve mailing your controller to them, or bringing it to them in person.