Do you or someone you know have a Nintendo Switch 2? What about accessories for your new console? Whether you want to play with others, increase your storage, or add functionality, you may want some extras to deliver the best gameplay experience possible, and now is the best time to score a big deal on them during Prime Day 2026.

• Check out all the Switch 2 accessories deals in Amazon's Prime Day Sale

There are many official, licensed accessories alongside third-party extras available at a wide range of prices. It's Prime Day 2026, so now is an excellent time to hunt for deals and the best prices on Switch 2 peripherals and accessories.

One of the most important extras you'll most likely want to pick up is a microSD Express memory expansion card. The least expensive out now is Nintendo's own (SanDisk) 256GB card, but there are other, faster models available for a pittance more (see below). If you know that's what you want, check out our handy list of the best Prime Day microSD Express card deals for the Switch 2. Just be aware that pricing has absolutely skyrocketed, along with RAM, Storage, and video cards, in the last several months, so don't be shocked. Still, we found the best deals that we could.

Other accessories to consider are screen protectors, carrying cases, and peripherals such as controllers, headsets, and cameras, as listed below.

If you're thinking about, or already using a camera for your Switch 2, most of the styles out there are pretty boring. Most are just a camera on a stick, or may even clip to the device. I found something unique, the officially licensed Piranha Plant Camera! Relive your days of Mario and the feared plant that comes out of the pipes, but on your desk - and for less than the price of the official Nintendo Switch 2 camera-on-a-stick.

We also added another Switch 2 Pro-class controller on top of the official Nintendo Pro controller. 8bitDo's Ultimate 2 bluetooth controller is one of my kids' favorites. For less than the cost of the Nintendo controller, the Ultimate 2 offers TMY joysticks, switchable hall effect/tactile triggers, vibration and motion control. It is a lower resolution (640x480), however. The best part? It's it's on sale right now.

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A keen nozzle-head has dramatically sped up their 3D printer using the portable power of a Nintendo Switch. Cocoanix 3D Printing shared a video earlier this week demonstrating the Switch-powered acceleration of their venerable Prusa MK3S. Instead of taking 90 minutes to output the famous standard 3DBenchy tugboat model, the Nvidia-accelerated MK3S took a brisk sub-nine minutes. Should you repurpose your Switch to accelerate your 3D printer? That, of course, depends…

In the video above, Cocoanix boasts about not just the increased performance but quality improvements. Using Klipper instead of Prusa’s custom firmware (originally based on Marlin years ago) delivers modern features like more extensive planning, advanced vibration compensation, and other techniques. As well as getting your output in a fraction of the time, “less ringing and ghosting” will be present in the output, according to Cocoanix.

Klipper is also a champ when it comes to configuration, with a simple and easily editable text file ready for tweaks. More traditional firmware recompilation techniques for the granular control here are thus simply not necessary. Moreover, while the printer’s motion‑control firmware is replaced by Klipper, the user interface is handled through the slick Mainsail/Fluidd web dashboard.

Thanks to the power of the Switch and Klipper, with the Prusa MK3S, the bottleneck stops being processing power or advanced features, and is instead the 3D printer’s hotend and extruder. Running the new Input Shaper, the TechTuber manages to push the MK3S “to its absolute speed limit: 400mm/s at 17,000mm/s² of acceleration.”

Modern 3D printers aren’t so short on horsepower

The touch screen Switch is a great add-on for the Prusa MK3S. However, the MK3S is of a certain vintage now, and while contemporary designs addressing the same market may suffer from similar processing bottlenecks, adding an SBC or Switch to a modern 3D printer may not be so desirable.

Here, instead of motion planning running on the 8-bit microcontroller on the system motherboard, the machine is enhanced by Klipper, farming out all the heavy compute work to the attached handheld console with a quad-core Nvidia SoC.

Users of devices like the MK3S usually employ something like a Raspberry Pi or connect to their laptop to accelerate and advance their 3D printing. The use of the Nintendo here is mostly stylish tech flair – but the integrated touchscreen might be welcomed by some.

Practicalities

A large segment of the Cocoanix video is devoted to showing folks how to install and setup Klipper on a Switch with Ubuntu Linux installed. We are then guided through how to configure and flash the MK3S to complete this project.

To witness the 3DBenchy results, you can skip forward to around 7 minutes 50 seconds in the video, where you see the little tugboat successfully printed in under nine minutes (8 minutes 41 seconds while adhering to SpeedBenchy rules, says Cocoanix).

The result looks a bit rough, but this is primarily due to how the aforementioned hotend and extruder have become the bottleneck. We’d also suggest that cooling and the bed‑slinger Y‑axis are also near their physical limits, as the design stands.

Nintendo is facing pressure from the AI shortage, as increasing NAND prices are doing more than just hiking the company’s costs to build the popular Switch 2 gaming handheld. According to Bloomberg, some users are reportedly balking at purchasing new titles, especially as the console’s specs limit its onboard storage to just 256GB. The fact that it uses more powerful hardware than the original Switch means that its game titles are now significantly larger. For example, the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, one of the major franchises on the Nintendo platform, is about 102.5GB, meaning it will take up around 40% of the console’s onboard storage.

One gamer told the outlet that they used to buy games "on a whim," but are now more cautious "because the space is filling up so quickly, at a pace that I didn’t imagine.” According to figures collated by Bloomberg, Switch 2 software sales momentum "lags behind the original Switch's." As of the end of 2025, it calculates that the average number of games purchased per console is just 2.18. When the Switch reached the same sales milestone of around 17 million units, that figure was 3.88, a marked decrease in Switch 2 game sales.

If you’re a collector and like to have a ton of games installed on your console, vastly larger titles like Final Fantasy mean you'd have to purchase external storage to increase your Switch 2’s capacity. Although you can easily get one of the best microSD Express Cards from Amazon, they’re more expensive than ordinary microSD cards, and the storage chip shortage is not doing gamers (or Nintendo) any favors. For example, the 512GB TeamGroup Apex microSD Express Card cost around $100 in late 2025 but now sits at $114.99 on Amazon. The 1TB Lexar Play Pro is far more expensive, too — it’s currently priced at $219.99 on Amazon, although it used to cost less than $190 before the shortage.

These price increases on the Switch 2’s storage solutions are giving gamers pause when shopping for new games — and that’s a problem for Nintendo. Although the company does not sell its hardware at a loss (unlike Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s PlayStation), it does so at exceedingly thin margins. That means it still relies on the sales of its games to make up for the majority of its profit. But with increasing game sizes, many users are now having second thoughts about buying games willy-nilly, especially as storage costs spiral out of control.

The company is attempting to help gamers by launching Nintendo-branded microSD Express cards made by Samsung. The report even claims that Nintendo has "secured concessions from retailers" to give up some of the profits on sales of these devices. They're currently available on Amazon for just $59.00, but at just 256GB, you’ll have to purchase several of these if you’re an avid game collector. Furthermore, this adds to the already relatively high price of $449 for the console, which was driven by the uncertainty of tariffs and global geopolitical events. And with titles already costing around $50 to $80, the need to spend extra for storage will definitely weigh more on gamers’ pockets and eat into Nintendo’s revenues.

The memory and storage chip shortage that has been causing RAM, SSD, and GPU prices to skyrocket is now starting to affect other products. Valve has recently announced that Steam Deck availability is now intermittent due to the current situation, and Bloomberg now reports that Sony and Nintendo are considering taking drastic actions, too.

“Sony Group Corp. is now considering pushing back the debut of its next PlayStation console to 2028 or even 2029, according to people familiar with the company’s thinking. That would be a major upset to a carefully orchestrated strategy to sustain user engagement between hardware generations,” the publication said. “Close rival Nintendo Co., which contributed to the surplus demand in 2025 after its new Switch 2 console drove storage card purchases, is also contemplating raising the price of that device in 2026, people familiar with its plans said.”

While both companies do not disclose how they manage component orders, they likely have long-term agreements in place with various memory chip suppliers to help keep their costs predictable. But because of the continued massive demand from data centers and AI hyperscalers, chip manufacturers like Micron, Samsung, and SK hynix have reduced their output for consumer memory, resulting in higher prices in the spot market and when customers sign new contracts.

If the reports are accurate, Sony and Nintendo are applying differing strategies to deal with the situation. Nintendo is willing to increase the price of the Switch 2 to offset the increased memory and storage costs, especially as it is selling the new console at slim profit margins. The company has done this before with the original Nintendo Switch, which had its price increased by $30 to $50 in response to economic pressures.

On the other hand, Sony’s rumored tactic would be to delay the next-generation PlayStation for more favorable pricing. We’re unsure how long the memory chip shortage will last, with some estimates pointing out that it could go on for as long as a decade. Nevertheless, some believe that the memory chip fabs would’ve caught up with the demand by 2028 or 2029, meaning prices would’ve stabilized by then, even if they do not return to pre-shortage levels.

The news of chip shortages has been circulating among PC enthusiasts since the last quarter of 2025, but it seems that that is just the beginning. Gaming consoles and handhelds are now feeling the pinch, with mobile phones expected to follow suit. Even cars will be hit by the shortage, especially as nearly every modern feature found in automobiles requires DRAM and NAND.

Nintendo is infamous for its stringent stance against any kind of copyright infringement, to the point where even fan-edits have gotten people in trouble. So, when the company tells you to stop illegally distributing games, you should probably listen. But that doesn't seem to be the case for "Archbox," who served as the primary moderator of the r/SwitchPirates subreddit for some time, before he was charged last year for selling pirated games.

Originally reported by Nintendo Everything, the company is now seeking a $4.5 million default judgment because the defendant never showed up for the court proceedings. Archbox, whose real name is James Williams, is popular in the Switch modding community. He reportedly ran several pirating sites, along with "shops" — such as JITS — where games are available to download on jailbroken Switch consoles. James not only tested Nintendo's patience pertaining to its intellectual property, but committed the cardinal sin of piracy while doing so: charging money for it.

"Since 2019, Williams has been either directly or indirectly the owner, manager, operator, creator, administrator, supplier, and/or overseer of several online Pirate Shops, and has worked to actively promote these Pirate Shops to communities consisting of many thousands of individuals," reads the official filing.

According to online discussion, James asked for donations to give access to "pro" subscriptions, where people would be able to download games a lot faster, likely with uncapped speeds. Those who often sail the seas know never to hide pirated content behind a paywall, because that then constitutes grounds for a lawsuit. Nice-guy Nintendo even first warned James by sending a cease-and-desist through a law firm last year, but he reportedly never responded.

The lawfirm, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, investigated a number of online piracy storefronts and identified James as one of the leading kingpins, who was then located through email addresses tied to repair orders in Surprise, Arizona (yes, that's a real city). This happened before the Switch 2 was announced, which meant that Nintendo was more rigorously protecting the now-outdated console. But the company likely has more than enough lawyers and resources to keep an eye on any platform where it sees its products being pirated.

Nintendo announced the Virtual Boy adapter — an accessory that accepts both the Switch and Switch 2 — during the Nintendo Direct 2025 presentation. According to the company’s press release, this will work hand in hand with the upcoming release of Virtual Boy titles in the Nintendo Classics library, allowing Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers to relive the ‘90s.

This add-on is available in two flavors: one is made from plastic and resembles the original 3D console from 1995, priced at $99.99, while the other version is made from cardboard. Although the latter doesn’t look as close to the original as the former, it’s a far more affordable option at just $24.99. But whichever material you choose, it will work with both Switch models, meaning you don’t have to buy Nintendo’s latest handheld to enjoy its classic 3D titles. They’re also quite easy to use — all you have to do is slot your gaming console into the accessory, and you’re good to go.

Nintendo just confirmed that its Switch 2 console can potentially overheat when used in hot environments. According to its X (formerly Twitter) post [machine translated], both the original Switch and the newer Switch 2 must be used in ambient temperatures between 5 and 35 degrees Celsius (41 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit). It also warned against using its consoles outdoors, especially as temperatures in Japan have been soaring above 35 degrees Celsius recently.

“Using Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 in a hot environment may cause the console to become hot. Please use it in a place between 5 and 35°C, as it may cause a malfunction,” Nintendo Japan’s customer service posted on X. “Recently, the temperature has been exceeding 35°C for several days. Please be careful when using outdoors.”

Many users have already reported the overheating issue on the Switch 2 in early July, with the console’s fans spinning at max speed trying to cool the unit. There were also several instances of the handheld crashing — both in handheld and docked modes — with one even saying that it became too hot to hold. More concerningly, these incidents weren’t limited to AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077. There were reports of this happening even while playing less demanding games like Splatoon or Pokémon.

Beyond that, this warning is also concerning for players based in hotter climates. Some regions, especially in the Middle East, the Sahara, and South Asia, often experience temperatures far exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. So, players based in this area would have trouble playing with the Switch 2 unless they’re in an air-conditioned area. And as global temperatures continue to soar, we can only expect more areas to experience higher ambient temperatures, causing more consoles to experience overheating.

The Nintendo Switch 2 received a major hardware upgrade from the original Switch. But despite that, it’s still a woefully underpowered console compared to modern handhelds like the GPD Win 5 and the Ayaneo Next 2. Although most of its fans buy it for its Nintendo exclusives, the company’s decision to have more AAA games available on its platform means that its hardware will be pushed to its performance and thermal limits by more demanding, less optimized titles.

Nintendo just announced a price hike for the U.S. that will hit all original Switch / Switch 1 handheld consoles, select Switch 2 accessories, and the Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo. According to its announcement, the company made these adjustments “based on market conditions,” and they will take effect starting August 3, 2025. Thankfully, the cost for the Nintendo Switch 2, game titles for both Switch 1 & 2, and Nintendo Switch Online memberships remain the same. However, the gaming giant also said that “price adjustments may be necessary in the future.”

This is unusual, as most companies typically drop the prices of their old models after launching next-gen products. And Nintendo has just released the Switch 2, which has been quite successful and is projected to beat the original Switch. However, it seems that these price hikes are driven by economics, especially given the uncertainty of the tariffs that President Trump applied the U.S.’s trading partners. We can't directly blame tariffs for the increasing costs of these consoles, though, as Canada was also affected by these price increases.

The price increases vary between $30 and $50 for the Switch 1 consoles, bringing the cheapest Nintendo handheld to $230 and the most expensive Switch 1 option to nearly $400. At this price, you’re better off spending $50 more and getting the Nintendo Switch 2, which starts at $449.99. This will give you much better performance and a larger screen, although you’ll be missing out on the OLED display. You can also install more games on the new handheld because it uses microSD Express cards. Although these cars are more expensive and harder to find (if you don’t know where to look), they offer better performance and allow you to load games directly from the expansion slot.

More importantly, the Switch 2 is now readily available. This isn’t like the PlayStation 5 launch fiasco, where scalpers made a ton of money buying up Sony’s consoles because it had little to no supply. So, as long as you know where to buy it, you can easily pick up a Nintendo Switch 2 console at any time.

Memory and storage manufacturer Silicon Power just released the Hypera microSDXC Express Card designed for the Switch 2, arriving in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB capacities. The company says that this memory card can hit read speeds of up to 800 MB/s and write speeds of up to 700 MB/s — this reduces download, install, and load times on the new handheld, allowing you to seamlessly play AAA titles without worrying about buffering. It was also tested for reliability, ensuring that it will withstand the rigors of daily use so that you don’t lose data due to the card’s failure.

• Where to buy Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express cards during Amazon Prime Day 2025

The Nintendo Switch 2 supports older microSDXC standards, so you can view screenshots and watch videos. However, if you want to expand its paltry 256GB built-in storage and install multiple AAA titles, you need a microSDXC Express Card. This standard is far more expensive than the older UHS-I and UHS-II standards, but you’d need the SSD-like performance it delivers to avoid frustration with your new console. Most manufacturers only offer microSDXC Express Cards up to 512GB, which might be pretty limiting if you play several titles. So, Silicon Power’s 1TB capacity is an excellent choice if you plan on collecting games and keeping them ready on your device.

Although the Hypera is made for the Nintendo Switch 2, it’s also compatible with the UHS-I standard. This lets you use it on other devices that don’t support the microSD Express standard just yet, like older consoles, cameras, and smartphones. This makes it quite a flexible storage device, allowing you to use it for content creation, transferring large files, and even recording 4K video on your current equipment, but it is also ready for use with future gear.

We expect more manufacturers to start including this standard in their products, especially as the popularity of the Switch 2 drove demand for this memory card to the limit. Thankfully, companies that made these memory cards quickly scaled up their production to meet demand, allowing you to easily buy Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express cards if you know where to look — we even spotted one on sale in Walmart, but you'd better act quickly before stocks run out.

The sheriff of Arapahoe County in Colorado said that 2,810 Nintendo Switch 2 consoles were reported stolen by a truck driver when he discovered during a pre-trip inspection at Lowe’s Truck Stop in the Town of Bennett that his trailer had been broken into. The value of the heist is roughly $1.4 million. According to the sheriff’s X (formerly Twitter) post, the driver was driving from the Nintendo of America headquarters at Redmond, Washington, to a GameStop retail store in Grapevine, Texas, when the heist happened.

The truck driver said that he was unaware of the contents of the trailer — only that it contained games or toys. With each console valued at $499, the total value of the stolen goods is estimated to be over $1.4 million. Unfortunately, it’s unclear if the burglary happened at the truck stop itself or at another place, so investigators are looking to the public for more information about the felony theft. You can see images of the pilfered truck if you expand the tweet below.

Some enterprising hackers have already discovered an exploit on the just-launched Nintendo Switch 2. Bluesky user David Buchanan was the first to show off the exploit, where he apparently discovered a weakness in the console’s shared library.

This vulnerability, called a userland Return-Oriented Programming exploit, allows Buchanan to manipulate a program by overwriting its return address to another piece of code. When chained together, this can force the system to work in an unintended manner — in this case, display custom checkerboard graphics.

When Nintendo announced the Switch 2, it said users would require cards based on the microSD Express standard to expand device memory. Soon after this announcement, both online and physical retail sellers were cleared out, with some store staff telling Hermitage Akihabara in Japan [machine translated] that they sold more than 337 cards per hour. This surprised everyone, especially as microSD Express cards are far more expensive than regular microSD cards.

You'll pay more than double for microSD Express

The vanilla Lexar 1TB Play microSD card has a regular price of $129.99 on Amazon, but is discounted to $69.99 at the time of writing. This card has a read speed of up to 160 MB/s and a write speed of up to 100 MB/s, which is quite respectable but still not as fast as internal device storage. On the other hand, the microSD Express version of this card has a far faster 900 MB/s read speed and 600 MB/s write speed, making it more than five times quicker than the old standard. It comes at a price, though — the Lexar 1TB Play Pro microSD Express card has an original price of $199.99 on Amazon, and even though it’s on sale at $172.63 at the time of writing, it’s still more than double the price of the non-Express version.

No scalping detected

The Chinese leaker who posted CAD images of the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 claims to have a functioning unit for sale. The mysterious seller (via Reddit) allegedly offers the unreleased next-generation console to an accessory manufacturer for about $39,800.

The design from the leaked CAD files seems to have been used by Dbrand and other pre-reveal Switch 2 accessory manufacturers. The leaker would seem to be the most legitimate source, as the console's final design in its reveal video perfectly matched the Dbrand-corroborated leak. Nonetheless, we still recommend treating the information with some salt.

The leaker, who uses the Xiaohongshu forums, told the interested buyer that he or she could experiment with the Switch 2 dock, joystick, and tablet. He also claimed that Pro controllers would become available next week, potentially Nintendo's follow-up to its official Switch Pro peripheral.

