Let’s track our broken controllers this gen.
- Thread starter FUNKNOWN iXi
- Start date
My Switch controllers are the controllers I've had that barely function because the drift is so bad. Can't play it portable anymore until I send my joycons in, but I've been too lazy. Xbox One controllers were flawless when I had them. Launch PS4 controllers had stick peeling problems but later pairs were fine. PS5 controllers have been flawless so far.
Oh small thing of note, there are two models of the Dualshock 4, one is the newer model which has a thin ribbon of light on the top part of the touchpad and the older one does not. Each of those uses a slightly different battery connector so make sure you pick the right battery (there's only two models). I'm not certain but I think yours might be the 1st gen controller, but if you're in doubt look at this video:
If you're still confused... there are essentially two models of the Dualshock, the 1st gen which has the code CUH-ZCT1 and the second gen which is CUH-ZCT2 (the one that has the thin strip of light above the touchpad). The codenames for the controllers usually have another letter at the end after the 1 or 2 that denotes the variation of the controller (whether it's white, pink, blue, whatever). When you search on amazon for Dualshock 4 battery replacements they will identify the batteries for one of those two models. So just figure out if your controller is the 1st or 2nd gen model and go from there.
TLDR; Search Amazon for Dualshock 4 replacement batteries and pick the ones with designed for the CUH-ZCT1 model, which I'm 90% sure is the one you have.
Here's a disassembly guide from ifixit: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/DualShock+4+Battery+Replacement/22074
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or issues.
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Two fucked Nintendo switch pro controllers to stick drift.
One Fucked set of joycons
1 Xbox elite controller v1 stick drift and iirc broken bumper
1 Elite V2 broken bumper (and the rubber pads on the trigger stops fell off too)
One Fucked set of joycons
1 Xbox elite controller v1 stick drift and iirc broken bumper
1 Elite V2 broken bumper (and the rubber pads on the trigger stops fell off too)
Switch Pro controller is broken out of the box with that trash Dpad and mushy triggers... Also mine has stick grind something fierce. It is otherwise serviceable and works well for any application that doesn't need the Dpad (I use an 8Bitdo SN30PRO+ for the NSO classic games).
Other than that, my 4 Joy Cons and 3 DS4s are fine.
Other than that, my 4 Joy Cons and 3 DS4s are fine.
No issues for the new consoles so far.
My launch Switch Pro Controller didn't even last 2.5 years before the battery died, which is awful for a $70 controller. I can tell my JoyCons are acting up, as I can see the cursor acting weird in Picross games when I first start playing for a session but stops once I mash the d-pad for a few seconds. Considering that the 3DS was designed to damage itself and I'm on my 4th 3DS due to various design flaws damaging the system, I'm not surprised that Nintendo doesn't put much effort in Switch controllers to make them more durable.
The only other controller I've had with issues was my launch Xbox One controller that had a broken L3 out of the box.
My launch Switch Pro Controller didn't even last 2.5 years before the battery died, which is awful for a $70 controller. I can tell my JoyCons are acting up, as I can see the cursor acting weird in Picross games when I first start playing for a session but stops once I mash the d-pad for a few seconds. Considering that the 3DS was designed to damage itself and I'm on my 4th 3DS due to various design flaws damaging the system, I'm not surprised that Nintendo doesn't put much effort in Switch controllers to make them more durable.
The only other controller I've had with issues was my launch Xbox One controller that had a broken L3 out of the box.
PS5 Dual Sense: MASSIVE Stick drift issue on the left stick to the point where games would play themselves, forced to buy a new one to replace it. Had the controller since launch.
Switch: Severe stick drift in the Joycons, full on replaced using them with a pro controller.
Switch: Severe stick drift in the Joycons, full on replaced using them with a pro controller.
Xbox Elite Controller: Joystick drift, nonresponsive A button, broken L1 button
Xbox Series X Controller (2 defective controllers): 1st) squeaky R2 and completely different tension than L2; 2nd) incredibly noisy D-PAD and the right joystick was making noises every time you move the stick.
DS4 Controller: original controller had rubber fall apart on the joystick, PS4 Pro Controller Star Wars - major joystick drift
Oculus Quest 2: Major joystick drift with left controller and my replacement Quest 2 has worse lens optics than my original Q2, sigh....
Switch - no problems until I sold it and I kept the Switch Pro Controller for PC use and still going strong.
