Sony has released its first batch of redesigned DualShock 4 controllers at retail, giving PlayStation 4 owners a chance to upgrade their input devices without buying a brand new PS4 Slim console.
The upgraded DualShock 4 offers an additional light bar on the face of the controller, along with other features that address criticism leveled at previous hardware iterations.
The DualShock 4 is the standard controller bundled with all PlayStation 4 consoles, offering unique features like a built-in touchpad and a light bar that changes color depending on a player’s in-game status. With the the light bar located on the back of the device, many players fail to notice when the bar changes color, potentially leaving them unprepared for the in-game dangers it may signal.
The redesigned DualShock 4 now available at retail adds a second, smaller light bar on top of the controller’s touchpad, making it easier to read its cycling colors at a glance. The larger light bar along the controller’s back remains intact, as it is designed to interact with the PlayStation 4’s camera peripheral.
Previous DualShock 4 controllers also locked input to wireless Bluetooth connections, even if the devices were connected to PS4 consoles using a USB charge cable. Sony’s DualShock 4 hardware revision addresses this issue, allowing players to play games over a wired USB connection. A wired setup offers less latency than a wireless connection, potentially giving USB-connected players a slight advantage in multiplayer matches.
The upgraded DualShock 4 also features extended battery life compared to previous models. While Sony has not issued an official estimate for the length of the DualShock 4’s newly extended battery life, players claim that redesigned controllers can be used for around eight hours before needing a recharge.
Previously, revised DualShock 4 controllers were only included as part of PlayStation 4 Slim hardware bundles. This week’s widespread retail release makes them available to all console owners in North America. DualShock 4 controllers are available for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $60.
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.