Chinese CAD model leaker shows a screenshot of his DMs with a black market seller, saying the prices for the Switch 2 dock, joycons, and tablet will cost him $39,780 from r/NintendoSwitch2

So, will he cough up the dough to access a complete pre-release Switch 2? It may depend on how much money he can make from the endeavor. Full early access to Nintendo Switch 2 hardware could help several cases and peripheral manufacturers— legitimate or otherwise— get an early crack at the hardware and make appropriate accessories for their purposes.

Of course, dealing with stacks of cash like this on the black market, it would seem likely that our CAD design leaker would also demand quite a healthy sum from any prospective Switch 2 flash cart (or other unofficial accessory) manufacturer for each session with such a high-value piece of hardware.

After all, there's no other reason for someone to want a pre-release Nintendo Switch 2. Games enhanced on Switch 2 will likely need Pro-console-esque patches to enable the functionality. Of course, no Switch 2 games will become available, even in physical form, until much closer to the release date. However, the console, especially if it will be shipping with the same out-of-box operating system, seems quite open to the potential of pre-release exploitation and development, considering the details of this story.

Hopefully, Nintendo will confirm a proper release date soon. However, it would be funny if that release date were so far in the future that this early buyer's purchase would be irrelevant.

Retro gaming on the Raspberry Pi is cool enough on its own but it's even more exciting to see the neat housing makers come up with for their retro gaming rigs. Today we've got an awesome build put together by a maker known as BBoHK. Using the latest Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 (CM5), he's created a handheld retro console that resembles a Nintendo Switch.

The cool thing about this Switch build is that you've got the full emulation power of the CM5 backing it up. In example pictures, we see it running titles from consoles as recent as the Nintendo GameCube (or Wii U, the game is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess) — so this is definitely made for more than just 8-bit titles and early 3D games. The Raspberry Pi 5 has the power to emulate the later "retro" consoles with ease. Gamecube, Wii, Dreamcast are all now easily emulated thanks to the powerful Raspberry Pi 5. The case has been customized so that you have access to everything you might need with plenty of ports made available around its perimeter.

We're doubly excited about the Switch design as news has been circulating over the last few months of its upcoming sequel console, the Switch 2. Just last month, we covered a potential design leak that was unveiled by a case maker that showed a similar build but with a much larger screen and the usual Joycons.

We get a really good look at the inside which is absolutely gorgeous. It's built around a custom PCB that houses the CM5 along with all of the accessories that make the build possible including a screen, 2500 mAh battery, internal M.2 SSD and more. The hardware is kept in place using 3D printed mounting components.

As far as software goes, the sky is the limit. It's running on a CM5 module so you can run Raspberry Pi OS and open individual emulation apps or choose something dedicated like RetroPie or Lakka. In the end, you've got a lot of flexibility and that's part of the appeal in creating a handheld retro gaming rig like this.

We're absolute suckers for this design and definitely recommend checking it out. If you want to get a closer look at this Raspberry Pi project, check out the original thread shared to X (formerly Twitter) by BBoHK.

Several legitimate-looking leaks of the Nintendo Switch 2's final design have surfaced this past week. Still, these culminated yesterday with Dbrand's unexpected release of a full 3D render of a Nintendo Switch 2, albeit with a version of the Dbrand Killswitch carrying case for handheld PCs redesigned for Switch 2. Speaking to The Verge on the topic, Dbrand CEO Adam Ijaz claimed the company used its access to the actual dimensions of Switch 2 based on a 3D scan of actual hardware, which measures roughly 270mm wide with Joy-Cons attached (200mm without), 116mm tall, and 14mm thick.

The apparent Nintendo Switch 2 also has a much larger 8-inch screen versus Switch OLED's 7.2-inch and Switch's 6.2-inch displays, adds an extra "C" (capture?) button on the right Joy-Con, sports magnetically-detachable Joy-Con controllers with a more pronounced curve, top and bottom USB-C ports, and has a wide U-shaped kickstand, akin to the improved stand on Switch OLED.

Everything we know about the device now, presumably just months before a Q1 2025 launch date, points toward a Switch 2 design that has truly evolved from Switch OLED. However, it seems unlikely to use an OLED screen—instead, most specs leaks report that this 8-inch screen is a 1080p IPS LCD (hopefully of much higher quality than Switch LCD).

As far as Dbrand's Killswitch Switch 2 case design goes, the usually upgraded kickstand or full-body-enclosure casings of Killswitch cases (previously made for Steam Deck, etc.) aren't present here since Switch 2's detachable Joy-Cons must be kept in mind...instead, the body separates into parts appropriately and now a teal bungee cord is used to hold the affair together. It looks striking, and Dbrand has a good reputation as a phone and handheld protective case provider, so we're sure the final design will be successful.

That said, we understand those of you yearning for a more...unaltered look at the Nintendo Switch 2. We don't quite have that yet, but the leaked specifications given by Dbrand happen to match a 3D-printed mock-up received by YouTube channel SwitchUp earlier this week, which should give some idea of how the vanilla unit will look and feel.

Ultimately, this massive leak from Dbrand (who presumably aren't bound by an NDA) points toward an imminent announcement and release date reveal for Nintendo Switch 2. Past comments placed the Switch 2's release before the end of 2024, and Nintendo itself has set a deadline of March 2025 as the date by which Switch 2 details will be revealed. Seeing as that's just three months away, that window is closing fast, and carrying case manufacturers like Dbrand are already ramping up production (and hype) for Nintendo's next great handheld hybrid console.

Chinese customs officials at the Liantang Port got more than they bargained for when an unusually busty woman was spotted among the incoming passengers. Noting her nervous behavior, they intercepted and inspected her, leading to the discovery that she was attempting to smuggle 350 Nintendo Switch game cartridges into mainland China in her bra.

The customs officials noticed the woman was behaving abnormally and that her “look and attitude were not innocent.” One eagle-eyed customs official also believed her breasts looked unusual, so they pulled her from the line of incoming passengers for further inspection.

That inspection revealed the woman was not as well-endowed as she hoped officials would believe. They found 350 Nintendo Switch game cartridges stuffed into her bra. The initial estimated value of the smuggled goods was 70,000 yuan ($9,660).

Chinese customs officials pointed out Article 7 of the Regulations on the Implementation on the Implementation of Customs Administrative Punishments of the People's Republic of China. That regulation prohibits people entering China from evading “customs supervision by hiding, disguising, concealing declarations, false declarations or other means, transporting, carrying, or mailing goods that are prohibited or restricted from entry or exit by the state.”

Bringing in or taking goods out of China without paying appropriate taxes is, like in most nations, considered smuggling and illegal. Assuming the Nintendo Switch game cards aren’t determined to be prohibited or restricted, the suspect could be subject to a fine of “not more than three times the amount of duties payable but evaded.”

Liantang Port is the mainland China counterpart to Heung Yuen Tai Control Point in Hong Kong. Located in Shenzhen, the land border control point was established to reduce the traffic through other border crossings in the country. It opened to passenger traffic on Feb. 6, 2023.

As Nintendo Switch unlocks and homebrew software develops, people are inclined to explore the possibilities and whether or not they actually provide a good experience. Our new prime example seems to be a full install of Windows 11 Arm on the Switch. As noted by @PatRyk on Twitter, who actually set this up, the experience is pretty grueling! The initial installation took three hours, and even basic system tasks were unresponsive.

Things really start looking bleak when we try to game on a Switch with Windows 11 installed. The optimization, performance overhead, or both are simply so extreme that even extremely basic games (graphically speaking) like Peggle struggle to run under this environment. Compare this to the regular Switch, which can run Doom Eternal at 30 FPS most of the time with resolution scaling, and the performance loss is staggering.

So why would anyone do this, and is there any way that replacing the default Switch OS can improve the Switch gaming experience? In this case, the "why" seemed to be for the sake of fun or testing, though perhaps PatRyk should have considered using Tiny11 Core for Arm instead of base Windows 11 for the best results. Of course, the best results you'll get on Switch's Arm architecture these days is a Linux OS, and that's where we can start talking about slightly more applicable uses of Switch OS replacement.

In ARM Linux game testing from Taki Udon on YouTube (embedded above), the Switch shows off some gaming chops at resolutions up to 4K. However, only old and emulated games were used to refrain from taxing the hardware. Still, Crispy Doom ran quite well in the 240 Hz mode, and GameCube games were running at 4X native without issue on the Switch hardware under Linux. Not bad!

The best modern experiences with a Switch console will, of course, only be experienced within the constraints of the main Switch OS and its games. However, a hacked Switch is good enough to moonlight as an emulation/streaming PC, and if you aren't scared to wander outside The Garden Nintendo, the Steam Deck and its alternatives may also serve you well.

Nintendo confirmed on X that the Switch 2, the successor to the highly popular Nintendo Switch, will be announced this fiscal year. The original Switch went on sale seven years ago, in March 2017, making it one of the oldest consoles currently on the market. Although Nintendo updated the Switch with the Switch OLED in 2021, it was technically the same console, but with a larger 7-inch OLED screen and bigger storage.

Despite its aging hardware, Nintendo has released some great exclusives on Switch in recent years, allowing it to remain competitive despite nearing the end of its life cycle. These include Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020), Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (2022), and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023).

In contrast, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S launched in 2020, with a newer, slimmer version of the former coming out in 2023. We also reported on a leak of the PlayStation 5 Pro specs in March, as many expect it to come out this year. Furthermore, the recent launch of portable Windows gaming consoles like the ROG Ally and MSI Claw could add pressure on the company, especially as Asus plans to launch the ROG Ally 2 later this year.

Because of the new rival consoles on the market, Nintendo may feel hard pressed to release the next-generation Switch. However, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa said on X, “We will be holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during the presentation.”

If Nintendo launches new exclusives for the current generation Switch in June, it won’t make sense for the company to pre-empt any last-minute sales of the old console by announcing the Switch 2 soon after. The original Switch was first announced in March 2015, with the handheld arriving two years later in 2017. So, if Nintendo sticks to this schedule, it will probably announce the Switch 2 in March 2025.

However, we don’t have any news on when it will hit store shelves. It took Nintendo two years to bring the original Switch to market, but we hope that it won't take Nintendo to give us the Switch 2, as we want to get it by late 2025. By then, the first-generation Nintendo Switch would have had a full eight-year lifespan.

The company hasn’t released any official specifications for the next-generation console yet. However, Nintendo Switch 2 rumors indicate that the new handheld will use a more powerful Ampere-based Nvidia chip, with eight times as many CUDA cores as the current Switch. It will also likely take advantage of DLSS, allowing gamers to enjoy higher-quality visuals without suffering from reduced battery life or poor game performance.

Corsair’s HS80 Wireless gaming headset arrived in 2021 to strong but mixed reviews, and was followed by the wired HS80 RGB. Our review of the HS80 RGB, which gave the headset four out of five stars, praised its build quality, design, and overall audio performance, but took issue with its inflexible connectivity, which only supported PC and Mac — not quite one of the best wireless gaming headsets around. 

Now, Corsair has the solution: the HS80MAX Wireless. It’s broadly similar to the HS80 Wireless and HS80 but improves connectivity. The PlayStation 5 is now compatible with the headset’s 2.4GHz wireless dongle, and Bluetooth joins the party with support for iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. This bumps the price up to $179.99, up from the HS80 Wireless’ $149.99, which seems a fair price for the improvement in versatility. 

Design and Comfort 

Corsair’s HS80MAX Wireless struck a soft, inviting, modern profile that looked fantastic in a variety of home office and gaming setups. The white model, which I received, appears friendly and inviting: a matte black model is available for those with more reserved tastes. No matter the color you choose, the HS80MAX’s design is defined by rounded edges and tapered shapes. 

Build quality is good but not exceptional. The hinges which connect the earcups to the head strap are metal, but plastic dominates the rest of the design. That’s not a surprise given the headset’s price point: I can’t immediately think of similarly priced competitors with significantly more durable materials. Alternatives like the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X are in another league, though way more expensive. 

The Corsair HS80MAX has RGB lighting but, like the rest of the headset, it’s subtle. Lighting is only available in a few locations such as the Corsair logos on the exterior of each earcup and the microphone. I liked this approach, but I’m also not a fan of RGB lighting. Those who prefer more LED flair might be disappointed.

The power and volume buttons lurk around the rear of the left earcup, while the Bluetooth pairing button is on the right. The buttons activate with a firm, tactile click, and they have a textured surface that’s distinct from the material around them. The headset also has a USB-C port on the left earcup and ships with a six-foot USB-C cable in the box. 

Comfort was a highlight, as the Corsair HS80MAX has thick, substantial padding covered in supple, pleasant fabric. The headset’s size is adjusted with a simple velcro strap on the headband. I have a big head that can challenge some headsets, but the HS80MAX managed to accommodate my dome on its largest setting. 

The ear cups also fit nicely over my ears. I eventually felt a touch of pressure after wearing the headset for several hours, but this occurs with nearly all headsets I use (big head, remember?) — the Corsair HS80MAX was more comfortable than most. The Logitech G733, for instance, was too small for my head, and quickly became uncomfortable. 

While the Corsair HS80MAX is enjoyable in most situations, the fabric wasn’t especially breathable, and the headset felt warm on my ears after a couple hours of use in an air-conditioned room. I expect they wouldn’t be a great choice for gaming in a hot or humid environment. 

The Corsair HS80MAX’s overall design and comfort left me impressed. They fit well on my head, stayed in place, and caused little strain after several hours of use. I’d be more than happy to use them as my “daily driver.”

Specs

Audio Performance

The Corsair HS80MAX Wireless packs 50mm neodymium drivers. It also has support for Dolby Atmos and Atmos Spatial Sound, which holds hope for surround sound performance. With that said, it doesn’t offer 5.1 or 7.1 virtual surround.

First up, music. The HS80MAX proved a solid and well-rounded performer and made a good first impression, but it didn’t knock my socks off.

Boards of Canada’s New Seeds immediately revealed the headset’s limitations. This is a complex track that frequently hits high, bass, and mid-range simultaneously, and includes numerous details that can be difficult for any sound system to pick up. The HS80MAX had a warm and pleasant sound with good bass that didn’t overwhelm the mids, but the audio felt close compared to better headphones (such as the Denon AH-D2000s I typically use). The subtle shifting of the track’s gritty, static-like mid-range percussion was hard to pick out.

Taylor Swift’s Anti-Hero, on the other hand, was a win. This a warm track to begin with, and it arguably benefited from the HS80MAX’s close, intimate sound stage. Swift’s excellent vocal delivery was mere millimeters from ear, and there’s nothing wrong with that. 

Yves Tumor’s Echolaila was a mixed win. Sean Lee Bowie’s vocals are, perhaps unsurprisingly, not on par with Swift, and the HS80MAX highlighted the less pleasant elements of his breathy, raspy delivery. The low end was present and accounted for, however, without overwhelming either the vocals or the mid-range, and the narrow soundstage continued to provide an immersive listening experience.

The HS80MAX’s overall performance in music was solid but didn’t entirely clear my (admittedly rather high) standards. My key issue was the close, narrow soundstage. Every track seemed to place me on the stage with the band which, though dramatic, isn’t always desirable. It was listenable, but certainly not on par with mid-range audiophile headphones.

Throw the HS80MAX into games, however, and the headset comes into its element. The HS80MAX supports Dolby Atmos surround and offers a rather good experience in games that provide surround sound support. 

The headset’s close, narrow sound, while a problem in music, was less of a problem in games and movies that offer surround sound. Explosions, blaster shots, and the rumble jet engines were presented with cinematic flair and provided plenty of audio drama alongside on-screen action. 

Sound staging, while not the best I’ve ever heard, was good for the price point. Lefts, rights, and center channels are extremely distinct. More dynamic audio effects, like a TIE Fighter screeching above me in Star Wars: Battlefront 2, weren’t entirely convincing, but the difference in audio staging was noticeable. I didn’t feel the urge to duck for cover, but my brain understood what the audio was trying to convey.

The warm, pleasant, and balanced bass is also a benefit for both audio quality games and the headset’s surround sound performance. Many of the most dramatic sounds in games move across the low and mid-range. Remember the TIE Fighter’s shriek: that piercing howl, when heard on a high-quality sound system, obscures a more visceral rumble. Effects like this were a joy on the HS80MAX.

Microphone

A retractable mic is attached to the Corsair HS80MAX Wireless’ left earcup. It automatically turned off when retracted, and back on when deployed. A soft feminine voice offered an audible reminder when moving between each mode.

The microphone’s audio quality was excellent. My voice picked up strong and clear without the boomy or hollow quality found in less capable headset microphones. In fact, it’s the best headset microphone I can recall hearing this year (although, admittedly, I haven’t had the privilege to try cream-of-the-crop models like the Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless).

A high-quality microphone is great for games, but also useful in less enjoyable tasks. The HS80MAX is an ideal headset for Zoom or Teams video conferences. Odds are you’ll sound better than anyone else on the call. I even think an amateur YouTube or Podcast creator could rely on this microphone until it makes sense to invest in a standalone mic.

Corsair opts for an omni-directional microphone and seems to rely on noise cancellation to filter out background noises. Owners of Nvidia video cards can use Nvidia Broadcast for AI noise filtration. Unfortunately, I was using an AMD video card and couldn't use this feature.

The microphone had a tendency to pick up background noises, such as a loud mechanical keyboard. However, this trait wasn’t so strong that capable video and audio communication software, like Discord or Zoom, couldn’t filter it out. Friends listening to my voice on Discord were satisfied with its quality and didn’t notice the click-clack of my keyboard unless I was speaking while typing.

Features and Software

Corsair’s iCue software, which is available for both Windows and MacOS, controls all headset features. This includes key assignments, lighting effects, and equalizing settings. ICue is an attractive, intuitive app, and it performed well on my desktop. The app also controls other Corsair devices, which is handy if you own other Corsair hardware. Corsair partners with Philips and Nanoleaf to allow control of Philips Hue and Nanoleaf light panels, though some setup is required.

Corsair includes a sound customization feature, SoundID, which I accessed through the iCue software. It presents an audio text that takes roughly five minutes to finish, once complete, customizes the sound of the headphones to meet your preferences. I highly recommend using the feature. It reduced my issues with the headset’s close and narrow sound, slightly widening the stage to help details stand out in complex tracks. An equalizer and sound presets were available, but can’t be used when SoundID is turned on.

The Corsair HS80MAX supports both Bluetooth and Wireless (via the included USB dongle), and offers broad compatibility which includes PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, Switch, iOS, and Android (though Xbox is left out). This is a broad range of connectivity of a gaming headset, and it makes the HS80MAX useful as both a gaming headset and general purpose headphones.

Wireless range is excellent, too. A USB dongle is provided to enable a low-latency 2.4GHz wireless connection. It delivered a strong signal throughout my entire house. To my surprise, Bluetooth proved even stronger: I made it 30 feet out my front door before I lost connection to my iPhone 12 Mini, which was placed in the rear-most room of my house. That’s outstanding.

Battery Life (if applicable)

Corsair claims the HS80MAX RGB Wireless can achieve up to 130 hours of battery life over Bluetooth, and 65 over wireless. That’s not the best available — the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless leads the pack with up to 300 hours of battery life — but it’s pretty good.

Still, the HS80MAX should only require a charge once every few days even if used all-day for both work and gaming. More casual users could weeks between charges. I didn’t need to charge it even once during the week I reviewed the headset.

Bottom Line

The Corsair HS80MAX Wireless delivered dramatic, impactful sound in games and movies, an excellent microphone, and versatile connectivity in an attractive, comfortable headset with great battery life. Music was at times narrow and claustrophobic, but I suspect less picky listeners will have zero complaints.

