Technologies

Hands-On With Sony’s DualSense Edge Controller for PlayStation 5

The expensive and pro-style DualSense Edge game controller gives players more customization and performance options.

The DualSense Edge controller is the latest accessory for Sony’s PlayStation 5, and it offers a high degree of customization at an equally high price. The PS5’s default controller, the DualSense, got its name from its ultraspecific vibration functionality. The Edge is a pro-style controller that improves on that by allowing players more options to fine-tune their inputs and, as Sony explains, «craft [their] own unique gaming experience tailored to [their] playstyle.» However, this enhanced customization doesn’t come cheap.

While a typical PS5 controller will cost you around $70, the new DualSense Edge, which comes with some accessories, is $200. Alongside the controller itself, the box includes a carrying case with a pass-through window to allow for charging, a USB-C cable and a connector housing to secure it to the controller, plus two separate options for back paddles and two options for analog stick replacements.

The DualSense and DualSense Edge controller look very similar to one another at first glance. The controllers even weigh just about the same, with the DualSense coming in at around 281 grams while the Edge is slightly more at approximately 325 grams.

The Edge features a textured grip on the handles that helps the controller stay in your hands. It also has grooves on the trigger buttons, which is nice because you can more easily keep your fingers in the proper position. Textures and grooves aside, when the back buttons are removed, the controllers feel almost identical to use. The original DualSense has a notoriously short battery life, around 7 to 10 hours. From my brief testing, I’m disappointed to report that the Edge comes in at an even lower 5 to 7 hours. The included USB-C is pretty long so, fortunately, I could still play games while the controller charged.

More buttons, more options

Pro controllers give players more options for how the buttons and triggers register inputs. When connecting the controller to the PS5 for the first time, a welcome screen shows the different customization options from both a hardware and software perspective. On the hardware side, players can attach either half-dome (rounded and short) or lever (skinny and long) back paddles to the device. These paddles sit close to where the player’s middle or ring fingers rest and can be mapped to any other input on the DualSense Edge. First-person shooter fans often use these to keep their right thumb on the right analog stick so they can aim while still being able to jump or duck (an input often put on the X or O face buttons). While both paddles are comfortable to use, I prefer the half-dome option since it sits a bit further away and can’t be as easily pressed by mistake.

These back paddles are also a great accessibility feature. Players with low range of motion for any of the primary controller fingers (the thumbs or pointer fingers) can swap one of those inputs to the back of the controller where they might have an easier time pressing a button.

The next biggest hardware tweak is in the trigger buttons on top of the controller. Next to each trigger is a mechanical switch that adjusts how much the L2/R2 buttons can be pressed before registering a full push. Players can choose between three ranges of motion. Fans of twitch-based games often prefer shorter distances so they can press quicker and more often. For example, being able to shoot a gun more rapidly will give Call of Duty players an advantage. Microsoft’s Xbox Elite controller has similar options for its triggers and paddles.

Customizing the software

Customization options are set via the PS5 accessories settings screen, and the intensity and deadzone customization options are the most exciting. These menus can adjust how fast the input curves are for any of the controller’s analog inputs. For example, if you want to physically use the full range of the trigger buttons but want the controller to register that input more quickly, you can fine-tune that on a surprisingly granular level. This goes for the analog sticks’ movement, as well. In addition, you can adjust the deadzone (the center part of the stick where the controller registers no input) to be wider.

All of these software options can be saved into a user profile. The DualSense Edge features two Fn (function) buttons, located below the analog sticks. Holding either of them down and pressing any of the face buttons will let you toggle between four assigned profiles. It seems like a missed opportunity that both of these buttons do the same thing when held down and don’t have the ability to map different commands to each one. That said, being able to swap between profiles midgame was quite useful, especially when jumping between different games. For example, Fortnite and Overwatch have different crouch buttons, so using the same profile wouldn’t be helpful.

The DualSense Edge fills a hole that was missing from PlayStation’s portfolio. The controller feels good and offers new and more personal ways for any player to connect with a game, but its high price means it only makes sense for the truly dedicated.

