We’re going to be talking about pro controllers for the PS5. We have the new DualSense Edge, which is PlayStation’s official pro controller that launched last month, and the SCUF Reflex, which is probably one of the most popular pro controllers out there.
But the question is, which is better? The starting price of both is around $200, which is a lot of money for a controller. I will talk about the different features, pros and cons, and which one I recommend. These are my opinions, but let me know which one you think is better than the two pro controllers.
Design
The DualSense Edge looks like a beefed-up version of the standard DualSense controller. It has the same black-and-white theme but with some differences in the detail. The touchpad and buttons are now black instead of white, and the bottom part is now glossy instead of matte, which I’m not a huge fan of, to be honest. But I like the tiny icons directly embedded into the touchpad.
Then there’s the SCUF, which again looks like a standard DualSense controller in terms of the overall shape. But the critical difference is that you can have any color combo you like. I’ve gone for an all-gray theme, but you can customize it however you would like it to look, changing the colors of every part.
Something that you still need to do with the Edge controller. But one feature the SCUF does lack is the PlayStation icons. So there’s no PS icon in the middle or shape icons on the buttons, making it look and feel like a cheap copy. By comparison, the SCUF looks modded, whereas the Edge looks OEM. I assume this is down to copyright restrictions, which is why we do not see those icons on SCUF.
Then there’s the weight and the feel of the two in my hand. The Edge feels more premium in terms of weight and builds quality. The SCUF feels lighter and cheaper by comparison. So if I had to pick one based on the overall look and feel, I would choose the Edge, although I’d like to swap the glossy part out for matte instead.
Features
The new adjustable triggers are one of the most significant features we’ve seen added to the DualSense Edge. This feature is a game changer for many games you’ll play, but how do they compare to the SCUF? By default, the Edge triggers work the same way as a normal DualSense, so they are adaptive and will work on most PS5-optimized games.
But it also has a button on the back unless you swap between normal and two shorter trigger stops. When you want to play an FPS game, like Call of Duty: War Zone, you can get a speedy trigger response, as the triggers will only travel 30% of the distance. But then, if you want to play a racing game like GT 7 or God of War, you can still make most of the full adaptive triggers by flicking the button back again.
Then we go to the SCUF. When you buy one of these, you can choose between two options: the standard triggers, which are adaptive, or FPS triggers, which are instant mouse light triggers. But once you’ve made that choice, there is no change from that moment. So SCUF that I own does have the FPSs triggers, which is a night and day difference when comparing it to the Edge, even on the shortest setting.
The triggers on SCUF are crazy fast, with almost no travel when pulling it. TheDualSense Edge is good, but you cannot compete with the SCUF. But the problem is, if you want a pro controller like this and want to use it for more than just FPS games, these instant triggers are only a little use for other games, like racing games.
As soon as you touch the trigger, it’s like a fourth throttle or full-on. There’s no gradual curve with the instant triggers. So although the SCUF is better for Call of Duty, the Edge is the better or rounder if you’re using it for more than just FPSs games.
Then we have the rear buttons or paddles. Both controllers come with these, and they will let you map any other button on the controller to these instead. Such things as jumping, crouching, or marking up enemies can all be mapped to the paddles. This feature makes playing almost any game more effortless, as you do not need to remove your thumb from the sticks to tap another button.
So in God of War, I’ve mapped the circle buttons so I can interact with items as I play. The critical difference between these two is that the Edge comes with just two rear buttons, while the SCUF comes with four paddles. This, of course, is a personal preference as I know people who use two and four paddles on a SCUF.
The limitation of two on the Edge will be acceptable for everyone, but it’s still worth mentioning. Then quality-wise, the rear paddles with the edge buttons are metal, whereas the SCUF are plastic and feel cheap. But the positioning of both, how you press them, and how they feel natural and easy to use.
You cannot go wrong with either of the rear buttons and if you decide to play with just two or even no paddles, they can all be removed easily. The Edge pulls away while the SCUF slides down and pulls.
Ergonomics
Next is the overall feel and how comfortable they are, where they both have different grips. The DualSense Edge has a slightly improved grip over the standard DualSense controller. It feels more rubbery than plastic but feels nice to hold on to. For the SCUF controller, if you choose the extra $20 grip option, you get the high-performance rubbery grip, which feels crazy grippy.
It might not look as nice as the Edge, but it feels fantastic for those sessions where you might need that extra grip. But as mentioned, this does cost an additional $20. Another significant feature of both controllers is the customization you can make to the thumbsticks. So the SCUF comes with a spare set of sticks.
You can swap out the height on each side. All you need to do is remove the bottom part and pull the thumbsticks out, and they will pull right off. From here, you can refit another shape or size. The stock thumbsticks feel pretty cheap, but they are easy enough to swap over.
Then there’s the Edge, and this is on a whole different level when it comes to customizing the sticks. So again, it does come with different caps that you can replace. There are the default ones and another two sets of different heights. Swapping them out doesn’t require the fascia to be removed. You pull on each stick, and it will pop off. Then you line them up, and you can push the new ones back, which is easy.
