While pretty much every element of your gaming PC can be lit by RGB these days, there are a few parts that are hard to light up with tiny, colorful LED lights. For example, the PSU isn't exactly a decorative part of your system; it's usually tucked away into a tray to hide all its nasty little cables. Similarly, even the best CPU for gaming won't bother trying to look nice because it'll always be covered by a cooler.

And yet, Intel has published a patent for CPUs with Micro-LED arrays inside them, which is a bit of a head-scratcher, really. The patent, titled "IC Package With Micro LEDs," was originally filed back in 2022, but Team Blue has finally published it (US Patent number US 12733303 B2).

It details the inclusion of these tiny lights through a glass substrate built directly onto the semiconductor die, saying, "certain electronic devices, such as do it yourself (DIY) electronic devices often utilize micro light emitting diodes (LEDs) as either aesthetic components of the electronic device or to indicate certain operations being performed by the electronic device."

That makes some sense, as even motherboards these days have both decorative LED lighting and small indicator LEDs to help indicate faults with certain parts of your build. They can be super useful in helping you troubleshoot and diagnose parts of your computer, but unless there were some radical redesigns to how CPUs are shaped, or how they're installed or cooled on a motherboard, I'm not sure how we'd be meant to see them.

"These micro LEDs could be used as an extra aesthetic component," the patent continues, "as in situ electrical test indicators, and/or enable light up wording across a central processing unit."

Again, this is an interesting description. CPUs have branding on their faces to tell you which CPU you're installing, but it's hard to see the point of that text being able to light up if the component itself needs to be covered by a cooler - and it always does.

The background summary of the patent continues, "In some cases, customers of these electronic devices are willing to pay extra in order to customize their electronic devices with micro LEDs." Excellent, so Intel knows we all pay more for the RGB variants of the hardware we like.

"Adding micro LEDs to additional components within the electronic device thus can increase profit margins for these electronic devices," the description says.

Most of the patent goes into great detail about the architecture of how this would work, and like so many patents we see published by gaming companies, there's no reference to one specific product that's being made. One I reported on last week from PlayStation detailed a controller that could take payments via an NFC chip, for instance. This seems more like Intel wanting to take ownership of an idea more than acting on plans to produce something from it. In fairness, added lighting is one of the only ways I can envision CPUs becoming at all aesthetically distinct, so I don't know what else Intel could even try.

Like I say though, it's hard to see any point of a patent like this because for anyone to be able to actually appreciate CPU lighting, let alone wanting to pay more for one that has it, there would need to be some pretty drastic changes to how processors function. Even in more portable devices, if Intel is planning to use this sort of design in transparent laptops, processors tend to be covered by tiny fans, heat spreaders, or something else that otherwise disrupts any line of sight to it.

Thankfully, one of the reasons the CPU cooler market is so widespread these days is that there are so many ways to decorate your processor in whatever way you like. Noctua has plenty of beige and brown fans for the more practically minded builder that come in under $200 at Amazon; AIO coolers with small displays are really common now, like thelike the NZXT Kraken Plus 240 imaged above (currently down to $89.99 at Amazon) . Some more contemporary coolers have massive block-shaped pump heads on them that can display all sorts of videos, imagery, GIFs, and stats at multiple angles.

There's no way of knowing how, if at all, Intel will use this patent, but it's certainly an interesting new way for the company to try and appeal to gamers as it tries to claw back momentum from AMD.

For more, look at the best gaming PCs, the best graphics card, and the best RAM for gaming.

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Shop the collection

Shop the collection

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  1

  Amazon

  GameSir Tarantula 8K

  $69.99
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  2

  Amazon

  Orzly Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch 2

  $26.91
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  8BitDo FlipPad

  $29.99
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  Amazon

  Creative Pebble Plus

  $52.24$54.99

Welcome to the Fall, and to celebrate the 'bers we're rounding up all the top gaming tech we tested in September 2026.

From five-star Nintendo Switch 2 cases (the Orzly Carry Case earned full marks in our review this month) to gaming chairs with more recline settings than we know what to do with, we've had our hands on accessories all across the shelves as well as a number of PCs to boot.

That's because this month has brought us two gaming laptops to contend with. The Alienware 16X Aurora is now one of the best Alienware laptops on the shelves thanks to that updated OLED display, while the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 (2026) holds onto the 'best 18-inch' category for another year.

Four new controllers also passed our desks last month, from the retro 8BitDo FlipPad providing a much-needed doomscroll break to the GameSir Super Nova falling just short of full marks due to its tricky wake functionality.

You'll find all the top-rated tech we've tested this month just below, and the full GamesRadar+ Hardware digest for our top picks of 2026 so far.

5-Star gaming gadgets

4.5-Star gaming gadgets

4-Star gaming gadgets

3.5-Star gaming gadgets

Of course, you can always take a look back at our top picks from August for more inspiration.

It was just a matter of time before more and more brands started to reveal their new Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time-themed goodies, and I'm glad to see Keys Factory get in on the action.

The Japanese accessory maker is known for producing some of the most unique official Switch products (I'm still thinking about the Animal Crossing collection), and that distinctive eye for design is as prevalent as ever with this new set. The new collection starts from $9.52 (via Amazon Japan) and consists of Joy-Con covers, two game card cases, and a protective front cover, all covered in Ocarina of Time iconography. You want a fashionable cover for the Switch 2 that shows off a stunning silhouette of Link riding Epona through the Hyrule fields? It's got it, and you can pre-order the lot through Amazon Japan if you don't mind waiting until December 31.

My favorite item in the whole set is the Joy-Con covers. Nintendo's official Switch 2 Joy-Con releases have been pretty boring, and it looks like we may never get the opportunity to grab the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Joy-Cons as a standalone product. KeysFactory's covers are at least a nice consolation prize, particularly as they're just as snazzy.

The covers feature an earth-toned color palette, featuring a Triforce and Hylian Crest pattern on top. They give me 'what if Louis Vuitton did a Zelda collab' vibes, but without the horrendous price tag, and I'm definitely a fan. Instead of reaching into the thousands like a designer handbag, these covers are available to pre-order for $14.60 from Amazon Japan, which is far more in line with my budget (and my taste).

The $24 (via Amazon) front cover is just as flashy. It shares the same earth-toned colors, but appears to be made from a thatched-like material, if the marketing images are anything to go by. If that's the case, I'm more keen than ever to add it to my setup, as I love when accessories look like something that you'd find within the game's world. It's also dock-friendly and appears to be compatible with the brand's Joy-Con covers.

If you were hoping to see a hardshell Ocarina of Time Switch 2 case amongst this collection, there's unfortunately none to be found, but there are two game-card cases. These aren't designed to store and protect the handheld, but instead give you a place to carry around a few physical games.

The cheaper $9.52 option can only store two games in total, which means you'll have to leave some of your Legend of Zelda Switch carts at home. However, it does include space for one microSD Express Card, and includes some neat black-and-white art of Link on one side, and Link riding Epona on the other.

The $10.80 card case, on the other hand, swaps the silhouettes for a close-up of the iconic Hylian Shield. It looks like Keys Factory has even used an in-game render for the exterior, as you can see all the finer details, including a wealth of nicks and scratches on the shield's surface. The shield art also feels apt, as this thing can store (and protect) 16 games in total.

While KeysFactory accessories like this Legend of Zelda set usually don't release outside of Japan, you can import the lot from Amazon. Just be wary that unforeseen customs fees might mean you have to part with more rupees down the line.

• View all Legend of Zelda Switch accessories at Amazon

Want more Switch 2 accessories? Check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch headsets, the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express Cards.

If you've been playing plenty of Control Resonant since it launched last week, you might be experiencing the same thing a lot of us are - spongy enemies leading to the game's exceptional combat feeling a little tiresome at times. Fret not, because I'm here to help you with a few solutions you might not have thought of yet, and they both come down to how you use your PS5, Xbox, or PC controller.

I don't know about you, but the issue with the Hiss being able to take so much damage isn't so much a difficulty problem for me; it's just a lot of button mashing, which can cause fatigue if you want to explore Remedy's mind-bending version of New York in longer sessions, as I do. Moreover, too much pressing can cause injuries like repetitive strain, carpal tunnel, or even just cause your gamepad to wear down more quickly.

But that's why I'm a big believer in back buttons - in fact, I'd say that I use them more than face buttons these days, especially since it's my job to review the latest gaming peripherals and they're a common feature on most of them today. The great thing about them is that they effectively double up a function you already have on a standard controller. If you map a spare back or shoulder button to your attack button, for example, you've suddenly got two ways to inflict damage instead of one.

This would be my first suggestion to anyone who wants a "remedy" for repetitive and sometimes painful button mashing. Double up a back button to your in-game attack and then alternate which one you press if you need to. You can make this a bit more engaging by pressing both buttons in the same sequence, tapping one and then the other in an attack combo. Alternatively, you could just switch what attack button you're pressing and only focus on one as and when you need to.

The other really cool thing about back buttons is that they're sometimes called "macro" buttons. The reason for this is that many controllers allow you to map not just one function to them, but a sequence of presses. For example, if you have a go-to combo with Dylan's Aberrant, then combat finisher, then stronger attack mapped to Y or Triangle, you could program that button press sequence to one single press of your controller's extra function.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of that idea in a game like Control Resonant since it'd take away a lot of the fun, engaging combat mechanics. But if you're struggling with the game's level of difficulty, bear with me.

The benefit of doing this on a controller like the one I just reviewed last week, the GameSir Tarantula 8K, is that if you're in a giant battle with loads of Hiss enemies where you need to be absolutely on-point with your dodges, you can essentially take away your brain's need to focus on one of the combat tasks.

Pressing one single button that's macro-mapped to an entire attack sequence frees up your hands to just focus on controlling the camera, Dylan's movement, and manning the dodge button. It also allows you to concentrate more on the UI, the approaching enemies, and how you can use the environment to your advantage.

Don't forget, if you're really struggling with the game's combat, you can also head into the gameplay settings and play around with assist mode, which lets you control Dylan's damage output level, falter level, and more.

Personally, if you ask me, spongy enemies are more of a game design problem, but that doesn't mean we can't use hardware to make things a bit less irritating. The good news is that back buttons or macro functions are pretty common on both Xbox controllers and PS5 controllers these days, and won't even take you long to set up. If you're on PC and you're just looking for a cheap alternative, there are loads of options for you too.

Want to dive deeper into gamepad tech? Take a look at the best TMR controllers, the best joysticks, and the best Switch 2 controllers.

Every day we're bringing you the biggest new gaming deals hitting the web, scouring the shelves for the greatest PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PC savings before you've even made your first pot of coffee. Each discount has been vetted by our team of price checkers and reviewers to make sure you're getting the tech that matters at a price that actually saves you cash.

October 1

Metroid Ravenous

Nintendo loves to drop a $10 discount on its pre-orders at the moment, but these savings are scarce once the games actually hit the shelves. Metroid Ravenous is the latest Switch 2 exclusive to get this treatment, with early bidders receiving a sturdy saving ahead of that January 28 release date.

Previous Top Picks

More savings

Off the back of my full 8Bitdo FlipPad review, I've been weighing up whether a discount could help it thrive. It's already one of the best retro controllers for Game Boy games on your phone in my eyes, but with Prime Day sneaking up fast, it could end up at a no-brainer price, especially if you're not into buying a standalone handheld in 2026.

There's room to argue that the 8Bitdo FlipPad is already pretty good value at $29.99, as it's $5 cheaper than its main rival, the GameSir Pocket Taco. That latter, chunkier controller usually goes for $34.99 on an ordinary day, although it does pack Bluetooth connectivity and shoulder buttons into its bulkier shell.

The short of it is that the 8Bitdo FlipPad is a sleeker, less obtrusive set of buttons for your phone for quick, casual sessions. Its excellent hinge mechanism lets your modern-day doomscroller almost cosplay as a 2000s flip phone, all while letting you flick the panel out of the way for when you actually have to do things on your phone. It also hooks up directly via USB-C, so you'll never need to worry about battery life or power issues getting in the way of your Pokemon sessions.

In contrast, the Pocket Taco turns your phone into its namesake, clamping onto your device at the bottom. Again, it's Bluetooth, so it will actually work with your Switch or even a docked Analogue Pocket should you prefer your Game Boy games on a bigger screen, but it's main goal is to give you something that feels like Ninty's brick to grip onto on your travels.

Both mobile controllers serve pretty similar roles, and both take opposite approaches in doing so. The Pocket Taco is for those of you who want a fully fledged Game Boy controller that doesn't rely on your phone and will be suited to all games across the Game Boy's expansive library, including GBA games that rely on shoulder buttons. On the flip side, the FlipPad feels more geared towards players with a very standard phone setup, as it'll fit best to a handset with iPhone dimensions and a case that's 2mm in thickness.

The Pocket Taco is for those of you who want a fully fledged Game Boy controller that doesn't rely on your phone and will be suited to all games across the Game Boy's expansive library, including GBA games that rely on shoulder buttons. On the flip side, the FlipPad feels more geared towards players with a very standard phone setup, as it'll fit best to a handset with iPhone dimensions and a case that's 2mm in thickness.

I would crown the FlipPad as the better-feeling controller thanks to its clicky dome buttons and solid feel. The Pocket Taco comparatively feels a bit cheaper, but it does mimic the plastics of an OG Game Boy in a more authentic way while packing more features than just plain USB-C connectivity.

Ultimately, I'd keep an eye out for both during Prime Day on October 6 and 7 (don't you dare say it), but I have a funny feeling 8Bitdo will include the FlipPad in its usual wave of nifty discounts, and failing that, Black Friday retro deals are set to arrive in November as a backup.

• Retro controllers at Amazon
• Game Boy clones at Amazon

Swing by the best retro consoles for remakes, emulation systems, and collectable mini systems.

I firmly believe you need to be a specific type of player for the 8Bitdo FlipPad to win you over. The idea of quickly turning your doomscroller cell phone into a Game Boy with physical buttons is alluring, yes, but when you weigh up the quirks compared to just, well, grabbing one of the best retro handhelds out there designed to run classic capers, the appeal slightly falls apart.

None of that stops the 8Bitdo FlipPad from excelling as one of the best retro controllers for Game Boy games, though, as it's one of the nicest pads I've tested yet. For $29.99, you're getting an accessory that offers satisfyingly clicky buttons, a hinge that'll make even your iPhone feel like a '90s flip phone, and an extremely low-profile design.

That sadly all comes at a pretty high cost for the FlipPad, as its direct USB-C design means that, unlike the GameSir Pocket Taco, it's fully dependent on your phone. For your 30 bucks, you're basically getting an, admittedly nice-feeling, set-up buttons hooked up to a direct USB connection, and when you consider that alongside some really unfortunate design limitations things get a little tricky.

Flippin slick

I'll admit that I've spent more time with this gamepad than I'd usually give to a Game Boy controller. I even specifically placed the 8Bitdo FlipPad in the hands of a casual retro gamer to conduct some further A/B testing.

The reason is simple: I wanted to absolutely confirm whether stripping back a Game Boy-style controller like this to a sleek "pad" is worth it. The FlipPad is undeniably the sleekest of its kind out there, and its 19.7mm profile makes the GameSir Pocket Taco look like a bulky plastic monster by comparison, not to mention it weighs in at only 31.5 grams.

But, that sleekness comes at the cost of useful innards. Again, you're only getting USB-C with the FlipPad and, in reality, that means it's confined to either the bottom of your phone or slightly larger compatible devices (I've already experimented using the Razer Edge).

Cramming everything into a small rectangle designed to rest on the bottom of a phone screen also eliminates good junk in the trunk. The Pocket Taco uses this asset to stow away a battery and give its shoulder buttons somewhere to hang, whereas 8Bitdo has opted to stick four left and right "back" buttons on its face.

I'll admit there aren't too many games suited to a Game Boy layout that make use of proper shoulder buttons anyway. However, if you did fancy strafing in the likes of DOOM for the GBA, you'll probably get your fingers in a bit of a twist trying to press the top toggles while shooting via the face buttons and using the D-pad.

And yet, part of me does buy into the idea of trimming everything back to make the slickest Game Boy mobile controller possible. The idea here is that by containing everything to the bottom centre of your screen, it'll merely feel like your phone has physical clicky buttons, rather than feeling like it's wedged between a gamepad. It's exactly how you'd want an accessory you'll be sneaking in Pokemon sessions with on the go, and that plays into its strengths as a casual controller.

Case by case basis

If there's one thing 8Bitdo has really dropped the ball on with the FlipPad, it's accommodations for specific phone cases and non-standard handsets. As a gadget that connects straight into your doomscroller, it relies on you using a "standard" protective shell that's around 2mm thick. That will specifically ensure the controller fits flush to the base of your device, but through my own testing, I've rarely found that to be the case.

Had I only tested the FlipPad with the latest iPhone and the apparent 2mm case the FlipPad is designed around, I'd be saying the controller fits perfectly. You'll no doubt see plenty of videos and articles claiming there are no issues in that department, but I unfortunately wasn't treated to that Goldilocks "just right" scenario. Yes, my proverbial porridge was either too cold or too hot, representing the woe of the pad wiggling side to side or not fitting at all.

I specifically tested the FlipPad with a Google Pixel 7 and a protective shell, and while I could plug it into the USB-C port, it still suffered from an air-gap pivot. I suspect that's because the phone's cheaper silicone shell was out by a fraction of a millimeter, but it's more or less the sort of generic accessory you'll get at Amazon.

In contrast, I wasn't able to plug the FlipPad into an Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro with a Devil Case attached at all. I should note that I wouldn't have been able to use the controller with the handset anyway since it has a very silly offset USB-C port, but even if it were centered, thicker protective cases are going to be too deep and prevent the pad from reaching your port.

I don't want to tell 8Bitdo how to suck design eggs here, but I do reckon the FlipPad could have avoided fit issues with some tweaks. While I get that the controller maker was trying to keep connectivity faff free, some plastic adapters to suit different phones and case thicknesses could have made a meaningful difference. Since the gamepad relies on USB-C, I reckon going the extra mile with a system that helps adjust things specifically for your phone would have made a lot of sense, and ultimately would have helped it achieve a near-perfect score.

It all hinges on the pivot

It's in the name, but one of the FlipPad's biggest draws lies in the fact it "flips." The mechanical hinge absolutely plays into forgotten hardware mechanics that were once harnessed by phones and handhelds like the Game Boy Advance SP. In both those cases, the folding elements were designed to stand in the way of unwanted interaction, say, a bunch of keys in your pocket, but with 8Bitdo's Game Boy controller, the role is reversed.

The FlipPad's hinge exists to throw the controller out of the way when you need screen access. Like it or not, Android emulation suites and apps, like RetroArch, will require tweaking by touch, and interacting with settings menus, or even just taking a call in between games, is a pain when you have to revert things back to a vanilla cell phone. By way of flipping, 8Bitdo's design lets you flick the buttons out of the way with a solid snap that keeps it in place.

The hinge mechanism itself is extremely satisfying, providing a more solid, mechanical feel than something like a GBA SP. The swivel mechanism will apparently withstand over 6,000 flicks, and I genuinely reckon I'm halfway there since I've been using mine as a fidget toy. I should note that I'm doing that without it plugged into anything, as I'd be slightly paranoid about putting stress on a device's USB port through the force of the pivot.