This review is in progress, and we’ll update with additional impressions and a video later this week.

Technologies

I Made Google Translate My Default on iPhone Before a Trip and It Saved Me More Than Once

Google Translate supports far more languages than Apple’s app, and it’s easy to make the switch.

If you’re traveling overseas this summer, the Google Translate app can come in handy to quickly translate a road sign or conversation. The latest Google Translate update allows you to pick the app as your default translation app for Apple iPhones and iPads running iOS and iPadOS 18.4 and later. Previously, you were limited to the built-in Apple option.

Google began leveraging AI to boost Google Translate’s offerings, adding 110 languages last year to increase its total support for 249 languages. Compare that to Apple Translate, which supports 19 languages. Neither Google nor Apple responded to a request for comment.

Both apps offer voice and text translation, including a camera feature that lets you instantly translate by pointing your camera at text. Both also allow you to use translation features without an internet connection, which can come in particularly handy when traveling to more remote locations.

After using both, I found that the Google Translate picked up speech a little quicker so I didn’t have to constantly repeat myself, and the audio pronunciations were a little easier to understand than on Apple Translate. I switched to Google Translate as the default on my iPhone, and here’s how you can, too.

How to set Google Translate as the default on an iPhone or iPad

Setting Google Translate as your default app is simple on an iPhone or iPad, so long as it’s running iOS and iPadOS 18.4 or later.

Download the Google Translate app or update it to the latest version.
Go to the Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
Scroll down to the bottom then select Apps.
Click Default Apps at the top of the screen.
Then choose Translation.
Select Google Translate.

Technologies

The 20 Best PC Games Right Now

Put your gaming computer to the test with the best PC games out right now, including AAA hits like Elden Ring and Black Myth: Wukong as well as indie darlings.

PC gaming gives you the best of most worlds. With a decent budget and some gumption, you can build a solid desktop rig — or you can invest in one of CNET’s best gaming PCs and gain access to a wide world of PC exclusives, indie games and even some titles that were previously exclusive to Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox.

There’s a truly unlimited amount of tags, store queues and interactive recommendations to browse through, and it can get overwhelming trying to find the next best metroidvania, boomer shooter, collectathon or whatever your cup of tea is. PC gamers aren’t lacking for choice.

In fact, between Steam, the Epic Games Store, Game Pass and more, there are thousands upon thousands of games to choose from. One of the biggest issues you can run into with a massive backlog is choice paralysis. Just which are the best PC games out there?

We’re here to help. To narrow your game choices, CNET curated this list of the best PC games you can play right now.

Read more: Best Gaming PC Deals Right Now

TL;DR? These are the 20 best PC games for June 2025

Balatro
Warframe
Baldur’s Gate 3
Overwatch 2
Valorant
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
Elden Ring
Cassette Beasts
Dread Delusion
Celeste
Total War: Pharaoh
Stardew Valley
Lunacid
Black Myth: Wukong
Neon White
Helldivers 2
Risk of Rain 2
Soulstone Survivors
Terraria
Haste

PC gaming FAQs

Recent updates to the list

February 2025: While no new games have been added to the list so far this year, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an early frontrunner. A spate of stellar seasonal events, maps and new heroes has also put Marvel Rivals in contention for the PC hero shooter crown.

Read more: The Best Heroes to Play in Marvel Rivals

June 2025: Added Helldivers 2, Risk of Rain 2, Soulstone Survivors, Terraria and Haste to the list in order to represent both games industry behemoths and indie gaming hidden gems.

How we determined CNET’s best PC games

When creating this list of the best PC games, we factored in how unique and enjoyable these games are for most players. We evaluated criteria including graphical quality, innovative gameplay mechanics and compelling narratives. The picks we made cover a variety of genres from fantasy to retro platformers to shooters to strategy games, and while we favored PC-exclusive games and indie titles you won’t find on Xbox, PlayStation or Nintendo Switch, we also included some can’t-miss games that appear on multiple platforms. If you’re looking for help choosing your next game, CNET’s top PC list is a good place to start narrowing your choices.

