theverge--2020-11-06--Astro’s Playroom is the PS5’s Wii Sports

It ’ s a game that comes bundled with every PlayStation 5 , and it ’ s designed to show off the new console ’ s DualSense controller .
Most notably , it takes advantage of the gamepad ’ s incredibly subtle vibrations .
And every time I felt something new I just had to share .
I ’ d pass the controller to whoever was nearest and ask , “ Can you feel those raindrops ?
” “ What about the crunching sand as you walk on the beach ?
” “ Hey , jump on that platform : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glass ?
” The novelty still hasn ’ t worn off .
Astro ’ s Playroom could easily have been a simple tech demo , and in a way it is that .
Its main function is to demonstrate the possibilities of the DualSense .
You can see the ways the controller can further immerse you in the game when you feel the tension of a bow and arrow before firing off a shot , or when your hands can sense the wind steadily pushing you to the side .
But Astro ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s the kind of charming 3D adventure rarely seen outside of Nintendo , one dripping with inventive ideas and heartwarming details .
And it might just be the ideal game to sell you on a PlayStation 5 .
At its most basic , Astro ’ s Playroom is a fairly straightforward platforming game .
You play as a cute little robot named Astro , exploring four different worlds set in a universe that appears to exist inside of a computer .
You ’ ll collect coins , stomp on enemies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secrets .
There are boss battles and one-off sequences , like one where you have to pilot a small spaceship through dangerous caverns , or another where you use a bow to pick off faraway enemies .
The worlds themselves strike a great balance : they ’ re big enough that you can explore freely , but not so huge that you ’ ll find yourself getting lost .
It ’ s a directed experience with the illusion of freedom .
Astro , meanwhile , has a small range of basic abilities — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rocket-powered double jump — that are put to use in clever ways .
The double jump , for instance , naturally lets you reach higher areas .
But the blast from the jump is also a form of attack , giving another option for taking out bad guys .
While the game is straightforward , these abilities usually give you a few ways to tackle problems .
There are a few things that elevate Astro from being just another fun-but-forgettable platformer .
The main one is the controller .
I still remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 64 , and how amazed I was that pushing the analog stick slightly would make Mario walk , while a stronger push would make him run .
Playing Astro ’ s Playroom with the DualSense is a similar experience .
The first thing you ’ ll notice are the vibrations .
The first level of the game opens with Astro barreling down a waterslide before splashing in some water and walking up onto a beach .
You feel each of these moments in your hands .
It ’ s hard to put into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the water is a dull , flat sensation that feels , well , like landing in water .
Similarly , there ’ s a grainy effect when you walk across the beach , as if you could feel the sand .
The vibrations even alternate between the left and right sides of the controller as Astro walks , so you sense each footstep .
The sensations continue throughout the game : a gush of air as a flying car zips past , the crackling of broken glass under your feet , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t just feel that it ’ s windy , you can tell which direction the gust is coming from .
When rain shifts to freezing rain , it ’ s immediate right away .
Most of these sensations are also amplified by sound through the DualSense ’ s built-in speaker .
The combination of vibration and sound is incredibly effective : most of the time I could close my eyes and still understand what was happening .
The other major feature of the controller is its new triggers that utilize variable tension @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re doing .
In one sequence , you ’ re piloting a small aircraft by using the left and right triggers to control the engines .
A soft press will move you slightly , while a full press will shoot you through the air .
The farther you press , however , the more difficult it becomes .
It won ’ t exactly strain your fingers , but the feedback gives you a better sense of what you ’ re doing .
The same goes for shooting a bow and arrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense of tension as you pull back on the string .
My favorite example of just how tactile this can be is a capsule toy machine where you spend coins to get new collectibles .
Here the triggers act as your hands : you use the left to give a tug on the machine ’ s arm , and the right to crush the capsule and reveal the toy inside .
It ’ s incredibly satisfying , These aspects don ’ t fundamentally change how Astro ’ s Playroom plays .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3D platformer .
But they make those moments you ’ ve experienced before feel more interesting and immersive .
There are some elements of the game that seem like a gimmick — blowing into the gamepad ’ s mic to turn a fan , or using motion controls to help a robotic monkey climb mountains — but , even after hours spent with the game , the haptic feedback never gave me this vibe .
It was additive .
It didn ’ t change the core of the game , but it made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a technical showcase , Astro ’ s Playroom is also a game that was clearly made with a lot of care and passion .
It ’ s essentially a love letter to everything PlayStation .
Each world is themed after a particular computer component , and one of the main goals is to collect secret items that are all pieces of classic PlayStation hardware .
There ’ s even a trophy room where you can interact with them , using your little robot hands to turn on a gigantic PSP Go , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an original PlayStation to see the lid pop open .
It ’ s all very silly , but the interactive bits make it fun to play around with .
Even better : as you explore each level , you ’ ll spot other robots acting out scenes from classic PlayStation games , from Final Fantasy VII to Ape Escape to Death Stranding .
There are platforms made up of old-school PlayStation memory cards and DualShock buttons .
The whole game is like one giant , interactive Easter egg .
Heck , even the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Astro ’ s Playroom that I can think of is Wii Sports .
Both are games that were explicitly designed to showcase a new controller .
But both also transcend that goal , shifting from tech demo to straight-up fun game .
It takes only a few moments for Astro ’ s Playroom to show why you ’ ll want to play with a DualSense , and over the course of its run time it keeps giving you new reasons .
I can ’ t imagine playing it with a standard controller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family hopes I run out of new discoveries soon .

Part of / The best games of 2020
I’ve developed an incredibly annoying habit while playing Astro’s Playroom.
It’s a game that comes bundled with every PlayStation 5, and it’s designed to show off the new console’s DualSense controller. Most notably, it takes advantage of the gamepad’s incredibly subtle vibrations. And every time I felt something new I just had to share. I’d pass the controller to whoever was nearest and ask, “Can you feel those raindrops?” “What about the crunching sand as you walk on the beach?” “Hey, jump on that platform: doesn’t that feel like shattered glass?”
The novelty still hasn’t worn off. Astro’s Playroom could easily have been a simple tech demo, and in a way it is that. Its main function is to demonstrate the possibilities of the DualSense. You can see the ways the controller can further immerse you in the game when you feel the tension of a bow and arrow before firing off a shot, or when your hands can sense the wind steadily pushing you to the side. But Astro’s Playroom is also a great game. It’s the kind of charming 3D adventure rarely seen outside of Nintendo, one dripping with inventive ideas and heartwarming details. And it might just be the ideal game to sell you on a PlayStation 5.
At its most basic, Astro’s Playroom is a fairly straightforward platforming game. You play as a cute little robot named Astro, exploring four different worlds set in a universe that appears to exist inside of a computer. You’ll collect coins, stomp on enemies, and poke around in search of secrets. There are boss battles and one-off sequences, like one where you have to pilot a small spaceship through dangerous caverns, or another where you use a bow to pick off faraway enemies.
The worlds themselves strike a great balance: they’re big enough that you can explore freely, but not so huge that you’ll find yourself getting lost. It’s a directed experience with the illusion of freedom. Astro, meanwhile, has a small range of basic abilities — a jump, a punch, and a rocket-powered double jump — that are put to use in clever ways. The double jump, for instance, naturally lets you reach higher areas. But the blast from the jump is also a form of attack, giving another option for taking out bad guys. While the game is straightforward, these abilities usually give you a few ways to tackle problems.
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Read next: PS5 review
There are a few things that elevate Astro from being just another fun-but-forgettable platformer. The main one is the controller. I still remember the first time I played Super Mario 64, and how amazed I was that pushing the analog stick slightly would make Mario walk, while a stronger push would make him run. Playing Astro’s Playroom with the DualSense is a similar experience.
The first thing you’ll notice are the vibrations. The first level of the game opens with Astro barreling down a waterslide before splashing in some water and walking up onto a beach. You feel each of these moments in your hands. It’s hard to put into words, but the thunk of landing in the water is a dull, flat sensation that feels, well, like landing in water. Similarly, there’s a grainy effect when you walk across the beach, as if you could feel the sand. The vibrations even alternate between the left and right sides of the controller as Astro walks, so you sense each footstep.
The sensations continue throughout the game: a gush of air as a flying car zips past, the crackling of broken glass under your feet, the soft patter of raindrops. You don’t just feel that it’s windy, you can tell which direction the gust is coming from. When rain shifts to freezing rain, it’s immediate right away. Most of these sensations are also amplified by sound through the DualSense’s built-in speaker. The combination of vibration and sound is incredibly effective: most of the time I could close my eyes and still understand what was happening.
The other major feature of the controller is its new triggers that utilize variable tension, essentially creating feedback depending on what you’re doing. In one sequence, you’re piloting a small aircraft by using the left and right triggers to control the engines. A soft press will move you slightly, while a full press will shoot you through the air. The farther you press, however, the more difficult it becomes. It won’t exactly strain your fingers, but the feedback gives you a better sense of what you’re doing. The same goes for shooting a bow and arrow, where there’s a real sense of tension as you pull back on the string. My favorite example of just how tactile this can be is a capsule toy machine where you spend coins to get new collectibles. Here the triggers act as your hands: you use the left to give a tug on the machine’s arm, and the right to crush the capsule and reveal the toy inside. It’s incredibly satisfying,
These aspects don’t fundamentally change how Astro’s Playroom plays. It’s still designed like a fairly traditional 3D platformer. But they make those moments you’ve experienced before feel more interesting and immersive. There are some elements of the game that seem like a gimmick — blowing into the gamepad’s mic to turn a fan, or using motion controls to help a robotic monkey climb mountains — but, even after hours spent with the game, the haptic feedback never gave me this vibe. It was additive. It didn’t change the core of the game, but it made the overall experience better.
Aside from being a technical showcase, Astro’s Playroom is also a game that was clearly made with a lot of care and passion. It’s essentially a love letter to everything PlayStation. Each world is themed after a particular computer component, and one of the main goals is to collect secret items that are all pieces of classic PlayStation hardware. There’s even a trophy room where you can interact with them, using your little robot hands to turn on a gigantic PSP Go, or hop on the eject button of an original PlayStation to see the lid pop open.
It’s all very silly, but the interactive bits make it fun to play around with. Even better: as you explore each level, you’ll spot other robots acting out scenes from classic PlayStation games, from Final Fantasy VII to Ape Escape to Death Stranding. There are platforms made up of old-school PlayStation memory cards and DualShock buttons. The whole game is like one giant, interactive Easter egg. Heck, even the credits are playable.
The closest parallel to Astro’s Playroom that I can think of is Wii Sports. Both are games that were explicitly designed to showcase a new controller. But both also transcend that goal, shifting from tech demo to straight-up fun game. It takes only a few moments for Astro’s Playroom to show why you’ll want to play with a DualSense, and over the course of its run time it keeps giving you new reasons.
I can’t imagine playing it with a standard controller — though I’m sure my family hopes I run out of new discoveries soon.


