Amazon Prime Day tablet deals are officially here, and the good news is that we are seeing some pretty sizeable discounts already. Apple, Samsung, and Lenovo have all had price reductions, and despite the fact that 2026 has been an expensive year for hardware in general, there are some record-low discounts waiting for you to cash in.

Below I've rounded up the best discounts that I've spotted so far, with some deals on the best gaming tablets too. Along with offers on the big-name brands, Amazon's own Fire range is also seeing some reductions that I personally recommend for all budget-friendly gamers. It's also worth noting that Prime Day runs for multiple days this week, so keep an eye on this page as more deals get added as price drops continue.

With all that out of the way, let's get into the fun savings side of it all. Read on to discover the best Amazon Prime Day tablet deals for gamers, folks looking to stream on the go, and tech fans in need of another portable work companion.

Today's best tablet deals

• Amazon: iPads from $109
• Best Buy: up to $350 off Samsung
• Walmart: budget brands from $106

UK:

• Amazon: budget brands from £63.99
• Currys: £140 off Lenovo
• Very: up to £140 off Honor

FAQ

Of course, I'm also deep-diving into this year's Prime Day iPad deals and getting you prepped for all upcoming Prime Day Kindle deals as well. If you're after something a little more powerful, check out the best Prime Day gaming laptop deals I'm expecting to see.

Prime Day iPad deals usually offer the opportunity to secure an upgrade for a record-low price. That's not the case this year. While discounts are hitting the shelves, we're yet to see returns to some these tablets' historic rates, with the iPad A16 still a little way off its $279 target.

That's until you get to the iPad Air. With its lowest prices of the year so far (and having only been on the shelves a matter of months), this is where the gold is this Prime Day.

With an M4 at the helm, and a 13-inch option available, only the ultra-power users will need to move beyond this incredibly potent device. Having spent the last five years with an Air at the helm, even older, weaker models still hold up in 2026 - the M4 is more than enough power for day to day productivity and gaming.

You'll find all the latest Prime Day iPad deals just below, with those Airs in pride of place of course.

Today's best iPad deals

• A16 | $349 $299 at Amazon
• Mini A17 Pro | $499 $449 at Amazon
• Air 11-inch M4 | $599 $519.99 at Amazon
• Air 13-inch M4 | $799.99 $699.99 at Amazon
• Pro 11-inch M5 | $999 $899 at Amazon
• Pro 13-inch M5 | $1,299 $1,199 at Amazon

UK

• A16 | £329 £309.97 at Amazon
• Mini A17 Pro | £499 £475 at Amazon
• Air 11-inch M4 | £599 £578.99 at Amazon

Which iPad should you buy this Prime Day?

Before we start, there are four lines of iPad you'll want to be aware of this Prime Day; the M5 Pro, M4 Air, A16 base, and A17 Mini. The first two are your productivity machines, tablets built with Apple's premium M silicon that can withstand more demanding workflows, multitasking, gaming scenarios, and heavier apps like Adobe.

The base model is the most popular iPad come Prime Day. It's the cheapest Apple tablet available, offering an entry level device for those who just want a bigger screen for streaming, emails, casual browsing, note-taking, and lighter games. This is where I often see discounts running off the shelves the fastest.

The iPad Mini is your compact companion, with a slightly more powerful chipset than the base model occupying a slot underneath Apple's more performative M chips. The smaller screen means it's less ideal for work and multi-tasking, but it still holds its own in the gaming arena.

We're also getting you prepped for all the latest Prime Day tablet deals if you're after something a little less Apple-flavored, or check out the best Prime Day Kindle deals for more focused attention. I'll also be bringing you all the latest Prime Day gaming laptop deals as soon as they land.

Apple unveiled iPadOS 27 during Monday's WWDC event, with the good news that the software update will be available for all but the oldest iPads currently in circulation. That means anything after the 2020 iPad base model is covered, but you'll need a more premium iPad Air or Pro device to truly make the most of new features.

That's because iPadOS 27 comes stacked with new processes that require Apple Intelligence to run, and that little add-on is only available on devices with an M1 chip or later. Still, the update will be downloadable on Apple's cheapest iPad, the A16 (currently on sale for $299, was $349 at Amazon), providing performance increases and a UI improvements to liquid glass.

The full update is reserved for M1 iPad Air and iPad Pro models, however.

This is where you'll find the upgraded Siri, rebuilt for Apple Intelligence and merged with Google Gemini's LLMs. It's now an app in itself, but is also contextually aware of what's on your screen. Photos has had its own Apple Intelligence injection, with 'Clean Up' object removal improvements, frame-expanding, and perspective-bending tech.

Safari tabs are easier to manage; shortcuts can be created with natural language - everything from Notes to Passwords has been integrated here.

You'll be spending at least $599 for a current-generation device with one of Apple's M-series processors, but upcoming Prime Day iPad deals could also lend a hand later this month. If you're upgrading ahead of the new software, these are the models you should watch out for:

What's new in iPadOS 27?

Performance increases

All compatible Apple tablets will receive performance increases via iPadOS 27. The brand states that by the time the software is fully rolled out in 2027, iPad apps can launch "up to 30% faster," with a smoother feel overall. In its presentation, the brand explained that CPU scheduling behaviour has been streamlined for the new software upgrade, while older redundant code has been removed to keep things zippy.

Liquid Glass slider

Love it or hate it, it looks like Liquid Glass is here to stay. Apple has, however, relented slightly. Following feedback that the new UI is harder to read, the brand is introducing a slider in its iPadOS 27 update. This essentially hands control back to the user, determining just how transparent they want their icons to appear.

Siri AI

This is the big one. Siri has its own app, and it's been turbocharged with Apple AI features. It has access to system-wide apps and can pull information from each as and when you need it, combined with on-screen awareness. Its Siri AI app functions like ChatGPT, but the service also runs over the top of your day-to-day interactions to streamline actions. Of course, you can still toggle and untoggle Apple Intelligence from the settings menu if this all sounds like a nightmare come true - and the service currently won't be rolled out in the EU or China.

Photos

Apple Intelligence also brings a few new features to the Photos app. Shots can use AI to 'zoom out' on a shot, with the app filling in additional information itself, or to shift the perspective in a 're-frame' tool.

Image Playground

Finally, iPadOS 27 brings improvements to Image Playground on Apple tablets. The image generator is now capable of rendering realistic imagery rather than the cartoonish oddities of previous iterations.

For Android options, take a look at the best gaming tablets on the market. Or take a look at the Prime Day Kindle deals and Prime Day tablet deals we expect to see over the next few weeks.

Upon hearing that the Nintendo Wii could now run Mac OS X thanks to a clever new port, I wasn't initially surprised. Believe it or not, enthusiasts have already got operating systems like Windows NT and Linux working on Ninty's best retro console contender, but after diving into modder Bryan Keller's development journey, I now feel compelled to shove the system inside an iMac G3.

In a massively detailed blog outlining the Mac OS X Wii port, Keller shares the extremely complicated process of creating a prototype (via RetroDodo). If you're into coding, you'll likely relate more to the modder's struggle, as it's a problem-solving tale revolving around complex boot loading, kernel shenanigans, and hours of squashing bugs.

Let's just say I'm glad it's Keller who decided to take on this bananas Wii Mac OS project instead of me, as the process honestly looks painful. The documented development even followed the modder onto a flight, and they almost bricked their console after trying to boot the operating system via a USB stick.

After figuring out whether the Wii even had the specs to run Apple's operating system, then painstakingly porting it to suit Ninty's 2000s hardware, Keller eventually reached their end goal. The project is still very much a prototype for now, as audio output is still apparently proving tricky, but Mac OS X is now available to try via the WiiMac bootloader repository if you have a BootMii jailbroken console.

I'm very tempted to give the port a try this weekend, but I've also got potentially cursed ideas involving an actual 2000s iMac G3. I've yet to acquire the transparent all-in-one CRT PC, but having watched YouTuber Matt Gray swap out the innards of the machine a few months ago with a Mac Mini, I'm now wondering if I can cram a Wii in there.

Okay, here's the vision, as I know this all sounds bananas. If I were to shove a Wii inside the G3, I'd want to get Keller's new Mac OS X mod up and running, then fit the system inside the gap where the main motherboard would go, so it can connect to the CRT monitor and existing IO. Ideally, I'd aim to use the model that uses cables plugged into ports inside rather than integrating everything into the main board, as that would theoretically make it easier to just use breakout adapters for the proprietary VGA connector and USBs.

I also reckon that the shape of the Wii itself means it could even replace the G3's front-loading CD drive, meaning you could still shove discs in the front. If I'm being real, that's the part that makes me really want to try and actually turn the retro Apple Mac into a stealth transparent CRT Wii with 2000s vibes, but the project is very much just vague ideas in my head at this stage.

All that additional nonsense aside, kudos to Bryan Keller for actually getting Mac OS X to work on a Wii of all things. The project was apparently born way back in 2013 and was put on the back burner, but the modder says they "felt a renewed sense of motivation," after Windows NT was ported to the console.

Keller's closes off their project thoughts by saying, "In the end, I learned (and accomplished) far more than I ever expected - and perhaps more importantly, I was reminded that the projects that seem just out of reach are exactly the ones worth pursuing." Those words are pretty inspiring, and the chaotic tinkering goblin within me might just take the advice on board.

• Retro consoles at Amazon
• Wii accessories at Amazon

Looking to play classic capers on the go? Swing by the best retro handhelds for emulation portables and more.

iPad Air M4 pre-orders are now live, and it's Best Buy and Apple out in front. With up to $670 off the device with trade-in or $50 off a new device for the former's members, these are your go-to retailers for discounts this week.

I'm expecting more retailers to launch their own stock over the course of the day, and we could even see additional savings on top of that. That's why I'm tracking all the latest iPad Air M4 pre-order deals live right here.

Apple's new iPad follows the same pricing structure as the previous generation, starting at $599 for the 128GB 11-inch model and moving up to $799 for the 13-inch device. With that boosted M4 processor at the helm, it's got its sights set on the best gaming tablets, promising up to 30% faster performance.

The latest model will start shipping from March 11, and you'll find all the early pre-order offers available below.

Quick pre-order

• 11-inch | $599 at Apple
• 13-inch | $799 at Apple
• B&H Photo | from $599
• Best Buy | save up to $350 with trade in
• Amazon | check stock

The best iPad Air M4 pre-order deals

Everything you need to know about the iPad Air M4

The iPad Air M4 is the latest generation Air device, launching at the same $599 / $799 price as the previous model.

The headline upgrade here is that M4 chip. The Apple silicon first made its way to the more expensive Pro models last year, but is now scaling down the price brackets to the brand's middle child. Apple claims the upgraded chip is 30% faster than the M3 powering its previous Air device, with the N1 and C1X chips boosting wireless connectivity to boot.

Gamers should also note that the M4 boasts nine GPU cores for ray tracing support. That means four times faster 3D rendering, though Apple is using the M1 processor in that comparison.

The design remains largely unchanged compared to the previous model, with the same spread of four color options and an identical flat-edge form factor.

The new device ships with iPadOS 26, though older models will also have access to the core software benefits, from new window systems for multitasking to the command-center 'menu bar'.

Latest updates

A few hours to prepare

iPad Air M4 pre-orders kick off at 9.15am ET, so early birds still have a few hours to prepare. If you're looking to trade in an old device, it's time to get that model and IMEI number locked down so you have everything you need when it comes to registering your upgrade.

How to find your iPad's IMEI number

Best Buy and Apple are both already advertising early iPad Air M4 pre-order trade-in deals today, so if you've got an old device to hand you can score some extra savings on an upgrade. Best Buy caps out at $350 off, but Apple can give you up to $670 if you've got an iPad beefy enough.

You'll need to know exactly what kind of device you have to get the trade-in, though. Thankfully, all the information you need is already in your Settings.

1. Open the Settings app

2. Tap 'General'

3. Tap 'About'

This menu will give you information about the Model Name and Model Number of your device.

If you need an IMEI number to trade in your device, it will be located further down on this list.

Best Buy vs Apple

If you're already eyeing up those early iPad Air M4 pre-order deals, there are essentially two to choose from right now.

Best Buy isn't offering us much cash off as Apple, though you'll need to be sacrificing a pretty powerful tablet to get the full amount off. However, Plus and Total members would be best of sticking with their retailer for the extra $50 off at checkout.

If you're going for something a little more personal, it's worth clocking Apple's free personalization features. The brand can engrave your kit for free, which Best Buy won't be able to match.

Should you upgrade to the iPad Air M4?

The new iPad Air is an iterative update with a new processor and a few extra boosts under the hood. That means it's not going to be a must-have upgrade for everyone.

If you're still using the M3 device and get on just fine with the level of power on offer, you're not going to get anything revolutionary by taking this leap. The same can even be said for older M2 model, especially if you just use your device for streaming, web browsing, and the odd light game.

If, however, you use your tablet for heavier gaming, more complex productivity tasks, or day to day work the move from an M1 iPad Air or older is going to give you solid results.

Still just Best Buy and Apple

Best Buy and Apple are still your go-tos for iPad Air M4 pre-orders today, though B&H Photo does have listings up and ready to go for 9.15am ET. I'm not seeing any trade-in or discount opportunities available here, though, and Amazon is yet to drop its product pages as well.

How to get an iPad Air M4 for $250

Best Buy will give you $350 off an iPad Air M4 when you trade in your old device, but you'll need one of two iPads to get the full discount.

That's either the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (4th Gen) or the previous iPad Air M3. Both are pretty premium devices, but if you're upgrading to the newer chip it's certainly cheaper than paying for everything outright.

The $249 price applies to the $599 11-inch iPad Air 128GB, the cheapest entry in the new lineup.

iPad Air M4 pre-orders open in 2 minutes

Those looking to get an early pre-order will be lining up at retailers right now, with Apple's new device set to drop onto the shelves in just two minutes time. This is when we'll start to see if other retailers are coming armed with offers of their own, and Amazon might actually acknowledge the tablet in the first place.

B&H Photo might be the place for trade-ins

Don't have an iPad or other Apple device to trade in? B&H Photo is accepting a much wider range of devices for trade-in discounts on the new iPad Air M4 this week. That means you can swap in anything from smartwatches to phones from a whole roster of brands. With up to $2,550 available in savings, it's time to dig through the cupboard.

Still nothing from Amazon

Amazon still doesn't have the new iPad Air M4 available for pre-order, but the site is running discounts on the previous generation. The M3 tablet is set to be run off the shelves now that the new version is available, and when that happens I often see prices dropping particularly quickly.

The WiFi only model is already unavailable at Amazon, but if you need a cellular connection the 5G tablet is available for 20% off, down to $599 (was $749).

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein are back with a new movie – and it's a Cold War spy thriller with a twist, starring Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh.

Reynolds plays U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy "Assassin" Kelly, while Branagh is ex-KGB agent Nicolai Ustinov.

In the first look, which you can see above, Reynolds and Branagh lay side by side in the snow. Both of them seem pretty exhausted, as if they might've been fighting, or have fallen down to the ground. That's not a huge surprise, since the duo are apparently on opposite sides of the conflict... though there might be more going on than meets the eye.

"Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh team up in Mayday, a genre-bending, action-packed buddy comedy that flips the spy thriller on its head," reads the official synopsis. "When hot shot U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy "Assassin" Kelly (Reynolds) is sent on a top-secret mission into Russian territory at the height of the Cold War, the operation implodes, leaving him stranded behind enemy lines.

"Discovered by Nikolai Ustinov (Branagh), a gruff ex-KGB agent with a penchant for American culture, Troy thinks he's toast – but could an unlikely alliance between the two lead to Troy's rescue, and a bond neither saw coming?"

So, by the sounds of things, this isn't going to be a straightforward Cold War thriller by any stretch of the imagination, which is something we probably should've expected from a duo like Daley and Goldstein. Sign us up for hijinks...

The cast also includes Marcin Dorocinski, Maria Bakalova, and David Morse. Daley and Goldstein write and produce as well as direct.

Along with the first look, Apple also revealed the release date: Mayday will hit Apple TV on September 4, 2026.

While you wait, check out our guide to the best shows on Apple TV or the best movies on Apple TV to fill out your watchlist.

It's no lie to say that my old 13 inch Macbook Air (sadly no longer with us) was one of my favorite bits of tech and hands down my fav laptop I've ever owned. So light as be non existent in a bag, I used it constantly until it was obsolete and then, priced out of owning one by Apple's odd product choices, gazed on lovingly $1000+ machines. Now affordable (ish) Airbooks are back, and with $200 off this $599 deal on a 13 inch Macbook Air M2 I'm thinking it's time to rekindle an old love.

Let's take a look at the deal below in more detail, and if you're looking for anything else Apple shaped then check out these Cyber Monday iPad deals.

Should you buy the MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop?

Whether you should get this Macbook Air deal is entirely up to what your current laptop needs are. This is definitely a work and light internet duties machine over anything for gaming or other intensive needs, but if you just need a sturdy and dependable machine to get stuff done on, it's the sort of option you won't regret.

I mean it when I say I loved my old Macbook. I took it everywhere for work; its battery lasted ages, and it weighed so little I'd regulartly panic I'd lost it when I didn't immediately see it in my bag. It was such a dependable little workhorse I'm still sad about it becoming 'legacy' and no longer getting new oS updates.

Apple didn't have anything to replace it for a while in a price I was comfortable paying, but now it's back and $200 cheaper to boot. The only reason I'm literally not buying this myself right now is because I ended up replacing it with a similar sized Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 I got in last year's sales that almost equally love. Almost.

• See all Cyber Monday deals at Amazon
• See more laptops at Amazon

If you want something a little more beefy then there's always some Cyber Monday gaming laptop deals or Cyber Monday gaming PC deals.

We may be only two episodes in on Pluribus, but there's already discussion around how the show might end. Coming from the mind of Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, he has a notion about how to wrap the series up, but things could shift over the course of the story.

Essentially, Gilligan's got something on the board for the Pluribus ending, however, he’s keenly aware he has a whole writing room with him, who could come up with something better. "I think we have a pretty good idea of where it should end," he tells Variety.

"One of the most important things I can do in the writers' room is not be too precious about the ideas," he then states. "If we come up with a better way to end this thing, we will." Given how early we are in the narrative, it's both nice to know there’s a destination already planned, and that another direction is possible.

Better Call Saul regular Rhea Seehorn heads up the show, playing a romantic-fantasy author who finds themselves as one of only a few humans to escape assimilation into a hive mind. Pluribus fuses sci-fi, drama and black comedy in its depiction of her coping with the cataclysmic event and navigating the fallout.

The first two episodes have been incredibly well-received, our own Pluribus season 1 review calling it "one of the year's best dramas." Apple TV has committed to two seasons already, and so far, that seems a wise investment.

Keep our guide to the Pluribus release schedule handy to make sure you never miss an episode, and our list of the best Apple TV shows will give you more top TV to watch.

Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan is soon returning to our screens with new sci-fi show Pluribus, a total enigma starring Better Call Saul's Rhea Seahorn.

Of course, Gilligan is pretty famous for creating two of TV's most famous anti-heroes in the form of Walter White and Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman. But, he's keen on more out and out good guys.

"I was getting a little weary of writing bad guys – I was looking around at the world and it just feels like a lot of people, not naming any names, but a lot of people seem to publicly take a lot of delight in taking the way they behave in life, taking their cues from people like Tony Soprano and Michael Corleone and Walter White, even," Gilligan told The Hollywood Reporter.

"I can't speak for those other show and movie creators but for me, Walter White was always meant to be a cautionary tale; he's not aspirational," he continued. "I would never tell any other writer what they should be writing and there's a lot of good bad guys left to write and I'm sure there will be a lot of great ones created from here on into eternity, but I figure for me I was ready to write something a little different."

This isn't the first time Gilligan has expressed this sentiment. "For decades, we made the villains too sexy," he said earlier this year. "I really think that. When we create characters as indelible as Michael Corleone or Hannibal Lecter or Darth Vader or Tony Soprano, viewers everywhere, all around the world, they pay attention. They say, 'Man, those dudes are badass. I want to be that cool.' When that happens, fictional bad guys stop being the cautionary player that they were created to be. God help us, they become aspirational. So maybe what the world needs now are some good, old fashioned, Greatest Generation types who give more than they take. Who think that kindness, tolerance and sacrifice aren't strictly for chumps."

As for Pluribus, the show is so far a total mystery. It follows Seehorn's Carol Sturka, who is seemingly the only person immune to a virus that transforms the world's populace into perfectly happy people.

"The scope of it is globetrotting, world-spanning," Gilligan told GamesRadar+ recently. "I think we've learned – my producers and I, together – to be better producers over the years… The size of this thing is not something we would have attempted or could have succeeded at maybe five or 10 years ago."

Pluribus kicks off on Apple TV this November 7. You can keep up to date with our Pluribus release schedule, and fill out your watchlist with our guide to the most exciting upcoming shows.

The iPhone 17 has officially been unveiled, and while it's the Air model grabbing most of the attention I'm far more interested in the display upgrades in the regular range. For the first time, the base model will feature a full 120Hz display - and 2025 might just be the first year that makes sense.

The best gaming phones have been upgrading display speeds for years now, with the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro already at a particularly speedy 185Hz. The vast majority of purpose-built Android gaming phones have long been offering faster screens as standard - and it's meant the classic iPhone has been out of the running for a little while now.

Why's it so important in 2025? More games can actually make the most of these speeds now.

The first iPhones to introduce 120Hz refresh rates were the iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max back in 2021. At that time, only a handful of games could actually ramp up to 120fps, making the faster screen a neat bonus for smooth scrolling but relatively meaningless in a gaming sense.

Now we've got hundreds of titles optimized to make the most of faster refresh rates and more powerful processors. Heavy hitters like Subway Surfers, Pokemon Go, and Alto's Adventure, but you'll find meatier titles like Call of Duty: Mobile, League of Legends: Wild Rift, and Genshin Impact running pushing past 60fps caps as well.

Not only is the iPhone 17's display faster, but it's also bigger. A 6.3-inch panel still isn't quite as large as dedicated devices - but it's certainly got a slight edge over the 6.1-inch iPhone 16.

I haven't been able to recommend an iPhone for gaming for some time now. The Pro and Pro Max models are wildly expensive for the upgrades they offer, and cheaper Android alternatives offer far better gaming specs anyway. Depending on how it performs in the hand, that could be changing this year.

• See all gaming phones at Amazon
• iPhone 17 | $799 at Apple (pre-orders open 9/12)
• Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro | $1,299 at Amazon

If you're after a larger screen, check out the best gaming tablets. If it's actual physical buttons you yearn for, take a look at the best gaming handhelds on the market. Of course, you might also need a pair of the best gaming earbuds to maximize your experience.

Last month, the BBC committed a retro console cardinal sin live on TV by jamming a NES game into a SNES console. Now, it seems to be out to upset vintage computer fans, as the broadcaster's breakfast show decided to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Windows 95 by pairing Microsoft software and a branded keyboard with an Apple Macintosh SE.

Highlighted by user Lost Tourist on Bluesky, the BBC's latest crime against vintage tech almost feels like trolling. I mean, you really don't need to be a vintage computing fan or a retro console enthusiast to know that Microsoft and Apple PCs are completely different platforms. Yet, the breakfast show actively decided to use a Macintosh to celebrate Windows 95.

Again, just like with the previous SNES debacle, I find this blunder more amusing than anything else. However, as my friend and ex-iMore editor Daryl Baxter points out, I am also wondering if they're actually trolling enthusiast viewers.

Surely they're trolling at this point.

— @darylbaxter.com (@darylbaxter.com.bsky.social) 2025-08-29T10:35:04.077Z

Yes, the mismatch could be simply the result of researchers or staff hastily grabbing props to make a centrepiece for the show. Or, it could even be that someone innocently assumed that you could install both MS DOS and Windows 95 on an Apple PC from 1987.

Still, it's a shame that the segment designed to pay homage to the operating system couldn't celebrate the anniversary using accurate hardware, and it's ultimately the viewers who are missing out on an accurate visual representation of tech history.

• More retro consoles at Amazon
• Atari 400 Mini | $119.99 $101.13 at Amazon
• Atari 7800+ | $129.99 $99.99 at Amazon

Looking for more ways to play the classics? Swing by the best gaming handhelds for portable time capsules. If you're already using Valve's mini PC, take a peek at the best Steam Deck accessories and best Steam Deck docks to enhance your hybrid setup.

Cyberpunk 2077 is heading to MacOS today, July 17, and CD Projekt Red has just updated its announcement to include minimum system requirements for its Ultimate Collection. That means you won't have to turn to the best gaming laptops to fire up this blockbuster any more.