Technologies

How to Add These Hidden Music and Apple Intelligence Controls to Your iPhone

One control can Apple’s Visual Intelligence to more devices besides the iPhone 16 lineup.

Apple released iOS 18.4 on March 31, and the update brought bug fixes, new emoji and a new recipes section in Apple News to all iPhones. The update also brought a handful of new controls to the iPhone Control Center, including one that brings Visual Intelligence to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

When Apple released iOS 18 in September, the update remodeled the Control Center to give you more control over how the feature functions. With iOS 18, you can resize controls, assign some controls to their own dedicated page and adjust the placement of controls to your liking. Apple also introduced more controls to the feature, making it a central hub for all your most-used iPhone features.

Read more: Everything You Need to Know About iOS 18

With iOS 18.4, Apple continues to expand the number of controls you can add to the Control Center. If you have the update on your iPhone, you can add ambient music controls, and Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhones get a few AI controls in the menu, too. Here’s what you need to know about the new controls and how to add them to your Control Center.

Ambient Music controls

Apple gave everyone four new controls in the Control Center library under the Ambient Music category. These controls are Sleep, Chill, Productivity and Wellbeing. Each of these controls can activate a playlist filled with music that corresponds to the specific control. Sleep, for instance, plays ambient music to help lull you to bed.

Some studies suggest white noise could help adults learn words and improve learning in environments full of distractions. According to the mental health company Calm, certain kinds of music can help you fall asleep faster and improve the quality of your sleep. So these new controls can help you learn, fall asleep and more.

Here’s how to find these controls.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your Home Screen to open your Control Center.
2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap Add a Control.

You’ll see a section of controls called Ambient Music. You can also search for «Ambient Music» in the search bar at the top of the control library. Under Ambient Music, you’ll see all four controls. Tap one (or all) of them to add them to your Control Center. Once you’ve added one or all the controls to your Control Center, go back to your Control Center and tap one to start playing music.

Here’s how to change the playlist for each control.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your Home Screen to open your Control Center.
2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap the Ambient Music control you want to edit.
4. Tap the playlist to the right of Playlist.

A dropdown menu will appear with additional playlists for each control. If you’re in the Sleep control, you’ll see playlists like Restful Notes and Lo-Fi Snooze. If you have playlists in your Music app, then you’ll also see an option From Library, which pulls music from your library. Tap whichever playlist you want and it will be assigned to that control.

Apple already lets you transform your iPhone into a white noise machine with Background Sounds, like ocean and rain. But Ambient Music is actual music as opposed to more static sounds like in that feature.

Both of these features feel like a way for Apple to present itself as the first option for whenever you want some background music to help you fall asleep or be productive. Other services, like Spotify and YouTube, already have ambient music playlists like these, so this could be Apple’s way of taking some of those service’s audience.

Apple Intelligence controls

Only people with an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max or the iPhone 16 lineup can access Apple Intelligence features for now, and those people got three new dedicated Apple Intelligence controls with iOS 18.4. Those controls are Talk to Siri, Type to Siri and Visual Intelligence.

Here’s how to find these controls.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your Home Screen to open your Control Center.
2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap Add a Control.

Then you can use the search bar near the top of the screen to search for «Apple Intelligence» or you can scroll through the menu to find the Apple Intelligence & Siri section. Tap any (or all) of these controls to add them to your Control Center. While Talk to Siri and Type to Siri controls can be helpful if you have trouble accessing the digital assistant, the Visual Intelligence control is important because it brings the Apple Intelligence feature to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

Visual Intelligence was originally only accessible on the iPhone 16 lineup because those devices have the Camera Control button. With iOS 18.4, Visual Intelligence is now accessible on more devices and people thanks to the titular control in Control Center. But remember, Visual Intelligence is like any other AI tool so it won’t always be accurate. You should double check results and important information it shows you.

For more on iOS 18, here are all the new emoji you can use now and everything you should to know about the recipes section in Apple News. You can also check out all the features included in iOS 18.5 and our iOS 18 cheat sheet.