If you use the perfect-size case without an air gap, your port should be safe. In normal circumstances, even slight movement shouldn't pose a threat, but I know better than to put needless stress on USB-C ports. I don't really think the FlipPad is committing any real sins here, but I do want to illustrate how 8Bitdo's design feels to use in practice.

Cromulent clicks

The 8Bitdo FlipPad's buttons don't really feel like an actual Game Boy, but in this instance, that's a good thing. Instead of opting for traditional membranes, this mobile controller uses click dome contacts that provide pleasingly tactile inputs that are closer to microswitches in feel. That means less travel and a more definitive input confirmation that's confirmed through ASMR-tier sounds, and that helps reinforce the overall design.

Had the FlipPad gone with the same arguably more authentic-feeling membranes of the GameSir Pocket Taco, its whole feel would have potentially been compromised. The fact that the controller will pivot if you don't use the right case ties into this, as the shorter travel of the dome buttons means less surface pressure that could potentially cause the unit to shift around even with the rubber pad gripping the screen.

You will absolutely still feel a bit of movement with the wrong case, particularly if you're playing something more frantic like a shoot-em-up or hectic NES platformer. But, in many calmer situations, the travel means the gamepad will largely stay put, in turn helping mask some of the connector's shortcomings.

The physical feel of the buttons lives up to 8Bitdo's usual quality levels, with a soft-touch matte finish on the face buttons accompanied by embossed A,B,X,Y symbols. The D-pad is the one element that feels like it's trying to emulate a Game Boy, as it's virtually a 3/4 replica of Nintendo's original, complete with those iconic ridges (for performance, naturally).

I still stand by the idea that the FlipPad is better suited to quick plug-and-play casual experiences. You can expect nice precision and minimal latency since we're talking about direct USB-C, which does lend itself to trickier platformers. That said, You're not getting as full a layout here since the shoulders are on the front, and it will limit your scope for playing games from across the console generations that use more buttons.

Less isn't always more

8Bitdo's FlipPad scores major points for sleekness and feel, but it really sacrifices additional features to make it happen. Even if it increased the price to the same as the Pocket Taco, a way to connect the controller to other devices and consoles via Bluetooth would have helped it excel, and that could have been achieved with some sort of plugin puck.

Using an additional back unit with some guts inside could have also provided a place for optional shoulder buttons, again, providing opportunity for an additional hardware feature. These are admittedly all plans 8Bitdo could have in the works for a Pro version (if not, then feel free to steal), but the current version feels a bit bare bones otherwise.

The streamlined nature of the FlipPad will work for some players, largely those of you who want something extremely discrete on the front of your phone. Adding in the above extras would have captured an additional slice of the market pie by providing external Game Boy buttons for everything from your Switch to something more niche like a docked Analogue Pocket. Perhaps there's room for that still, and while it keeps the gamepad from perfection, it's not a complete dealbreaker.

Should you pick up the 8Bitdo FlipPad?

As a mobile controller geared towards 8 and 16-bit era games, the 8Bitdo FlipPad is one of the best around. It's sleek, unobtrusive, and provides excellent clicky buttons that will bring you a lot of tactile joy. The hinge mechanism also makes for a phenomenal solution to retaining cell phone functionality while having buttons smacked on the front that feel like a natural part of the device, but its commitment to the compact bit is what keeps it from being the ultimate Game Boy controller.

Quirks with the connector requiring a specific 2mm-thick case act as part of the roadblock to a perfect score. But, I ultimately think ditching elements like Bluetooth connectivity for wider compatibility is the FlipPad's real Achilles' heel. It might reach the same heights as the Pocket Taco by way of a sleeker approach, but by not matching it on its wireless capabilities and physical shoulder buttons, it can't soar past its competitor.

Deciding between the FlipPad and Pocket Taco really comes down to your gameplay preferences. If you can pluck out games you know will use physical shoulder buttons, you're largely better off with the latter, whereas if you're really just looking for a nicer way to play OG Game Boy romps like Pokemon, 8Bitdo's buttons will provide a much nicer feel and less bulk. Both are solid options, but I can't help but feel I'm still waiting for an elevated accessory that really pays tribute to Ninty's iconic brick.

How I tested the 8Bitdo FlipPad

Over the course of a month, I put the 8Bitdo FlipPad to the test using various USB-C phones and devices, including the Google Pixel 7, Asus ROG Phone, and Razer Edge gaming handheld. To assess its functionality, build quality, and overall feel, I used RetroArch to emulate suitable arcade and Game Boy games, evaluating whether the design aspects make the gamepad a better fit for 8 and 16-bit games compared to rivals like the GameSir Pocket Taco.

For more information on how we test retro console and accessories, swing by our full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy for extra deets.

Shure is known for its iconic, pro-level microphones for content creators and musicians, but its USB gaming mic, which launched back in 2024, has been a viable option at the entry-level end of the market since it hit the shelves. Shure is now launching an upgraded model of its MV6, but thankfully the best microphone competitor is staying at the same price.

The Shure MV6 Gen 2 tries to achieve the same plug-and-play simplicity all USB mics strive for, but it's updating the software and control you have over it in an attempt to give creators a bit more for their money.

While there are a bunch of important refinements to the Gen 2 version of this mic, I'm personally really excited to see this brand properly dedicate a white colorway to its range. The Shure SM7dB has a classic, nay, iconic design that seems to be the new standard for every microphone hitting the shelves (just look at the Razer Seiren V3 Pro or the Maono PD200W).

Yes, there's a white version of the Shure MV7+, but its classic black wind guard/pop filter kind of spoils the appeal of a white setup. No, you probably don't want a pristine, white pop filter because it'll get very obviously dirty over time and no one wants to see that, but Shure has found a new way around this with the MV6 Gen 2.

As you'll see from the imagery, its white body, matching stand and cable, and its "flocked foam" grey pop filter look a lot more in keeping with a white gaming room. That's exciting for many reasons, but even if we don't see a new range of colorways arrive, it's cool to see more from Shure than its classy black design that was first introduced in 1973.

The original Shure MV6 always had some handy Denoising and pop-stopping tricks up its sleeve, but the brand is now taking things a step further this time around. The new model has access to an Auto Level mode that's adjustable, as well as a real-time Denoiser that's a lot more versatile on the fly.

That improved Auto Level Mode should also address feedback from the original mic not reacting quickly enough to shouting and sudden volume changes - something that tends to happen regularly when gaming with friends or live streaming.

Being able to adjust the Denoiser will also give you a bit more control over what room sounds your friends or audience will be able to hear - if you have loud PC fans or less treatment in your gaming space, you can decide how much Denoising you really need.

There are also new 5-band EQ and smart audio presets that let you customize the various parts of the mic's tonality and character - which can add loads of value to a USB microphone that won't be hooked up to one of the best streaming mixers, like the RodeCaster Duo, that can do that for you.

Looking for more content creation tools? Take a look at the best capture cards, the best content creation gear, and the best ring lights for gaming.

After a lifetime of PlayStation fandom, Microsoft's handling of the digitalization era of gaming is a bittersweet pill to swallow. While Sony has been largely ignoring outrage from its decision to end disc production in 2028, Xbox is going about the shift in a slightly different way - namely, making sure your library of physical titles doesn't become an expensive paperweight when the new generation rolls around.

The brand has now globally launched its disc-to-digital program, allowing users to copy their physical games to digital formats, albeit still with a single license attached. That's great news for Xbox fans, while they'll continue to play all the same games when both brands inevitably go all-digital in the next generation, us PS6-ers will be stuck rebuying our shelves of cases digitally to keep the good times going. Anyone getting stuck into backing up their game library this week, though, might hit a storage snag.

The only Xbox Series X with a disc drive still attached has 802GB of usable storage space (unless you grabbed a special edition with the full 2TB whack). Considering Gears of War E-Day rocks up at 120GB, Baldur's Gate 3 requires about 150GB, and The Witcher 3 Remastered will need 50GB, that internal hard drive isn't going to last you too long.

Of course, this is a balancing act we've been playing for years. If you haven't already invested in one of the best Xbox Series X hard drives, you're likely used to rotating your games through your system storage. That's fine for 2026, and even 2027, but if Microsoft does go for the all-digital future the industry is revving up for - all that uninstalling and reinstalling could get far more difficult.

You won't be able to run the games directly off your existing HDD (either locally or, in all likelihood, using disc-to-digital's cloud service), but you'll be able to keep them backed up to play on the new generation console without qualms. In the meantime, you'll simply need to move the file over to your system storage to play digitally whenever you feel the itch for one of your old favorites.

There's a but here, and it's the same one we've spoken about time and time again in 2026. Storage prices are incredibly high these days. A drive that would have cost an easy $50 just last year is now a $120 - $200 investment. It's worth taking advantage of the tech you already have wherever possible, and prioritizing cheaper alternatives as well. Here, for example, we're only talking about hard drives. An SSD will give you faster transfer times, but considering we only need to store our games, not run them, it's well worth dodging even higher solid-state prices in 2026.

So what hidden costs are those going disc-to-digital going to need to be aware of? An Xbox game's install size can range from about 30GB for a lighter title all the way through to 170-190GB for chunkier releases. Let's split the difference; say each game in your library will take up 75GB of storage space. For the sake of ease, we'll assume you're keeping your existing console storage the same. Assuming that you're leaving your system's drive free from backups, and relying on external storage to digitize these games.

If you have 10-13 cases on your display, you'll need 1TB of extra storage. 14-26 discs will need 2TB of space. If you have more than 26 titles, you'll need to go for the full 4TB whack, which will see you through up to 53 physical games.

Right now, the average price of a 1TB external hard drive (from a well-reviewed brand like Western Digital or SanDisk) at Amazon sits at roughly $122. If you include cheaper, untested brands in that list, you're looking at an average $101 price tag.

Should you have more than 14 games, you're looking at spending an average of $135 at Amazon on a 2TB external HDD. Those who need the full 4TB will be spending an average of $187.23 (Amazon).

You can avoid the problem altogether if you only have a handful of titles, sure. The Xbox Series X's internal storage will be able to handle about 10 average-sized releases while still keeping some space free for updates, screenshots, streaming apps, and smaller downloads.

If you've got a stack of boxes on the shelves, though, you're looking at a minimum spend of about $100 to get them all digitized.

Microsoft's softening the landing here, certainly, but there are hidden costs for those truly making the most of its new disc-to-digital system.

• See all hard drives at Amazon

We're also hunting down all the best external hard drives for gaming as well as the best PS5 SSDs if you're staying on Sony's side of the fence. You can also check out all the best Xbox Series X accessories for more.

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 has always been a tricky one to pin down. This line consistently sees some of the more impressive benchmark numbers when I test at the top of the GPU food chain, but last year's model was more of an aesthetic refresh while 2026's iteration is a solid refinement further.

What's new? In a nutshell, a 4K resolution on that fantastic Mini LED display and brand new thermals under the hood. Combine that screen with rising component costs, however, and you've got a rig that pushes well past $4,000 in its RTX 5090 form. The best gaming laptops are all far more expensive this year, but is it worth investing quite so much cash when prices are up? I spent three weeks with the 2026 Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 to find out.

Configurations

This is Asus's speedster, so it's keeping its configurations fairly close to the top of the price range. Like last year's, the 2026 Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is strictly an RTX 5080 or RTX 5090 affair, but this time it's paired with a slightly upgraded Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor. That's not going to give you too much in the way of real world gaming performance, but is geared towards heavier AI workloads better. All that's paired up with a predictably high amount of RAM, either 32GB or 64GB.

The configuration I've been testing doesn't have a specific street price. It's a pretty standard RTX 5090 / Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus pairing but that 4TB RAID storage isn't listed in too many locations. Still, the extra space isn't going to inform too much from a performance standpoint - expect to pay around $5,000 for an RTX 5090 model with a more modest SSD setup.

Design

Last year's Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 made leaps in the machine's aesthetics. Previous iterations were lumped with a translucent chassis design. Hey, I'm a big fan of transparent tech throwing it all the way back to the '90s, but not when I'm spending a small fortune on a high-end gaming laptop.

Thankfully, 2026's iteration continues the newer matte black finish, with a far more premium look overall. Inside, we've got an understated soft touch plastic with a little more flex than I'd expect for this price but an ultimately solid feel to it. Display hinges also operate with a little wobble but feel secure and smooth. One-handed operation is still very much on the cards here.

The back lid still carries one of my personal gripes. I've never been a fan of Asus's dot matrix display panel on the back. It's pretty redundant, adds to the final price, and creates this scratch of dots across the back of an otherwise sleek looking machine. It doesn't look like Asus is binning this showpiece any time soon, but it can be turned off in Armoury Crate.

We're also looking a little heavier than last year. The RTX 5090 model I've been testing weighs in at 3.7kg compared to 2025's 3.3kg. It's not a massive deal - these aren't gaming laptops designed to be carted around with you, but it's worth noting if you're concerned about the odd road trip.

At the end of the day this is a larger, chunkier gaming laptop than many will typically be hunting for. That's because it's designed as a desktop replacement rather than a truly portable play machine. That extra heft is going a long way in terms of cooling and performance, but there are alternatives if you want to ease transport a little more.

The Razer Blade 18 manages to squeeze top-shelf performance into a 3.1kg package, trimming the thickness down from Asus's 1.38-inches to 1.1-inches. It doesn't sound a lot in the grand scheme of things, but considering that's 3.1kg of CNC milled aluminum on Razer's side, the Blade looks and feels more like a premium purchase overall. In fact, the 2026 Strix Scar is also chunkier than the MSI Raider A18 HX A9W - its second closest competitor. That ones measures in at 1.26-inches thickness and only 3.6kg.

Display

This year's Scar 18 is the first to feature a full UHD+ 4K display, something the previous generation seemed to miss out on. This screen is where Asus makes up some serious ground lost to Razer in its design.

That Mini LED panel packs a serious punch, it's every bit as vibrant as the previous generation with a massive range of colors supplying well-toned, uniform images at enough brightness to combat sunny environments. 2,000 dimming zones also make for an almost-OLED like black response, while still holding that peak brightness.

You'll need to configure the display to get this response, though, with three settings to choose from; one-zone, multi-zone balanced, and multi-zone strong. The former goes straight for high contrast, while the 'balanced' option seems to hit the mid-point between darker details and full-screen brightness. The 'strong' preset goes full force on both brightness and impact.

There's a lot to fiddle with here, but here's my cheat sheet. I got the best results with True Color HDR switched on. That means you won't have access to the additional visual settings in Armoury Crate, but there are so many it's difficult to quickly and easily fine-tune your screen before diving into actually playing on the thing. Flip the switch to enable the Ultimate performance mode and you've unlocked the full 240Hz refresh rate as well. Of course, you'll likely want to switch to different SDR zoning options for different titles, but there's plenty of room to tweak here if you don't like the out-of-the-box visual experience.

The fact that the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 manages to pair that 4K resolution with a full 240Hz refresh rate (under the system's Ultimate mode) is a rare feat. When pushed into UHD settings, the Blade 18 will cap you at 120Hz on its IPS panel no matter how much you fiddle with the controls. For comparison, the MSI Raider A18 HX A9W keeps that sharp Mini LED but also drops you down to 120Hz. In Razer's defence, its FHD+ resolution setting can take you all the way to 440Hz, but there's no QHD middle ground on Sneki's option - here there is.

Ports

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 falls inline with its competition on its ports, with one design caveat. You're still getting three USB 3.2 Gen 2 connections with two Thunderbolt 5s in there, as well as Ethernet, 3.5mm audio and an HDMI 2.1, but these outlets are all positioned on the sides of the device.

Larger 18-inch desk-hoggers typically keep more permanent connections to the rear of the chassis. It's tidier, keeps your right hand free for movement, and ensures vital cables aren't knocked or pulled about too much. With everything relegated to the sides, an accessory-heavy setup is going to get messy real fast. Thankfully your Thunderbolt 5s and HDMI are still kept on the left.

Keyboard and trackpad

The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 doesn't do anything particularly fancy with its keyboard, but it's still comfortable and satisfying for both work and play. Its actuation is nice and light for gaming, with a tactile bump and return on the debounce. Everyday typing can feel a little soft, though. There's a nice snap to each keypress, but a surprising amount of flex remains under the main deck area.

You'll still find a full suite of controls here, though. A half-sized number pad sits neatly on the right, with full-sized arrow buttons providing relief after months of testing squished clackers. Additional volume, mic, fan and Armoury Crate controls also line the top right corner of the deck.

The trackpad runs beautifully, with a smooth glide and no unnecessary travel on a harder press. Tap and swipe gestures are picked up perfectly and the entire pad sits solidly in place.

Performance

In FHD, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 manages to out-perform the MSI Raider A18 HX A9W in two in-game benchmark runs, Total War: Three Kingdoms and Horizon Zero Dawn: Remastered, while falling just shy of MSI's numbers in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Cyberpunk 2077. It also, however, stays in front of the Razer Blade 18 that only just lost out to the 'most powerful' moniker to the aforementioned Raider.

QHD benchmarks let the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 take a much stronger lead. Here this machine is performing better than the Blade 18 and Raider A18 HX A9W in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Total War: Three Kingdoms, and Cyberpunk 2077, only taking a slight dip down in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered.

4K is where things get a little more heated. The Razer Blade 18 still leads in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, though the Scar is hot on its heels with pretty much identical results. The MSI Raider takes a larger backseat in this run.

Both the Scar 18 and Raider get identical benchmark results in Total War: Three Kingdoms at 4K - something I don't think I've seen before, anecdotally. Still these are incredibly impressive scores to be matching.

The story remains similar in Horizon Zero Dawn: Remastered, the Raider is ever-so-slightly ahead here, but the Blade 18 and Scar are performing pretty much identically.

Asus reclaims its lead in Cyberpunk, technically. All three machines are just tip-toeing over that 60fps threshold here, and the Blade 18 drops at RT: Ultra, but the Scar has just nipped to pole position.

We perform synthetic benchmark tests using 3D Mark's Steel Nomad run, as well as Time Spy and Fire Strike. The former is our main indicator of real-world performance, though, with its score offering a greater insight into how each machine will handle more demanding modern releases.

Here, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is pretty evenly matched with its main competitors, but sits towards the middle of my 18-inch pack. We're still comfortably ahead of last year's release, though.

Fire Strike is an easier run, allowing for a finer level of comparison. That MSI Raider score is yet unchallenged, but the Scar 18 is the machine coming closest with 41,777 points putting it comfortably above the Razer Blade 18.

The rig also claims the crown in Time Spy tests, with its 24,194 score putting it well ahead of both MSI and Razer.

It would be inconceivable that a $5,000 gaming laptop with the latest Intel processor, 64GB RAM and an RTX 5090 GPU wouldn't give us full 4K performance no matter what challenged it. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 carries its components well, with the cooling to support a push into the upper echelons of gaming laptop performance. Whether it can beat MSI for sheer power can be determined in a few ways.

Taking things as simply as possible, the Scar beats the Raider in more runs but still trails slightly where sheer power is required. In my tests, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 came out on top against the MSI Raider A18 HX A9W and Razer Blade 18 in 7 tests across 1080p, 1600p, 2400p, and 3D Mark benchmark runs. MSI claimed the throne in 6 instances. That's still pretty squeaky.