Straight off the bat, anyone still running an old Intel machine will be out of the picture - to meet minimum spec you'll need an M1 at the helm and at least 16GB RAM. That's just to get the game running at 30fps in a 1440 x 900 / 1600 x 900 window. If you want to hit 'Recommended' specs you'll need an M3 Pro system with at least 18GB underneath it. That'll set you up with a solid 60fps at 1080p.

That means the oldest MacBook that can get away with running Cyberpunk 2077 tomorrow will be the M1 MacBook Air (as long as you added the extra RAM at purchase, the base model won't cut it).

Cyberpunk 2077 has long been held as one of the most demanding games on the market, but with a Switch 2 release and a variety of different optimizations it's actually become one of the most widely ported in recent years. It would have been impossible to envisage something this ambitious running on Apple's productivity wizard just a few years ago, but newer M-Series chips are finally pushing the Mac into the world of gaming.

Indeed, CD Projekt Red has put a lot of effort into making sure its comeback kid plays nicely with Mac devices. A range of system-specific performance presets are available on boot, and extra ray tracing features can be tweaked for the full experience. It's recommended to only attempt this fancy lighting rig on an M3 Pro device or later, though.

I've scoured all the spec lists of the MacBook models that can run Cyberpunk 2077 in the first place (anything with Apple's own M processor). Simply look up the model you have and compare it with the specification requirements table below.

Right now, the cheapest MacBook that can run Cyberpunk comes in at $849 / £859 at Amazon, but it doesn't offer the 18GB RAM you'll need to hit a solid 60fps. For that, you'll need to upgrade to the 24GB model currently on sale for $1,247.50.

• View all MacBook deals at Amazon
• See more Apple deals at Amazon

If you want something a little more traditional, check out the best Asus gaming laptops, best Razer laptops, and best Alienware laptops I've tested so far.

Apple has acquired Sneaky Sasquatch developer RAC7, the first dedicated gaming studio to be brought under the iPhone maker's umbrella.

Per Digital Trends, though it might seem like Apple buying its first-ever gaming studio is part of its strategy to increase its presence in the gaming space, those familiar with the company's plans say it was it was more of a chance to help grow Sneaky Sasquatch's player base on Apple Arcade.

"We love Sneaky Sasquatch and are excited that the 2-person RAC7 team has joined Apple to continue their work on it with us," an Apple spokesperson told Digital Trends. "We will continue to deliver a great experience for Apple Arcade players with hundreds of games from many of the best game developers in the world."

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that Apple is gearing up to reveal its own dedicated gaming app on June 9 at its Worldwide Developers Conference. This latest push into the gaming market would follow the hotly anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 by just four days.

Sources close to Bloomberg say Apple plans to begin pre-installing its new gaming app on all iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV set-top boxes starting later this year. The app will reportedly be a game launcher and hub where players can track achievements, leaderboards, messages, and other stuff.

It's no secret that Apple has had its eye on the gaming segment for years, with Apple Arcade launching in 2019, and whether or not the RAC7 acquisition is part of that broader effort, Bloomberg's report paints the reveal of the app as something Apple hopes will sell players and developers on the idea of it being a leader in the market. One thing's for sure; the timing being so close to Nintendo's orbit certainly sends a message.

In the meantime, familiarize yourself with our list of the upcoming Switch 2 games before the console's rollout on June 5.

The battle royale Fortnite was supposed to be coming back to iOS devices earlier this month, but Epic claims Apple has blocked the game, making it unavailable on iPhones and iPads worldwide.

The official Fortnite account posted a statement to Twitter that reads: "Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union."

As a result, it continues, "Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it."

This all follows a lengthy legal battle between Apple and Epic Games that started in 2020. The game was first removed from the App Store following Epic offering players a way to pay directly to circumvent Apple's 30% cut on app and in-app purchases. It was also taken off of the Google Play Store for offering the same option.

A judge had ruled that Apple was allegedly "in willful violation of this Court's 2021 Injunction which issued to restrain and prohibit Apple's anticompetitive conduct and anticompetitive pricing," but that doesn't appear to have helped get the game back on the App Store.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has repeatedly called the tech company out on Twitter. He's recently been retweeting posts showing the discrepancy between how Apple originally claimed apps that used third-party payment services would look and how they actually look. At the time of writing, however, he's not tweeted anything about the game's iOS submission being blocked.

For now, Fortnite is available on Android devices through its Epic Games Store mobile app, which you can learn how to download right here.

In the meantime, check out the best Android games you can play today.

From now on, Epic's promising 20% on every single Fortnite V-bucks purchase – or any other item you buy in the publisher's free-to-play games. All you have to do is make your purchases directly through Epic rather than a platform-holder's store. As Fortnite makes ready to return to iPhones following years of legal drama, it's difficult to see this as anything other than one last jab at Apple.

"Starting today, when you make a purchase in Fortnite, Rocket League, and Fall Guys using Epic’s payment system globally on PC, iOS, Android, and the web, you’ll get 20% back in Epic Rewards," the publisher explains in its announcement. "You can spend your rewards in Fortnite and our other games, or on the Epic Games Store when you use Epic’s payment system. These 20% rewards in Epic's games are here to stay."

With respect to Fall Guys and Rocket League, the big story here is that these rewards effectively make Fortnite's V-bucks 20% cheaper – with the obvious caveat that you can only spend your rewards balance in Epic's ecosystem. Still, if you're the type to make repeated Fortnite Item Shop purchases, those rewards will add up.

While you'll only get prompted to go to the external Epic payment service for your purchases on mobile, console Fortnite players can still get the benefit of the extra rewards by buying through the online version of the Item Shop.

This rewards upgrade comes just as Epic has announced that it's "submitted Fortnite to Apple for review so we can launch on the App Store in the U.S." Apple may yet find some reason to reject the game yet again, but for now it looks like Fortnite's return to the App Store is finally nigh.

There's some irony here in that Epic once before offered a 20% discount on V-bucks for players bypassing third-party payment options to buy direct from the publisher. That happened in 2020, and it was what prompted Apple and Google to both kick Fortnite from their platforms, resulting in the legal battle that's only recently resolved.

These are the best battle royale games you can play in 2025.

Back in 2019, Dbrand launched its limited-edition 'Robot' custom vinyl skins that gave everything from your Xbox Series X/S to your Steam Deck a fresh new look. Now, a whole 6 years later, the brand known for being behind some of the best PS5 accessories has brought it back in 'Glowbot' form - but only for a limited time.

On its own, Robot was one of the brand's more iconic custom skins, featuring a white and black illustrated pattern of what the future might look like once our robotic overlords inevitably take over. There's everything from a claustrophobic pile of electronics and spaceships to what appears to be a little homage to Marvel's Doom standing triumphantly over a pile of human skulls, as you do.

But now, it's been printed on a photoluminescent vinyl, which is fancy speak for "it glows in the dark." The design itself has also had a bit of a makeover, as it's been printed with a higher resolution and re-vectorized, so you can make out more of its little details.

I'm of the belief that anything is better so long as it glows in the dark, but I did grow up in the 90s, where having a glowing solar system stuck on your ceiling was the epitome of cool. But, one of the most annoying issues of anything glow-in-the-dark was ensuring it charged up properly.

Dbrand has thought of that, and every Glowbot order comes with a free UV light. So you can charge it up without having to hold up your pricey tech to the light in your living room like I had to back in the day.

This "HD remaster" of the original skin collection, as Dbrand puts it, is available starting from $21.30 but only for a limited time. So if you're desperate to make your gaming setup look like it crawled out of Fallout 4, you need to be quick. You have until May 23 at 12:01 AM EST to grab one for your PS5, smartphone, laptop, iPad, Steam Deck, or Nintendo Switch, and they're only available through the official Dbrand storefront.

The good news is that this release ties into a Dbrand sale, and you can already secure 11% off whatever Glowbot skin you have your heart set on. There's a lot range of discounts available in what they're calling "The Big Short Sale," which includes 50% off its iconic Darkplate PS5 covers, 40% off Killswitch cases, and more.

If you don't want to cover up your precious console, picking up one of the best PS5 controllers, the best Xbox Series X controllers, or the best Nintendo Switch controllers can help give it a well-needed boost.

Fortnite is set to return to the iOS App Store in the United States next week, over four years after it was removed. This comes as Epic Games "puts forth a peace proposal" to Apple following the latest developments in its legal battle, which could also see it return to the mobile platform worldwide.

Epic and Apple have been engaged in a legal battle since 2020, following the removal of Fortnite from the App Store. The argument basically all goes back to the fact that Apple generally takes a 30% cut on both apps and in-app purchases (it's sometimes 15%, depending on if you qualify for its "Small Business" program).

As a result of this, in 2020, Epic introduced a new change to its battle royale, which it explains "gave Fortnite players on iOS and Google Play a choice between Apple/Google payment and Epic direct payment, passing on savings to direct purchasers." After this, the battle royale got pulled from the platform, and the rest is history.

The latest development as of yesterday, April 30, is that a judge has ruled that Apple is allegedly "in willful violation of this Court's 2021 Injunction which issued to restrain and prohibit Apple's anticompetitive conduct and anticompetitive pricing." Furthermore, it's stated that "effective immediately Apple will no longer impede developers' ability to communicate with users nor will they levy or impose a new commission on off-app purchases."

Following this, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has taken to Twitter, announcing: "We will return Fortnite to the US iOS App Store next week.

"Epic puts forth a peace proposal: If Apple extends the court's friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we'll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic."

Fortnite already returned to iOS in the European Union last year via its mobile Epic Games Store app, as a result of the Digital Markets Act, so this is the next big step for the battle royale's mobile comeback. Whether it'll get that worldwide rollout eventually remains to be seen, but for now this is a huge win for any fans in the US.

For more games like Fortnite, be sure to check out our roundup of the best battle royale games.

The old-fashioned action-adventure is about to get a shot in the arm. Guy Ritchie's Fountain of Youth stars John Krasinski as treasure hunter Luke Purdue. Joining him on a search for the mythical Fountain, said to bestow eternal life on those that imbibe its waters, is his sister Charlotte, played by Natalie Portman. This joyful adventure comes scripted by James Vanderbilt, who previously wrote The Amazing Spider-Man. "It was different," says Ritchie, when he meets GamesRadar+ on the set at Warner Bros. Studios outside of London. "I thought we could give a new take on this genre."

With the director known for contemporary crime yarns like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, RocknRolla and The Gentleman, this is certainly different. The closest he's come is the live-action remake of Disney animation Aladdin. "I honestly made up my mind I was going to try genres that I haven't tried before," he says. "So subsequently, we're quite busy because there's quite a lot of genres! The truth is it's more fun making movies than not. So if you can fill your dance card up and keep yourself challenged…it's more fun than not working."

From a rollicking opening chase that includes a huge fight on a moving train to a sequence that involves the exploration of the wreck of the Titanic's sister ship, Fountain of Youth one has action in spades. But at its heart is a sibling story. While Luke remains an adventurer, like his late father, Charlotte took a different path, raising a young son and working for a museum. Now Luke needs her to help with his search. "We have a little yin-yang thing of me trying to inject a little adventure into her life when she's a bit more bookish," says Krasinski.

Adventurous spirit

The film's costume designer, Loulou Bontemps, calls Purdue "an Indiana Jones-like" leading man, a comment that excites Krasinski. "Boy, I hope so," he exclaims. "I mean, that would be the goal. I can just retire after that. Just having Indiana Jones and me in the same line is pretty great to hear." The film's "adventurous spirit" is what enticed him to sign on. "I gotta be honest, I feel like this movie has such a nostalgia about it. It brings back so many movies that I grew up on, that truest sense of adventure…so the idea of Indiana Jones, definitely, I get where that comes from."

The likeable American star now joins the likes of Jason Statham, Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal as a Guy Ritchie leading man. "John has a unique charisma," says Ritchie, who feels there is a "direct correlation" between the "man you get on stage" and the actor when he is off-camera. "So he's very easy to work with, very talented, very experienced, because he's a rather good director too. He understands how difficult it is on this side of the camera. So I'm very fond of John."

Krasinski is certainly no stranger to action, whether it's directing/co-starring in horror-thriller A Quiet Place and its sequel or headlining the recent Jack Ryan TV series, based on Tom Clancey's CIA analyst. "For me, the exciting part is trying to do different things," he says. "That you never know where the frontier is. You just keep pushing it and trying new things. I've done some action stuff before, but not like this, and not with someone like Guy at the helm. And so you just say this is such an exciting way to try something new, and also such an exciting thing to be a part of."

On location

With Fountain of Youth shot in Bangkok, Vienna and Cairo, as well as London, the film has an old-school Hollywood feel. Even the soundstage work eschewed the now-common digital backdrops. "This is one of the only ones that has practical sets that I've ever been on," says Portman, surprisingly. "Usually when I've done Thor or Star Wars, it's green screen. And to actually have a physical environment to engage with is really extraordinary. It also means that sometimes you're cold, wet, or all of the above. But yeah, it's been really fun to get to have that, because you can lose yourself in the wonder of the world that we're filming in."

She and Krasinski are joined by an impressive support cast. Among them, Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson (as Owen Carver, the ailing tycoon who is bankrolling the search for Fountain, and Eiza González as Esme, a highly capable operative who has her own reasons to keep tabs on Luke and his crew. "The whole cast, I must say, are all rather lovely," says Ritchie. "If I say so myself, they've all had a nice time." Finding actors that not only have good on-screen chemistry, but also get on well when Ritchie yells 'cut' is crucial, it seems. "We're quite snotty about that," he says, "because otherwise, life's too short."

It's why you will find that actors frequently reunite with the British-born director. Take Mexican actress González. The Baby Driver star has swiftly become an integral cog in the Ritchie-verse. After featuring in 2024's World War Two-set The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, playing S.O.E. agent Marjorie Stewart, she's also just wrapped In The Grey, Ritchie's forthcoming hostage negotiator drama. "I'm just honored that Guy has thought of me for other stuff," she says, modestly. Not that she was expecting to shoot three movies in a row with him; she was on the set of Ministry… when she first had a casual conversation with Ritchie about Fountain of Youth.

"I remember sitting with Guy and being like, 'Who should you cast for this movie?' And you never get to do that with a director…and they're mentioning all these people, and I wasn't even part of the conversation. It wasn't like I was going to be part of a movie. I even thought of names for Esme! And I remember being on my way back to set with Loulou, our costume designer, and she's like, 'You'd be great for Esme.'" Clearly the thought struck Ritchie too. Before long, she got the call that he wanted her to play a character who is more than a match for Krasinski's Purdue (and, yes, the campaign for an Esme spin-off starts here).

Leading light

Certainly, the cast all seem to be looking to Ritchie for inspiration. Especially Krasinski, who has directed four features of his own, "I will say – please don't tell him – I'm stealing things from him all the time. I have more of a spy mentality on set, and I'm watching every single thing that he's using, and every toy that he has, but also how he uses it. He's using things like I've never seen. We've all seen drone shots, for instance, but I have never seen a drone fly through the national library in Vienna. It blew my mind! And the confidence that he has with the shot choices is also something that's really interesting."

Likewise Portman has also been taken by Ritchie's ability to turn on a dime, often expanding what's on the page and improvising on the day. "He kind of draws inspiration from the moment that is happening and it's magic in the bottle, I think, when that happens," she says. "Especially [with] movies like this…you want to chase that, because this movie is that. It's excitement and good energy and positivity, and that's what we're trying to convey. So it makes every scene special, versus just going through the motions."

Portman's not wrong, with Fountain of Youth offering audiences a globe-trotting yarn that prides itself on drawing from its exotic locations. Take the Vienna leg. "Normally you have background noise of ambulances going by or something," Portman says. "And there, there was just classical music playing. Streets were full of music." The production was even granted permission to shoot the climactic scene at the Pyramids, a rarity for a Hollywood movie. "You get quite casual about that," grins Ritchie, "to be in the Pyramids for a long period of time," grins Ritchie. To borrow from Indiana Jones, adventure has a name again.

Fountain of Youth is on Apple TV+ from May 23. For more, check out our guides to the best Apple TV shows and the best Apple TV movies.

Mythic Quest is no more. Apple TV Plus has scrapped the beloved show after four seasons, according to Variety.

The series stars Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, Ashly Burch, Jessie Ennis, David Hornsby, and Imani Hakim.

But, while the show won't be getting a new season, it will be getting a new ending in an updated finale for season 4.

"Endings are hard. But after four incredible seasons, Mythic Quest is coming to a close," executive producers Megan Ganz, Hornsby, and McElhenney said in a statement. "We're so proud of the show and the world we got to build – and deeply grateful to every cast and crew member who poured their heart into it.

"To all our fans, thank you for playing with us," they continued. "To our partners at Apple, thank you for believing in the vision from the very beginning. Because endings are hard, with Apple's blessing we made one final update to our last episode – so we could say goodbye, instead of just game over."

The show, which launched back in 2020, followed a fictional game studio behind the world's most popular MMORPG, appropriately named Mythic Quest. It was warmly received by critics and audiences, with an average critics score of 97% and fan score of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Along with the main show, there were also two special episodes and an anthology spin-off show.

Mythic Quest is available to stream on Apple TV Plus now. For more, check out our guide to all the best shows on Apple TV Plus to fill out your watchlist.

The first trailer for Murderbot, a new sci-fi show from Apple TV Plus, is here – and it revolves around Alexader Skarsgård's robot in existential crisis.

In the footage, which you can watch above, Skarsgård plays a security robot who breaks free of his programming. Rather than get up to the nefarious activities you might be expecting from a rogue robot, though, he instead prefers to watch TV. But, it's not long before the humans he's charged with protecting figure out he's shaken off his programming (and calls himself Murderbot).

Skarsgård also executive produces, with Chris and Paul Weitz writing, directing, and producing. The series is based on the Hugo and Nebula Award winning The Murderbot Diaries series of novels penned by Martha Wells.

The logline reads: "Murderbot is a sci-fi thriller/comedy about a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients. Played by Skarsgård, Murderbot must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe."

The rest of the cast includes David Dastmalchian, Noma Dumezweni, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones and Tamara Podemski.

Judging by the teaser's light hearted humor and snippets of action, this looks like a fun, fresh show to add to the top of your watchlist.

The first two episodes will premiere on Apple TV Plus on May 16, with new episodes arriving each Friday until July 11. For more, see our guide to the best shows on Apple TV Plus, or the year's most exciting upcoming shows.

Days after it was announced that Severance had broken TV viewership records for Apple TV Plus, it seems another new release has been making an impact on the streaming platform. The Gorge – directed by The Black Phone's Scott Derrickson – has become the biggest movie premiere on Apple TV Plus yet.

The sci-fi thriller has reportedly nabbed the spot from George Clooney's movie Wolfs, which launched at the end of 2024. Per Deadline, Apple confirmed it was their biggest film premiere, boosted by an increased number of new viewers weekend on weekend.

The Gorge stars Top Gun: Maverick's Miles Teller and Furiosa's Anya Taylor-Joy as two watchtower guardians who are charged with overseeing a mysterious gorge that sits between them. Romance develops over time between the two as they can't help but wonder what lies beneath… Avatar and Alien star Sigourney Weaver also appears in the sci-fi thriller.

Responding to the film's success on Apple TV Plus, star Teller tweeted a quote from Taylor-Joy's character in the movie. '"Best birthday ever' – Drasa," he wrote. Director Derrickson also shared the news on his personal Instagram.

Speaking to GamesRadar+ earlier this month, the director said releasing on Apple TV Plus gave him more freedom creatively. "I don't want to keep seeing the same movie getting made, you know, or versions of the same movies getting made," said Derrickson. "I think streaming is a place where you can really dare to be different because you don't have that box office pressure every opening weekend where people are going to decide whether or not your movie is a failure based on the box office return."

For more on what to stream, check out our guide to the best Apple TV Plus shows and the best Apple TV Plus movies to watch right now.

There's no doubt about it, mobile gaming continues to climb to incredible heights - both in active player numbers and revenue. With Microsoft insisting that even your toaster is an Xbox, the days of waiting to get home before enjoying your favorite titles on a console may well be behind us. But are tablets the best way to take advantage of this portable shift? Perhaps not. Handhelds are rapidly taking over the portable gaming space, shunting mobile thumb tappers out the way with full Triple-A releases right at your fingertips. But the best gaming tablets still have their place on the shelves - even if they've had to fight for it over the last few years.

These devices provide larger screens, more RAM, and better battery life than mainstream smartphones, but while mobile gaming continues to shoot for the moon, tablet sales are keeping their growth modest. A couple of years ago, this industry was in danger of slipping into decline. In February 2024, it was revealed that both Apple and Samsung experienced a shrink in their tablet shipments over the course of 2023 (IDC), with -29.3% decline for the former and -6.6% for the latter - mobile gaming revenues took a smaller -2.1% hit in the same period (Newzoo). Both sectors are back on the up, but mobile gaming is moving faster - by 2029, Statista expects the number of mobile gamers worldwide to reach 2.4bn, continuing an annual growth rate of 5.56% compared to the 2.82% tablet growth rate in the same period (Statista).

It's no surprise that the responsibility of this mobile gaming market's growth looks set to be split by tablets and smartphones, but with more gaming handhelds hitting the market, and the Nintendo Switch 2 now firmly on the horizon, the gaming tablet could fade into irrelevance. I'd argue that would be the case if it weren't for two big factors; the re-emergence of mid-market games (helping tablets run more games natively) and the rise of streaming (opening tablets up to larger experiences separately).

Double-As are on the comeback

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, Lies of P and It Takes Two are just a few examples of Double-A titles re-emerging as some of the most popular and talked about games of the last few years. These are simpler than Triple-A blockbusters but are still visually impressive and mechanically satisfying experiences that can feel high-end without requiring top-of-the-range specs to run well. That also means they'll generally run fine on a tablet, and as more of these midmarket releases hit the shelves more players will tune into the fact that they don't need a console or gaming PC to play some of the biggest releases of the year anymore.

Apple's Arcade service is still largely indie-focused (though let's not forget that Balatro took the world by storm last year, earning itself a stack of awards in the process). But more midmarket titles are being added to the App Store itself all the time - Alien Isolation, Monster Hunter Stories, and Divinity Original Sin 2 are already mobile mainstays. If developers want more of these easier titles out on the market, and hardware brands are hungry for less demanding games to show off their shiny screens with, things could move fast in the next few years.

Stream if you want to go faster

Whether you love it for its convenience or hate it for its impermanence, streaming is here to stay - and it could be one of the first reasons you consider buying a gaming tablet. No, Microsoft, not everything is an Xbox - but it's undeniable that the Game Pass streaming service has changed things. It's the only subscription I regularly keep up with, and it's become the model for the likes of PS Plus and Amazon Luna.

With internet speeds rising, servers growing in power, and service systems becoming more sophisticated, it's now entirely possible to stream the year's biggest releases, without dropping a penny on hardware. You can do that via your existing laptop's browser or your phone, but if you're looking for a portable device with the screen specs to keep up with your favorite games, a tablet is a clear consideration.

The handheld problem

The state of both the midmarket industry and streaming services seem to be pointing towards a move towards more efficient games less dictated by hardware - but there's one problem. The gaming hardware market is moving with it. In the last few years alone we've seen a massive explosion of dedicated handhelds hitting the shelves - and different models will do a better job at running your games (both natively and streamed) than a gaming tablet.

And this is where we really get to the crux of the question. Should you buy a gaming tablet in 2025? Only if you need a tablet first and foremost.

If you need a slab for browsing the web, watching your favorite shows and movies, taking notes in class, and firing off the odd email, but you also want a device to play a selection of native games and stream the year's biggest hits, a gaming tablet is the most cost-efficient and rewarding options you can choose. The future's looking bright for these dedicated devices, and with cheap Bluetooth controllers and on-screen controls growing in power and dropping in price, the sky's the limit at the moment. There's never been a better time to be a casual player.

However, If you just want a device to play your games on the go or whenever the TV's already booked, a gaming handheld is going to serve you much better overall. These devices have built-in controls, game-ready refresh rates, VRR features at a lower price, graphics-oriented processing systems, and a level of control over individual power and cooling settings that you just won't find in a tablet - no matter how gamified its marketing has been.

After a smaller screen? Check out the best gaming phones on the market right now. Or, for more portability options, take a look at the best gaming earbuds and the best mobile controllers available.

Season 2 of Apple TV Plus's comedy The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin has reportedly been scrapped.

