There are a variety of controllers that you can get to work with the PlayStation 5, both official and unofficial. Whether you want to use Sony’s PS4 or PS5 controllers on the PS5, or you want to try a different brand altogether, there are many options. One brand of controller out there is the Astro C40 Tournament controller, a controller usable on the PS4. But will the Astro controller work on PS5?
The Astro C40 Tournament controller can be used on the PS5, but only in a limited capacity. Because the Astro controller cannot be updated for use with the PS5, it is unable to play any PS5 games. However, you can still use it to play most PS4 games, or use an adapter.
But is there any way to get around the PS4 controller limitation? And can the Astro C40 Tournament controller be used in the PS5 menu or in certain apps?
Will Astro Controller Work on PS5?
Despite the Astro C40 Tournament controller being a pretty good design in its own right, people hoping to use it on the PS5 will experience their fair share of limitations. But why do these limitations exist? Well, in a lot of situations, such a controller not being able to be used with so many games is because the manufacturer limited it, either because the controller is a gimmick controller (such as a guitar or dance controller), or because the company has not updated it to be able to do so. While it is the case that a lack of an update is why it is not working, it is not the fault of the manufacturer.
The manufacturer went on a Reddit post about using the C40 Tournament controller on PS5, explaining that the reason why the controller is not updated to do this is because Sony does not allow such a thing. They went on to explain that this is also true of certain other controllers, and that while there were some new features that the Astro controller lacked, it still should have been an option.
The reason why a lot of controllers like the Astro controller do not work with any PS5 games is because the controller is made for PS4, and Sony does not allow the PS4 controller to work while playing PS5 games. However, the Astro controller still has some uses when used on the PS5, so there is no need to throw it out if you got rid of your PS4 for a PS5. After all, if you don’t have your PS4 anymore because you got a PS5, it is highly likely that you intend to use your PS5 for backwards compatibility.
The PS5 is capable of playing digital PS4 games on both PS5 Digital Edition and PS5 Standard Edition, but disc-based PS4 games can only be used on the Standard Edition, as the Digital Edition has no disc drive. The Astro controller is thankfully capable of being used with these games. This may be worthwhile for a lot of people, but not being able to use the controller for PS5 games is something of a disappointment for a lot of people. Thankfully, there are alternatives you can take, such as getting an extra device.
How to use an alternate controller adapter
To use your Astro controller for everything on the console, you can actually get an adapter that works with your PS5. This adapter allows you to use a lot of controllers with your device – in this case, the PS5 – by connecting to the device itself. One of the most common examples of this device is the Cronus Zen (commonly called the Chronus Zen). In the case of Cronus Zen, you have two methods you can approach with it. The first is called PS4 Specialty, which applies to specialty controllers, such as racing wheels.
The relevant method is through PS Remote Play, an app for mobile devices, allowing you to use it through the Cronus Zen and the app together. To find out how to set up your Astro controller with the Cronus Zen, you can check it out here.
How to connect an Astro controller to your PS5
Getting your Astro C40 Tournament controller to connect to the PS5 is, thankfully, a very easy process. There are two solutions you can use to get the controller connected to the PS5.
Connect using a USB cable
This is a pretty straightforward solution, although there is not just one type of USB cable. This is an important distinction, as the type of USB port a PS4 controller uses (an Astro controller included) is a USB Type-A cable. The Type-A cable is smaller than Type-C, with a flat side on the bottom of the cord’s end (the Micro USB-B end) and a curve on the top. Meanwhile, the Type-C is slightly bigger, and is curved on both sides of the cord’s end. Plug the Type-A end into the PS5, and then plug the Micro Type-B into the Astro controller.
The only way that you can connect the USB Type-C cable that is included with the PS5 controller is to use a USB Type-C to USB Type-A adapter. Such an adapter is quite cheap, so you do not have to worry about breaking the bank by going with it. However, you likely have a Type-A cord to plug the Astro controller into your PS5 already. And if you don’t, getting one is pretty cheap, even if you want to get a bundle of them. The cords can plug into one of four USB ports on the console, with none of them being particularly better or worse at connecting the controller.
Connect wirelessly
Many controllers designed to be used with the PS4 and PS5 have Bluetooth compatibility, though the Astro controller is an exception to this. The Astro controller does not have Bluetooth capabilities, but it is still capable of connecting to the PS4 using a 2.4GHz USB dongle that you plug into one of the USB ports on the PS5.
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