Sony's Hyperpop DualSense is a lot to look at and a little to think about

Sony's Hyperpop Collection is exactly what it sounds like—loud, colourful, and unapologetic about it. I went with the Techno Red, and it has a black-to-neon-red gradient running across the entire body.

Most special edition colourways look better in marketing than in hand. This one doesn't. The high-gloss coat gives the colour a depth that the standard matte DualSense can't match. Leave it on your desk and it catches the light. It gets noticed.Three colours in the collection—Techno Red, Remix Green, Rhythm Blue—each with the same gradient treatment. Sony says the inspiration was RGB gaming setups, which tracks.

Simple concept. It works.

The catch with all that gloss

Here's the thing: the Hyperpop is slipperier than you'd expect. The lacquered surface is what makes the gradient look so clean, but it also means the textured matte rear of the standard model is gone entirely. No dimples, no grip treatment—just gloss all the way around. You feel it the moment you pick it up.It gets easier. After a few hours, the palm contact area does enough to keep it stable during normal play.

But long sessions or warm hands will make this a bigger deal than it was for me. The black sections are fingerprint magnets too. The coloured areas hold up better, but this is a controller you'll be wiping down more often than your standard DualSense. Minor thing. Worth knowing before you order.

Strip away the gradient, and there's still a reason to buy

Looks aside, the Hyperpop ships with V2 internals—and that means noticeably better battery life than the original DualSense. The first-gen battery was never the controller's strongest suit, so this matters more than it sounds. If you've been thinking about picking up a second controller anyway, it makes the decision easier. Haptics and adaptive triggers are unchanged—still the best reason to game on PS5. Build quality is exactly where it should be.Loud looks, better battery, divisive grip texture. That's the Hyperpop. If the aesthetic clicks and gloss doesn't bother you, it's an easy yes. If grip feel is something you're particular about, try one before you commit.