First reported by British tabloid The Sun, and confirmed by Deadline, the second season was cancelled after star Noel Fielding pulled out of the show with around a quarter of the season left to shoot. Deadline says season 2 "cannot be salvaged". No reason has been confirmed for Fielding's departure.

The show is a comedic take on the life of famous highwayman Dick Turpin, played by Fielding. Fielding can soon be seen hosting the next season of The Great British Baking Show alongside Alison Hammond.

As well as Fielding, The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin stars Marc Wootton, Ellie White, Duayne Boachie, Mark Heap, and Michael Fielding.

Apple TV's next high-profile release is the second season of Severance, which begins this January 17.

"After season 1, we had to take a step back and ask ourselves, 'What exactly was it that made that work the way that it did?' It was the smaller things, more so than the big things," Severance creator Dan Erickson recently told our sister publication SFX magazine. "I think we all have an impulse to know what it is Lumon does; what are the goats, and all of that. But at the end of the day, I think what makes the show so special is Mark, Helly, Irving, and Dylan."

You can keep up to date with our Severance season 2 release schedule, or see our guide to the best shows on Apple TV Plus to fill out your watchlist.

Our list of the best movies on Apple TV is designed to bring together 10 of the most interesting and exciting films of the last few years. From beautifully-evoked period pieces to gritty dramas, each of these films does things a little bit differently and stands out from the blockbuster crowd.

Apple TV's library is a little smaller than some of the other entries on our best streaming services list, but it really is all about delivering a curated experience and the quality-rate is very high. You can see that reflected in the choices of titles here, which include films by such big name talents as Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, and Steve McQueen.

So join us now as we run through our list of the 10 best movies on Apple TV. For more top viewing, check out our guide to the best Apple TV shows, and our pick of the best Netflix movies to see what else is out there.

10. Eternity

Year: 2026
Director: David Freyne

The latest entry to our list of the best movies on Apple TV is this rom com from director David Freyne. Eternity stars Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, and Callum Turner as a very unusual sort of love triangle. Larry (Teller) and Joan (Olsen) have been married for decades. They both, eventually, die but are reunited in the afterlife where Joan must make a very difficult choice: she can spend eternity with either Larry or Luke (Callum Turner), her first husband who was killed decades previously in the Korean War.

Who will she choose? And is there a way for all three to get their happy ending? Eternity is a sweet and genuinely funny comedy with a melancholy streak that stops the film from becoming too saccharine. Perfect Valentine's Day viewing.

9. CODA

Year: 2021
Director: Sian Heder

CODA's Best Picture win at the 94th Academy Awards has earned it a place in the hallowed halls of Hollywood history, yet there's more to this powerful movie than shiny accolades. Our hero is Ruby Rossi, the child of deaf adults (CODA) – and the only member of her family who can hear – who wants more from her life than a future working on the family fishing boat.

While there's a degree of cliché to the film's plot, that doesn't stop CODA from being an emotional coming-of-age story that'll leave you on the brink of tears, thanks in large part to its incredible cast, who bring a degree of authenticity to a slightly formulaic story. Arguably, the film's greatest strength is Emilia Jones, who is simply sensational as the ambitious but isolated Ruby.

Want to stay ahead of the award season? Keep track of exciting titles with our guide to all the best movies of 2024.

8. Greyhound

Year: 2020
Director: Aaron Schneider

Based on C. S. Forester's book, The Good Shepherd, this thrilling war movie follows Ernie Krause, a US Navy commander who must protect an Allied convoy from German U-boats during World War 2. While Greyhound's story and characters are a little thin, it's made up for it by having some of the most intense maritime action scenes ever put to film.

We also have to talk about a deliberately taciturn but soulful performance from Tom Hanks, who fills in the holes in Krause's characterization with his own reassuring presence. Seriously, it's not the best Tom Hanks movie ever made, but it is the best Tom Hanks movie on Apple TV, so if you are craving some drama, add it to your watchlist.

For more information on this Tom Hanks must-watch, check out our Greyhound review.

7. Hala

Year: 2019
Director: Minhal Baig

A moving and naturalistic coming-of-age story, Hala follows Hala Masood, a young Pakistani American, as she struggles with her family's expectations and her own growing attraction to a boy at school. While it may sound a little cliché, this isn't a John Hughes movie.

Instead, it tells the story you think you know through the experience of a second-generation immigrant, which puts an impressive fresh spin on things. As the film plays out, however, it morphs from a deceptively predictable set-up into a much more powerful parable about the mistakes our parents make. Perhaps, though, the film's secret weapon is Geraldine Viswanathan, who keeps Hala charming, funny, and easy to empathize with as she walks the tightrope between childhood and adulthood.

Haven't signed up for Apple TV yet? Check out our handy guide breaking down all the Apple TV costs and prices.

6. Causeway

Year: 2022
Director: Lila Neugebauer

An understated and compelling drama about the lasting effects of trauma, Causeway tells the story of Lynsey, a former soldier trying to rebuild her life after she experienced a traumatic brain injury while on tour in Afghanistan. A wonderfully authentic and quietly moving film, Causeway doesn't necessarily take any big swings, but it doesn't need to.

Its power lies in the quiet drama of everyday life and the value of human connection. Jennifer Lawrence gives a sensationally affecting performance, which was hailed by some as a return to form upon the film's release, yet in my opinion, it's her chemistry with co-star Brian Tyree Henry that makes this film sing.

For more streaming recommendations, head over to our list of the best movies on Netflix.

5. Highest 2 Lowest

Year: 2025
Director: Spike Lee

David King (a terrific Denzel Washington) is a wealthy record exec. He sold his record company, Stackin' Hits, five years back. Now he plans to buy it back. When King's basketball player son Trey (Aubrey Joseph) is kidnapped, however, King must decide between his money and business, or the life of his son. An easy decision, one would think, and King is ready to make the trade, when it turns out that, in fact, the kidnappers grabbed someone else by mistake. Now King must choose between the cash or the life of somebody he barely knows, and that proves trickier for the businessman to reconcile.

A remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 High and Low, this is Spike Lee back on top form, vividly evoking New York City with all its grit and glamor.

4. Fancy Dance

Year: 2023
Director: Erica Tremblay

Set on the Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma, Jax (Lily Gladstone) turns to stealing cars to care for her niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) while also investigating what happened to her missing sister. We have many things to thank Martin Scorsese for, but one of them is introducing us to Lily Gladstone, one of the best actors currently working in Hollywood.

In this moody thriller that's part social drama, part murder mystery, she gives yet another star turn which, were there any justice in this world, would earn her the Oscar she was denied for Killers of the Flower Moon (more on that later). Beyond Gladstone, though, Fancy Dance has a lot going for it, specifically Erica Tremblay's assured direction, and the layered story about the injustices Indigenous women are forced to endure every single day will keep you enthralled for its entire 90-minute run.

3. The Tragedy of Macbeth

Year: 2021
Director: Joel Coen

Shakespeare adaptations are ten a penny these days, but there's something special about Joel Coen's take on Macbeth. Perhaps it's the incredible cast he managed to assemble who – led by the inimitable and charismatic Denzel Washington – breathe new life into the Bard's dark meditation on pride and ambition.

Maybe it's the incredibly stark and eerie visuals that Coen and his cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel conjure up from shadows and light? Or it could just be that Shakespeare's words still hold power over us, bewitching audiences even now, centuries after he put them to paper. Whatever the answer, this moody tragedy deserves your attention.

For more award-winning films, read our list of the best movies on HBO Max.

2. Wolfwalkers

Year: 2020
Directors: Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart

Cartoon Saloon regularly produces some of the best animated movies ever made, and Wolfwalkers, the third film in their Irish Folklore Trilogy, might be their greatest achievement to date. This vibrant and lively cartoon follows Robyn, an apprentice hunter who befriends a young girl, Mebh, who has the power to turn into a wolf.

We won't give away what happens next, but let's just say things get a lot more complicated from there. Boasting memorable and lovable characters, gorgeous animation, and a story as moving as anything Pixar has put out, this charming fairy tale is a must-watch. Its art style is also stunning and is a nice change of pace from the typical 3D style we've been seeing largely throughout the last few years.

Read our list of the best Disney Plus movies for more animated masterpieces.

1. Killers of the Flower Moon

Year: 2023
Director: Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese is a legend in Hollywood, and his most recent picture proves that he's still at the height of his directorial powers. Grand in every sense of the word – from its ambitious story to ginormous run-time – Killers of the Flower Moon is a demanding and engaging drama that tells the sadly true story of the Osage tribe and the injustices they suffered when oil was discovered on their land.

Honestly, summing up what makes Killers such an amazing film is hard to do. Nearly every element of the film is perfect, from Scorsese's sublime direction, Rodrigo Prieto's haunting cinematography, and the impeccable work of an all-star cast. Yet honestly, my favorite thing about the film is the way Scorsese cleverly uses the trappings of crime drama to tell a much more important story about America's exploitative relationship with the natural world and Indigenous people.

Read our five-star Killers of the Flower Moon review for more details on the best movie on Apple TV Plus.

If you're still looking for something new to watch, we have lists of the best movies on Amazon Prime and the best movies on Hulu for you to look over.

This list of the best Apple TV shows demonstrates just how far the streamer has come since it launched in 2019. Packed with top caliber titles like Severance, Foundation, and the unmissable Slow Horses, it really is the home of some of the best modern TV shows.

Apple TV consciously has a smaller selection than some of the other entries on our best streaming services list, but it has always focused on delivering quality over quantity. That's translated to excellent, headline-grabbing series like Ted Lasso, For All Mankind, The Studio, and Pluribus. You'll find our choice of 25 of them on this page.

So, whether you're looking for a gripping new drama, a hilarious comedy, or something truly out of this world, here are our picks of the best shows on Apple TV. When you've finished reading here, make sure to check out our lists of the best movies on Apple TV and the best shows on Netflix.

The best shows on Apple TV

25. Central Park

Year: 2020–2022
Seasons: 3

New York, New York. What a place. And at its center, a park, called Central Park. Not exactly the most original name – but it makes for a funny joke in Central Park, the animated series by Bob's Burgers creator Loren Bouchard, Nora Smith, and Josh Gad. Central Park follows the Tillerman-Hunter family, who do everything possible to save their favorite park from becoming another building development. Owen Tillerman is the park's manager, while his children, are dealing with becoming teenagers. Meanwhile, Gad voices the fourth-wall-breaking busker Birdie.

Now, that all seems relatively simple enough, but Central Park's not your average animated series: it also happens to be a musical featuring big band numbers, raps, and some extremely catchy tunes. The results are both hilarious and charming; a shame, then, that we won't be getting more than the already-released three seasons.

Need more animated picks? Check out our list of the greatest animated TV shows of all time.

24. Bad Monkey

Year: 2024
Seasons: 1

Vince Vaughn has always had a particular sense of humor, and Bad Monkey allows the actor to dig deep into a fascinating character like never before. Vaughn plays Andrew Yancy, a detective forced into leaving his main beat to become a restaurant inspector after years of recklessness. But before he starts checking kitchens to see if there are rats, he has one last job: delivering a severed arm to the wife of the arm's former owner. Yancy ends up investigating what happened and becomes entangled in a criminal world full of eclectic and eccentric characters.

Vaughn laps up every scene, delivering deadpan jokes at every opportunity, leading to a series that's a breezy yet darkly funny watch. The beachside setting adds to the Magnum P.I. feel of the whole thing, while the central murder mystery story keeps the pace bouncing along. But perhaps most importantly of all, the series never takes itself too seriously, allowing the goofball humor to take over when necessary.

For more hits, read our list of the best shows on Amazon Prime.

23. Platonic

Year: 2023–Ongoing
Seasons: 2

Sylvia and Will were great friends – until Will got married to a woman that Sylvia despised. The two didn't become not friends, but they did stop seeing each other. However, now Will's getting a divorce, and Sylvia finally reaches out to her single friend. They meet in a coffee shop and gradually realize just how close they are.

Were this a more straightforward series, Sylvia and Will – played by Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen – would fall in love, especially when the chemistry between the two actors is this good. But that would go against the show's title. These two are strictly platonic friends who bring out the absolute best and absolute worst in each other, and the results are pure chaos. That, though, makes for hilarious viewing. With two heavyweight comedians as its leads, Platonic is one of the funniest shows on Apple TV Plus to date.

Laugh out loud with our list of the best comedy movies on Netflix.

22. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

Year: 2023–Ongoing
Seasons: 2

When the news broke that the Monsterverse was getting a live-action series, many people were left asking: "Really?" After all, not every franchise needs the Marvel treatment. Yet, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is a surprise success. The show delves into the origins of Monarch, the organization monitoring monster-related activities around the world. Although the bulk of the story takes place following the events of 2014's Godzilla, Legacy of Monsters has two timelines, with father-son duo Wyatt and Kurt Russell both playing Lee Shaw, a former army colonel, as he deals with various discoveries made by Monarch.

Of course, while Godzilla and King Kong may be factors in the story, it's the human aspect that keeps you watching. The Russells have charisma to spare and act as the series' heart. With that in mind, anyone going into this wanting to see Kaiju smashing buildings and thumping each other will be disappointed. This isn't Godzilla vs. Kong on the small screen, but something altogether different that enhances the overarching series' lore.

Ahead of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2, check out our list of the best Netflix horror movies for more streaming scares.

21. Criminal Record

Year: 2024–Ongoing
Seasons: 2

Daniel Hegarty's a washed-up former detective working as a taxi driver, played by Peter Capaldi. June Lenker's a working detective investigating a case, played by Cush Jumbo. Each character could have been at the center of their own show, but Criminal Record pits them against each other, resulting in fireworks on screen.

You see, Hegarty's left the life of crime-fighting behind. However, Lenker gets an anonymous call that tips her off that a person Hegarty put away in prison may not actually be responsible for the murders they apparently committed. She starts investigating, which brings in a very unhappy Hegarty, and the series takes off from there. Capaldi and Jumbo are brilliant as they explore each characters' complexities, unraveling their layers, and asking us, as viewers, to ask questions of them.

Jump into some classics with our list of the best Hulu shows now streaming.

20. Trying

Year: 2020–2024
Seasons: 4

A series about two parents who are unable to have a baby doesn't exactly sound like a feel-good comedy. Yet, that's exactly what Trying is. Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall) are in their 30s and have tried everything – IVF, emergency sex sessions on the train because they've just reached the end of the ovulation window, and more. But they simply cannot have a baby.

Writer Andy Wolton finds both the pain and the comedy in the situation, with Smith and Spall playing their parts perfectly. Many critics have drawn a fair comparison to Apple's better-known comedy, Ted Lasso, but Trying is perhaps more revealing about the human condition. It's also one of Apple's longest-running shows, so you can properly become absorbed in Nikki and Jason's lives. Plus, the fourth season takes place after a six-year time jump, which helps the show feel expansive and leads to new questions being asked of its leads.

19. Dark Matter

Year: 2024–Ongoing
Seasons: 1

The multiverse. It is a concept that has been seemingly done to death in recent years, thanks to a mixture of Rick and Morty's success, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And yet, here we are, with another great series about alternative versions of the universe existing all at once. In Dark Matter, Joel Edgerton's Jason Dessen is a physicist with the perfect life; he's married to Jennifer Connelly and has a healthy amount of money. Then, one day, he wakes up in a world he doesn't recognize, in a relationship with a different woman, yet still in his own body. Jason has been abducted by another universe's Jason, and he needs to work out how to get back.

Dark Matter is another thrilling sci-fi series to add to Apple's collection. One of the reasons for the show's success is the fact showrunner Blake Crouch wrote the book that his series is based on – so he knows this story inside and out, and even improved on certain aspects of the source material. There are times when plotlines are slightly stretched, yet the main story is utterly propulsive.

If you want to dive into more multiverse action, read our expansive guide on how to watch all the Marvel movies and shows in order.

18. Lessons in Chemistry

Year: 2023
Seasons: 1

There are few who have watched Lessons in Chemistry who haven't been impressed by the production; it's no wonder, then, that the '60s-set series was nominated for multiple Emmys, Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, and more. A large number of those nominations were for Brie Larson, who anchors the series playing Elizabeth Zott, a chemist who becomes a television sensation hosting her show Supper at Six, which aims to educate housewives on science.

However, Elizabeth would rather be in the lab, having been forced to leave a previous position due to her gender. Lessons in Chemistry presses some timely buttons, and Larson is exceptional in the role, while supporting actors Lewis Pullman and Aja Naomi King add just enough spice to the recipe. Oh, and there’s a talking dog… What's not to love?

17. Masters of the Air

Year: 2024
Seasons: 1

When Band of Brothers was released in 2001, it was groundbreaking television, telling the story of Easy Company in the Second World War. Almost a decade later, The Pacific recaptured that on-screen magic, focussing on the 1st Marine Division. Then, 14 years later, Master of the Air brought the 100th Bomb Group to the small screen, acting as the third part of this Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg-produced series.

Like both shows before it, Master of the Air is a stunning piece of filmmaking, highlighting the horrors of war, and the camaraderie that was forged between the men who fought it. The cast list – Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Barry Keoghan, Ncuti Gatwa – reads like a who's who of up-and-coming stars. It may not be the most historically accurate series, but it is certainly a thrilling watch.

Want more gunfights? Check out our list of the best Netflix action movies.

16. Black Bird

Year: 2022
Seasons: 1

Apple has a knack for releasing seriously good mini-series that go under the radar, and Black Bird ranks extremely high among them. Taron Egerton plays a man sentenced to ten years in prison for drugs and arms dealing. He's offered a deal to shorten his time away, be transferred into a facility for the criminally insane, befriend Larry Hall (played by Paul Walter Hauser), and get him to admit to killing 14 women.

This is very much the Egerton and Hauser show, as the two play morally complex characters who develop in interesting directions across the show's six episodes. And if you're thinking you're done with true-crime series, Black Bird's a bit different, having a tone in common with David Fincher's Mindhunter and HBO's The Night Of. Plus, in one of his last roles, Ray Liotta plays Egerton's father, a former police officer, giving a heartbreaking performance that's among his best.

Want more case-solving on your screen? Read our list of the best thriller movies of all time.

15. The Afterparty

Year: 2022–2023
Seasons: 2

There are few "whodunnits" as fun as The Afterparty. Created by Christopher Miller, the first season takes place the night of a high-school reunion afterparty. Everyone's having a good time – then pop icon, movie star, and party host Xavier (played by Dave Franco) falls to his death. The guests all have their motives, which leads to a guessing game over who could have pushed Xavier.

Each episode follows a different person, starting with Sam Richardson's escape-room designer Aniq, as the show delves into their past. And in a genius move, each episode is shot and styled according to that person's personality – one episode might be a John Woo-esque actioner, the next a rom-com. Best of all, Tiffany Haddish's brilliant, hilarious Detective Danner is on the scene to investigate what's happened. It all makes for a ludicrously good time – a shame, then, that a third season was never commissioned.

14. Widow's Bay

Year: 2026–Ongoing
Seasons: 1

This entertaining new dramedy takes place on a remote New England island. Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) is keen to bring new tourists in and turn Widow's Bay into "the next Martha's Vineyard". There's only one problem: the town is cursed and seemingly beset by supernatural phenomena. Tom doesn't believe in such things, but he might be about to be proved very wrong...

There's something enjoyably old fashioned about Widow's Bay – a show that feels like a lighter take on Twin Peaks, or a spookier Northern Exposure. The cast, which also includes Barry's Stephen Root, is terrific and while it's more lightly amusing than laugh-out-loud funny, that's to the show's benefit. A very promising new show.

13. Foundation

Year: 2021–Ongoing
Seasons: 3

Foundation is dense. It's a show that luxuriates in its world-building to a fault – there are so many complexities to this universe. After all, half the characters are clones of Emperor Cleon, ruler of the galaxy. Some versions of Cleon are the same actor, while others are different. Their rule is put into doubt when Jared Harris' mathemetician – who can tell the future with an algorithm – foresees their doom.

While the first season arguably bites off a little more than it can chew, spending a good deal of time establishing the facts of the universe, the second and third narrow the story and focuses on the characters to great effect. It's no wonder the sophomore effort jumped to a 100% Rotten Tomatoes Score. This is epic sci-fi, taking visual cues from Dune, Star Wars, and more as the story unfolds across the galaxy. Simply put, invest in the first season, and you won't be disappointed by what comes next.

Check out our picks for the best sci-movies of all time.

12. Dickinson

Year: 2019–2021
Seasons: 3

When Apple TV Plus launched, there was only one comedy on the service: Dickinson, which tells the story of poet Emily Dickinson, highlighting how she went against the worldviews of the time to live an extraordinary life. However, while the real Dickinson lived in the 1800s, the series refuses to feel dated, using modern language, music, and references, an intriguing mix that makes Dickinson feel completely of its own.

Hailee Steinfeld shines in the eponymous role; you will find it hard not to root for the rambunctious Dickinson in all that she does. The script also takes a few surreal turns as Dickinson's poetry comes to life on screen, at times taking audacious leaps into her imagination. After a first season finding its feet, the second and third move beyond any gimmicks to truly examine Dickinson's life, making for a series unlike any other. No wonder it was awarded a Peabody Award.

11. Shrinking

Year: 2023–Ongoing
Seasons: 3

What happens when your therapist takes it a step too far? That's the question Shrinking asks. Following his wife's death, Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel) starts telling his patients how it is; he implores one to leave her abusive husband and another to take up mixed martial arts. And while they appear to be better initially, things don't quite work out as smoothly as Jimmy would like them to.

It's the sheer caliber of talent both on and behind the screen that makes Shrinking so brilliant. Segel is wonderfully funny, especially when opposite his fellow shrink, Paul, played by Harrison Ford, having a fantastic time on screen. Segel also acts as co-showrunner with Ted Lasso's Bill Lawrence and Bret Goldstein, who bring that Lasso-sian mix of heart and humor with them.

10. Silo

Year: 2013–Ongoing
Seasons: 2

In a world where mankind has been driven underground, one woman wants to discover the truth of what’s outside… Ok, voice-over; this show's not quite as simple as that. Silo may whiff of Fallout, yet it's a different beast altogether, taking a grounded approach to its storytelling as the characters – and us – discover why everyone’s trapped beneath the Earth's surface.

Silo is, as you may expect, a twisty, turny show that pulls the rug from under your feet and then the ground from under your bottom. Rebecca Ferguson is spectacular as Juliette Nichols, a hardened mechanic-turned-sheriff, as she unravels the mysteries of her silo. Go into this knowing as little as possible and prepare to be stunned; even the opening episode is an unexpected jaw-dropper.

Head over to our guide on the Silo season 3. We've also got a Silo season 2 review to sink your teeth into as well.

9. Mythic Quest

Year: 2020–2025
Seasons: 4 (plus two specials)

When Apple announced that it was making a workplace comedy about a fictional games studio, gamers around the world collectively went: "Oh no!" After all, it's not like the industry has been particularly well represented on screen before. However, Mythic Quest doesn't go for any under-the-belt jabs at gamers and instead fully embraces the chaos of creating video games.

The result is another fantastically funny series from co-creators Charlie Day, Megan Ganz, and Rob McElhenney, who are best known for their work on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. McElhenney plays Ian Grimm, the creative director of the fictional Mythic Quest game, and is joined by Ashly Burch and Danny Pudi, among others. If you're an avid gamer, prepare for hundreds of references to your favorite games.

If you want to take a break from streaming and dive into some gaming, check out our list of all the upcoming games heading our way this year.

8. Bad Sisters

Year: 2022–Ongoing
Seasons: 2

Few people have a knack for comedy like Sharon Horgan. First, she created and starred in BBC Three's underrated Pulling, about three singletons in Hackney. Then came Catastrophe, the award-winning series about a woman who becomes pregnant following a fling with Rob Delaney. Horgan now has another critical darling on her hands with Bad Sisters, about five sisters all living in modern-day Dublin. They're being investigated for insurance fraud after one of their husbands dies in suspicious circumstances…

The series takes place across two timelines; the first before the death of the husband, the second during the investigation into how he died. The hilarity comes from the absurdity of the whole thing, while the mystery of what really happened will keep you stuck to the TV screen.

7. The Studio

Year: 2025–Ongoing
Seasons: 1

Apple TV's buzz-worthy hit is this wonderfully meta comedy-drama. Co-showrunner and co-directed by Seth Rogen, who also stars in the series, it's a hilarious peek behind the curtains of the entertainment business. Rogen plays Matt Remick, a studio executive who has just taken control of the (fictional) Continental Studios. What he finds is a studio in chaos, and one that challenges his beliefs in pursuing artistic integrity in an increasingly sequel-hungry industry.

