Sony recently launched the DualSense Edge, the PS5’s answer to the Xbox Elite controller, albeit at a much higher price ($239.99). Of course, it’s not an economic controller: it’s a pricing that mainly only makes sense in terms of accessories for pro players and for athletes active in esports.
SCUF Gaming has been making esports controllers for over a decade and they pretty much wrote the manual on what analog sticks or trigger travel should feel like. SCUF is now part of the Corsair group and is the official controller partner of the Call of Duty League, automatically making it the top controller in the FPS arena. The official premium controllers are certainly a great replacement for the more expensive custom solutions.
When announcing the DualSense Edge, we were a little envious of colleagues and friends who got or bought one, so we wanted to somehow outdo it. For this we have invested in a SCUF PS5 controller, namely the SCUF Reflex. You can buy a ready-made Reflex, but you can also customize it in every aspect by choosing colored cases and designs, different types of designs and buttons, and more. For example, if you love the idea of ​​rear paddles, but also want to keep the traditional DualSense adaptive triggers, you can easily do so.
What’s not working –
But in a picture that, as you’ll see, is generally positive, there are some complaints we have to voice. Starting with the bottom plastic that surrounds the thumbsticks and extends to the inside of the grips, it’s kind of cheap and light. The housing can be removed and replaced to access the analogs and replace them if necessary. It’s always nice to have such ‘easy’ access in the controller, although it’s not quite as easy as with the DualSense Edge, but the plastic could have been firmer and flow more smoothly over the rest of the controller.
If this is a minor issue, far more serious is the fact that, at least on our controller, the left analog stick is moved off center by a millimeter or two: thankfully this goes unnoticed during gameplay and the dead zone is calibrated to not impact on gameplay, but it’s a bit frustrating if you think we’re talking about a premium product (at least in terms of price). Plus, the analog cross requires a harder push than we’re used to to register input, which can frankly be felt during gameplay. If nothing else, it should be noted that SCUF controllers carry a six month warranty should something similar happen to you.
While these are unexpected issues for a controller of this quality, most issues disappear in an instant once you get your hands on a game. The SCUF Reflex “rests” in your fingers and does exactly what you want it to do: the analog sticks glide very lightly when you move them, and the face buttons don’t need icons because you have the muscle memory to play. Sometimes we even forgot about the rubber ‘Reflex Back’, which is literally a textured rubber back and keeps the controller from slipping out of your hand during the most intense gameplay sessions. They are all excellent sensations to the touch and beyond.
Strengths –
SCUF controllers are known for their rear paddles, and there are four of them here. They work exactly as you’d expect: the middle finger “rests” on the side paddles during general play and drops down within just an inch to press the center paddles when needed. It’s comfortable, functional, and clearly why SCUF has become synonymous with competitive console shooters. The paddles can be assigned to any button on the controller and you can set up three different profiles to suit your favorite games.
Reflex thumbsticks and shoulder pads essentially replace the slick home buttons with buttons that are much closer to a mouse’s “click”. When it comes to firing a gun quickly in Call of Duty Warzone, they are undoubtedly much better than adaptive triggers, even if it’s a bit of a shame to lose the adaptive component, especially when DualSense Edge lets you take the swing of the triggers without giving up.
Outside of these features, everything about the SCUF Reflex is as we’d expect from a basic PS5 controller. The gyro functions work flawlessly, as does the touchpad, and the battery isn’t arguably better than the standard DualSense either. In short: it’s a good controller, but the DualSense Edge is better on some key points of the equation.
SCUF Reflex, the verdict —
The difference we’ve highlighted in regards to the triggers, as well as the ability to buy replacement analog sticks (so you can buy a pair now and have drift insurance for the future), are big points in favor of Sony’s product. SCUF also offers replaceable analog sticks, but they take a bit more effort to remove and insert.
Ultimately, thanks to its higher base price and undoubtedly lower feature set, it’s impossible to recommend a SCUF Reflex over the DualSense Edge – unless you want to brag about its purely aesthetic looks. A fully customizable controller, with beautiful colors and design, is a real statement piece and one you’ll want if you’re serious about gaming. The DualSense Edge is nice, but it’s not particularly stylish or too different compared to the basic DualSense.
The SCUF Reflex is a great controller, even better if you can customize everything, but – if you can’t buy it with a discount code and you have to pay the base €249.99 – the shortcomings far outweigh.
Written by Dave Aubrey for GLHF
Source: Gazzetta It
I have been working in eSports Chimp for almost 5 years now. I have written different types of articles but I mostly focus on gaming news. It has always been my dream to work in eSports Chimp and I am grateful that I am able to do so.
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