theverge--2020-11-06--PlayStation 5 review: a big, confident step into next gen

A new console generation is usually something you can see .
It ’ s measured in pixels and polygons .
When we moved from the NES to the Super Nintendo , it wasn ’ t hard to spot the difference between 8- and 16-bit Super Mario games .
It was just as clear when games evolved to support 3D worlds and , later , HD graphics .
Your eyes told you this was something new .
It was obvious .
With the PlayStation 5 , things aren ’ t so simple .
Yes , games look better , particularly if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advantage of features like 4K , HDR , and 120fps .
But it ’ s not the dramatic shift that we ’ ve seen with past generations .
Instead , the biggest changes come from how the experience feels .
Games run smoother , load faster , and are accompanied by a new controller that further immerses you by using adaptive triggers and more subtle vibrations .
On their own , each of these elements is a nice upgrade over the PS4 .
But when you put them together , you have an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem is you can ’ t see this generation .
You have to feel it .
When it comes to the design of the console itself , the most obvious thing is its scale .
It ’ s not just big , it ’ s historically big , one of the largest video game consoles ever built .
It measures in at 390mm ( 15.4 inches ) tall , 260mm ( 10.24 inches ) deep , and 104mm ( 4.09 inches ) wide .
It ’ s big enough that it ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it into your existing entertainment setup .
( Right now , I have mine all by its lonesome on a side table beside my TV stand , for lack of better options . )
It ’ s not just the size , though .
Whereas many gadgets are now designed to fit seamlessly into our homes , the PS5 goes in the opposite direction .
It is not shy .
Sony doesn ’ t want you to tuck this away in an entertainment cabinet where no one can see it .
The PS5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ robotic clam look , with two huge white panels surrounding a shiny black interior .
One panel features a nice etched PlayStation logo , and the console comes in two varieties with slightly different designs : the $ 499.99 base model features a disc drive that juts out of the right side , giving it an asymmetrical look , and the $ 399.99 digital edition has no drive and is more uniform as a result .
Either way , the PS5 is an intimidating machine and certainly an acquired taste .
The console @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by using an included circular stand .
While the stand itself feels a bit like cheap plastic , it ’ s very sturdy when you connect it to the console .
I should also note that the shiny plastic strip that runs down the center of the machine is an absolute dust and fingerprint magnet .
I live in a house with two cats and one dog , and I ’ ve had to clean it off almost daily .
In a nice touch , the panels are removable , so you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hair relatively easily .
Removing the panels gives you access to a storage expansion slot , though we haven ’ t been able to test this out yet , as Sony says SSD expansion isn ’ t available .
The storage situation for the console is a bit of a question mark , though you do have the ability to load PS4 games from USB storage .
( In terms of usable space , the PS5 comes with 667.2GB , with the rest of the internal hard drive reserved for system data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things about the PS5 hardware has been how quiet it is .
I haven ’ t heard a sound while playing with it over the past 10 days , and it doesn ’ t give off much heat either .
It ’ s a big change from my PS4 , which sounds like a jet engine every time I hop into a match of Fortnite .
Of course , the PS5 is virtually brand-new , and it ’ s entirely possible it will get noisier over time .
In terms of ports , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two on the back , one in front ) , a USB-C port on the front , an Ethernet port , and an HDMI 2.1 port on the back .
As wild as it looks , the most interesting thing about the PS5 hardware isn ’ t the console itself ; it ’ s the new DualSense controller .
It ’ s the first major redesign of the PlayStation controller since Sony introduced twin-sticks , and it ’ s a deceptively subtle change .
In your hands , the DualSense is slightly larger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s still comfortable and familiar .
It has a dual-tone design that matches the PS5 , and the button layout is virtually unchanged from the PS4 , though the touch panel and rear triggers are slightly larger .
Meanwhile , the home button — previously , a simple circle that rests in between the sticks — is now an etched PlayStation logo .
It looks cool , but I found it harder to find when I wasn ’ t looking at the controller .
You charge it via USB-C , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours of playtime on a charge , which is comparable to the DualShock 4 .
This means , like the DualShock 4 , you ’ ll probably need to charge it regularly .
But you do get a more advanced gamepad for roughly the same battery life .
The big changes are inside , however .
The DualSense controller is outfitted with new adaptive triggers with variable tension , offering physical resistance depending on what you ’ re doing .
At the same time , the controller features haptic feedback in the form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a better sense of what ’ s happening in a game .
It may sound like a gimmick , and reminiscent of similar , failed technologies like HD rumble on the Nintendo Switch .
But thankfully , the PS5 comes with just the right game to show what the DualSense can do .
Each PlayStation 5 comes bundled with a game called Astro ’ s Playroom .
It ’ s a seemingly simple third-person platforming game starring cute robots , the kind of game you ’ d expect to come out of Nintendo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explicitly designed to showcase the DualSense controller ’ s myriad features .
The haptics are obvious from the moment you start playing .
As you move the lead character , Astro , around , you can feel subtle footsteps in your hands , and they alternate left to right to mimic those steps .
That ’ s cool , but things get even more interesting when you walk on different surfaces .
It ’ s hard to put into words , but there ’ s a graininess when you ’ re walking on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ slap ” feeling when Astro dives into a pool of water .
In one sequence , you can feel the pitter-patter of rain in your palms , and when it changes to freezing rain , the sensation shifts to be sharper and heavier .
These elements don ’ t fundamentally change the way Astro ’ s Playroom plays , but they add another layer of feedback that further immerses you in the experience .
This is especially true when most of the haptic sensations are accompanied by sounds from the DualSense ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your eyes and still know it ’ s rainy or windy or that a flying car just zipped past you .
The same goes for the adaptive triggers .
Most of the time , the DualSense triggers act just like the triggers on a classic PlayStation controller : they ’ re basic buttons .
But during certain sequences , they change .
An obvious example is when Astro picks up a bow-and-arrow , and you can feel the tension in the trigger as you pull back on the string , while later in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mech , and the tension builds up as you gather momentum .
Another good example is a capsule toy machine in the game , in which you operate two robotic arms to pull a lever with one hand and then crush them with the other .
Each action requires force : you have to push just a bit harder to make the lever go down , and then do it again to crush the plastic toy container .
It may sound like a small addition , but it makes these otherwise standard actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case of Astro ’ s Playroom , the controller elevates what might otherwise be a typical platforming game .
I found myself exploring new areas and techniques just to see if I could find new sensations .
Of course , one great game doesn ’ t prove the controller isn ’ t a gimmick .
After all , Wii Sports was amazing , but it didn ’ t exactly usher in an era of motion-controlled games .
But there are some good reasons to believe that the DualSense will catch on .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; designers don ’ t have to fundamentally change their games to work with the controller the way they would with something like a Wii remote or Kinect .
And even at launch , there are already good examples of third-party developers making use of the DualSense .
One is Bugsnax , which will be available for free to PlayStation Plus subscribers when the PS5 launches .
It ’ s sort of like a cross between Pokémon and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs .
You explore a colorful island in search of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then scan them with a camera .
When you do so , the right trigger replicates the classic “ thunk ” of an old-school camera ’ s shutter .
You can also feel the environment through the haptic feedback : the subtle rumble of thunder in the distance or the splash of jumping into a pond .
PS5 launch title Pathless similarly uses subtle haptic vibrations to help you sense nearby monsters stalking you .
Neither game is as impressive as Astro , but they show what ’ s possible with just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of other developers have already promised to utilize the controller , including big-name games like Fortnite and NBA 2K .
Outside of what the controller adds , the PS5 benefits from being a more powerful machine compared to its predecessor .
This manifests in a few ways .
The first is visual .
If you have the right TV , the PS5 supports up to 120fps , 4K HDR , and variable refresh rates .
Certain titles even utilize ray tracing for more realistic lighting .
A great example of this is Spider-Man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the PS5 .
The game takes place in New York City during the midst of a snowstorm , and you can really see the difference in the way the sun reflects off the icy roads and glass skyscrapers and more realistic reflections from lights , windows , and puddles .
Games can also run at a higher frame rate , and in some cases , you ’ re given a choice of what you want to focus on .
In Miles Morales , for instance , there are two visual options : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a solid 60fps , and “ fidelity , ” which utilizes features like ray tracing but drops the frame rate down to 30fps .
For a fast-paced action game like Spider-Man , you can really feel the difference : as nice as ray tracing is , it ’ s hard to go back after swinging around New York at 60fps .
Devil May Cry 5 : Special Edition has a similar option : you can switch on ray tracing , but you ’ ll be warned that frame rate might be impacted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 120fps , but I wasn ’ t able to test this .
Besides performance , the other big change with the PS5 is load times .
The console has what Sony describes as an “ ultra-high speed SSD , ” and the result is games that boot up much faster compared to the PS4 .
With Spider-Man : Miles Morales , which is a cross-gen game , I was able to start playing in 17 seconds on the PS5 , compared to one minute and 27 seconds on the PS4 .
The differences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but universally , games booted up faster on the PS5 .
Here are a few examples .
( Note : these examples compare the PS5 to a base model PS4 . )
These speeds have another benefit .
The PS5 introduces a new feature called “ activities , ” which lets you boot up a game from a specific point directly from the console ’ s main menu .
In an open-world game like Miles Morales , for instance , you can see all of the missions you currently have open from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from one of those specific points .
Astro ’ s Playroom will similarly let you boot up a game from a specific part of a level .
And while I haven ’ t been able to test it just yet , Fortnite developer Epic says this feature will be used so you can pick which mode you want to play and boot into it straight away .
When you put all of this together , you end up simply spending more time playing games and less time messing around in menus or staring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t always be a big deal , but it ’ s amazing when you have just a brief window to play ; if I just want to knock out a quick Spider-Man side mission while I have some free time , I can get straight to it in seconds .
Right now , it ’ s a great feature that makes me more likely to boot up a game than waste 30 minutes in Netflix .
But Sony also believes that these near-instantaneous load times could change the way certain games are designed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clank : Rift Apart , which has players zipping back and forth between different dimensions .
But without being able to play those games , the impact of the change remains largely theoretical for now .
( That said , jumping straight into a level in Astro ’ s Playroom is incredibly fast . )
I should also note that playing PS4 games on the PS5 is an extremely easy process , particularly when it comes to digital releases .
As long as you ’ re signed in to your PSN account , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the games you own digitally on your PS4 will show up in your library , marked with a small “ PS4 ” badge .
I have close to 200 games in my library , and the only titles that were incompatible were the VR spinoff of The Last Guardian and Dragon Quest Heroes II .
( Fortnite wasn ’ t playable either , but Epic has already detailed its plans for launch day support for both next-gen consoles . )
Unlike Microsoft , which opted to keep the same interface across all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its UI for the PS5 .
It ’ s not a huge change , but it ’ s nicely streamlined .
Over the years , my PS4 became cluttered with all kinds of things I didn ’ t actually use , whereas the PS5 is divided into two obvious categories : games and media .
( Note : we ’ re not able to talk about either the PS5 ’ s new store or the media capabilities until closer to launch . )
At first , it seems rather bare-bones .
Your most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from left to right , with your full library available at the end of the list .
You can ’ t even organize things into folders like with the PS4 .
But when you select a particular game , you ’ re given a lot more information about it .
It ’ s from here that you can choose from the available activities , the feature previously mentioned , as well as your Trophy progress , recent news on the game , or scan through live Twitch and YouTube streams of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you ’ ll probably just hit the big “ play ” button , but there are some useful features here , particularly for bigger games .
There ’ s also a guide feature tied to activities .
When you select a particular activity , it might have a help icon attached , which means you can bring up a quick tutorial video to help get you through tough spots .
You can even have the video play while you ’ re inside of the game , picture-in-picture style .
It was helpful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but other games promise to offer more extensive tutorials ; launch title Demon ’ s Souls will reportedly include 180 such videos , for instance .
There ’ s also a redesigned home button menu .
Now , when you press the PS logo on the controller , a small overlay appears at the bottom of the screen giving quick access to some more common features .
You can check your notifications , adjust the volume , check the battery status of your controller or headphones , or even choose to broadcast directly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s also an app switcher , though , unfortunately , it doesn ’ t suspend games for easy access like the Xbox ’ s new “ quick resume ” feature .
Instead , it ’ s just a list of the last few games or apps you used .
You ’ ll still need to boot them back up when you jump in .
As with the PS4 , the DualSense controller has a built-in share button , but the sharing tools have been revamped slightly .
You can still immediately take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few seconds .
But a quick press will bring up a new menu that gives you a few options .
You can grab a screenshot , record the last few minutes of gameplay , start recording right then , or kick off a live broadcast .
You can also edit and post screenshots and video without actually leaving the game .
It makes the whole process quite a bit faster , which is important when you need to capture a match-winning Fortnite play .
Everything else is stuffed away in the settings menu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ features there if you do some digging .
In the game / app settings menu , for instance , you can choose from several default presets .
You can make it so all games are set to easy by default , for instance , or choose whether you want games to play in “ performance ” or “ resolution ” modes .
You can even choose whether you want first- or third-person games to default to a normal or inverted camera .
It sounds small , but it saves you from having to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game ; you do it once from the main PS5 menu , and you ’ re set .
As someone who absolutely has to have subtitles on while playing , I ’ m glad I don ’ t have to remember to turn them on for each individual game .
Reviewing a video game console before it ’ s even out is always a tricky thing .
There are just so many unknowns .
Will developers really make use of the DualSense ’ s unique features ?
Will games like Ratchet and Clank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times to change the way game worlds are designed ?
And just how long will the UI remain uncluttered as more features and services are added ?
My experience playing the PS5 today will be very different compared to playing it in a year or two .
Physically , the PS5 is a brash , intimidating piece of hardware , one that is clearly meant to signal a major shift .
But underneath , its changes are much more subtle — at least right now .
This isn ’ t the move from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explore a 3D space for the very first time .
Instead , it ’ s a series of smaller — though still important — shifts , like faster speeds and a more immersive controller , which all add up to a markedly better experience compared to the PS4 by every conceivable metric ( aside from the space it takes up ) .
I can ’ t tell you what the future holds , but right now , the PS5 is a great piece of hardware .
It might not be clear what makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or live streams .
But once it ’ s in your hands , the next generation is a lot more obvious .