Xbox Series X Controller (2 defective controllers): 1st) squeaky R2 and completely different tension than L2; 2nd) incredibly noisy D-PAD and the right joystick was making noises every time you move the stick.
DS4 Controller: original controller had rubber fall apart on the joystick, PS4 Pro Controller Star Wars - major joystick drift
Oculus Quest 2: Major joystick drift with left controller and my replacement Quest 2 has worse lens optics than my original Q2, sigh....
Switch - no problems until I sold it and I kept the Switch Pro Controller for PC use and still going strong.
Switch:
- Pro Controller from launch doing just fine.
- Four sets of joycons, including the ones that came with the system, all have this issue with the left joycon in handheld mode where it just randomly acts like it's disconnected. I have to hit the button to release it and snap it back in and then it will stay connected. This happens on some of the Joycons more than others, which is why I'm convinced it's not the Switch itself. I have no idea what, if anything, I am doing to cause this. Seriously if anyone has any insight on this one, please let me know, because it's driving me nuts.
- All Joycons previously had drift, sent to Nintendo a few years ago to get it fixed. One Joycon had drift a few months ago, I replaced the stick myself.
- Pro Controller from launch doing just fine.
- Four sets of joycons, including the ones that came with the system, all have this issue with the left joycon in handheld mode where it just randomly acts like it's disconnected. I have to hit the button to release it and snap it back in and then it will stay connected. This happens on some of the Joycons more than others, which is why I'm convinced it's not the Switch itself. I have no idea what, if anything, I am doing to cause this. Seriously if anyone has any insight on this one, please let me know, because it's driving me nuts.
- All Joycons previously had drift, sent to Nintendo a few years ago to get it fixed. One Joycon had drift a few months ago, I replaced the stick myself.
PS4: stick peeling on all near launch controllers I've had
360/one: buttons sticking on one of em
Switch: joycon drift on launch joycons (pro controller is fine though)
Damn the 360 controllers were great, been using one for... A decade?
360/one: buttons sticking on one of em
Switch: joycon drift on launch joycons (pro controller is fine though)
Damn the 360 controllers were great, been using one for... A decade?
Seems that way. Had my original since day one in 2017, then traded it for a Lite (worst decision ever btw), but non displayed any kind of drift or problem.
None. I have an xbox one controller from launch and it still works perfect. Also a Swich Lite from launch date without any issue and a lot of use.
I never get any issues with controllers tho, still have some joystick from PS2 perfectly usable.
I could never go back to the normal Switch after my Lite, I love it so much. But then again, I don't care about playing Nintendo on a TV at all.
I never get any issues with controllers tho, still have some joystick from PS2 perfectly usable.
I could never go back to the normal Switch after my Lite, I love it so much. But then again, I don't care about playing Nintendo on a TV at all.
Dualshock 4: Stick peeling, drift issues, L3 buttons not working properly. I've bought 5 DS4 controllers and all but 1 of them have given me some kind of issue. The early DS4 controllers were built cheap and crappy.
Xbox One controller: No issues (but I rarely use it, it's for those PC games that for whatever reason refuse to work with the DS4)
Dualsense: No issues with my launch Dualsense, works perfectly.
Xbox One controller: No issues (but I rarely use it, it's for those PC games that for whatever reason refuse to work with the DS4)
Dualsense: No issues with my launch Dualsense, works perfectly.
Very fortunate to say that I've had no issues with any controllers from the previous or present generation. PS4, XB1, Switch (both Joycons and Pro Controller), PS5, and Xbox Series X all just fine, luckily. Got all of them at launch, too (XB1 was actually about 2 weeks after launch but close enough).
I have had friends with DualShock 4 analog rubber peel and a good deal of friends with Joycon drift. I know the issues are real.
I probably avoid the issues because I'm an impulse buyer with accessories. I'm a sucker for new colors and the occasional special editions. I tend to buy new controllers probably once every year or year and a half. I don't recommend the practice solely for the purpose of avoiding controller faults — it's wasteful. But it does seem to have that one upside.
I have had friends with DualShock 4 analog rubber peel and a good deal of friends with Joycon drift. I know the issues are real.
I probably avoid the issues because I'm an impulse buyer with accessories. I'm a sucker for new colors and the occasional special editions. I tend to buy new controllers probably once every year or year and a half. I don't recommend the practice solely for the purpose of avoiding controller faults — it's wasteful. But it does seem to have that one upside.