The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) has a better mic and includes (slightly underwhelming) virtual surround by way of THX Spatial Audio, but costs a little more at $199.99. And if you don’t mind the wires, HyperX’s recently-released Cloud III headset is an excellent option for just under $100. But all in all, the HS80MAX is a headset I’d be happy to use for all my tasks all day, every day, and it’s well worth its $179.99 MSRP.

Have you ever wanted to catch a shiny Pokémon that wasn’t just the red Gyarados from the Lake of Rage? We feel you. Catching an off-color Pokémon is hard to do and shiny hunting can be a time-consuming process. That’s why this maker and developer, known online as Dinones, has automated the process using our favorite SBC, the Raspberry Pi. The idea behind his project was to totally automate the process so his Nintendo Switch (an actual Switch not just an emulator) would run all night hunting "shinies" while he sleeps.

The end result is a custom program that can run on a Raspberry Pi that uses the power of artificial intelligence to identify shiny Pokémon. If it detects a shiny, it then proceeds to catch it with a Master Ball. If you’re not familiar, this is a special type of Pokéball that automatically catches any Pokémon without fail. You typically get just one per game, but Dinones explains he has a few thanks to cloning items. If you don’t use a Master Ball, there’s a good chance your shiny Pokémon will escape capture.

The Raspberry Pi is able to send input to the Switch thanks to a Python-based application called NXBT. This application acts as a fake controller that communicates with the Switch using Bluetooth. With this, you can program any custom response to whatever Pokémon pops up on screen (shiny or not).

The Raspberry Pi is able to see what’s on the Switch thanks to the use of a capture card. This sends images to the Pi which allows it to process the input and make a decision about how to respond. If a shiny is present, it catches it. If not, the game soft resets and the process starts over.

In this case, Dinones is using OpenCV for image processing. There are a few ways you can go about training it to recognize "shinies". He delves deeper into this process in the demo video of the project over at YouTube. You can also find the source code for the project at GitHub.

We highly recommend checking out this Raspberry Pi project in action in the demo video. It’s too cool to ignore—especially if you’re a Pokémon fan with sore thumbs from shiny hunting. If you want a team of legit "shinies" to blow your friends away, this is definitely one project you should check out.

Microsoft is pulling out all the stops to prevent emulators from being used by mainstream gamers on its Xbox series consoles. A few months ago, the Xbox team announced that emulators running in "retail mode" would no longer be legal, and banned all emulators from the Microsoft Store. However, the situation quickly escalated when a group of developers found a loophole in the system. As a result, Microsoft is now handing out 15-day suspensions to anyone desperate enough to run emulators outside of developer mode (due to the loophole).

Emulation is the defacto way to keep really old classic games, say from the PS1 era from going the way of the Dodo. With emulation, gamers can continue playing these really old games on modern computer hardware. However, due to the additional cost of running emulation, many gamers prefer to use hardware like the Xbox series consoles to play emulated games since these consoles have really powerful CPUs compared to other consoles (like the Nintendo Switch).

In fact, Microsoft's Xbox series consoles are so powerful that they can run emulated games at higher resolutions and extra graphical options than originally intended.

Apparently Microsoft never officially disclosed why emulators were banned, but Azure developer Alyanna McKenna on Twitter shared some insider knowledge from the Xbox QA team about the ban. According to her tweet, Microsoft banned emulators due to copyright protection issues with Nintendo. Emulators published on the Microsoft Store can come pre-bundled with Nintendo games that are not legally allowed to be played by the application.

Additionally, the tweet goes on to say that these emulators can require permissions beyond the typical use case for a game or app on an Xbox console, and banning emulators altogether can close this security loophole as well. Now, it's worth noting that this is not an official Microsoft press release, but it gives us good insight into its decision-making on the matter.

However, this did not stop developers and hackers from making a workaround to get past the ban altogether. Apparently, a few months after Microsoft put the ban in place, a group of emulation developers were able to exploit a fault in Microsoft's software that allowed their emulator to run in an Xbox console's normal mode or "retail mode" (more on that later). As a result, Microsoft has now added an additional 15-day suspension for anyone gutsy enough to try this workaround.

Thankfully this problem is not that serious, for some reason Microsoft still allows Xbox gamers to run emulation apps as long as the console is running in "development mode" instead of "retail mode". A development license only costs $20 so it's a very easy way to re-enable emulation support on an Xbox console legally. But, given how stringent Microsoft has been with its current policy, don't be surprised if this "loophole" also gets banned in the future.

An abducted teenager is now safe at home, thanks in part to the collaborative work between Nintendo and the FBI, as well as volunteers from Hear Their Voices. ABC15 reports that the unnamed child disappeared from her Virginia home on August 3, 2022. She was missing for 11 days before the FBI and Tolleson police pinpointed her location and surrounded her abductor’s apartment in Arizona.

The story starts, naturally, in Virginia. Shortly after the then-14-year-old went missing, volunteers from non-profit organization Hear Their Voices came to help. They posted flyers the next day and canvassed nearby neighborhoods in wider circles day-by-day. However, they didn’t know that the girl had already been taken on a bus more than 2,000 miles away.

Her abductor was reportedly a 28-year-old man, Ethan Roberts. He made friends with the victim on the internet, before going to Virginia to abduct her, according to court documents.

When the 14-year-old was taken from Virginia, she was allowed to bring her Nintendo Switch games console. ABC15 reports that during her captivity, the victim watched YouTube and downloaded a game, thereby dropping “digital breadcrumbs.” Thanks to a connected Switch gaming friend in her Virginia locality, authorities were alerted.

“The fact that somebody else down the road — another child — was bright enough to go, ‘Hey, look, my friend is online, and she's been missing, and I need to tell somebody’” was pivotal, retired Arizona DPS Director Frank Milstead, explained to ABC15. Remember, the poster campaign by Hear Their Voices will have helped raise this local awareness.

After the digital breadcrumbs were picked up, on day 10, the FBI and Nintendo worked to locate the girl’s Switch console via its IP address. She was freed from Roberts’ apartment the next day, and is now at home in Virginia recovering from her ordeal.

Ethan Roberts was “indicted in federal court for charges including child pornography and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity,” says ABC15. Roberts subsequently made a plea deal, and this April began a sentence of 30 years in federal prison.

Apparently, there have been over 21 million Xbox Series X and Series S consoles sold by Microsoft, since launch. A slide reported to have been shared by Microsoft, at the ID@Xbox Developer Accelerator Program in Brazil, has provided this number. That is a lot of consoles, but the number isn't quite as impressive when compared to the sales numbers from console rivals Sony and Nintendo.  

Microsoft has been tight-lipped regarding sales figures for Xbox consoles for nearly a decade. It has been speculated that management decided to hide console unit sales by getting its accountants to publicly weigh Microsoft’s Xbox business in terms of Xbox Live and Game Pass subscriptions. This provides optics than showing the Xbox console unit numbers obviously lagging rivals.

Another revelation concerns the numbers of Xbox One family consoles sold in their lifetime. Remember, it has been so long since we saw Xbox hardware unit sales from Microsoft that it extends to the previous generation. Doing some trivial math, we see that there were 58 million Xbox One consoles sold during its era. Clearly, the Xbox Series X / S still have a long way to go to reach such numbers. To get a good handle on this data, we think a chart is called for.

Note that with the figures above we have tried to source the latest official totals. You can see the Xbox figures that have come from the headlining Microsoft slide at the top. The latest PlayStation 5 and Switch console hardware sales figures come from numbers shared this March, so will be a little out of date by now.

One other interesting morsel from the Microsoft slide concerns the cheaper Xbox Series S. At launch, we contrasted Microsoft’s strategy of launching the Series S with Sony’s. The slide’s assertion that 48% of Series S players are new to Xbox paints it as quite a success. That is a good conversion figure, and that console’s pricing takes it much further into the impulse buying zone than its bigger brother (or Sony’s consoles).

In the current battle royale between the Xbox Series and Sony PS5 consoles, it looks likely that Sony could pull ahead a bit more. Sony was particularly badly affected during the peak pandemic years, with the chip crunch and big stay-at-home demand. However, that period appears to be behind us now and Sony is predicting another 19 million PS5 consoles will be sold by its financial year end (March 31, 2024).

Healthy PC Gaming Market

Last but not least, another slide from the ID@Xbox Developer Accelerator Program showed some figures for PC gaming. Yes, PCs continue to be a hugely important gaming market with “248.6m active Windows gaming PCs,” according to Microsoft.

There are tons of cool Raspberry Pi gaming handhelds that have been created over the years. One that we really appreciate is the Retro Lite CM4 created by a maker known as StonedEdge. This handheld resembles a Nintendo Switch but instead has a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 inside and runs RetroPie. Today we’re sharing a new accessory he’s made that also uses a Raspberry Pi component—an RP2040-powered docking station.

The docking station is designed so that the Retro Lite CM4 can charge while it’s placed in the station. According to StonedEdge, it also works with any other Linux-based RetroPie system. It features a little screen, as well, so you can see stats about your playing history as well as get a look at game data based on whatever you’re playing at the time.

There are three main modes that the screen alternates through including a default splash screen, your gaming history stats as well as a game mode that updates to reflect whatever is currently launched in RetroPie. The charging takes place using a USB-C port while an HDMI port provides video output.

The unit is 3D printed and designed to not just look nice but to also provide access to the hardware and ports for ease of use. The LCD screen is 1.5-inches across and has a resolution of 128 x 128px. There are three USB 2.0 ports available to connect peripherals to, as well. Everything is connected to a custom PCB that sports an RP2040 processor.

StonedEdge provides an in depth look at the software-side of the project over at GitHub. When the system first boots, it displays the default splash screen. Once EmulationStation is running, it starts to show basic system stats like the CPU temperature and IP address. It will also rotate through things like which games you play the most and how often you play them. Lastly, game mode activates when you launch a title.

A lot of work went into this accessory and we really appreciate the time and effort StonedEdge took to bring it to fruition. This is more than a simple dock, it’s a fully functional gadget with custom housing and a unique PCB. Check out the original thread shared to Reddit to get a closer look at this Raspberry Pi project in action.

Last week Sony took the wraps off its Project Q handheld. A lot of questions about the device were answered during the showcase event, however, a vital handheld specification wasn't provided — battery life. Now Tom Henderson, a games industry tipster with a long track record, has gone public to assert that the Sony Project Q will only last for three to four hours between charges.

Sony's latest handheld could be described as a 'dumb' device, in that it doesn't have onboard processors for tackling PlayStation gaming content. All the onboard processing power needs to do is handle games streaming and user inputs without detrimental lag. It is possible to enjoy PS Remote Play streaming on gadgets like mobiles, tablets, and so on as the PlayStation game processing is done in the cloud, but Sony thought a dedicated device like the Project Q is the best way to do justice to its games catalog.

With its light processing burden in mind, one might expect it would be relatively easy for the Sony Project Q to offer extended battery life, as the Logitech G Cloud can. However, if Henderson is right, users will get a desperately short unplugged experience here. Sony must have decided this was enough, and/or the decision was steered by the overall weight, size, or cost of the handheld.

To put the claimed Sony Project Q handheld battery life into some perspective, let us compare it with a mix of contemporary handheld gaming and smart devices:

• Logitech G Cloud: 'all day' 12+ hours claimed
• Apple iPad 10th Gen (2022): about 10 hours
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus (2023): about 9 hours
• Nintendo Switch OLED: between 4.5 and 9 hours
• Valve Steam Deck: usually 2 to 6 hours observed in our review
• Asus ROG Ally: PC gaming 1.43 hours, web activity 5.51 hours in our review testing

In the above examples, you can see devices like the ROG Ally really eat through their batteries when games are using the local CPU and GPU power (actually the AMD Ryzen A1 Extreme APU). However, it looks like it would be able to stream games for nearly six hours. This kind of local processing vs streaming battery life usage differential is a big reason why the touted Sony Project Q handheld battery life is so disappointing. The source takes a swipe at Sony, by adding that "at least Project Q is on brand with the DualSense having a short battery life." Hopefully, Henderson's information comes from a pre-release testing unit with a smaller battery, or there is another pre-release hardware issue at play stunting the battery life.

Another factor that will be important to the success or failure of the Sony Project Q will be pricing, which was also held back from the unveiling event. Henderson expects the product release to be sometime in November, and we should get pricing nearer that time.

With PS Remote Play, Sony allows gamers to stream games from their PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles to Android, iOS, iPadOS, macOS and Windows devices. You can even stream to another PS5 or PS4 if you wish. But now, Sony is putting a new twist on Remote Play by introducing the Project Q handheld.

To the untrained eye, Project Q looks like little more than a DualShock 5 controller split in half and then joined by an 8-inch display. The controllers have adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, while the 8-inch display features a 1080p resolution and is capped at 60 fps. 

You'll connect to Remote Play exclusively over Wi-Fi, according to Sony. There are apparently no provisions for integrated cellular connectivity. However, it shouldn't be hard to connect to the internet on the go using your smartphone as a mobile hotspot.

Before you get any ideas that Project Q could be a true Valve Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally or even Nintendo Switch competitor, know that it is only a streaming device. No games are installed directly on the handheld, nor is it packing hardware powerful enough to enable native playback. So, if you want a genuine, self-contained handheld gaming machine, you'll want to stick to the above devices.

Unfortunately, Sony was light on additional details for Project Q. We don't know how much it weighs or how long the internal battery lasts. In addition, no pricing information has been revealed, although we know Sony plans to launch it later this year.

What remains to be seen is if this will be a popular device with customers. As mentioned in the introduction, Sony offers a wide range of options for customers to stream games from their PS5 or PS4. For example, the recently announced Backbone One PlayStation Edition allows you to have a similar Remote Play experience with your Android smartphone. However, you miss out on the larger 8-inch display, haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

The big sticking point with customers will likely come down to pricing. The PlayStation 5 starts at $399, so Project Q will have to undercut that price by a fair margin to make a splash with the console gaming community.

We’ve been excited for the Asus ROG Ally handheld for a while and, now that it’s here, we’re eager to see what all it can do. In our review of the Asus Ally, we noted that it offers good performance and a bright screen, but mediocre battery life. And when you compare the Asus Ally vs the Steam Deck, it's a tie because each has its strengths when playing PC games.

But what about emulation? How well does Asus's new handheld play games made for consoles. YouTuber ETA Prime was determined to find out and shows us in the video below. The results are very promising as the Ally is able to handle games from PS3 (usually an emulation challenge), the Nintendo Switch and Xbox 360.

On the lighter end of the emulation spectrum, ETA Prime demonstrated it’s ability to play PSP games with ease using PPSSPP. It can also handle 3DS emulation using Citra, a Nintendo 3DS emulation platform. These systems are less demanding hardware-wise than consoles so it goes without surprise that the Asus ROG Ally handled them so well.

As far as consoles are concerned, ETA Prime also demonstrated its ability to run GameCube ROMs using Dolphin. PlayStation 2 games were also on the table thanks to PCSX2, a Windows-compatible PS2 emulation platform. From the same era, we also got a look at Xbox emulation with CXBX. It handled the WiiU fairly well using CEMU and brought us to the modern era of consoles by emulating the Nintendo Switch. In addition, it could handle Xbox 360 and PS3 emulation with reliable playability.

The Asus ROG Ally runs Windows so Steam access is a given. However, if you’re looking for an emulation platform there’s definitely great potential to be had. If you want to get a closer look at the Asus ROG Ally in action, check out the demonstration video shared to YouTube by ETA Prime.

The $4 Raspberry Pi Pico is fast becoming the glue for retro projects and this project from David Pagels brings retro Nintendo controllers to Nintendo's popular Switch console via USB and in a recent update, Bluetooth.

David Pagels Retro-Pico-Switch project is deliciously simple: Use your old Nintendo 64 and Gamecube controllers with a Nintendo Switch. No configuration is necessary; Just download a UF2 file from the releases page, set your Pico W ready for flashing, drag and drop the UF2 on to the Pico and then it reboots as a Bluetooth device. The only slightly difficult part of the project is connecting the controller to the Pico. Thankfully there are pinout references that can be used to map the controller pins to the Pico. The N64 controller interface has just three pins. Pin 1 connects to a 3.6V power source, pin 2 is for data, and pin 3 is GND. The software is looking for a connection between pin 2 (data) and GPIO 18 of the Pico. A 1 Kilo Ohm resistor is used between pin 2 and 1 to pull the data pin high, ensuring consistent data transmission. The Gamecube pinout is a little more involved, with seven pins, but pin 2 (red wire) is data, pin 6 (blue wire) is 3.3V and pin 7 (black wire) is Ground. The remaining pins are for the rumble feedback.

To give the project a clean aesthetic, there is a 3D printable enclosure for the Nintendo 64 controller interface. The 3D printable parts are small and easy to print, with the best 3D printers. Playing the recent Metroid Prime remaster with an original Gamecube controller would be an epic blast of nostalgia.

Pagels' attention to detail sees the Switch's home button mapped to a combination of the L, R and Start buttons, and dynamic scaling is used for each axis of the joystick to account for the reduced range that older analog controllers had. The project benefits from a recent update to the Pico SDK which brought Bluetooth support to the board's Infineon CYW43439 wireless chip. Bluetooth support was introduced to the Raspberry Pi Pico W via SDK 1.5.0 in February 2023. Bluetooth support has yet to be made officially available for MicroPython and CircuitPython and this is why Pagels' project uses the C SDK. 

As a neat bonus, the project can also be used on other machines. This makes it an ideal input for a spot of retro emulation with real controllers. Four player Goldeneye and Diddy Kong Racing would really benefit from the N64 controller.

You can download the code, and learn more about this great project via Pagels' GitHub repository. Sure, Nintendo sells versions of the N64 controller that are compatible with the Switch by default, but what fun is that?

Nvidia has just published its latest set of financials for its fourth quarter and fiscal 2023. Despite revenues continuing to follow a downtrend, the results were better than expected. Moreover, Nvidia is seen as a big wheel in AI accelerator hardware, so its shares surged by over 10% in after-hours trading. Another interesting result within the myriad numbers is that Nvidia’s gaming segment revenue is now only 10% more than its rival AMD.

Nvidia and AMD Gaming Segment Tussle

Nvidia’s gaming segment revenue takes account of income from PC GPUs, as well as its Nintendo Switch hardware and GeForce Now games streaming service. Together these operations generated $1,831M during its most recent quarter. Sadly for Nvidia, this revenue figure is down 46% YoY.

AMD’s gaming segment results are derived from the sum of its income from PC GPUs, as well as its significant semi-custom business for both Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation consoles. The latest AMD figures were published at the end of January and showed that its gaming segment revenue totaled $1,644M during its most recent quarter. Thus, we observe the gaming revenue difference between the green and red teams from their latest financial statements is a measly 10 or 11%, and could turn either way in the coming months.

Considering the above comparison in terms of PC GPUs, we don’t see AMD making any waves in the discrete GPU market to account for its close gaming revenue rivalry. The latest Steam Hardware Survey shows market shares are seemingly entrenched at approx 75% Nvidia, 15% AMD, and 10% for others – for the last 18 months. Rather, as mentioned above, AMD’s console chip sales are doing well.

Nvidia’s Latest Results

Turning our focus back to today’s results from the green team, we see that the chip designer brought in $6,061M in revenue during its most recent quarter. This figure, and the net income, was higher than Wall Street expected, and that is almost always great for a share price, post-results publishing. This is despite the most recent quarterly figures being poorer than this time last year.

Yes, the gaming revenue was down, but there was a bright spot for Nvidia investors in the data center. Data center revenue was up 11% over the year, which is a good achievement in a downturn. Moreover, the data center segment includes AI accelerators, and all things AI are very hotly trending at this time.

