I think all the major controllers use Alps sticks, which (sadly) are susceptible to stick drift. I wonder if you got a bad batch, though. My 5-year-old DualShock sticks are steady unless I turn the dead zones down to almost zero. And I haven't even bothered calibrating them.

Counterpoint: I’m using my original PS5 controller right now and have had no drift in nearly three years.

Not saying it doesn’t happen, but I also don’t think the controllers are fragile.

I think after a certain model number they fixed most of the stick drift issues or at least made the controllers more reliable. I think it was around when the horizon forbidden West bundle came out, they had a new model number and then they released the colored versions of the controllers. I have two dualsense controllers that have been beaten to shit by children and they don't have stick drift, one of which is a camo controller and the other is a white controller from a horizon bundle. I also have an edge controller for myself, but I bought that for the peace of mind mostly.

I think a certain controller model was more susceptible to stick drift than others. I think it was after the horizon forbidden West bundle where they started selling newer controller models with more reliable sticks. Both of my ps5 controllers have been dropped, thrown, played after and while eating by children and they're still fine. I have also have a dualsense edge controller for myself though so I don't really care what the kids do to their controllers. Grand total of 3 controllers and none of them have drift.

I will also counter and say I have played well over a thousand hours between trackmania and rocket league at fairly high levels since 2020 when I got the controller and it is still doing great. Those games beat controllers up

First party controllers generally are leagues behind third party options these days if you ask me.