HyperX ChargePlay Duo: PlayStation 5 Controller Charger Review

Image: HyperX

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Penned by Kody Wirth

Kody is our expert Destiny 2 and shooter genre writer. He lives in Oregon.

Reviewed by Benjamin Barr

Are you tired of being unable to charge multiple PS5 controllers at once? Not a fan of stray cables? You may want to get yourself a controller charging dock.

Unfortunately, even after almost two years since the launch of the PlayStation 5, there is only a handful of worthwhile DualSense controller charging docks available. You have the official Sony-created option, along with models from OIVO, Razer, NexiGo, and InnoAura — to name a few. They all share a very linear design and a similar array of features, and will cost you anywhere from $10 to $40.

Now HyperX is jumping into the fray with its take on the next-gen charger, the ChargePlay Duo. We were lucky enough to get our hands on this new charger so we could give it a fair and unbiased review. Here’s what we found and how we think it stands up against the competition.

Set-Up

Since this is a controller charging station, there’s not much in the box. You get the instruction booklet, a USB charging cable, and the dock. 

Upon opening it, the stability and weightiness of the base were apparent. Unlike the bike rack-esque design of other chargers, it felt and looked like a high-tier product that is built to last. There were no concerns about the controller becoming dislodged or ever missing the charging port thanks to how the base hugs the back of the controller.

This solid first impression was followed up with a simple and easy setup process. Just plug in the USB-C cable into your charger base and PlayStation 5 (or use the cable that originally came with your console), and you’re good to go. 

The only additional step is to allow it to charge while in rest mode. To do that, you just head to:

Settings ➡️ System ➡️ Power Saving ➡️ Features Available in Rest Mode ➡️ Supply Power to USB Ports

You can let it charge until the controller is maxed out, or for a certain amount of time after turning off your console. 

Charge It Up

As mentioned before, the design of the controller base is built for quick and easy charging. You just drop your controller facing out and let the charging port slide into the DualSense headphone jack and prongs. You’ll know it’s charging when your controller emanates an orange glow around the touchpad. Once this disappears, the controller is fully charged.

Now, the only possible performance drawback is the actual charge time. While it’s not mentioned anywhere else, in the initial press release from HyperX, the charge time was listed as taking “up to 6 hours.” This may have been a safe estimate that accounts for both controllers separately. Previous iterations of HyperX chargers typically fall closer to a 2–3 hour charge time. 

While we didn’t clock in an official time, it appeared to charge a fully dead controller closer to 3–4 hours — similar to other PS5 charging stations. So, likely not an issue. Still, it’s worth being aware that it could take a bit longer to get both controllers back to 100%.

Is the ChargePlay Duo worth it?

The ChargePlay Duo follows the same design principles that HyperX established with its PS4 and Xbox models. It’s built around the controller, is incredibly compact, and matches the aesthetic of the console. It’s entirely different from the design of other current models, which is honestly for the better.

Sure, it may lack some external charging notifications, but the DualSense touchpad already handles that. Our only very minor gripe is that for such a clean-looking design, the giant HyperX logo really distracts from it. But for the same price as the proprietary PlayStation model, it’s the obvious choice.