In 2023 we have seen a lot more PC GPU action from Nvidia, so it has a good chance to grab even more share of the PC market, especially when the mainstream cards start to become available (hopefully at mainstream prices). As for total gaming segment revenue, AMD will still likely enjoy the support from the very strong demand for Sony and Microsoft consoles, but we don’t have much in the way of indications for its mainstream RDNA 3 graphics card product launches.

The Nintendo Switch may be nearly six years old, but it has proven to have serious staying power, redefining what a console generation looks like with its longevity. In fact, Nintendo plans to increase the number of the consoles it's making, according to a report from Bloomberg, having shipped around 21 million Switch systems in its fiscal year that ends in March.

Nintendo reportedly informed suppliers that it expects to build more units in its next fiscal year, beginning in April. It previously lowered its expectations to 19 million units but now sees a path where the system stays more popular.

The Switch was particularly hard to find early in the pandemic, as people stayed inside and looked for entertainment while Nintendo battled the same chip shortages as other electronics manufacturers.

But Nintendo's console is showing its age in one respect: the Nvidia Tegra X1 system-on-a-chip, which released two years prior to the Switch even launching. While many of Nintendo's first-party games are still running OK on the hardware (though there were some performance concerns about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet), games that have been ported from other systems aren't up to snuff graphically.

There have been rumors swirling of a next-gen Switch for years now. In 2021, at the peak of the speculation, Nintendo released a Switch with an OLED screen, including a larger panel but the same SOC. However, some potential buyers may continue to hold fast, waiting to see if a more powerful next-gen system comes.

The Switch lineup starts at $199.99 for the Switch Lite, goes to $249.99 for the regular Switch and $349 for the Switch OLED. That low price might be attractive as fears of a potential economic recession swirl.

In 2023, Nintendo's flagship title will be The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which is set to launch on May 12. It's the sequel to the smash hit The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (which released at the Switch's launch), so that may help push unit sales. In addition, it wouldn't be surprising to see the company make a Zelda-themed Switch for the occasion, enticing hardcore fans and collectors.

Some rumors have suggested a new console could accompany that game, or that it could be cross-platform with the current Switch, but there's nothing concrete there at the moment.

Other games that could help push Switch sales this year include Fire Emblem Engage (which comes out today), Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon and a number of games coming to other systems as well, like Hogwarts Legacy, Disgaea 7, Tales of Symphonia Remastered and Octopath Traveller II.

But it seems like the Switch and its Tegra X1 will chug on for a while longer. Nintendo appears to have confidence in it.

Prototypes of a Lenovo handheld gaming console, reportedly called the Legion Play, went on a seemingly unauthorized sale in China, according to reports from Lilliputing  and YouTuber Taki Udon. The latter purchased one and posted a YouTube video with a pretty deep hands-on.

Taki Udon wrote that he purchased the model for "around $160," and said in the video that after being shown images, he received it in the mail shrouded in bubble wrap. That price is likely far lower than what the device would have sold for if it was ever officially released.

Luckily, a big sticker on the back of Udon's device lists some of the specs, suggesting this device was codenamed "Zelda." Back in 2021, Liliputing noted that there were some hidden references to the Legion Play on Lenovo's website around Mobile World Congress 2021, which suggested a 7-inch, 16:9 display, HDR10, dual speakers, vibration, and a 7,000 mAh battery. Udon's model, which comes in blue, does appear to meet those specs. In Udon's video, you can see that the system came with 64GB of storage.

In Aida64, Udon found that the Legion is running a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor (the same chip in the Logitech G Cloud) and 4GB of RAM. It appears to be running Android 11, another similarity to the G Cloud. The main difference is that this prototype supports display out over USB Type-C, which the G Cloud does not.

Parts of the UI look like stock Android, but it is pretty heavily customized and in some ways seems to be influenced by the Nintendo Switch's minimalistic UI. There's also an application from Tencent that appears to be extremely similar one on the Logitech G Cloud. For some game demos, including emulation, you should check out the full video.

Udon seemed to largely like the physical device, though he said he would like to have seen better rubber on the D-Pad and taller A/B/X/Y buttons.

It's unclear why Lenovo never launched the Legion Play. As both Udon and Liliputing point out, this prototype appears to be from 2021, and if the company was prepared to launch at Mobile World Congress that year, it would have been before Valve's Steam Deck was ever announced (that x86-based gaming machine in July 2021). Since then, Logitech has launched the G Cloud, and at CES Razer launched the Razer Edge. Both of those devices run on Android and are cloud-focused for gaming on Xbox Game Pass and Nvidia GeForce Now.

As for how a batch of these Lenovo prototypes went on sale in China, we may never know. But those who were in the know as these devices went on sale now have a weird piece of Lenovo's history.

Valve is not looking to improve performance of the next iteration of Steam Deck, the designers of the portable console told The Verge. Instead, the company will for now try to improve the battery life and display quality of the device. Once computer architectures evolve significantly, Valve will possibly consider a major upgrade.  

"I think we will opt to keep the one performance level for a little bit longer, and only look at changing the performance level when there is a significant gain to be had," said Pierre-Loup Griffais, a Steam Deck designer. 

Many new games do not really run smoothly on Steam Deck's custom-designed Aerith system-on-chip featuring four Zen 2 cores with SMT at 2.40 to 3.50 GHz and an RDNA 2-based GPU with 512 stream processors operating at 1.0 to 1.60 GHz. As a result, demanding gamers (who tend to buy plenty of games) would prefer a Steam Deck with a higher-performing SoC in order to enjoy their latest titles on the go. But for now, Steam Deck designers Lawrence Yang and Pierre-Loup Griffais are looking forward to improving battery life and display in their next Steam Deck iteration.

While they tend to cost quite a bit more than the Steam Deck, there are competing handhelds that may find more of an audience with demanding gamers. The Aya Neo 2 is based on the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U (eight Zen 3+ cores, RDNA 2-powered Radeon 680M iGPU with 768 SPs), which delivers higher performance, but at the cost of battery life. 

"Right now, the fact that all the Steam Decks can play the same games and that we have one target for users to understand what kind of performance level to expect when you are playing and for developers to understand what to target... there is a lot of value in having that one spec," said Griffais. 

Indeed, there are many reasons why it makes sense for Valve to retain the same level of performance with the next iteration of the Steam Deck. If it didn't, it would need to run two separate Steam Deck Compatibility programs for two consoles with different specifications. Secondly, game developers would have to target two hardware configurations, which means longer time-to-market and higher costs for them. Thirdly, some owners of the first-generation Steam Deck would feel left behind once the second-generation launched. Finally, reducing the costs of the Steam Deck to make the hardware profitable makes more financial sense than increasing performance and not making any money on hardware. And as long as the Steam Deck is continuing to sell well, the company has little reason to make major upgrades.

While PC gamers may not exactly feel great about the lack of Steam Deck upgrades in the foreseeable future, it is a normal practice in the console world to keep hardware specifications stable for years. For example, Nintendo could have introduced its 'Switch Pro' based on a more powerful Nvidia SoC by now, but the only upgrade that the Switch console has seen over its five-year lifespan is a better OLED display. 

And if you're a company that's new to the console market and looking to stay there for a long time, you could certainly do worse than looking to Nintendo for some guidance. 

Around this time last year, we reviewed the Nreal Light glasses priced at $599. This year, Nreal has released the follow-up "Air" glasses, which are lighter and cost less at just $379.

The lighter weight and lower price can be attributed to the fact that these aren’t true augmented reality (AR) glasses. The Air lacks the dual cameras of the Light; hence there are no provisions for hand tracking, image tracking or plane detection. So while the price is lower, you’re also getting less functionality. However, for the tasks that it can handle, the Air does them quite well.

Specifications for the Nreal Air

Design of the Nreal Air

The Nreal Air is primarily constructed of plastic, just like its Light predecessor. While the Air looks similar to regular sunglasses, there are some noticeable differences. For starters, at 2.78 ounces (79 grams), they're heavier than most traditional sunglasses. In addition, the top portion of the frame is much thicker, as this is where the dual OLED displays are housed. Those displays then project their image down onto the lenses in front of your eyes. You cannot wear regular glasses with the Air, but a frame is included to add your prescription lenses.

The arms of the Air are thicker than what you'd find on a pair of sunglasses due to the need to support the internal electronics, including a pair of integrated speakers, a power button and a rocker switch for controlling the display brightness.

At the end of the left arm, you'll find a USB Type-C port that accepts a USB-C cable (included in the box) for plugging directly into an Android smartphone, computer or Steam Deck. There are three included nose grips (one of which is already installed on the glasses), a black plastic shade to block out light (making them more akin to virtual reality glasses) and a compact case to hold everything.

If you want to connect to an Android device, Windows PC or M1 Mac, all the hardware you need to get started comes in the box – namely, the USB-C cable. The Air draws power from these devices, so only the USB-C cable is needed for power and audio/video.

However, if you want to connect to a game console (an Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch), iOS device, or anything that doesn’t have a USB-C port, you must purchase a separate Nreal Air adapter ($59) with HDMI connectivity. Unfortunately, iOS users will also need to purchase an Apple Lightning to Digital AV Adapter ($49) if they don’t already have one. If you’re an iPhone user, that’s another $110 you’ll need to budget for in addition to the $379 Nreal Air.

The adapter features an integrated battery providing up to three hours of playback since the glasses won't get power from USB Type-C. Nreal also says you can go from 0 to 40 percent battery in 30 minutes using a USB-C charger. You’ll need to keep this in mind when playing games with a Nintendo Switch or watching videos on an iPhone. 

so It’s definitely a downer to have the Air glasses shut down in the middle of a firefight because the adapter’s battery died. And since there’s no USB-C power passthrough, you can’t get back into the action until you unplug the glasses and stick in a USB-C cable to recharge the adapter.

General Observations with the Nreal Air

Nreal says that the Air projects a 130-inch virtual screen 4 meters away from you with Air Casting mode, which is the mode that I primarily used (there’s also a MR Spaces mode that we’ll discuss later). It's this vast viewing area that makes consuming content like movies/TV shows and playing games so enjoyable. The image doesn't completely fill your field of view; you can still see the environment around you in your periphery (even with the black plastic light blocker installed).

The integrated speakers do a decent job with sound and will work in a pinch. Music sounds lifeless and lacks bass, while in-game audio similarly lacks depth. Instead, I recommend using a decent set of wireless earbuds or headphones. Besides, if you're using the glasses in close quarters, like on an airplane, I doubt that other passengers want to hear whatever sound is emanating from the Air's speakers. 

I must also say that because the Air looks mostly like a pair of traditional sunglasses, you can blend in with the general populous without looking out of place (try wearing a Microsoft HoloLens in public without getting stares). They make a great way to kill time  while riding the subway or taking a long flight.

Using the Nreal Air with the Nintendo Switch

Getting up and running with a console is a somewhat cumbersome process due to the adapters and wires the glasses require. While testing the Nreal Air with a docked Nintendo Switch, I first inserted the included HDMI dongle into the Nreal adapter and plugged in an HDMI cable. The other end of the cable plugs directly into the Nintendo Switch dock. Finally, I plugged the USB-C cable from the Nreal Air into the adapter and turned on the Nintendo Switch. After a few seconds, the glasses displayed the familiar image of the console’s home screen.

I first decided to bogart an existing session of Burnout Paradise Remastered that my oldest son had left in suspend mode. Before I knew it, I had spent 10 minutes blasting around the map, challenging others to races and crashing into unsuspecting AI-controlled vehicles head-on. I was fully immersed in the game world, not paying attention to what was happening in my periphery.

The image displayed was so bright and clear that I didn’t need the black plastic light blocker to enjoy it.

Using the Nreal Air with the Xbox Series X

Setting up the Nreal Air to work with an Xbox Series X was similar to the Nintendo Switch OLED. Using the same Nreal adapter/HDMI dongle/HDMI cable setup, I plugged it into the HDMI port on the back of the Xbox Series X and then connected the Nreal Air.

I first fired up Forza Horizon 5, hitting 215 mph in a Ford GT on the interstate before crashing into a ditch after sideswiping a Jeep. I then switched vehicles, opting for a Ford Bronco as I ventured off-road through the rocky wilderness and over streams. While not the full 4K resolution that I’m used to with the 55-inch TV that the Xbox Series X is usually attached to, the detail was sharp enough that I preferred this viewing experience.

Microsoft Flight Simulator also looked dazzling on the virtual 130-inch screen. Playing in a completely dark room at night was a sensational experience. However, after becoming immersed for about two and a half hours, the game abruptly ended because the battery on the Nreal adapter died.

Using the Nreal Air with an Oppo X5

The Nreal Air has limited compatibility with Android devices; only a select few OEMs are currently supported. You're in luck if you have a recent Android smartphone from LG, Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo or Sony. Nreal provided an Oppo X5 for us to test the Air, and it worked just fine with a OnePlus 9 that I also had on hand (you can see a full compatibility list here).

Rather annoyingly, you must sign up for a Nreal account before using the Air with the required Nebula app. The Nebula app allows you to mirror content to your screen or provide a more interactive AR experience. Once I created an account, the Air paired with the Oppo X5 and downloaded some firmware updates.

Air Casting mode allowed me to mirror the content displayed on the smartphone’s screen, which is a bit limiting due to the permanent portrait orientation. However, when watching videos with apps like Disney Plus or Amazon Prime Video, the Air automatically kicks into landscape mode to view content.

MR Spaces is an interface provided by the Nebular app that Nreal has designed that allows you to customize your own virtual workspace. You can see more of your workspace as you move your head left and right. You can rearrange apps to your choosing and have multiple windows open simultaneously (you can also resize those windows to your liking). If you can't see everything you want on the screen, simply turn your head to see the rest.

You use the phone as a makeshift laser pointer and tap the screen with your finger to interact with apps and on-screen content within MR Spaces. It takes a little while to get used to, but it’s a pretty efficient way to navigate the interface.

I felt like MR Spaces was more of a gimmick than something I'd use daily. However, it's definitely something that you'd want to show friends and family if they want to see what all the commotion is about regarding mixed reality.

Using the Nreal Air with an iPhone 14 Pro

Attaching the Nreal Air to an iPhone required the removal of the HDMI dongle from the Nreal adapter and replacing it with the Apple Lightning to Digital A/V Adapter (provided by Nreal). Next, I inserted the Lighting connector into the iPhone and plugged the Nreal’s Air’s USB-C cord into the Nreal adapter. 

With everything connected, the iPhone automatically recognizes the Nreal adapter and outputs to it. You’re first presented with the iOS home screen and all of your apps in portrait mode. However, this is not an optimal experience as you still have to look down at the iPhone to navigate the user interface.

That all changes when you decide to play a video. I opened the YouTube app and selected the latest episode from Rich Rebuilds, where their homebrew electric side-by-side caught on fire at SEMA. As soon as I hit play on the video, it automatically displayed in landscape mode and took up the full “viewable area” of the Nreal Air. Games also played just fine in landscape mode, as intended.

Using the Nreal Air with a Corsair Voyager A1600

Gaming on the Corsair Voyager A1600 was just as thrilling as it was on the Xbox Series X, and only required me to plug the Nreal Air’s USB-C cord into a free port on the laptop. The Nebula app isn’t available for use in Windows 10/11; the Air just shows up as an additional mirrored display. 

I immediately fired up Red Dead Redemption 2 and galloped on a horse around town, then played about an hour of Grand Theft Auto V. Not surprisingly, I got my butt handed to me repeatedly in Overwatch 2. My gaming skills weren’t enhanced nor diminished due to the Air; I just suck at online shooters.

Frame rates are capped at 60 fps because of the Air’s hardware limitations, which wasn’t a problem for me with the Air in the games I played. I played at 1920 x 1080 resolution and didn’t notice a drop off in image quality compared to playing natively on the Voyager A1600’s IPS panel.

Using the Nreal Air with a MacBook Pro

Like my experience with the Corsair Voyager A1600, using the Nreal Air on a MacBook Pro didn’t require using the adapter. Simply plugging in the AR headset allowed it to spring to life, giving me a full view of my desktop and all apps. 

However, Nreal also provides its Nebula app (in beta) that allows you to utilize the full capabilities of the glasses better. We should note that the Nreal Air and the Nebula software are only supported on M1 Macs – it is not hardware/software compatible with Intel Macs.

While the displayed image tracks with your head movements on the other aforementioned devices (and on the Mac without Nebula), the Nebula Mac software allows you to set the screen at a fixed point in space as if it were a physical monitor. So if you turn your head to the left or right of the fixed point, you see less of the screen. The same goes for moving your head up and down. 

While this arrangement doesn’t make much sense with just a single desktop, Nebula also allows you to simultaneously have up to three desktops. So you can start off looking straight ahead and your primary (central) workspace. If you turn your head to the right, you’ll see the second workspace. If you instead turn your head to the left, you’ll see the third workspace. This, in essence, gives you three virtual monitors to work with when using the Nreal Air.

The only downside to using the Nebula app is that the refresh rate dropped to around 30 Hz instead of its native 60 Hz and the image became very jittery, which gave me a severe bout of eyestrain. I couldn’t find a way to adjust this in display settings, so I used the Nebula Air primarily without the Nebula app.

Bottom Line

The Nreal Air is a compelling piece of hardware at a more attractive price than its Nreal Light sibling. However, the Air also lacks the onboard cameras and extended tracking features of a true augmented reality headset like the Light.

Where the Air truly shines is a as a media consumption tool. I found myself immersed watching YouTube clips and episodes of Star Wars: Andor on the Air. Since they’re so lightweight and don’t feel much different than wearing a pair of sunglasses or prescription glasses, it is low-impact. 

The same ergonomics platitudes can be said about gaming, be it on a Nintendo Switch, Windows PC or Xbox Series X. I felt zero eye fatigue using Air Casting for hours at a time. The only time serious eye strain occurred was when using the Nebula app in macOS.

Where things quickly fall apart is if you want to use the Air with an iOS device like an iPhone. You have to consider the $379 cost of the glasses, $59 for the Nreal adapter and another $49 for the Apple Lightning to Digital A/V Adapter. Now you’re looking at nearly $500, which is a lot to spend for a cobbled together solution for pairing an iPhone and the Air.

Another thing to consider is that if you want to use the Air with a game console or iOS device, the Nreal adapter is required. It has an integrated battery which only provides around three hours of runtime before it needs recharging. We really wish that the adapter was included in the box.

However, if you can get past those downsides, the Nreal Air provides an excellent “big screen” experience that can’t be matched by even the largest smartphones or laptops on the market.

The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday filed a complaint seeking to block Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard over concerns that it would harm competitors by withholding their access to popular titles, such as Call of Duty. The agency claims that Microsoft has a history of denying competitors access to content it acquired. Microsoft argues that the proposed bid will expand competition.

“Microsoft has already shown that it can and will withhold content from its gaming rivals,” said Holly Vedova, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. “Today we seek to stop Microsoft from gaining control over a leading independent game studio and using it to harm competition in multiple dynamic and fast-growing gaming markets.”

The FTC reminds us that when Microsoft took over ZeniMax (the owner of Bethesda Softworks), it assured European antitrust agencies that it would not withhold games from competing console platforms. Yet, sometime after the deal was completed, Starfield and Redfall games were made Microsoft exclusives.

Being a leading independent game publisher, Activision Blizzard currently offers its titles on all platforms, including Microsoft’s Xbox and Windows, Sony’s PlayStation, and Nintendo’s Switch, to name a few. In addition, Activision has some of the world’s most-played titles — including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch — in its stable, so should Microsoft decide to harm its rivals by blocking their access to these games, it will affect hundreds of millions of gamers worldwide.

