Sony DualSense

Inner Dead Zone

The Inner Dead Zone is the area around the center of the stick where small movements are not registered. This helps prevent stick drift or accidental inputs, but if the dead zone is too large, it can make aiming less precise, especially in games requiring fine control. We evaluate the Inner Dead Zone based on how much you need to move the stick before it responds—the less movement required, the better.

The Sony DualSense has no Inner Dead Zone. The stick responds immediately to even the slightest movement, which is excellent for aiming accuracy and micro-control. This makes it a great choice for precision-heavy games like first-person shooters (e.g., Valorant or Apex Legends).

For comparison, many budget gamepads often have a moderate to large Inner Dead Zone, while premium controllers typically aim for a slight or no dead zone for better precision.

Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how the Inner Dead Zone works.

Outer Dead Zone

The Outer Dead Zone is the area near the edge of the stick’s range where further movement isn’t registered. This can make the stick feel less responsive at full tilt, affecting actions like quick turns or maximum speed in games. We evaluate the Outer Dead Zone based on how much 'lost' range there is—the smaller the dead zone, the better, as it allows full use of the stick’s range for more precise control.

The Sony DualSense has a slight Outer Dead Zone (0.4 mm). There’s a small portion of the stick’s range that isn’t registered, but it’s minimal and unlikely to affect gameplay noticeably.

For comparison, budget gamepads often have moderate to large Outer Dead Zones, while premium controllers strive for minimal or no dead zone to maximize control.

Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how the Outer Dead Zone works.

Stick Asymmetry

Stick Asymmetry measures the consistency of the joystick's response across different directions. Ideally, if you physically deflect the stick by 80% from the center, the software should report an 80% deflection regardless of the direction. A high asymmetry score indicates a problem where for the same physical movement, the reported coordinates are inconsistent—for example, 60% in one direction and 90% in another. This creates an uneven, often 'egg-shaped,' response zone, which negatively impacts aiming and control predictability.

For the Sony DualSense, the Stick Asymmetry is 5.9% for the left stick and 5.7% for the right stick. Higher values can lead to noticeable inconsistencies, potentially impacting aiming or movement in games.

Testing Methodology: It's crucial to note that this test is performed at partial stick deflection (~80%), using special physical limiters (clips). Testing at 100% deflection often hides asymmetries because the controller's output is clamped at the maximum value, artificially 'smoothing' the resulting shape. Our method reveals the true performance of the stick in the ranges most critical for gameplay. This precise approach was also utilized by Linus Tech Tips in their controller review.

For comparison, many budget gamepads show asymmetry levels above 30%, while high-end controllers typically stay below 10% for better uniformity.

Learn more about how different gamepads perform in the Stick Asymmetry test and how to conduct such a test in this article. You can learn how to test joystick asymmetry yourself from this video.

Circle Error

Circle Error evaluates how closely the stick’s movement follows a perfect circle. A high Circle Error means the path is more square-like, which can cause inconsistent speeds when moving diagonally—your character might move faster or slower than expected. The lower the percentage, the better, as it ensures smooth, uniform movement in all directions.

For the Sony DualSense, the Circle Error is 9.1% for the left stick and 7.9% for the right stick. Higher errors can lead to noticeable inconsistencies in games requiring circular motion, like steering in racing games.

For comparison, budget gamepads often have Circle Errors above 12%, resulting in 'square' feeling sticks, while high-quality ones aim for under 8% for better smoothness.

Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how Circle Error impacts performance.

Stick Bitness

Stick Bitness measures the precision of the joystick’s analog input, similar to bit depth in audio. Higher bitness means more distinct positions the stick can register, leading to smoother and more accurate control. Lower bitness can result in 'stepping' or less fluid movement, especially noticeable in slow, precise actions like aiming.

The Sony DualSense has a Stick Bitness of 8.0 bits on both sticks. Lower bitness may cause noticeable stepping in precision-focused titles.

Note: This result was recorded with Stick Tracer version 2.5.2.8, before movement-based True Bitness was introduced. The values above represent digital bit depth only; metrics like Step Resolution are not available for this older test.

For comparison, many budget gamepads have around 8 bits, while premium ones often exceed 10 bits for superior accuracy.

Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how Stick Bitness affects control. It is important to note that the video specifies the resolution of the stick, not the bit depth; the higher the bit depth, the higher the resolution.

Stick Centering

Stick Centering measures how accurately the joystick returns to its neutral (center) position after you release it. A good Stick Centering value prevents stick drift—a common issue where your character or camera moves slightly in a game, even when you're not touching the stick. The lower the percentage, the better the centering, and the less likely you are to experience drift.

For the Sony DualSense, the Stick Centering is 2.7% for the left joystick and 2.1% for the right stick. Values above 2% may lead to noticeable drift in some scenarios, which can affect precision in games.

This test methodology intentionally employs a more rigorous approach by implementing small-angle deflection and release, which produces the most challenging conditions for stick re-centering. This technique differs from the conventional maximum-deflection method where the stick is pulled to its full range and released, as small-angle deflection better simulates the micro-adjustments typically executed during actual gameplay scenarios, providing more representative data on potential stick drift occurrence during normal use.

Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how Stick Centering works.

Axis Magnet

Axis Magnet is a form of stick processing where movement tends to 'snap' or cling to the X or Y axis when the stick passes close to it within a certain part of its travel. This can make pure horizontal or vertical movement feel cleaner, but it also alters the real stick path and can distort diagonal or subtle player input.

The Sony DualSense shows no Axis Magnet. That means the stick does not artificially cling to the horizontal or vertical axes, so your real movement path is preserved more accurately. This is the preferable behavior for consistent aiming and natural analog control.

Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how Axis Magnet affects stick behavior.

Polling Rate

Polling Rate describes how often the controller sends stick data to the system, measured in Hertz (Hz). Higher values mean the controller reports its position more frequently, which can reduce the time between updates and make input feel more responsive.

The Sony DualSense recorded a Polling Rate of 738.8 Hz in this test mode. This value helps describe report frequency, but it should not be treated as a direct substitute for real latency, since response time also depends on firmware, processing, and the wireless or wired stack.

Polling Rate is measured separately from latency, so it is best used as supporting information rather than a standalone quality verdict. In addition, this reading is approximate: Stick Tracer is not a specialized tool for precise polling-rate measurement, so some margin of error is expected.

Center Skip

Center Skip, also known as Stick Skipping, is a rare behavior where the joystick does not begin moving smoothly from its neutral position. Instead of a gradual response, it suddenly jumps to a noticeable deflection as soon as movement starts, which makes fine control much harder.

The Sony DualSense shows no Center Skip. That means the stick begins moving gradually from neutral, which is the expected and desirable behavior for precise aiming, camera control, and micro-adjustments.

Want to learn more? Check out our video explanation of how Stick Skipping affects performance.

Disclaimer

We tested the Sony DualSense gamepad using a single unit, so keep in mind that other units of this model might perform slightly better or worse. In most cases, these differences are minor and shouldn’t affect your experience significantly. The results were obtained with the Stick Tracer program, and some values might vary if you use different software or testing methods.

Testing conditions, such as the gamepad’s firmware version (FW: 0630) or connection type, can also influence the results. If you have this gamepad, we’d love for you to share your own test results! This will help us build a more comprehensive picture of the Sony DualSense’s performance across different units.

Full test results can be viewed on the test page.