The Xbox Wireless Controller is just $39 right now
Of the three major gaming consoles, the Xbox Series X / S may have the most diverse controller selection, but Microsoft’s basic Xbox Wireless Controller is still the best Xbox controller for most people. That’s mostly because it’s the cheapest one you can buy with native support for Xbox’s built-in wireless protocol (you can also use it with PC and mobile via Bluetooth or USB-C), but it’s also just really solid overall.
It’s hard to beat the value, especially when they’re on sale for as low as $39, just a few dollars more than their all-time low, as they are in select colors at Amazon and Walmart right now. That’ll get you the basic crop of colors such as black, white, and blue. You can spend a bit more to get the awesome translucent models, which are starting at $57.50 (about $12 off) at Amazon and Walmart.
Scuf’s Valor Pro is a promising start for its Hall effect Xbox controllers
Photo: Quentyn Kennemer / The Verge
Scuf just announced its latest pro-style controller for Xbox and PC, the first to come close to the $100 price point. The $99.99 Scuf Valor Pro — available for purchase starting today in 15 different styles — isn’t exactly a budget controller in its own right, but context matters.
I’ve tested the delightfully translucent version of the controller for nearly two weeks now to see where exactly it fits among Scuf’s current Xbox lineup, consisting of the $169.99 Instinct and the $219.99 Instinct Pro (our previous pick for the best pro-style Xbox controller), both wireless. The wired-only and Valor Pro somehow sits in the middle.
Leaked images reveal a transparent color option for Sony’s new ANC earbuds.
The leaks indicate the WF-C710N will arrive in late May with new features like Sony’s Quick Attention Mode, but more tempting are four color choices including a new glass blue option with the buds and charging case all sporting a transparent design.
Retro Remake opens preorders for its PS One FPGA clone
Retro Remake’s Taki Udon announced last night that preorders had opened for the SuperStation One, a clone of the PS One variant of the original PlayStation. The $149.99 Founders Edition preorders are sold out already, but you can still preorder the standard $225 SuperStation One for $179.99 right now, with shipping expected in “Q4 or Earlier.”
While the SuperStation One looks like a PS One — complete with ports compatible with the original PlayStation controller and memory cards — it plays more than just PlayStation 1 games. It’s a custom MiSTER field-programmable gate array (FPGA) machine, as Polygon points out. That means rather than emulating game consoles, its hardware can actually function just like those consoles, with cores ranging from the Atari 5200 and NES to the PlayStation and Sega Saturn.
Red, white, and see-through.
Xbox has revealed a new controller that seems designed to revive the impossibly cool gadget trend from the late 90s and early aughts where everything was see-through. Called the Pulse Cipher Special Edition, the controller features a deep-red transparent casing that lets you see all its innards including the rumble motors. It’s $74.99 and goes on sale February 4th.
1/2Image: Microsoft
Asus announced a NUC AI mini PC topped with a color E Ink display.
We’ve asked Asus for more info on its availability.
Asus just announced the world’s first Thunderbolt 5 eGPU
This smoky black translucent box isn’t a gaming PC — instead, it might be the most powerful single-cable portable docking station ever conceived. When you plug your laptop or handheld into the just-announced 2025 Asus XG Mobile, it promises to add the power of Nvidia’s top-flight GeForce RTX 5090 mobile chip, and up to 140 watts of electricity, and two monitors, and a USB and SD-card-reading hub, and 5Gbps ethernet simultaneously.
That’s because it’s the world’s first* Thunderbolt 5 external graphics card and one of the first Thunderbolt 5 docks, using the new 80 gigabit per second bidirectional link to do more things with a single cable than we’ve ever seen before.
Hyperkin’s modernized Xbox Controller S is going translucent green.
The $49.99 Special Edition Greenhaven DuchesS matches the Controller S that was included with the Halo-themed Xbox Microsoft introduced in 2004. Hyperkin hasn’t finalized a release date or when preorders will start.
