How to Set Up USB Game Controllers on Windows 8. To set up USB game controllers on Windows 8, determine which controller you want to use and follow the steps needed.Narrow your search by entering the specific model name of the Snakebyte Game Controller, or choose from the list of our most popular Snakebyte Game Controller driver.

Gaming on the Mac isn't as big as on PC, but there's still some great games out there for Apple computers. In some cases you'll be OK using a keyboard and mouse, but for a lot of people, kicking back and using a controller is the way to game.

If that sounds like you and you're looking for a good controller, look no further. Here's what to get.

Xbox One controller

You can't just plug and play the Xbox One controller on the Mac, but getting it working really doesn't take much effort. And when it's up and running you'll have one of the best controller experiences on any platform right there for your Mac games.

The Xbox One controller isn't all that expensive and has an offset design for its thumbsticks which many find much more comfortable than Sony's side-by-side arrangement. It's a great size, not too heavy and has nice big bumpers and triggers.

The standard black controller is around $45, but there are a ton of special edition designs out there for various prices that might be more to your liking.

Sony DualShock 4

While the Xbox One controller is preferable for many, others swear by Sony's DualShock 4. It's a very different design but equally proficient in its own right for Mac gaming. Again, it's not exactly plug and play, but the process of making sure it's working properly is very simple.

The DualShock 4 is very comfortable in the hand with great triggers and bumpers, albeit both a little smaller than on something like an Xbox controller. The biggest difference is the side-by-side analog sticks.

It's lightweight so it's great for long gaming sessions, and Sony also has an official adapter to allow you to use it with your Mac wirelessly, though they can be hard to find. But for around $50, this is another great controller and it works perfectly with Steam.

Steam Controller

Steam is more commonly associated with PC gaming but there's still a decent supply of Mac compatible games in there. If this is where you get most of your games from, them the official Steam Controller might be the one for you, and it has full, official Mac support.

It's a bit unusual compared to many controllers, thanks in no small part to the touchpad which you find where you might expect one of the analog sticks. The Steam Controller has been designed so you can play keyboard and mouse games comfortably with a controller.

There's a bit of a learning curve, but when you get used to it it's just as easy to use as any other controller. It sells for $50 but Valve is frequently discounting it, so there's always a chance of a bargain if you can wait until the next sale.

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Fishing time

C.J.'s next Fishing Tourney will be in July

There are four Fishing Tourneys each year in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Here's when they are and what the rules are for participating.

There are a ton of ways to keep your Xbox One controllers topped off, but Snakebyte's new Twin:Charge X solution has ascended to become one of my favorite ways to keep those gamepads powered.

Here's a run down of everything you'll love (and not love) about Snakebyte's Twin:Charge X.

The best charge dock for Xbox

Snakebyte Twin:Charge X

Bottom line: This supremely tidy dock will solve all your Xbox charging needs.

Pros:

• Looks awesome.
• Keeps your play space tidy.
• Batteries have decent longevity.

Cons:

• Can be a little awkward to dock the controller.
• Battery capacity is modest.

What you'll love about the Twin:Charge X

Snakebyte Controller Software

My patience with third-party Xbox accessories generally isn't the highest, particularly when it comes to rechargeable batteries and docking kits. The vast majority on the market use cheap plastics, suffer from critical design flaws, or simply don't work very well. Imagine my delight to find that Snakebyte's new Twin:Charge X managed to tick all the right boxes.

The Twin:Charge X is a dual controller dock designed for use with the Xbox One, but you can just as easily use it for charging Xbox controllers via your PC as well. It's completely USB-based, and comes with two 800 mAH NiMH batteries. Snakebyte doesn't provide any information on the estimated amount of recharges you'll get per battery, but they do hit their target battery life of around 6-8 hours per charge, taking around 1-2 hours to fully recharge from zero.

The batteries themselves take up the full housing of an Xbox One controller, replacing the battery door. They're well-constructed and light, with contact pins and notches on the reverse side for charging while docked.

The design of the Twin:Charge X is truly on point, coming in both white and black flavors to match the Xbox One S and Xbox One X standard models. It has a good amount of weight, meaning it won't slide all over the place when you hook up that cable. The cable length is also very generous and should be adequate for all sorts of setups.

The logo and red/green charging lights are also quite minimalistic too, and won't stick out like a sore thumb in your media center, unlike some other gaudy 'pro gamer' accessories.

Snakebyte Controller Pc

What you'll love less about the Twin:Charge X

My main concern about the Twin:Charge X pertains to the batteries. NiMH-based batteries can be great, particularly Panasonic's Eneloop rechargeables, but off-brand ones can suffer from really poor shelf life. It's hard to tell what the situation will be like for Snakebyte's batteries without extensive, weeks-long testing, so I'll come back here and let you know the situation there a little later. Initial impressions on charge retention are good, though.

The battery capacity is also a little disappointing at 800 mAH. For streamers doing marathon sessions over 6-8 hours, this represents a restriction. The battery itself is designed for any generation of Xbox controller, but at least with the latest Bluetooth model, the fit is incredibly tight. I can see the plastic tab becoming damaged over time due to this, so exercise caution.

The battery also comes with notches to help you guide it into position in the dock, but it still doesn't feel particularly easy to get it into place. It takes a bit of practice to get it in and can be frustrating to figure out initially. They could have done a bit more here to make it easier, perhaps.

Final Thoughts: Snakebyte Twin:Charge X

While the battery capacity isn't massive here, the ability to keep your media center tidy while also keeping your controller batteries topped off makes for a really convenient solution.

I would have liked to have seen higher capacity cells, even if it meant a higher price point, but the fact you get a high-quality dock complete with two batteries for $25 represents truly great value.

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Slow it down

Windows 10 preview build 19041.207 hits Slow ring with handful of fixes

Microsoft pushed another Windows 10 preview build out to Slow ring Insiders today. Like recent updates to the Slow ring, this one is a cumulative update that focuses solely on delivering a handful of fixes.