A revised version of Sony’s DualSense controller is quietly arriving with newly manufactured PlayStation 5 Pro and PlayStation 5 Slim consoles in Europe, according to community teardowns and hardware reports. The model, identified as CFI-ZCT2W, is said to introduce internal changes aimed at improving battery life — a long-standing complaint among PlayStation users.
The controller has been spotted bundled with PS5 Pro units labeled CFI-7121, which began shipping across Europe in September 2025, and with the latest PS5 Slim CFI-2116 revision. Limited-edition hardware, including the gold Ghost of Yōtei DualSense, also appears to incorporate the revision. The identifier CFI-ZCT2W is marked on retail packaging, allowing buyers to differentiate it from earlier versions.
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Polish modder Modyfikator89, who disassembled the device, reported that the controller is built on the BDM-060 board and appears to consume power more efficiently. He said the redesigned unit may deliver longer battery life, stating that it “may offer the better battery life fans have been craving.” However, to achieve this efficiency, the controller no longer includes a secondary microphone, a component previously used to improve noise filtering. Its absence has raised questions about whether voice chat clarity could be affected.
Battery endurance has been among the most frequent criticisms of the DualSense since the PS5 launched in 2020. Some players have reported needing to recharge the accessory after roughly six hours of gameplay, with no option to replace batteries as easily as on many Xbox controllers. While rumors of a future DualSense V3 continue to circulate, reports indicate that the revised model still does not use Hall-effect or TMR analog sticks, meaning stick drift concerns remain unresolved.
Sony has also made other recent hardware adjustments. According to the same teardown findings, the PS5 Slim CFI-2116 incorporates a cooling layout similar to the PS5 Pro, a change that may help reduce the risk of liquid-metal leakage observed in some older systems. Sony has not issued an official announcement regarding the new controller revision.