PS5's new DualSense v3 doesn't have a swappable battery after all

Despite rumors saying otherwise, Sony's new DualSense V3 PlayStation 5 controller doesn't have removable AA batteries, instead having a fixed battery.

PS5's new DualSense v3 doesn't have a swappable battery after all
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Senior Gaming Editor
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TL;DR: Sony's new DualSense V3 controller, included with the updated PS5 Pro, features minor revisions focused on weight reduction and cost efficiency, including removal of the rear microphone and battery tweaks. These changes support Sony's strategy to optimize production, maintain profitability, and manage global manufacturing challenges.

The new DualSense V3 revision doesn't make any real major changes to the controller, and it doesn't have removable batteries like previous reports said that it might.

PS5's new DualSense v3 doesn't have a swappable battery after all 53

Sony has released yet another PS5 revision, this time an updated PS5 Pro model that also comes with a slightly tweaked DualSense controller. According to a new teardown from YouTuber Austin Evans, the adjustments are minor and oriented towards weight reduction and profit control--two very important parameters for Sony's games console business--and don't make dramatic changes.

The DualSense V3 CFI-ZCT2W, the new controller shipping with the refreshed PS5 Pro model, hasn't been upgraded when it comes to what's under the hood. The battery is the same capacity, but a different part, and features various tweaks like a different connector and extra fasteners to hold the battery in place. The biggest change is actually an omission and not an addition--Sony removed the second microphone that used to be on the back of the DualSense controllers.

This is par for the course for Sony, who makes consumer electronics to sell at at a profit. Multiple revisions are necessary to improve efficiencies in production, manufacturing, and the expensive worldwide freight shipping process. Sony, like all companies, are being hit with ongoing worldwide tariffs that eat into profit margins, forcing Sony to move hardware production across various regions while also revising its products to make them more profitable along the way.

The PlayStation 5 console remains the most profitable generation of all time (not accounting for inflation), and it's this way because Sony carefully controls all aspects of electronics production through constant refinement.

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Senior Gaming Editor

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Derek joined TweakTown in 2015 and has since reviewed and played 1000s of hours of new games. Derek is absorbed with the intersection of technology and gaming, and is always looking forward to new advancements. With over six years in games journalism under his belt, Derek aims to further engage the gaming sector while taking a peek under the tech that powers it. He hopes to one day explore the stars in No Man's Sky with the magic of VR.

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