Part of / The Verge guide to the PS5 and Xbox Series X
A new console generation is usually something you can see. It’s measured in pixels and polygons. When we moved from the NES to the Super Nintendo, it wasn’t hard to spot the difference between 8- and 16-bit Super Mario games. It was just as clear when games evolved to support 3D worlds and, later, HD graphics. Your eyes told you this was something new. It was obvious. With the PlayStation 5, things aren’t so simple.
Yes, games look better, particularly if you have a high-end television to take advantage of features like 4K, HDR, and 120fps. But it’s not the dramatic shift that we’ve seen with past generations. Instead, the biggest changes come from how the experience feels. Games run smoother, load faster, and are accompanied by a new controller that further immerses you by using adaptive triggers and more subtle vibrations. On their own, each of these elements is a nice upgrade over the PS4. But when you put them together, you have an experience that qualifies as next-gen.
The problem is you can’t see this generation. You have to feel it.
Sony PlayStation 5 $ 399.99 The Good Amazing DualSense controller
Games load quickly and run smoothly
A more streamlined UI The Bad It’s big
Unclear how expandable storage will work
No “quick resume” feature $400 at Best Buy$400 at Amazon How we rate and review products
A big console and an intriguing controller
When it comes to the design of the console itself, the most obvious thing is its scale. It’s not just big, it’s historically big, one of the largest video game consoles ever built. It measures in at 390mm (15.4 inches) tall, 260mm (10.24 inches) deep, and 104mm (4.09 inches) wide. It’s big enough that it’ll probably require some careful planning to fit it into your existing entertainment setup. (Right now, I have mine all by its lonesome on a side table beside my TV stand, for lack of better options.)
It’s not just the size, though. Whereas many gadgets are now designed to fit seamlessly into our homes, the PS5 goes in the opposite direction. It is not shy. Sony doesn’t want you to tuck this away in an entertainment cabinet where no one can see it. The PS5 has what I think of as a robotic clam look, with two huge white panels surrounding a shiny black interior. One panel features a nice etched PlayStation logo, and the console comes in two varieties with slightly different designs: the $499.99 base model features a disc drive that juts out of the right side, giving it an asymmetrical look, and the $399.99 digital edition has no drive and is more uniform as a result. Either way, the PS5 is an intimidating machine and certainly an acquired taste.
The console can be displayed either vertically or horizontally by using an included circular stand. While the stand itself feels a bit like cheap plastic, it’s very sturdy when you connect it to the console. I should also note that the shiny plastic strip that runs down the center of the machine is an absolute dust and fingerprint magnet. I live in a house with two cats and one dog, and I’ve had to clean it off almost daily. In a nice touch, the panels are removable, so you can at least clean the insides of dust and hair relatively easily. Removing the panels gives you access to a storage expansion slot, though we haven’t been able to test this out yet, as Sony says SSD expansion isn’t available at launch. The storage situation for the console is a bit of a question mark, though you do have the ability to load PS4 games from USB storage. (In terms of usable space, the PS5 comes with 667.2GB, with the rest of the internal hard drive reserved for system data.)
The PS5’s DualSense controller.
A closer look at the top of the PS5 console. The back of the DualSense controller has a grip texture made up of classic PlayStation iconography.
One of the most surprising things about the PS5 hardware has been how quiet it is. I haven’t heard a sound while playing with it over the past 10 days, and it doesn’t give off much heat either. It’s a big change from my PS4, which sounds like a jet engine every time I hop into a match of Fortnite. Of course, the PS5 is virtually brand-new, and it’s entirely possible it will get noisier over time. In terms of ports, the PS5 features three USB-A ports (two on the back, one in front), a USB-C port on the front, an Ethernet port, and an HDMI 2.1 port on the back.
As wild as it looks, the most interesting thing about the PS5 hardware isn’t the console itself; it’s the new DualSense controller. It’s the first major redesign of the PlayStation controller since Sony introduced twin-sticks, and it’s a deceptively subtle change. In your hands, the DualSense is slightly larger and heavier than a DualShock, but it’s still comfortable and familiar. It has a dual-tone design that matches the PS5, and the button layout is virtually unchanged from the PS4, though the touch panel and rear triggers are slightly larger.
Meanwhile, the home button — previously, a simple circle that rests in between the sticks — is now an etched PlayStation logo. It looks cool, but I found it harder to find when I wasn’t looking at the controller. You charge it via USB-C, and I was able to get around 6–7 hours of playtime on a charge, which is comparable to the DualShock 4. This means, like the DualShock 4, you’ll probably need to charge it regularly. But you do get a more advanced gamepad for roughly the same battery life.
The big changes are inside, however. The DualSense controller is outfitted with new adaptive triggers with variable tension, offering physical resistance depending on what you’re doing. At the same time, the controller features haptic feedback in the form of more subtle vibrations that give you a better sense of what’s happening in a game. It may sound like a gimmick, and reminiscent of similar, failed technologies like HD rumble on the Nintendo Switch. But thankfully, the PS5 comes with just the right game to show what the DualSense can do.
Games you can feel
Each PlayStation 5 comes bundled with a game called Astro’s Playroom. It’s a seemingly simple third-person platforming game starring cute robots, the kind of game you’d expect to come out of Nintendo. It’s also an experience explicitly designed to showcase the DualSense controller’s myriad features.
The haptics are obvious from the moment you start playing. As you move the lead character, Astro, around, you can feel subtle footsteps in your hands, and they alternate left to right to mimic those steps. That’s cool, but things get even more interesting when you walk on different surfaces. It’s hard to put into words, but there’s a graininess when you’re walking on sand, and a surprisingly accurate flat “slap” feeling when Astro dives into a pool of water. In one sequence, you can feel the pitter-patter of rain in your palms, and when it changes to freezing rain, the sensation shifts to be sharper and heavier.
These elements don’t fundamentally change the way Astro’s Playroom plays, but they add another layer of feedback that further immerses you in the experience. This is especially true when most of the haptic sensations are accompanied by sounds from the DualSense’s built-in speaker. You could close your eyes and still know it’s rainy or windy or that a flying car just zipped past you.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Bugsnax. Astro’s Playroom.
The same goes for the adaptive triggers. Most of the time, the DualSense triggers act just like the triggers on a classic PlayStation controller: they’re basic buttons. But during certain sequences, they change. An obvious example is when Astro picks up a bow-and-arrow, and you can feel the tension in the trigger as you pull back on the string, while later in the game you turn into a spring-powered mech, and the tension builds up as you gather momentum.
Another good example is a capsule toy machine in the game, in which you operate two robotic arms to pull a lever with one hand and then crush them with the other. Each action requires force: you have to push just a bit harder to make the lever go down, and then do it again to crush the plastic toy container. It may sound like a small addition, but it makes these otherwise standard actions into something incredibly satisfying.
In the case of Astro’s Playroom, the controller elevates what might otherwise be a typical platforming game. I found myself exploring new areas and techniques just to see if I could find new sensations. Of course, one great game doesn’t prove the controller isn’t a gimmick. After all, Wii Sports was amazing, but it didn’t exactly usher in an era of motion-controlled games. But there are some good reasons to believe that the DualSense will catch on.
For one thing, it’s additive; designers don’t have to fundamentally change their games to work with the controller the way they would with something like a Wii remote or Kinect. And even at launch, there are already good examples of third-party developers making use of the DualSense.
One is Bugsnax, which will be available for free to PlayStation Plus subscribers when the PS5 launches. It’s sort of like a cross between Pokémon and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. You explore a colorful island in search of little bugs that are actually food and then scan them with a camera. When you do so, the right trigger replicates the classic “thunk” of an old-school camera’s shutter. You can also feel the environment through the haptic feedback: the subtle rumble of thunder in the distance or the splash of jumping into a pond. PS5 launch title Pathless similarly uses subtle haptic vibrations to help you sense nearby monsters stalking you.
Neither game is as impressive as Astro, but they show what’s possible with just a little bit of support. And plenty of other developers have already promised to utilize the controller, including big-name games like Fortnite and NBA 2K.