But that’s not the most impressive part. It’s the fact that you can replace the entire module. So we all know that stick drift is a thing. I’ve not personally suffered from it on my PlayStation 5, but I have it on my Switch, so I know what it’s like. Well, on the DualSense Edge controller, you need to remove the fascia, lift the little lever, and you can now swap the entire module for about $30.
This is a massive advantage as you don’t need to worry about buying a new controller for such a minor issue. Plus, both modules can be interchanged. On the SCUF, if you get stick drift, you’ll need to find a way to repair it. All results are buying a whole new controller, which is costly.
Button Layout Customization
Now when it comes to customizing the button layouts and other features of the
controllers, this is another area that sets the two apart. The SCUF will allow you to map any of the rear paddles to any button on the controller. As mentioned, you could have jump, crouch, or even the trigger button mapped to the back.
Then when you tap the paddle, it’ll act like that mapped button. To save these, you need to use the physical profile button on the back. Tapping through will show three colors: red, green, and blue. Each of these is a different profile on the controller. To map a new button, you must press and hold it until it flashes.
Then you can press the paddle and a button you wish to remap simultaneously. Then press the profile button again, and it will save it to that profile. That’s as far as the customization goes, but it’s pretty simple to do. Then swapping the profiles is a case of tapping through the three different colors.
The DualSense Edge, though, is on a whole different level. Not only can the two rear buttons be mapped, but you can also fully customize the controller’s behavior. So firstly, you will notice the little button sticking out at the bottom. Well, these are the function buttons. Press this and the options button together, and it takes you to the settings area.
From here, you can edit the rear buttons. You can also swap out every other button on the controller. You could swap the circle and the square, or the R one and the L one, or you could disable the touchpad and the PlayStation buttons from working entirely. All of these changes are then saved to the profile that you create, which can be switched to within a couple of seconds.
All you do is press the function button, which will display a little popup on the PS5 and show you three different profiles you have saved. You can create up to 30 profiles on the PS5 and tap on the icon. When you swap between the other profiles on the screen, it will even show 1, 2, 3, or 4 LEDs on the touchpad, so you know which one is currently selected.
But it’s not just the button layouts that you can customize for DualSense Edge. You can change the stick sensitivity curvature and dead zones to control how each stick behaves. You can adjust the trigger dead zones and turn the adaptive triggers off. So from a profile-switching and customization point of view, the DualSense Edge is, without a doubt, the better choice, and the SCUF doesn’t even come close.
Battery Life
But it’s also worth talking about the battery. So the SCUF will see around 10 hours before needing a charge. Whereas the DualSense Edge, I see roughly eight hours. The battery life will differ from game to game, the buttons you’ve mapped, and the options you use.
But the battery life for DualSense Edge is worse than the standard DualSense controller, from my experience, but charging them is easy enough. They both come with a braided USB-C cable. The SCUFF is 1.8 meters, while the Edge is 2.8 meters long, there’s not much in it, but if you’re playing from the sofa, the longer cable will come in handy.
And as you will expect, the DualSense Edge controller does work on the official charging dock. So if you’re using one of these while it slots in with no issues, the SCUF does technically fit, but it’s not relatively as smooth. It often needs a few wiggles back and forth to work, but it will eventually slot in if you’re patient.
Packaging
As for the packaging, they both come with a carry case inside that you can use to store the controller when it’s not in use. The SCUF’s case is fabric and small, with little space to keep anything other than the controller. The Edge carry case has enough room for all the accessories in the box. Plus, it feels more premium and is a hard plastic case.
Pricing
So, with everything we’ve covered above, how much do they cost? The DualSense Edge is $200 and is currently available on PlayStation’s website. While the SCUF is a little more complicated, the starting price is $200, so that’s the same as the Edge, but that doesn’t include the instant triggers, the performance grip, the different colors, or the design.
If you want the instant triggers for FPS gaming, it will cost another $50, and the grip is $30. It’ll cost you a little more if you want to change the colors or remove the rumbles. Fully specked out with everything ticked, it will cost you about $400, but the one I have is about $350 with the triggers grip and a few color changes.
My Verdict
So out of these two PS5 pro controllers, which is best? If I were exclusively playing Call of Duty: War Zone, I would go for the SCUF Reflex. With the instant triggers, you cannot beat that mouse-like click response. But for everything else, the DualSense Edge is the better. The all-rounder controller has a more premium fill, swappable stick modules, a 12-month versus six-month warranty, adjustable triggers, and a vast range of on-screen settings.
DualSense Edge controller will be suitable for every and any game. Plus, it’s technically cheaper than the SCUFF. So, SCUF is for FPS games, and the Edge is the better all-rounder Pro controller.
If you did enjoy this PS5 DualSense Edge vs. SCUF Pro Controller article, check out my full review of the [DualSense Edge](https://reviewni.com/t/dualsense-edge-review-its-great-but-theres-two-problems/228).