Phil Hayton
I’ve been messing around with PCs, video game consoles, and tech since before I could speak. Don’t get me wrong, I kickstarted my relationship with technology by jamming a Hot Wheels double-decker bus into my parent’s VCR, but we all have to start somewhere. I even somehow managed to become a walking, talking buyer’s guide at my teenage supermarket job, which helped me accept my career fate. So, rather than try to realise my musician dreams, or see out my University degree, I started running my own retro pop culture site and writing about video games and tech for the likes of TechRadar, The Daily Star, and the BBC before eventually ending up with a job covering graphics card shenanigans at PCGamesN. Now, I’m your friendly neighbourhood Hardware Editor at GamesRadar, and it’s my job to make sure you can kick butt in all your favourite games using the best gaming hardware, whether you’re a sucker for handhelds like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch or a hardcore gaming PC enthusiast.
Latest articles by Phil Hayton
My favorite Xbox controller is making a comeback, and it’s immune to stick drift
By Phil Hayton published
News Hyperkin is cooking up a new version of the original Xbox Controller S controller dubbed the "DuchesS", and it's immune to the horrors of stick drift.
Intel is already a step ahead with Arc graphics cards, and that pleases me
By Phil Hayton published
CES 2024 Intel says it's already working on a successor to its next wave of Arc graphics cards, and Battlemage is almost ready to storm the GPU battlefield.
I’m actually excited for this new Acer 3D monitor, and it’s thanks to Dark Souls
By Phil Hayton published
CES 2024 Acer just announced a new Predator SpatialLabs View 27 monitor, and I'm itching to play Dark Souls Remastered on PC in stereoscopic 3D.
I’m glad the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT has more VRAM, but the price is an issue
By Phil Hayton published
CES 2024 The new AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT features double the VRAM compared to its non-XT predecessor, but not much else has changed with the more expensive card.
Hyperkin is turning my favorite retro console into a handheld, and my backlog is grateful
By Phil Hayton published
CES 2024 The Hyperkin Retron 95 is an upcoming handheld that can run Sega Genesis cartridges and hook up to a TV or monitor using a docking station.
The LG OLED M4 is a glimpse into a cordless TV future, but the gamer in me has concerns
By Phil Hayton published
CES 2024 The new LG OLED M4 brings wireless 4K 144Hz inputs to the table, but there are some caveats to consider if you're into competitive gaming.
I can't stop thinking about this ridiculously small Asus RTX 4070 mini PC
By Phil Hayton published
CES 2024 Asus has unveiled a ROG NUC mini PC that's armed with RTX 4070 graphics and an i9 CPU, and it's not that much bigger than a docked Nintendo Switch.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super is now officially a thing, and I don’t hate its price
By Phil Hayton published
CES 2024 The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super will arrive on the GPU battlefield alongside souped-up versions of the RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 4070 later this month.
I'm going to start streaming again in the new year - here are the PC accessories I'll be using
By Phil Hayton published
Buying guide Here are some of the accessories and peripherals I'll be using to get back into Twitch streaming in 2024, including USB mics, webcams, and capture cards.
I made an arcade light gun setup using a handheld, and you can too over Christmas
By Phil Hayton published
Gifts Here's how to put together an arcade light gun setup at home using a Sinden Lightgun, a gaming handheld like the Ayaneo 2S and other bits over Christmas.
Dough Spectrum One review: “I’m now a Gorilla Glass gaming monitor stan”
By Phil Hayton published
Review The new Dough Spectrum One takes the idea of glossy monitors to the next level by using Gorilla Glass, and the result makes for one of my favorite 4K screens.
This $60 gadget is a must-have for the retro gamers in your life
By Phil Hayton published
Gifts The Super Pocket is one of our favorite budget handhelds, and it could be one of the best last minute Christmas presents for casual players and retro gamers.
The GamesRadar+ Hardware Awards 2023: all the year's best gaming tech
By GamesRadar Staff published
The GamesRadar+ Hardware Awards are in - here are the winners across everything from PC to VR.
I’m not starting Christmas until I get this Sega Dreamcast ornament
By Phil Hayton published
Gifts This Sega Dreamcast Christmas ornament will add some '90s console nostalgia to your tree, and it could be the perfect gift for the retro gamer in your life.
I might put this discounted Simpsons arcade machine up instead of a tree this Christmas
By Phil Hayton published
Deal You can currently grab Arcade1Up's The Simpsons arcade machine for under $400 thanks to a chonky discount over at Amazon right now.
Sinden Lightgun review: “My living room retro arcade dreams are now a reality”
By Phil Hayton published
Review The Sinden Lightgun is the ultimate way to play classic arcade shooters using a modern TV or monitor, and the peripheral feels just like a '90s controller.
I won’t be thinking about the Nintendo Switch 2 over Christmas, and it’s thanks to this upscaler
By Phil Hayton published
news The Marseille mClassic is an HDMI dongle that can smooth out Nintendo Switch visuals and upscale all your favorite adventures to 1440p.
The Lego Atari set is on my Christmas list, and this deal means I might actually get it
By Phil Hayton published
Deal You can currently grab 20% off the Lego Atari 2600 over at Amazon, and the discount brings the dinky retro console homage to its lowest ever price.
Forget the RTX 4050, Nvidia apparently isn't done with the RTX 3050
By Phil Hayton published
News Nvidia Graphics card manufacturers have allegedly been told that an RTX 3050 with 6GB RAM is coming, even though the desktop RTX 4050 is MIA.
Razer Edge review: "An oddball handheld with an off-putting price tag"
By Phil Hayton published
Review The Razer Edge is a powerful mobile gaming handheld, but it'll perform the same tricks as your smartphone and costs the same as a Steam Deck.
Steam survey suggests players are leaving 1440p gaming monitors behind
By Phil Hayton published
News Valve's Steam hardware survey for November suggests 1440p gaming monitor usage is on a decline, as PC players could be now switching to 4K.
PlayStation Portal stick drift is seemingly pretty easy to fix
By Phil Hayton published
News A new PlayStation Portal teardown video by iFixit suggests swapping out thumb sticks suffering from stick drift is easier than with the DualSense.
I am once again asking you to check out an Asus ROG Ally deal
By Phil Hayton published
Deals Another Asus ROG Ally price drop has risen from the ashes of Cyber Monday, and you can now get the Ryzen Z1 model for under $400.