The FTC is by far not the first agency or organization aiming to block Microsoft’s proposal to take over Activision in a record $68.7 billion deal, which may become the biggest gaming industry transaction ever and one of the largest deals in the history of the high-tech industry. Numerous antitrust authorities are reviewing the proposed bid in-depth. Many companies, including Microsoft’s rival Sony, asserted that Microsoft would make popular titles from Activision Blizzard exclusive to its consoles and cloud gaming platform.

Microsoft itself denies any plans of wrongdoing and argues that the deal will expand competition and create more opportunities for gamers and developers.

“We continue to believe that our deal to acquire Activision Blizzard will expand competition and create more opportunities for gamers and game developers,” said Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft. “We have been committed since Day One to addressing competition concerns, including by offering earlier this week proposed concessions to the FTC. While we believe in giving peace a chance, we have complete confidence in our case and welcome the opportunity to present it in court.”

It is not the first time the FTC has sued to block a large takeover deal. In December 2021, the FTC filed a complaint to block the Nvidia-Arm merger, citing concerns that once Nvidia gains control over Arm, it would withhold certain technologies from rivals to gain an advantage over them. Nvidia called off the proposal in February 2022, citing significant regulatory challenges.

The Steam Deck is a computer, full stop. It lets me take my entire Steam library on the go (or even Epic Games and other launchers, if you want to install Windows on the Steam Deck). But one downside to the  Steam Deck is that it lacks expandability.

That's where the Steam Deck Docking Station comes in. It's an $89 dock that falls somewhere between what comes with the Nintendo Switch and what I use to connect a laptop to a monitor. This makes it easier to connect peripherals or attach the Steam Deck to a monitor or TV. 

After a brief amount of time trying out the Steam Deck Docking Station, I've found it to be a completely optional accessory, especially if you already have some other powered hub. There are a few use cases where it can boost your experience, but I found it to be something nice, but nowhere near required.

Steam Deck Docking Station Specs

Design of the Steam Deck Docking Station

The Steam Deck is big, but the docking station sure isn't. It's just 4.5 inches wide and takes up very little space on a desk or near a TV. It's far smaller than the Steam Deck that it actually carries.

A small lip holds the Steam Deck up, and unlike the Nintendo Switch, there's no plastic blocking the screen, so you can use it on its own while it's docked. But unlike the Switch, simply placing the Steam Deck in the dock doesn't start charging it or outputting its screen to a monitor; There's a right-angle USB Type-C port with the perfect amount of length to reach the top of the Steam Deck. This cable is not detachable from the dock, so let's hope it doesn't get damaged.

All of the ports are on the back of the dock. The first two, DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0, are for  video. Next to that is the power connector, which uses an included 45-watt USB-C charger (the same one that comes with the Steam Deck). Next to that, there's a Gigabit Ethernet port, followed by the trio of USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports for peripherals.

I'm glad Valve included the charger here. That means you can keep a charger with the Steam Deck while on the go, but also have the dock immediately set up and ready to go whenever you get back to it without constantly replacing cables.

Using the Steam Deck Docking Station

Here's the short version: it works.  When I plugged in my Keychron Q1, pulled mouse dongles and wired controllers out and tried them, they worked.

Here's the longer version: in most cases, I wouldn't use the Docking Station. For me, it's a very nice place to stick the Steam Deck to charge. But I like using the Steam Deck to curl up on the couch and play games on the build-in controls. I recently finished all of Stray that way.

The Steam Deck's specs are meant for gaming on the go. Its custom AMD Zen 2 "Van Gogh" APU and eight RDNA 2-based compute units are potent enough, but they don't have the specs to blow up these games to a large screen. For me, someone with a gaming desktop, I don't think plugging into a monitor is the best experience. But if this is your only gaming PC, it does work That being said, the dock doesn't add any graphics power to the Steam Deck. Soul Calibur VI, Stray and other games I've been playing on the Steam Deck looked worse when stretched across my 28-inch computer monitor than on the Steam Deck's 7-inch, 1280 x 800 screen.

The monitor aspect actually works better for a totally different aspect of the Steam Deck: the Linux KDE Plasma desktop. Again, I use my own personal computer for browsing the web, writing or working on other projects, but in this case, a bigger screen, with a mouse and keyboard enables the Steam Deck to be a desktop Linux machine

Perhaps the best use of the Steam Deck Docking station is for multiplayer games. The Deck already supports Bluetooth controllers, so you don't need the dock for that. But if you want to play a fighting game (I love some Soul Calibur) with two controllers, either having a TV or having the Steam Deck propped up at all is helpful. The Steam Deck doesn't have a kickstand. For $89, you can hold it up for this purpose. In my initial review, I used a phone stand.

There is a big feature we're still waiting for: FreeSync support, which Valve mentions on its product support page, but is scheduled for an eventual update.

The Big Alternative

Valve, which makes the Steam Deck, has never been quiet about the fact that other USB-C hubs or docks can work with the Steam Deck. You may already have something in your home that works for the majority of these purposes.

Since the Steam Deck launched, I've been occasionally digging into my drawer for a hub. I've got one powered hub sitting around for such a use case that I typically use to plug into my work laptop, which has just two USB-C ports. 

Mine's from some drop-shipped Amazon company with a nonsensical name and was insanely cheap at the time. For a PC dock, which is usually designed for the enterprise or pro users, $89 isn't insane. But I think a lot of Steam Deck users could benefit from grabbing a USB hub with pass-through power delivery (using their included Steam Deck charger) for when they need it.

For instance, this $35 Anker hub with pass-through charging has two USB Type-A ports, a USB Type-C data port, and an HDMI output (though not DisplayPort or Ethernet). This $39 hub from some company I've never heard of has Ethernet and three USB-A ports.

Valve isn't locking you into their dock. If you want everything it gives you, it is there, but there are plenty of other options for people like me, who just want to plug in a USB-A peripheral occasionally.

Bottom Line

The Steam Deck Docking Station is nice to have for certain people. If you want to play on a TV or monitor, resolution or details be damned, it can help, but it's not the only way. If you want to use the Linux desktop or play multiplayer games, it may make more sense.

It works best for people who want it in an entertainment center. The dock has its own power supply and will look snazzy holding up your Steam Deck.

But for those who want to occasionally add a peripheral, getting a USB hub may be a better, or cheaper option. It is for me, and I'm glad Valve has given me the option.

Peripheral giant Logitech has dipped a toe into the teeming handheld streaming console waters with the G Cloud, a Steam Deck/Nintendo Switch lookalike with seemingly unimpressive specs but a nice range of apps from Xbox, Stadia, GeForce Now, Steam Link, and presumably any other streaming service with an Android app.

Inside the machine, which takes the Switch form factor that’s so hot right now, there's a Snapdragon 720G from 2020, as seen in the Samsung Galaxy A52 and Realme 8 Pro smartphones. It’s hardly a top-end chip despite having eight cores (two Cortex-A76 and six Cortex-A55) and is wired up to 4GB of RAM and an Adreno 618 GPU. There's 64GB of internal flash storage too, augmented by a Micro SD slot.

The internal storage matters less when you consider that the G Cloud isn’t made for playing games locally, although it should be able to play many games available on the Play Store. Logitech's G Cloud runs Android 11, and uses streaming apps and its Wi-Fi 5 connection to bring the action to its 1080p IPS screen, which measures seven inches across its diagonal and has 10 finger multi-touch.

Around the back, you’ll find a single USB Type-C port, but there's no video output specified, so it looks like being a purely handheld device with no capacity for docking with a larger display. Controls come in the form of two analog sticks, a D-pad and face buttons, along with gyroscope-measured motion controls and haptic feedback from two motors.

Dimensions are 10.11 x 4.61 x 1.30 inch (257 x 117 mm x 33 mm) making it smaller than the Steam Deck but larger than a Switch, and weighs in at 16.33 oz (463g). Being an Android device, we’d be surprised if it couldn’t manage media streaming apps alongside the gaming ones. A ‘tablet mode’ alluded to in Logitech’s FAQ also suggests a gaming launcher that can be removed to reveal a classic Android home page underneath. Battery life can be up to 12 hours depending on usage.

While nice looking - Chinese company Tencent Games had a hand in the design, as revealed in a leak last month -  the device doesn’t do anything you can’t do with an Android phone/tablet and a Bluetooth controller, and even a Raspberry Pi can be charmed into streaming most of these services. And at $349.99 (a preorder discount is in effect that brings this down to $299.99 or possibly less with a Logitech G promo code) you might be better off with one of the best tablets and a controller, or one of the Steam Deck rivals.

A new device called the Stream Card, for Nintendo Switch owners, was showcased at the Tokyo Game Show. Created by a firm called Tassei, the SD card slot-housed device facilitates PC game streaming over Wi-Fi onto your Switch screen. The device was shown with the surprise hit game Stray in action in a video demo.

Nintendo’s Switch console has an excellent games library, but it isn’t the most powerful handheld around. Therefore, games that look great on PC can pale a little on the small screen. Then there is the question of game availability and pricing – Tom’s Hardware readers know the PC platform is the king of choice and value. Lastly, though some cloud versions of PC AAA games are available on the Switch (notably from Ubisoft and Capcom), there isn’t any competitor product or service that opens up your PC game library to Nintendo’s handheld hybrid – until now.

From the images and video shared by the source, there was an interesting gaming setup on display at the Tokyo Game Show. Inside the display case were what looked like an Intel NUC 11 Phantom Canyon with Intel Tiger Lake CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, a 15-inch portable monitor, and a Nintendo Switch with a Tassei Stream Card protruding in a fragile-looking manner. Outside the case, you can see the videographer playing Stray using a Nintendo Pro controller.

The report from the show floor from 4Gamer suggests the Stream Card isn’t ready for mass consumption. In addition to the bare circuit board design ethic, which adds a brittle protrusion to the refined Switch design, responsiveness leaves room for improvement. Watching the video, you can perceive a lag between the NUC attached monitor game display and the Switch display. The show report says there is a bit of lag when playing, which isn’t going to be ideal for fast-paced competitive multiplayer but could probably be tolerated in other genres.

Looking closer at the hardware, we can see that the attached SD-slot device relies on an ESP8266 for Wi-Fi connectivity. This chip is limited to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, which could explain some of the lagginess. Also Tassei says the streaming system isn’t as simple as a straight Wi-Fi attached display device; it also requires an SoC for ‘processing.’

Tassei’s product information card at Tokyo Game Show says it is looking for a partner to commercialize this device. With an improved compact form factor and tweaks to the Wi-Fi solution and SoC, it has the potential to be appealing, but as it stands, we can’t say it could be raised to the necessary level of refinement/performance to satisfy PC gamers wishing to stream to it.

In summary, this is an interesting product in its early stages, and we will update you if it gets refined and commercialized down the line.

Until now, if you broke your Steam Deck, the only way to fix it would be to take your chance at the local electronics repair shop or try your luck with official parts from iFixit. But now, Valve has opened authorized Steam Deck repair centers, the company announced Friday.

People with hardware issues with their Steam Deck can contact support and then mail in their Steam Deck. "Once there, our team will diagnose the device, repair if needed, then ship the fixed unit back to you," the blog post reads.

If your Steam Deck is under warranty, repairs are free of charge. If a repair isn't covered, Valve says it will reach out and ask to fix up your Deck for a fee, but that users can also decline that fix and ask for the hardware back. Unfortunately, the blog post doesn't make clear who pays for shipping in this situation, though it sounds like getting your hardware back is free for in-warranty fixes.

In the post, Valve uses the hypothetical scenario that a Steam Deck's buttons stop working intermittently to demonstrate an in-warranty repair. In that case, the repair center would replace the button, test the unit and send it back to you.

But if it's out of warranty (Valve uses the example of a dog chewing a thumbstick off of your hardware), you could still mail it in, even if your initial warranty has expired. Valve hasn't listed prices for out-of-warranty repairs. It's also unclear if Valve's repair centers will make part swaps for a fee. One of the most popular DIY fixes among Steam Deck owners has been swapping out the fan with a model from iFixit, which some find quieter and less annoying.

Valve has not provided a complete list of repair services it covers, nor does it specify who runs the repair shops. (When I sent the left Joy-Con from my Nintendo Switch in for servicing in June 2020, it went to a third-party repair center, so Valve contracting this work out would not be uncommon.) Valve didn't respond to a request for more information ahead of publishing, but we'll update this post if we hear back.

The other option, replacement parts and guides from iFixit, are still an option. When Valve launched the Steam Deck, it warned users not to open the device, but with the full set of guides, there's nothing stopping you. But for those who don't have the knowledge or comfort, Valve's official services should make things a bit easier.

In a recent Twitter post by Evan Blass -- which has now been DMCAed, Logitech is reportedly working on a brand new Android handheld gaming device, focusing on running Android games and streaming games from cloud services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce Now. Effectively, it appears to be the Android counterpart to Valve's Steam Deck and the Nintendo Switch.

The story started earlier this month when Logitech and Tencent Games announced a partnership to create a new "cloud gaming handheld" and bring it to market later this year. 

But yesterday, we got leaked images of the new handheld thanks to a Tweet by Evan Blass (@evleaks), which shows off the whole exterior of the new console. But unfortunately, Logitech quickly DMCAed his post, so his images are no longer viewable. Thankfully news outlets that have reported on his Tweet have saved copies of the leaked images for us to see.

Right off the bat, the most interesting feature showcased in the leaked images is support for Google Play games, which suggests this will be an Android handheld. Unfortunately, Logitech never stated what operating system this new console would use, so we can only guess from this leak that it will have a focus on Android and feature an ARM processor of some kind.

Either way, if Logitech's new console does get Android, it will be a nice change of pace from the current bombardment of PC-focused handhelds such as the Steam Deck, Aya Neo, and others. At this time, we don't have an Android gaming handheld with the same high visibility as the Steam Deck. So Logitech could have a huge opportunity on its hands if it turns out to be successful.

But success will be critical; Android is a whole different ball game compared to Windows handhelds. In the Android space, mobile gamers already have portable gaming handhelds in their hands via smartphones. Considering how powerful gaming phones have become, running Android games on mobile devices is a non-issue these days. Plus, many accessories are on the market today turn your gaming phone into a handheld console.

As a result, gamers don't have a top priority of looking for another portable handheld when a smartphone will suffice. Logitech will need to figure out some way to stand out from the smartphone gaming crowd if it wants to be really successful.

The handheld itself is aesthetically pleasing compared to the matte black theme that is very common on Logitech gaming peripherals. Logitech has instead gone with a white theme, accompanied by black accented joysticks, edges, and triggers.

To the left, you get a joystick at the top of the device and a D pad to the middle. To the right another joystick is present, but sitting in the middle of the device, with Y, X, B, A buttons sitting at the top. We don't know the dimensions of the device, or the size of the display, but its form factor looks more compact - like a Switch, as opposed to something larger such as a Steam Deck.

Logitech says the new console will launch sometime in 2022, so we should get an official launch date, official specifications and other details here soon.

A legal claim in the U.K. could see Sony pay up to £5 billion ($6 billion) in compensation for allegedly overcharging customers on its online PlayStation store since 2016. The action, brought through Britain’s Competition Appeal Tribunal, accuses Sony of abusing its market position to increase prices, as Sky News reported.

Led by the former managing director of consumer rights organization Which? UK, Alex Neill, the case includes anyone in the U.K. who has used the PlayStation Store since August 19, 2016; a figure said to be around nine million people. Each user could receive compensation of up to £562 ($664) plus any interest that may be awarded.

Speaking to Sky News, Neill said: “With this legal action I am standing up for the millions of U.K. people who have been unwittingly overcharged. We believe Sony has abused its position and ripped off its customers.”

“Gaming is now the biggest entertainment industry in the U.K., ahead of T.V., video and music and many vulnerable people rely on gaming for community and connection. The actions of Sony [are] costing millions of people who can’t afford it, particularly when we’re in the midst of a cost of living crisis and the consumer purse is being squeezed like never before.”

The case hinges on the terms Sony imposes on publishers selling on the PlayStation Store. It calls them unfair and says they force prices up for consumers. Sony takes a 30% cut of all transactions on the PlayStation Store, which matches Microsoft’s amount from the Xbox store and Nintendo’s for digital Switch purchases. Google reduced its cut from 30% to 15% on the first $1 million income from the Google Play Store in 2021, which matched Apple’s previous reduction. Valve takes a 30% cut from Steam purchases but lowers this above a certain threshold the more money a game makes. The Epic Game Store is the odd one, taking just a 12% share. No companies other than Sony are named in the U.K. legal action, though Valve is facing a case in the U.S. alleging it uses its policies to keep prices high and the market under its control.

Sony has yet to comment on the case, but can you expect the company to put up a robust defense. According to Bloomberg, a U.S. federal judge threw out a similar class action lawsuit centered on the PlayStation Store. It focused not on the cut Sony takes but on the store itself was an unlawful monopoly. The plaintiffs failed to allege violations under the Sherman Act adequately but could yet amend their case.

A Linux OS and Nintendo Switch enthusiast has mind-melded the two disparate systems to create Horizon Linux. In brief, a Redditor by the name of Kent J Hall has patched the Arm64 Linux kernel to run Nintendo Switch games natively. Hall stresses this isn’t an attempt to recreate Nintendo’s Horizon OS, and it isn’t meant to run on Switch hardware – rather the project simply hopes to make Switch games on any Arm64 hardware platform.

After a false start or two, Hall decided to spend a chunk of his free time on the Horizon Linux project summarized above. Patching Arm64 Linux seemed the sensible route to reach his goal as it meant “you get Linux’s vast hardware driver support for free, so not only can it be virtualized on Apple silicon Macs, but it can run bare-metal on any arm64 hardware which supports Linux,” explained Hall. The project should work fine “even on lower-end hardware, given that there’s no need to emulate the CPU,” he added. Moreover the project is flexible, and holds promise for game preservation.

Horizon Linux’s development was greatly helped by taking an existing open source Switch emulator, called Yuzu, and taking the scissors to unneeded parts of the code such as kernel and CPU emulation - while retaining things like the system services, GPU emulation and app loader. The developer also notes that he spent some considerable time getting each system service to run persistently in its own thread.

The Redditor behind this project decided to go public with it at this time, as it has reached a significant milestone. Admitting the work was “far from complete,” Hall says that the first commercial game, Puyo Puyo Tetris, is playable on Horizon Linux.

Hall has published some videos showing Puyo Puyo Tetris running on an M1 Max MacBook Pro, and an Nvidia Jetson Nano. The videos are sadly not available at the time of writing, and we don’t know why. Please note, as mentioned above, the game is running natively on the Arm CPUs of these systems. However, it is still going through the same GPU emulation layer that Yuzu uses, despite the Jetson Nano (for example) featuring the same Tegra X1 GPU as the Switch.

It's worth noting that several Raspberry Pi computers, including the Raspberry Pi 3 and 4, have Arm64 CPUs However, it looks like no one has yet tested Horizon Linux on a Pi.

Hall has recently started a new job, so it looks like some encouragement will be required for him to stick to the project. If you have an Arm64 system you want to test Horizon Linux on, you can comment on the Reddit post from the developer, linked top, and/or visit the Horizon Linux GitHub repository.

Interestingly, Hall was apparently unaware of the Skyline Nintendo Switch emulator for Arm / Android. Since the Reddit post started getting noticed, there looks like a chance for some cross-pollination to occur, as one of the major Skyline developers has asked the Horizon Linux developer to join their Discord.

