so ive been using these cheap knockoff docks for years with zero issues until literally this morning when my ps5 controller started overheating on the stand and now it wont hold a charge at all. super annoyed because i have people coming over for a local tournament this weekend and i need a solid setup that wont fry my hardware. need something that can ideally handle both my legacy ps4 pads and the new dualsense ones without taking up too much desk space.
what are you guys using that actually lasts? dont want another fire hazard on my desk...
Honestly, finding one dock that safely handles both PS4 and PS5 controllers is a total nightmare. Most of those universal stands are just cheap plastic shells with zero voltage regulation, and unfortunately, that is exactly how you end up with a dead DualSense. I learned the hard way that trying to save 20 bucks on a combo unit isnt worth the risk of frying a 70 dollar controller. ngl, those hybrid designs are usually the biggest fire hazards because the board has to step down power for two different connector types. If you want something that actually lasts and wont burn your house down before the tournament, here are the ones I keep around:
Man, that overheating thing is terrifying. I went through the exact same thing a few years back with a cheapo stand that basically fused my DS4 to the plastic. Not fun. Honestly, after testing a dozen setups over the years, I stopped messing around with knockoffs. For your PS5 pads, you really should just grab the Sony PlayStation 5 DualSense Charging Station White. It uses the click-in pins at the bottom instead of the USB-C port, which is way more stable and has legit overcharge protection so it wont cook your battery. Since you need to charge both gens, look at the OIVO PS5 and PS4 Controller Charging Station Dock. It is one of the few that actually has specific slots for both types without being a total fire hazard. Its got a tiny footprint and usually arrives super fast. Tbh, spending the extra ten bucks for a brand that actually cares about voltage regulation is worth it to avoid another fried remote before your tournament.
Saw this thread today and it reminded me of my own disaster. Last year I tried a cheapo block that got so hot it smelled like burning plastic... definitely a close call. You might want to consider just sticking with PowerA. They are usually pretty reliable for the price. Be careful with those multi-system docks tho, they often skip the safety features so you wont kill your pads.