These joystick modules are manufactured by a company called ALPS and have been used by other controllers such as PS4’s DualShock 4, the Xbox One and Xbox Elite controller, and the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.The specific model number used in the DualSense controller, RKJXV, has a life of two million cycles, while the life of the medium pressure function is about 500,000 cycles.
IFixIt states that while this number can vary widely depending on how often you play games and what kind of games you play, these parts can exceed their lifespan with just over 400 hours of game time. This “back of the napkin math” is based on the Call of Duty gameplay from IFixIt employees.
However, we assume that there will be no deviation problems before then. As with the Nintendo Switch, there have been instances of issues with DualSense drifting, and these issues have been sued against Sony.
However, IFixIt mentions that ALPS is most likely not responsible for these drift issues and “probably aren’t the villain of this story.”In fact, the main cause of drifts seems to be related to the potentiometers, which help sense what type of movement a player is trying to perform.
Each joystick has two potentiometers that are perpendicular to each other and they measure both up and down and to the left and right.
Potentiometers are a three terminal system that uses voltage to measure the position of the joystick. The third terminal, known as the wiper, slides around a semicircular track. When you move the joystick, the position of the wiper – relative to a neutral, center position – allows the controller to know where and how you are trying to move.
There are two other parts that can potentially cause problems, a spring that returns the joystick to a centered, neutral position, and a spring that can depress the thumbsticks.Over time, the spring can stretch and create a new off-center neutral position. This would make the potentiometers think that your thumb is moving the joystick even if you don’t, causing drift.
Contaminants and imperfections can also cause drift as they can change the voltage and cause false readings on the terminals. These range from plastic dust from parts grinding together to external elements such as food or drink.
IFixIt offers some fixes for repairs, including removing the potentiometer housing and cleaning or replacing wipers. Some of the more advanced options include soldering, and there are plenty of YouTube videos on how to do that if you want to give it a try.