The Raider managed to hold its own a lot better in the more demanding categories, scoring higher across two 4K benchmarks compared to the Scar's one, and holding onto the crown in 3D Mark Steel Nomad.

Single-core Geekbench 7 performance goes to MSI as well, with the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D pulling an average of 3,186 across user tests and the Intel inside the Scar 18 only mustering 2,874.

Should you buy the 2026 Asus ROG Strix Scar 18?

At $5,000, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is primarily competing against the Razer Blade 18 and MSI Raider A18 HX. Put simply, each one has their use.

The Razer Blade 18 isn't going to perform as well as these beastly rigs, but it looks, feels, and carries itself a lot better overall. That's your alternative if you still want some semblance of portability in your roster.

The MSI Raider performs better than the Scar when the heat is on, but ultimately these two are pretty evenly matched from a sheer power perspective. Pair the Asus up with that incredibly powerful display and it still makes for the better 18-inch buy overall.

You'll need to be ready to invest, but if you're going for high-end 4K performance with an endlessly tweakable screen the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is still the best 18-inch gaming laptop I've tested so far.

How I tested the 2026 Asus ROG Strix Scar 18

I used the 2026 Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 as my daily driver for a period of two weeks, with an additional week spent testing alongside other PC alternatives. During that time I was primarily playing Farming Simulator 25, High on Life 2, and Doom: The Dark Ages for myself, while performing specific benchmark tests in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Total War: Three Kingdoms, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and Cyberpunk 2077. Each test was run at 1080p, 1600p, and 2400p three times in both High and Highest settings with the final result here representative of an average.

I also tested the Scar 18 in 3D Mark Time Spy, Steel Nomad, and Fire Strike - again, performing each benchmark three times and taking a final average result. The machine was tested in the system's 'Turbo' performance preset.

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

I'm also rounding up the best Asus gaming laptops as well as the best Razer laptops and best Alienware laptops for more alternatives.

Steam is making a big change to one of its promotional pages, opting for an algorithm-based showcase of games instead of the current "manual calendar-based approach."

Steam has been gradually moving toward personalized algorithms to recommend games for years now, and in early 2027, the Discounts & Events page, which as the name implies shows you themed sales and discounted games, is joining the club. In its announcement, Valve says the goal is to get more discounted games in front of Steam users.

"Currently, the Discounts & Events section on Steam is made up of curated placements that are either scheduled directly by partners via Steamworks, or by us here on the Steam team," Valve says. "By moving away from that approach, more discounted games or sale events will have the chance to be visible on the homepage and elsewhere on Steam, rather than be limited by a small, fixed number of slots."

Valve says it's been experimenting with Steam's discovery features for a few months now and, in testing the algorithmic model with the Discounts & Events page, was able to "show 10x more games to customers in a given day in that section.

"As a result, we saw meaningful increases in store page visits, wishlists, and cart additions."

This change potentially spells good news for discovery, but there are some concerns that it could have the opposite effect if Steam users are only being recommended sales based on what they typically interact with, which is what an algorithm does, generally. For instance, my Steam library is full of co-op horror games, RPGs, and cozy games, but there might be a first-person shooter or tactics game out there I would love if only it were recommended to me. But if Steam is recommending me sales based on an algorithm that goes off of my usual shopping and play habits, it wouldn't think to recommend me ones that sit outside my usual genres.

Regardless, "We have confidence this approach is better aligned with our goal, and results in a better experience for customers and developers," Valve says. "The constraint of a manually managed calendar doesn't make as much sense with such diverse customer tastes and so many relevant deals for customers available at any given time."

Valve says there's no "definitive date for implementing these changes" and that the fine details are still being hammered out, but going off what we know right now, it seems like the Discounts & Events page will look a little more like a social media platform next year. Of course, you can still shop around other tabs if you want a more curated list of games, and the main Featured & Recommended tab is still a mix of hand-curated picks and personalized spots, but the Discounts & Events page specifically is fully embracing the algorithm.

"We don't believe this will be perfect right away, but we are confident the new system will result in better outcomes for customers and developers and are eager to share all the details once we have them," says Valve.

"Steam is on an absolute historic run": Valve quietly made a huge change that's helping game devs, says Hooded Horse CEO

Sony is skipping the Consumer Electronics Show in 2027, which marks the first time the PlayStation maker has not attended the show in its history.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, after only appearing at this year's show as part of its joint venture with Honda, Sony is skipping the 2027 event. A Sony spokesperson tells Bloomberg the decision is based on its current focus on "entertainment, intellectual property, and technology geared to support creators," adding, "We continuously and strategically evaluate our approach to events and communications based on the needs and priorities of our diverse business."

While CES isn't as big an event for PlayStation and games, Sony has been part of the show since its inception in 1967; it has been the site of historic announcements. Notably, in 1991 Sony announced the SNES PlayStation – and thus, the birth of the PlayStation – before Nintendo announced the following day it was not going forward with it; in 2020 Jim Ryan unveiled the PS5 logo, and in 2022 the PSVR2 and Horizon: Call of the Mountain were announced.

Sony has seemingly been stepping back from these sorts of events, as the company hasn't been present at Gamescom – the world's largest gaming convention – since 2019, while Xbox and Nintendo have been a near-constant presence at the shows. In an era when PlayStation State of Play and PlayStation Showcase streams are drawing millions of viewers, it's very likely that whenever new PlayStation hardware is announced, it'll be at one of these shows.

Ex-PlayStation lead thinks Sony and Nintendo "should try to keep the current generation as long as possible" amid hardware price hikes: "People are very happy using PS5 and Switch 2"

CRKD has just launched its first ever pro controller and the ULT PRO has a pretty sturdy list of specs behind it. TMR thumbsticks, trigger stops, swappable components, and 1,000Hz polling on Windows would usually make for a pretty premium package, especially if you look towards the best PC controllers from names like Razer and Flydigi. The brand is launching the CRKD ULT PRO for just $69.99 (Amazon) today, though, undercutting a good wedge of the premium market.

After all, this is coming in the same month SteelSeries debuted the $260 (yes $260) Aeon Pro. There's one hint here that the CRKD ULT PRO isn't playing in quite the same arena, though. The BAYX face button layout is a dead giveaway that the brand is pointing this asymmetrical thumbpad at Nintendo Switch 2 players.

You won't find clicky mechanical buttons, turbo-charged 8,000Hz polling rates, or complex software adjustments here, but for $70 the ULT PRO has quite a few green flags over competitors like the 8BitDo Ultimate 2, Switch 2 Pro Controller, and GameSir Super Nova.

With charging dock in tow, the CRKD ULT PRO's main competitor could be the 8BitDo number. The Ultimate 2 is currently the best Nintendo Switch 2 controller from a sheer value perspective, pitched at the same $69.99 (Amazon) price point.

It matches the ULT PRO's TMR thumbsticks, trigger stops, profile selection, and asymmetrical layout but adds motion control and wake functionality into the picture.

It's strange that the ULT PRO would drop this gyro from its specs, considering it's gone so far towards Switch compatibility as to create two separate SKUs for Nintendo and PC. It comes with its own advantages, though.

Rather than 8BitDo's two back buttons, CRKD is rolling the dice on a more PC-centered four-pronged approach. These back paddles are skinnier than the chunksters seen elsewhere in the Switch market, resembling the excellent Razer Wolverine V3 Pro's implementation.

It's not the only feature typically found on more robust PC controllers we're seeing here. The ULT PRO also includes two additional shoulder buttons for extra programmability as well as a swappable stick toppers and d-pad.

This looks to be an all-in-one pro controller for those not willing to shell out the full $90 on the official model. But it adds a lot more to the package compared to Ninty's. Sure, the classic Pro 2 Controller is all about feel, with particularly satisfying controls from the softly dampened face buttons to its incredibly smooth thumbsticks.

Would I take that over $20, profile presets, extra controls, trigger locks, and a charging dock? We'll have to wait until we get our hands on the new release to find out, but it certainly looks good on paper.

• See all Switch 2 controllers at Amazon

We're also hunting down the best PS5 controllers and the best Xbox Series X controllers available on the market.

Former PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida reckons that platform holders like Sony and Nintendo should keep their current hardware generations going for as long as they can as prices continue to surge.

Speaking in a new episode of The Verge's Vergecast (below), Yoshida – former president of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios – is asked about the potential business models and pricing strategies we could see from platforms like Xbox in the next console generation. As everything continues to get more expensive, it sounds like this is a conundrum that the former PlayStation boss reckons platform holders should avoid for as long as they can.

"Sony and Nintendo have sold enough" of their current-generation hardware, he begins, before adding: "Because of the cost of goods, they might be looking [at] pushing back the launch of next gen, and I think they should try to keep the current generation as long as possible, because I think people are very happy using PS5 and Switch 2.

"People have [a] finite budget, and it feels like PC and consoles, the components very specific to these devices have increased [in] price way more than all the other [forms] of entertainment," he continues. "People who have systems like PS5, Switch 2, or PCs – you know, good enough PCs – probably will be happy to play games on them and not necessarily consider replacing."

Yoshida acknowledges his own situation, noting that he bought a new gaming PC five years ago, and more recently, when considering upgrading again, "this price hike happened. So I was late to replace it." Understandably, he regrets not making that move a year earlier before things started to surge.

"I think that kind of thinking will happen to many people," he continues. "I don't think lots of people are asking for, 'more power, we need more power!' Or even [developers], I don't think developers [are] asking, you know, 'We need better hardware!'"

With all that in mind, Yoshida muses: "I think that means that the current generation, Sony and Nintendo are going to do pretty well for many years to come, still." Xbox's circumstances are different, he acknowledges, calling the company "a team who wants to change the competing landscape, so it's going to be hard for them, but it's their time to play." He seems optimistic though, adding, "It's very exciting, you know, what's going to happen next year?"

Whether platform holders have the same idea as Yoshida remains to be seen, though. Nintendo is in a pretty different position, having only just released the Switch 2 last year and still supporting the Switch 1, but for Sony and Microsoft, the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S will turn six this November.

Looking at Sony, historically, the major new PlayStation releases that mark a new generation have arrived every six or seven years, so if the company were to follow that pattern again, we should expect to see the PS6 very soon. A release coming later than next November would be unprecedented, but it's fair to say that the times we're in are weird enough that it might just warrant it.

Former PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida's highlights of Tokyo Game Show include Sonic's new indie spinoff and a game about removing hair.

Sorry, '80s microcomputer crowd, the clamshell C64 and ZX Spectrum handhelds have been delayed until April 2027. The Retro Games Ltd and Blaze collab portables were originally meant to launch in just over two weeks' time, on October 15, but the duo of devices has been pushed back by six months due to production not meeting "high standards."

In a statement shared on Blaze's HyperMegaTech website, the Evercade and Super Pocket creators say The C64 and The Spectrum handhelds now won't land until April 22, 2027. Spotted by VGC, the company confirms, "after careful consideration, we have made the decision to move the release date from 15th October 2026 to 22nd April 2027. This date change applies to both standard and collector’s editions."

Given that plenty of retro console and handheld projects have already been delayed due to component costs, I figured RAMageddon has merely claimed another victim. However, Blaze says, "During production, we identified areas where the product construction was not meeting our high standards. While we could address some issues quickly and release the products in 2026, we believe taking this additional time is the right decision to give you the best experience possible."

Blaze acknowledges that the news is disappointing while thanking players for their "patience and continued support." While it will be of little comfort to those of you wanting to play Chucky Egg on the train, the company says its upcoming flagship retro handheld, the Evercade Nexus, is unaffected. That makes sense given that the issues tie to quality concerns with the Retro Games Ltd collab specifically, but it's still worth saying it out loud given the overarching disruption by AI data centres.

The delay is undeniably a bummer, but while the idea of a clamshell, almost Cyberdeck-like C64 or ZX Spectrum, is right up my street, we're not short of ways to play old microcomputer games. If you'd rather just plug in a doohickey and start playing, the C64 Mini and The Spectrum can provide you with quick HDMI goodness, and while the latter is a little pricey at $154 in the US, the latter tiny Black Edition breadbin is $59.98, although the original is now AWOL at Amazon.

Those of you microcomputing enthusiasts out there will likely already have a real C64 or a ZX Spectrum pitched up at a desk. The handheld versions, just like Blaze and Retro Games Ltd's other endeavours, are all about convenience, with some releases like the upcoming Amiga A1200 remake blurring the lines. If you're really looking for hardware perfection, you'll want to invest in something like the Commodore 64 Ultimate or ZX Spectrum Next, with both leveraging FPGA tech to replicate the original innards.

Of course, none of these options are by the original minds who pioneered the video game industry as we know it via microcomputers. If you're looking for something that feels like a true successor, I'd highly recommend checking out the Gamercard, as it's a Raspberry Pi portable by Grant Sinclair, nephew of the late ZX Spectrum creator Clive Sinclair, that manages to embody the essence of the OG machine while running everything from Quake to PICO-8 fantasy console games.

• C64 consoles at Amazon
• Retro consoles at Amazon

Swing by the best retro controllers for new gamepads that will work with your classic consoles.

Less than a month after its last launch, Ayaneo's Konkr Pocket Block is now available. The good news is that the Game Boy clone starts at just $79, and the arguably even better news is that it seems to have ditched all the AI marketing that haunted its unveiling back in May.

In an announcement post marking the launch, Ayaneo describes the Konkr Pocket Block as "a premium vertical pocket Android handheld for gamers." (shock, horror). It also adds a nod to its "retro cyber design," a reference I can only assume to the fact that it looks like a Game Boy Pocket with a much larger screen-to-body ratio and some two-tone panelling.

Yes, we're all familiar with Game Boy clones; they have been occupying the best retro handheld battlefield since the Bittboy in 2019, after all. What I reckon makes the Konkr Pocket Block stand out is what it's offering for $79 compared to the Anbernic RG35XX Plus (arguably its closest rival at $59.97), as its Helio G85 CPU should cover a lot of retro console emulation ground in a 113.2 x 77.4mm.

The base model pairs the MediaTek chip with 2GB RAM and 32GB storage, but you can soup things up to 3GB and 64GB for $99. I'd argue that probably isn't necessary if you're sticking to emulating the OG Game Boy, GBA, and even some PS1 games. That's already something some of the absolute cheapest handhelds, like the Anbernic RG28XX, can pull off using a Dual-core Mali-G31, but I suspect you'll be doing more on this device's 960 x 720 3.33-inch display.

I'd prefer to test the Pocket Block myself before speculating about performance bars, but Ayaneo CEO Arthur Zhang claims it can play PSP games in his usual launch livestream. Sony's 2000s handheld isn't that hard to emulate, and the Block's MediaTek chipset should be able to handle games at native resolution. But, mentioning the portable is still pretty ambitious, and if it can pull off most of the library at full speed, we could be looking at a new budget champion.

Ayaneo originally unveiled the Konkr Pocket Block in May, with a heavy emphasis on it being "the world’s first AI-powered handheld." I personally found this tagline extremely off-putting, as a chunk of the retro community is currently fighting back against tech seeping into decomp projects, not to mention I'm consistently seeing fake AI-generated CRT setups on social media (real retro gaming setups are my whole jam).

That's exactly why I was delighted to see no mention of AI in the Pocket Block's latest marketing materials, but sadly, Zhang says there will be a "live broadcast" specifically for that this October. I'm really not sure how the tech could really enhance the experience of a sub-$100 handheld, and while I'm pretty down with everything else this newcomer stands for, associating itself with the tech could harm its reputation from the get-go.

It's already been a pretty busy year for affordable handhelds, with all the main portable players launching specific use-case models. The Ayaneo's Konkr Pocket Advance is targeting GBA fans, while Anbernic has Nintendo DS players in its crosshairs with its revamped RG DS Plus. Retroid is also fighting in that ring with its dual-screen Pocket Duo, so if you'd rather not pick up something that claims to use the very tech that's driving up the prices of said handhelds, you've got more than a few options.

• Game Boy clones at Amazon
• Retro handhelds at Amazon

Swing by the best retro controllers if you want authentic console buttons with modern tricks.

Doctors might have just discovered a new use for VR headsets normally used for gaming - and to think people complain about this hardware causing motion sickness. In a small independent study, emergency medicine specialists at Ankaha Bilkent City Hospital in Ankara, Turkey, have found that a combination of peaceful VR environments and classical music can lower blood pressure and stress levels more quickly than regular medication.

"Patients who arrive in the emergency department with markedly elevated blood pressure—readings of 180 mmHg or higher on the top number, or 110 mmHg or higher on the bottom number—are extremely common", said Dr. Safa Dönmez, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Health Sciences in Ankara.

"The emergency department environment itself—the noise, the bright lights, the uncertainty—can make that worse. This made me wonder: if we could help patients feel calmer, could we also help their blood pressure come down faster?"

This led him and his colleagues, including Dr Kadir Yenal, to create and publish a study surrounding the use of VR in this specific medical scenario. The pair then presented their results at EUSEM 2026 (European Emergency Medicine Congress).

65 Patients who came into the ER were randomly assigned to a testing group if they had a case of hypertensive urgency, and a control group of 65 was also tested to compare results with.

All of them received the standard blood pressure medication they'd be prescribed anyway, but members of the main study group were also given a VR headset that displayed the following calming nature scene - a bit like that recurring Xen monk meditation sidequest in Cyberpunk 2077.

At the same time, they were played classical music playlists by composers known for their calming qualities. The music was played separately on a smartphone - personally, I would have just thrown on Walkabout Mini Golf for the patients, as the calming environments and chill soundtrack would kill two birds with one stone.

It turns out that those patients who were given VR and classical chill privileges saw 12%-15% drops in anxiety and blood pressure compared to the regular control group, who were only given blood pressure medication. This was observed and measured after both 15 and 30 minutes.

"After 15 minutes, patients in the VR group had both a lower absolute blood pressure reading and a greater reduction from their starting point, compared to the control group," reported Yenal. "This was a statistically significant finding, meaning it was unlikely to be due to chance.

"After that, the gap narrowed, and from 60 minutes onward the two groups were essentially equivalent."

Dönmez said, "For patients, the significance of the study is that if you were brought into an emergency department with markedly elevated blood pressure, frightened and in pain, then being offered a few minutes in a peaceful virtual forest while listening to Mozart would likely be welcomed."

Does this mean we'll see more VR headsets ready to use in hospitals across the world? I doubt it, especially with their prices going nowhere but up lately. Then again, enterprise versions of the Pico 4 Ultra and HTC Vive headsets are very popular and are used for all sorts of industries, including armed services, firefighting, and medical fields.

"I believe it can reasonably be considered as a supportive, patient-centered addition to standard care, especially for patients who are visibly anxious or distressed", said Yenal. One member of the abstract committee for the study said, "Although this is a single-center study, the results are interesting and deserve further investigation.

"They raise the possibility that this approach is not only safe and feasible, but offers meaningful benefits, particularly in reducing anxiety and helping to achieve faster blood pressure control during the early stages of treatment, and might avoid unnecessary medication."

Annoyingly, there's no mention of which VR headset was used for the study - I'd bet against it being the newly launched Steam Frame or Meta's new VR glasses, but I'd wager any modern headset would do the trick. So, next time you're feeling stressed, maybe throw on your VR headset, crank up the Debussy, and take a few deep breaths.

For more on VR, head over the look at the best Meta Quest accessories.