The Studio is both bracingly honest about some of the challenges facing TV and movie studios in our current era, and laugh-out-loud funny. It also comes stocked with a formidable list of guest stars, including Martin Scorsese, Zoë Kravitz, Johnny Knoxville, Kathryn Hahn, Ice Cube, Jean Smart, and many, many more.

Want to watch for yourself but haven't signed up for Apple TV yet? Check out our handy guide breaking down all the Apple TV Plus costs and prices.

6. For All Mankind

Year: 2019–Ongoing
Seasons: 5

What if the Russians touched down on the moon before the Americans? That's the central question of For All Mankind. The series takes place in an alternate reality where the soviet engineer Sergei Korolev led the Russians to space flight in 1969 (when, in real life, Korolev died in 1969). This all leads to NASA becoming ever more obsessed with getting to the moon – and far beyond.

Each season of For All Mankind takes place across 10 years, with actors playing both fictional and real-world characters. The space race itself makes for a thrilling narrative as countries battle to become the first to reach certain planets and start colonies on them, all while corporate interests become more and more important.

If you are keen to see what other series are heading our way, check out our guide on all the new TV shows on the near horizon.

5. Ted Lasso

Year: 2020–ongoing
Seasons: 3

The show that put Apple TV Plus on the map. Ted Lasso's the reason most people have a subscription – its cocktail of heart and humor was the soothing balm we all needed during the COVID lockdowns. Jason Sudeikis plays the titular American football coach who comes over to the UK to head up the "soccer" (bleurgh) team Richmond FC. While he might not know his Earl Grey from his PG Tips, Ted's fully committed to helping his team, both on and off the pitch.

Ted Lasso launched the careers of its actors into the stratosphere; Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Nick Mohammed, and Juno Temple are essentially household names now. That's mainly down to the sheer quality of the first two seasons, especially. And while season 3 met with a more muted critical response, the show's return for a surprise fourth run sometime in the relatively near future is something to celebrate.

4. Pachinko

Year: 2022–Ongoing
Seasons: 2

Pachinko is one of those shows that everyone will tell you is good and, chances are, you will put off watching because, well, it sounds like quite a lot. After all, the show follows four generations of a single Korean family between 1915 to 1989 as they deal with starting a new life in Japan and the racism they face. But Pachinko is a show that needs to be at the front of your watchlist, if not playing on your television right now.

Soo Hugh's series is epic in scope yet intimate in the way it develops interesting characters. The Baek family goes through turmoil, fighting together through thick and thin, enduring it all – this is a story of triumph in the face of hardship. The sumptuous cinematography is matched by stunning performances from the cast. In other words, don’t sleep on Pachinko; you will want to get this watched ASAP.

3. Severance

Year: 2022–Ongoing
Seasons: 2

Imagine clocking into work and then, poof, you're clocking out again, like no time has passed at all. Sounds too good to be true. But that's what Lumon offers you; the chance to sever your working consciousness (your innie) from your everyday consciousness (outie) so that your work self and real self don’t remember each other. If only it were so simple…

Severance sets out its unique premise in its opening episode – and the problems that come from severing yourself in two. The show has everything: engrossing mysteries, conspiracy theories, philosophical questions about life. Adam Scott grounds the series as Mark Scout, whose "outie" is mourning his wife, while Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, and John Turturro bring this sci-fi world to life. Severance is a thrilling watch – no wonder we named it the best TV show of 2022.

Check out our five star review of Severance season 2.

2. Pluribus

Year: 2025–Ongoing
Seasons: 1

It's not often that a show comes along that merits the phrase "instant classic" but that's the case with this fantastic new drama. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised given its pedigree. Pluribus is the brainchild of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan and stars Rhea Seehorn (Kim in Better Call Saul) as Carol Sturka, a bestselling romantasy author who unexpectedly finds herself one of only a few people worldwide who retains her individuality when an alien virus turns humanity into a hive-mind.

Pluribus starts off feeling like Invasion of the Body Snatchers but quickly goes in a very different direction. This isn't an invasion, but a fascinating, knotty, and emotionally complex story about everything from individual versus collective responsibility to consent, AI, and the climate crisis. It's also impossible to guess where it's going to go next. Utterly essential viewing.

Find out more about this great show in our Pluribus review.

1. Slow Horses

Year: 2022–Ongoing
Seasons: 5

Few shows have snowballed quite as much as Slow Horses. The series – about a group of MI5 detectives deemed useless by their superiors, and so they're sent to work in administrative roles at Slough House – has jumped hurdle after hurdle, quickly becoming one of the very best shows on television. Gary Oldman is Jackson Lamb, the rude head of Slough House who suffers no fools but is loyal to his team to a fault.

Every season is based on a different novel by Mick Herron, and each offers a new twisty case for Lamb and his "slow horses" to solve. Jack Lowden, Jonathan Pryce, and Kristin Scott Thomas make up the supporting players that appear across all seasons, while Sophie Okonedo, Hugo Weaving, Katherine Waterston, and Sope Dirisu are guest stars. Considering the quality of writing, it's no wonder so many stars want to get involved.

Find out more about the current season with our guide to Slow Horses season 5 .

For more streaming picks, head to our lists of the best shows on Disney Plus, and the best shows on HBO Max.

Apple TV Plus has unveiled the first trailer for the return of their hit sci-fi show, Silo season 2, and it sees revolution brewing.

The first season ended with Rebecca Ferguson's Juliette making it out of the silo, discovering the truth about the outside world along the way. While those remaining inside are being told Juliette has died, it seems the truth is out there – and spreading. Check out the new trailer above. 

Silo is adapted from Hugh Howey's trilogy of novels, revolving around the titular subterranean community – nobody knows what's outside or why the silo was built, which is why Juliette's trip outside is such a big deal. 

"Season 2 is dark. It's a bonkers exciting season," Ferguson has previously shared. She also revealed more about the potential future of the show: "We're now looking at green-lighting seasons 3 and 4. And I think we would film them maybe together, and that would be the end." 

She added: "I believe that the show has an ending, and I know when that is. To be honest, I don't think it's a secret." However, Silo only has the greenlight for season 2 so far – whether more arrives remains to be seen. 

Ferguson isn't the only person excited about the upcoming episodes, either. "I've seen season two and it's one of the best things I've ever seen," Howey himself has shared on Threads. 

Along with Ferguson, the show's cast also includes Common, Tim Robbins, Harriet Walter, and Iain Glen. 

Silo season 2 arrives on November 15. You can fill out your watchlist with our guide to the best shows on Apple TV Plus to stream now. 

It’s easy to understand why Apple’s cheapest tablets are their most popular. A Pro model regularly wanders into four-figure price territory, whereas you’re getting the same core experience for much less with the brand’s 9th Gen and 10th Gen entry-level devices. Now that Amazon has dropped these tablets to new record-low prices, they’re looking particularly strong on the shelves - all well ahead of official Black Friday iPad deals. 

I’ll cut straight to the chase, because this is a big one. The 9th generation iPad has just dropped to $199 at Amazon. Officially, that’s down from a $329 MSRP, saving you $130 overall, but I’ve seen those numbers hovering around $250 for most of the year so far. You’re still getting a fantastic device for far less than I ever expected to see, with a $50 saving over the day-to-day going rate. Black Friday only ever managed to reach $229 last year. 

If you’re after something a little more recent, the 10th generation is now available for $299.99 at the online retail giant, a cool $50 down from that new MSRP. That’s the lowest price I’ve ever seen on the middle child, and one that sits $150 cheaper than its original rate. Black Friday only ever took us down to $349.99 last year, and that was considered excellent value back then. Now that such a rate is the norm, we’re seeing the 10th generation truly make a name for itself on the shelves. 

In fact, it’s difficult to see a world where even this year’s holiday sales go lower than this. The days of ludicrous price crashes on high-end tech are slightly behind us now - over the last few holiday sales I’ve seen iPads holding onto record-low prices set earlier in the year. At most, we could see an extra $10 or $20 off this device come November, but by then you will have had two months of use out of it. Plus, with the 9th generation likely to return to its own $229 record-low, there’s not much further for this device to fall.  

Which iPad should you buy?

The 9th and 10th generation iPads have a few different tricks up their sleeves, but ultimately if you’re looking for a basic tablet for streaming, web browsing, Apple Arcade games, and the occasional note-taking session you’ll do just fine with the 9th generation model. For $199 you’re getting excellent value for money - that A13 Bionic Chip holds up just fine today (I use one for Netflix, Spotify, ebooks, web browsing, and the occasional thumb-tapper), remaining slick even with the latest apps. 

The 10th generation is for those who want the basic experience but with a little more pzazz, as well as those with a heavier need for note-taking. The older home button design is swapped for a more modern full-screen affair here, with the flat edges and magnetic back of more premium tablets. This model is also compatible with the Apple Pencil 2 for a better handwriting experience as well (the older version only supports the original Apple Pencil). I’ve been holding off on recommending the 10th generation iPad for a couple of years now, it’s price just never made sense. This is the first time I’ve been able to confidently say its value for money is on point. 

We’re rounding up all the best gaming tablets and the best gaming phones on the market right now, but we’re also hunting for the best gaming handhelds for a more focused device. 

Apple Vision Pro finally launches outside of US markets this summer, the brand has confirmed at WWDC 2024. While that’s massive news for any Apple fan who’s been waiting all this time to get hands-on with the luxury headset, it’s going to be a competitive few months for any manufacturer in that market. 

The best VR headsets currently available all have exciting things to look forward to at the moment. PSVR 2 gets its long-awaited PC support on August 7, which is reigniting a lot of PC VR gamers who want the highest visual fidelity they can get for their gaming rigs. Amidst plenty of firmware updates and ongoing quality-of-life additions, Meta Quest 3 is rumored to get a more affordable sibling at some point in 2024. That headset already has Apple cornered in the US, so I can’t imagine what an even more affordable option will do.

Then we have Apple Vision Pro, which will launch in the UK on July 12, as well as in Germany, France, Australia, and Canada. It’ll launch in China, Japan, and Singapore even earlier, on June 28th. 

The device kicked up a storm of hype when it was revealed this time last year and launched to a lot of excitement in the US at the beginning of 2024. Said excitement has since died down, and its lack of gaming support in conjunction with its monumental price tag is surely to blame. 

In an attempt to reignite the passions of international customers, Apple is updating its ski goggles with VisionOS2. Among the new spatial features and some interface changes, Apple says it’ll deliver higher-display resolutions and sizes for Mac virtual display, and add a train setting to its travel mode. It’s also said that VisionOS2 will make it easier for developers to make apps for the device and that new content is already being made specifically for it.

In the last month or so, we’ve seen some more gaming focus put on the Vision Pro. Demeo, Job Simulator, Vacation Simulator, and Marvel’s What If…? have all launched on the device. Those aren’t going to be enough to entice gamers who can opt for a cheaper option with more titles available to them, but it’s a start.

Questions were raised about whether the Vision Pro would even see a launch to international markets after reports claimed that it hadn’t sold in line with Apple’s expectations.

“I say the following with all the love in my heart: Uh-oh!” 

I’ve said many times before that more competition breeds innovation in hardware markets. Especially within the VR and XR sectors, close competition has been one of the few elements that’s been missing until now. I want Apple to be a mainstay, I want to see hardware innovations like the Vision Pro do well, but you have to admit, it’s not making life easy for itself.

Apple Vision Pro pre-orders in the UK go live on June 28, and anyone who’s interested in grabbing a headset who doesn’t already own one will be lumped with quite the decision.

Do you spend £459 on the Meta Quest 3, which is a more affordable version of Apple’s device that has access to loads more content? Do you wait for the rumored “Quest 3S” which is said to be an even more affordable version of the same product? Do you decide on a gaming-only device in the form of PSVR 2 which is mere months away from being able to access all of SteamVR’s illustrious library of titles? 

Or, do you opt for the £3,499 Apple experiment that’s fighting its own reputation as a premium device that you can’t do much with? It’s an uphill battle for Apple this summer and a piece of non-essential technology that’s this expensive needs all the help it can get.

Making things all the worse are the rumors that Apple plans to release a more affordable headset at some point in the next few years. The same reports said that the Vision Pro would be discontinued before its international launch, so we’re not sure how trustworthy they are, but you have to think that a more mainstream headset has to be on Apple’s mind for the future. 

It’s great that so many viable VR headsets are improving this summer, and arguably they all have distinct flavors for different buyers. No matter which starter Pokemon you support in this instance, it’s going to be an exciting season for the VR market. 

For some VR deals check out the best Meta Quest accessories, and the best Meta Quest deals. If you’d rather hold to traditional ways of gaming, seek out the best gaming handhelds. 

Apple has been pretty adamant so far that its new mixed-reality headset doesn't need any controllers. While other VR headsets opt for small handheld controllers, interfacing with the Apple Vision Pro is done completely with hand tracking, eye tracking, and integrated Siri voice commands. However, a new patent filed by Apple could hint that the company is expanding the headset's portfolio.

We're yet to try the Apple Vision Pro since it's only launched in the US, so we aren't quite sure how it'll match up against the best VR headsets. Personally, I think the lack of tactile controllers in VR gaming scenarios would mean it'll miss a certain element of "feel" that's surprisingly important to that type of experience. 

While there's been no official word from Apple about plans for Vision Pro accessories like this, a new patent spotted by Apple Insider does seem like it's discussing controllers designed for the brand's headset. 

For clarity, the patent is filed by Apple itself, and mentions a "head-mounted device and a handheld controller for controlling the electronic device". The patent is titled "Handheld controllers with charging and storage systems", and was originally filed in July of 2023, around the time Apple Vision Pro was originally revealed. 

The document was then published on February 29 this year, but that lengthy gap between filing and publishing may signal that handheld controllers for Vision Pro could already be in development. 

The patent itself shows multiple diagrams of the invention it outlines. The controllers are described as "a housing with an elongated shaft extending between first and second tip portions" and the description says the housing may have "a flat surface and a curved surface", which makes it sound like a remote for the Nintendo Wii.

Conveniently, some diagrams show how the potential controllers could attach to the headset, and also charge by coming into contact with them. We've seen these small magnetic chargers be used by some of the best Meta Quest accessories, and the controllers for the Meta Quest 3. Other diagrams may hint that the controllers in question could have some sort of modular build - as one image even shows a controller with a pointed tip that looks like a giant novelty Apple pencil.

This is probably the best time to mention that just because a fairly explicit patent exists, it doesn't mean the product it's for will ever see the light of day. Plenty of patents have been filed by Sony, for example, which seem more like futureproofing for potential lawsuits than products they actually plan to create. This patent seems to be explicitly talking about head-mounted electronic devices and even mentions virtual reality technology by name, but not the Apple Vision Pro headset. Perhaps Apple is preparing long-term for a cheaper headset that it will release further down the line. 

The document reads "A system may include an electronic device such as a head-mounted device and a handheld controller for controlling the electronic device. The head-mounted device or other device may have a display configured to display virtual content that is overlaid onto real-world content."

In the paragraph labeled "Background", the patent gives the following synopsis:

"Electronic devices such as computers can be controlled using computer mice and other input accessories. In virtual reality systems, force-feedback gloves can be used to control virtual objects. Cellular telephones may have touch screen displays and vibrators that are used to create haptic feedback in response to touch input", it reads. 

Interestingly, this sounds like exactly the reason most people calling for controllers for the Vision Pro want them in the first place. Strangely, the patent also follows directly from that paragraph, giving the company's reasons against having them. 

"Devices such as these may not be convenient for a user, may be cumbersome or uncomfortable, or may provide inadequate feedback. In a virtual reality setting, it may be especially cumbersome for the user to charge or find storage for an input device without interrupting the virtual reality experience."

Apple Vision Pro has certainly missed a lot of the mainstream gaming crowd it attracted at first, but a lack of VR game support on the headset could potentially point back to the fact it doesn't support other VR controllers. Many of the biggest VR games on Steam and Meta platforms will rely on controllers to play them, and won't be developed with hand-tracking in mind. If Apple does have any interest in attracting this sort of market, maybe it realizes that controllers are the key.

Happy to stay with typical gaming devices for now? Take a look at the best gaming PC, the best gaming TV, and the best gaming monitor.

Calling the Apple Vision Pro more than a VR headset is the understatement of the century, but I just realized it could kill off every gaming monitor and TV in your home. At least, it will if the $3,500 pair of goggles ever evolves into a mainstream platform, and it’s thanks to a frankly eerie feature that users are showing off better than the company’s actual advertising. 

Price isn’t the only factor that’ll ultimately keep the Apple Vision Pro from becoming the best VR headset for now. From limited app support to being tethered to a rather chonky battery, you could argue this device is more of an early proof of concept designed to entice wealthy tech heads. However, it has seemingly nailed its real objective of delivering a true Augmented Reality experience to those who can afford it, and that win could be terrible news for real-life screens in your house.

Over on Twitter, you’ll find an example of an early Apple Vision Pro adopter using AR to view multiple screens. Shared by thekitze, the demo takes advantage of the headset’s ability to pin displays of all shapes and sizes around their home. As the enthusiast walks around their home, they point out various phantom panels that will stick to a real-life location, just as hardware in the material world would. The result is equally intriguing and horrifying, and it almost feels like the Vision Pro user’s home is haunted by phantom screens.

 The horrors of 24/7 screen time 

Watching the unofficial Vision Pro demo now has me actively thinking about whether this headset and future versions could replace all your home displays. I mean, even the humble fridge shopping list has been made redundant in the video, and notepads are much cheaper than the best gaming monitor options. 

I’m not by any means saying the technology is ready to send your gaming TV into retirement, nor am I convinced that VR can produce the same results as a panel beaming console and PC visuals into your eyeballs. That said, as a proof of concept, pinning screens virtually in cyberspace works, even if you’ll have to make do with the headset’s 100Hz refresh rate and the usual chance of VR sickness.

As for what might happen in the future? Well, as much as it torments my soul, people will no doubt move towards using VR and AR as monitor alternatives. Naturally, competitive players will still value high refresh panels, as I doubt we’ll see 360Hz headsets that can compete with monitors like the Alienware AW2724HF, even once the concept goes mainstream. Personally, I reckon I’d end up waking up in a cold sweat every night thinking I could see screens out of the corner of my eye.

If you're looking for a more affordable way to play VR games, you'll want to swing by our Meta Quest 3 review to get the low down on the current king of the virtual reality ring.

Fancy something you can actually hold? Check out the best gaming handheld for on the go ways to game. Alternatively, take a peek at the best gaming PC builds if you like to live at your desk.

Apple Vision Pro pre-orders are finally here, and it's time to read up on where and how you can grab yourself a headset. The proper launch date of the Apple Vision Pro in the US is on February 2, but pre-orders go live on January 19 at 5 am PT. With the hype around this device being through the roof, it's best to know the details going in so you give yourself the best chance of securing a unit.

Apple Vision Pro looks like it could be the dawn of a new technological era for the brand. This is its first foray into making the best VR headset or even mixed-reality technology, an area that's been trying to make waves in recent years since Mark Zuckerberg revealed his Metaversal vision for the future. Whether Apple sticks to this or immediately innovates to something new remains to be seen, but this is nothing short of a watershed moment for technology. 

There's just one problem with Apple's plan to transition its users to spatial computing - a high barrier to entry. The Apple Vision Pro doesn't come cheap at $3.5 grand, so without making this a proper substitute for a Mac, Macbook, or iPhone, it's a tall order for your everyday shopper to afford one. Still, if you have the budget and you're all in on Apple's ski mask, we've supplied all the pre-order details below. 

Where to pre-order the Apple Vision Pro

Let's cut straight to it. The only place you can pre-order the Apple Vision Pro is through the Apple store, and that's either at its select retail stores or its online retail store. No other retailer that we know of will stock pre-orders for the headset or even have them available on launch day, so you're best going straight to the source and visiting the link below. 

As soon as we hear more about other retailers stocking the device, we'll be sure to update this page and let you know.

Pre-orders are available at 5am PT, which is 8am ET, and 1pm GMT, although we'll get to the UK details in a minute. 

Where to pre-order the Apple Vision Pro in the UK

Unfortunately, Apple Vision Pro isn't launching in other territories yet. Apple said in its reveal of the device that it would launch in the US in early 2024, but in other territories later in the year. As you might expect, Apple has been fairly tight-lipped about those details ever since, and it may continue to be while it assesses the launch window success in the US. 

Rest assured, as soon as we know something, you'll know something. For now, as frustrating as it is, the UK and other territories will need to wait and see how the device is received stateside for now. In fairness, that might not be a bad thing, since it's a pricey device that's almost certainly going to have some teething issues.

If Apple Vision Pro becomes available near you before we get a chance to update this page, we've placed our price tracking technology in the window below to show you the best deals in your area.

What do you need to secure a pre-order of Apple Vision Pro?

There are a few prerequisites to securing a pre-order of the Apple Vision Pro. According to a few reports, you'll need to have a few details handy when pre-orders go live. 

Supposedly, you'll need to be situated so that you can scan your face. Apparently, this is so that  Apple can match your face shape to the light guard on the headset and headband, and ensure a comfortable and secure fit when your device arrives. This can be done through a Face ID scan which the App Store can support if you update it to the latest version (released January 11). 

Secondly, if you're a glasses wearer, you'll need to get a valid, in-date prescription for your eyesight from a US-licensed optician. This is because the Apple Vision Pro isn't designed to be worn with glasses, and this will allow Apple to create your Zeiss optical inserts. Luckily, it seems as though this can be supplied a little after your pre-order, and you may not need it to secure the unit.

Apple Vision Pro price

As I mentioned previously, the Apple Vision Pro costs $3,499, and you'll be glad to know that it's up to you whether you pay that all in one go or in installments. Just like with iPhone payments, you'll likely be allowed to pay over a 24-month period, for example. 

The reason we outlined that headsets start at $3,499 is that if you do require those Zeiss vision-correcting lenses, your price will go up. For a standard set of reading lenses, the price is $99, bringing the whole package up to $3,598.

If you need full prescription inserts, it'll be an extra $149, creating a combined price of $3,648. 

Is this reality enough for you now? Check out the best gaming PCs, the best gaming monitor, and the best gaming TV instead.

It's been just under a year since Sony launched PlayStation VR 2. With that in mind, nobody in the world suspected that the Japanese tech giant would reveal another headset at CES 2024. Nevertheless, that's exactly what happened. 

Now, before you get too excited, this new device isn't in the PlayStation family. In fact, it isn't targeted at a gaming audience at all. The visor, which doesn't even have a name yet, was initially shown off during the Siemens keynote presentation and got a brief mention in Sony's own CES talk as well. 

Speaking honestly, these were both pretty future-facing presentations that didn't offer up much for us gamers to get excited about - besides one Sony exec bringing an AI-controlled car out on stage using a DualSense controller.

And yet, as a gamer and a lover of the best VR headsets, I got very excited when they rolled the concept trailer for Sony's new XR headset. It may be geared at 3D content creation and businesses, but it made me more hyped than the Apple Vision Pro's reveal. 

Putting its intended audience to one side, this new headset looks like a stunning piece of kit. It sports Qualcomm's new Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 processor that's said to be faster than the Meta Quest 3's and is rumored to appear in Samsung's upcoming headset. Sony's new display features two 4K mini OLED panels, and it flips up and down so you can exit and re-enter the virtual space without the faff of taking off and putting on the headset. 

No uncanny valley eyes poking through the front display to tell people around you how immersed you are. 

For gaming, that display would be incredible, especially if you could hook it up to one of the best gaming PCs. In our PSVR 2 review, I found that the OLED display made a world of difference to visual fidelity in VR games, but also when playing non-VR games in Cinematic mode. 

But the flip-up and flip-down feature? That would make the world of difference if you were mid-game and you needed to go and answer a knock on the door, or, like many people, you suffer from motion sickness and just need a sit-down.

Perhaps the thing that made me most envious of 3D content creators, is the controllers this headset comes with because they aren't your run-of-the-mill VR controllers. In one hand you hold a small pointer you feed your index finger through, using its tip as a touchpad. With your other hand, you wear a ring that looks like it can help to pivot and reorient things in front of you. The two combine using gestures and various touchpad controls to allow you to interface with the virtual world. 

These are quite honestly ingenious inventions, and ones I honestly think the Apple Vision Pro will be missing when it launches on February 2. By all accounts, Apple has done some incredible work with hand controls, gestures, and eye tracking for its new headset, but when it comes to playing VR games, there's a really important synesthesia that takes place between your eyes, what you hear, and the feedback given to you by controllers. I'm willing to be proven wrong, but I think gaming on an Apple Vision Pro will lack the tactility the best PSVR 2 games benefit from. 

