The PS5 Media Remote is one of Sony's quieter accessories. At around AU$45, it doesn't generate the attention that the DualSense Edge does, and Sony's own marketing treats it as an afterthought. That's a mistake. For anyone who watches streaming content or plays Blu-ray discs through their PS5, the Media Remote solves a set of friction points that the standard DualSense creates every single time you sit down to watch something.
What the PS5 Media Remote actually does
The Media Remote connects to the PS5 via Bluetooth and controls the console's media functions: navigating the media apps panel, controlling playback, adjusting volume, and switching inputs. It can also control your TV's power and volume if the television supports HDMI-CEC, which most modern sets do. That means one remote for both the PS5 and the TV itself.
The button layout is built around media use. You get dedicated buttons for Disney+, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube sitting right on the face, plus a microphone button that activates voice search through the PlayStation system. There's a standard D-pad for navigation, fast forward and rewind, play/pause, and a mute button. The whole thing runs on two AAA batteries and has no charging cable to manage.
One practical detail worth knowing: the remote uses infrared for TV control and Bluetooth for PS5 control simultaneously. So it doesn't need line-of-sight to the PS5, but it does need a clear path to your TV's IR sensor for volume and power commands.
The DualSense problem it actually solves
The DualSense is a genuinely excellent game controller. It's a poor media remote. The buttons are small and unlabelled for media use, the touchpad-based scrubbing in video apps is inconsistent, and the controller either needs to be charged or will drain its battery sitting through a two-hour film. Put the DualSense down mid-movie and the PS5 may drop the Bluetooth connection entirely, forcing you to press the PlayStation button and wait for reconnection before you can pause.
The Media Remote doesn't have those problems. Pick it up after 30 minutes of inactivity and playback control is instant. The buttons are tactile enough to use in a dark room without looking. Volume sits where your thumb naturally falls.
The remote also has no gyroscope or haptic system drawing power, so the battery life is dramatically longer. Sony rates it at around three months of typical use on a single pair of AAA batteries. That's not a specification you'll think about after the first week.
Where it falls short
The dedicated app buttons are useful but fixed. If your primary streaming apps are Stan or Binge rather than Netflix or Disney+, those shortcuts don't help you. You still navigate to those apps manually from the PS5 media panel. Sony hasn't released a firmware update that lets you remap those buttons, and there's no indication that's coming.
The remote also can't wake the PS5 from rest mode. You still need to press the physical power button on the console or pick up the DualSense to bring the system out of rest mode. That breaks the "one remote" ideal in a frustrating way if you use rest mode regularly.
Navigation in some streaming apps is sluggish compared to native smart TV remotes. This isn't the Media Remote's fault specifically. It's a PS5 app performance issue. The remote sends the input fine; the app takes its time responding. If you have a smart TV with faster native apps, the PS5's streaming performance will sometimes feel second-rate regardless of which input device you're using.
Who should buy it
The Media Remote makes sense for three types of PS5 owners. First, anyone who uses the PS5 as their primary streaming device rather than a dedicated smart TV or Apple TV. Second, anyone with a PS5 disc edition who watches Blu-rays regularly. Third, households where non-gamers need to use the PS5 for media without picking up a DualSense.
That last scenario is worth expanding on. If a partner or family member uses the PS5 to watch Netflix but doesn't game, handing them a DualSense with 20 buttons creates unnecessary friction. The Media Remote has fewer than half as many buttons, all clearly labelled for what they do. That's a material usability improvement for casual users.
If you're already using a universal remote like a Logitech Harmony that controls your TV and entertainment stack, the Media Remote adds less value. You'd be adding a device that overlaps with what you already have. Similarly, if your smart TV's native apps are faster and you only occasionally use the PS5 for streaming, the DualSense is fine for the times you do.
Setup and compatibility notes
Pairing takes under a minute. Hold the PlayStation button on the remote and it finds the console automatically. HDMI-CEC control of your TV then works without any additional configuration, provided HDMI-CEC is enabled in your television's settings (it sometimes ships disabled). Check the TV's settings menu under HDMI or device connection options if volume control isn't working out of the box.
The remote works across all PS5 models: the original launch version, the slim redesign, and the PS5 Pro. Sony hasn't released a revised version of the remote, so the accessory you buy today is the same hardware that launched with the console.
At AU$45, the Media Remote isn't a purchase that needs much deliberation for PS5 owners who watch a lot of streaming content. The question to ask is simpler: do you currently reach for the DualSense every time you want to adjust the volume? If yes, the remote pays for itself in convenience within the first week.