A fair percentage of Steam PC gamers are keyboard and mouse input devotees. Nevertheless, more choices will always be welcome, and the PC platform is incredibly diverse. This week the Steam Client (Beta) on PCs added another option for gaming controls for Steam gamers: support for Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers.

Nintendo’s detachable controllers for the original (not Lite) Switch form factor are interesting as they can work individually or in unison. Nicely for PC gamers, the latest Steam beta can handle this configuration choice. So, if you have a Switch in the house and no PC joypad, you now have access to two of the miniature controllers or a more fully featured mini gamepad. This addition could be quite a boon for your living room PC while running a party game.

However, the Nintendo Switch bundled controllers are not without their flaws. The most obvious issue for grown-up gamers would be poor ergonomics. The Joy-Cons used separately might be OK for a quick 15-minute jaunt in a casual game but probably not for any extended sessions. Even joined together in a joypad form factor, the Joy-Cons aren’t as ergonomic as heavily iterated controller designs from Microsoft or Sony, for example.

Another aspect of the Nintendo Joy-Cons that isn't great is the issue of reliability and their susceptibility to degrading through normal use. Nintendo has been dragged through the courts due to Joy-Con issues, most notably 'stick drift.' Other controllers with mushroom-like thumb sticks have seen similar issues, including those built into the Steam Deck.

If you are interested in using your Nintendo Joy-Cons in Steam and don't want to wait until support is added to the mainstream client, you can sign up for beta updates in your client settings today. To do this, at the top left of the client window, click Steam > Settings > Account. Near the bottom right of the window, you will see the option for 'Beta participation.' Meanwhile, those who are already Steam Beta users can connect to the Joy-Cons via Bluetooth and configure them in Steam via Steam > Settings > Controller > General Controller Settings.

If you are using Nintendo Online Classic controllers, you will also find that support has improved in the August 4 published beta. These are simple replicas of controllers once bundled with the NES, SNES and N64 consoles of old but are wirelessly compatible with the Switch (and Steam). 

Tune in to The Future Games Show Powered by Mana on Saturday, June 11, to get an up-close look at 40 games and titles developed by leading publishers in the industry. The Future Games Show will be broadcast by our sister site, GamesRadar, across multiple sources so you can choose your flavor with streams available on Facebook, Twitch, Youtube, and Twitter. The show is planned to kick off at 12:00 PDT / 15:00 EDT / 20:00 BST.

Highlights include game showcases, world premieres, exclusive announcements, and interviews with top developers, including Thunderful, Team17, and Amanita Design. In addition, viewers are welcome to indulge in an up-close look at new 2022 titles for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC platforms.

Mana CEO Joe Zhou had this to say, “We’re proud to partner with the Future Games Show - it’s a tremendous opportunity to help promote the things we love and all things gaming during an exciting event that is truly important for the community. We also hope to use this opportunity to let the community know—no matter what games you play, Mana is here to empower you and the future of games.”

It isn’t the first Future Games Show, and it certainly won’t be the last. Content Director of Games at Future Daniel Dawkins explains, “The Future Game Show is GamesRadar’s premiere digital games showcase—it reached over 120 million views across three shows in 2021. The June show will be the second of three shows in 2022, with an additional show planned for GamesCom 2022.”

In addition to the upcoming show, Future invites streamers to apply as official partners for the show. While anyone can stream the show for free, official partners receive access to a unique asset pack and an opportunity to be named an official co-streaming partner at GamesRadar+. Check out the official Streaming Partner form to get started—more details are available for streamers on the official GamesRadar website.

A new board in the Rock Pi 4 family of Raspberry Pi alternatives has appeared - brought to our attention by CNX Software. It's the Model C+, which uses downclocked processor cores in its SoC to undercut its own elder sibling, the Model B+, on price. 

There are a few other differences, in that the C+ sports two micro HDMI ports instead of the B+’s full-size one, and doesn’t feature the onboard flash storage that’s a feature of the B+, but otherwise they appear similar.

The SoC is the Rockchip RK3399T, which has six cores. Two of them are Cortex-A72, the kind found in the Raspberry Pi 4, which run by default at 1.5 GHz instead of the 2 GHz of the OP1 in the B+ model. They can, of course, be overclocked, but only to 2 GHz, whereas the OP1 can manage 2.4 GHz. The remaining four cores are Cortex-A53, seen in Amazon Fire tablets and the Nintendo Switch. These run at 1.4 GHz instead of 1.5 GHz. The GPU is the same Mali T860MP4 on both C+ and B+ boards, and the 4GB of RAM is the same LPDDR4 running at 3200Mb/s. 

Storage comes via a Micro SD card slot, though there's also an unpopulated eMMC socket that can take up to 128GB, and an M2 socket can accommodate a 2TB SSD with its transfer rate capped by the PCIe 2.0 x4 interface. There's a gigabit Ethernet port, with an optional HAT to add PoE capability, and both Wi-Fi (dual-band AC) and Bluetooth. Expansion comes via two USB 3 and two USB 2 ports, plus a 40-pin GPIO array. And there's even a power button.

Speaking of which, you’ll need to feed the C+ 5V at 5A via the USB-C port if you want to use an SSD, but the board is content with 5V at 3A if you don’t. The board’s dimensions are just 3.3 x 2.1 inch (85 x 54mm), and it will run Debian, Ubuntu, Android (7, 9, or 11) officially, with open-source graphics drivers coming via Panfrost.

The HDMI ports are worth a second look, as they support different resolutions. One can manage 4K at 60Hz, while the other is limited to 2K at the same refresh rate. There's also a MIPI connector for extra screens, and ribbon connectors for a camera too, as long as you’re ok with a maximum resolution of 8MP.

The Rock Pi 4 C+ is on sale at AllNetChina for $59.99 + shipping at the time of writing, with Ameridroid carrying it for $5 more. By contrast, the B+ with 32GB of eMMC is $75 or $87 on the same sites.

If you put down a deposit for a Steam Deck now, you'll likely be waiting until the end of the year. But despite the popularity of Valve's handheld, it's far from the only option available to play PC games on the go. The Aya Neo Next ($1,415 to start, $1,665 as tested in its "Pro" configuration), is a Windows-based handheld with a ton of storage, and a more recent AMD CPU. It's also smaller than the Steam Deck.

Perhaps most importantly, you can buy one now.

But there are trade-offs for being impatient. You'll pay a lot more than for the Steam Deck (more than twice as much, depending on the configuration), and while Aya Neo is using a newer processor, older graphics technology means many games don't run as well.

Design and Comfort of Aya Neo Next Pro

At first glance, the Aya Neo Next Pro is more Nintendo Switch than Steam Deck. Aya Neo's handheld has adopted the ergonomics of a traditional console controller surrounding a 7-inch touch screen.

While Valve's handheld has buttons to the side of its analog sticks and large touchpads, Aya Neo has opted for an orthodox layout, much like what's on Nintendo's Switch or an Xbox controller. The left side has a joystick above the d-pad, while the right side has the A, B, X and Y buttons above another joystick. 

This makes for a design that isn't as wide as the Steam Deck. The Aya Neo Next Pro measures 10.32 x 4.4 x 1.2 inches, while the Steam Deck is 11.73 x 4.6 x 1.93 inches. The Next is more than an inch shorter horizontally, and is also thinner and shorter than Valve's device, which has its buttons and D-pad flanking the joysticks to make room for touchpads. It's still far bulkier than a standard Nintendo Switch, which measures 9.4 x 4 x 0.5 inches.

But Aya has still made some odd choices here. To start, both the bumpers and the triggers are rounded. I can understand this for the bumpers, which click down to the side more than fully depressing. But the triggers on most controllers are typically straight and depress into the controller when you press them. Here, the rounded triggers complete the same action, but I had to get used to using more of my index fingers to actuate them.

The Start and Select buttons — often Start and Menu, Option and Select,  or Menu and Screenshot, depending on the controller you use these days, but I'm old school — are both next to each other below the D-pad on the left side. This goes against muscle memory, which typically has these buttons near the top of the controller, and often separated, but I eventually got used to it. On the right side, there are two more buttons. One is dedicated to launching the Aya Space software on top of Windows, while the other is a programmable button that defaults to showing the desktop on a press and opening the task manager if you hold it.

But there's more to design and comfort than layout. When I picked up the Aya Neo, the first thing I noticed was how heavy it was. It's 1.59 pounds. The Steam Deck may be wider, but its plastic shell, at 1.47 pounds, feels noticeably lighter in comparison. That 0.12 pound difference makes a significant difference when you're holding it for long gaming sessions. The Aya Neo feels more premium in some regards. It uses a soft-touch plastic on the chassis that feels nicer but is slightly slipperier. 

After using the Steam Deck, I figured I'd get used to the weight. And for the most part, I did. But I noticed my hands were tiring a little after an hour and a half of play. That wasn’t enough to stop me from playing, but enough to think it was almost time to take a break. Still, those with smaller hands may prefer the Aya Neo Next's design, if only because you don't need to stretch your fingers as much to reach different buttons.

The design is fairly minimalist, especially in the jet black colorway we reviewed (though there are more fun options available). As with Valve's system, the 7-inch, 16:10 display has a thick bezel around it, and you have to wonder if future versions will be able to fit a bigger display in a similarly-sized chassis.

The back of the Next Pro has small bumps, reminiscent of the handles on video game controllers. But these bumps are only as long as the console, and don't necessarily fill your hands. I much prefer the Steam Deck's more pronounced curves, which let me hold onto it securely. The Aya Neo Next doesn't have any buttons on the back, while the Steam Deck has four.

The back of the system is also home to the intake fan, which can get loud and runs basically all the time. My fingers occasionally hit the edge of it, mostly due to a lack of guidance about where to put them (I suspect this might be a problem for someone with larger fingers). This isn't a huge deal, but the Steam Deck helped me avoid obstructing the fan with its hand grips. Like Valve's machine, the Aya Neo Next exhausts out of the top of the system. 

The inputs on the Neo Next have a very clicky feel to them. The flat buttons bounce back harder than an Xbox controller and are louder, too. The D-pad is rigid and, while it's fine for selecting items in menus, it isn’t flexible enough for movement in complex scenarios. For instance, when I played SoulCalibur VI, a fighting game, I had to ensure I pressed the directional pad hard enough, while mashing on buttons for combos required pressure and created a racket. For a shooter, like Cyberpunk 2077, that relies more on the triggers and thumbsticks, it was a better experience.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I found the thumbsticks on the Next Pro to be exceptionally smooth. Aya also claims they have "no drift," and are "100% free of dead zones," which are extremely bold claims, as almost every stick drifts eventually.

Like the Steam Deck, there are very few ports or extras. But the Next has not one but two USB Type-C ports, which I like because it makes charging easier depending on where I'm plugging it in. Aya also includes two USB Type-C to USB Type-A adapters in the box in case you want to use older peripherals. One port is on top of the system, and the other is on the bottom. On the Steam Deck, Valve replaced that second port with a microSD card slot; the Neo Next doesn't have one.

There is one nice addition up on top. The power button, which is on top fo the system next to dedicated volume buttons, has a fingerprint reader so you can log in with Windows Hello. It works decently, and is a step up from the Steam Deck, which doesn't have any biometrics (in fact, Valve only added a lock screen to the Steam Deck as I was writing this review).

Aya Neo sells a docking station for existing models of its handheld. I used a USB Type-C hub I have lying around for some games and it worked just fine. And because the Next Pro has two USB-C ports, I didn't have to worry about finding a powered hub like I did for the Steam Deck.

Aya Neo Next Pro Specifications

Unlike the Steam Deck's custom Zen 2 chip, the Aya Neo Next Pro uses more recent Zen 3 "Cezzane" cores. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, double that of the Steam Deck. But the Aya Neo Next is still using AMD Radeon Vega graphics, as opposed to  the RDNA 2 cores that you get on the Steam Deck.

Our configuration of the Aya Neo Next, the Next Pro, has 32GB of LPDDR4x storage and a 2TB SSD. The standard Neo Next has 16GB with either a 1 or 2TB SSD. A third configuration, the Next Advance, has a different CPU  — the Neo Next Advance, has a Ryzen 7 5800U, 16GB of RAM and 2TB of storage.

Gaming and Graphics on the Aya Neo Next Pro

The Aya Neo Next Pro isn't as powerful as the Steam Deck when it comes to playing video games. Sure, it has a more recent processor with more cores and threads in the AMD Ryzen 7 5825U, but that's still based on AMD's old Vega graphics. Valve may have used fewer and older Zen 2 cores on its custom "Aerith" APU, but its 8 RDNA 2 compute units — the same kind of graphics found on the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. In most games, the graphics are still king, and the Steam Deck outshined the Aya Neo Next Pro (in both Windows 10 and native SteamOS) despite the latter's newer CPU and 32GB of RAM.

On Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the Aya Neo Next Pro typically trailed the Steam Deck by about 10 frames. It was playable on the lowest preset (53 fps) and the low preset (42 fps), though once you get to medium and high settings, the average frame count suggests enough slowdowns that it might not be comfortable, and we deem the 27 fps score on highest unplayable.

The Aya Neo Next Pro was closer to being on par in Guardians of the Galaxy, in which they were one frame apart on low and two frames apart at medium. Neither delivered an excellent experience. (Note that this game didn't run on the Steam Deck on Windows 10 when we tested.)

On Red Dead Redemption 2's "favor performance" setting with everything set as low as it goes, the Next Pro ran at 37 fps. That's playable, but lesser than the 49 fps the Steam Deck pushed out.

The Steam Deck pummeled the Aya Neo Next Pro again on Horizon Zero Dawn. On the "favor performance" preset, the Next Pro ran the game at 38 fps, while the Steam Deck was 10 frames ahead in Steam OS and 18 frames ahead in Windows 10. We saw these differences all the way through the Steam Deck could play the game up through "favor quality," though on the Neo you really shouldn't push past the "original" preset.

We saw similar results on Borderlands 3. The Steam Deck was typically five or so frames ahead of the Next Pro, while on SteamOS, but totally outperformed on Windows. A Steam Deck on Windows can play the game on high settings, while the Aya Neo Next Pro couldn't go much above medium.

The differences were more minimal in Civilization VI, especially on lower settings. (Do you really need this game to go over 60 fps anyway?). But on higher settings, the Steam Deck pushed out 11 or more frames than the Next Pro. They're all playable, but Aya's handheld didn't run as smoothly.) 

If you want to use the Aya Neo for productivity tasks, perhaps as a mini PC you hook up to a keyboard and monitor, the CPU power can help. On Geekbench 5.4, it earned a single-core score of 1,414 and a multi-core score of 5,778, far and away surpassing the Steam Deck.

To stress test the system, we ran the Metro Exodus benchmark on low settings 15 times in a row, simulating roughly half an hour of gaming. Across the test, the Next Pro achieved an average frame rate of 47.92 fps. There was a slow descent across the runs from 48.5 fps to just over 47 fps.

During that test, the CPU achieved an average clock speed of 2.2 GHz, and measured 60.5 degrees Celsius (140.9 degrees Fahrenheit). The integrated AMD Radeon Vega graphics ran at an average of 1,141.53 MHz.

Windows 10 and AyaSpace

Our review unit came with Windows 10 preinstalled, though the settings app reminded me that you could upgrade this to Windows 11. In fact, it wasn't just Windows 10 -- it was Windows 10 version 2004, so we updated it to the far more recent 21H2.

No matter what version of Windows you're using, you get the benefit of games being compatible with the Next Pro. While Valve has worked hard on Proton to make the Linux-based SteamOS work with as many games as possible, there's no arguing that most games are simply made for Windows, no extra action needed.

When the system launches, it's set to automatically open AyaSpace, the company's software to launch games, change fan speeds, make customization to buttons and more. It has a steep learning curve, and can often be confusing.  

The system scans for installed games and is able to find them through multiple services like Steam and Epic. So launching games was easy enough. I did have one instance where a game didn't show up in the software initially, and I had to add it myself, leaving me with two instances until one mysteriously disappeared.

But many of the other options, while potentially helpful, take a lot of digging to find and even some experimenting to figure out what some of them do. For example, the options to customize the controls — including an entire button meant to be programmed by the person using it — are three screens deep and in an unclear submenu. 

Changes to the Aya Quick View menu are in a similar area. Those changes are all listed with icons, with no text explaining what they do. Some are more clear than others, but I often had to experiment to figure out what they meant.

There's also an option, called "Suick" that is hidden with the rest of the customization options. It lets you create four shortcuts attached to the directional pad that operate when hit in combination with both the right trigger and right bumper. I used these often for screenshots as well as pulling up the Windows virtual keyboard. This, as well as the custom button on the other side of the system, should be included in the setup process (and the suick setting should be on by default).

Unfortunately, the documentation for AyaSpace online is minimal, and the text in the software is ripe with translation errors and odd spelling and capitalization. It doesn't break the system, but it makes it harder to learn and use.

None of this is as easy as what Valve did. SteamOS is far more clear and feels like its built for the hardware it is on (because it was!). In some ways, AyaSpace is better than Windows, but it's far more slapdash.

There's no real way around it: Windows on a handheld is clunky. That being said, you'll want to use it. The left stick controls the mouse, the A button is left click and the X button is right click, which feels backwards. That's until Windows decides that it's a controller, not a mouse, and starts highlighting items instead of bringing the cursor to them.

The Aya Quick View menu, which can be accessed with the dedicated hardware button, lets you access some features easily, even during gameplay, like changing power consumption and fan speeds. But in some games, I found that the hardware button ended up getting confused for controller commands. In Dead Cells, for instance, I couldn't pull it up because pressing the button made my character do a dash and roll.

But that desktop is important, because you'll still use Epic Games, Steam, GOG and other launchers to install and manage games outside of AyaSpace. The web browser (Edge by default) is your key to downloading software, just like any other Windows PC.

One Windows tip: disable rotation lock. This didn't happen frequently, but I did have the screen flip as I picked up or put down the device.

Power Options on the Aya Neo Next Pro

With the Aya Quick Tool, you can easily switch between four power profiles.

The default default "Balance" profile is set at 15W, and that's what I used for most of my testing. There's also a 20W "game" mode, an 11W power saving option and a custom selection that starts at 5W but can be pumped up to 32W depending on your needs.

Display on the Aya Neo Next Pro

The Aya Neo Next has a 7-inch, IPS touchscreen display with a 1280 x 800 resolution (with a 16:10 aspect ratio) and a 60 Hz refresh rate. If this sounds familiar, it's because those are the same specs as the screen on the Steam Deck. Just one thing is missing: there's no etched anti-glare glass like on the 512GB Steam Deck model. There is absolutely more of a reflection and more glare, especially when playing near open windows, than on Valve's etched panel.

Aya Neo doesn't list a brightness rating, but I can tell you from experience it's plenty luminous. I often left the screen on 50% and was good to play. If you're plugged in, 100% brightness might still be overkill.

When I played SoulCalibur VI as Inferno against Xianghua, my character's red flames and her blue armor and clothing contrasted against a green forest level. Everything really popped, except for the detail, but that's not the screen's fault — I needed to run the game at the lowest settings possible. In fact, sometimes it looked overly saturated. The game looked better when the stage turned to night and there was more contrast.

I had a different experience with Cyberpunk 2077. That game, despite its futuristic ultra-neon setting, has the colors that are ultimately a bit more muted and realistic. In dark scenes, though, even with the bright screen, everything looked dark, which some research suggests is an issue many players with AMD GPUs are suffering from right now. Bright scenes looked fine.

I didn't take advantage of the 60 Hz screen in games like Cyberpunk 2077 or SoulCalibur VI, which clearly didn't hit that frame rate when I played them. Something like Dead Cells or Celeste that aren't very demanding are more likely to come closer.