Understandably, older VR controllers like the Meta Quest 2's are getting a bit clunky and out of date, but I don't think we should abandon them entirely. I think a minimalistic style of controller like Sony's seems to be the perfect halfway house. If that ring provides haptic feedback you can combine the natural feeling of hand controls with the tactility of PSVR 2's Sense Controllers.

Sony's second headset in as many years may not be a gaming device, but it's the sort of product you want to see at CES every year. It points to a really exciting path forward for VR and XR technology - and that's a market that's already getting pretty exciting.

In association with ROG Ally.

Genuinely thinking of picking up 3D content creation so you can make use of this headset? Take a look at the best gaming laptops, the best gaming monitors, and the best ultrawide monitors.

Popular anime streaming service Crunchyroll has joined the likes of Netflix and Apple today by now offering games in addition to everything else it does. The new Crunchyroll Game Vault features a set of mobile games without ads or in-app purchases that subscribers can access at no additional charge.

There is, of course, a catch. Multiple catches, actually. First and foremost, Crunchyroll Game Vault is offering up mobile games only. In order to access them, you'll need an appropriate iOS or Android device. Additionally, taking advantage of Crunchyroll Game Vault games requires an active Crunchyroll Mega Fan or Ultimate Fan subscription, which cost $9.99 or $14.99 per month respectively, though both also include other benefits like offline viewing. And while it's beginning to roll out to folks starting today, the gates are being opened incrementally rather than all at once, so some folks might get access before others.

Given that this is a new addition to the preexisting subscriptions (albeit the higher-end ones) without any increase in price, it's hard to grumble at "more for the same amount of money." It's literally the definition of added value, and seems to be only the start.

"Crunchyroll Game Vault is a curated, focused library of premium titles for the global anime fan that loves gaming, adding even more value to Crunchyroll memberships by connecting fans with anime-infused content," said Terry Li, Executive Vice President of Emerging Business at Crunchyroll. "With Crunchyroll Game Vault, we’re also looking forward to working with international developers to bring their titles to mobile for the first time or introduce existing mobile games to the Crunchyroll community as part of an amazing line-up."

Moving forward in mobile style

Notably, there's no mention of releasing entirely new games for the service. That said, Crunchyroll actually already has a publishing arm, Crunchyroll Games, though it has historically opted to publish microtransaction-filled anime mobile games. Having played several games previously published by Crunchyroll Games – may I wish a fond farewell to the global version of Princess Connect! Re:Dive, which died earlier this year – it feels like Crunchyroll Game Vault has distanced itself a little, framing itself as much more of a premium offering.

While this will be a growing library, according to the announcement, it's launching with five games, including three new-to-mobile titles in the form of River City Girls, Captain Velvet: The Jump+ Dimensions, and Wolfstride. It will also include inbento and Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery, which are not new to mobile but are delightful additions regardless.

I know this for a fact because, ahead of the actual announcement, Crunchyroll provided me early access to the Crunchyroll Game Vault. I took a moment to test out each of the above, and actually did a little more than test Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery. I'd heard good things about it from when it was released some years back, and so I found myself saying, "one chapter more", again and again (and again) until I'd completed the whole thing in one sitting.

And this is just a taste of what's to come, you'd have to assume. It seems unlikely that Crunchyroll Game Vault will remain a paltry five games forever. While no upcoming titles are mentioned by name, it's clear that more are on the horizon. The aforementioned mobile games lineups at Netflix and Apple – the former bundled into the normal subscription and the latter a specific subscription all its own – have also added more and more over the years. And similar to Netflix, players should be able to discover Crunchyroll Game Vault titles through the Crunchyroll app or through the App Store and Google Play.

For me, the truly tantalizing thing about Crunchyroll Game Vault is that, technically, Crunchyroll and PlayStation are owned by the same conglomerate at the end of the day. Yes, the two companies officially file up through different business units, but it's all Sony's playground. I've long thought there to be obvious overlap between folks that play games and those that watch anime, and it certainly seems like Crunchyroll agrees. I won't speculate on what that might mean in the future, but it does make me wonder, and I can't imagine I am the only one.

If you're looking for anime rather than games, however, there's always our picks for the best anime to watch in 2023.

The drunk guy in the nightclub toilet told me to check GameStop on Fifth Avenue. Despite his state of inebriation in the wee hours of Saturday morning – his slurred speech barely audible against the muffled bass and piano loops booming from the main room – he was clear that the bargain bins at the video games store might, just might, contain one or two rogue copies of Suikoden 3. In a similar state of insobriety, I hugged the stranger with open arms, offered thanks, and staggered back onto the dance floor. 

No matter what, I was now definitely going to pick up an NTSC-region PS2 to complement my PAL console back home in Scotland. I checked my watch: just after 5 o'clock in the morning. Dutch DJ Ferry Corsten still had another hour of his set left to go. I was flying home to Glasgow at 4pm later that day. And GameStop on Fifth Avenue didn't open for another few hours.

Play it again

I discovered the Suikoden series by accident. After my 12th birthday way back in 1998, I used money from my family to buy NanaOn-Sha's rhythm game, PaRappa The Rapper on PSOne. I hated it – so much so that I traded it in at my local video games store just a few days later. I hadn't heard of Suikoden before then, but its gorgeous box art caught my eye, and its promise of waging war against a corrupt empire and building an army of 108 playable characters captured my imagination. Having not long finished Final Fantasy 7 for the first time, my experience of JRPGs was limited, but I fell in love with Yoshitaka Murayama and Konami's flagship role-player from the title screen onwards. 

Fast forward a couple of years, and Suikoden 2, a game that's now widely considered to be one of the best JRPGs of all time – one I've since likened to Pokemon-meets-Game of Thrones in more recent years – arrived on European shores. Building on everything its predecessor put in place and then growing it beyond recognition, the sequel is to this day one of the best games I've ever played; with over a hundred playable characters, each with an array of bespoke weapons, armor and magic, and a suite of heartfelt and sophisticated backstories to match. 

When Suikoden 3 was announced in 2001, I was beside myself. The first of the series to land on PS2, the third entry was also the first to adopt 3D graphics – against the first two games' Alundra-style 2D visuals – and the first to weave its narrative around not one, not two, but three separate protagonists. Even from early screenshots shared in print magazines at the time, it was also clear a number of returning characters featured, both good and evil, and I could not wait to get lost in another high fantasy foray with magic and dragons and epic turn-based battles. That is, until it was announced as a US and Japan region exclusive. And then on July 11 (Japan) and October 24 (US) in 2002, days that should have been celebratory became days of mourning. 

Suikoden 4 and Suikoden 5 landed in Europe in 2004 and 2006 respectively – the latter of which is the series' last mainline entry – and I jumped on them, playing and replaying both games shortly after completion. As you might imagine, each Suikoden game exists within the same shared universe and extended timeline, and while each game is pretty much standalone in narrative terms, I always felt like I had a glaring blackspot in my series knowledge. Fan-run websites such as Suikosource helped fill the gaps – it's worth noting that Suikoden 3 predates YouTube by a few years – but nothing beats getting your hands dirty with the real thing. 

The same principles here apply to consumer-to-consumer sites, the biggest and most recognized of which is, surely, eBay. I knew what eBay was during the early-to-mid 2000s, but I didn't start using it with any degree of regularity until into the 2010s. That said, I did check for NTSC-region PS2 consoles in, I want to say in 2003, maybe 2004-ish, but any that were available, once I also factored in shipping, VAT and customs tax, were well out of my price range.

Victory

And so, in 2008, following a close family bereavement, my mum, dad, girlfriend and I booked up for three nights in New York. With my parents traveling on to Boston after that, and my girlfriend and I heading back to Glasgow, we spent the first three days speeding round the Manhattan tourist circuit – from the Empire State Building to Staten Island, Little Italy, Central Park and more. By the end of it, we should have put our feet up on the final Friday night… but then I discovered the aforementioned DJ Ferry Corsten was playing at the nearby, now shuttered Pacha nightclub. 

It was there in the throes of the party – punctuated by loud music, strobe lights and smoke machines – that I got chatting to that random stranger in the toilet about video games. We spoke about our favorites from over the years, our preferred genres and best-rated series. I mentioned Suikoden and how I always lamented not being able to play the third game from six years earlier in 2002, to which the stranger simply said: "Have you tried GameStop on Fifth Avenue?"

I hadn't, of course, but suddenly my mind was racing. I concocted a plan on the spot: I'd go to GameStop for it opening its doors, I'd grab a US region PS2 console, and I'd raid the bargain bins for a discarded copy of Suikoden 3. Surely it was fitting given that I picked up the original Suikoden second-hand all those years ago in a video games store, right? I'd then travel home to Scotland and play Suikoden 3 and fall in love with it in the exact same way I had all the other games to that point. 

And that's exactly what I did. I stayed till the club's 8am curfew, long after the headline DJ had left. I dragged my girlfriend straight down to GameStop on Fifth Avenue in last night's clothes, I waited for the manager to arrive and open up, I grabbed a second-hand US region PS2 and… drumroll… did not manage to pick up a copy of Suikoden 3. I was gutted.

What I did do, though, was try eBay again for the first time in years. It took a bit of digging, but I managed to get a second-hand copy of Suikoden 3, plus VAT, plus shipping for under £50 (which, at the time, was probably around $80). I played Suikoden 3 to death, and it was glorious – so much so that it's now my favorite JRPG. I love Suikoden 2, and I love Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 8, but Suikoden 3's story, characters, and sheer weirdness, for me, puts it just above the rest. 

If you fancy checking it out, know that Suikoden 3 hit PlayStation's digital storefronts in all regions in 2015, and that it's also getting a beautiful HD fan-made remaster. I'd love to re-experience that feeling of playing it for the very first time – and I'd endure another six-year wait, a transatlantic journey, a drunken conversation, and a sleepless night in the Big Apple all over again in a heartbeat.  

Lose your leisure time to the best RPGs waging virtual wars right now 

The Alienware M16 is here to take over from its 15.6-inch sibling, and with Nvidia's RTX 40-Series graphics and the choice between Intel and AMD's latest processors, there's plenty to dig into here. There's no doubt about it, Alienware rigs are pricey, but the M-Series has always managed to tiptoe on the right side of that budget line. Doing away with a lot of the price padding of the more premium X-Series, I've always respected these laptops for their price/performance ratio.

In this generation of slightly more expensive gaming laptops, this ratio is still working in the Alienware M16's favor. However, some quality-of-life concerns are still rearing their heads as well. These chunky builds won't suit everyone, but they often provide the mid-range with plenty of performance for the cash. I spend weeks testing top-shelf configurations in my quest to find the best gaming laptop. Considering the previous generation Alienware M15 R7 was my go-to pick for most players who don't want to break the bank, though, I was more conservative in my spec for this generation. I took the RTX 4060 / Intel i7-13700HX out for a spin over the course of three weeks, to see just how this baseline spec compares against the best Alienware laptops on the market. 

Design

The Alienware M16 doesn't do much to change Dell's classic aesthetic. This is still a square-ish machine with a chunkier feel. That means it doesn't stand out quite as much in its thickness when compared with the gaming laptops of 2023. We're seeing more and more machines moving away from a particularly slimline build to accommodate those new-generation components, and in this landscape, the M16 feels almost thin... almost. It's a slight trick of the eye, though, because this is still a hefty machine. When the Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 weighs in at 2.5kg, the Alienware's 3.25kg heft is certainly something to consider if you're after a portable machine.

The rest of the design is firmly within the Alienware M-Series' repertoire. The centered keyboard, embossed '16' on the back, and additional space towards the rear have been seen time and time again. In 2023, these design elements are starting to feel tired. If it wasn't for that 16-inch display and physical marker on the lid, this could be any Alienware M laptop from the last four years. It's still an impressive aesthetic, pairing cool grey tones with flashy RGB and a relatively slimline profile, but it would be interesting to see Alienware playing with its look a little in future iterations.

There's nothing broken about that design, you're still getting the vibrant RGB elements around the main port section at the back, classic alien head branding, and hexagonal grills running along the top. It's all still as solid and durable as ever, with a matte coating that promises to keep things soft to the touch but equally resistant to fingerprints. No, you're still not getting the luxurious aluminum and magnesium alloy of the X-Series, but this is still an aluminum build. 

That extra size does pile onto one of Alienware's weakest points - portability. Even the Alienware M15 R7 felt too clunky to carry around on a daily basis, and the M16 doubles down on this. I struggled to even wedge it into a laptop backpack on my travels, and once it was in nothing else was going to fit safely.

Features

Unlike last year's edition, the M16 places its keyboard on a slightly recessed panel of the main chassis. While the M15 R7 framed this deck with raised edges, everything is flat here. That gives the illusion of far more space to type and, when combined with the excellent spacing on this deck, makes for a particularly comfortable experience overall. Yes, it's still shifted slightly further down the main body (thanks to the hexagonal grills running along the top) than you might be used to, but everything still feels central and easily accessible here. 

The keyboard itself is nice and responsive, with a tactile response despite the rubber dome construction. The M16 does also ship with a Cherry MX mechanical keyboard in more expensive configurations if you're looking to boost the type feel, though. 

You've got a full suite of keys, though no number pad or dedicated media buttons. The latter is a slight disappointment, especially with this larger form factor. I was, however, pleased with the full-sized arrow and volume keys running down the right side. 

While the keyboard works hard to give you plenty of space, though, the trackpad is remarkably small. That's a symptom of this squished internal design, and the result is a cramped pad placed so close to the edge of the main body it's almost impossible to use with precision or comfort when placed on a lap. Of course, the Alienware M16 has been developed for gaming, so you'll rarely use the trackpad outside of quick work sessions. However, many machines offer far greater versatility for those after a work / play hybrid machine. 

By contrast, the ports available to you remain dutifully bountiful. You're getting two speedy USB-C Gen 2 ports, as well as plenty of USB-As, an Ethernet, and a full SD card reader here. The latter options are becoming a rarity in modern gaming laptops, and fully open you up to all the connectivity you could ask for. 

Under the hood, you'll find four fans situated in an expansive vapor chamber all working to keep those temperatures down. As is tradition, you're still getting the same control over those fans as in previous iterations, with Quiet and Full Fan mode at each end of the performance spectrum. For the most part, everything works as expected here, and I was pleasantly surprised by the temperature output with everything hitting full whack. 

While the Alienware M15 R7 was among the loudest machines I've ever tested (even during everyday tasks sometimes), the M16 does its part to alleviate some of that auditory pressure. Yes, you can still toggle everything up to full RPM, but everyday play works well as standard settings. You'll still need a gaming headset for full immersion, but this by no means has the roar of the 15-incher before it. 

The display on my test unit is a QHD+ 16-inch IPS panel running at 165Hz, the cheapest panel available in the current lineup (you can also pick up an FHD+ 480Hz model, but Alienware doesn't offer this screen with the cheaper 512GB SSD option). There's no denying it, this is an impressive screen. No, it's not following the Mini LED trend of the day, but it still offers plenty of color contrast and a viewing angles. It's by no means as vibrant as some of the displays on the latest Asus gaming laptops, but with this Dell engineering behind it it manages to punch slightly above other IPS QHD+ options out there. In everyday practice, the only sacrifice I noticed was the drop in brightness. 

Performance

This is my first time hands-on with a lower-rung RTX 40-Series GPU, and I'm still impressed. Alienware's M-Series laptops have always held their own in the performance department, drawing as much as they can out of their components for a slick experience overall. That's still true in the new M16. 

The new release came surprisingly close to the performance of the higher-specced RTX 3070 Ti under the hood of the M15 R7 I tested last year. A Time Spy score of 10,139 just grazes the M15's 10,722 and in-game benchmarks exceed those of the previous generation.

Even with an RTX 4060 at the helm, the M16 was hitting well over 100fps in the vast majority of my 1080p and 1440p tests, across both High and Ultra settings. Hitman 3 was the only game to consistently drop below this threshold, with ray tracing and DLSS switched on it was hitting between 79 and 92fps. That's still commendable, considering the M15 dipped to 72fps in its lowest in-game benchmark (Metro Exodus) this time last year. 

At its baseline spec, then, the Alienware M16 is still capable of running pretty much anything you can throw at it at speeds we would have killed for just a few years ago. 

Should you buy the Alienware M16?

The Alienware M-Series has always been a solid go-to for performance that won't break the bank like some flagship devices. You're getting excellent numbers and spending far less than $2,000. This is the cheapest 2023 device I've had my hands on so far, and it's still posting in-game benchmarks that can wrestle with the big guns. 

There's no doubt about it, though - this is a chunky build. Those graphics only have the room to perform at this level thanks to the extra space within the chassis, but that heft does limit what you can physically do with the M16. I wouldn't recommend this machine to anyone looking to travel with their rig, it's just too bulky and heavy. 

There are other drawbacks to that power-first approach, though. The larger footprint is paired with a cumbersome design. That additional space behind the screen itself has lingered a little too long, and the aesthetics are starting to feel a little worn out in 2023 as well. The lack of space underneath the keyboard and trackpad also means the M16 isn't going to fare well as a lap device.

If you're after a more streamlined, more portable device, I could not recommend the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 highly enough. However, those looking to preserve the larger screen size might be better off with the Asus ROG Strix 16 which weighs in at 2.5kg compared to the M16's 3.25kg. 

The M16 does hit a nice niche, though. If you're looking for a desktop-first device (with the opportunity to take it on the go should you need to), this is an excellent alternative to the Razer Blade 18 and Alienware M18 at the top of the price spectrum. 

How we tested the Alienware M16

I used the Alienware M16 for all my daily work and play over the course of three weeks, testing for some of that time alongside the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. During this process, I used in-game benchmarking tools across Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Total War: Three Kingdoms, Rainbow Six Extraction, Returnal and Hitman 3, while also playing Alan Wake: Remastered and High on Life during everyday play. For more information on how we test gaming laptops, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy. 

Of course, we're also rounding up all the best Razer laptops and helping you find a discount with our full guides to the latest Alienware laptop deals and all the biggest gaming laptop deals on the shelves right now as well. 

A few days have passed now since the reveal of Apple Vision Pro, the company's long-awaited – and heavily speculated – mixed reality headset. It's fair to say that this new device has taken the VR scene by storm, finally giving a mainstream spotlight to this type of technology. After all, when Apple says that something is the "future of computing" there's an air of prophesy about it, so that tends to garner some traction. 

As someone who covers the best VR headsets for a living, I have plenty of thoughts on Vision Pro - for one, it's packed with some incredible innovations and exciting prospects for the market. On the other hand, that price makes it entirely unattainable for most buyers, and in truth, there wasn't a single use-case shown in that reveal that we haven't seen from these devices before. In typical Apple fashion, it's arrived late to the party and given things a shinier coat of paint.

Like any platform, Apple Vision Pro will live and die on the content that's made for it. While you can argue the iSnorkel is a new form of computing that makes all content AR and VR compatible, I'm not convinced turning 2D content into mixed reality is enough to ship admittedly expensive units. Just look at how clunky the Meta Quest Pro's adoption of mixed reality has been - Metaverse included or not. So just like any other gaming device: the answer might just lie in third-party support. 

This brings me to the thing that perhaps confused me most of all about that viral Vision Pro reveal video. About a third of the way through, when talking about the different entertainment that can be accessed on Vision Pro, a short clip was shown wherein someone plays games on the headset via a linked-up DualSense, the controller designed for the PlayStation 5.

The video makes clear that you can link up any wireless gamepad (which basically means any of the best PC controllers) to Vision Pro in order to play games. But with the pantheon of modern video game controllers to choose from, why did Apple choose to include the PlayStation 5 controller?

Apple, when it comes to gaming, is a less-than-ideal ecosystem. Only a handful of games on Steam are Mac compatible, and most folks don't buy Macs with their central intent being to play games as they would on the best gaming PCs. But with the VR gaming market being so established in the PC space already, as well as in Meta's storefronts, Apple may need to open up its OS doors somehow if it really wants to make gaming an integral part of this new platform. 

Yes, there is the option of developers porting existing games, and yes, this is mainly a mixed-reality computing device, not a gaming-specific headset. On the flip side, Apple wouldn't have included a section about gaming in its reveal if that wasn't a segment of its goals with Vision Pro.

But again, I have to ask - why a PS5 controller? The obvious answer is that the alternative is an Xbox gamepad, and Xbox is owned by Microsoft - Apple's nemesis. But isn't Sony a competitor in the VR market? PlayStation, just a few months ago, launched its second VR platform, PSVR 2. Do they really want to be a contributor to Apple stealing its VR hype already? As I've just touched on, Vision Pro isn't geared just toward gaming, whereas PSVR 2 is. But even so, in the VR space, there aren't that many rival devices, so surely Apple and PlayStation view one another as bitter rivals in this arena, not allies?

I'm also curious about what went on behind the scenes to make that DualSense cameo happen. Surely Apple would have asked Sony for permission? Surely PlayStation would have had to say "yes" to its controller's inclusion? It's not as though PlayStation needs more screen time, it's currently hammering Xbox from pillar to post when it comes to hardware sales. Would Apple and Sony really gang up just to take a cheap jab at Microsoft?

More importantly, how far might the two companies go against their common enemy? Is there potentially something more to that DualSense appearance than a quick jab? Could we maybe be on the verge of some sort of PlayStation 5/Apple device alliance when it comes to games?

The answer is most likely an unequivocal no. Both companies are traditionally very protective of their IPs and their ecosystems, so I for one would be extremely surprised to see that alliance take shape. Conversely, it isn't impossible - PlayStation has been moving more of its exclusive games onto PC lately, albeit without Mac OS support. With Microsoft's Game Pass being such a multiplatform competitor at this point, maybe opening up PS5 exclusives to Apple devices is something Sony is interested in to capture the hearts of more gamers.

There are so many questions that linger unanswered when it comes to Apple Vision Pro. One thing's for certain though; if Apple wants to entice people who play games to buy a Vision Pro, then they need games, and PlayStation does have a fair few of those.

Want a different controller for your gaming activities? Have a look at the best PS5 controllers, the best Xbox Series X controllers, and the best joysticks.

The Apple Vision Pro is getting closer by the day as we get further into 2024. We've just learned that the new headset will be available in the US on February 2, with pre-orders beginning January 19. If you can afford this seemingly revolutionary visor, it might be time to get excited. Before you click that buy now button though, we've rounded up everything we already know about Apple's latest innovation.

To begin with, Apple Vision Pro is a new mixed-reality headset that takes many of the features we know and love from the best VR headsets and blends them seamlessly into the Apple ecosystem. Mind you, this isn't your run-of-the-mill VR headset. Mixed reality features bring it more in line with the Meta Quest 3 and even the Meta Quest Pro - but to an even more extreme degree. This headset doesn't even have accompanying controllers, so it really is setting up a league of its own.

Apple Vision Pro will set you back an unheard-of $3.5 grand and will only be available in the US when it launches. While early impressions from hands-on testing sessions have been positive overall, it remains to be seen what kind of market this new headset will land itself in due to that very restrictive price tag. With the closest rivals being around the $1,000 mark, Apple's offering is certainly setting itself above and beyond out of the gate.

We now know even more when it comes to features and content planned for Apple's first visor. To read up on everything we know about the new headset, let's go for a scroll.

Apple Vision Pro: Key features and specs

Perhaps most notably, Apple Vision Pro will feature two Micro OLED displays that pack a quite stupendous 23 million combined pixels into the headset. These are visible through the device's custom catadioptric lenses and will result in an ultra-high-resolution display that Apple says will give "more than a 4K TV per eye" in terms of resolution. 

For glasses wearers, Apple has prepared ZEISS prescription inserts that will allow you to use the headset without trying to cam your glasses into it as well. We now know that these will set you back an additional $99 for reading inserts, or $150 for general ones. Given the already high cost of the headset, those additional charges aren't the most encouraging. Luckily, if you're worried about value, we recently learned that the headset comes with a front cover and a polishing cloth worth $19 which you get at no extra cost - so at least you're getting a bargain there.

Annoyingly, we don't have a specific FOV or refresh rate yet, although, from the figures we do have, we can guess that it'll be around 100 degrees horizontally and 90Hz - keep in mind that these are estimates though. Similarly to the Meta Quest 2, the Apple Vision Pro will come with 256GB of storage, although, unlike Meta, there's only one SKU, meaning there's no larger storage option.

