Although Microsoft started adding Bluetooth support to its latest Xbox One controllers, the older controllers still proved to be a bit of a pain in the ass when it came to using them on a PC. To date, they required you to remain tethered to the PC with wires or to hack together support with USB dongles.
Not anymore.
Microsoft’s new ‘Xbox Wireless’ lets you connect any Xbox accessories to PCs that integrate with the platform. Currently, that’s only one PC, the Lenovo IdeaCentre Y710 Cube. Because of Microsoft’s proprietary wireless communication protocol, other PC makers can’t simply enable this with software. Instead, Microsoft worked with Lenovo to create a solution that involved adding a Xbox Wireless Adapter to the chassis of the PC.
In the future, Microsoft plans to launch a range of these accessories for ‘Xbox Wireless’ through third-party accessory makers like Mad Catz, Razer and Pantronics. It’s also planning to “enable direct integration of Xbox Wirelss into PC motherboards” with hardware partners in the near future. This could mean a wider array of device compatibility is coming.
For now though, enjoy your dongle.
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