The touchscreen is useful; I find that it's sometimes easier to navigate Windows with a finger than the controller. I've kept the included cleaning cloth close by, because the display sure is a fingerprint magnet.

Battery Life on the Aya Neo Next Pro

Like any gaming handheld, battery life is going to be extremely dependent on the game you're playing, display brightness levels and the power the system is using. 

In my battery testing, I used the 15W balanced mode with the screen at 50% brightness. On Cyberpunk 2077 at low settings, the Aya Neo Next Pro hit 33% battery life after an hour and 20 minutes of play. When I came back two hours later, it took just another 15 minutes to get a warning from Windows that the battery had hit 10% and it was time to plug in.

I thought the system would last much longer playing Dead Cells, a 2D side-scrolling rouge-lite. But just before the two hour mark, the system threw up the 10% charge warning.

If you're taking the Aya Neo Next far from home, you'll want to consider an external battery or turning features like rumble off and making the display as dim as you can tolerate it.

Audio on the Aya Neo Next Pro

The Aya Neo Pro packs stereo speakers, but they're mounted on the bottom of the device, alongside the USB Type-C port. 

It doesn't make for a great experience. When I played Cyberpunk 2077, I found that it was extremely noticeable when dialogue came through the right speaker and almost everything else pumped through the left speaker. On top of that, it was all pointing away from my ears. If you lean the system on your leg to rest it, you'll muffle the sound.

If you prefer to play music over your games, you'll get mixed sound. While listening to Glass Animals "Heat Waves," I was surprised at how much bass I could hear (thin devices often suffer there). But that thump on the low-end comes at the expense of the mids. The higher vocals were clear, but the guitars and synths were quiet and lost in the mix.

You do have other options. You can also use the 3.5 mm headphone jack if the sound isn't up to snuff or pair some Bluetooth headphones with the handheld.  

Part of my disappointment comes from the size of the device. The Steam Deck is extra wide and has room for front-facing speakers. The Aya Neo Next isn't as long, so they had to jam them somewhere. Too bad it's at the bottom.

Heat on the Aya Neo Next Pro

A cramped handheld with PC-grade components seems like it's destined to overheat, but I never found the Aya Neo to be too hot to handle.

Cold air comes in through a loud, constantly whirring fan on the back. It's set to "wild," though there are two other presets: "exc." and "saving." Aya doesn't detail the specific differences. Hot air is exhausted out of a vent on the top of the system, away from your hands.  

The Steam Deck is designed in an ingenious way in which the grips guide your hands to the coolest part of the system. The Next Pro's design doesn't emphasize that as much, and occasionally I had fingers get a bit sweaty or come near the fan grate. But I never had to put it down due to heat.

We took skin temperature measurements during our Metro Exodus stress test. On the front of the system, the left controller reached 31.7 degrees Celsius (89.06 degrees Fahrenheit), while the right controller measured 33.9 degrees Celsius (93.02 degrees Fahrenheit).

On the back of the Next Pro, the hottest point measured 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

At the exhaust on top, the handheld 40.4 degrees Celsius (104.72 degrees Fahrenheit). This shouldn't be a common touchpoint based on its location, however.

Upgradeability of the Aya Neo Next Pro

On the bright side, you can get into the Aya Neo. But it's a process that requires an uncommon screwdriver and lots of patience. You need a Y-shaped driver head to remove the ten screws from the chassis: eight from the back, one from the top and one from the bottom.

We had a hard time getting those out. Some screws stripped, and it's very difficult to see  where you are with a screw without a flashlight. These screws are inset deep into the chassis.

You can use a spudger to separate the back of the chassis once the screws are out. The M.2 SSD is above the battery and easy enough to reach.

You can watch Aya Neo's guide to opening the Aya neo Next Pro and making repairs here.

Will the Aya Neo Next Pro Be Supported?

It's always a hard choice to spend a lot of money on relatively unknown companies. The big question is whether Aya Neo will support the Next Pro going forward. The company does have several models on the market, and the Next Pro has moved beyond Indiegogo to a more certain direct purchase from the company site.

The company once shipped upgrade kits to early backers who purchased an early model so that they could put motherboards and batteries into a new chassis, so there's a positive history there. 

Aya Neo has a 1-year warranty program starting from the date the owner receives their handheld.

Aya Neo Next Configurations and Availability

We reviewed the Aya Neo Next Pro, the top-tier version of the handheld. It has an AMD Ryzen 7 5825U, 32GB of LPDDR4x RAM and a 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD. Ours came in very neutral jet black, but it's also available in pastel blue, bright white (with orange accents) and midnight blue (perhaps my favorite of the colors). On Aya Neo's website, our configuration totals $1,665. That's a bit pricier than it went for on Indiegogo, where it was listed for $1,535.

The standard Aya Neo Next is listed as having the same CPU as the Next Pro, but with 16GB of RAM and either a 1TB or 2TB SSD. As of this writing, only the 1TB version is available on Aya Neo's store, at $1,415,  and it's only selling in black or white.

Aya Neo's site lists a third model, the Next Advance, with a Ryzen 7 5800U, 16GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD, which comes in a silver color exclusive to this configuration. That configuration doesn't appear to be for sale as of publishing. 

But at least you can go to the Aya Neo website, put one in your cart and order it. Yes, it's far more expensive than the Steam Deck, which starts at $399 with 64GB of storage and goes up to $649 with 512GB. If you simply don't have the fortitude to wait for a Steam Deck, Aya Neo will send you a product in exchange for your money. If you want a Steam Deck, you have to get in line with a $5 deposit. Currently, Valve's expected orders are backlogged to "After Q3 (October 2022 or later)." 

Unlike the Steam Deck, the Aya Neo Next Pro doesn't come with a carrying case. (One was included as a free gift for some Indiegogo backers). Our unit came in elaborate packaging (including special gloves to wear while opening the box!), but a case would have been much more useful. Aya Neo sells a variety of carrying cases separately.

Bottom Line

The Aya Neo Next Pro is a Windows-based gaming handheld with a ton of storage space, a bright display and is available to buy now if you want one. But at $1,665 as tested, it's significantly more expensive than Valve's Steam Deck.

The Aya Neo Next Pro is smaller than the Steam Deck, which is a plus for those with smaller hands, and its two USB Type-C ports enable easier charging and more wired peripherals. The 2TB of storage is perhaps the Next Pro's best feature, as you can install far more games than on the Steam Deck.

But the Steam Deck is more comfortable to hold, and you can expand its storage with an SD card. When it comes down to brass tacks, the Steam Deck, with its RDNA 2-based graphics, is better at playing video games, as long as they run on SteamOS. And that power comes for significantly less money than the Next Pro.

But you can buy the Aya Neo Next Pro. If you want a Steam Deck, you'll have to wait. If you want more power and primarily play on Steam, I highly recommend putting in your $5 deposit and waiting if you can. But if you don't care about playing above low settings and want to install as many games as possible, the Aya Neo Next Pro will give you a similar experience if you're willing to pony up.

At just $150, the newly available Anbernic RG503 gaming handheld is certainly undercutting the likes of the Steam Deck and AyaNeo Next on price, but its specs - as reported by CNX Software - point more toward an emulation and streaming deck than a portable PC.

At its heart sits Rockchip’s RK3566 SoC (featured in boards such as the Station M2 and considered a step up from the chip found in the Nintendo Switch and Raspberry Pi 3B+), which contains four Arm Cortex A55 cores ticking over at 1.8GHz. These are backed by just 1GB of LPDDR4 RAM and a Mali G-52 EE GPU. Storage comes in the form of two Micro SD slots, and the screen is a 4.95in OLED with a 960×544 resolution but isn't a touchscreen.

To interact, you’ll need to use the D-pad, pair of analog sticks (in a PlayStation configuration at the lower edge of the chassis), four face buttons, and triggers. There's wireless communication in the form of Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4.2, and a 3,200 mAH battery apparently good for six hours of use. The video out port comes via a micro HDMI 2.0a socket, there's a USB port for charging, and the whole thing weighs just 235g (8.3oz) in a package measuring 19 x 8.4 x 2.1 cm (7.4 x 3.3 x 0.8 in).

Now, with one eye on our lawyers, we should tell you that the device is available with a 64GB Micro SD card stuffed with games - 4,193 of them - which, judging by video reviews we’ve seen, appear to be of the copyrighted variety. Of course, we couldn’t possibly suggest buying one for that sort of thing, but the Linux OS the device runs (a fork of EmuELEC) sets it up nicely as a streaming unit, perhaps running Moonlight to stream Steam games from a gaming PC on the same network, and pretend it’s a Steam Deck, or Chiaki to stream your PlayStation 4 games. Alternatively, Kodi functionality is advertised, so you could use it as a media streamer, though that screen is likely to be as limiting as the small amount of RAM.

The Anbernic RG503 is available from Anberic’s store for $149.99, rising to $157.99 with that naughty SD card. It’s also being sold on AliExpress, where you should take a look at our list of AliExpress promo codes, and Banggood.

It would be an understatement to say that PC gaming has seen a bit of a resurgence in the last few years, in spite of ongoing GPU supply issues and price gouging. So it's not entirely surprising that when Valve announced the Steam Deck ($399 to start, $649 as tested), players jumped at the opportunity to play their favorite games on what appeared to be a high-quality handheld device. After all, previous handheld PCs like the Aya Neo aren't exactly household names, and usually cost much more.

Following a hyped launch and one delay, it's now time for the Steam Deck to start shipping. And having spent quite a bit of time with it, I think this thing is pretty great, even when it's a bit wonky. As someone who started my life gaming on consoles before transitioning to being more platform agnostic, I find that the Steam Deck combines the simplicity I appreciate with the customization options I've learned to love.  It's one of the best PC gaming handhelds there is, and also lets me play games however I'm comfortable playing them, much like the Nintendo Switch.

The build quality is strong and solid, and the anti-glare display is beautiful. I don't think anyone will be surprised that the battery life isn't stellar for most titles. But what will compel some people and shock others is how much of a PC this is. Some of that comes from the fact that Valve is still tinkering on the software side, and based on the improvements I've seen in my time with the device, I expect it to seem more fully baked soon. Yet it's also due to the fact that there is so much you can change, and how there are little quirks you'll have to live with or try to fix.

Most people don't need a Steam Deck (not that you'll be able to buy one easily for a long time, anyway), but many will enjoy it, despite any oddities. It's good for single-player games, indies and for hobbyists who want to mess with Linux or install Windows.

Those who care most about playing their games on the go and are willing to sacrifice fidelity for the cause will be surprised just how much computer they're getting here.

One note: We got to spend more time with the Steam Deck than we do with some other products, but that came with the caveat that the software was being finished up until release. We didn't see any major performance changes as our testing progressed, but some features were still being worked on until the very end, and we may write more about those in updates to this review or in upcoming coverage.

Design and Comfort of Steam Deck

The Steam Deck is big. It makes the Nintendo Switch look even sleeker than it already is. Your childhood Game Gear was small in comparison. This thing takes up some serious space.

But it's surprisingly comfortable to use.

Valve's handheld is an imposing, black plastic machine, measuring 11.73 inches wide, 4.6 inches tall and 1.93 inches deep (298 x 117 x 49 mm). A standard Nintendo Switch is 9.4 x 4 x 0.5 inches, so this is far longer and thicker. Still it's much smaller than the best gaming laptops.

The build quality is really solid here. Everything feels nice, with the exception of seams that go around the sides. This, however, lets you open the device, which we'll get to later on. There are a handful of decorative lines that give it a bit of a gamer edge, but they're tone-on tone and don't stand out too much. A Valve logo is on the back of the system. There's a significant bezel around the 7-inch touchscreen. In practice, it didn't bother me much, but I wish it were smaller so Valve could have fit a slightly larger display in this chassis.

Valve has jammed a lot of inputs into a small space. There's a D-Pad, two thumbsticks, A/B/X/Y buttons, a pair of trackpads with haptic feedback, as well as view and menu buttons for games and "Steam" and a "..." options button for Steam OS (these two buttons appear to have pad printed legends, which is one of a very few areas about this thing that feels cheap). On the rear, there are four more buttons you can hit with your fingers, like you can see on many controllers aimed at gamers playing FPS titles who don't want to take their thumbs off the sticks. Additionally, you get standard bumpers and triggers.

The D-pad is next to the left thumb stick, and the A/B/X/Y buttons are to the right of the right stick. This is very unlike what has been popularized by Xbox and PlayStation, but it does work. I'm 5 feet, 8 inches tall and have fairly average-sized hands. For those with smaller hands, I could see an issue where you may have to stretch to reach both the thumbsticks and triggers. One such small-handed person in my life told me they felt they were using their "full wingspan" to get their hands around it.

When you first pick the Deck up, you'll notice how hefty it feels. It weighs just under 1.5 pounds, which is a lot compared to the Switch, which is about 0.88 pounds. But the Steam Deck has far more powerful hardware packed in.

At first, I did worry about the weight. But as I used it, I rarely had an issue with it. Yes, it's heavier than the Switch I played hours of Stardew Valley on, but my hands weren't cramping up after several hours of games I've been bouncing between, like Guardians of the Galaxy and Ace Attorney Chronicles.

I have to say, I love the inputs. The thumbsticks feel excellent: smooth with just a bit of heft. Most controllers do eventually drift, but the fact that these feel solid gives me the impression that they will last a while. The D-Pad, too, feels excellent, and I'm pretty picky about these things. I think some people might wish it were a bit larger, but there's just the right amount of resistance and click.

The A/B/X/Y buttons are a bit softer than on my go-to Xbox wireless controllers and make far less noise. That lack of a click felt a bit odd at first, but I grew to appreciate the buttons quietly popping up immediately so I could mash them down again.

The haptic feedback on the touchpads is, frankly, weak. I mostly used the touchpads in games where a mouse would be better than a joystick (or as the mouse on the KDE Plasma desktop), but at least it gave me a small sense of where the cursor was moving. Still, the touchpads work great as a mouse replacement in games like Civilization VI, which was surprisingly playable on the Steam Deck.

Those two Steam OS-focused buttons are inset with the rest of the chassis. This makes it extremely unlikely that you'll press them by accident during gameplay, but I found that it also made them harder to access than they should be when you need them. They require a much harder press than anything else on the system. Start strengthening those thumbs.

The system also never feels like it's getting hot. (It sounds like it, but that's a different story.) Valve was very smart about the way it laid out the inputs and the components, and my hands weren't any sweatier than if I had used a desktop after playing. The primary intake is on the back of the system, just far away enough from the right grip buttons that you don't notice it, while hot air exhausts out the top.

There are very few ports on the Steam Deck. Most of them are located along the top. There's a 3.5 mm headphone jack next to the volume buttons, and then an all-important USB Type-C port next to the power button. This USB-C port is used for charging (a 45 watt charger is included), but this is a computer, so you can also use USB hubs to connect keyboards and mice or external storage. 

I often found myself wishing that the USB-C port was on the bottom of the Steam Deck, similar to the way it is on the Nintendo Switch. The power cable might be a bit in the way, but it would be better for accessories.

On the bottom of the Steam Deck, there's a microSD card slot. For the 64GB configuration, this UHS-I slot is going to be a must-have for quick and easy expandability.

Occasionally, I used the Deck with a powered USB-C hub to use a mouse and keyboard. Valve says an official Dock is coming in the spring, but right now, that doesn't help. I wish the Steam Deck had a kickstand built in so that it could be used with controllers or other peripherals anywhere. For now, you may have to turn to the 3D printing community.

Specifications and Components of Steam Deck

The Steam Deck is running on a custom AMD Zen 2 "Van Gogh" APU that the company has dubbed "Aerith." The CPU has four cores and eight threads, with a base clock of 2.4 GHz and a boost clock up to 3.5 GHz. It also has 8 RDNA 2-based compute units.

That's all paired with 16GB of LPPDR5 RAM. Storage comes in three variations: 64GB of eMMC, which is likely to be quite slow, a 256GB M.2 NVMe SSD, or, in our review unit, a 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD.

Of course, KDE Plasma and Steam OS take up space. On our unit, 465.3GB of space was available for games, DLC, screenshots and other files.

Gaming and Graphics Performance of Steam Deck

The potential library of games on Steam is massive, and over the coming months, a lot of people are going to tweak their favorite games to find out how they play. To test the Steam Deck, I played some games on my own, but I also ran some benchmarks.

Those tests were a mix of the ones we run on gaming laptops and desktops, as well as some games from my personal library. But because we're trying to find out how Steam Deck runs games in different ways, we ran most of them at multiple settings. In each case, we ran the benchmark at the Steam Deck's native resolution of 1280 x 800, though I imagine some gamers may see bumping down to 720p (1280 x 720) in the hopes of saving a few frames.

Additionally, we wanted to see if there was a noticeable difference between installing a game on the SSD or an SD card, so we ran the benchmarks again off the external storage. The SD card we used in this test was a 512GB SanDisk Extreme. Your results may vary on other memory cards.

One other note: the weekend prior to the review embargo, Valve implemented a change to SteamOS. Specifically, it created a toggle that, when turned on, caps frame rates at 30 frames per second (fps) and, when flipped off, tops out at 60 fps. VSync was also turned on at the system level, ignoring game settings. Valve told Tom's Hardware it intends on implementing a more granular slider and the ability to turn VSync off. We have chosen to publish benchmark numbers from tests we ran prior to the implementation, which should give a more accurate showing of what the Steam Deck can do when not tied down. Note that frame rates above 60 fps, when retested, dropped to the cap. Others, however, remained largely unchanged.

First up was Shadow of the Tomb Raider, which has a native Linux version. As of our testing, Steam marked it as "Playable." For this game, we turned off anti-aliasing, but otherwise used the game's normal graphics presets. On the "Lowest" preset, the game ran at an average of over 63 frames per second, passing just about anyone's bare minimum for playability. You could even boost it up to low (54 fps) or medium (42 fps on SSD) for a slightly better picture. Even on the highest preset, it ran at 38 fps. I have to imagine that part of why this game performed so well is that it runs on Linux, and doesn't have to go through the Proton compatibility layer.

I've been playing a lot of Guardians of the Galaxy recently, and it happens to have a built-in benchmark. That runs through the Proton compatibility layer (as do the rest of our games, and the majority of games on Steam). On low, it played at 32 frames per second, and at its medium preset the game only lost one frame, but had far lower minimum frames, effectively rendering it unplayable.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of our more punishing benchmarks, so I ran it using Vulkan with every setting as low as it goes. (Additionally, the presets are specific to your hardware.) The game played at an average of 49 frames per second off the SSD and 50 fps of the SD card, a negligible difference.

Borderlands 3 was also extremely playable by its benchmark's metrics. It was just shy of 60 frames per second on the very low preset, dropping to 51 fps on the low preset and 42 fps at medium.  Jumping to high, however, was unplayable at an average of 28 fps.

Of the games we benchmarked, Horizon Zero Dawn is the only one that's fully Steam Deck verified. On the "Favor Performance" preset, it ran at 48 frames per second, and it reached 40 fps on the "Original" preset designed to emulate the PlayStation 4 version. At "Favor Quality," it reached 35 frames per second, but at "Ultimate Quality," even with a 30 fps average, too many frames ran below that to recommend it.

Civilization VI showed well across its various presets on the Steam Deck. It's marked playable on the Steam Deck, but even though there's a native Linux version of the game, you have to force it to use Proton to work, so these numbers are through the compatibility layer.

On the low preset, the game's graphics benchmark ran at 76 fps, while it ran at 43-44 fps at ultra. Whether you want higher frame rates or more detail, there's a preset that should work for you.

