Play how you want
Recently I looked at several of the Brook Wingman converters, which allow players to use their favorite controllers on competing consoles. That being said, there was one big omission, a wireless edition for Sony’s PlayStation 5. I have never made it a secret that I am not a fan of Sony’s controllers. I don’t like symmetrical thumb sticks and the Dual Sense is uncomfortable in my hands over time. I have always wanted a way to use something like my Xbox controller on the console, and now thanks to the Wingman P5, that is possible. The latest device from Brook finally frees me from the Dual Sense, but how well does it work?
The design of the P5 is basically the same as the others outside of the PS5 color scheme and the fact that it is a bit chonkier than the previous ones. Apparently there is a lot more going on inside. The review unit we received was entirely in Chinese as the unit was not available in the US yet, but the motions are basically the same. You can use the Brook software to update it, and the button mapping can be found on their website.
MSRP: $74.99
Price I’d Pay: $74.99
Compatibility is off the charts. I am not gonna list every controller that it works with here, but according to their website it is well over 100, which includes Xbox Series, Switch Pro, and a host of 8BitDo controllers. For this review I tested the Series and Switch Pro controllers, and yes you can use the functions of the Dual Sense such as motion if the controller you are using has those features. Of course, you won’t get the same feedback as that is a hardware piece, but outside of Astro Bot, I have yet to play a game that felt like it made a huge difference.
Setting up the P5 is more involved than other devices. After updating firmware and setting button mapping in the software, you have to dig into the PS5 backend and set up a few options. It is best to watch their tutorial video, but it is involved. It took me a while to do it, and multiple tries. It is finicky since the PS5 has more options than standard control. The touchpad options are…awkward. The click of the button is easy, but there is some emulation for motion, but I didn’t have much success with it. I recommend just using the Dual Sense as the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
So, how is the performance? After going through all the initial setup, it was finally time to play some games. I tried a little from every genre, and everything felt good. The latency is there, but not really noticeable. I didn’t have any issues pulling off moves in fighting games or aiming in shooters. The controls are responsive and over time it started to feel native. Shooters feel so much better with the Xbox controller, but if they have touchpad functionality outside of a button click it can be an issue.
Overall, the P5 is a great option for players like me who simply cannot get used to the Dual Sense. It made my play sessions longer and some games just felt better with different controllers. The setup process is a pain and some features are fickle, but this is the best option for those wanting to use other controllers on their PS5 without buying a specialty controller.
Review hardware provided by publisher.