Argos is already at the top of my list for UK retailer recommendations if you were to ask me, "Where should I order my Nintendo Switch 2 from?" This new limited-time offer just sweetens the deal.

From today, you can pick up either Pokemon Pokopia, Star Fox, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, or Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition for just £20 (via Argos), so long as you order it alongside the Switch 2. With titles like Pokopia typically still found between £54 and its full price, this is one of the single best Nintendo Switch bundle deals available today, as no matter what you pick, you're getting the console and a physical game for £374.99. Sounds yummy to me!

The Nintendo Switch 2 launched on June 5 last year for £395.99, and the standalone version then rose to £419.99 on September 1. In the wake of this price hike, I was fully prepared for console bundle deals to be pretty lackluster and never drop below the original MSRP, but Argos has proved me wrong.

The console is currently up at the iconic UK retailer's storefront for as little as £354.99, which is a saving of £65 off its new price, and £41 off its original price. Being able to grab a physical game for just £20 in addition to that is the cherry on top of the already amazing Nintendo deal cake. Particularly as Argos has included some tasty releases as part of today's savings.

Star Fox only launched on June 25 earlier this year, and physical copies can be found for £49.99, including at the official Nintendo UK store. Adding it to your cart today will drop £29.99 off instead, which is more than justifiable for the incredible remake of the iconic N64 game. Not to mention, the game has since received a free update as of September 30, which adds four-player local support for Battle Mode, alongside three new battle stages. All of that for £20 feels like a no-brainer if you're a big fan of the N64 original.

Personally, I'd recommend that, or sticking with Pokemon Pokopia as your game of choice. While it's a game-key card release, picking it up for £20 means a saving £46.99 off its full £66.99 (Nintendo UK) price tag. In fact, the Switch 2 Pokopia bundle is even at Argos for £429.99 today, so you'd be saving £55 off that too, and only missing out on a Ditto-covered box.

Whatever your game of choice, you only have until October 6 to grab this limited Argos offer, so you'd best make up your mind soon.

• View all Nintendo Switch gaming deals at Argos

Our best Nintendo Switch 2 controller, best Nintendo Switch headsets, and best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express Card guides are full of accessories that will enhance your new Ninty setup.

Turtle Beach's new Animal Crossing accessories are an adorable, stellar spectacle. The brand has added not one controller to its repertoire, but two new gamepad designs available for $49.88 each (via Amazon) to its Rematch line-up. They're both cute enough as is, but they each reveal a cute secret pattern once illuminated, including a starry night sky twinkling above the iconic K.K. Slider while he's strumming away.

The brand has also unveiled a pair of cases, and the K.K. Slider one even matches the dazzling display of its controller counterpart. I fully expected the cases just to be a simple copy-and-paste job, and that is what you'll find with the Timmy Tommy version. However, the glow-in-the-dark K.K Slider model goes the extra mile, and together, they're some of the best Switch 2 accessories I've seen inspired by New Horizons.

It's rare that I prefer a batch of US and UK-released Switch 2 peripherals over any Japan release, like Keys Factory's Animal Crossing lineup, and yet I undoubtedly do. By default, the blue and purple look of the officially licensed K.K. Slider gamepad is a pretty sight to behold. Often, Animal Crossing merch and gaming tech opt for green and earth-toned color palettes, which instantly makes this cool-colored controller stand out.

I am a little biased, as I adore K.K. Slider, and he's slapped on the right grip, giving a performance on his guitar, but I'd have been happy if any character was on there - especially as Celeste would have been more fitting. Just like the Mario and Luigi version of this accessory, the RGBs are what really sell it. Turning them on makes the stars twinkle and solidifies my admiration not just for Animal Crossing, but for RGB tech as a whole.

Besides its cute aesthetic, the Switch 2 controller isn't too bad either. I have a few of these kicking around, and am really fond of its TMR sticks, comfortable ergonomic fit, mappable back paddles, and 40-hour battery life. Having the RGBs on will drop those hours down to 12, which is pretty annoying, but you can turn them off if that becomes a big issue, and the USB-C charging port makes them easy to recharge.

You also don't need to worry about battery life with the case, as it's utilising some good old glow-in-the-dark science to match the controller's fancy light show. It includes the same purple-blue K.K. Slider design and happens to be a re-skin of one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases I've tested so far: the Turtle Beach PlayTrek Travel Case.

While I haven't had hands-on experience with this exact design, that means this version should be pretty robust and include plenty of accessory space, from a fabric mesh pocket to a slab built for up to 12 physical games. The only issue I had with the Mario Bricks version I tested was that the lenticular cover was prone to cosmetic damage, but that shouldn't be an issue with a glow-in-the-dark paint job.

If you do happen to prefer the typical green look of past Animal Crossing goodies, the Timmy & Tommy controller and case may be more your style. The controller is also a reskin of the Turtle Beach Switch 2 Rematch pad, but the faceplate art of the two Tanukis reveals a pattern of Animal Crossing trees and foliage. It's not quite as clever as the light-up starry sky, and the PlayTrek case unfortunately doesn't glow, but the more designs, the merrier.

Both sets of Turtle Beach Animal Crossing Switch 2 accessories are available from the official Turtle Beach online store, or from Amazon US and Amazon UK.

• View all Turtle Beach Nintendo Switch 2 accessories at Amazon

Creating the ultimate Switch 2 setup? Check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch headsets, the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers while you're here.

Gabe Newell - billionaire yacht enthusiast, daily Dota 2 player, Valve co-founder. Now, you can also add bladed weapon maestro to his resume, according to Counter Strike co-creator Minh 'Gooseman' Le.

The co-developer of the Half-Life mod that spawned the ultra popular Counter-Strike series, Le recently talked to Indie Game Joe about his experience working at Valve and with its president Gabe Newell, a figure who leads quite a colorful, side-quest-filled life when he's not arguing in court about whether or not Steam is a monopoly, say.

"I remember one time he got into knives," Le says of his former boss. "He started collecting knives and axes. He had this whole room full of knives and blades and swords and sh**. Just some crazy sh**. He would just have this room and order all these biga** medieval swords and axes, and he would just put them in the room. He became this collector of bladed weapons."

Not only did Newell become an avid blade collector, he apparently became somewhat of a blade smithy. If you're gonna do something, do it right, I guess was the mindset here.

"After that, he got into knife making," Le adds. "He would start to make these knives. He would go and take lessons on how to make knives, and he got really into it. So basically, he would find these little interesting things and get super into it. He'd get super drawn into these. I guess he just had a lot of time on his hands, and he was very curious. He wanted to explore things, he was a learner, and he never stopped learning. You kind of see that in what he's doing now."

Gaben's not very front and centre in Valve and Steam's operations anymore. While some thought his yacht and blade fixations might have something to do with it, a former Portal 2 developer recently said Newell "stepped back" from game development because people kept agreeing with him.

Gabe Newell asked Valve's top lawyer "What the f*** do I pay you for if that’s your opinion?" in heated debate over porn games on Steam, report says

The GameSir Tarantula Pro is one of my all-time favorite controllers, and that's some of the highest praise someone like me, who reviews a new one almost weekly, can give. I'm still not sure why it was discontinued, but I loved it for its DualShock 4-reminiscent feel that made it incredibly comfortable and very versatile across so many genres of gaming. It was like the enhanced, pro model of the PS4 controller I had always yearned for.

So as you can probably tell, I was very excited to report earlier in the year that GameSir was bringing back its symmetrical TMR controller as an entirely new product range. One with official Xbox licensing, and one on PC with an 8K polling rate. But to my dismay, they'd both be wired-only despite the first Tarantula Pro's wireless connectivity and excellent charging stand. Moreover, the PC version would remove its rumble motors for a stripped-back, lightweight feel. Finally, there would be a third, "Ultra" PC model which would have 8K polling, wireless play, and rumble motors - a much more fitting sequel, in my eyes. Sadly, at the time of writing, that version is still missing in action and hasn't been launched alongside the other two.

The version I've been testing is the blood orange 8K model for PC. It's certainly an update to the controller I love, but it feels bred for a very different purpose than the original, and I'm not sure it appeals to me quite as much. I used the first Tarantula for all sorts of gaming, multiplayer and singleplayer. It's a versatile feeling pad that's comfortable in any scenario and sits beautifully in the hands. This new version is for the competitive, elite players, and that's not what I want out of this particular product. It's available for £79.99 / $69.99, the same price as its officially licensed Xbox sibling.

Design

As I explained in my review of the original GameSir Tarantula Pro, it's essentially a carbon copy of the DualShock 4 from the PS4 era. It has long, cylindrical grips with a bit more girth than Sony's official one had, but besides that, is clearly cut from the same cloth. There are symmetrical thumbsticks, a four-way D-Pad, and even a small touchpad which, in this instance, you can customize as an extra button.

This time around, GameSir has kept the two excellent back buttons but answered my prayers for a little extra functionality. There now sit two additional shoulder buttons on the top of the controller. They run off the end of the touchpad, offering a back paddle feel as opposed to two individual buttons. They even click in, giving a sense of microswitch consistency across the entire peripheral. It's a design I've never seen before, but it rocks.

Not much about the physical design of the controller has changed from its original outing, although, as I say, this one is without any rumble motors inside. As a result, it's a lot lighter in the hands. That's not to say that build quality has suffered; the Tarantula 8K still has a sturdy, made-to-last air about it, as all GameSir products tend to, but with such little weight in the hands, it doesn't feel as substantial as other controllers out there. Then again, this could be a preference thing and may not be a problem for you.

I'm glad to see a lot of consistency in the design for the most part, though. The comfortable shape of the Tarantula Pro was one of its best assets. The grips here have a dotted texture, and feel every bit as nice to hold as they did before. There's also consistency in the convenient 3.5mm headphone jack and locking switches for the back buttons, should you not want to use them.

So far, there's one colorway of the 8K model, which is this vibrant bright orange. The Xbox one is white, and the so-far absent Ultra version has been seen in white, but I'd be interested to know if these get more colorways as time goes on. The GameSir G7 Pro has received colorway after colorway and limited edition after limited edition. It's clearly the golden child of the GameSir pantheon, but will its symmetrical cousin get the same kind of love?

Features

On one hand, I'd love to say that the GameSir Tarantula 8K has more advanced features than its predecessor, but on the other, it feels like a step back, and I can't really understand the decision process as to why. Nine times out of ten, I feel like I'm on the same page with GameSir and the decisions it makes when it comes to iterating on what worked and what didn't. Other times, like now, I'm left scratching my head.

The new Tarantulas feature updated Gen 2 MagRes TMR thumbsticks, which is an update from the Gen 1 modules in the original Tarantula Pro and Cyclone 2. You'll find the same thumbsticks here as on the GameSir G7 Pro 8K. The tops are even swappable this time, and you get a taller and shorter option in the box.

But without a wireless dongle, there's no need for a charging stand here, which makes this orange imitator feel like a step back. For over a year, I kept my first-gen Tarantula Pro on my TV unit, sitting on its very nifty charging stand, and ready to pick up at a moment's notice whenever I wanted to kick back with a game at my couch setup. With a wire trailing from the PC to the TV unit, and then messily dragging along my living room rug, the Tarantula Pro 8K doesn't have the same appeal whatsoever.

Clearly, the 8K Tarantula has been bred for a different purpose, and this much is clear from GameSir's socials, which shared a whole lot of impressively speedy AimLab clips when it was first launched. This one isn't for me to kick back on a couch and enjoy some singleplayer games with; this is a multiplayer performance PC controller. Its lightweight 180g build is designed for Esports, competitive athletes who have never felt at home with a mouse and keyboard; its 8K polling rate and in-depth customization in GameSir Connect lend it to players who sit at a desk, never far enough away from their machines to warrant a wireless connection that could bring with it more latency.

That intent is clear in every inch of the Tarantula 8K. The face buttons have abandoned their somewhat retro membrane press and raised, dome-shaped form factor for a slicker, flatter surface and a clicky microswitch actuation. The D-pad responds with a deep click in any direction too, and the trigger stop switches give you the same options for the controller's back.

The extra face buttons remain too, programmable for macros or for any in-game function you see fit. As per usual with GameSir pads, you can set these on the controller itself via the M button on the back, but the software allows you to dive deeper and ultimately access that 8K polling rate you bought it for. Under "report rate", GameSir Connect offers 250Hz, 1,000Hz, 4,000Hz, and 8,000Hz. The sticks have the usual options for controller deadzones and whatnot, and motion controls are also customizable. As is the RGB strip under the touchpad, but with such a bold colorway, you have fewer options here that will actually work in combination with orange.

Personally, I found the deadzones to be finely tuned out of the box and didn't feel the need to change them when I booted up to an 8K polling rate, which likely would have made them too unruly. Unlike the GameSir Super Nova, you have access to four profiles you can swap between.

Performance

This might be controversial of me to say, but I can take or leave an 8,000Hz polling rate. As much as I was happy to be back testing the GameSir Tarantula for this review, I found there was absolutely nothing wrong with the 1,000Hz polling rate and first-gen TMR sticks of the original controller. Besides upping the sensitivity to levels that could be unruly for most users, an 8,000Hz polling rate doesn't add all that much to a controller besides peace of mind that latency isn't impacting things. But then again, I got that peace of mind from a 1,000Hz speed. If you're really blaming latency in your controller past that point, I hate to inform you it's probably you, your gameplay, and reaction time that are the issue.

I very much understand that the intention of this controller is a bit different from what I'm looking for from a successor to one of my all-time general-use gamepads. The aim here seems to be to bring that 8,000Hz, TMR experience to the market that likes symmetrical thumbsticks, and as ever, I applaud GameSir for doing it. I love symmetrical controllers, and I'm glad folks who want to use one in highly competitive situations have the chance to try it here. It's not all that expensive compared to Razer's TMR-wielding Raiju V3 Pro or Wolverine V3 Pro 8K. It offers the full potential of those TMR modules to shine at a much more potent resolution.

I guess what I'm lamenting in this review, then, is that for symmetrical fans, that all comes with drawbacks that aren't present in the GameSir G7 Pro 8K model. Why are there no vibration motors here? Why is there no wireless play? These things feel like basic rites of passage for any GameSir controller these days, and aren't drawbacks that symmetrical players had to make for a similar price. So even if this does come down to highly requested changes from the community I don't align with, it's hard not to view them as weaknesses - especially because, for me, the main appeal of the original Tarantula Pro wasn't competitive play; it was the DualShock 4-like comfort that suited it to gaming in any genre.

Sure, in first-person shooters like Hunt: Showdown and Battlefield 6 up at an 8,000Hz polling rate, I felt like I had ultimate precision to make small corrections with my aim. Like with the G7 Pro 8K, I felt like I had as close to a mouse aiming experience as any controller can give because flicking between targets was smooth and incentivised me to use the right stick to find my target, not use the left one to help move me over it like with most gamepads. The precision here is some of the best I've found in any controller, and yet I'm reluctant to recommend it because there's a real lack of feel here. Even if the lack of any vibration is a preference thing, I think you can still add some heft to a gamepad to make it feel robust when you're wielding an in-game weapon. GameSir hasn't done that.

Does it feel light and sporty? Sure. Does that amount to gameplay that lacks a feeling of substance and oomph? Sadly, yes, and I think you need that in a pro controller. Down from about a 270g weight in the original Tarantula, it's a real stripping down of some important feel.

Thankfully, the comfort of the original Tarantula Pro is still here, and it's hard not to get lost in it for hours at a time. I did most of my testing with this controller by playing Tennis Elbow 4, and I fell completely into immersive and dramatic sets with this thing in hand, all because those rounded grips, nostalgic triggers, and the overall ergonomics made it so easy to focus on the game I was playing rather than what my hands were doing.

The same was true in Forza Horizon 6; driving a myriad of cars across virtual Japan was lovely, although just like in Tennis Elbow, I felt like an integral level of feedback was missing because there was no haptics or rumble telling me how aggressively I needed to brake or how hard the engine was working. This stuff is fundamental to games like these, so I just don't feel like the 8K variant of the Tarantula is going to be worth it if those are the games you usually play.

There's certainly a responsiveness to the new PC-tilted Tarantula that can't be ignored either. Towerfall Ascension felt as snappy and precise as it can with a controller in hand. It felt amazing playing a game I've developed total mastery and muscle memory over with a controller that responds to my every twitchy movement and instinctive press. There's so much great performance to be had here, but my personal preferences want a bit more feel for my money - especially in games like Towerfall that have such pivotal, crunchy feedback.

Should you buy the GameSir Tarantula Pro 8K?

This one is going to come down to preference, ultimately. It's hard for me to be really excited about the return of one of my favorite controllers here because GameSir has removed wireless play and vibration motors from the equation, and these are two things I really like in my gamepads.

But then again, the 8K Tarantula doesn't feel cheaply made, and there's a lot for people to like about it if they enjoy a lighter feel, symmetrical thumbsticks, and play games to a competitive standard that warrants an 8,000Hz polling rate. If you're one of those players who does enjoy a lighter controller and thinks feedback is outdated and doesn't add anything but distraction, I don't doubt you'll love this.

Still, I can't really understand the thought process here. The original Tarantula was received really well, was popular, and was one of the leading TMR pads on the shelves when that technology was first introduced. Then it was discontinued, so I can't really recommend it anymore, but I can finally point you toward the revived models, and they feel like lesser versions despite their modernizations.

If any of my criticisms and nitpicks seem relatable to you, I'd hold off for now and wait for the Ultra 8K PC model that GameSir announced a while back. There's no indication of when this will hit the shelves, but if it has wireless play, vibration feedback, and an 8K polling rate, it'll feel like the all-encompassing sequel I've been waiting for, and the true symmetrical equivalent to the G7 Pro 8K.

How I tested the GameSir Tarantula 8K

I had a good couple of weeks using the GameSir Tarantula 8K for all of my PC gaming before I came to a verdict on it. I tested it across a multitude of gaming genres, as I did with its predecessor. I used the GameSir Connect app to get the most out of it and test its various polling speeds. I played with different configurations of thumbstick heights, and compared it to the GameSir G7 Pro line, as well as the original Tarantula Pro and other TMR pads on the shelves.

For more on how we test controllers, take a look at the GamesRadar+ hardware policy.

There's more GameSir where that came from - take a look at the best Xbox Series X controllers, the best Switch 2 controllers, and the best mobile controllers to read more.

With Stage Tour making its way to the stage later this year, there's no better time to pick up a guitar controller. If you were unaware, the neat thing about RedOctane Games' Guitar Hero successor is that you don't have to pick up their new, fully-priced instruments and can make do with alternatives like the CRKD Gibson Les Paul instead.

CRKD's guitar controllers can often be pricier than the official Stage Tour axe, but thanks to Woot, the Black Tribal Les Paul is $74.99 instead of its usual $124.99 price. That's a $50 saving, which is music to my ears, as it's not only cheaper than the official Stage Tour guitar counterpart, but also a price that you won't currently find at Amazon's own US storefront.

I was a Guitar Hero aficionado, so my excitement for Stage Tour is turned up to 11. Regrettably, I don't have a valid excuse to pick up a new guitar controller, as my PDP Riffmaster "will work natively with Stage Tour" according to the game's official FAQ, so long as I make sure to grab the PS5 version to pair properly with my PS5 guitar controller.