1/5The Special Edition Greenhaven version of Hyperkin’s DuchesS controller will be $49.99 when available later this year. Image: Hyperkin
8BitDo’s new mini Xbox controller fits gamers with smaller hands
You can now buy this nostalgic Game Boy Advance clone
Anbernic’s latest handheld, which upgrades the design of Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance with a larger screen, extra buttons, and the ability to play games through emulation, is now available. The RG34XX can be ordered through Anbernic’s website for $69.99, but is discounted to $63.99 until December 18th. It comes in four colors, including the GBA’s original purple and black, as well as transparent green and red options.
Although it looks nearly identical to the original GBA’s hardware, the RG34XX adds a pair of additional action buttons, two more shoulder buttons, microSD card slots, an HDMI port, and a larger 3.4-inch display with a 720x480 resolution and a 3:2 aspect ratio. The handheld also appears to carry over the GBA’s volume dial, but it’s actually a two-way toggle switch allowing the volume to be adjusted up and down in small increments.
This Game Boy Advance clone could satisfy your purple taco nostalgia
Anbernic announced its next retro handheld today and it’s easy to see where the design of the RG34XX draws its inspiration. It appears to be a faithful clone of Nintendo’s original Game Boy Advance, although updated with additional action and shoulder buttons allowing games from more recent systems to be played. Pricing and availability hasn’t been revealed yet, but the RG34XX will come in transparent red and green colors, as well as the GBA’s purple and black.
One feature Anbernic didn’t carry forward is the Game Boy Advance’s LCD screen which lacked a backlight and was notoriously difficult to see unless you were playing outside on a sunny day or cozied up next to a bright lamp. The RG34XX will instead feature a larger 3.4-inch display with a 720x480 resolution. The display will also use the same 3:2 aspect ratio as the Game Boy Advance, so GBA titles should look great, and older games developed for 4:3 TV screens will fit without extensive stretching or pillarboxing.
8BitDo added RGB backlights to the new Xbox version of its mechanical keyboard
8BitDo has announced a new version of its mechanical keyboard with a design inspired by the transparent green edition of Microsoft’s original Xbox console. The 8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard - Xbox Edition features a transparent green shell and matching keycaps similar to the console. But unlike previous iterations of the keyboard, this is the first from 8BitDo to incorporate RGB backlighting.
The Xbox Edition mechanical keyboard is now available for preorder through Amazon for $119.99 with shipping expected to start on January 16th, 2025. 8BitDo also announced the matching 8BitDo Retro R8 Mouse alongside the keyboard, which is also listed on Amazon, but not available for preorder yet.
This killer translucent keyboard kit is on sale for $95
The Omnitype Bauer Lite, one of my favorite keyboards of the year, is down to just $95 ($25 off) this week as part of Omnitype’s ongoing Black Friday sale. I paid full price for mine earlier this year, and it was a steal. It feels great to type on, it has a great layout, it’s customizable and fun to build, and it’s colorful. What’s not to love?
The Bauer Lite has a plastic case that comes in a bunch of fantastic translucent colors, from clear to atomic purple to bright blue, seafoam, coral, dark red, and my personal favorite: neon orange. This is great news if your brain, like mine, can sometimes be tricked into feeling a little happier by a jolt of fluorescent color.
Maybe don’t buy this cool transparent magnetic Sharge battery — a Qi2 version is imminent.
Speaking of obsolete: In my tests, the recent Shargeek 140 is better than the old Shargeek 130 in my video. No more overheating, better display, same capacity.
Why I’m returning Meta’s limited-edition translucent Ray-Bans.
I’m in a love-hate relationship with these smart shades. This’ll be the second time I’ve returned a pair! I gave them another chance because the see-through model looks fantastic... I’d use them almost every day if I could ditch these dealbreakers.
A lot of work went into making this transparent iPhone 16 Pro.
Wanting to put its internals on display, YouTube’s Phone Repair Guru stripped an iPhone 16 Pro’s back panel down to the glass using a surprisingly complicated process. Gallium was even used to remove a thin layer of aluminum as the two metals react to create a soft alloy. The results look great, but maybe don’t try this mod at home.
