Nyko Charge Base 3 (for PlayStation 3)

Wireless controllers have made gaming much more convenient, but there's the small matter of keeping them charged up. For the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, this means plugging the controllers into the consoles, bringing us back to our tethered roots. Nyko?s $24.99 (direct) Charge Base 3 for the PlayStation 3, helps by keeping two controllers charged and ready thanks to magnetic adapters.

The Charge Base works by putting small USB connectors (compatible with the Sony DualShock 3 and Sixaxis controllers, but not third-party gamepads or the PlayStation Move controllers) over the ports on the PS3 controllers, then putting the controllers on the base. Magnets keep the controllers aligned and charging, while letting players just stick them on and pull them away with little effort. The charge base holds the controllers vertically, making them look like they?re neatly mounted on a rack instead of just lying on their backs, like the previous version, the Charge Base 2, did. The Charge Base 2 also retails for $5 more, giving the Charge Base 3 even more value over the last model. Indicator lights above the charging ports light up when a controller is connected, after a second delay. Unfortunately, the charging adapter blocks the player indicator lights with awkwardly angled clear plastic, so while you can see that some red is glowing to indicate the controller is on, you can?t easily tell which controller is assigned to which player.

As a charger, the Charge Base 3 does exactly what it says it does. Just plug in the adapter and put the controller on the base, and that?s all you need to do. It?s simple, elegant, and more convenient than the typical mini-USB cord that charges the gamepad. Since it doesn?t change the batteries on the PS3 controller or make any claims beyond simply making the connection to a power source, it doesn?t have much room where it can go wrong without trying. It plugs into a wall outlet, which can be good; on one hand, plugging the charger into the wall means you can keep the gamepads charged even when the console is turned off. On the other hand, you need to have an empty power outlet nearby.

The Nyko Charge Base 3 has the two minor trade-offs of requiring an open power outlet and not being able to charge your controller while you play, but these issues are worth the $25 and the convenience and ease of being able to just stack your controllers neatly on their charger and pull them out with ease. Taking away a USB cable or two from the front of the PS3 and making your home theater a little less cluttered is just a bonus.

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