However, had I been on the market for a new music gamepad, I was undoubtedly eyeing up the CRKD Gibson Les Paul. It features a hall-effect strum bar, mechanical frets, and a neck you can swap to gain 5 additional frets. Not only that, but Stage Tour FAQ states that CRKD guitars will also work natively with the game, and the Les Paul has the benefit of actually looking like a real-life guitar.

As someone with a background in music, a licensed guitar controller that shares a stunning resemblance to real-life Les Pauls is going to look better when displayed against the rest of my instrument collection. The Riffmaster is neat, but its aesthetic doesn't tick my music-nerd boxes in quite the same way. Not to mention, CRKD's alternative is available in different designs, including a black-and-blue Blueberry Burst Pro look, which is also $74.99 at Woot today.

Whether you pick up this CRKD Gibson Les Paul guitar controller (or fork out the $129.99 at Best Buy for the Stage Tour Kramer guitar bundle), just make sure you're getting the right one for your platform of choice for the best compatibility. Have an Xbox Series X/S? Then you can rock out with this Woot deal and Stage Tour when it launches on December 10.

• View all gaming deals at Woot

On the hunt for a new pad? Check out our guides to the best PS5 controllers, the best Xbox Series X controllers, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers while you're here.

Tomb Raider is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year, which is hard to believe, as it feels like my love of Lara Croft and trapping butlers in freezers has been with me since birth. Alas, the iconic game series originally began in 1996, and 8BitDo is paying homage by launching two official Tomb Raider reskins of its best PC controllers.

Much like the way the upcoming Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis is the original game with a new coat of paint, the Tomb Raider controllers aren't entirely new. With this collab, 8BitDo has taken the Ultimate 3 and Pro 3 and coated them in gold details and designs that celebrate the series' legacy, but that's not what draws me to these special edition pads. Instead, it's the fact that the chassis of the Ultimate 3 celebrates Lara, while the Pro 3 harkens back to the original game - which feels perfectly on theme for a retro controller of its calibre.

If Lara Croft is your favorite takeaway from the three-decade-old game franchise, then the 8BitDo Ultimate 3 is going to be more your style. Expected to ship on October 24, this Xbox controller features an assortment of Lara's on the left side of its face. The brand-new Legacy of Atlantis version of the dual-pistol-wielding heroine takes center stage, but my favorites, including the Tomb Raider Survivor Lara and even the polygonal OG, are all there.

The Laras are spread out as dark golden silhouettes across the gamepad, which looks pretty fantastic when paired with the 30th Anniversary charging stand. 8BitDo even made sure to coat the zinc alloy D-pad in a golden metal colorway, which helps tie into the theming and makes the entire pad look like something that the British Museum should have handed back centuries ago.

As an 8BitDo Ultimate 3, it's pretty much a standard affair where the rest of its features are considered. You've got the TMR sticks, hall-effect trigger buttons, remappable bumper buttons and back buttons, alongside Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless support. All of this can be found in a traditional Ultimate 3, which will also be $10 cheaper than this $119.99 (via 8BitDo) controller. It's a similar case to the 8BitDo Pro 3, which is $79.99 at Amazon rather than its other colorways' $69.99 MSRP, but these collabs are usually about looks, and the Pro 3 more than looks the part.

8BitDo aptly takes the Pro 3 and uses it to pay "tribute to the Lost Valley", one of the most iconic areas of the original game. What 90s kid doesn't remember that fearsome T-Rex fight?

The charging stand for this peripheral is even more eye-catching than the Ultimate 3's as it features a stone-texture print that makes it look like a plinth holding up a valuable artifact. With this release, 8BitDo has also included interchangeable ball-top joystick caps that perfectly replicate the turquoise coloring of Lara's OG outfit, and there's a set of grips that match the ancient relic design of the faceplate included too.

The Pro 3 is definitely my preferred pick of these two upcoming 8BitDo releases. Not just for these Tomb Raider-y design choices, but because it captures a similar shape to the original PlayStation SCPH-1080 controller, with plenty of modern benefits - from its TMR sticks, back buttons, and magnetic ABXY buttons.

The Tomb Raider 8BitDo Pro 3 is expected to launch on October 24, the same date as the new Ultimate 3. Sadly, that means there's a long wait until Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis's February 12, 2027 release date. However, with the wealth of Lara Croft adventures available today, you shouldn't have an issue finding the perfect game to pair with these stunning anniversary edition accessories.

• View all 8BitDo gaming controllers at Amazon

You don't need to be an expert tomb raider to unearth the best PC controllers for gaming, the best PS5 controllers, or the best Xbox Series X controllers on the market, as we've tested the lot.

The Final VR3000 Gaming Earphones have quite an interesting backstory. According to the brand they are the result of research into the "differences between 2-ch stereophonic sound productions and binaural sound productions." In layman's terms, Final wanted to produce some of the best gaming earbuds that focused more on immersive sound for gaming and VR headsets, rather than one that focused primarily on sound quality itself.

The end result is the Final V3000 and the 6mm [f-Core DU] dynamic drivers that power them. The brand even went as far as to establish a whole new production facility in order to "give birth" to these earphones, and the quality is definitely apparent. Not only are these comfortable to wear for hours on end, but they produce an immersive audio quality that's typically relegated to headsets. Yet, as intriguing as the development of these IEMs is, their price makes them an awkward recommendation.

Key specs

Design

These aren't the best-looking buds in the business. If it weren't for the almost hexagonal-shaped chassis, they'd look indistinguishable from the cheap, black wired earphones you'd find back in the day. Their unique shape, however, isn't just for show. According to Final, the IEMS are designed to limit how much of it comes in contact with the human ear in an effort to improve sound and comfort.

It's easy to see that comfort is a priority with the V3000's design. The earphones are also equipped with 10 additional eartips, half of which are designed using rigid silicone, while the other half are made of soft silicone to offer different levels of comfort and sound isolation. The buds also include earhooks, a cleaning cloth, and a drawstring carrying case with the brand's logo embossed on top for easy travel.

Features

The Final VR3000s are wired earphones designed for gaming, so they don't utilize Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless and connect via their 3.5mm jack.

That makes them incompatible with most modern smartphones (unless you have an adapter), however, they are compatible with the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, PC platforms, VR headsets, and even the PS5 via the DualSense controller's headphone jack.

The 1.2m cord of the VR3000s also features a built-in microphone, along with button controls for volume. You can also use these for "answering phone calls"; though, naturally, you'll again need an adapter to get these running with your phone if it relies solely on USB-C. Mine does, so any phone calls were sadly left unanswered, but I'm sure my family and my daily spam caller can cope.

Final's official page for these earphones highlights their "suitability for the listening of binaural sound". Binaural sound, also referred to as spatial audio, is sound that simulates the 3D soundscape of reality and makes sounds and music appear as though it's happening all around you. It's a pretty big deal for gaming, as knowing the direct source of enemy footsteps and bullets is important in competitive first-person shooters. Not to mention, having an accurate placement of sounds can make games more immersive, and Final has equipped with VR3000s with that realistic audio.

Performance

The 6mm dynamic drivers that Final cooked up sound headset-level fantastic, and that's not just because of their spatial audio prowess. I tested alongside my Switch 2, mainly as earbuds are always a handy accessory to store in any Switch 2 case, and I was pretty blown away.

The bass sounded booming, but not to a point where there was any distortion or fuzz within my ears; the mids sounded clear and consistent, and the highs were exactly where they needed to be. I first discovered their great sound while loading up Mario Kart World, which also happened to lend itself to the earphone's binaural tech.

Drifting through free roam felt far more immersive than if I had just been using the handheld's built-in speakers or sub-par buds. The roars of engines, pops of bubbles, and the sounds of other karters as they drove alongside me within this open-world space were audibly going off all around me, and it sounded fantastic.

This continued once Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave launched a little over week into testing. The gorgeous continent of Dagda sounded heavenly through the buds, as did the copious amount of dialogue. Usually I like to stick on the Japanese voice cast when it comes to the series, but the lovely clarity of the earphone's gave me the push to keep the English voice cast, and now my nights of playing the Switch 2 tucked up in bed have never sounded better.

With a 3.5mm wired connection they are also compatible with the PS5, although I preferred these for handhelds. Marvel Rivals, Marvel's Wolverine, and Silent Hill Townfall all sound great on the Sony console, don't get me wrong. Not to mention, the cord was just long enough that there was no tugging on my ears, no matter how far I moved the DualSense in a fit of terror while playing the latest Silent Hill. However, the built-in microphone is not the kind of quality I wanted to depend on if a quick Discord call were to arise.

I wasn't expecting the built-in tech to give the microphones of the best PS5 headsets a run for their money, but it's still not something I'd want to use on a day-to-day basis. Playing back through Audacity revealed high levels of background noise, including a consistent hiss that was irritating to the ears. It also consistently sounded like my voice was muffled, and crackling was present no matter how I made sure that the 3.5 jack was inserted correctly. Ideally, that's not a sound I want to subject my friends to on a regular basis.

While the microphone didn't have the wow factor, the VR3000s were just as comfortable as Final insisted they would be. I may have thrown shade their way when it came to the earcaps' awkward shape, but that very form allowed them to stick efficiently in my ears, no matter how much I moved around. I did feel a little strain in some places, but no more than I'm used to having 5+ hours of continual Switch 2 gaming time (which is not recommended without some healthy breaks). I never even had to rely on the earhooks to keep them in place either, though I appreciated they were there nonetheless.

Should you buy the Final VR3000 Gaming Earphones?

The Final VR3000 Gaming Earphones bring a high-quality headset-level sound to a pair of wired buds, but their price makes me reluctant to recommend them willy-nilly.

At $85.80 / £78.99, there are plenty of wired alternatives that provide an equally great sound, and even look better to boot. Take the SIVGA M260 wired earbuds, for example, which have a neat transparent chassis that helps them stand out amongst the sea of alternatives flooding Amazon's search results. They also sound incredible and are available in a USB-C model for those who want a pair that's compatible with their handhelds and their phone, without having to rely on any adapters or additional gadgets.

Yet, I can entirely see a scenario where the VR3000s would be more than worthwhile: VR gaming. These buds can fit into any of the best VR headsets with a 3.5mm jack on board. With their spatial audio in tow, your immersive experiences will also be kept intact, and they remain comfortable after multiple hours of use.

Personally, $85.80 / £78.99 still feels like a lot to pay for a pair of wired earbuds for me. However, if I were to spot the VR3000s for the $50 / £50 mark and below, they'd feel like a no-brainer for VR enthusiasts and handheld lovers.

How I tested the Final VR3000 Gaming Earphones

For two weeks, I sat down my headsets and wiresless buds and made the Final VR3000 Gaming Earphones my audio device of choice. During testing, I picked up Mario Kart World, Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave, and the Nintendo Switch Online GameCube library on the Switch 2, and Marvel Rivals, Marvel's Wolverine, Silent Hill Townfall and Doom Eternal on the PS5. Additionally, I also tested the buds alongside Counter-Strike 2 on the PC, aswell as Marvel Rivals to see how it compared to its PS5 counterpart.

When not gaming, I used the buds while catching up with a Gilmore Girls marathon on Netflix, and used them to listen to the Nintendo Music browser app. For more information on how we test gaming headsets and earbuds, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

If the Final VR3000 gaming earphones aren't for you, check out our guides to the best PS5 headsets, the best PC headsets for gaming, and the best Nintendo Switch headsets instead.

The GameSir Super Nova has been popping up more and more in recent months. Originally launching in spring of 2025, the PC / Nintendo Switch / mobile controller was pitched as a $44.99 / £49.99 budget gamepad for Windows and Ninty users going big on customization without shelling out for a bona fide 'Pro' gamepad. That's a competitive proposition, but it's not what led me to getting the device in hand for myself.

The GameSir Super Nova wore me down. After months of seeing this gamepad at a $30 sale price, while also promising Switch 2 wake functionality, I had to give it a go. My results? Optimistically positive with one hearty disappointment.

Unfortunately, the one feature that had me seeking out the Super Nova in a sea of the best Switch 2 controllers is, at best, obtusely difficult to set up correctly and, at worst, non-functional. No, I never managed to get the GameSir Super Nova to reliably wake the Switch 2 as it promised. What I did find, though, is an impressively detailed gamepad taking on the best PC controllers on the market and waltzing away with value on its side.

Design

Aha, another third-party Xbox clone. The GameSir Super Nova doesn't deviate too far from the playbook in its form and shape. This is a slightly lighter (263g) and slightly more compact Microsoft design complete with asymmetrical thumbsticks, your standard ABXY layout, and chunky, angled grips.

That Nintendo heritage isn't too far away, though. In place of the pause and menu buttons, we have a plus and minus, as well as a home and screenshot pairing just underneath. The face buttons can also be swapped around to get those Xs and Ys in the right place when switching over to Ninty's console as well.

A small 'M' button at the bottom of the device allows for on-the-fly customizations, which we'll get to shortly. Around the rear, you'll find the two back button-paddle hybrids. They're not the magnetic ones found on the Gulikit KK3 Max, but their longer lever design gives them some interesting feel. On the back, you'll also find a connection slider toggling between Bluetooth, wired, and 2.4GHz modes. My only gripe here is that the slider is a little too shallow for super easy use. Flush with the plastic of the casing itself, there's not a lot of purchase when switching between connection methods.

Everything's accounted for here, then, and it's presented in a far more luxurious chassis than I would expect for $45. Hold the GameSir Super Nova side by side with the PowerA Advantage Wired Controller for Switch 2, and you'd have a hard time convincing yourself they were approaching the same price point.

While the former is hollow and flimsy, the Super Nova carries a reassuring heft that belies a far higher price tag. There's a dense quality in the hand that gives every button press just that little bit more oomph while still remaining comfortable during longer sessions. It's a plastic case, but a particularly thick, hard one with no creaking or rattles no matter how animated those motion controls get.

A lot of that luxury comes from the grips. A lightly textured rubberized diamond pattern adorns each side, wrapping all the way around the left and right grips and bleeding slightly over onto the back buttons to the rear.

It's a particularly tactile design, but its shallow design keeps it from feeling tacky or stiff in the hands or adding any undue temperature during warmer sessions. The palms are locked in without feeling claustrophobic or reducing mobility during the odd reaching movement up to the pause or home button.

As for looks, I won't say the GameSir Super Nova is the most impressive aesthetically. It's personal, of course, but the larger legends on the ABXY face buttons feel a little immature given the premium feel elsewhere, and the RGB lighting (while nicely contained and customizable) can sometimes run a little cheap in today's market. The dark blue fade along the top of the main faceplate shines nicely, though, and is swappable via a magnetic system.

Even these magnets feel premium. I've been mainlining the Scuf Omega on PS5, which features a similar swappable topper. I'll say it, though: the magnet strength and faceplate durability on the $45 GameSir Super Nova far exceeds that of the $219.99 PlayStation pro model.

Features

The GameSir Super Nova is compatible across Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PC, and mobile, with a strong set of features to support each platform (wake functionality somewhat aside). It's one of the more collaborative controllers I've seen so far, cross-pollinating common PC offerings with the Switch's main draws to fantastic effect.

Motion controls, for example, perform flawlessly in Ninty's titles but can also be mapped to mouse inputs across PC for an additional layer of control. In practice, this isn't always the best experience. The benefit of being able to wield a cursor with less precision than usual will depend on the game, but for simple navigation it comes in surprisingly handy.

Meanwhile, trigger locks are also up for grabs here, where they're often missed in more casual Switch 2 gamepads. The 8BitDo Pro 3 is one of your few alternatives if you want to swap between full depth and a faster snap, and that'll cost you $69.99 all in.

They're not quite as instantaneous as the mechanical switches found further up the price scale, but they certainly provide a speed benefit in online and singleplayer first-person shooter scenarios.

All that, and the Super Nova doesn't fall behind in its core tech either. Hall effect thumbsticks might not be as sensitive or precise as newer TMR controllers, but they're still leagues beyond the traditional potentiometer sticks previously found in budget options. A Bluetooth connection will poll you at 125Hz, but plug into a PC with the 2.4GHz dongle and you'll get the full 1,000Hz for a more reliable experience.

Those two back paddles are programmable while on the run using the aforementioned 'M' button, but GameSir Connect's PC software can also map them to pretty much any input you like. We're talking mouse clicks and keyboard combos as well as your standard button mapping. In fact, it's this software that really lets the Super Nova rev its engines.

It's a surprisingly robust package considering the price point. Alongside those motion settings, you're covered for dead zones, Hair Trigger, and curve settings across your triggers, with anti-dead zones and trajectory settings thrown in on top for thumbsticks as well. Vibration levels can be tuned via a slider, allowing you to nail the right balance between the left's heavier action and the right's tighter buzz. Add RGB settings, as many keybindings as you can muster, and per-key assignment for up to three combos in a macro, and this is a confident, expansive customization system.

That's why the lack of presets is so confusing. There's nowhere to save different setups for different titles, which means diving into each of these settings every time the game is changed. It's a long process and one that only slightly more expensive gamepads have fixed a long time ago. Hopefully we see something patched in on the PC side at least in the future.

Performance

Let's get the tough bit out of the way. The first thing I wanted to test here was that Switch 2 wake functionality. It's a feature you'll generally only find on more premium offerings like the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 or official Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller. Grabbing it for a mere $29.99 (when on sale) feels too good to be true. Unfortunately, in my experience, it might be just that.

There's a lengthy setup process that involves pairing and re-pairing, then removing the Joy-Con, then changing the grip, then searching for the Joy-Con again before the Super Nova should be able to wake your Switch 2 using the main home button. I went through this process countless times across multiple testing sessions to no avail. The controller's central lights flash as if they should be communicating with the system, but nothing happens.

I reached out to GameSir to verify that the process was correct and that my controller was indeed on the most up-to-date firmware, and they provided a similar walkthrough video that should solve the problem. Using their guidance a few more times and still coming up short, I have requested any further information they have on the issue and will update this review accordingly.

It's frustrating because, this one feature aside, the GameSir Super Nova runs without a hitch. I have never encountered any day-to-day communication errors between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz and have no speed concerns over either connection. Faster movements in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are picked up beautifully, and the larger face buttons and well-dampened response make longer Pokemon Pokopia building sessions feel like a breeze.

Those thumbsticks maintain their accuracy in both faster spins and slower pans, holding up against more frantic Doom: The Dark Ages moments on PC thanks to their finely tuned tension and snappy return. There's also an impressively smooth glide here, with no snagging at the outer edges of a maneuver or grating against the side of the chassis itself.

The triggers themselves offer a middling level of tension. There's slightly more force pushing against you compared to the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro, but a longer draw that requires a more sensitive approach compared to the official Switch Pro 2 Controller. Personally, it's a sweet spot. There's still a sense of texture here, giving Forza Horizon 6 just that little bit more presence, and a full bottom-out is still complemented by a comfortably cushioned stopper as well.

GameSir hasn't outfitted its Super Nova with the same microswitch face buttons you'll find on the slightly more expensive Cyclone 2 model. Instead, we're back to a cheaper membrane action on the ABXY here, but they still feel nicely cushioned under the thumb.

Unfortunately, the D-pad suffers a little more from this cheaper tech. The four-pronged design is simpler itself, but the actuation of these membrane clackers makes it a tad too rigid to truly feel nimble in play.