OP
OP
PS4: Got two controllers with the system in 2014. Maybe 6 months later the rubber on the sticks on both of them started to wear off. In 2017, the R2 button broke because I was having so much fun dashing around in Nier Automata. It was a cheap, easy fix but the new trigger felt off with more resistance and was more spongey. Then soon after that, the battery of the same controller started to go and I just threw the whole thing out and bought a new controller. The other controller lasted fine the whole generation and had no issues with the new controller.
Switch: Got mine with a Pro Controller in 2019. Left Joycon has had minor drift that I first noticed only weeks after I got it but simply blowing into to fixes it for a while. No issues with Pro Controller.
PS5: Had one dualsense since launch and got another a couple months later. So far no issues.
I feel like I'm very lucky compared to all the posts I see here. *knocks on wood*
Switch: Got mine with a Pro Controller in 2019. Left Joycon has had minor drift that I first noticed only weeks after I got it but simply blowing into to fixes it for a while. No issues with Pro Controller.
PS5: Had one dualsense since launch and got another a couple months later. So far no issues.
I feel like I'm very lucky compared to all the posts I see here. *knocks on wood*
PS4:
Never had issues with mine. All of the ones I have opened work great still.
X1:
Day 1 controller along with X1X and CP2077 controllers all work fine.
PS5:
No issues
XSX:
No issues
Switch:
I don't use they joycons so I don't know about those. My launch Pro controller has a terrible dpad that constantly has input issues. Bought the MHR pro controller and even after 200 hours it is fine.
I seem to be lucky that I have only had issues with the Switch and it's controller.
Never had issues with mine. All of the ones I have opened work great still.
X1:
Day 1 controller along with X1X and CP2077 controllers all work fine.
PS5:
No issues
XSX:
No issues
Switch:
I don't use they joycons so I don't know about those. My launch Pro controller has a terrible dpad that constantly has input issues. Bought the MHR pro controller and even after 200 hours it is fine.
I seem to be lucky that I have only had issues with the Switch and it's controller.
I have to go back to the GameCube for an example of a controller that broke on me (the analog stick stopped working).
My NES, SNES, N64, Wii, Wii U, Switch (oddly enough), PS2, PS3, PS4, Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, Xbox (both "Duke" and S), and 360 controllers all still work perfectly.
Just that one GameCube controller.
My NES, SNES, N64, Wii, Wii U, Switch (oddly enough), PS2, PS3, PS4, Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, Xbox (both "Duke" and S), and 360 controllers all still work perfectly.
Just that one GameCube controller.
PS4: no issues, same controller I've had for 6 years still works. It does have terrible battery life, but I think that's typical and it has had that since I got it.
PS5: no issues but also haven't used the console to play any games so, weird sample. Has wayyyyyyy better battery life than the PS4 controller though, I will say that.
Switch: have 6 joycons, 4 from launch and 2 from the special Pokémon Let's Go Switch I got my wife when that came out. Only issue is that sometimes the launch ones don't register as connected to the console, so they'll flash low battery in handheld mode, but usually just sliding them off and on again fixes it.
Xbox One: I have 6 controllers, one of them is one of the custom ones from the design lab and it has a sticky Y button, and one of them is a Project Scorpio edition and it had some issues early in with the triggers locking, but I took it apart and found a small piece of lose plastic in it that was rattling around, jamming them up, so I took that out and it's been fine since.
Xbox Series S|X: have the one I got at launch with my Series S, no hardware issues, and I use it quite a bit. A couple of times I've seen a weird bug where the console registers one input as being held but it's not being held, so it'll just spam it. It always happens on the guide and it feels more like a software thing than a hardware thing. Popping the batteries in and out fixes it.
PS5: no issues but also haven't used the console to play any games so, weird sample. Has wayyyyyyy better battery life than the PS4 controller though, I will say that.
Switch: have 6 joycons, 4 from launch and 2 from the special Pokémon Let's Go Switch I got my wife when that came out. Only issue is that sometimes the launch ones don't register as connected to the console, so they'll flash low battery in handheld mode, but usually just sliding them off and on again fixes it.
Xbox One: I have 6 controllers, one of them is one of the custom ones from the design lab and it has a sticky Y button, and one of them is a Project Scorpio edition and it had some issues early in with the triggers locking, but I took it apart and found a small piece of lose plastic in it that was rattling around, jamming them up, so I took that out and it's been fine since.