Outside of what the controller adds, the PS5 benefits from being a more powerful machine compared to its predecessor. This manifests in a few ways. The first is visual. If you have the right TV, the PS5 supports up to 120fps, 4K HDR, and variable refresh rates. Certain titles even utilize ray tracing for more realistic lighting. A great example of this is Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which launches alongside the PS5. The game takes place in New York City during the midst of a snowstorm, and you can really see the difference in the way the sun reflects off the icy roads and glass skyscrapers and more realistic reflections from lights, windows, and puddles.
Games can also run at a higher frame rate, and in some cases, you’re given a choice of what you want to focus on. In Miles Morales, for instance, there are two visual options: “performance,” which prioritizes running at a solid 60fps, and “fidelity,” which utilizes features like ray tracing but drops the frame rate down to 30fps. For a fast-paced action game like Spider-Man, you can really feel the difference: as nice as ray tracing is, it’s hard to go back after swinging around New York at 60fps. Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition has a similar option: you can switch on ray tracing, but you’ll be warned that frame rate might be impacted. Sony also says some games will support 120fps, but I wasn’t able to test this.
Besides performance, the other big change with the PS5 is load times. The console has what Sony describes as an “ultra-high speed SSD,” and the result is games that boot up much faster compared to the PS4. With Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which is a cross-gen game, I was able to start playing in 17 seconds on the PS5, compared to one minute and 27 seconds on the PS4. The differences in load times varied across games, but universally, games booted up faster on the PS5. Here are a few examples. (Note: these examples compare the PS5 to a base model PS4.)
PS5 load times Game PS5 PS4 Spider-Man: Miles Morales 17 seconds 1 minute, 27 seconds No Man's Sky 1 minute, 34 seconds 2 minutes, 52 seconds Final Fantasy VII Remake 35 seconds 1 minute, 29 seconds Genshin Impact 59 seconds 2 minutes, 57 seconds Ghost of Tsushima 1 minute, 4 seconds 1 minute, 10 seconds Days Gone 1 minute, 18 seconds 2 minutes, 54 seconds Death Stranding 54 seconds 1 minute, 50 seconds
These speeds have another benefit. The PS5 introduces a new feature called “activities,” which lets you boot up a game from a specific point directly from the console’s main menu. In an open-world game like Miles Morales, for instance, you can see all of the missions you currently have open from the main PS5 menu and choose to start from one of those specific points. Astro’s Playroom will similarly let you boot up a game from a specific part of a level. And while I haven’t been able to test it just yet, Fortnite developer Epic says this feature will be used so you can pick which mode you want to play and boot into it straight away.
When you put all of this together, you end up simply spending more time playing games and less time messing around in menus or staring at loading screens. This won’t always be a big deal, but it’s amazing when you have just a brief window to play; if I just want to knock out a quick Spider-Man side mission while I have some free time, I can get straight to it in seconds.
The DualSense controller.
Right now, it’s a great feature that makes me more likely to boot up a game than waste 30 minutes in Netflix. But Sony also believes that these near-instantaneous load times could change the way certain games are designed, like with PS5 exclusive Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, which has players zipping back and forth between different dimensions. But without being able to play those games, the impact of the change remains largely theoretical for now. (That said, jumping straight into a level in Astro’s Playroom is incredibly fast.)
I should also note that playing PS4 games on the PS5 is an extremely easy process, particularly when it comes to digital releases. As long as you’re signed in to your PSN account, it’s all just there: the games you own digitally on your PS4 will show up in your library, marked with a small “PS4” badge. I have close to 200 games in my library, and the only titles that were incompatible were the VR spinoff of The Last Guardian and Dragon Quest Heroes II. (Fortnite wasn’t playable either, but Epic has already detailed its plans for launch day support for both next-gen consoles.)
A streamlined interface
Unlike Microsoft, which opted to keep the same interface across all of its Xbox hardware, Sony has redesigned its UI for the PS5. It’s not a huge change, but it’s nicely streamlined. Over the years, my PS4 became cluttered with all kinds of things I didn’t actually use, whereas the PS5 is divided into two obvious categories: games and media. (Note: we’re not able to talk about either the PS5’s new store or the media capabilities until closer to launch.) At first, it seems rather bare-bones. Your most recently played games appear in chronological order, from left to right, with your full library available at the end of the list. You can’t even organize things into folders like with the PS4.
Agree to Continue: PlayStation 5 Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them, since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. To start using a PlayStation 5: You must agree to a PS5 software license agreement
You must have a PlayStation Network account to access the store and many online features You can also say yes or no to: Optional usage data sent to Sony That’s two mandatory agreements and one optional one to use a PS5.
But when you select a particular game, you’re given a lot more information about it. It’s from here that you can choose from the available activities, the feature previously mentioned, as well as your Trophy progress, recent news on the game, or scan through live Twitch and YouTube streams of that particular game. Most of the time, you’ll probably just hit the big “play” button, but there are some useful features here, particularly for bigger games. There’s also a guide feature tied to activities. When you select a particular activity, it might have a help icon attached, which means you can bring up a quick tutorial video to help get you through tough spots. You can even have the video play while you’re inside of the game, picture-in-picture style. It was helpful for playing Astro’s Playroom, but other games promise to offer more extensive tutorials; launch title Demon’s Souls will reportedly include 180 such videos, for instance.
There’s also a redesigned home button menu. Now, when you press the PS logo on the controller, a small overlay appears at the bottom of the screen giving quick access to some more common features. You can check your notifications, adjust the volume, check the battery status of your controller or headphones, or even choose to broadcast directly from a streaming platform. There’s also an app switcher, though, unfortunately, it doesn’t suspend games for easy access like the Xbox’s new “quick resume” feature. Instead, it’s just a list of the last few games or apps you used. You’ll still need to boot them back up when you jump in.
As with the PS4, the DualSense controller has a built-in share button, but the sharing tools have been revamped slightly. You can still immediately take a screenshot by holding the button for a few seconds. But a quick press will bring up a new menu that gives you a few options. You can grab a screenshot, record the last few minutes of gameplay, start recording right then, or kick off a live broadcast. You can also edit and post screenshots and video without actually leaving the game. It makes the whole process quite a bit faster, which is important when you need to capture a match-winning Fortnite play.
Everything else is stuffed away in the settings menu, but there are some extremely helpful features there if you do some digging. In the game / app settings menu, for instance, you can choose from several default presets. You can make it so all games are set to easy by default, for instance, or choose whether you want games to play in “performance” or “resolution” modes. You can even choose whether you want first- or third-person games to default to a normal or inverted camera. It sounds small, but it saves you from having to fiddle with these settings within each individual game; you do it once from the main PS5 menu, and you’re set. As someone who absolutely has to have subtitles on while playing, I’m glad I don’t have to remember to turn them on for each individual game.
A great first impression
Reviewing a video game console before it’s even out is always a tricky thing. There are just so many unknowns. Will developers really make use of the DualSense’s unique features? Will games like Ratchet and Clank utilize the PS5’s fast loading times to change the way game worlds are designed? And just how long will the UI remain uncluttered as more features and services are added? My experience playing the PS5 today will be very different compared to playing it in a year or two.
Physically, the PS5 is a brash, intimidating piece of hardware, one that is clearly meant to signal a major shift. But underneath, its changes are much more subtle — at least right now. This isn’t the move from SD to HD, or watching Mario explore a 3D space for the very first time. Instead, it’s a series of smaller — though still important — shifts, like faster speeds and a more immersive controller, which all add up to a markedly better experience compared to the PS4 by every conceivable metric (aside from the space it takes up). I can’t tell you what the future holds, but right now, the PS5 is a great piece of hardware.