The back buttons could also prove divisive, depending on your grip type. With my index fingers middling the triggers and bumpers, the length and positioning of these paddles are perfect for fast, reliable hits with my middle finger without impacting other controls.

Shifting that middle finger up to the triggers puts a little too much pressure on the left ring finger, though, often causing a mispress of the left trigger at the same time. That didn't prove to be a problem for me in my natural, relaxed hand position, but it should be noted if you go for a more involved hold.

Should you buy the GameSir Super Nova?

The GameSir Super Nova is competitively positioned, especially when it inevitably goes on sale. At $44.99, it's just a little too pricey to completely cut TMR options like the GameSir Cyclone 2, which can often be found for between $50 and $70. When it's on sale, though, things change dramatically.

I often see this gamepad up for about $30 when it's discounted, and at that price this is no feature set to be arguing with. On the PC side of things, its closest competitor in our testing roster is the EasySMX X10. This is the controller I'd been happy with for years, and it matches the Super Nova's Switch compatibility (though not Switch 2), back buttons, and Hall effect sticks. It's difficult to get your hands on these days, though, and it drops quite a few customization features from its roster.

On the Nintendo side of things, you're going to be choosing between the Super Nova and the PowerA Advantage Wired Controller. The decision shouldn't be a difficult one. PowerA's budget model comes with a wired connection and far lower build quality, while dropping motion controls, easy customization, trigger locks, and rumble. It's cheaper day-to-day, starting off at $39.99, and typically goes on sale for between $17 and $25. For a potential $5 upgrade, though, GameSir's additional features are well worth it.

Of course, if it's that wake functionality that drew you in, you're going to be a little stuck here. I have seen evidence of happy players able to get this connection up and running successfully, but I personally haven't. I can only go off my own experience here, so I wouldn't recommend the Super Nova to those after a cheaper Pro Controller alternative that doesn't require a more complex connection process. If you're happy ignoring that wake functionality from the official spec sheet, though, you'll still find plenty to love here.

How I tested the GameSir Super Nova

I've been running the GameSir Super Nova for all my controller-specific PC play and docked Nintendo Switch 2 sessions. The gamepad has been put through its paces across Doom: The Dark Ages as well as High on Life 2 across Windows. I also tested it across Pokemon Pokopia, Mario Kart World, Dragon Quest 2 HD-2D Remake, and Cyberpunk 2077 on Nintendo Switch 2. For more information on how we test controllers, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

For more console alternatives we're also rounding up the best PS5 controllers and the best Xbox Series X controllers.

Razer has been a bit quieter on the content creation side of things in recent years, but today it's launching a new webcam that absolutely reinstates its claim to the top of the creator market. The Razer Kiyo V2 Pro is the world's second 4K60 webcam, and it's finally a true successor to the Kiyo Pro Ultra launched at the start of 2023. If this new model is anything like its predecessor, it could end up being one of the best bits of content creation gear ever made.

The new Kiyo V2 Pro adopts a different shape than the previous iterations of the Kiyo, with a horizontal body behind it, but it's still got the same recognizable lens on its face - and it's no less bulky than the Kiyo Pro Ultra.

It's fitted with a Sony STARVIS 2 sensor that's 1/1.8 inches and a lens that has an f/1.9 aperture. That actually means the new model has a smaller sensor than the Kiyo Pro Ultra, which does make some sense, seeing as the Ultra version still has the biggest sensor ever put in a webcam. Aperture on both models is the same, however. Razer says the V2 Pro supplies 4K60 capture with reduced motion blur over previous iterations. There's also ultra-high dynamic range and a wide-angle lens with no edge distortion.

Of course, there's plenty going on in Synapse to help you control it as well, with one-click image enhancement and DSLR image customization for things like aperture. It also wouldn't be a modern-day webcam without a dose of AI thrown in, so Razer has included AI-powered auto-framing. That's not generative AI, just the same kind of AI pan, tilt, and zoom we've been seeing in webcams like Obsbot, Insta360, and more.

In a deeper dive through Synapse controls, you'll be able to choose your ISO, shutter speed, white balance, exposure, gain, motion clarity, and more. Many of these settings were available with the Kiyo Pro Ultra, but with an updated sensor and innards, there's bound to be even more to play with.

I've been using the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra for all of my YouTube content since it launched, and people are frequently surprised when I tell them I'm not using a DSLR camera. I've always loved it for its image clarity in low-light conditions - it may be a bulky monster of a webcam that's not exactly in keeping with the tiny convenience of many of its rivals, but Razer's cams aren't bred for that purpose. The Kiyo V2 Pro, like its predecessor, aims to give content creators like me the best possible camera quality and capabilities without the need for a very pricey DSLR purchase, and a bulky body and massive sensor make that happen.

With that in mind, there's a universal mount and standard L-shaped mount to help you secure the camera to a monitor or mount it to a tripod. I'm hoping there's a sizing compatibility here so I can attach it to my Elgato Prompter, since this could end up being the ultimate combination for YouTubers and streamers like me. At the same time, you still get the best of both worlds if you want to use this as a webcam, because there's an integrated privacy shutter for when you're not using it and don't want people spying on you through software.

No rubber camera lens cover this time though, as Razer noted to me in a press briefing that they realised there was no need for both. Personally, I quite liked having the lens cover as protection for what was a very pricey webcam.

Speaking of which, Razer has kept the pricing of the Kiyo V2 Pro consistent with the Kiyo Pro Ultra, launching to the same tune of $299.99 / £299.99. That's still very expensive for a webcam, but I'm glad that, all this time later, it hasn't upped the cost, especially because, as stock has waned, the price of the Kiyo Pro Ultra has increased.

• Find the Razer Kiyo V2 Pro at Amazon

Looking to give your YouTube or Twitch channel a facelift? Check out the best microphones for streaming and gaming, the best streaming mixer, and the best capture card.

I’ve tested enough handhelds at this stage to know most device makers like to play it safe. The Gamercard isn’t remotely one of those handhelds, and that’s hardly surprising considering it shares a lineage with the very man who pioneered the microcomputer that arguably kicked off a whole gaming industry in the UK. That inventor is none other than the legendary Sir Clive Sinclair of ZX Spectrum fame, and his nephew, Grant Sinclair, is carrying the mantle within the portable console space.

Objectively speaking, the Gamecard doesn’t trade blows with the best gaming handhelds out there. I almost feel like that’s intentional by design, as comparing it to the majority of emulation devices and consoles out there effectively feels the same to placing the ZX Spectrum next to other microcomputers like the Commodore 64 and the MSX. By that, I mean there are elements of the Gamercard that absolutely put it at a disadvantage, and while that will be an automatic turn-off for some, I’m drawn in by this gadget’s odd design choices and inherent limitations.

Starting at £99, the Gamercard feels very much like the same genre of handheld as the Playdate. Yes, I could slate it for its strange rubber pads, aversion to any sort of ergonomics, and odd-shaped screen, just like you could dunk on Panic for releasing something with a monochrome, non-backlit screen in 2022. Doing that completely overlooks the beauty of making a unique platform where indie games and tinkering can flourish, though, and if I’m being real, I’d take that over a conventionally “good” portable any day.

Card by name, card by nature

The Gamercard’s whole design philosophy is that it’s meant to resemble a gift card. It fully commits to this idea in almost every way, even going as far as to feature a built-in hang tag. That’s pretty funny since it’s unlikely to be on any standees or shop ends out of its box, but it's going for the same vibes as something like a Teenage Engineering Rhythm Synthesizer, and it’s doing so in more ways than one.

You see, upon freeing the Gamercard from its minimalist cardboard packaging, you’ll swiftly realise this handheld’s guts aren’t in a shell. In fact, its guts are the shell, as this device is made up of stacked PCBs with Raspberry Pi innards sandwiched between what are virtually etched circuit boards. That’s how this portable manages to measure in at just 6.5mm thick, despite packing a 720 x 720 IPS screen and 13 buttons in there.

I’m not quite sure describing the Gamercard is minimalist does the handheld justice, and it disregards the unique blend of rough and refined. The black and gold PCB mask coating evokes a sense of elegance that makes the portable almost feel high-end, while elements like the etched back-of-box blurb at the rear keep it grounded as a substance-over-style DIY device.

The whole approach of making a Raspberry Pi handheld that’s virtually just a PCB sandwich means caveats are unavoidable. Your hands aren’t going to be too happy with you spending hours with the Gamercard since there are zero ergonomic curves or accommodations. My personal counterargument there is that we’re all too happy to doomscroll on heavier phones for hours at a time, so while it’s okay to moan a little about crampy claws, keep your complaints in mind the next time you reach for your rectangle of despair.

Return of the living dead(flesh keys)

Love it or hate it, the ZX Spectrum’s “dead flesh” rubber keyboard is part of the microcomputer’s legacy. While Sir Clive’s choice of keeb was integral to affordability, Grant Sinclair has effectively emulated the spirit of the controversial buttons with the Gamercard’s strange circular disks.

Originally, I’d assumed the front pads would feel more like Valve’s OG Steam Controller. Instead, they feel almost like the ZX Spectrum had clicky microswitches under its squishy rubber instead of membranes, and the result is something that feels eerily similar but with enhanced tactility. It makes for a pretty clever way to keep things super low-profile while still providing 4 directional inputs and four face buttons, but I’d be lying if I said I was in love with the setup.

I pretty much feel the same way about the ZX Spectrum keyboard in that while I’ll happily use it to embrace the overarching ethos of the microcomputer and handheld alike, it’s hard to push desires for full controls down. In the case of the Gamercard, adding a proper D-pad and raised buttons would disrupt the whole low-profile vibe the device is going for, so I’m happy with classing the buttons as a necessary con.

Perhaps I’m being a bit too much of a backseat handheld designer without an awareness of costings, but some customization on the buttons front could have fixed my gripes. Being able to swap out the rubber pads for something more like a raised D-pad would have made a massive difference to the feel, all while not permanently disrupting the core feel of the device.

The solution there could be to utilize the Gamercard’s Bluetooth connectivity, which is present alongside mini HDMI at the side to allow for big-screen gaming. I wasn’t able to actually sync up any gamepads yet, which could be because the feature is coming in a later OS update, but I’m keen on the idea of experimenting with hooking up a GameSir Pocket Taco or even 8Bitdo’s FlipPad as an overlay alternative.

You could call trying to add controllers to the handheld as blasphemy, and I’ll take that on the chin. At the same time, the experimental nature of the Gamercard means I’m keen to put together a setup that works for me, and that feels very much in the same spirit as bolting joystick interfaces and other gizmos to a ZX Spectrum back in the ‘80s.

A punchy slice of Pi

As someone who first tinkered with a Raspberry Pi Model B back in 2015, it’s hard to get my head around the Gamercard being one. What do you mean this handheld, with the same thickness as a coaster, is a tiny Linux-based computer? Even when I do stare at a bare Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, the very board this portable is using, and fully comprehend its size, I’m still baffled that it’s living inside this device.

There’s something charming about the nephew of a microcomputer pioneer using a literal micro computer to make a new gaming device. It’s not like it compromises on specs, as the Pi Zero 2 is packing an ARM Cortex-A53, 512MB RAM, and room for a microSD card. Effectively, while the Pi is impossibly tiny, it can actually keep up with sub-$100 portables by the likes of Anbernic, like the RG28XX, while boasting a much bigger, higher-res square screen not unlike the RG Cube.

It should be becoming clearer that the Gamercard isn’t hoping to sail on the success of its ZX Spectrum ancestor. If anything, you should be thinking more about what the Sinclair name means in this scenario, as this handheld is all about providing the right amount of power to fuel creativity and run everything you’re meant to on something with this form factor.

While the Gamercard knocks on your door with promises of impressive emulation abilities, and really delivers on that front, its underlying goal is to introduce you to Pi gaming. The Zero 2’s specs are integral to that mission, as it means you can dive into the pre-installed Store and the separate PICO-8 store app.

What is PICO-8? It’s actually an emulator for a fictional console. Yes, I know that sounds bizarre, but the idea is that it gives developers a 8-bit platform and a place to make creative capers within a restrictive environment. The idea isn’t unlike the Playdate in that encourages low-spec innovation, placing all the attention on gameplay loops and clever mechanics rather than shiny visuals.

If you really just want to emulate a bunch of retro consoles, the Gamercard will deliver. In 2026, running even PS1 games on the dinkiest of devices isn’t really that impressive, though, and I fully believe this Pi Zero 2 portable’s specs pack the biggest punch when running Pi-specific ports and classics that never existed in the first place.

Down the Raspberry Pi rabbit hole

I know I keep comparing the Gamercard to the Playdate, but it’s the closest handheld I can think of when it comes to fuelling pure curiosity. The device’s OS really isn’t the slickest frontend out there, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t continually muddled by which clicky switch under the rubber pads was the right button. Yet, between scrolling through the device’s own store and the PICO-8 App’s separate collection, I found that I was too intrigued to focus on the questionable controls and absence of ergonomics.

Even before you get to the fantasy console emulator, the Gamercard really has you covered on the Pi gaming front. It comes with a bunch of full games pre-loaded, like the platformer Bloo Kid 2, rhythm shooter AstroBlaze DX, and Clive Townsend’s Saboteur trilogy for all the Speccy fans drawn by the Sinclair name. The excellent thing here is that this collection has been custom tuned for the square screen and the handheld’s specific Pi hardware, which means while you can play them on something like the Switch, their presence feels natural on the portable.

At least, they feel as natural as they can when played with single momentary switches under rubber pads. I’ll admit that I could feel frustration surfacing when timing jumps in Bloo Kid 2, only to either not directly press the button under in a way that registers as an input. As someone that likes to roll their thumb across D-pads, it really took several sessions to get used to the individual directionals too.

But, I did manage to eventually zone out enough to put the controls out of mind, allowing me to enjoy (or in the case of Saboteur, be extremely bad at) playing games on the Gamercard. I’d really advise against wanting to be good at anything on this handheld, as it’s not really geared towards anyone looking to hone their skills. The same could be said for trying to play games using the ZX Spectrum keyboard rather than a proper joystick, but my point is that this portable should be used as a portal to games to spark your intrigue, rather than a definitive way to play.

Once you’re done with the freebies, you’re free to grab anything going at the Gamercard store, fetch RetroPi to revisit your own collection, or venture into the world of PICO-8. Before I get to the latter, I’d like to express how excited I was to see a Quake port on the store, as the idea of playing the shooter on something that’s the same profile as my wallet is simply bananas. Again, the controls are less than ideal, but playing the shooter using little clicky switches is worth it for pure novelty factor alone.

On to the PICO-8 parts, and I really do think the Gamercard shines at giving the fantasy console a host body. While I do thing the big thumbnail grid of the main interface works well, I was pretty captivated by the app’s specific “SPLORE” lo-fi cartridge browser, and clicking through to list felt like a more magical experience thanks to the handheld’s crispy square 4-inch IPS screen and those clicky pads.

Again, you’re not meant to feel like you're good at any of this. The joy in playing PICO-8 games is diving into the unexpected with less-than-ideal tools. Before you know it, you’ll be lobbing things at birds in “we fed seagulls last week” or playing a Krispy Kreme version of Flappy Bird. The carts out there for the platform range from silly arcade fun to more in-depth, impressive tower defence games like Necromancer TD.

The whole experience is undeniably delightful, and it absolutely scratches the same itch as the Playdate or even full-blown, deliberately low-spec consoles like the 8-bit Gametank. PICO-8 support is absolutely a main reason to pick the Gametank up, and while the app will virtually run on anything, the fact it looks so sharp on the handheld’s square screen and sounds excellent on its surprisingly serviceable built-in speakers mean I’d pick the portable deliberately for the platform.

Gamercard gripes and grumbles

I want to take a second to outline some Gamercard elements that keep creeping up on me, just on the off-chance that they’re a deal-breaker for you personally. One of the first ties once again to buttons, as there’s no real dedicated home button to get you back to the main screen. There are Start and Select buttons on the top right, but whether they’ll give you the option to quit out fully depends on the game you’ve got open.

There are also no dedicated on-board volume controls, meaning you have to go into the settings menu on the home page. Some apps may take a different approach to hot keys and button combos, but as far as I can tell, there’s no universal way to toggle. On the subject of audio, there’s also no room for a headphone jack on this handheld, meaning you’ll need to stick with USB-C or Bluetooth when the latter is available to use. That’s a bit of a shame seeing as there are two music apps on the storefront, and I’d love to use this thing as a weird MP3 player hooked onto a carabiner.

My only other gripe is admittedly half-hearted, as it stems to battery life. During testing, I found that I was only able to get around two hours out of the Gamercard, but I suspect that was due to having the screen brightness cranked up pretty high. If you’re conservative with the 1,600mAh cells, you should be able to stretch their runtime, but I really shouldn’t be grumbling considering the thinness of this handheld.

Should you pick up the Gamercard?

You arguably have to be a specific type of curious cat to let the Gamercard kill your thumbs with its strange rubber pad controls and no grips. I for one am certainly that kind of cat, and while there are drawbacks with using a handheld this thin, the entire setup provides a unique on the go gaming experience, warts and all.

It’s easy to simply brand the Gamercard as a ZX Spectrum based on its creator’s family name. For what it’s worth, Grant Sinclair is absolutely living up to his uncle’s legacy here with this handheld, innovating with a specific portable vision rather than just going with the flow. There are clear callbacks to the microcomputer weaved into this device’s design, but at the same time, I reckon the Raspberry Pi-based system deserves to be celebrated in its own right as something different play games on while RAMageddon wreaks havoc with higher spec options.

If you’re looking for portable perfection, you really shouldn’t be immediately reaching for the Gamercard. You won’t struggle to find another handheld that’ll provide your mitts with something conventional for console emulation, but they won’t quite feel as weird and exciting as this ultra-thin device. The idea here is that you’re getting a fresh platform to try that’s free from the old rhythm of installing Android apps, all while still having access to many of the same games as typical options.

This is arguably just the beginning for the Gamercard, and that personally helps me look past some of its flaws. The main storefront is still in beta, and as more developers are drawn to the platform, I suspect we’ll see hardware revisions and upgrades as the scene expands. I can’t wait to see what ends up on the Gamercard and how it evolves over time, and I’ve got a fully feeling we could be looking at the next big Indie powerhouse portable.

How I tested the Gamercard

For a month, I used the Gamercard as a handheld at home and while travelling to play its built-in games, experiment with RetroPi, and dive into PICO-8 releases using the app. Throughout that time, I assessed the portable console’s ergonomics and controls alongside its screen quality and clarity to weigh up whether it offers up a great way to play games compared to other options around the same price.

For more information on how we test handhelds and retro gadgets, swing by our full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy for a full rundown.

Meta Connect's keynote for 2026 is in the can, and although some people might have been hoping for the arrival of the Meta Quest 4, the social media company is doubling down on its smart glasses and wearable AI tech instead. I wasn't expecting a new VR headset to launch after what's been a pretty dire year for Meta's Reality Labs division, and it turns out the leaked glasses-headset hybrid from last week was accurate.

The Meta VR Glasses will launch in Spring of 2027 for $1,299 (without any controllers which are available separately for additional cost), with no UK price announced yet. Their focus is on folding, portable convenience - so much so that their Snapdragon Reality Elite processor doesn't even come fixed in them; it's separate in a small battery puck that fits in your pocket and lasts up to three hours. You can plug the Glasses into any USB device and use it as a display, but it takes a far more mixed-reality, hand-tracking approach to things, which puts it much more in line with the Apple Vision Pro.

