This Raspberry Pi Mod Can Fix The PlayStation 5 Controller's Biggest Problem

Sony's DualSense controllers originally designed for the PS5 are excellent for PC gaming, too, especially if you already own a couple and go back and forth between console and computer. The engineering is solid, as they're durable and feel good to use, with decent battery life and precise controls. There is one major drawback to using them with a PC, however. If you want to leverage the exclusive adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, compatible mainly with Sony's PC ports, you have to connect the controller using a USB cable. If you go wireless, you lose those features.

A resourceful developer came up with a tool called DS5Dongle that makes those features work on PC via a wireless connection. As shared on Reddit, you can use this software to turn the $7 Raspberry Pi Pico 2W into a wireless dongle for PS5 controllers. It effectively routes the wireless signal through a low-latency connection while allowing you to retain access to the adaptive triggers and haptic feedback.

It's simple enough to set up, as well. You hold the BOOTSEL button on the Raspberry Pi Pico 2W and connect it to your PC via USB, then download the DS5Dongle firmware and transfer it to the Pi. Put the DualSense controller into Bluetooth pairing mode, wait for the Pico 2W to detect it and connect, and then away you go. Of course, the Pico 2W by itself is fairly barebones, but you can 3D print a case or find one online to make yours look a little cleaner. There are some really creative uses for a Raspberry Pi, and this wireless dongle certainly fits the bill.

If you didn't know how it all works, it would seem too good to be true. The Raspberry Pi acting as the wireless dongle connects to the PC, and when the DualSense connects to the Raspberry Pi, the dongle makes the PC think the controller is using a wired connection, enabling the USB-only features. Alternatively, you can use software like DualSenseX to customize some of these features without the dongle, but now, you can also get the DualSense features working with a relatively inexpensive device and an accessible setup method.

People are already praising the setup as a "game changer," with multiple threads speaking highly of the Raspberry Pi Pico 2W and DS5Dongle combination. You should know that some games will support the adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, while others do not. "Rocket League," "No Man's Sky," "Horizon Zero Dawn," "Fallen Order," "Death Stranding 2," "Cyberpunk 2077," and "Days Gone" are a few examples of games that support it.

It may not look tough without a case, so if you're wondering how long Raspberry Pis last, most users say between 7 and 10 years. If you treat this little Pico 2W dongle with care, you should get some decent life out of it. The exception, of course, is if these features are natively supported later or another software tool makes them available sans dongle — but at that point, you could always repurpose the Pico 2W. There are quite a few quick and easy Raspberry Pi projects for new users, after all.