Turns out, there are only 7,500 of those clear Meta Ray-Bans...
They’re on sale now for $429 — an extra $100 more than the other translucent models — and are only available in the “standard” size. The limited-edition frames do come with transition lenses and “an exclusive custom-designed black case.” Meta normally charges a $50 premium for Transitions.
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Meta’s translucent Meta Ray-Bans now come in a crystal-clear colorway.
Meta already let you see some of its smart glasses circuitry through its orange and blue frames, but now there’s an even clearer version. We already got a few photos of our own in our story about them today.
Is it... time for me to buy these things?
1/7Translucent Meta Ray-Bans. Screenshots: Meta Connect
Meta’s Ray-Bans will now ‘remember’ things for you
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses are already one of the best cracks at AI hardware to date. Now, Meta is pushing out a series of software updates, along with a new limited-edition translucent Ray-Ban style, that bring the smart glasses closer to actually feeling smart.
The company announced several updates to the Ray-Ban Meta glasses at its Connect conference on Wednesday, introducing new features like “Reminders,” which has the glasses take a photo of what you’re looking at and remind you about it later through a notification on your phone. You’ll also be able to scan QR codes and call phone numbers you’re looking at directly from the glasses.
Anbernic’s Game Boy Advance SP is now available in three new transparent colors.
Anbernic isn’t introducing performance improvements or new features with the additional colorways. They still feature a 3.5-inch, 640x480 screen and enough power to play N64 games.
New Xbox Design Lab translucent Elite controller options are clearly great
Microsoft went and made its pricey Xbox Elite 2 controller part of the resurgent transparent tech trend with some fetching new seethrough “Cipher Series” color options in its Xbox Design Lab custom controller shop. In addition, the company announced new chromatic options for the D-pads and paddles. Prices start at $149.99 for a custom design, but you’ll pay extra for some options.
The new translucent faceplate options are white (Ghost Cipher), green (Velocity Cipher), purple (Astral Cipher), blue (Surf Cipher), pink (Candy Cipher), and red (Pulse Cipher) options. Meanwhile, you can choose Energy Chroma and Sunset Chroma for the paddles and D-pad.
Genki’s transparent PocketPro might be the best-looking 8BitDo gamepad yet.
The SN30 Pro was already one of the best pocketable Bluetooth gamepads you could buy, complete with Switch motion controls — 8BitDo recently added drift-resistant Hall Effect sticks, too.
Now, Genki is adding this gorgeous transparent white version with cool legends and a handy reference to swapping between its three modes. Note: It’s a crowdfunding campaign right now, but it’ll retail for $50, just $5 more than the opaque version.
This tiny gamepad isn’t ‘one-of-a-kind,’ but it sure is adorable.
Competition is a good thing, especially when it’s cute! We’re just not sure why CRKD would call the $20 Atom a “one-of-a-kind keychain controller” when the $25 8BitDo Micro and $20 Zero 2 have been around for years. The Micro even comes with a lanyard...
But I guess the CRKD does come in more colors, including transparent ones!
8BitDo’s new Pro 2 controller colorways are clearly superior.
It features Hall effect joysticks, support for the Switch, iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, and SteamOS, can store and quickly switch between three customized profiles, and comes in a new transparent green or blue finish.
Microsoft’s new Xbox controller is more translucent than ever before
I’m fairly confident Microsoft has created more Xbox controllers than I’ve eaten hot dinners at this point, but I’m always happy to see another translucent option. This time, it’s the new “Sky Cipher Special Edition” controller, which includes a translucent blue design that lets you see the inner workings of the Xbox controller.
Microsoft has created white, black, and even pink translucent controllers in the past, but only the top half of those featured the effect. This new blue model is now mostly translucent, apart from the rear, grips, and buttons. It matches the special 20th edition model that was released in 2021. Microsoft has opted for two-tone thumbsticks, a matching D-pad, and blue metallic triggers.
It’s clearly time: all the news about the transparent tech renaissance
By The Verge | Created at 2025-03-03 23:49:31 | Updated at 2025-03-04 05:12:02
5 hours ago
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