Whereas other VR headsets have cameras on the front of the headset (PSVR2 has 4 frontal cameras, for example) Apple Vision Pro features laminated glass on its outside which allows the device's 12 cameras and five sensors to track the user's surroundings. This glass outer additionally acts as a display for non-users in its own right and will display the user's eyes if they're using Vision Pro in AR mode. Meanwhile, it will display funky colors if they're fully immersed in VR - so you know, your friends will know whether or not they can jump-scare you. This glass is backed up by an aluminum alloy frame, which, from initial hands-on tests, has been reportedly heavy on the face.

Luckily, Vision Pro seems very comfortable thanks to a 3D knitted headband that pairs with a "Light Seal" which is soft and textile, meaning you can presumably wear it for long periods since it'll be a breathable, cushioned fabric. New info states that there will be the option of two different headbands, one that's seen in trailers that goes around the user's head, and one that has a top band that's similar to a typical Quest headset. Found on the headband and bottom of the visor are some vent spaces, although it's unclear if these are for dedicated fans or general ventilation. One useful feature is that there's a "digital crown" dial on the side of the headset that you can turn to control the amount of augmentation to your surroundings. This is a neat trick and is mainly confined to a software "passthrough" or "no passthrough" function in rival devices.

A separate battery pack that you can hook up to the device is said to be able to power the device for only two hours. This tethers to the side of the headset via a threaded wire, and can fit inside a pocket since it's roughly the same size as a phone. Keeping the battery off of the headset itself means more weight distribution and presumably a comfier fit. Reportedly, the headset can be plugged in and work via a powered connection to a wall too. Having said that, it doesn't seem as though you'll be able to tether it to the best gaming PCs.

Also embedded onto the headband are two Spatial Audio speakers which Apple says will be able to create the feeling that sounds are coming from the environment around the user. Two amplified drivers inside each of these audio pods will supposedly work to suit each user's head and ear geometry. For playing games, this will surely be a great benefit.

Apple Vision Pro is controlled solely by gestures and pinch controls and operates with eye-tracking and voice commands. For those wondering, yes, this does mean foveated rendering, which means Apple Vision Pro will prioritize what the wearer is looking at and render that thing at a higher resolution. All of this runs via Apple's new M2 and R1 processing chips and operates on a brand new OS called Vision OS. This will let you scroll through apps with your eyes, scroll down with the flick of a wrist, and even search by looking at a search bar and starting to speak. 

Apple Vision Pro: Price and launch date

Apple Vision Pro will launch in worldwide markets, but will initially only launch in the US in early 2024. Pre-orders will be available from January 19, for an initial US launch on February 2. For starters, it seems as though the headset will only be available through US Apple Stores both at retail locations and online. Pre-orders will be open from 5 am PST on Friday the 19th.

Later markets will see availability later on in 2024, according to Apple. One Apple Vision Pro will set you back $3,499, which is almost $2.5 grand more than the Meta Quest Pro or HTX Vive XR Elite when they launched.

Privacy

If you're like me, your biggest concern with this type of mixed reality device is the potential privacy infringements that come with it. Particularly when I reviewed the Meta Quest Pro, I had a lot of problems with it trying to access more data than I felt it needed to, especially when, for example, I started getting targeted ads on social media for whatever object the headset had been pointed at while I wasn't using it.

Apple, however, doesn't have as bad a reputation when it comes to user data and privacy, so you'll be glad to know this seems like an issue it's taking seriously with this futuristic device. Apple's press release states "Apple Vision Pro is built on a strong foundation of privacy and security and keeps users in control of their data.

"Optic ID is a new secure authentication system that analyzes a user’s iris under various invisible LED light exposures and then compares it to the enrolled Optic ID data that is protected by the Secure Enclave to instantly unlock Apple Vision Pro. A user’s Optic ID data is fully encrypted, is not accessible to apps, and never leaves their device, meaning it is not stored on Apple servers."

Further, user data as to where adopters look, as well as data from their surroundings, will not be stored or transferred to third-party apps and developers, which is a serious plus. These things are processed within the hardware and never need to be stored in the cloud. Supposedly, EyeSight, the headset's outer display panel that shows those weird eyes, will make it clear when spatial video or photos are being recorded.

Games, content, computing, and other uses

During the announcement video, it was revealed that you can connect a Macbook, Bluetooth keyboard, or one of the best PC controllers to Apple Vision Pro. In fact, the DualSense made a brief appearance as an example of a gamepad that would work with it, as someone played an NBA game with the goggles on.

We know that Unity is able to create content for the device, as early reveals showed that as a starting point for developers. Other than that, we now know that gamers will be able to access more than 250 titles available through Apple Arcade. Games like NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition, and Sonic Dream Team are playable with a connected controller. Meanwhile, Game Room, What the Golf, Super Fruit Ninja, and Demeo, are all confirmed to make appearances on the Vision Pro.

Given Apple's long-running rivalry with Microsoft, it's highly unlikely we get an Xbox Game Pass app on Vision Pro like we've seen on the Meta Quest 3 in recent months. That said, we could see some sort of collaboration between Apple and PlayStation, particularly as there was a DualSense spotted in the reveal trailer. 

Certainly, more than the Meta Quest 2, this one looks to be more about broad computing and general use than it does full VR gaming. Knowing Apple's history of being a fairly fenced-off ecosystem when it comes to games, we aren't expecting large numbers of VR games to be ported to it, although this really does remain to be seen.

Below, we've listed some of the example uses Apple has told us about that work with the Vision Pro. 

Today's best VR headset deals

Happy to stick to regular computing for now? Take a look at the best gaming PCs, the best gaming monitors, and the best gaming laptops.

So far, Ted Lasso season 3 has seen AFC Richmond take on Manchester United, embark on an eventful city break to Amsterdam, and embrace a new strategy called Total Football – and there's still 3 episodes left. 

What's next, then? Well, episode 10 is about to arrive imminently on Apple TV Plus. Per the streamer's synopsis, 'International Break' sees a bunch of the greyhounds travel home to play for their countries in international matches. Elsewhere, Edwin Akufo reaches out to Rebecca with an interesting business proposal...

At the moment, it's still unclear if season 3 will be the end of Jason Sudeikis's successful Apple TV Plus show, though the actor did say the third season marks the end of the story they set out to tell.

If you don't want to miss a single moment of the season, join us as we recap exactly when, where, and how to watch all the latest Ted Lasso episodes with our release schedule guide.

What time is Ted Lasso season 3 episode 10 releasing on Apple TV Plus?

Ted Lasso season 3, episode 10 will premiere on Apple TV Plus on Wednesday, May 17 at 3am ET/12am PT in the US and 8am BST in the UK.

Where can you watch Ted Lasso season 3?

The only way to watch Ted Lasso season 3 is with an Apple TV Plus subscription ($6.99/month). The series won't air anywhere else. 

Ted Lasso season 3 release schedule: how many episodes are there?

Ted Lasso season 3 will consist of 12 episodes, much like season 2, and will release on a weekly basis. 9 episodes have currently aired, meaning there are 3 left. Here is the full release schedule, including the release dates of each episode. 

• Ted Lasso season 3 episode 1: March 15 – available now!
• Ted Lasso season 3 episode 2: March 22 – available now!
• Ted Lasso season 3 episode 3: March 29 – available now!
• Ted Lasso season 3 episode 4: April 5 – available now!
• Ted Lasso season 3 episode 5: April 12 – available now!
• Ted Lasso season 3 episode 6: April 19 – available now!
• Ted Lasso season 3 episode 7: April 26 – available now!
• Ted Lasso season 3 episode 8: May 3 – available now!
• Ted Lasso season 3 episode 9: May 10 – available now!
• Ted Lasso season 3 episode 10: May 17
• Ted Lasso season 3 episode 11: May 24
• Ted Lasso season 3 episode 12: May 31

For more, check out our list of the best new TV shows coming your way in 2023 and beyond.

Clearly courting high-end gamers, the A90K is a small (ish) 4K OLED model that works brilliantly as a gaming TV, every day 4K TV, and even a near-field gaming monitor. The set on our test bench is a 42-incher, but a 48-inch version of the A90K is also available.

And while it may be titchy, the A90K is a Tardis when it comes to technology. A direct challenger to the popular LG C2 OLED range, the A90K utilises Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR, and is able to prioritise those elements of an image the human eye naturally focuses on. It also features Acoustic Surface Audio+, which uses panel-vibrating actuators behind the screen for crisp audio, and runs the latest Google TV smart platform.

Has the time come to think small when it comes to upgrading your TV?

Features & Design

Compact but not lightweight, the A90K tips the scales at 29.3lb/13.3kg, and measures 2.2"/5.7cm from glass to heavily patterned back panel.

The screen sits on a lozenge-shaped 2-way aluminum pedestal, which makes the set’s overall footprint 8.9"/22.5cm deep. This is significant if you’re planning to use it as a large monitor in your gaming setup.

There are four HDMI inputs, of which two (HDMI 3 and 4) are v2.1 enabled and capable of 4K 120fps playback - putting it in line to be a superb small-scale candidate for our best 120Hz 4K TV  guide. These inputs also support VRR (Variable Refresh rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). There’s eARC on HDMI 3, too, though, which limits your 4K 120fps options a little frustratingly. Another minor niggle is that there’s also no support for the HGiG standard.

If you’re planning to employ a gaming soundbar or gaming sound system with the screen, or use it as a gaming display and need to raise it to meet your eye line, there are two extenders in the box that lift the panel up from where it would normally sit flush to the pedestal.

Other connections include two USBs, a digital optical audio output, and Ethernet to support the wireless Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. The Bluetooth connection can be used to pair compatible Sony wireless headphones, including its WH-1000XMx over-ears and WF-1000XMx in-ears.

The screen has both terrestrial and satellite tuners. In the UK terrestrial catch-up is covered by YouView, rather than Freeview Play, but all the mainstream on-demand services are available.

The A90K ships with two remote controls: a standard IR zapper and a simplified, premium wand with backlighting. Only the premium remote comes with shortcut buttons for Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and Bravia Core - Sony’s own Bravia-specific high-bitrate movie streaming service.

The A90K is built around the Google TV smart interface. Consider this a more streamlined variation of the more familiar Android platform, albeit with equally broad streaming app support. You’ll find all the good stuff here, including AppleTV+, Disney+, and Prime Video. The A90K has Chromecast built-in, along with Apple AirPlay and Homekit compatibility too. There’s a microphone built-in for voice interaction, but if that’s not your thing, it can be disabled with a physical switch.

Setup is governed by the Google Home app. Follow the prompts and it’ll pair with the TV, sign the set into your Google account and sync any apps required. You can then use the app to tune channels, and partner any connected gizmos, be they consoles, media sticks or set-top boxes.

Performance

We love the picture quality of the A90K. This diminutive display punches well above its weight in terms of depth and detail. Images are blisteringly sharp, yet naturalistic, with richly saturated colours. The wide gamut XR Triluminos Pro panel does a superb job depicting bright primaries.

Much of the screen’s clarity and subjective depth is down to that clever Cognitive processor. Designed to mimic how our eyes naturally focus, the processor divides the screen into various zones and then detects where the correct ‘focal point’ is in the picture. Thanks to oodles of processing muscle, it can cross-analyse an array of elements at once, adjusting each in synchronisation. The pixel density of this smaller screen also aids when it comes to upscaling: sub 4K sources still have clarity and pop.

Dynamic contrast is first class. The screen boasts Sony’s advanced XR OLED Contrast Pro technology, which involves the Cognitive processor, light sensor, and heat mapping techniques. The resulting HDR performance is excellent and the dynamics are first-rate. We measured peak HDR around 700 nits using a 5 percent window (a little under using the Standard preset, and a little over with the Vivid image preset). With a larger 10 percent HDR patch, peak HDR brightness registers around 600 nits (with the same preset variances). 

The A90K features the usual selection of picture modes: Standard, Cinema, Game, Graphics, Photo, Custom, and Vivid. For general viewing, Standard works well enough, although Vivid pushes the panel in a surprisingly agreeable way. There is a time-saving Auto Picture mode, but this only works for the HDMI input and not a terrestrial tuner.

The TV supports both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, which is reflected in apps such as Netflix. When viewing Dolby Vision content, the picture modes default to Vivid, Dolby vision Bright, and Dolby Vision Dark. We found Dolby Vision Bright the best all-round option; punchy but still cinematic.

The A90K is, as you might expect, a great match for the PlayStation 5, and a brilliant TV for PS5 or Xbox Series X more generally. Plug in Sony's latest console and it quickly recognises that it’s hooked up to the A90K (and vice versa), employing Auto HDR Tone Mapping to optimise image quality. It also supports Auto Genre Picture mode selection.

The candy hues of Overwatch are gaming catnip -you can’t help but become addicted. Fast-moving images are delivered with buttery smoothness and the set’s 4K 120Hz performance is sublime. Latency is fair, but could be better: we measured input lag at 17ms (1080/60) with Game mode selected.

Sonically, things aren’t quite so clear-cut. We’ve enjoyed Sony’s Acoustic Surface Audio system on larger OLED TVs for several seasons now, but this implementation has obvious limitations. On the plus side, dialogue intelligibility is excellent. This set sounds at its best with talky dramas and studio fare. Those glass vibrating actuators are great for detail, and the forward-facing presentation helps too. However, despite the presence of a dedicated rear-firing woofer, the screen is very bass-light, which can make for a tinny, shrill performance. It also sounds horribly jumbled when there’s a lot going on. Overwatch is just a cacophony of noise, and gun sounds are disappointingly hollow.

Overall - should you buy the Sony A90K?

The A90K carries a hefty price premium - MSRPs are between $1,299 and $1,399 in the US, and RRPs are between £1,299 and £1,399 - but we reckon it’s more polished than a newly minted Sovereign.

If you’re looking to upgrade your desktop monitor, this 42-inch OLED makes a mighty fine display. HDR is impactful and the level of fine detail in its imagery stands up to close scrutiny. It’s also, predictably, a fantastic TV when available space or design mandates something less than monstrous in the living room. If you’re looking to upgrade your desktop monitor, this 42-inch OLED makes a mighty fine display. HDR is impactful and the level of fine detail in its imagery stands up to close scrutiny. It’s also, predictably, a fantastic TV when available space or design mandates something less than monstrous in the living room. 

Long story short: the Sony A90K is an outstanding small-screen OLED TV with an excellent 4K HDR performance. Fine detail, shadow gradations, and colour depth all impress. The Google TV smart platform offers a streamlined viewing experience, putting content curation centre stage. You’ll not easily miss the things you want to watch.

The set’s Acoustic Surface Audio+ has limitations though. We would certainly be looking to partner the TV with external sound, be it a gaming headset or PS5 headset for gaming, or a soundbar for general viewing. The provision of just two HDMI 2.1 inputs is also worth a grumble. At this price point, we’d expect every orifice to be capable of 4k 120fps and VRR, and while the set’s input lag is good, it's not class-leading. That said, all in, bingeing boxsets and gaming on this screen is a visual joy.

How we tested the Sony A90K

A screen as compact as this demands that you get up close and personal, which is exactly what we did. We examined 4K TV content at close quarters and used the panel as a near-field gaming display. The set was used in both bright and light-controlled environments. Content comprised the muted hues of contemporary thrillers (The Recruit, Netflix) and more livid fantasy fare (Alice in Borderland, Netflix), while gameplay was assessed primarily with Overwatch and Call of Duty Warzone.

HDR performance was measured using industry-standard test patches at both 5 and 10 percent sizes. The Google TV smart platform was checked for smart app availability and catch-up TV provision. 

You can read more about how we test gaming TVs at GamesRadar+ in our dedicated article, or for more on our approach to all gaming tech, check out our full GamesRadar Hardware Policy.

On the hunt for more TV options? Check out our guides to the best 8K TV for gaming and best QLED TVs and ensure you've got one of the best HDMI cables for gaming on PS5 or whatever platform you're on too.

The best mobile controllers will let you take your gaming sessions on the go, without the need for a pricey handheld PC purchase. Let's be honest, with remote play and cloud streaming being so effective today, there's no real need for a handheld console if you have a phone in your pocket. Not to mention, there are libraries of mobile games you can play natively, and most of them will play so much better with a bespoke controller for your phone.

If cloud gaming is your thing, connecting one of the best PC controllers to your phone can be an easy solution too, but there are too many great, portable controllers designed to cradle your phone for me not to recommend you some. If you've already done some window shopping, you might have seen the Backbone One before. That controller really kicked of a mobile controller revolution, but now that there's so much affordable competition that can offer you more, I'm not sure it's worth recommending anymore.

For that reason, I've taken it off this list and cut straight to the mobile controllers I'd recommend you today instead of the Backbone One, or its more expensive Pro model. Whether you're on iPhone, Android, a tablet, or you're okay with a Bluetooth connection over a USB-C one, I've got some great mobile controllers to recommend to you here.

The Quick List

The best mobile controller overall

The GameSir G8 Galileo saw the bar that Backbone had clearly set for the mobile controller market and raised it in ways I didn't know it could. This is a bigger, better mobile controller in almost every way, and its cheaper price than its rivals makes it an easy pick for the top of this list.

Design & Features: The G8 Galileo has chunkier, larger grips than other mobile controllers you'll find, and sports Hall Sensor thumbsticks and triggers that make you feel like you're playing on an ordinary gamepad, not a stand-in phone controller for shorter sessions. The design choices here make so much sense, even down to the pivoting USB-C connector that removes any fear your phone could snap it off during removal.

Performance: I didn't realize that I viewed mobile controllers as a means to an end - I only really tend to use them when I'm on a journey somewhere, I have a brief moment of time to kill, or I'm at a friend's house and need to take my games on the go. The G8 Galileo is so much more comfortable and so much more enjoyable to use that I now seek it out for certain games - it's an excuse for me to cloud stream games or use PlayStation Remote Play (yes, it can do both).

The catches here, then? Well, unlike the Backbone One, it doesn't have official licensing on either side of the console war, which means it could run into problems further down the line if either company takes a harsher line on third-party mobile controllers. Elsewhere, even if its thumbsticks are immune to stick drift, they aren't quite perfect - they can be subject to friction with the stickgates and run a little hot in first-person shooters. These are hardly big issues, though - this is by far the best mobile controller money can buy right now.

The most comfortable mobile controller

If the Razer Kishi V3 Pro looks a little familiar, it's because it's an updated version of the Kishi Ultra we saw released a year before it. The Ultra model has sat in this same spot on this list since its launch, but the new version has improved certain aspects and provided two new sizes to the mix. There's one thing that definitely hasn't been improved, though, and that's the price.

Design & Features: The Kishi V3 line feels like it's trying to provide the opposite experience to most mobile controllers. Backbone and all of its direct imitators have focused on sizing down the mobile controller to make it portable and practical, but Razer has assessed the battlefield, laughed at the tiny thumbsticks on offer, and done something differently. The Kishi Ultra, Kishi V3, V3 Pro, and V3 Pro XL all want to make you feel like you're using a regular-sized pro controller when playing on mobile, and girthier, longer grips and full-sized buttons absolutely capture that experience.

There are Hall sensor sticks, long triggers, Razer Sensa HD feedback, and the same clicky microswitches you can find in the brand's excellent Wolverine V3 Pro controller. I criticized the Kishi Ultra for only having additional bumper buttons and not back buttons. The V3 pro remedies that, providing both for the same cost as the older 2024 version.

Performance: If I'm honest, I think the Kishi V3 Pro feels a bit like a reskin of the Kishi Ultra. It's launched at the same price that the Kishi Ultra was at, but the catch is that the Kishi Ultra has slowly been coming down from its $149 pedestal. This newer version that doesn't improve all that much feels like an excuse to charge that sort of money again.

So, I'm sure you're asking why I'm recommending it, then. The truth is, as much Razer tax as this thing demands, it's still one of the best mobile pads out there, and now with four extra buttons, that's even harder to dispute. Hey, at least it's cheaper than the Backbone Pro and offers more functionality. Overall, I'd argue the regular Kishi V3 might be a better deal at $99, but if you want the maximum versatility, size, and all the rest of it, the V3 Pro is hard to argue with.

The most portable mobile controller

As mobile controllers have become more popular in recent years, they've also been getting larger. That's a good thing for the gaming side of things - a larger form factor usually results in more comfort and functionality. But a mobile controller also needs to be able to easily fit in a backpack, or even a pocket, so that you can take it on the go as conveniently as you do your phone. Again, offering more functionality and a foldable form factor at the same price as the Backbone One, this is an easy choice for this guide.

Design & Features: The Asus ROG Tessen is by far and away the most portable mobile controller we've tested recently thanks to its handy foldable design. It's much easier to carry around with you than 90% of the options on this list, and it bucks the trend of a lot of foldable technology because its hinge is sturdy and feels as though it's been built to last.

As a controller, it feels very similar to the Backbone One and Scuf Nomad. It's a fairly small mobile gamepad that has offset sticks and small face buttons, but the thing that really makes it stand out is its back paddles. These aren't the back buttons found on the GameSir G8, they're much more tactile and feel exactly like the back paddles found on the DualSense Edge and Xbox Elite Series 2.

Performance: Performance-wise, the rest of the controller is a tad disappointing. For a controller that came late to the party last year, it's a shame that Tessen hasn't improved on recent competitors. The Scuf Nomad uses symmetrical thumbsticks which results in fewer instances of thumb cramp. The Razer Kishi Ultra uses a bigger size to make things more comfortable. The Tessen doesn't do much to stand out besides its foldable design, and that could be a reason to avoid it.

That said, maybe the added convenience of folding up and taking on the go is enough for you. In that respect, there are few that can go toe-to-toe with the Asus ROG Tessen.

The best mobile controller for iPhone

Scuf's latest attempt to capture the controller market has seen it create a Backbone competitor that sports symmetrical thumbsticks, a Bluetooth connection, and two back buttons. It's such a shame that wider support for Android devices hasn't been included, but that makes it an easy recommendation for anyone rocking an Apple phone.

Design & Features: The design of the Nomad is reminiscent of the popular mobile controllers of recent years. The Backbone started this current wave of options, and this feels like an evolution of it. Symmetrical sticks are the first major step up from it though, and they help your thumbs go cramp-free despite a smaller form factor. Two back buttons also help with utility, and give the Nomad a user-friendly feeling the Backbone can't match.

A Blutetooth connection may make anyone who likes to play cloud streamed games on their mobile device some worries. Fortunately, we noticed little-to-no latency, and the ability to slot an iPhone into the Scuf Nomad without worrying about what case is protecting it is a nice quality-of-life bonus. Like the Backbone, there's an app you can use to collate your mobile gaming library, but this is totally free, and won't require more money from you to gain its best parts.

Performance: The Nomad is one of the slickest feeling mobile controllers out there, and despite its very loose stick tension, it's a great controller for taking any game on the go. The two back buttons are placed with care, and although they take a bit of pressure to actuate, we actually liked this because it prevented accidental presses. Priced at the same $100 as the Backbone, this is a competitive option, and one that outshines a lot of rivals for iPhone users.

The best budget mobile controller

So many mobile controllers offer pretty standard functionality for a $100 price tag, and it just isn't necessary to spend that much to get a simple controller that can let you take your gaming sessions on the move. Even GameSir's flagship mobile controller costs less than a hundred, but if you're really on a tight budget and only need something basic, the X5s may be all you actually need to invest in.

Design & Features: The X5s feels like a much cheaper alternative to the original Backbone One controller. Although, where Backbone charges $99/£99 for a simple phone cradle with standard gamepad buttons on either side, GameSir only asks for $49.99 / £49.99. There are upsides and drawbacks to that price line. Firstly, you get a pretty ergonomic and usable mobile controller that will let you play GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass, and PlayStation Remote Play games when you're out and about. You can even play Switch and Switch 2 in handheld mode if you aren't such a big fan of the Joy-Con controllers. All that, and it's Bluetooth, so you can use it with Android or iPhones.

The drawbacks are that you don't really get much more than the basics. Sure, there are Hall sensor sticks, but there isn't much length to the grips to make them more comfortable in longer sessions, the ergonomics aren't the best thanks to those asymmetrical thumbsticks, and there are no back buttons, which just makes that issue worse.

Performance: Again, you get what you pay for here. The value for money versus something like the Backbone One is solid since you pay half the price and get better shapes to the grips and Hall sensor thumbsticks, but you'll also suffer from the same pain points as the Backbone. There's little to no noticeable latency, but the smaller form factor does make things a bit uncomfortable. Thumb cramps are a frequent flyer here, and without back buttons you've got no way of appeasing your hands if they feel a bit too big for the controller.