theverge--2020-11-06--How to preorder Apple’s HomePod mini

How to preorder Apple’s HomePod mini

Apple announced its second smart speaker to date , the HomePod mini , during its hardware event in October .
The device is now available for order for $ 99 .
Apple also opened up orders for the iPhone 12 mini and 12 Pro Max , and we ’ ve laid out all the best preorder deals for both phones in a separate article .
The HomePod mini is a smaller version of the original HomePod .
It features a spherical design with one speaker , and retains the mesh fabric exterior and a small LED display on the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pair two HomePod minis to use in a stereo configuration .
We ’ ll be reviewing the HomePod mini soon , but if you are interested in placing an order ahead of time , we compiled a list of retailers that currently have product listings available for the HomePod mini .
You can buy the device directly from Apple ’ s website .
If you are looking to buy from a retail store , right now , Best Buy , B & H Photo , and Target all have the HomePod mini for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ options , space gray and white , available .

Apple announced its second smart speaker to date, the HomePod mini, during its hardware event in October. The device is now available for order for $99. Apple also opened up orders for the iPhone 12 mini and 12 Pro Max, and we’ve laid out all order deals for both phones in a separate article.
The HomePod mini is a smaller version of the original HomePod. It features a spherical design with one speaker, and retains the mesh fabric exterior and a small LED display on the top of the device. You can also pair two HomePod minis to use in a stereo configuration.
Apple’s HomePod mini Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
We have a review of the HomePod mini if you are curious to know our thoughts on it, but if you are interested in placing an order ahead of time, we compiled a list of retailers that currently have product listings available for the HomePod mini.


theverge--2020-11-06--The Verge’s 10 favorite gadgets that cost less than $50

While most of us wouldn ’ t say no to a $ 6,000 Apple Mac Pro or an $ 1,100 electric bike , sometimes it ’ s just as much fun to be gifted a low-cost gadget that is just fun or useful .
It may not let you edit your latest video or take you to the store , but it will help your computing be easier , keep your tech clean , cook a healthy meal , or just make you smile .
We asked some of the staff at The Verge to tell us about stuff that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 .
We ’ ve divided their responses into two categories : tech gadgets and household items .
Take a look .
8BitDo makes a lot of wireless gamepads .
There are wireless NES pads , wireless Super Nintendo pads , even a wireless TurboGrafx pad .
They come in Bluetooth varieties — great for pairing with your phone or computer , but with some inevitable latency — and a speedier 2.4GHz option if latency trumps flexibility in your book .
But out of all these possible flavor combos , my favorite 8BitDo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which uses Bluetooth .
I use it on my laptop for 2D platformers , I use it on my Android phone , and on the Analogue Mega SG it was sold alongside .
But the place I use it the most is my MiSTer FPGA console .
Cycling through games from the Atari up to the Neo Geo , there ’ s very little the M30 isn ’ t beautifully suited for .
And at $ 30 , it ’ s a no-brainer for any retro gaming fan .
These are my favorite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need some headphones to listen to music off your computer or take Zoom calls , they ’ ll do the job just fine .
Sure , they aren ’ t the greatest-sounding headphones in the world — but they ’ re $ 15 as I write this , and they sound good enough at that price .
And because they ’ re so cheap , if I lose them , it ’ s not a huge bite out of my wallet to replace them .
At the beginning of the pandemic , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mark II mirrorless camera , and included with the purchase was the ProOptic Cleaning Kit .
It was a freebie I was certain I ’ d just toss in the trash or set out on my stoop for someone to take .
But this $ 20 kit has come in handy many times for reasons related to photo shoots — as expected — and also for other things .
The pieces inside are great when used for cleaning glasses , and I ’ ve found it to come in particularly handy when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protector on my phone and Nintendo Switch .
It comes with a squeezable dust blaster and other gadgets that make it easy to clean a screen and wipe away various particulates .
Are you a photographer who likes to hike and take lots of pictures that you want to back up from your phone to your own local media — but you don ’ t want to take your laptop with you ?
Have you heard of the Gnarbox SSDs , but you don ’ t want to spend $ 500 or more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be perfect for you .
RAVPower ’ s FileHub is a single click backup option , but without the built-in SSD .
FileHub connects to your phone ( or laptop ) via Wi-Fi and , using a proprietary app , works as a file management system between that and a hard drive or SSD , transferring your data from one to the other .
This device also has an Ethernet port , which means you can turn it into a Wi-Fi hotspot .
Perfect for those hotel Wi-Fi spots that are limited to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can also double as an external battery , although personally I ’ d save battery life for other tasks .
There are some downsides .
The app isn ’ t anything pretty to look at , but it still does the job relatively well .
And what I mean by “ relatively well ” is that the transfers take a very long time .
I ’ d never use this as my primary backup device , but it ’ s a good option to have for redundancy ’ s sake .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years before I bothered to actually buy a wireless charger , and I ’ m glad that I did .
While I still charge my phone overnight by default , it ’ s great being able to quickly pop it onto an Anker charging stand while I ’ m sitting at my desk to keep it topped up with power throughout the day — plus , it just looks neat and tidy .
If your phone already supports wireless charging , then this is a cheap and simple way to get more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is great .
Relaxing on a couch while working is also great .
But not all my plugs are in reach .
This 10-foot-long USB-C cable is the answer — long enough to reach across most rooms with ease , with a durable braided construction and support for up to 100W USB-C PD fast charging .
Household and just for fun Can you cook rice on a stovetop ?
Of course .
But why would you ?
A rice cooker frees up your stove ’ s burners and makes the whole process basically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of your meal .
If you ’ re a connoisseur , you can spend hundreds of dollars on a big cooker with specialized settings .
If you just want decent rice made quickly , though , my cheap Proctor Silex has stood up to years of frequent use with very little hassle .
I like a nice bowl of cereal every now and then , but I always hate it when my cereal gets soggy .
Since I work from home and have a lot of expensive stuff on my desk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I will clumsily spill the entire bowl on my desk .
The Crunch Cup allows me to get the crunchiness in every bite of my cereal and also maintain less mess on my desk .
Is it an over-glorified sippy cup ?
Yes , but it is super convenient and it makes multitasking much easier for me .
This low-tech classic camera has made some of my favorite photographing memories .
It ’ s all plastic and has a fixed setting of 60mm f/8 using medium-format 120 film .
The Holga has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the charm in the imperfections it creates .
There is an artistry to taping the camera in different ways to block light leaks and other quirks , and the occasional softness from bowing film or the vignetting look is where Instagram got the look for its filters .
I ’ ve got a house that is full of stuff — gadgets , books , keepsakes , pens , old Fresh Direct bags , you name it — and as a result , I am forever losing my keys , my reading glasses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So a product like the Chipolo Ocean Edition tracker is perfect for somebody like me .
It ’ s not the most well-known tracker on the market — that honor goes to Tile — but this one has the added ethical attraction of being made from recycled fishing nets ( and it ’ s a really nice blue color as well ) .
At $ 30 , it ’ s $ 5 more than the most basic Tile ( and $ 5 more than the equally basic Chipolo One tracker ) , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the extra five spot to feel better about the purchase .