Xbox Series S|X: have the one I got at launch with my Series S, no hardware issues, and I use it quite a bit. A couple of times I've seen a weird bug where the console registers one input as being held but it's not being held, so it'll just spam it. It always happens on the guide and it feels more like a software thing than a hardware thing. Popping the batteries in and out fixes it.
Didn't know about this thread, it's a neat idea, so i'll contribute with what i've had for now:
Left joycon: Drifting, worsened by my niece obsession of playing Smash on portable mode.
So far, that's it. I have a Series X controller wich i guess will fail sooner or late, i'll report when it does.
Left joycon: Drifting, worsened by my niece obsession of playing Smash on portable mode.
So far, that's it. I have a Series X controller wich i guess will fail sooner or late, i'll report when it does.
Two launch DualShock 4's: Drift on all sticks, R1 and L1 on both not always registered, L2 on one of them not registering properly, rubber on sticks peeled completely off within the first 6 months or so of use. Battery life terrible since day one.
No issues outside of battery life with PS4 Pro DualShock 4.
1st refresh Switch: Sudden joy-con drift after about 1.5 years of use - replaced, and no issues since.
Two launch Xbox One controllers, one One X controller, Series X and Series S controllers: no issues.
Launch DualSense: Drifting on right stick pretty much right away.
No issues outside of battery life with PS4 Pro DualShock 4.
1st refresh Switch: Sudden joy-con drift after about 1.5 years of use - replaced, and no issues since.
Two launch Xbox One controllers, one One X controller, Series X and Series S controllers: no issues.
Launch DualSense: Drifting on right stick pretty much right away.
4 Series controllers - 1 the DPad up doesn't work fully, hit and miss on press
3 Dual sense (White, Black and Cosmo Red) - White one had both sticks with stick drift, sent off but nothing back off Sony yet
7 Xbox One Controllers - Blue one after 2 years of use the bumpers stopped working
Switch - No issues on Joycon or Pro controller
3 Dual sense (White, Black and Cosmo Red) - White one had both sticks with stick drift, sent off but nothing back off Sony yet
7 Xbox One Controllers - Blue one after 2 years of use the bumpers stopped working
Switch - No issues on Joycon or Pro controller
PS4:
4 controllers (1 came w/ launch PS4, 1 came with launch Pro, 2 purchased). All still work fine.
PS5:
2 controllers (1 came w/ launch PS5, 1 extra purchased). Both work fine.
Switch:
6 Ninty Joycons (2 came w/ launch Switch, 2 came w/ Mario Party, 2 came w/ AC Switch) 4 offbrand Switch Controllers (Stoga AC Joycons), 1 pro controller, 1 offbrand pro controller (Stoga AC pro controller). I had an issue with one set of the Stoga Joycons so the sent another pair. My right joycon on the AC Switch has a light drift or something but it's not consistent. All the other ones are fine tho....
4 controllers (1 came w/ launch PS4, 1 came with launch Pro, 2 purchased). All still work fine.
PS5:
2 controllers (1 came w/ launch PS5, 1 extra purchased). Both work fine.
Switch:
6 Ninty Joycons (2 came w/ launch Switch, 2 came w/ Mario Party, 2 came w/ AC Switch) 4 offbrand Switch Controllers (Stoga AC Joycons), 1 pro controller, 1 offbrand pro controller (Stoga AC pro controller). I had an issue with one set of the Stoga Joycons so the sent another pair. My right joycon on the AC Switch has a light drift or something but it's not consistent. All the other ones are fine tho....
I never had a "broken" controller. I only had to replace my 360 ones twice because the sticks were super worn out. Got two sets of Joy Cons and no drift as well.
Let's hope it stays that way
Let's hope it stays that way
Switch: three joy-cons with various stages of drift; one Pro controller with that seems to sometimes exhibit drift-like effects, but it's off and on.
Xbox: after like five (probably more) years of use, its d-pad is wonky and the impulse trigger on R makes a buzzing noise.
Xbox: after like five (probably more) years of use, its d-pad is wonky and the impulse trigger on R makes a buzzing noise.
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Xbox Series S : no issues detected.
PS5 : no issues detected (yet).
Switch : Left joy on drift- Nintendo replaced. Started up again roughly a year or so later, tried contact spray and it worked for a bit. Now the cardboard trick and haven't had any issues, lol.
