The new see-through Beats Studio buds along with other transparent tech. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Gadgets, much like fashion, can make style comebacks. For tech: we’ve lived through the ’80s beige keyboards, transitioned to the ’90s with gray and black plastic video game systems plus bright colors for Sony’s Walkman and Nintendo’s Game Boy handhelds, and then, at the turn of the millennium, welcomed the amazing see-through iMacs, N64 controllers, and other gadgets with clear casings.
And just like the return of grunge makeup and baggy jeans, transparent tech is back. See-through devices are leapfrogging over the ’00s piano white iPods, ’10s matte black smartphones, and some of today’s colored aluminum and glass finishes to (hopefully) become the next big trend. Now, we’ve got clear smartphones like the Nothing Phone, see-through earbuds like the Beats Studio buds, colorful translucent shell casings for game consoles, and even chargers and USB-C cables that show off some capacitors for your pleasure.
So dust off your Apple Studio Display CRT monitor, Toys R Us-exclusive Extreme Green colored N64 controller, and your other favorite transparent gadgets as you scroll through all of our clear tech news.
Leaked images reveal a transparent color option for Sony’s new ANC earbuds.
Retro Remake opens preorders for its PS One FPGA clone
Asus announced a NUC AI mini PC topped with a color E Ink display.
Asus just announced the world’s first Thunderbolt 5 eGPU
Hyperkin’s modernized Xbox Controller S is going translucent green.
8BitDo’s new mini Xbox controller fits gamers with smaller hands
You can now buy this nostalgic Game Boy Advance clone
This Game Boy Advance clone could satisfy your purple taco nostalgia
8BitDo added RGB backlights to the new Xbox version of its mechanical keyboard
This killer translucent keyboard kit is on sale for $95
Maybe don’t buy this cool transparent magnetic Sharge battery — a Qi2 version is imminent.
Why I’m returning Meta’s limited-edition translucent Ray-Bans.
A lot of work went into making this transparent iPhone 16 Pro.
Turns out, there are only 7,500 of those clear Meta Ray-Bans…
Meta’s translucent Meta Ray-Bans now come in a crystal-clear colorway.
Meta’s Ray-Bans will now ‘remember’ things for you
Anbernic’s Game Boy Advance SP is now available in three new transparent colors.
New Xbox Design Lab translucent Elite controller options are clearly great
Genki’s transparent PocketPro might be the best-looking 8BitDo gamepad yet.
This tiny gamepad isn’t ‘one-of-a-kind,’ but it sure is adorable.
8BitDo’s new Pro 2 controller colorways are clearly superior.
Microsoft’s new Xbox controller is more translucent than ever before
8BitDo’s $24.99 dock makes your Xbox controllers rechargeable.
Elgato’s limited-edition atomic purple Stream Deck is $35 off for Prime Day
Backbone and Post Malone have collaborated on a new translucent green smartphone controller.
The Beats Solo Buds have a great look and an even better price
Can you resist Anbernic’s Game Boy Advance SP that plays PS1 and N64 games?
The BattlerGC Pro might be the GameCube controller’s final form
The Boring Phone is a nostalgic branding exercise by HMD and Heineken
DJI’s wireless Mic 2 adds noise-canceling and recording quality upgrades.
LG’s other transparent TV is the one I want in my living room.
Samsung’s got its own transparent display.
I’ve looked through LG’s new transparent OLED TV and seen something special
Sharge’s newest sci-fi power banks look pretty sweet in person.
LG puts vacuum tube audio behind transparent OLED display.
Dbrand’s new X-Ray skins let you ‘see inside’ 125 different gadgets
Here is Valve’s own transparent Steam Deck.
Your Asus ROG Ally could be transparent with Jsaux’s RGB backplate
The best price ever on Sharge’s transparent batteries and retro Mac chargers
This limited-edition Flipper Zero is the latest transparent gadget
New Genki ShadowCast video capture card goes ‘Pro,’ Covert Dock gets an upgrade
My favorite Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses feature: they’re a transparent gadget.
The Lamborghini-inspired Dry Studio Black Diamond 75 gaming keyboard is more cool than cringe
The Analogue Pocket is getting a delightful limited-edition transparent version
Microsoft’s Starfield gamepad has windows for triggers.
I have never wanted a PDP gamepad until this very moment.
Transparent batteries are hot.
It’s like if the Game Boy Advance SP was even tinier.
25 years after the iMac, transparent gadgets are coming back.
Jsaux’s Steam Deck RGB transparent cover and docks are now on sale.
See-through VR headsets should be a thing.
Want to see photos of some PlayStation VR 2 prototypes?
If you own a Steam Deck, it should be (at least partially) see-through.
Jsaux’s RGB transparent back cover for Steam Deck is $40 next month.
Carl Pei teases a see-through USB-C cable for the Nothing Phone 2.
iFixit now sells a see-thru 65W USB-C PD power adapter.
I made my PS5 Fire Orange and Atomic Purple with Dbrand’s transparent Darkplates
A fully transparent Steam Deck could soon be yours with these new front plates
Beats Studio Buds Plus review: it’s cool to be clear
It’s not Nothing to manufacture transparent gadgets.
I banished my Joy-Con drift just in time for Zelda.
Case-Mate’s iMac-inspired translucent USB-C chargers are half off
See-thru screen-equipped supercap SSD.
Amazon just spoiled the next Beats earbuds before Apple could even announce them
This $39 Cooler Master case turns your old Framework Laptop parts into a tiny PC
Nothing Ear 2 review: it’s what’s on the inside that counts
Don’t attempt this RGB Steam Deck mod just yet
My favorite new Steam Deck mod is this $30 see-through heatsink backplate
MSI’s new laptop is see-through but not see-through enough
See inside your Steam Deck with JSAUX’s $30 transparent backplate
Nothing Ear Stick review: fewer features, more polish
Nomad’s bringing back the early 2000s with a transparent charging brick
LG Display shows off a versatile lineup of transparent OLED screens at CES 2022
These transparent Apple prototypes clearly show the greatness of see-through gadgets
Microsoft is releasing a translucent controller for Xbox’s 20th birthday
Forza is getting a colorful, translucent controller for Xbox Series X
LG imagines a bed with a hidden see-thru OLED TV set
Kano’s second-generation buildable Windows 10 PC has a faster processor and USB-C
Microsoft’s translucent Xbox controller looks the best in new pink option
How to customize the look of your Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers
Sony’s Death Stranding PS4 has a translucent BB pod controller
LG patents a transparent foldable phone
Microsoft’s translucent Phantom controller now comes in white
Xiaomi is finally being more transparent about its see-through Mi 9
Microsoft’s translucent Phantom Black Xbox controller is a mesmerizing gaming gadget
Leaked parts confirm that Xiaomi’s ‘transparent’ Mi 8 Explorer Edition was too good to be true
Leaked HTC U11 Plus shows a translucent option
This translucent Japanese speaker displays animated lyrics
You have to live life on the edge to get this transparent Galaxy S8 phone
Small Transparent Speaker is a cheaper, smaller transparent speaker
These are transparent directional glass speakers and they look amazing
Panasonic’s transparent display is hard for your eyes to believe
Samsung’s transparent and mirrored displays look like optical illusions
First Click: The clear appeal of transparent gadgets
Microsoft imagines an incredible transparent smart cover for Surface tablets