At the same time, if you're only looking for basic functionality while you're commuting, this will do the trick. However, considering you could get better comfort and more features if you're willing to spend $15-20 more for the G8, it's a close call, which we're really keen to recommend.

The best mobile controller for retro games

If you've hungered for some retro nostalgic Game Boy games in recent years, you may have studied the forbidden scrolls of Android and iOS emulation. Resurrecting Game Boy games on a smartphone has been getting more popular lately, and GameSir is not a brand to miss an opportunity. The GameSir Pocket Taco allows you to lean into that Game Boy nostalgia with physical inputs that feel authentic to the real thing. Granted, this isn't going to be the best mobile controller for folks who want to play games with a horizontal aspect ratio, but for its specific purpose, it's going to add a lot to your retro games.

Design & Features: From a quick glance, the Pocket Taco might look like a relatively cheap phone accessory that you'd find at a pop-up stall at a shopping mall. Like all GameSir products though, that isn't the case; there are clever design choices here that work really well. There aren't any physical connectors to plug into your phone. The controller has two halves set on a hinge that when folded, then make a taco filling out of your handset. It's fairly accommodating of different phone thicknesses and case designs, so you shouldn't run into too many issues making yours work.

There's Bluetooth and a wired USB-C port on the bottom of the Taco for connectivity, so using it on other platforms is an option thanks to some integrated shoulder buttons. There's also a 600mAh battery in the controller.

Performance: In our review testing, we found the Taco to be surprisingly comfortable for its size, and it had everything we needed to play Game Boy games free of latency. Of course, the argument is there that should you need triggers for anything, you'll need to look elsewhere, but then again, if you're looking for a conventional controller to begin with, you probably won't be considering the Taco in the first place.

What's more, a price as affordable as this means you're probably not going to regret your purchase, especially when you see and feel how authentic a tribute GameSir has paid to one of the best portable gaming devices to ever hit the shelves.

The best gamepad mobile controller

The Steel Series Stratus+ comes with some extra features which you might not find on other mobile controllers on the market - especially at the MRSP of $70. The battery life on this controller makes it really stand out against the crowd. 90 hours of gameplay in one charge is something extremely hard to find in wireless gamepads.

Design & Features: The SteelSeries Stratus+ is compatible with Android but not iPhone, so Apple users beware. It is also compatible with PC but has to be used wired in order to take advantage of this. This is a little disappointing considering it comes in at a higher price point than the HyperX Clutch, which can be used wirelessly both ways. This gamepad also comes with a removable mobile clip in the box, which isn't as sturdy as the one that comes with the HyperX Clutch, but still works perfectly fine.

One of the great features on offer with this mobile controller includes clickable joysticks, which are industry standard with console gamepads but much harder to find on mobile versions. Another feature is the hall-effect triggers, a new trigger design that allows for your inputs to be picked up faster and for longer periods of time until full release.

Performance: As you might expect, this is an excellent option if you don't want to compromise down to a smaller interface when gaming on the go. With symmetrical thumbsticks and a holster to hold your phone conveniently above it, this feels like a natural transition from console gaming. Despite the different thumbstick layout, the Stratus+ has a similar feeling in the hands to an Xbox pad. An added plus is a really solid battery life that didn't need recharging for our entire testing period.

Also tested

Best mobile controller: FAQs

How we test mobile controllers

We test our mobile controllers by putting them through vigorous testing. Please be aware that we have not tested all of the controllers which have made it onto our buying guides. You can find information on reviews underneath each controller in the guide.

In brief, every controller that we have had our hands on is used in a series of different video games to accommodate most genres. This means that we'll test the responsiveness of the sticks, face buttons, bumpers, triggers, and any other additional features found on the unit. If a controller is wired or relies on rechargeable batteries, then the duration of the lifespan is tested, too. The same can be said for any specialist software, such as drivers, that may be included with the gamepad as well.

For more on how we test controllers at GamesRadar+ check out our full article, and for something more representative of our holistic approach to the latest gear, check out our Hardware Policy.

If you're on the lookout for other ways to play then you can take a look the best steering wheels for PC. And if you're looking for a chance to upgrade from mobile gaming then take a look at our best gaming laptops.

In recent times, the humble sound bar has become a desirable solution thanks to the simplicity of setup compared to multi-speaker systems. The LG Sound Bar S80QR brings impressive sound boost to your gaming TV with practically no setup hassle. 

The the S80QR retails for $1,049.99/£1,099.99, and includes sound bar with up firing speakers, subwoofer and a wireless rear speaker kit to round out the sound immersion. There is a cheaper S80QY for $899.99/£999.99 which drops the rear speaker set but as you’ll see, you definitely want those. After a month living with the S80QR, it’s easy to see why we can call this one of the best soundbars for gaming, one of the best gaming sound systems, and why you’d want this as part of your living room setup but I am not convinced that you should pay full price.

Design & Features

The LG S80QR is a rather simple but elegant looking bar with a brushed grey metal finish. It’s a meter wide and fits nicely on most gaming TVs' cabinets without fuss. It fits nicely under most LG TV stands but can also be wall mounted. The front has cloth covering for the speaker with an embedded LED status display in the middle which shows you things like volume, sound mode or connections. On top are the three, up firing speakers with touch controls above the central one.

Around the back are two HDMI 2.1 inputs, a USB and Optical port. The S80QR supports HDMI eARC so those with compatible TV’s like the LG QNED99 TV will enjoy the ensuing benefits. The S80QR also supports ALLM, VRR, so you can plug your console into it for 4K 120Hz gaming.

The 220W subwoofer is massive, like a mini-PC case. It’s wireless so you can position it almost anywhere and it automatically syncs with the sound bar. The rear kit has a wireless receiver and two, 70W speakers to fill out the sound. The receiver needs a power outlet which can affect where you place it but it has very long cables for the speakers.

In addition to the touch controls on the bar itself, you get a mini Magic Remote but for full control, you’ll want to use the LG Sound Bar App for iOS and Android. This gives extensive control over the various sound settings. The S80QR supports all the major formats like Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, DTS:X, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, DTS Digital Surround and more. And if you have the right source, it can also output High Res 96kHz/24-bit and even upscales your regular audio. Wireless connectivity also abounds with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, Apple Airplay with support for smart Assistance from Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri.

Performance

After setting up the S80QR, the difference from the TV speakers was visceral. Not only is the S80QR much louder, but that subwoofer made the sound so rich and powerful. Dialogue was clearer, and thanks to the rear speakers, it often felt like I was inside the movie. In The Crown on Netflix, in one particular scene the main characters were watching a speech on TV. When it switched to the actual location where the speech was being given, it literally sounded like we’d be warped into the scene.

In God of War Ragnarok, I loved how realistic character dialogue sounded, not to mention how epic the battles sounded. In one stand-out moment, I was walking with Atreus and he had wondered off camera to my left. When he next spoke, it startled me because it literally sounded like he was in the room behind me - somethng often only the best gaming headsets can offer. Similar things came through while playing Horizon Forbidden West as well which made game audio an absolute joy.

However, despite the lauded up-firing speakers, I didn’t get any sense of overhead audio at all; even after using the AI room calibration which was disappointing. But even worse was the Meridian tuned Music mode which sounded a lot thinner, lifeless and cold. Notably, it wouldn’t use the rear speakers, sounding hollow as a result. You can fine tune EQ in the app but ultimately, I stuck with the Cinema and Game mode which both ensured full, rich and bassy surround.

Overall - should you buy the LG S80QR?

The LG S80QR is a wonderful sound bar that really enriches your gaming and movie watching experience. The sound is powerful and detailed making dialogue clear and epic moments shake the house. It works wonderfully with easy setup and controls. However, the S80QR won’t satisfy audiophiles and is too expensive for most people — it costs as much as a QNED 4K TV. And while you can get the cheaper S80QY, I’d not recommend it due to how impactful to the overall experience the rear speakers are. The S80QR is great but I’m not sure who is best suited for this.

How we tested the LG S80QR

 To test the S80R, i set it up in my family living room connected to an LG QNED99 TV via the HDMI eARC port. I set the TV to output all audio through the sound bar and we’ve watched plenty of Disney+. Netflix and YouTube content over the past month. I’ve also had my PlayStation 5 connected to the sound bar and I’ve completed an entire play through of God of War Ragnarok, and several hours of Horizon Forbidden West. I’ve also used Apple Play to stream music from my iPhone directly to the sound bar. 

You can read more about our hardware approach to all the gear we get our hands on in our full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

If you're looking to up your display game as well as your audio game, then check out our best gaming monitor, best ultrawide monitor, and best curved gaming monitor guides.

Only one day away from Black Friday and the madness of it all has already begun. Well, amongst the chaos, we've discovered a brilliant Apple AirPods deal that knocks the price of Apple AirPods Pro (second generation) down to below $200. 

Straight from Amazon, you can now pick up a pair of Apple AirPods Pro (second generation) for $199.99. This is not only a great 20% saving but also the lowest price we've seen for these earbuds in quite some time. The standard price for AirPods is $249.00, so that's a $50 saving to be had.

It's easily one of the best AirPods Pro prices we've seen in the Black Friday sales so far, and likely to be a standout until Cyber Monday and beyond. If you're after a new pair of quality earbuds at their most affordable price yet, now is the time to act. Apple products are super popular, so there's a good chance this offer might be gone soon. 

Today's best Apple earbuds deal

More of today's best Apple earbuds deals

If these Apple earbuds don't quite take your fancy, check out the best gaming earbuds on the market today to find something that will work great with your console, PC, or mobile. We've also rounded up the best gaming headsets from 2022, alongside the best iPad Pro deals for those who can't get enough of Apple products. 

Apple Arcade is filled with incredible games, and the collection keeps on growing. If you're looking to sink your teeth into some deep story-based games or wild simulation games, Arcade has got you covered. If you've been debating which title to download next, fear not! We're here to help. Apple Arcade is packed with great titles to keep your brain busy anytime you've got time to kill. We've listed our best Apple Arcade games to keep your hands and head occupied. Plus, check out our pick of the best iPhone games and the best relaxing mobile games for more suggestions.

25. Air Twister

Genre: Shooter

Princesses defending their land is a niche troupe that I tend to love in all media, so this game is no exception. Fly through the sky as Princess Arch, fighting off hordes of invades from her planet. This swipe shooter has great visuals and smooth shooting mechanics. It’s a great take on classic arcade games, but with amped-up graphics and a killer soundtrack. 

24. Goat Simulator 

Genre: Simulator

If absurdity were a game, it would be this, and I love it. There is not much to say about this game other than you play as a Goat causing utter destruction, and you get points based on how much chaos you cause. While Goat Simulator 3 just released for console, this mobile conversion of its predecessor is a good way to spend some time on your phone if you have any to spare. Goat Simulator won't change your life, but it might make you laugh at how utterly ridiculous it is. 

23. Oceanhorn 2

Genre: Adventure

Oceanhorn 2 is a prequel to the first game available for purchase on the iPhone app store. Making huge updates from its predecessor with updated graphics and gameplay, Oceanhorn 2 is a must-play adventure game. With original content, items and quests digging you deeper into the world of Gaia, and adding more lore and mystery to this vast land. With the primary campaign lasting 20 hours and many side quests and boss fights, this game will keep you occupied for a good while. 

22. Love You To Bits+

Genre: Puzzle

Quite possibly the cutest game on Apple Arcade right now. This heartwarming space adventure follows Kosmo, a clumsy space explorer, as he tries to find the scattered pieces of his robot girlfriend. This puzzle-filled point-and-click game is heartbreakingly beautiful as you travel through space, unlocking puzzles to find each part. 

21. Disney Melee Mania

Genre: Action

Ever wanted to see your favorite Disney characters duke it out, well now you can. Disney Melee Mania puts Disney and Pixar fan-favorite characters into a 3v3 arena to see who reigns supreme. You can unlock in-game cosmetics and reward points as you play. Great fun for all ages and great to play with friends with its multiplayer option too.

20. The Pathless

Genre: Adventure

Hone your archery skills in this mystic adventure into a vast forest. Travel to a mysterious island to dispel curses with your insane archery skills and your eagle companion as you execute fantastic trick shots with this game's very comprehensive archery system. The open-world game allows you to explore all areas of the mysterious island, searching for clues to help you unearth the dark secrets of this island. 

19. NBA 2K23

Genre: Sports

2K are back with their latest game in the NBA2K franchise. If you've played the previous instalments, you'll most likely enjoy this one too. This edition allows you to compete against the 20 Greatest of All Time (GOATs) NBA players. You can also start your journey to becoming an NBA player with the My Career mode and other modes like quick play and online multiplayer modes.

18. Pocket Build+

Genre: Sim

Ever wanted to create your little world? Well, now you can, on your phone. Pocket Build+ does not limit what you can build in this game, whether it's a cosy farm, a huge castle, or an entire island built to your heart's content. This game resembles Minecraft with its blocky 3D graphics, so if you're a big fan of that art style or building sims generally, this game is definitely up your street. 

17. Alto's Adventure Remastered

Genre: Action

Snowboard endlessly in this incredible critically acclaimed runner that's just been remastered exclusively for Apple Arcade. Journey across stunning alpine snowy hills, through ancient villages and woodlands in a quest to find the spirit of the mountain. This remaster improves the game's graphics and the physics-based gameplay, giving players a much smoother experience. 

16. Cooking Mama: Cuisine!

Genre: Sim

Cooking Mama games have a long history of quality sim action, but Cooking Mama: Cuisine! Comes with a twist. Players must choose the ingredients and tools before making a dish; this gives us the creative freedom to combine combinations we never thought of, creating new dishes you can save to your recipe book. Tools and ingredients change daily, allowing you to go on an endless journey of creating new combinations. Who knows, maybe I might even make some in real life. 

15. Skate City

Genre: Action

Skate the streets of the most incredible cities from your phone. From LA to Barcelona, skate and perfect ticks and moves at your own pace. With incredible graphics and accessible controls, this game provides a fun experience for those who know nothing about skateboarding and those who've been on a board for years. You can upgrade your skills, get creative with your board designs and even customize your character. 

14. Heroish

Genre: Action

A new tower defence game joins Apple Aracde. Play as one of 6 heroes as you defend your castle while trying to destroy your opponent's tower at all costs. This includes unleashing powerful spells and summoning troops. There are three campaigns, a competitive 1v1 and 2v2 mode. 

13. Lego Star Wars Castaway

Genre: Adventure

Ever wondered what a Lego you looks like? Well now you can with the character customization you get with Lego Star Wars Castaway. Travel to a new planet, with other castaways with puzzles to solve, islands to explore, and race micro fighters. The controls are simple and easy, ideal for any age. There's even a social hub that allows you to communicate with friends with Lego emotes. 

12. Asphalt 8: Airborne+

Genre: Action

The ultimate racing game at your fingertips. Initially, a free to play game on the app store, Asphalt 8: Airborne + gives you more, without any in-app purchases. Choose from a range of vehicles, win races, collect items and upgrade your car. In races, you can collect speed boosts, knock your opponents off the lane and do crazy spins, avoiding any obstacle in your way. This game is great fun, and with no in-app purchases, you can play this version at ease. 

11. Jetpack Joyride 2 

Genre: Sim

A cozy life farm sim with a twist. Everyone loves a simulation game, they are addictive and kind of therapeutic, but Wylde Flowers adds a touch of magic that helps you tend to your farm, making these mundane activities more fun. Additionally, this game adds another layer of mystery as you learn stories of the island and the characters that live there. 

10. Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis

Genre: Puzzle

Angry Birds was the first real breakout hit of the smartphone gaming era, and more than a decade after its debut, the original has been remastered and slightly updated for a new audience. After just a few minutes, it's clear why this game was such a titan in its day, and if recent spinoffs with their ads and MTX have steered you away, take comfort in this much more welcoming total package. This one still holds up mightily, and if you were too young to catch it years ago, don't miss it any longer.

9. Cosy Grove

Genre: Sim

If you love a good sim game, this one is worth checking out. Explore the beautifully drawn landscapes by camping in the ever-changing environment. You play as a spirit scout, helping spirits in need. As the environment around you changes, you find hidden secrets unraveling the land's mysteries. Your domain starts colorless, but as you progress with crafting and helping spirits in need, you can bring life into the ground. 

8. Hot Lava

Genre: Action

If you ever played the floor is lava as a kid, you're going to enjoy this. Jump through obstacles to avoid the lava in different environments, including a living room. The first-person action game puts you into nostalgic environments filled with molten lava, like schools, jungle gyms, and playgrounds. With the multiplayer mode, you hop on with old friends and relive some childhood games. 

7. Creaks

Genre: Adventure

Ever seen where curiosity may take you? You're in a room, the light bulbs start twitching, the ground starts shaking, and something strange is happening behind the wall opposite you. Follow the main character as they courageously walk into a new world filled with deadly monstrous furniture, ghosts, and strange bird people. Solve puzzles and explore the mansion and uncover the secrets hidden within. 

6. Gibbon: Beyond the Trees

Genre: Adventure

A beautiful adventure with an important message. A lot of games touch on important themes, but Gibbon: Beyond the Trees does it perfectly.  You follow a family of gibbons navigating their way through a dangerous world as they try to find a new home. The game is visually stunning with hand-painted visuals and dynamic gameplay, swinging through the jungle that is being destroyed due to environmental changes. 

5. Sonic Dash+

Genre: Runner

If you love the original 2D Sonic game, you're going to love this endless runner. Run and race past obstacles and enemies in the classic Sonic racecourses we all know and love with loops and barriers, collecting golden rings along the way. Race sonics biggest rivals to defeat them and unlock your band of favorite hedgehogs along the way.

4. Shovel Knight Dig

Genre: Action

A new Shovel Knight story is upon us. Drill Knight and his crew and bandits have invaded Shovel Knights' campsite and stolen his loot; you know, embark on a rampage with your trusty shovel and go after them trying to reclaim your look. This rouge-like adventure is great fun. Death in this game means starting over from the beginning. However, each level is random to keep the game fresh and exciting. 

3. Assemble with Care

Genre: Racing

You play as Maria, a traveling antique restore who settles in a small town repairing broken items for the locals. The sense of gratification you have when you've fixed something is unmatched in this game, with each repaired item holding huge significance to the owner. 

2. Rayman Mini

Genre: Puzzle / Runner

Being shrunk down to the size of an ant poses a lot of difficulty and fun, and that's what you get with this game. To undo this spell, you will need to enlist the help of your natural surroundings, from leaves, mushrooms, plants, and even insects. This platform runner has a lot of fun with 48 levels giving you different environments, from spider nests and tree vines. 

1. Lego Builder’s Journey

Genre: Puzzle

Lego Builder is such a peaceful experience. Usually, puzzle games have me frantically trying to figure them out, but this game creates a soothing atmosphere with its music and beautiful visuals. What's great about Lego Builder is that not all the puzzles are created the same, and some need to be done in a specific way, while others are the way you see fit, giving you some needed challenge. 

iPad Air deals are hot stuff; now that the new and latest 2022 model has enjoyed various discounts in the US, there's never been a better time to strike (especially because its MSRP matches the previous model). Naturally, this means that the older version is also getting more reductions because it's been superseded. Basically, there are plenty of savings on one of the best gaming tablets for the taking. 

The $599 / £669 iPad Air price occupies a mid-range space between everyday devices and the far more capable iPad Pros. That's excellent for those who need a little more power than would be required for Netflix or simple note-taking, but don't want to shell out more than $700 / £700.

We've seen iPad Air deals on the new model hitting as low as $499 already, putting it inline with the previous generation's lowest ever price. With that in mind, if the 2020 model's prices are anywhere near those of the new version we'd heavily recommend prioritizing that M1 chip - that value far exceeds the extra pennies spent.

We're rounding up all the latest iPad Air sales from the web's retailers just below, but if you're after bigger savings on more powerful tablets, check out the best iPad Pro deals available. 

Today's best 2023 iPad Air deals

The new 2022 iPad Air will appeal to those after a boost in processing power first and foremost, and it's the model we'd recommend the vast majority of buyers aim for right now. The prices are a slight jump, but you're future-proofing yourself even further with that M1 processor even if other aspects of the tablet's design remain the same. We've even started to see some early savings on this device, with $30 discounts appearing at Amazon US.

Today's best 2020 iPad Air deals

You'll find even lower prices on the 2020 iPad Air right now, thanks to the release of the new 2022 model. While we don't tend to see Apple keeping its older devices on the shelves much past the release date of its latest models, there are still some solid discounts to sweep up if you're quick and don't need that M1 processor.

Where to find more iPad Air deals

If the prices above aren't quite standing out for you, there are a number of retailers we'd recommend keeping a close eye on for more iPad Air deals. These are the stores that have offered the most consistent discounts on Apple's middle child, and those that have previously hit those record lows.

US:

• Amazon: often the best place to look for record low prices
• Walmart: regularly offers new record lows 
• Best Buy: sometimes includes additional bundle accessories and software
• B&H Photo: sometimes price matches other retailers 
• Adorama: larger discounts on cellular models 
• Newegg: check for even cheaper refurbished devices

UK:

• Amazon: often has the best prices around with speedy shipping
• Currys: fewer discounts but higher value bundles
• John Lewis: regular trade-in options and free services
• Very: smaller range but sometimes price matches
• Ebuyer: find renewed or refurbished devices

If you're looking for more portable entertainment, check out the latest iPad Mini deals, or the best gaming phones and best gaming laptops currently on the shelves. For a more traditional experience, we're also rounding up all the best gaming PCs available right now. For something to watch on your new device, check out the best Disney Plus bundles and HBO Max free trials as well.

Top-tier tablets are only getting more expensive, so the need for getting the best iPad Pro deals, sales, and prices is only becoming more important than ever. No need to stress, though. Offers do turn up pretty regularly, so there are discounts to be found if you know where to look. That's where our bargain hunters come in.

We were treated to some particularly early iPad Pro deals with the latest generation, with retailers taking $50 / £20 off just weeks after launch in October 2022. Since then, prices have been jumping all over the place but that's great news for anyone after one of the best gaming tablets on the market.

You'll usually find the best iPad Pro deals landing around the end of each one's life cycle, but these devices do get their fair share of air time during holiday sales as well – so now is a great time in that retrospect. As soon as a new model is released, costs naturally plummet (as we saw with the previous 2021 generation), but if you're after a luxury tablet before then it's worth keeping an eye out over the holidays and New Year. 

We're rounding up all the latest iPad Pro deals just below, with our price comparison software checking for the best sales across all your favorite retailers every 30 minutes. 

The best 11-inch iPad Pro deals

The 11-inch iPad Pro has an MSRP of $799 / £899. We've seen that price teetering by around $100 / £50 in the past, which means there is some wiggle room for more discounts. If you spot a price below $749 or £849 in the chart below, you're onto a winner.

The best 12.9-inch iPad Pro deals

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro kicks things up a notch with an impressive XDR display, but you are paying a premium for the luxury of a larger, upgraded screen. Nevertheless, we usually see this model on sale for around $999 / £1,129 during major sales events, and if you do spot a price lower than this we'd recommend jumping on it sooner rather than later.

We'd recommend checking out all the latest iPad Air deals and the cheapest iPad Mini deals if you're on the hunt for a lower price tag. We're also rounding up all the best AirPods Pro deals on the shelves now as well.

Years after the start of the new console generation, Microsoft is still selling Xbox Series X | S consoles at a loss of up to $200. 

Microsoft gaming boss Phil Spencer reiterated Microsoft's long-term plan for Xbox sales in a recent Wall Street Journal interview. "Consoles evolved to a business model much different than phones," he said. "Consoles are actually sold at a loss in the market, so when somebody goes and they buy an Xbox at their local retailer, we're subsidizing that purchase somewhere between 100 and 200 dollars, with the expectation that we will recoup that investment over time through accessory sales and the [Xbox] storefront." 

Consoles have historically been sold for less than they actually cost to produce and distribute. Sony sold the PS4 at a loss, for example, and during its comments amid the Epic vs Apple lawsuit, Microsoft admitted it has never profited from the sale of any Xbox console. However, the newest hardware lineup has deviated from this trend a bit. 

Nintendo declared from the outset that it would not sell the Nintendo Switch at a loss, and as Bloomberg reports, as of August 2021 Sony confirmed that the baseline $499 PS5 is profitable in its own right. That said, the $399 digital edition PS5 still loses money upfront and relies on the kind of recouped investment that Spencer mentioned. The eye-wateringly expensive PS5 DualSense Edge and Xbox Elite Series 2 controllers, for instance, have been positioned as profit-recovering peripherals.