So, why the massive price tag? Well, the VR Glasses sport two Micro-OLED displays with a 5K, Infinite, Dolby Vision resolution per eye, and the device only weighs 100g (down from the 515g of the Quest 3). That said, it will only have a 70-degree horizontal FOV, down from the 110 degrees that most VR headsets feature.

The clue is in the name here, but this isn't the successor to the Quest 3 and 3S. Its price also indicates that, since the Quest headsets have always been about making this sort of technology accessible, and the price tag on these new glasses is not. Will we see a true successor to the Quest headsets? I think it depends on how well this new, more wearable approach from Meta goes.

While the new VR Glasses can play any game currently on the Quest store and run all of the same mixed-reality apps, their main emphasis isn't gaming. Meta says that the Glasses will be able to play over 75 VR games at launch that have been revamped to use hand-tracking. You'll also be able to use them like a pair of XR glasses, hooking them up to a console or PC to use as a massive virtual display. Still, the focus here is clearly more on entertainment and some spatial computing thrown in.

Why do I say that? Because that form factor, FOV, and the lack of controllers do not lend themselves to gaming. There's also no gaming being done in the reveal trailer, so I'll let you be the judge of how these are intended to be used.

I don't think anyone should be surprised that the VR Glasses are taking a much more radical approach to wearability than the Quest headsets have. I've reported before on how the Quest headsets just aren't making a profit because of their approachable price tags, but the brand's Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses are. Reality Labs has seen multiple rounds of layoffs this year, and Meta's biggest gaming studios, previously known for making games that support the Quest headsets, have been shuttered.

Despite the company's CTO saying Meta isn't done with VR, I think the writing might be on the wall as to how its future in VR looks - and it looks like glasses over headsets.

Of course, more wearable devices, like Meta's smart glasses, aren't free of issues either. Even if they're proving popular, privacy concerns are a frequent thorn in their side, and for good reason. While the company doubles down on them with a new generation that includes "Muse", the brand's agentic AI, I worry that there has been little to nothing done to stem those privacy issues for the new generation.

Yes, the VR Glasses are a bit more obviously seen at a glance, but a further push toward wearable AI means more and more covert video capture and potential misuse.

A few weeks ago, Meta issued an update that bricked its smart glasses' integrated cameras if you had disabled their recording light - a response to thousands of users who had done this. But even with that recording light, privacy concerns are still valid when the integrated AI can access the camera without that recording light, and personally, I think that's just as big a concern.

We've seen what Meta can do with its data hoarding in the past; we've seen questionable links to China that have surfaced, with Mark Zuckerberg being questioned during a US Senate committee hearing, and the BBC reported that the CEO was "hand-in-glove" with the CCP. I fear these privacy issues will only grow as the brand continues to push toward its more wearable VR Glasses.

If I were a gamer shopping around today, I'd focus my spending elsewhere for a proper VR headset that puts more of a focus on gaming. The Steam Frame has just arrived, PSVR 2 is a viable option, and PC gamers have an alternative (if they can afford it) in the Pimax Dream Air.

You can also stick to flat-screen gaming thanks to the best gaming PCs, the best gaming laptops, and the best retro handhelds.

Out of all the tech that's currently cluttering up my home office, it's the Asus TUF Gaming Hatsune Miku accessories that friends always ask me about - and I'm not surprised in the slightest.

The line (which includes a keyboard, mouse, mousepad, and a headset) is absolutely adorable with its turquoise and pink Miku color palette and little callouts to the virtual diva - from her appearance on the spacebar to the Miku-shaped LED silhouette on the mouse. Yet, as good as they look, I don't as often recommend my pals pick them up due to their inflated licensed tech prices, but today is a little different.

Included as part of Amazon's early Prime Day savings, both the Miku Edition mouse and keyboard have dropped to $74.99 and $84.99 today. Unfortunately, the entirety of the set isn't part of these early savings, but these discounts (a record low in the case of the keyboard) are enough that I feel like I can finally whole heartedly reccomend them to my fellow anime and Miku nerdy bffs.

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The Miku Edition Mini Wireless Mouse is definitely the accessory friends notice first from the set, and I'm glad, as it's my favorite from the entire Asus x TUF Gaming range. It doesn't quite have the specs to put the best gaming mouse to shame, but the little wireless rodent is equipped with a 12,000-dpi sensor with a 1,000Hz polling rate, and of course, that glowing LED Hatsune Miku design right on the palm rest.

My favorite feature (besides the glowing Miku) is its 134-hour battery life and handy Tri-mode connectivity. I rarely have to charge this mouse, but when I do, I can still use it in wired mode, which is incredibly handy when I spend a huge chunk of my time at my desk. Its 2.4GHz connectivity is also powered by a tiny, cute turquoise dongle that can be stored on the underside of the mouse when not in use, which I appreciate as someone who loses dongles by the day.

Today's savings drop the go-to mouse down to $75.99, which isn't quite a record low, but it's not far off its best $74.09 tag. For a mouse that typically costs $109.99 when Prime Day isn't on the horizon, that $34 off deal is a great sight to behold, but the keyboard discount is even better.

The K3 Gen II Hatsune Miku Edition Wired USB gaming keyboard is usually $99.99, but Amazon's discount today returns it to an $84.99 record low. It has been this cheap before, but only for a moment earlier this summer, according to my handy CamelCamelCamel price checker. It usually just alternates from the $90 price mark to full price, which makes today's price a bit of a rarity, one my friends are sure to lap up, and I hope they do.

This keyboard is the one I am typing these very words with, and the Optical-mechanical RGB switches have a lovely bounce to them. It helps too that the 98-key spread of the wired board is covered in cute Miku iconography, from heart-shaped music notes to her name plastered on the Return key. Its fabulous design injects my desk with the perfect amount of cuteness, and today's price should hopefully mean it can do the same for all my friends' gaming spaces too.

• View all Asus TUF Gaming Hatsune Miku PC accessories at Amazon

Black Friday retro deals won't always make the rounds, but I see that as a challenge. Rather than waiting for discounts on handhelds, consoles, and accessories like controllers to fall on my lap, I like to dive into the murky waters of the modern-tech-focused sale and emerge with a big classic system salmon in my mouth. That is to say, if you're really only interested in playing the oldies this year, I more than have you covered.

Many of the best retro consoles, including modern remakes like the Atari 2600+ and retro handhelds like the Super Pocket, will undoubtedly pop up this Black Friday. Whether the prices will actually hit record lows remains to be seen, as even hardware for playing the classics hasn't been safe from RAMageddon this year. But, if there is a time to grab gadgets for playing old games, it's during the sale season, and if you're savvy, you can find savings ahead of time.

My personal strategy involves focusing on the Black Friday deals that will make a difference to your classic gaming experience, rather than gunning for the biggest discounts. For instance, if you've already got your OG systems, but just want to freshen up your setup, catching new retro controllers or even an HDMI upscaler at the right price will make a difference. With that in mind, here are some early deals to check out before Black Friday hits and some tips for when the big day comes too.

Reliable retro retailers

• Amazon: handhelds for under $40
• AliExpress: Lower Reroid Pocket 5 prices
• Woot: Keep an eye out for Atari deals

Today's best retro deals ahead of Black Friday

Are retro deals really a thing during Black Friday?

As a retro gaming journalist and enthusiast who's also experienced more than a few Black Friday events in my lifetime, I'm always wary of the sales event. Yes, you can find new console contraptions, emulation handhelds, and accessories for less, but there's no guarantee you'll either find exactly what you're looking for or be able to grab gizmos for their rock-bottom prices.

I also want to stress that you shouldn't go hunting for original retro consoles from decades ago this Black Friday. That will only lead to either disappointment or potentially being scammed by third-party sellers who are pretending to discount vintage tech in line with the event to make out like you're getting a deal. If you're just starting your classic console journey, your best bet is to look for your desired platform second-hand and weigh up going rates, and the sale will be there for when you need accessories and add-ons.

Ultimately, even retro console remake deals are becoming a rarity during Black Friday, and even when I do see systems like the Atari 7800+ discounted, you're not getting a lowest-ever price. It's for that reason that I usually advise friends, family, and readers to focus on the smaller buys that add up to a bigger overall discount, with retro controllers, adapters, and cheaper handhelds usually serving up the more meaningful savings.

What retro gadgets are worth seeking out this Black Friday?

When Black Friday does kick off on November 27, 2026, I'd have a good think about improvements to your retro console setup. For instance, if you've been looking for a way to enhance old visuals on a modern display, the sale could be an ideal time to consider an HDMI upscaler, and my go-to options like the OSSC and the GBS-C (an absolute must if you're looking into how to play PS2 games), usually get meaningful discounts. If you'd rather stick to an even tighter budget, passthrough HDMI adapters will be in abundance too, but I'd check back here for advice on which dongles to go for.

While I've already highlighted retro controllers as a Black Friday highlight, you'd be surprised how a simple gamepad swap can freshen up your setup. If you're looking into how to play N64 games, the 8Bitdo N64 controller can help you cut the cord and make things feel that bit closer to the pricey 4K Analogue 3D, while brands like Retro Fighters have you covered with their StrikerDC, the Xbox-inspired Hunter, and the Defender, if you're looking into Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation, or Xbox pads, respectively.

If you'd rather use a modern pad you already own, you can absolutely do that by picking up an 8Bitdo Retro Receiver or BlueRetro adapter for less during the sales. I tend to find them at their lowest during Black Friday, and having even used the latter to pair a Switch 2 GameCube controller to the OG system wirelessly, I'd say it's one of the best purchases you could make this season.

There are absolutely other odds and ends that'll help you get the most out your old consoles too. I'd personally keep an eye out for more niche gadgets like the Summercart64, especially if you fancy playing Zelda ROM hacks to get you in the mood for the Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake.

While that's a specific homebrew solution for N64 players, there are plenty of similar gizmos for consoles across all generations. Recently, I picked up a PSxMemCard Gen2 for my PS2, and not only does it have the power to act like 8,000 virtual memory cards (no, really), it comes with FreeMcBoot all set up and ready to go, just in case you fancy running DIY projects or bypassing pesky region locking.

As a sort of "nice if it's there", I'd also keep an eye out for HDMI plug-and-play systems and mini arcade machines. There's a chance they won't show up for the right price thanks to inflated component costs, but at the same time, legacy systems like the Sega Astro City Mini cabinets can end up discounted by resellers who are tired of holding onto stock. Again, your milage will vary, but I'll have you covered on what to buy and when as we sail into November.

Swing by Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals if you're looking to play classics using Nintendo's Online Subscription on the go.

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is rocking one of the most iconic pre-order bonuses I've seen in a long time: a genuine finger skateboard. If you grew up as a kid during the late 90s or early 2000s, you likely remember seeing these things lining the toy shelves, but I never thought I'd see one given away with a Nintendo Switch 2 game.

Pre-ordering the game for £46.95 at TheGameCollection will grant you this retro-fueled extra, which the retailer's official X (Twitter) page has dubbed one of their "favourite bonuses we've ever had" and I concur. While I'm very excited to get my hands on the 3D replicas of the Spiritial Stones packed as a bonus with the Ocarina of Time Remake later this year, being able to pick up a legit iconic 90s toy as a freebie is realms more interesting. Unless Nintendo later decides to release an Epona freebie I can ollie with.

When I first caught a glimpse of TheGameCollection's social media post, I was elated. I was a kid who desperately wanted their mum to buy into the tiny skateboard craze, but was met with instantaneous "no's" in the Toys R Us aisle. The fact that a fingerboard is now included with a Nintendo Switch 2 game feels almost like fate, and has me seriously considering pre-ordering Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, a game that would otherwise not have been on my radar.

If you're in the same boat and are already daydreaming about perfecting kickflips across your desk, TheGameCollection and ShopTo appear to be the best places to get one. Pre-order bonuses tend to depend on the retailer, and so far they're the only places I've yet to find that supply the Sports Resort-themed Tech Deck-inspired toy. When I find more, I'll keep you updated.

The official Nintendo UK online store has an early purchase extra of its own with its £49.99 (Nintendo) copy: a drawstring Sports Bag. However, it doesn't quite tick the same millennial nostalgia boxes.

If you're more interested in the game itself, remember that Nintendo launched a new Sports Resort Switch 2 bundle that's still up for grabs.

Want more Switch 2 games? Check out our Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake pre-order and Metroid Ravenous pre-order pages for more.

Poco has been producing anti-flagship phones for quite some time now, and while its latest F9 Ultra bumps up the price it's still a seriously competitive alternative to your go-to high-end Ultra Android devices.

The Poco F9 Ultra starts at $799 for a 12GB / 256GB configuration, moving up to $949 for 16GB / 512GB and $1,199 for 16GB / 1TB. That's $500 less than the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra at the bottom end of the spec list and $600 less if you're going for the full 1TB.

Considering it's packing a stunning visual and auditory experience, the battery life to see more casual users through days of pocket carrying, and enough speed to push the biggest games to their limits, things are looking pretty good here.

RedMagic has ruled the best gaming phone roost year round, but if you don't want those hard angles and industrial aesthetics the Poco F9 Ultra could well be your next upgrade.

Key features

The first thing you might notice casting an eye over the Poco F9 Ultra's spec sheet is its use of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. It's the brain powering the RedMagic 11 Pro at the top of the Android gaming tier list and you'll find the same chip in the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra as well.

Essentially, it's as fast as you'll find in most flagship releases from the last 12 months, even if the Gen 6 model is poised to take over in a short while. This is the base version, rather than the overclocked 8 Elite Gen 5 Leading Version positioned in the newer, and more expensive, RedMagic 11S Pro.

Xiaomi has matched up 256GB storage options with 12GB RAM, while 512GB and 1TB models both upgrade to 16GB. Notably, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will still keep you at a lower memory amount with 512GB of storage.

Design

Having come from older Poco devices, there's nothing budget about this model's looks. The F9 Ultra could be an iPhone 18 Pro Max at first glance, with its soft rounded corners, bold grape color, and accented bulge around the camera array at the top.

It's a sophisticated design that marries well with the trends of more premium devices today. From its flat sides to soft-touch finishing on the rear panel, the Poco F9 Ultra certainly feels like an upgrade in the hand.

It's not quite backing that luxury up with its build materials compared to the real flagships, though. While the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra upgrades you to full Corning Gorilla Glass Armor 2, the F9 Ultra uses a simpler Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, which will drop anti-glare features. It's still the go-to for durability and scratch protection, but not the top end of the market.

Poco shares its aluminum frame with Samsung and Apple flagships, but swaps the former's Gorilla Armor 2 and the latter's Ceramic Shield glass backs for a lighter, cheaper glass-fiber polymer backing.

That doesn't mean it drops weight, though. In fact, I have smaller hands and struggled to wield full control of the F9 Ultra when held vertically in one hand. At 235g it's not wildly out of contention with its peers. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra goes a little easier on the joints at 214g, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max comes in even heavier at 239g.

Sometimes cumbersome heft aside, though, that additional weight goes a long way to keeping the Poco F9 Ultra's overall feel competitive with far more expensive releases. There's a satisfying clunk to this thing, and landscape gaming positioning never felt too awkward over longer sessions.

Display

The main face is a 6.9-inch AMOLED display running at a blistering 185Hz refresh rate (though the vast majority of titles won't be able to make the most of those speeds), Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, and a 1,200x2,608 resolution at a 416ppi density.

This is Samsung's M11 generation OLED panel, touted for far greater efficiency over previous displays while marketing materials are shouting about 10,000 nits of peak brightness. It's a particularly dazzling screen, yes, but those headlines should be taken with a grain of salt. Across the whole screen at once, this thing is generally hitting around 2,000 to 2,500 nits in its high brightness mode.

That's still going to be particularly punchy, and colors are represented well straight out of the box. Additional customization sliders are available for fine-tuning that color handling as you would like as well. Without any tweaks, colors remain vibrant and clearly defined, with even lower light video and game portions benefiting from enhanced detail and an appropriately moody tone.

Things aren't quite as bold as the RedMagic 11 Pro here, but there's a subtlety that the high-contrast cartoon-favoring Nubia device can't quite match. While RedMagic's panel seems a touch sharper in its presentation, the Poco F9 Ultra still manages to pair high-impact colors with natural toning.

Of course, we can't discuss that screen without talking about the full audio-visual experience when debating the F9 Ultra. That's because the OLED display is also accompanied by a robust three-speaker system pairing two stereo with one subwoofer for a 2.1 audio setup.

Located on the main back panel, this additional subwoofer comes courtesy of Bose, rounding out your phone's audio with a layer of bass that texturizes movies, music, and in-game sound effects in a way I haven't experienced before. You can leave the earbuds in the drawer for this one.

Cameras

A phone with this kind of screen refresh rate and power under the hood is usually geared towards dedicated mobile gamers, thereby dropping its focus on camera quality. Instead, the Poco F9 Ultra manages to squeeze an impressively competent 200MP main wide camera into its spec sheet, followed up with a 50MP ultrawide and a telephoto zoom at 50MP as well.

Stock daylight photos from the main camera run with clarity, a bold pop of color, and confident color handling. That's in the usual 50MP shooting mode, whacking things up to the dedicated 200MP shooting mode might have its appeal for those framing individually composed shots particularly thoughtfully (as long as subjects are still). For everyday use, though, its results aren't strong enough to warrant the extra shooting time.

Still, this is far more than you'll find on a traditional gaming device. In bright lighting, shots are toned nicely, with no over-processed color vibrancy, and a crisp, clean result. Darker scenes still give it something to think about, with smudges and smears creeping into finer details and a drop in both color and sharpness handling.

Highlights are well balanced, though, and more information has been retained by the sensor compared to cheaper dedicated gaming alternatives.

Software

Everything is running on Android 16 with HyperOS 3 over the top, good for four major OS updates in the future. There's a lot of extras to wade through when first setting up, with the usual suspects pre-installed and a range of additional menus to spring through as well. Overall, the software itself runs well with no bugs, hitches, or glitches in my weeks of testing. I never experienced menu slowdown or crashing, and navigation felt smooth.

There's a lot of borrowing here as well. Hyper Island functions similarly to Apple's Dynamic Island, with an always-on minimized view of certain apps and processes like timers, Spotify, and recording.

Gaming

Xiaomi made the choice to block UL Benchmarks' 3D Mark tool on its Poco devices, which means we've got good old lived experience to go off here. Geekbench 7 throws up a sturdy score of 2055 single-core and 8865 multi-core.

In practice this makes for incredibly smooth gameplay, whether I'm exploring Genshin Impact or stacking up a battlefield in MTG Arena. The 185Hz refresh rate doesn't exactly come into its own, there are only about 20 titles with support for these kinds of speeds.

It does, however, mean that more demanding titles, like the above and Call of Duty Mobile, can comfortably run in their higher graphical settings without having to sacrifice framerates. Too high a ceiling in a device undercutting others in price is never a bad thing.

Battery

Powering everything is a massive 8,050mAh battery, stomping all over the S26 Ultra's 5,000mAh and topping RedMagic's 7,500mAh on its 11-Series devices. Plough through that and you'll be glad for the 100W wired charging as well. In casual use, a few lighter games, music streaming, YouTube, calls and texts, and web browsing, I didn't need to plug in until day three.

