interesting, thanks for the update.So I haven't tried this with a PS5 controller, but PS4 controllers do work without a battery in them when plugged into a USB port. Well, at least on PC. We use a PC to test controllers at works and I often have the controllers in various states of teardown and plug them in to test them. You don't want to replace an analog stick and put the whole thing back together to find out that something isn't soldered back in quite right.