While most of us wouldn’t say no to a $6,000 Apple Mac Pro or a $1,100 electric bike, sometimes it’s just as much fun to be gifted a low-cost gadget that is just fun or useful. It may not let you edit your latest video or take you to the store, but it will help your computing be easier, keep your tech clean, cook a healthy meal, or just make you smile.
We asked some of the staff at The Verge to tell us about stuff they like that costs less than $50. We’ve divided their responses into two categories: tech gadgets and household items. Take a look.
Tech Gadgets
8BitDo M30 wireless controller
8BitDo M30 Photo: 8BitDo
8BitDo makes a lot of wireless gamepads. There are wireless NES pads, wireless Super Nintendo pads, even a wireless TurboGrafx pad. They come in Bluetooth varieties — great for pairing with your phone or computer, but with some inevitable latency — and a speedier 2.4GHz option if latency trumps flexibility in your book. But out of all these possible flavor combos, my favorite 8BitDo controller is the Sega Genesis-themed M30, which uses Bluetooth. I use it on my laptop for 2D platformers, I use it on my Android phone, and on the Analogue Mega SG it was sold alongside. But the place I use it the most is my MiSTer FPGA console. Cycling through games from the Atari up to the Neo Geo, there’s very little the M30 isn’t beautifully suited for. And at $30, it’s a no-brainer for any retro gaming fan. —Christopher Grant, SVP, The Verge and Polygon
Panasonic ErgoFit earbuds
Panasonic ErgoFit earbuds Photo: Panasonic
These are my favorite ultra-cheap wired headphones. If you just need some headphones to listen to music off your computer or take Zoom calls, they’ll do the job just fine. Sure, they aren’t the greatest-sounding headphones in the world — but they’re $15 as I write this, and they sound good enough at that price. And because they’re so cheap, if I lose them, it’s not a huge bite out of my wallet to replace them. —Jay Peters, news writer
ProOptic Complete Optics Care and Cleaning Kit
ProOptic Complete Optics Care and Cleaning Kit Photo: Adorama
At the beginning of the pandemic, I treated myself to an Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II mirrorless camera, and included with the purchase was the ProOptic Cleaning Kit. It was a freebie I was certain I’d just toss in the trash or set out on my stoop for someone to take. But this $20 kit has come in handy many times for reasons related to photoshoots — as expected — and also for other things. The pieces inside are great when used for cleaning glasses, and I’ve found it to come in particularly handy when I’m installing a new glass screen protector on my phone and Nintendo Switch. It comes with a squeezable dust blaster and other gadgets that make it easy to clean a screen and wipe away various particulates. —Cameron Faulkner, writer
RavPower FileHub Wireless Travel Router
RavPower FileHub AC750 Photo: RavPower
Are you a photographer who likes to hike and take lots of pictures that you want to back up from your phone to your own local media but you don’t want to take your laptop with you? Have you heard of the Gnarbox SSDs, but you don’t want to spend $500 or more on one? Well, this might be perfect for you. RavPower’s FileHub is a single click backup option, without the built-in SSD.
FileHub connects to your phone (or laptop) via Wi-Fi and, using a proprietary app, works as a file management system between that and a hard drive or SSD, transferring your data from one to the other. This device also has an Ethernet port, which means you can turn it into a Wi-Fi hotspot. It’s perfect for those hotel Wi-Fi spots that are limited to only one device. Double bonus: it can also double as an external battery (although I’d save battery life for other tasks).
There are some downsides: the app isn’t anything pretty to look at, but it still does the job relatively well — and by “relatively well,” I mean the transfers take a very long time. I’d never use this as my primary backup device, but it’s a good option to have for redundancy’s sake. (Note: the FileHub N300 is the one described here; the current version is the FileHub AC750.) —Vjeran Pavic, senior director, video
RavPower FileHub AC750 $ 40 $ 60 33 % off $ 40 $ 40 $ 60 33 % off Wireless travel router $40 at RavPower
Anker PowerWave Stand
Anker PowerWave Stand Photo: Anker
I owned a phone that supported wireless charging for years before I bothered to actually buy a wireless charger, and I’m glad that I did. While I still charge my phone overnight by default, it’s great being able to quickly pop it onto an Anker charging stand while I’m sitting at my desk to keep it topped up with power throughout the day — plus, it just looks neat and tidy. If your phone already supports wireless charging, then this is a cheap and simple way to get more functionality out of it. —Jon Porter, reporter
Anker PowerWave 2-in-1 Charging Stand $ 19 $ 31 39 % off $ 19 $ 19 $ 31 39 % off Anker’s PowerWave stand is a 2-in-1 wireless charger that can juice your iPhone and Apple Watch simultaneously. The double charger comes in either white or black, and can charge your iPhone or any other Qi-compatible smartphone. It’s available at Amazon for $19 with promo code AK259521. $19 at Amazon
Uni 10-foot USB-C cable
Uni 10-foot-long USB-C cable Photo: Uni
USB-C charging is great. Relaxing on a couch while working is also great. But not all my plugs are in reach. This 10-foot-long USB-C cable is the answer. It’s long enough to reach across most rooms with ease, with a durable braided construction and support for up to 100W USB-C PD fast charging. —Chaim Gartenberg, news editor
Household and just for fun
Proctor Silex Rice Cooker
Proctor Silex rice cooker Photo: Proctor Silex
Can you cook rice on a stovetop? Of course. But why would you? A rice cooker frees up your stove’s burners and makes the whole process basically automatic, so you can concentrate on the rest of your meal. If you’re a connoisseur, you can spend hundreds of dollars on a big cooker with specialized settings. If you just want decent rice made quickly, though, my cheap Proctor Silex has stood up to years of frequent use with very little hassle. —Adi Robertson, senior reporter
The CrunchCup
The CrunchCup Photo: Crunch Tech
I like a nice bowl of cereal every now and then, but I always hate it when my cereal gets soggy. Since I work from home and have a lot of expensive stuff on my desk, I have this rational fear that I will clumsily spill the entire bowl on my desk. The Crunch Cup allows me to get the crunchiness in every bite of my cereal and also maintain less mess on my desk. Is it an over-glorified sippy cup? Yes, but it is super convenient and it makes multitasking much easier for me. —Taylor Lyles, writer
Holga 12N Plastic Camera
Holga 120N plastic camera Photo: Holga
This low-tech classic camera has made some of my favorite photographing memories. It’s all plastic and has a fixed setting of 60mm f/8 using medium-format 120 film. The Holga has a cult following because of its price and the charm in the imperfections it creates. There is an artistry to taping the camera in different ways to block light leaks and other quirks, and the occasional softness from bowing film or the vignetting look is where Instagram got the look for its filters. —Amelia Holowaty Krales, staff photographer
Chipolo Ocean Edition tracker
Chipolo Ocean Edition Photo: Chipolo
I’ve got a house that is full of stuff — gadgets, books, keepsakes, pens, old Fresh Direct bags, you name it — and as a result, I am forever losing my keys, my reading glasses, and my phone amid the chaos. So a product like the Chipolo Ocean Edition tracker is perfect for somebody like me. It’s not the most well-known tracker on the market — that honor goes to Tile — but this one has the added ethical attraction of being made from recycled fishing nets (and it’s a really nice blue color as well). At $29, it’s about $5 more than the most basic Tile (and $5 more than the equally basic Chipolo One tracker), but I’m willing to fork out the extra five-spot to feel better about the purchase. —Barbara Krasnoff, reviews editor


theverge--2020-11-06--Here are the best preorder deals on the iPhone 12 mini and 12 Pro Max