Straight out the box (so with a fresh battery) an hour of Genshin Impact drove my charge down by 6% at 50% brightness, and 10% at full brightness. An hour of YouTube only killed 3% of the charge at 50%.

Should you buy the Poco F9 Ultra?

The Poco F9 Ultra is a sophisticated piece of tech undercutting its mainstream flagship competitors in price pretty easily. While that budget option would have been a lot cheaper a few years ago, the power, camera system, battery life, and combination of display and boosted speakers make for a compelling alternative to both dedicated gaming phones and fancy annual releases.

While its size and weight can prove a little tricky to wield in smaller hands, those after an immersive streaming, gaming, and web browsing experience that keeps up with the big dogs should certainly be interested.

How I tested the Poco F9 Ultra

I used the Poco F9 Ultra as my daily driver for a period of two weeks, with an additional week spent with the iPhone 13 Pro in my pocket for comparison. During that time, it ran my entire life while I also tested it across Call of Duty Mobile, Genshin Impact, MTG Arena, TMNT, and Marvel Snap. Battery tests were performed at both 50% and full brightness, while system performance was measured in Geekbench 7. For more information on how we make our recommendations, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

We're also hunting down the best gaming tablets for a bigger screen, or the best gaming handhelds for a more dedicated device.

The CRKD Atom+ controller has begun to ship globally. That means if you pre-ordered your tiny, retro-style pad in March earlier this year, you should expect it to arrive at your door sooner rather than later.

The $29.99 (Amazon) pad, much like CRKD's Nitro Deck 2, was subject to delays and was originally expected to begin shipping from late June 2026, but as you're likely well aware, the summer is officially over and June it is not. The shipping window was then moved to August 17-31 2026, but it wasn't until today that the brand confirmed that its four models were shipping out to customers. Better late than never, particularly as its late arrival has brought an introductory discount along with it.

While CRKD has given official word that the impeccably cute Nintendo Switch 2 controller is shipping out, some people got theirs weeks ago, like r/Controller Reddit user TheLoFiPunk, who picked up the 'Retro Purple' pad.

They also waited through the many delays to grab theirs, but shared it was "worth it", which makes me more eager than ever to try the new one out for size. I have four of the older Atom controllers in my setup, and their small stature makes them absolutely ideal for playing the Switch 2 on the go, as it takes up little to no space in my bag. However, the adorably petite controller was missing an important feature that made it awkward to play anything beyond Nintendo Switch Online's NES and SNES library - a pair of thumbsticks.

The Atom+ has that covered with the inclusion of not just two precision thumbsticks, but TMR sticks which can help prevent any drift issues from rearing their ugly head. It also includes digital bumper and trigger buttons to offer a more tactile gaming experience, which sounds ideal for some Mario Kart World action, as do the new built-in vibration feedback and motion controls.

While CRKD has piled on plenty of new features, it still keeps what I loved about the previous Atom pad - its compact size and cute designs.

Like the version before it, the Atom+ plays into the nostalgia with its retro-fueled colorways. Instead of a plain all-black design, you've got transparent Smoke Black and Glacier Blue models, which harken back to the see-through tech of the early 2000s. My personal favorite is the Pal Grey design, which was kept over from the previous incarnation. It replicates the colors of the PAL SNES and, as a Scottish kid who grew up obsessed with Nintendo in the 90s, I'm a little bit obsessed.

All of these retro controller designs are covered by the same $29.99 / £27.99 MSRP too, so you don't have to pay any extra. In fact, as of September 25, you get to pay less as CRKD has dropped $5 / £5 off all four designs at Amazon. Meanwhile, you can stick with the older $19.99 (via Amazon) Atom (which is also Switch 2 compatible) if you want more colors and are happy sticking with just a d-pad.

• View all CRKD gaming accessories at Amazon
• View the CRKD Nitro Deck 2 at Amazon

Creating the ultimate Switch 2 setup? Check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch headsets, the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers while you're here.

Have you ever paid for something on the PlayStation Store and thought, hey, that wasn't easy enough? No? Me neither, but PlayStation wants to give you easier ways of transferring your card details over to the console, which I can sort of get behind. Today in strange PlayStation patent news, the PS5 controller, or its PS6 successor, might one day be able to take contactless payments from your phone or bank card.

As is always the case when I report on new PlayStation patents, I'll tell you to take this with a pinch of salt. This brand files some utterly bizarre patents just to say it has ownership over the ideas, and many of them never see the light of day.

Regardless, originally found by Patentlyze, the patent can also be found on public listings under the application number 19082121 and is titled "VIDEO GAME CONTROLLER-DRIVEN INFORMATION TRANSFER". It essentially lays out that Sony has put ownership on the idea of a video game controller being able to detect through NFC protocol that a phone or payment method is nearby, transferring their details to a console.

Near Field Communication (NFC) is the same technology that's used for all sorts of payment methods today, including contactless bank card payments, but also Nintendo's Amiibos. Most phones today also have NFC features in them, so you can pay contactless through a bank app.

While this seems like a pretty arbitrary feature, it seems like Sony is mainly eyeing it up for the added convenience of being able to transfer your payment details to a console without typing out your card number, expiry date, and security code using the controller and on-screen keyboard.

"Video game players have found it desirable to store payment method information and account information such as credit account information, bank account information, gift card information... and associated credentials in their accounts for facilitating and managing video game purchases," reads the patent's description.

Interestingly though, instead of listing player convenience reasons, Sony's patent argues the best reasons for implementing a new way of transferring these payment details are more to prevent the console itself from overworking itself:

"However, facilitating and coordinating these operations by performing multiple operational steps using multiple devices often causes performance of the video game console to suffer and/or one or more operations of the video game console to fail."

"Techniques disclosed herein improve video game consoles and video game console performance by utilizing video game controller-driven information transfer operations," it continues.

Surprisingly, the patent makes no mention of actual bank cards, only "electronic devices," which allude to a phone - one image does show a gift card being transferred, however, which might suggest your bank card will work too.

"In some implementations, the video game controller can detect that the electronic device is within the predetermined distance from the video game controller by, in some examples, detecting a signal emitted from the electronic device, using a communication protocol such as a Near Field Communication (NFC) protocol and/or a Bluetooth protocol, detecting that the electronic device has physically contacted the video game controller."

The controller would then vibrate to tell you the details had been detected.

The patent itself shows illustrations of what looks like a DualSense controller, but personally, I think this feature, if we ever see it used, will likely be reserved for the PlayStation 6 and its controller, because introducing this now to the current iteration of the DualSense would probably cause price changes and manufacturing difficulties this far into the controller's life.

While the DualSense uses Bluetooth, it doesn't currently have NFC protocols within it, so it could require a change of architecture to implement.

Another intriguing use of this feature would be to log guests into your PlayStation console when playing a local multiplayer game while they're visiting. This could save the hassle of having to do manual logins to non-home consoles and might just allow you to tap your PlayStation app on a controller to log in. Another illustration shows your phone tapping the controller as a way to send and receive messages, but I don't see such a clear use for this.

What's also interesting to me is that while Sony is patenting this idea with specific reference to transferring payment information, Nintendo has had an NFC communicator in its Pro Controller since the original Nintendo Switch in 2017 to scan amiibos with. I bet someone at Nintendo is kicking themselves that they didn't think of this use for their controllers' NFC protocols.

For more, look at the best PC controllers, the best Xbox Series X controllers, and the best Switch 2 controllers.

I’ll admit that I almost yawned at the thought of the Alienware AW2726DM, as I figured it was yet another 27-inch QD-OLED gaming monitor. Technically, that’s true, but this screen’s superpowers aren’t in its commendable panel specs, and it certainly won’t woe you with additional fancy features. No, instead, Dell has created a display that delivers what a thousand bucks used to get you for under $400, and that is frankly incredible.

I’d even go as far as to say that the Alienware AW2726DM puts plenty of the best gaming monitor contenders out of the race based on price alone. Other brands have been working on building a kingdom of sub-$500 before now, but I’m used to seeing options by lesser-known brands like KTC use the same WOLED panel that was high-end in 2023 to only just hit that bracket.

Effectively, the gaming monitor landscape is a completely different place three years later. Now, unless you’re gunning for absurd refresh rates, you can easily find a 27-inch 1440p panel with 240Hz capabilities infused with Quantum Dot OLED abilities, and while the Alienware AW2726DM cuts back on extras to make a $349.99 price tag happen, that hardly matters in the face of ridiculous value-embued vibrant visuals.

Feels can be deceiving

I want to note right away that upon taking the AW2726DM out of its cardboard prison, it admittedly felt like I was unboxing an Alienware screen from a few years ago. Everything from the fact that you have to screw the pedestal stand to the back ( the last reviewer to use this sample misplaced the VESA screws, so I had to use my spares) to the minimalist square base that doesn’t quite feel like a style choice stood out.

I wasn’t offended by the less lavish vibes of the AW2726DM, but it did serve as a firm reminder that we’re talking about a mid-range monitor. Dell always likes to signal product categories through feel, which is why the Alienware AW2725Q pairs a ridiculously dense 27-inch 4K panel with a bougie bubble getup that requires no screwing thanks to a quick-release system.

The stand also fully incorporates cable management into its plinth, and I’ll get to what’s happening with the AW2726DM. First, though, I want to float the idea that none of those small touches really matter when you’re paying under $400 and getting a more than cromulent QD-OLED 27-inch 1440p experience. Yes. I’d rather not have to fetch a screwdriver to whack together a screen in 2026, but hey, if it can contribute to prices this affordable, I’ll happily ditch the “ready in two clicks” world.

You spin me right round

Given that the stand is a no-thrills, screw-based, square base with nothing to really offer visually, you’d think I’d be done talking about it. However, there’s a sneaky extra hiding under the base of the AW2726DM, as not unlike the much more expensive Sony Inzone M10S II, it has 360° movement. The square is sitting right on top of what reminds me of a microwave plate, allowing it to spin round (like a record, baby) rather than using a traditional pivot.

There’s something slightly odd about spinning a square, but the 360° pivot is smooth enough. No, it’s not as slick as Sony’s setup, and the fact it adds height to the frumpy, angular pedestal doesn’t help the visual side of things. But, the part that matters is that offers up circular movement with ease, all while even going above and beyond the Inzone M10S and its sequel by including a vertical 90° pivot alongside the standard tilt.

You’ll tire of me circling back to price, but again, we’re talking about a $349 monitor. The Alienware AW2726DM could have probably gotten away with doing zilch extra with the stand, but instead, Dell decided to include a useful 360° mechanism as a gesture, just so you don’t feel like it completely sidelined extras in the name of affordable screen specs.

What cable management?

You wire warriors out there aren’t going to like this, but the Alienware AW2726DM doesn’t know the meaning of the word cable management. The plinth lacks even a basic through-hole for the DisplayPort and HDMI under the usual lip, meaning there’s nowhere for them to hide. Since the power supply is built in this time around, that means you’re immediately faced with a chonky AC cord to conceal, and unless you get creative, you’ll see it hanging out on the right-hand side.

Here’s the thing: I fully believe every monitor should come with a stand (looking at you, Dough Spectrum Black 27). At the same time, I get why Dell has stuck with the absolute basics here in the name of a lower price. If you really want things to look super clean and stylish, you’ll probably end up looking at monitor arms or more lavish extras, and those are going to provide you with on-board cable management solutions.

It’s all in the price; if the Alienware AW2726DM came in at over $500, I’d be dunking on Dell for the zero attention to cable management. At the same time, it’s strange that there isn’t at least include a clip for the back, as that’d help bunch together wires behind the 27-inch panel, so they’re not just *there*.

Glare that’s easier to bear

This is yet another glossy QD-OLED display, so I fully expected the Alienware AW2726DM to fall folly to my south-facing window. The reflective screen absolutely suffers from glare exactly how you’d expect, but it’s nowhere near as aggressive as I was anticipating. The anti-glare coating is clearly hard at work preventing the panel from becoming a mirror like the Philips Evnia 32M2N8900, and with the screen powered on, it does a better job kicking reflections to the curb than many other QD-OLED options.

When powered off, the Alienware AW2726DM lacks that distinctive purple hue that other QD-OLED monitors present in daylight. Theoretically, that means you’ll get truer blacks even when playing in very bright rooms, but your mileage may vary based on setup placement and how direct light sources actually are. This model is still using the same Quantum Dot polarizing film that catches light in the same way, as that’s fundamental to the pros as well as the cons. But hey, as far as my test setup is concerned, you could almost mistake this screen for a WOLED when it’s powered off.

Joystick joy

I’m about to surprise even myself, as while I always make a point on moaning about monitors not coming with remote, Dell has really dialled in its OSD joystick. That is to say that the nub on the Alienware AW2726DM is pleasant to use compared to most I’ve tried, offering easy-to-reach controls close to the right-hand side, paired with an on-screen interface that’s very toggle-friendly.

At its price, the Alienware AW2726DM was never going to come with a remote control. I’m perfectly comfortable dunking on more premium displays for going without, but the fact that Dell’s screen offers up a better joystick than many other models out there speaks volumes. It’s still my least favorite way to access screen features and specs by a long mile, and while I’m giving this screen a “pass”, you can fully expect to hear me shout about wireless buttons for many reviews to come.

On-screen features

While I’m on the OSD, you wouldn’t know that this is a cheaper QD-OLED display flicking through the Alienware AW2726DM’s options and settings. It still has all the picture modes, smart HDR dials, and OLED care options you’d expect from any modern Dell monitor, and you’ll have practically everything you need to enjoy the same experience as on a higher-tier model.

The real difference here is actually found between brands. The essence of a high-end monitor has changed, and you now have screens boasting dual-mode resolution and refresh rate abilities, alongside more customizable OLED care options and tricks like anti-VRR flicker if you need speedy competitive clarity. You won’t find that with the Alienware AW2726DM, but you won’t be missing any of the fundamentals or those more gaming-focused toggles, like crosshairs and frame counters.

A visual punch above its price range

I want to lay down some basic facts before sharing my Alienware AW2726DM visual impressions. To start, this is a 1440p 240Hz monitor, and on paper, that’s not super impressive when you’ve got QHD options pushing 540Hz. While it’s a QD-OLED display, that tech is also not so lavish in the face of new Tandem OLED panels that stack multiple light-emitting layers to raise the brightness bar.

And yet, the Alienware AW2726DM still feels like the sort of vibrant, high-end panel you’d pay over $500 for. There’s always a point where all the lavish tech premium players have been enjoying becomes the norm for everyone else, but I wasn’t quite expecting QD-OLED to enter that zone this quickly, especially given the overarching woes of gaming hardware prices right now. For the price, this screen will put a smile on the faces of anyone with a sub $400 budget upgrading from an older IPS panel or even a cheaper WOLED, and its achievements really outweigh the caveats.

I don’t want to bury those said caveats under words of excellent value adornment, so I’ll start with the AW2726DM’s brightness. Dell’s display measures in at around 250 nits in SDR and up to 440 nits in HDR True Black mode, so it’s behind many contenders on paper. In real-life scenarios, the results feel slightly more dialled back than that, and just like traditional QD-OLED setups, I’d stick to light-controlled rooms for the best results.

Outside of some brightness drawbacks, there’s little room for complaint with the AW2726DM’s vibrancy, colors, and black levels. Having already tested a bunch of Dell’s QD-OLED options, I’m of the opinion that this cheaper Alienware model hits all the same notes, providing rich visuals with colors that pop nicely. If I were to plonk this panel next to its higher-end counterparts, I do suspect I’d notice a difference in contrast, if not some varying results due to the dialled-back brightness. But, in a normal situation, you’ll be able to easily appreciate what this monitor provides.

I wasn’t really expecting anything less from the Samsung QD-OLED panel at the heart of this Alienware screen. It certainly has all the nerdy specs to back up its abilities, including a 99% DCI-P3 coverage and 1,500,000:1 contrast ratio. That translates to exceptional vibrancy in everything from indie romps, to the high-end PC capers, and dare I say, PS4 outings and retro games (hold your horses, more on that is coming).

Just like with any PC-focused monitor, pretty visuals are half the story, as these screens need to hold their own in competitive shooters. That still applies even when dealing with a more “casual” QHD 240Hz setup, and I’m pleased to say this screen feels just as responsive as comparable panels I’ve tried. Having just wrapped up playing Overwatch and other first-person shooters on screen with 720Hz abilities, I can naturally feel a difference when lying around as Pharah. It’s not something I’d say you’ll notice unless you’ve subjected yourself to demonic display refresh rates, though, and it still feels as responsive as any other OLED with a 0.03ms GtG response time.

Retro gaming ruin

I’ve started testing more gaming monitors on the bench as retro console screens, and while that might sound strange, I do it with dutiful purpose. You see, while it’s reasonable to assume all screens will play nice with upscalers and adapters, I’m finding that most options don’t know how to handle specific resolutions, resulting in either squished aspect ratios, forced widescreen, or blurriness due to mismatched scaling.

The Alienware AW2726DM sadly fails to play nice with anything that isn’t a “standard resolution.” In fact, the Samsung panel pretty much handles the GBS-C set to x in the same way as the Sony Inzone M10S II. It misinterprets 1280x960 as 1280x1024, meaning the integer-scaled 4:3 visuals of consoles are squished into 5:4, while 720p is forced into widescreen. It virtually means that if you’re looking into how to connect retro consoles to modern TVs or monitors, you shouldn’t specifically pick up this screen with that in mind.

Okay, yes, very few people will be looking specifically for a QD-OLED Alienware for retro gaming. That’s not to say lots of players won’t pick this screen up with the intention of playing classic capers on it too, and since it is a bit iffy with handling the right resolutions, it means you might be better off looking elsewhere. I should note that the quirks aren’t inherent to this panel’s price point, and ultimately, the issues stem from a lack of provisions in the firmware rather than a general incompatibility.

Should you pick up the Alienware AW2726DM?

I don’t want to be dramatic, but the Alienware AW2726DM marks a big moment in the QD-OLED scene. As an option from what is usually a more premium-focused brand, this 27-inch 1440p display changes what to expect for under $400, serving as one of the best-value gaming monitors I’ve tested for quite a while.

There’s no point pretending the AW2726DM can trade blows with the absolute best screens out there, as it dials back brightness and drops virtually every other hardware feature to hit its target price. I can absolutely respect Dell for doing that, though, especially since extras like USB hubs, KVM switching, and RGB tomfoolery aren’t universally appreciated by all players.

If you simply care about getting an excellent QD-OLED display and you’re not fussed about bells and whistles, the Alienware AW2726DM is a no-brainer. We’ll no doubt see other options fight for supremacy in the sub-$400 range soon, but until that happens, Dell’s delightfully affordable display is the one I’d watch out for.

How I tested the Alienware AW2726DM

For a month, I used the Alienware AW2726DM as my main gaming monitor while also testing the QD-OLED display on a specific workbench. During that time, I assessed qualities like anti-glare, brightness, and vibrancy while weighing up its features and abilities against its price point.

To ensure that my testing stayed true to real-life scenarios, I used the Alienware AW2726DM with a PS5, PC, and an HDMI upscaler for retro consoles. That allowed me to test responsiveness in shooters like Overwatch while assessing brightness and vibrancy across single-player releases.

For more information on how we test gaming monitors, swing by our full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy for a full rundown.