It's unclear exactly how much money Microsoft loses on the sale of each Xbox Series X and S console by region, nor do we know how those figures compare between the two models, but it is interesting to see the company continue to eat significant losses in order to keep prices down. 

In August 2022, the standard PS5 price increased in several markets, but not in America. Just last week, Spencer addressed the possibility of similar price hikes for Xbox Series X and/or Game Pass, affirming that the company won't be able to avoid some sort of increase forever. However, Spencer maintained that any potential price jump would come after the holiday season.  

Losses and all, the Xbox Series S is doing exactly what Microsoft wanted: getting people into the ever-expanding Xbox ecosystem for the first time. 

Marvel Snap makes me feel like a fucking genius. Not every so often, but every damn time. Developer Second Dinner may have positioned this game on the Apple and Android stores as a competitive card battler, but that was a mistake. It should have listed this thing under the Health & Fitness category – "A reliable ego boost, delivered efficiently across six-minute rotations or your money back." You can forget Hearthstone and Magic: The Gathering Arena, because Marvel Snap delivers the sort of quick dopamine hit that the genre titans could never. Quick games, simple rules, deep strategy; it's the CCG trifecta, designed for a generation of players too distracted to keep track of an overly complicated metagame. 

Marvel Snap is exceptionally undemanding, of both your time and mental energy. You build a 12-card deck and put it to work in battles that unfold over three locations, across six turns where cards are played simultaneously. To win, you need only control two of three zones, but the journey to get there is often as electrifying as it is gratifying. Marvel Snap doesn't have you attacking the life totals (or negating the abilities) of individual cards played by an online opponent, but rather you work to lock in the highest power level at each available location to secure victory. 

Every card in your hand has an energy cost dictating when it can be played (you earn one mana per turn) and an attack value, and many are equipped with special abilities which trigger once specific conditions are met. This card gains one attack power for every opposing card that is played in the same location, and that card gains four power if you play no others within the next turn. Each zone is equipped with unique effects too – buffs and debuffs, or game-altering shifts that reveal between turns. These may, say, double the ability effect of a card once it's revealed, or preclude any further cards being placed after a certain turn. As you begin to understand the relationship between these locations and the cards you are dealt from your deck, an extremely satisfying depth to the strategy reveals itself.

I'm acutely aware that describing the inner machinations of a CCG sounds acutely boring to anybody standing on the periphery of the genre. For those at least partially invested, just know that this is a free-to-play game without play-to-win mechanics, from a studio founded by former Hearthstone game director Ben Brode – if you're interested, give it a whirl. You'll know if it's your jam within two games, totaling just twelve minutes. For the rest of you, those who may have been scared off by the complexity that this style of game is famous for cultivating, or who otherwise thought they would never give a damn about a CCG, just give it a chance. Marvel Snap is approachable enough that even the most complex plays are so simple to execute that you won't believe that your opponent didn't think of them sooner.

Better bring a charger

I want to be clear that while Marvel Snap is simple, it isn't shallow. This is a smartly designed experience that works because of the variance it offers, rather than in spite of it. You needn't memorize endless opening and counter plays; Marvel Snap asks only that you're present enough to consider the small number of cards in your hand on any given turn, and are able to understand how each possible play that you can make will work with and against the state of the board. 

This clarity is key when you begin to consider the 'Snap' mechanic, which is introduced once you climb to Iron rank. It takes 10 Cosmic Cubes to level up, and a standard win will net you two cubes. However, at any point in a game you (or your opponent) is able to 'Snap' – doubling the return of Cubes, should you win. If both players 'Snap', you'll be playing for eight Cubes, which is effectively an entire rank, although a handy 'Retreat' option is always available should you feel like too much is on the line. While this system isn't the cleanest, it massively raises the stakes of any given game, and the capacity to successfully bluff opponents into when you can see the tide turning against you is always a delight. 

Admittedly, it is Marvel Snap's core progression systems that feel the least refined. There's a battle pass, daily missions to complete, and systems in place to upgrade the visual design of your unlocked cards – all three can be sped up with microtransactions, though you aren't able to pay for specific cards or increase the power levels of your favorites. It's all a little much, and a particularly busy UX doesn't help either. If anything the card collecting and progression aspects to Marvel Snap feel like distractions right now from an otherwise excellent experience. 

While there's hope that Second Dinner improves these aspects over time, I'd rather the studio invested in other areas. For example, you aren't able to challenge buddies to battle, test new deck-builds against AI, or view and share your stats in-game – that's a shame, because I get the sense that Marvel Snap is designed to encourage a little braggadocio behavior on social media. Because, right now, Marvel Snap is the sort of 'pick-up-and-play' mobile game that'll have you reaching for your phone charger – and I'm desperate to share it with friends.

Marvel Snap was reviewed on Google Pixel 7 Pro, and I am yet to purchase any in-game currency.

The best gaming tablet on the market right now is the Asus ROG Flow Z13. No other slab is going to offer you the performance and versatility of a full Windows device while still packing a more portable form factor. This isn't going to be the tablet for a lot of players, though, which is why RedMagic, Amazon, and Apple all get a look in as well.

The RedMagic Astra, for example, comes in at a fraction of the Asus ROG Flow's price point, but still packs a punch for Google Play Store power-users. The smaller, but effortlessly gorgeous, OLED display, up to 24GB LPDDR5T RAM, and Snapdragon 8 Elite processor make up some of the best performance I've seen from an Android gaming tablet.

Then we have cheaper options from Amazon. These are more limited in the apps they support, but if you're after the best gaming tablet for kids or more casual thumb tappers the Fire HD 10 can't be beaten for sheer value.

With larger screens than the best gaming phones, a more portable form factor than the best gaming laptops and extra versatility compared to the best gaming handhelds, the best gaming tablets have plenty to offer. I've rounded up all my favorites just below.

The quick list

The best gaming tablet overall

The 2025 Asus ROG Flow Z13 isn't afraid to think outside the box - which is a strange statement to make, considering it looks and functions just like the older models. Relying on integrated graphics is a risky move, but these aren't your Grandma's visuals. Instead, the AMD Ryzen AI Max 380 (and its Radeon 8050S graphics) bring the full game selection of a Windows machine to the gaming tablet form factor for a true Triple-A experience.

Design: I'll get a few things out the way here. The Asus ROG Flow Z13 isn't designed like your typical tablet. It's thicker than an iPad, far heavier than a Samsung, and almost impossible to wield in one hand. It's still incredibly well designed, though. Behind that screen is far more tech than you'll find from either mainstream brand, and it's all kept icy cool by a sophisticated thermal control system. Topped off with a CNC milled aluminum chassis and opened slightly with a slick RGB-lit viewing window on the back, it's an aesthetic that shows the world this device means business. Soft rounded corners are comfortable to grip, but it's the hinge stand that I used most of the time during my testing. There's just the right level of tension in this mechanism, it stands firm without wobbling (even on the arm of a couch) at all angles and feels secure at the same time. Its thinner frame, however, means it doesn't quite sit comfortably propped up on a lap.

Features: Most gaming tablets will limit your access to games by only listing its own selection of titles from its own app store. This is a full Windows device - if you can play it on PC, you can download it here. Not only that, but AMD's incredible integrated graphics system can run pretty much anything I threw at it during testing - without even stuttering during my battery run downs. Sure, I was only able to keep it going for around an hour at a time - but performance remained as smooth as I could ask for.

Up top you've got a 180Hz QHD+ Nebula HDR display, a dramatic improvement over the previous generation - and specs that will be difficult to beat elsewhere on the market. It's a crystal clear, incredibly vivid panel with the color contrast and high saturation many gamers are looking for. From Indiana Jones to Avowed, everything pops. You've also got far more ports than you would expect to find on a gaming tablet, with two USB-C options, a USB-A, and an HDMI 2.1. Considering most Apple tablets supply you with a single USB-C charging connection, that's a massive benefit for those using additional controllers and headsets.

Performance: I was seriously impressed with how the Asus ROG Flow Z13 handled in-game benchmarks and everyday performance. Its 3D Mark tests performed admirably even when compared to the best gaming laptops - and those are some high numbers. The Z13 ran with every benchmark tool and backlog item I threw at it, only slightly stuttering on a few more demanding moments with wilder camera sweeps.

Verdict: The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is expensive, and it's not going to be the best choice for those after a streaming device that can also keep up with the latest mobile releases. However, if you're looking for a pure gaming tablet it's the best in the business, with specs, features, and performance that far exceed the competition.

Read more: Asus ROG Flow Z13 review

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The best budget gaming tablet

If you're on the hunt for a cheap gaming tablet that will see you through your favorite mobile games alongside web browsing and streaming, then the Amazon Fire HD 10 is really all you need.

Design: The design is basic, you're picking up a black slate with a screen after all. With thicker bezels than you'll find on more expensive models, and a plastic construction this doesn't feel like a premium product. It doesn't need to, though, it's a cheap chassis to hold everything you need at a price that won't break the bank.

Features: You're picking up a high quality screen that will help your games shine and plenty of internal power for a smooth experience in lighter titles. That's considerable value for money, especially considering just how often these devices go on sale. While the MSRP stands at $149.99 for the 32GB model, that's by no means the cheapest you can find these tablets during sale events. Those speakers are a little tinny and the touchscreen doesn't feel as smooth as some of the more premium options, but it'll certainly do for budget light gameplay.

Performance: The Amazon Fire HD 10 can do what it does very well. Running games from Amazon's own Fire selection and across Luna's streaming service feels slick and smooth, with very few bumps along the way. While navigation between apps can feel a little more cumbersome, once you're there you're good to go. Trying to push the Fire HD 10 past anything lighter left us a few stutters though - this one's for thumb tappers on the big screen.

Verdict: The Amazon Fire HD 10 is perfect for those who need a decent Minecraft or LEGO Star Wars machine but don't need to sink pay cheques into an investment. Sure, you won't be getting the gut-busting performance of a dedicated device like the Asus ROG Flow Z13, or the premium finish and experience of an iPad Pro - but you're not spending anywhere near the costs of those devices.

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Best Android gaming tablet

The RedMagic Astra scales its form factor back down compared to previous Nubia releases, but inside that portable chassis sits a beast of a CPU faced up with a gorgeous screen up top. Between its raw power and high-end build quality it's easily one of the best gaming tablets on the market right now.

Design: This isn't an all-encompassing screen, but if you're looking for a compact device that can game with you on the go it's a fantastic option. The entire chassis looks and feels premium, with an aluminum build and a glass panel up top. A super skinny bezel around the face keeps things streamlined, with a small nod to the tablet's gaming intentions in the windowed rear panel. Rounded corners also make for a comfortable hold in the palms as well.

Features: This is a full OLED panel with a 165Hz refresh rate and 1,600 nits of peak brightness - and those aren't specs you'll find in many tablets. The speedier refresh rate, in particular, is your first clue that you're buying a device designed specifically for gaming. A 2,400 x 1504 resolution keeps pixels tight and sharp, and the 2,000Hz touch rate keeps inputs snappy.

The whole device runs on RedMagic's own operating system, which has come a long way since its early days. There are still a few instances of the tablet thinking of itself as a phone, and the fonts and out-the-box imagery is a little outdated, but everything is slick and smooth. Audio isn't a strength here, with a weakness in the lower ranges and an awkward speaker placement that hides those grills under your palms when held horizontally. There's also no 3.5mm audio jack, so this is one for those already using wireless headphones.

Performance: Under the hood you'll find a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset that absolutely storms performance charts. It doesn't quite top the slightly boosted "Leading Version" inside the brand's RedMagic 10S Pro or the latest RedMagic 11 Pro gaming phone but it's scorching compared to other Android tablet options. I managed to bench Wild Life Extreme at 6,389 and Solar Bay at 11,712. The RedMagic Astra also makes good use of upgraded LPDDR5T RAM, a much faster alternative to the sticks used in most high-performance tablets. The newly announced Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 is also set to use this boosted memory, so watch this space.

Verdict: A lot of what makes the best gaming tablets comes from their overall feel. I looked forward to using the RedMagic Astra instead of my iPad Air every evening, with its boosted display and compact form factor. If you're in the market for a more portable model but don't want to skimp on power, this is a must-see.

Read More: RedMagic Astra review

Best Apple gaming tablet

Want the best Apple gaming tablet possible? You can't beat the new generation of iPad Pro.

Design: There's no doubt about it, the iPad Pro is gorgeous. Between its sleek chassis and that giant Ultra Retina XDR OLED display staring up at you, these are seriously good looking devices. Of course, you're getting the durability and craftsmanship you would expect from an Apple device (just watch those corners if you're not using a bumper case), and a couple of different muted aesthetic options to choose from.

Features: With a powerful Apple M5 processor, trackpad and keyboard functionality, and a truly gorgeous Ultra Retina display with ProMotion technology, this is one of the best gaming tablets on the market by a long shot. Updated Bluetooth 6, WiFi 7, and faster SSD read and write speeds (up to 2x) will also come in handy for loading times and competitive gameplay, meanwhile the ability to dock in 4K at up to 120Hz could turn the Pro into a fully hybrid gaming machine.

Performance: That M5 processor boosts nearly every aspect of the iPad Pro experience, including the performance of your games. That means you'll load up titles faster, experience less lag, and your device will manage its battery far better when playing intensive software as well. The 120Hz refresh rate display also comes in mighty handy when running faster titles, keeping up with your framerate beautifully for super slick gameplay.

Verdict: The iPad Pro isn't going to be used solely as a gaming tablet for the vast majority of buyers. Instead, this is an all-in-one productivity machines with the best gaming chops among Apple devices. It's an investment, but if you need a creative tablet for media editing, demanding workflows, and impressive gaming you're all set.

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Also tested

How we test gaming tablets

We live, work, and play with every gaming tablet that crosses our desks, be it through a full day's note-taking or streaming the latest games through various available services. Every brand has different limitations, though, and sometimes those limitations come in the form of supported content. An Amazon Fire tablet, for example, can't be tested in the same way as a Samsung Galaxy or Apple iPad - its store system is completely different.

For the most part, then, we test all gaming tablets across Xbox Game Pass streaming, PlayStation Remote Play, and demanding native games like Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, and MTG Arena. Where these options are unavailable, we instead test across the most well-known titles playable on each tablet, as ranked by player count. We play all of these games at their maximum settings possible, for example where a tablet offers variable refresh rates, and run them both plugged in and off battery. We also run a series of synthetic benchmarks where possible, using 3D Mark's mobile suite.

Outside of gaming, we're also looking to the display, battery life, form factor, speakers, connectivity, and extra accessories on each tablet. We measure display brightness at full settings as well as noting any difference these settings make towards battery and temperature. We fully charge every gaming tablet as soon as it's taken out of the box and run it completely down over the course of a day's constant use. During this time it is used at 50% screen brightness for streaming battery test movies. Our speaker tests are performed with Spotify, running a series of different genres, as well as everyday streaming and gameplay.

At the end of our testing, each tablet is awarded a score based out of five categories; value, screen quality, speed, game compatibility, and storage. These scores are used to compare models within the same price points or use-cases.

For more information on how we test gaming tablets, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

Upcoming gaming tablets

We have a couple of new gaming tablets on the horizon at the moment, with the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 headlining the pack.

The new Legion is set to feature up to 16GB of LPDDR5T RAM, which will set it at the same pace as the RedMagic Astra, though not quite at the same 24GB scale. Pair that with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and a 9,000mAh battery and things are looking good for the 8.8-inch device.

Apple has also been hard at work. The new iPad Air M4 looks pretty similar to the previous generation but will boast up to 30% faster performance, shipping with 8GB RAM. The new iPad Air M4 hits the shelves on March 11, starting at $599 for the 11-incher and $799 for the 13-incher.

How to choose a gaming tablet

Buying a tablet explicitly for gaming means you'll need to check out a few features that might not make it into your hit list of an every day device. There's one big one, which is the games you can actually play on the device, but other than that things like processing power, WiFi versions, Bluetooth speeds, and refresh rates are more important here than for a more casual use.

What game services does this tablet support?

Different tablets will run on different operating systems, which means you'll need to check out the games you can actually download and run on your device. While the majority of Apple and Android devices will be able to stream from cloud gaming services like Xbox and Nvidia, it's worth having a nose through their app stores as well. Apple, for example, offers the Arcade subscription but doesn't carry Fortnite on its store.

After you've found an operating system, it's time to make sure you're getting enough juice under the hood to run these games properly. The next question you should ask yourself is:

How much power do I need?

The majority of recently released tablets from Apple and Samsung will be able to stomach running games smoothly from either streaming services or native download. However, if you're going back in time for your purchase you'll want to make sure your device has a good amount of RAM and a fairly new processor under the hood to avoid stutters.

How much do I want to pay for my screen's refresh rate?

Brands often use the same displays across their devices, but you can often pay a little more for a 120Hz variable refresh rate display. This screen comes packed with an iPad Pro, for instance. That's going to give you top shelf motion handling and make sure all your games are pristine. However, it's a costly affair. At the budget end of the spectrum, we'd recommend making sure you're getting at least a 60Hz refresh rate for a gaming-focused device.

Do I want to stream my games?

If you want to stream your experiences through Xbox Game Pass or Nvidia you'll need to make sure you've got the internet strength to do so. That stars with the router and internet package that you actually have, but there are ways you can future-proof yourself. You'll want to make sure you're picking up a device with at least WiFi 6E installed. We're also seeing WiFi 7 making its way to more gadgets these days as well.

Do I want to use a wireless controller?

Most tablets will require you to connect your wireless controller via Bluetooth, so you'll need to make sure you're getting a device that can carry high bandwidth Bluetooth signals. These are the minimum for getting a low-latency connection, especially considering 2.4GHz receivers rarely work on mobile.

What accessories do you need with a gaming tablet?

You might need a little help to make the most of even the best gaming tablets on the market. We've all done touchscreen controls and built-in speakers before - we know they're not the one.

There are a massive range of accessories designed to make portable play fun again, but the first two I'd recommend investigating are controllers and earbuds. Most of the best mobile controllers and best PC controllers will be happy to take on a Bluetooth (or 2.4GHz USB-C if your device allows it) connection to help your streaming and native app games run a lot smoother. However, it's worth noting you'll need an official DualSense if you want to use your tablet to stream via PlayStation Remote Play.

Next up we've got audio. Sure, you could throw a whole gaming headset into your bag whenever you're travelling, but that can get old pretty fast - especially if you also want music from your phone on-the-go as well. That's why I generally recommend grabbing a pair of the best gaming earbuds, odds are they'll connect to your phone as well, sit much better in your pocket, and still offer game-tailored audio.

I personally use the EasySMX X10 controller and SteelSeries Arctis Game Buds with my gaming tablets. The former is a cheaper PC gamepad but offers super clacky mechanical face buttons, Hall effect thumbsticks, and a massive variety of connectivity options. It can drop into higher latencies if you're too far away from your device, though, so if you want to splash out on something a little fancier, the Victrix Pro BFG is our top pick.

Meanwhile, those earbuds carry the audio pedigree of some of the best gaming headsets on the market all shrunk down into comfortable, long-lasting tips. Not only that, but the accompanying app has preset EQ profiles for a massive number of games straight out the box.

Best gaming tablet FAQs

Want a bigger screen to game on after all? Don't forget to take a look at the best gaming TVs or our guide to the best OLED TV. No matter whether you're playing a console game on them or streaming something from Disney Plus, they'll make your content look its best.

Find out more about all the recommendations we make with our full GamesRadar+ Hardware policy.

New iPad pre-orders are now live after Apple unveiled a new suite of tablets yesterday. If you're after a new 10.2-inch or Pro device, you're in luck. This year's range of tablets is packed out with speedy processors, and the 10th generation iPad also offers up a brand new design. The best news is you can easily pre-order each new iPad at Amazon or Apple, in both the US and UK. 

The cheaper option is the 10th generation 10.2-inch model, though it still comes in at $449 / £499. That's because Apple sees this device as a bridge between the cheaper 9th generation (which it will still offer at $329 / £329) and the premium iPad Air. With a range of colorful designs to choose from, a full-screen front, and a boosted Bionic A14 chip, there's plenty to dive into here. 

If you need a little more power under the hood, we'd check out new iPad pre-orders on the Pro models. Both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch 2022 refreshes offer up a similar external design and screen spec, but have squeezed the immensely powerful M2 processor under the hood. That's good news if you're after one of the best gaming tablets or you're running more power-intensive apps. These devices ship at $799 / £899 and $1,099 / £1,249 respectively. 

All these new iPad pre-orders will start shipping on their October 26 release date, so if you're keen to get your name on the list ahead of time you don't have long to wait for your shiny new tablet. 

Pre-order new iPad 10th generation

Pre-order new iPad Pro

Just what effect these releases have on Black Friday iPad deals remains to be seen, but we're looking forward to some particularly strong iPad Pro deals on older models if these new prices aren't quite in your range. If you're after something a little different, it's also worth checking out the latest iPad Air deals as well. 

If you're looking for a rundown of just Xbox Cloud Gaming is and how Cloud Gaming Xbox titles work, you've come to the right place. In what was previously known  as Project xCloud, Xbox Cloud Gaming is Microsoft's Cloud-based streaming service that can be used to play games on a variety of supported devices on the go. The only caveat of the feature is that you will need a stable internet connection to get the most of its performance when you're playing cloud-supported games. The service is a great way to jump straight into some of the best Xbox Series X games and a host of other titles available on Xbox Game Pass without the need to install them. Just recently, the likes of Slime Rancher 2 and Beacon Pines joined the lineup of Cloud gaming Xbox titles that you dive into via the service if you have an Ultimate subscription. 

If you want to know more, read on below to find our helpful rundown of Xbox Cloud Gaming - including how it all works, what games are available, and how you can access the feature on your console.  

What is Xbox Cloud Gaming?  

Xbox Cloud Gaming allows you to play and access a host of Xbox Game Pass games on a variety of devices. The feature streams the games via the Cloud instead of downloading them directly, so you can pick them up and play them almost instantly just about anywhere as long as you have a stable internet connection. Playing games using this feature also saves you on storage space. Xbox Cloud gaming is supported on Android and Apple phones and tablets, PC, and Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. 

How does Xbox Cloud Gaming work?  

When you play a game using Xbox Cloud Gaming, you're essentially streaming it directly over the internet, which is why you're able to access them on supported devices so long as you have a stable internet connection. As recommended by Microsoft, the minimum requirement is a 5Ghz Wi-Fi or mobile data connection with speeds of 20 Mbps or higher - a wired connection is the best option for network quality when playing via the Cloud. It's worth noting that Xbox Cloud Gaming is supported in select regions - you can find a rundown of the regions here. 

Where can you access Xbox Cloud Gaming?  

Xbox Cloud Gaming is only available as part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. As Xbox's more premium membership tier, the Ultimate subscription costs $14.99 / £10.99 a month and packages together Xbox Live Gold along with access to the library of Xbox Game Pass games. Xbox Cloud Gaming is included in the subscription as an additional feature at no extra cost. 

Once you have a subscription, you can get started using this feature right away. On Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S, you can get stuck in by heading on over to the Xbox Game Pass library on the home screen. Once you've selected the full library, you can look for games that are marked with a cloud icon, or use the search filter to find games with the Cloud tag that make use of this feature. When you've selected a game, you can then select to play with Cloud. 

On Windows PCs, you can access Cloud games via the Xbox app where you'll need to sign in to your Microsoft account. 

For Android phones or tablets, you'll need to download the Xbox Game Pass app from the Google Play or Samsung Galaxy store. Apple users can also access the feature on phones or tablets directly from the web browser by heading over to Xbox.com/play. 

What games can you play using Xbox Cloud Gaming? 

A sizable library of games can be played via the cloud on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and other support devices via Xbox Game Pass. While they vary depending on which region you're in, you can tell which games can be played with Cloud gaming since they'll be marked with a little cloud icon. The line-up of games includes the likes of Forza Horizon 5, Among Us, Life is Strange True Colors, Halo Infinite, Guardians of the Galaxy, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, and much more. Xbox Cloud gaming also allows you to play new-gen games on Xbox One and other supported devices, and also includes a selection of backward compatible games. You can see the full library over on Microsoft's official website here. 

Additionally, Xbox also announced that anyone with a Microsoft account on PC, mobile, or tablet (using either iOS or Android) with internet access can now play Fortnite for free directly from a browser via the cloud without the need for a membership or any installations.   

If you're interested in trying out Xbox Cloud Gaming, be sure to check out our roundup of the best Xbox Game Pass deals. And see what's on the horizon for Microsoft's latest console with our pick of the most exciting upcoming Xbox Series X games.