October saw the iPhone 12 line ’ s reveal , along with the release of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro .
The other two phones in the lineup , the 12 mini and the 12 Pro Max , which are the smallest and biggest models , respectively , are now available for preorder .
Apple has also opened preorders for the HomePod mini , which costs $ 99 ; we ’ ve detailed how to order that device in a separate article .
If you are looking to upgrade your phone and grab the latest iPhone , it can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compare each iPhone 12 family , my colleague Chaim Gartenberg wrote an in-depth article detailing key differences between each model .
Below , we tell you where you can order the latest iPhone 12 mini and 12 Pro Max and what deals you can get from each retailer .
Where to buy the iPhone 12 mini • You can order the iPhone 12 mini directly through Apple ’ s website , starting at $ 699 if you activate it on a carrier plan .
If you have an iPhone 11 Pro Max , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in credit toward your purchase thanks to Apple ’ s trade-in program .
• AT & T has a promotion that includes $ 700 off the iPhone 12 line ; this includes the iPhone 12 mini , which would be free for new and existing customers .
To receive this offer , customers will need to purchase the device on a 30-month AT & T installment plan ( the carrier will issue a monthly credit ) .
You must also subscribe to an AT & T unlimited plan and trade in a phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ valued at $ 95 or more .
• T-Mobile is offering a similar deal on the iPhone 12 mini , allowing customers to get the phone for free with an eligible trade-in and new phone line .
T-Mobile and Sprint legacy customers who have been with the carrier for more than five years can get a $ 200 rebate on any new iPhone when they trade in an active iPhone on an eligible plan .
• Verizon is offering the iPhone 12 mini for $ 699 , or $ 29.16 per month for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as $ 12 a month if you trade in select phones , including the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus .
New customers can get the iPhone 12 mini for free if they switch from another carrier .
Or , they can get the iPhone 12 mini for free when adding a new unlimited plan and buying an iPhone 12 or 12 mini .
• Best Buy is offering the iPhone 12 mini starting at $ 699 , or $ 29.16 a month for 24 months if you choose Verizon or Sprint , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months with AT & T if you activate the phone today .
Best Buy is offering the iPhone 12 for free with eligible trade-ins .
New Sprint customers can get the phone for $ 630 , or $ 28.33 a month for 24 months .
• You can buy the iPhone 12 mini at Target , but the only carrier it ’ s currently offering is AT & T .
Where to buy the iPhone 12 Pro Max • You can order the iPhone 12 Pro Max directly through Apple ’ s website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have an iPhone 11 Pro Max , you can get up to $ 500 in credit toward your purchase thanks to Apple ’ s trade-in program .
• AT & T is offering the iPhone 12 Pro Max for $ 399 , or $ 13.30 a month for 30 months .
Customers looking to get this deal will need to purchase the device on a 30-month AT & T installment plan ( the carrier will issue a monthly credit , so if you pay it off early you won ’ t get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subscribe to an AT & T unlimited plan and trade in a phone that is both in good condition and valued at $ 95 or more .
• T-Mobile customers can get two iPhone 12 Pro Max phones with two new lines of unlimited 5G data for $ 100 a month with an eligible trade-in .
T-Mobile and Sprint legacy customers who have been with the carrier for more than five years can get a $ 200 rebate on any new iPhone when they trade in an active iPhone on an eligible plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 Pro Max for $ 1,099 , or $ 36.66 per month for 30 months , or $ 45.83 per month for 24 months .
New customers can get the iPhone 12 Pro Max for free if they switch from another carrier .
Or , they can get the iPhone 12 mini for free when adding a new unlimited plan and buying an 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max .
• Best Buy is offering the iPhone 12 Pro Max starting at $ 1,099 , or $ 45.83 a month for 24 months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want AT & T as your carrier , you can get the phone for $ 36.67 a month for 30 months .
New Sprint customers can get the phone for $ 1,000 , or $ 43.74 a month for 24 months .
Best Buy is offering the iPhone 12 for free with eligible trade-ins .
• You can buy the iPhone 12 Max at Target , but the only carrier it ’ s currently offering is AT & T .

October saw the iPhone 12 line’s reveal, along with the release of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro. The other two phones in the lineup, the 12 mini and the 12 Pro Max, which are the smallest and biggest models, respectively, are now available. Apple has also opened up orders for the HomePod mini, which costs $99; we’ve detailed how to order that device in a separate article.
If you are looking to upgrade your phone and grab the latest iPhone, it can be overwhelming. If you want to compare each iPhone 12 family, my colleague Chaim Gartenberg wrote an in-depth article detailing key differences between each model.
Below, we tell you where you can order the latest iPhone 12 mini and 12 Pro Max and what deals you can get from each retailer.
iPhone 12 mini Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge
Where to buy the iPhone 12 mini
You can order the iPhone 12 mini directly through Apple’s website, starting at $699 if you activate it on a carrier plan. If you have an iPhone 11 Pro Max, you can get up to $500 in credit toward your purchase thanks to Apple’s trade-in program.
AT&T has a promotion that includes $700 off the iPhone 12 line; this includes the iPhone 12 mini, which would be free for new and existing customers. To receive this offer, customers will need to purchase the device on a 30-month AT&T installment plan (the carrier will issue a monthly credit). You must also subscribe to an AT&T unlimited plan and trade in a phone that is both in good condition and valued at $95 or more.
T-Mobile is offering a similar deal on the iPhone 12 mini, allowing customers to get the phone for free with an eligible trade-in and new phone line. T-Mobile and Sprint legacy customers who have been with the carrier for more than five years can get a $200 rebate on any new iPhone when they trade in an active iPhone on an eligible plan.
Verizon is offering the iPhone 12 mini for $699, or $29.16 per month for 24 months, or for as low as $12 a month if you trade in select phones, including the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. New customers can get the iPhone 12 mini for free if they switch from another carrier. Or, they can get the iPhone 12 mini for free when adding a new unlimited plan and buying an iPhone 12 or 12 mini.
Best Buy is offering the iPhone 12 mini starting at $699, or $29.16 a month for 24 months if you choose Verizon or Sprint, or $23.34 a month for 30 months with AT&T if you activate the phone today. Best Buy is offering the iPhone 12 for free with eligible trade-ins. New Sprint customers can get the phone for $630, or $28.33 a month for 24 months.
You can buy the iPhone 12 mini at Target, but the only carrier it’s currently offering is AT&T.
Visible has the iPhone 12 mini (Unlocked) starting at $744. Alongside a new phone, if you bring your number to Visible, the retailer will give you a pair of Bose Wireless Headphones + $50 to spend online.
Related How to choose between all the new iPhone 12 models
iPhone 12 Pro Max Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge
Where to buy the iPhone 12 Pro Max


theverge--2020-11-06--Spider-Man: Miles Morales gives a fresh style to an already great game