PS5 : no issues detected (yet).
Switch : Left joy on drift- Nintendo replaced. Started up again roughly a year or so later, tried contact spray and it worked for a bit. Now the cardboard trick and haven't had any issues, lol.
PS4: 2 controllers with drift issues, 1 controller with a broken R2 AND drift issues, and 1 controller with a broken d-pad. the absolute worst controller i've ever had the displeasure of using in terms of quality control.
Switch: Launch year Joy Cons and Pro controller are working just fine.
PS5: Have had no issues with the DS so far.
Switch: Launch year Joy Cons and Pro controller are working just fine.
PS5: Have had no issues with the DS so far.
PS4:
1 Dualshock 4
1 Nacon Pro controller
No Issues.
PS5:
2 Dual senses - over 1000 hours of play
No issues.
1 Dualshock 4
1 Nacon Pro controller
No Issues.
PS5:
2 Dual senses - over 1000 hours of play
No issues.
I've never had a broken controller before the insanely shitty Nintendo joy-cons. Drift after less than 6 months of light use. Then a repair where I had to send it in twice for them to begrudgingly repair the joy-con under warranty - They refused to acknowledge the issue, but repaired on "suspision", the joy-con in question had insane drift and was practically useless. Then after the repair it drifted again after 5 months. Followed by the second joy-con drifting. WTF is this shit? I "fixed" them myself after that, with WD40 Contact Cleaner. They've actually been going without further issues, or need for spraying, for a good while now. Still a total shit show.
I don't like what I'm hearing about the PS5 controllers. They seem to be as badly built as the console itself.
I don't like what I'm hearing about the PS5 controllers. They seem to be as badly built as the console itself.
PS4: My launch window DS4's R1 button stopped working randomly, but that happened after like 4 or 5 years of use, so I didn't mind.
PS5: My DualSense's R2 trigger spring broke recently after 7 months of use… I'm very disappointed tbh. I have a second DualSense which I haven't used once yet, but I might have to use that one while I see about fixing the broken spring.
Switch (Joycons): I won't go into detail, just straight to the point: Joycons fucking suck.
PS5: My DualSense's R2 trigger spring broke recently after 7 months of use… I'm very disappointed tbh. I have a second DualSense which I haven't used once yet, but I might have to use that one while I see about fixing the broken spring.
Switch (Joycons): I won't go into detail, just straight to the point: Joycons fucking suck.
I lost so many Xbox One controllers to stick drift, to the point that I'm not sure what the final number is. 4? 5? I haven't had that happen with any other controller for any other console before or since (even with the Switch). Weirdly, my launch XB1 controller probably has more hours on it than any other one, and it's still holding up great. The Project Scorpio controller, meanwhile...maybe a year? Not even that intensive use.
This gen, the pack-in DualSense died after a firmware update. It would work when I was in the safe mode menus, and -- with some fighting -- it would be usable for a few minutes, but it'd inevitably become completely unresponsive....despite still being listed as connected. I followed all the instructions and everything; didn't disconnect prematurely or whatever.
This gen, the pack-in DualSense died after a firmware update. It would work when I was in the safe mode menus, and -- with some fighting -- it would be usable for a few minutes, but it'd inevitably become completely unresponsive....despite still being listed as connected. I followed all the instructions and everything; didn't disconnect prematurely or whatever.
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4 Xbox one controllers all drifting. Had to apply contact cleaner to try and get them to work again.
2 right joycons drifting. Had to open up and replace the analog sticks.
Man what happened to quality controllers? Do we have to go back to the 2D era to get controllers to last long? C'mon man.
2 right joycons drifting. Had to open up and replace the analog sticks.
Man what happened to quality controllers? Do we have to go back to the 2D era to get controllers to last long? C'mon man.
Switch Joy-Con (launch, grey): Drift on left Joy-Con renders it useless
Switch Joy-Con (launch, neon red and blue): Completely dead, do not connect, do not charge
Switch Joy-Con (Splatoon 2, neon pink and green): Drift on left Joy-Con renders it useless
Everything else has been fine.
Switch Joy-Con (launch, neon red and blue): Completely dead, do not connect, do not charge
Switch Joy-Con (Splatoon 2, neon pink and green): Drift on left Joy-Con renders it useless
Everything else has been fine.