Nyko’s been in business for a long time by sticking to a proven product line. There were no great surprises when we visited the peripheral maker’s CES 2014 showcase suite, but the products on display embraced the same welcome emphasis on improving your user experience as a gamer that we’ve come to expect.
While both next-gen consoles have already gotten some love from the previously released Charge Base stations, the PlayStation 4 is due for some additional add-ons in the near future. First up is the PowerPak, an add-on battery that slots into the USB charging port on the back of the DualShock 4. The PS4 controller is rated at 6-8 hours of uninterrupted play time with its built-in 1,000 mAh, and the PowerPak – also 1,000 mAh – effectively doubles that usage time. The battery is shaped to mirror the back of the DualShock 4, so while it adds some heft to the controller, it’s still compatible with the cradle in Nyko’s Charge Base. For PS4 owners with a single controller that don’t have the luxury of being able to switch to another controller during a long, battery draining gaming sessions, this simple addition is a major improvement to the DualShock 4.
The PS4 Intercooler is another Nyko mainstay, designed to connect with the rear of the console and help to disperse heat via built-in fans. The attachment is almost invisible once the console is tucked away in your media center, and it’s designed to ensure that the various ports on the rear side of the PS4 are still easily accessible. Both the PowerPak and the Intercooler are due for release this spring, with a price of $19.99 and $24.99, respectively.
Nyko hasn’t forgotten about the PS Vita. Sony’s little handheld is due for a re-release in the U.S. this year, with a slimmer form factor and a handful of other, minor changes. The popular PS Vita Power Grips will be re-released to pair with the slimmer handheld, with the plastic housing offering a console gamepad-style grip. There’s no release date set for this $19.99 add-on, but you can expect Nyko to reveal it once Sony confirms the U.S. launch timing for the second Vita.
Stepping away from dedicated gaming devices, Nyko is also set to release a wireless charging station for select mobile devices. The Power Base uses the Qi inductive charging standard to feed juice into supported smartphones – notably the Galaxy S4 and Nexus 5 – by resting it in the device’s charging slot. The Nexus 5 supports Qi out of the box, though Galaxy S4 users will have t0 make use of the easily installed Qi charging adaptor by opening up the phone’s battery housing and using the supplied adhesive to fix it in place. This one is also due in the spring, at a price of $39.99.
It’s worth noting that Nyko is looking into wireless charging via magnetic resonance – a new technology that made the rounds at CES this year – but the company has nothing to announce at this time.
All in all, the 2014 lineup of products looks to deliver the same level of quality that users have come to expect. Nyko continues to stick to what it knows, and its customers are better off in the bargain.
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