In a lot of ways , the latest Spider-Man game is similar to the PS4 hit from 2018 .
That game managed to capture the joy of being a webslinger just about perfectly : swinging through the streets of New York , using webs to dispatch criminals , and clinging to a ceiling as you sneak through a villain ’ s base .
Few games captured the sense of being a specific superhero the way Spider-Man did .
The new spin-off , which launches alongside the PS5 next week , offers all of those same elements , but in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all thanks to a new lead .
There are key differences between Peter Parker and Miles Morales as characters , and this is a game that really understands that .
Yes , it ’ s a spinoff that ’ s slightly smaller in scale .
But it also presents an interesting twist on an already great game .
It ’ s not just more of the same : it ’ s more , but with a brand-new vibe .
Spider-Man : Miles Morales takes place not long after the original game , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still working alongside each other as complementary Spider-Men .
It seems the training has gone well : soon enough Peter abruptly announces that he ’ s going on vacation for a few weeks , leaving Miles as New York ’ s only webslinger .
At the same time , Miles and his mom have recently moved to Harlem , and he ’ s still getting used to both the new neighborhood and his mother ’ s budding political career .
Oh , and the neighborhood is also under siege from both a seemingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-tech criminals called the Underground that look straight out of Watch Dogs .
It ’ s not exactly the best time to be a solo Spider-Man .
Like the original , Miles Morales is structured as a fairly standard open world game , with a big map full of points of interest to seek out .
There ’ s a main storyline to play through , which will probably take around 10 hours to finish , along with copious side activities like solving petty crimes , collecting time capsules , and , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this rote structure work , though , is how incredibly fun it is to be Spider-Man .
In most open world games I ignore side missions because they ’ re a chore .
In Spider-Man I do almost everything because I enjoy swinging across the cityscape and climbing buildings .
Playing Spider-Man can almost be like playing Tony Hawk ’ s Pro Skater at times ; movement is so fluid and fun that it changes how you view the urban landscape around you .
I find myself constantly seeking out new ways to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adds a completely superfluous but extremely enjoyable THPS-style trick system so you can swing in style . )
What makes this spinoff different is the tone .
As much as I love Peter Parker and appreciate what he does , he can be , well , obnoxious .
This is especially true over the course of a 30-plus-hour game when his constant jokes start to grate .
For me at least , Miles is much more likeable , and the game really goes out of its way to embrace this .
There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set the table for Christmas dinner , and he gets phone calls from his mom about picking up milk while in the midst of chasing a supervillain .
The game provides a nice twist on his story ... though I obviously won ’ t spoil much here .
But suffice it to say Miles ’ family and friends become deeply entwined in the escalating conflict in Harlem .
I wouldn ’ t call the story groundbreaking in any way but , like the original , it ’ s an exceedingly well done example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can probably predict most of the beats , but that doesn ’ t mean you won ’ t feel them when they eventually hit .
The changes to the game are more than just narrative .
Miles has his own unique powers that nicely build off what Peter can do .
The most notable are his ability to turn invisible and channel bioelectricity .
In practice , these add some really cool elements to the game .
Miles has all kinds of electro-powered special attacks , and stealth missions actually become fun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn invisible .
I absolutely loved jumping down , knocking out a criminal , and then disappearing — much to the confusion of the rest of the goons loitering around .
These abilities expand the scope of what you can do in the game in a way that feels natural , though I will say Miles Morales has a few too many electricity-related puzzles .
Get ready to power up a lot of generators .
Much like its predecessor , Miles Morales doesn ’ t take itself too seriously .
Yes , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filled with dramatic twists and spirited cutscenes .
But it ’ s also a game where a superhero uses a TaskRabbit-like app so that citizens can alert him to serious crimes or just straight-up ask for a selfie .
The game is just the right mix of silly and serious .
Perhaps the best example is the unlockable spider suits you gather over the course of the game .
There are familiar and stylish outfits , and ones that tie into the story , but you can also have Miles wear a winter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cat wearing a superhero mask .
Miles Morales is also our first real example of what a cross-generation PlayStation game looks like , as it ’ s available on both the PS4 and PS5 at launch .
Visually , there isn ’ t a huge difference between the two versions .
The game looks great on both platforms , though the PS5 version shines particularly when it comes to gorgeous weather effects , thanks largely to the fact that much of the game takes place amid a winter storm .
You ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glass and ice .
But when it comes to performance , there is a big difference .
Most notably , the game loads a lot faster on PS5 — on average it took about 17 seconds to get into a game from launch on the PS5 , compared to 1:30 on a base PS4 .
On PS5 you can also take advantage of the new “ activities ” feature , which lets you jump right into a mission or side quest from the main console menu .
Meanwhile , on PS5 there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choose to prioritize “ performance ” ( i.e.
, running at 60fps ) or “ fidelity ” ( which runs at 30fps , but takes advantage of high-end visual effects like ray-tracing ) .
These options aren ’ t available on PS4 .
I should note that Miles Morales doesn ’ t take much advantage of the new DualSense controller , with fairly standard vibrations and no real use of the haptic triggers .
It ’ s a great game , but I ’ m not sure how indicative it is of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward .
The game Miles Morales reminds me the most of is Uncharted : The Lost Legacy .
Like that title , it ’ s a smaller-scale spinoff of a blockbuster hit , and one that introduces a new character into the mix .
Both are great examples of how much tone matters : with the same basic framework , Miles Morales still manages to feel fresh and interesting .
It gets what made the original so good and builds off of it in smart ways .
You may be sick of Peter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get sick of being Spider-Man .
launches November 12th on the PS4 and PS5 .

Part of / The best games of 2020
In a lot of ways, the latest Spider-Man game is similar to the PS4 hit from 2018. That game managed to capture the joy of being a webslinger just about perfectly: swinging through the streets of New York, using webs to dispatch criminals, and clinging to a ceiling as you sneak through a villain’s base. Few games captured the sense of being a specific superhero the way Spider-Man did.
The new spin-off, which launches alongside the PS5 next week, offers all of those same elements, but in a refreshed way — and it’s all thanks to a new lead. There are key differences between Peter Parker and Miles Morales as characters, and this is a game that really understands that. Yes, it’s a spinoff that’s slightly smaller in scale. But it also presents an interesting twist on an already great game. It’s not just more of the same: it’s more, but with a brand-new vibe.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales takes place not long after the original game, and at the outset Peter and Miles are still working alongside each other as complementary Spider-Men. It seems the training has gone well: soon enough Peter abruptly announces that he’s going on vacation for a few weeks, leaving Miles as New York’s only webslinger. At the same time, Miles and his mom have recently moved to Harlem, and he’s still getting used to both the new neighborhood and his mother’s budding political career. Oh, and the neighborhood is also under siege from both a seemingly evil technology conglomerate and a band of high-tech criminals called the Underground that look straight out of Watch Dogs. It’s not exactly the best time to be a solo Spider-Man.
Like the original, Miles Morales is structured as a fairly standard open world game, with a big map full of points of interest to seek out. There’s a main storyline to play through, which will probably take around 10 hours to finish, along with copious side activities like solving petty crimes, collecting time capsules, and, of course, rescuing cats. What makes this rote structure work, though, is how incredibly fun it is to be Spider-Man. In most open world games I ignore side missions because they’re a chore. In Spider-Man I do almost everything because I enjoy swinging across the cityscape and climbing buildings. Playing Spider-Man can almost be like playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater at times; movement is so fluid and fun that it changes how you view the urban landscape around you. I find myself constantly seeking out new ways to navigate it. (Miles Morales even adds a completely superfluous but extremely enjoyable THPS-style trick system so you can swing in style.)
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Read next: PS5 review
What makes this spinoff different is the tone. As much as I love Peter Parker and appreciate what he does, he can be, well, obnoxious. This is especially true over the course of a 30-plus-hour game when his constant jokes start to grate. For me at least, Miles is much more likeable, and the game really goes out of its way to embrace this. There’s an early scene when he helps set the table for Christmas dinner, and he gets phone calls from his mom about picking up milk while in the midst of chasing a supervillain. The game provides a nice twist on his story... though I obviously won’t spoil much here. But suffice it to say Miles’ family and friends become deeply entwined in the escalating conflict in Harlem. I wouldn’t call the story groundbreaking in any way but, like the original, it’s an exceedingly well done example of a typical comic book adventure. You can probably predict most of the beats, but that doesn’t mean you won’t feel them when they eventually hit.
The changes to the game are more than just narrative. Miles has his own unique powers that nicely build off what Peter can do. The most notable are his ability to turn invisible and channel bioelectricity. In practice, these add some really cool elements to the game. Miles has all kinds of electro-powered special attacks, and stealth missions actually become fun when you have the ability to temporarily turn invisible. I absolutely loved jumping down, knocking out a criminal, and then disappearing — much to the confusion of the rest of the goons loitering around. These abilities expand the scope of what you can do in the game in a way that feels natural, though I will say Miles Morales has a few too many electricity-related puzzles. Get ready to power up a lot of generators.
Much like its predecessor, Miles Morales doesn’t take itself too seriously. Yes, it’s still a comic book story filled with dramatic twists and spirited cutscenes. But it’s also a game where a superhero uses a TaskRabbit-like app so that citizens can alert him to serious crimes or just straight-up ask for a selfie. The game is just the right mix of silly and serious. Perhaps the best example is the unlockable spider suits you gather over the course of the game. There are familiar and stylish outfits, and ones that tie into the story, but you can also have Miles wear a winter hat and scarf or partner with a cat wearing a superhero mask.
Miles Morales is also our first real example of what a cross-generation PlayStation game looks like, as it’s available on both the PS4 and PS5 at launch. Visually, there isn’t a huge difference between the two versions. The game looks great on both platforms, though the PS5 version shines particularly when it comes to gorgeous weather effects, thanks largely to the fact that much of the game takes place amid a winter storm. You’ll see lots of beautiful reflections off of glass and ice. But when it comes to performance, there is a big difference. Most notably, the game loads a lot faster on PS5 — on average it took about 17 seconds to get into a game from launch on the PS5, compared to 1:30 on a base PS4. On PS5 you can also take advantage of the new “activities” feature, which lets you jump right into a mission or side quest from the main console menu.
Meanwhile, on PS5 there are two graphics options, where you can choose to prioritize “performance” (i.e., running at 60fps) or “fidelity” (which runs at 30fps, but takes advantage of high-end visual effects like ray-tracing). These options aren’t available on PS4. I should note that Miles Morales doesn’t take much advantage of the new DualSense controller, with fairly standard vibrations and no real use of the haptic triggers. It’s a great game, but I’m not sure how indicative it is of what you can expect on the PS5 moving forward.
The game Miles Morales reminds me the most of is Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Like that title, it’s a smaller-scale spinoff of a blockbuster hit, and one that introduces a new character into the mix. Both are great examples of how much tone matters: with the same basic framework, Miles Morales still manages to feel fresh and interesting. It gets what made the original so good and builds off of it in smart ways. You may be sick of Peter Parker, but it’s hard to get sick of being Spider-Man.