You may notice from our charts that running games off of the SD card proved effectively identical as playing the game from the built-in SSD. In the few cases where there was a difference, they were actually in the SD card's favor, although only by a single frame or so. If I didn't run these tests myself, I wouldn't believe it, but here we are. Anecdotally, I did find that some initial loading times were longer off the SD card, but these numbers suggest that you shouldn't worry about getting some external storage, though again, ours was quite fast.

Valve suggested to me that people underestimate SD card read speeds, though write speeds are an issue. The company has made it so whichever drive is playing games won't see background downloads to avoid them reading and writing at the same time, which could slow down gaming. Valve devs also suggested that many current games don't use SSDs to their full potential. I'm curious to see how that may change now that the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S come with solid-state storage.

We also ran a stress test on the Steam Deck (again, ahead of the current 60 fps cap and without VSync). Unfortunately, the Metro Exodus benchmark was a non-starter, as it requires a separate executable that you can't launch through Steam OS (we may revisit it with Windows later). Instead, I used the built-in performance overlay, which uses MangoHud, to record myself playing a bit of Deathloop at the Deck's native 1200 x 800 resolution and the Very Low graphics preset.

On the charts, we cut out the time downloading updates for the game, so they start when the game revs up. We also removed idle time at the end of the test, used to jump back to SteamOS and stop logging.

In our first chart, which shows frames per second and temperature over time, you can see the temperature for the CPU and GPU cores in shades of red, which are very similar here. The GPU is slightly higher. While this could vary based on the game you're playing, this isn't terribly surprising, as they're on the same silicon.  There's a peak temperature of around 90 degrees Celsius near the end of the test, but under full load, the temperatures hovered around the 80 to 85 degrees Celsius range. The fps data, in blue, shows slightly higher performance during the opening part of the game, possibly because there are some more menus involved there that aren't as intensive, also possibly because the GPU is a bit cooler. But there's no sign of severe throttling for either the CPU or GPU. You may notice, in the middle, a point where I died in the game, causing a brief period in which I had to go through menus, which weren't too hard for the GPU. There, the frame rates appeared to skyrocket.

In fact, the second chart, which shows the GPU clock speeds in black, shows that the RDNA 2-based graphics routinely hit its peak 1.6 GHz clock rate, even in the latter portions of the test, which ran roughly half an hour. Additionally, throughout the test, we observed a max of 12.5 GB of RAM use, though this will vary by title.

The last chart shows GPU load in green. Note that it was running at 100% most of the time, suggesting that this game almost fully utilized it.

What Works, and Little Hiccups with Steam Deck

Besides benchmarking games, I also spent a bunch of time playing them. Valve is moving through games to mark them as "verified," "playable," "untested," or that they don't work at all. For much of my time with the Steam Deck, my library showed a mix of these, with most of them falling into the untested category. You can check the status of the games of your library with Valve's tool here.

Untested doesn't mean that a game doesn't work. For most games, I'm told, it's just a matter of getting to testing. I found it to be a mixed bag. For instance, as of this writing, no one got around to Ace Attorney Investigations, Tacoma or SoulCalibur VI, and those largely worked just fine (except for some small text in Tacoma). But Halo Infinite doesn't launch at all. Cyberpunk 2077 launches, but then often shows an error message.

When I played Guardians of the Galaxy, I found that the graphics tended to have some bugs, including lighting elements occasionally flashing when they weren't supposed to, which was distracting but didn't break the game. The game is listed as "playable." Early on in my testing, I had to avoid certain items that reveal deeper lore. Picking those up reliably crashed the game. At the time, the game was untested, but I went back to find that bug had been fixed. In fact, I finished the game on the Steam Deck.

Valve has previously suggested that if a game doesn't work on Steam Deck, it considers that to be a bug. It ends up, some of that work can be fixed on Steam's end.

"Most of the things that are causing games to not run well now are usually things that we have to fix in Proton or in the graphics driver, or in the SteamOS itself,  to get the game to the same point where, you know, it would run on a normal Windows PC," Steam Deck developer Pierre-Loup Griffais told Tom's Hardware. So if a game isn't working now, there is hope.

Other aspects, like text legibility or controller support that would move a game from "playable" to "verified" would need to be fixed by the developer. When I tried Splitgate, the game was a bit confused: It knew I had a controller connected, but wanted me to go to the settings and change it away from the keyboard and mouse setting. Luckily, it let me use the controller for that, just not for the game. Once that was set, it all worked well. Hopefully, that's the type of thing that can be easily fixed.

To get through the massive Steam catalog, the company is working with third-party testing houses it has worked with previously on projects like verifying content on Steam. Those testers play the game and check them against criteria.

"The process involves releasing the results in batches," Griffais explained, which is why "bursts" of new games have been getting ratings at the same time.

Games that are rated tend to work as advertised. Verified games like Cuphead, Portal 2 and Horizon Zero Dawn were effectively launch-and-play. Playable games required slightly more work. Civilization VI needs to be launched through Proton, despite being Linux native, and when it does, it can't auto-set GPU settings. Do it once, and you're good. Dead Cells downloaded a specific version of Proton it works well with to work after an update.

Borderlands 3 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider work fine, but some of the text is small for the size of the screen. In some games, like the "untested" Guardians of the Galaxy and SoulCalibur VI, the system expects keyboard inputs until you press a button and it realizes that, hey, this hardware has a controller.

Perhaps the one big "verified" game that I had a problem with was Deathloop, which took several minutes to load initially, but then played fine.

Another fun issue has been games with launchers. It's not something you expect with a console, but SteamOS is seemingly doing its best to adapt here. The switch from Steam to a launcher designed for Windows makes for a dramatic, sometimes awkward transition, and launchers sometimes need keyboard and mouse controls (the latter can often be used through the trackpad) or the touch screen to work. I found third-party controllers also sometimes were better at navigating them than the built-in controls.

Some Steam games don't work. These are marked by Valve as "unsupported," and include VR games and some with anti-cheat software that doesn't work well, at least at the moment, with the Steam Deck. If you really want to install these games, you won't be stopped, but you'll get a notification warning you that large swaths might not work.

As I've used the Steam Deck, more and more games have been verified, so I'm confident that big names will ultimately be categorized and, if necessary, fixed. The big question is how much time it will take.

SteamOS on Steam Deck

SteamOS 3.0 is Arch Linux based, but for most people, it's just going to be the user interface to get to your games. And if you know Steam on a PC, SteamOS will look and feel quite familiar to you.

You will need an internet connection the first time you log in to the Steam Deck with your Steam account. Once you do, you'll get a quick tour of the system, letting you know which hardware buttons do what and a reminder of where the SD card reader is.

Subsequently, when you log in, it will ask you who is playing. You can have multiple Steam accounts on a Deck and switch between them.

The Home screen has a list of your recent games, making it easy to drop back into anything you've been playing, whether on your Steam Deck or on a PC. This page also features news and recent game updates, as well as tabs to see your friends' activities and suggestions for what to play next. To get elsewhere in the OS, you can press the Steam button to open a menu.

Entering the library shows you all of your games on Steam. A few need to update their cover art, but most look quite nice here. You can sort the games by which ones are "Great on Deck," which means they're verified to work, or sort by favorites or installed titles. I appreciate that they extended the verification system to the store, so that you can get an idea of how a game will work before you buy it.

There are additional tabs in the menu to bring you to the store, which is effectively the same as what you see on PC, but with an interface that works better with the controller and 7-inch display. Valve has also added a new "Great on Deck" space that highlights only verified games. A tab for your friends and chat lets you communicate via voice or text (though you'll probably want to plug in a physical keyboard for the latter. Typing on the on-screen keyboard isn't nearly as fast.)

The Media section lets you check out screenshots you took with the Steam + R1 shortcut on the Deck, and you can upload those to Steam's servers to view elsewhere. I wish there were an option to move these images to a microSD card or external drive.

SteamOS's downloads section is identical to the one on the desktop, showing you what is downloading, in which order, and letting you reprioritize the list.

Perhaps the meatiest section is settings, which features everything from time zones to internet options, audio, bluetooth, display brightness, family sharing and more. Basically, anything else is tucked in here somewhere.

The power menu is pretty self-explanatory (and can also be accessed by holding in the power button). But besides shutting down or restarting the system, you can also use it to access the KDE Plasma desktop. More on how that works later on.

On the right side of the unit, the "..." option brings up quick settings that you can change no matter where you are in the system (it also shows your notifications and friends list at a glance). You can also check battery levels, change brightness and turn rumble and haptics on and off here. Finally, there are toggles for airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and night mode. 

Pressing the Steam menu button while in a game brings up more specific options for it, including letting you scroll over to a map of the controls, in case you need a quick reminder. If you have multiple apps open, you can also quickly switch between them here. This works great if you're moving to a web browser or a music player, but if you try to launch a second game, Steam will toss up a warning that this may impact performance.

A small handful of sections of SteamOS require the use of the touch screen as the input method. I found these when looking at profiles and adding friends. I was instructed, by an icon at the top of the screen to "Use touch." It worked, but didn't seem as polished as the rest of the OS, which can use several input methods.

Advanced Power Options on Steam Deck

The performance section will be of interest to those who like to tinker, as it has options for a Performance Overlay that shows CPU and GPU load, VRAM and memory usage, as well as frame times. There are also toggles for those who want to limit frame rates, limit the thermal power, set the GPU to a fixed clock speed or enable Super Resolution upscaling, which is labeled as AMD's FSR, letting you render the game at a lower resolution and then sharpen the graphics with an algorithm. For our testing, we left these at their default settings.

These will be invaluable for those who want to stretch out battery life as long as possible. Some games have FSR built in, but using it or other scaling filters system-wide can save energy in games that don't include it. Setting a frame rate limit can also prevent the APU from using extra power. I suspect in the coming weeks and months, we'll see a lot of different variations that people try to get the most longevity out of their Decks.

The performance settings menu is also where you can launch Valve's performance layer, an implementation of MangoHud, to check on system performance, frametimes and more.

Display on Steam Deck

Valve has outfitted the Steam Deck with a 7-inch IPS touchscreen with a 1280 x 800 resolution (with a 16:10 aspect ratio). Like a standard television or productivity laptop, the screen runs at 60 Hz.

I'm quite impressed with this screen from my use. On the 512GB model, with anti-glare etched glass, the viewing angles are insanely good. Reflections only really bothered me at extreme angles, though if a light was directly above me, I could still see it in the glass.

I've been playing a lot of Guardians of the Galaxy on my desktop PC, and while I played it at much lower settings on the Steam Deck, the game still looked great. Star-Lord's jacket was the right shade of burgundy, while Groot's glowing spores lit up a dark cave. 

I've also been going through stints playing The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, which is a very colorful game, and I have no complaints here. Susato's pink kimono, for instance, looks as good on the Steam Deck as anywhere else I've played the game.

In the quick settings menu, the brightness bar can be addressed in 21 notches. (Valve claims a typical brightness of 400 nits.) I could play comfortably anywhere in the brighter half of that bar, as the display gets far more luminous than I actually needed. The lower half isn't too dim to play with if you're trying to eke out a bit more battery life, but I wouldn't recommend it for the best experience. 

In the full settings menu, you can also choose when to dim the display or put the Deck to sleep. You can also create a "night" mode to reduce cool lights in the hopes of better sleeping after gaming.

Depending on the games you play, however, 60 Hz may be a bit of a letdown. Most of my go-to games are big and intensive; On the Steam Deck, there's little chance I'll even get to 60 Hz while playing. But if you're playing something with simpler graphics, like Dead Cells or Stardew Valley, and it supports higher frame rates, you won't be able to get the benefit here. (Whether you need more than 60 fps for Stardew Valley is a separate question entirely).

I thought the touchscreen would be of questionable utility at best, as most PC games are typically played with a keyboard and mouse. But I found that Steam OS works well with touch, and I even ended up using it for some in-game menus.

Suspending Games on Steam Deck

One great feature on the Switch, as well as more recent consoles like the Xbox Series X is that you can turn off your game and return whenever you're ready.

The Steam Deck has a suspend feature as well. All you have to do is tap the power button while in a game. Obviously, this won't work for online games, but for offline titles with single-player campaigns, you can pick games up when you're ready. I had no issues with suspending games I've been playing, like Guardians of the Galaxy, Ace Attorney Chronicles and Dead Cells, but some accessories don't always play nice.

For instance, I connected my AirPods Pro to the Steam Deck, and they didn't always reconnect when I returned to my game, forcing me to pause and re-pair them before continuing.

Battery Life on Steam Deck

Valve offers a range of two to eight hours of battery life in its spec sheet. I never reached that top end, but what type of battery life you get is going to vary tremendously based on the games you're playing. In my experience, it's probably closer to two to six hours.

When I played Guardians of the Galaxy on low settings with display brightness at 50%, Wi-Fi on and Bluetooth off, I played for 2 hours and 6 minutes until I got a warning that the battery fell under 10 percent and the Deck needed to be charged.

Another night, I played Ace Attorney Chronicles at the same brightness level. After an hour and a half, I had 43% battery left. That was enough for me to play another 90 minutes of Civilization VI the next night.

At one point, I used the Steam Deck for three hours straight, downloading games, browsing the Steam Store, and trying a bit of Dead Cells, Cuphead, Portal 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy. After that, I still had 37% left to go.

Games like Dead Cells and Cuphead, which are less graphically intensive, will get you more time on a charge than something like Cyberpunk 2077 or Deathloop. But just as important is if you use advanced power settings to set a limit on frames per second or other features.

"When we say two to eight hours, our expectation is that it will be under a 30 fps limit," Yazan Aldehayyat, a hardware engineer at Valve, told Tom's Hardware. He suggested that limit was a "baseline" for their testing.

"There was really no great answer besides testing a bunch of games and seeing," he said. He also suggested Valve used a modeling and projection based on the power to different components of the subsystem to get that two to eight hour range.

Another important consideration is display brightness. You can lock it in place, but I do suspect lots of people will appreciate adaptive brightness, which, like on many laptops, adjusts based on the lighting the device is in. If it gets significantly brighter or dimmer, that would make a difference.

Audio on Steam Deck

I'm very pleasantly surprised in this regard. I've easily had hundreds of laptops pass through my hands, and the Steam Deck's speakers work better than many of them.

If you wear a pair of premium headphones, the speakers won't replace them. But I was plenty happy curled up on my couch playing Guardians of the Galaxy, Civilization VI, Portal 2 and plenty of other games with just the speaker. Dialogue in games is clear and music is decent enough.

For music, the speakers are just OK. They definitely feel tuned for gaming. I downloaded Spotify on the KDE Plasma desktop, and some music didn't sound as good as it does on other systems. The Weeknd's "Gasoline" has lots of synths and drums, but they were kind of messy here, falling behind clearer vocals. A bit of extra volume would have been nice, too.

Your other options are either Bluetooth audio or a pair of wired headphones via the 3.5 mm jack. I had success with both. Either type work like they do on a PC. In some early builds of the software, there were issues with connecting and the system hanging, but those have been fixed.

Heat on Steam Deck

I haven't had a single issue with the Steam Deck getting too hot. The controls, both on the front and rear of the device, appear to be strategically placed to avoid contact with the hottest parts of the handheld.

After playing half an hour of sneaking and shooting my way through Karl's Bay in Deathloop, I took some skin temperature measurements. The spaces around the buttons and touchpads measured roughly 27.5 degrees Celsius (81.5 degrees Fahrenheit).

Temperatures were similar on the back grips near the rear buttons. In the center, closer to some of the components and the vents, temps got as high as 41.4 degrees Celsius (106.52 degrees Fahrenheit), but my hands, at worst, only touched the edge of that area.

Your hands shouldn't be covering the exhaust vents, but at 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), that was the hottest spot on the system.

KDE Plasma Desktop on Steam Deck

I imagine that most people who buy the Steam Deck will leave it in SteamOS forever. Some industrious PC gamers might install Windows so that they can play more games without emulation (and play more games from more launchers).

But the Steam Deck, as Valve keeps saying, is a computer, and SteamOS is based on Arch Linux. If you want the desktop, you can get to it through the power menu. This lets you get to a KDE Plasma desktop.

When you land on the desktop, you'll find all of your games installed. Otherwise, though, it's a pretty barebones Linux environment for you to use. Firefox is preinstalled, so you can download more software from there, use flatpak commands in the Command Line or from Plasma Discover, which lets you easily pick software from a catalog (Chrome is there, as are Slack, Spotify, and other popular apps, but also plenty of obscure software.).

I think I hold the claim as the first person to check my bank account on a Steam Deck, though I haven't run that world record by Valve–or Guinness.

You can move the mouse around with the right trackpad, and click with the triggers. As of this review, you still need to use a physical keyboard, as Valve hasn't gotten its virtual keyboard working here.

Since you can install anything you want and have full access to the command line, I downloaded Geekbench, an CPU-heavy performance test that we often run on laptops and desktops and ran it through the command line. The Steam Deck's custom AMD APU achieved a single-core score of 885 and a multi-core score of 3,863.

You can, if you want to, play games off the desktop, too. There's a Steam client preinstalled. For non-Linux games, you may have to go into Steam's settings and enable Steam Play, which lets games use Proton to run.

There may be times you go to the desktop to make fixes. I transferred games between the SSD and an SD card quite a bit during my time reviewing the Steam Deck. At one point, I couldn't move a game off the SSD because there was already a folder on the SD card. To fix that, I was able to access the desktop, delete that folder, and then return to SteamOS and continue normally.

In fact, being able to access the desktop at all highlights what will be a thrill for some and a hardship for others: The Steam Deck is a computer. Unlike a console, things don't always just work (or you might want to make them more complicated), but you get the tools to fix things.

The desktop also gives you access to tools that might otherwise seem inaccessible. For instance, the media menu for screenshots requires sharing to Steam to get them off the Deck. But if you know where to look on the Linux desktop, you can put them on an SD card.

You can also take the applications you download on the desktop and make them available through SteamOS. It involves opening the desktop Steam client, adding the software as a non-Steam game, and then resetting into SteamOS. It's a lot of running around, but it can be helpful. For instance, installing a music player like Spotify will let you listen to music of your choice while playing games, since you can run apps in the background. It also makes software quickly available if you happen to be using the Steam Deck as a productivity PC, though I don't think adding apps to your Steam Library will help in multi-tasking, as they tend to take up the full window. Linux is better for that.

Valve told reviewers that it is working on a way to make it easier to add non-game apps without going to the desktop.

Game Streaming on Steam Deck

One area I thought the desktop would be helpful for is streaming games. Unfortunately, as of this writing, it doesn't quite work. I logged into Xbox Cloud Streaming and Google Stadia in Chrome (Stadia requires it), and neither of them recognized the controls built into the Steam Deck. On Stadia, you could use an external keyboard and mouse, which works well enough. But I had problems with using a Bluetooth controller through the browser, too. Hopefully this gets fixed in updates soon, as I'd like to be able to stream from my couch.

Valve is aware of the issue though. The company says it has worked with Microsoft to find the issue and has checked in with Google to ensure it will work in the Chrome browser, which most streaming services either require or at least support. There is a patch, which you can check the status of here, in the works. At the moment, it only works in Chrome dev, but when that fix moves to the stable ring, the Steam Deck's gamepad should work with Chrome on the KDE Linux Desktop.

Steam Cloud and Offline Mode on Steam Deck

Whether you're like me, and use the Steam Deck to game more comfortably in parts of your house that are far from your gaming PC, or if you're gaming on a commute, the Steam Cloud support is quite good.

Since my saves were already in Steam's cloud, I was able to pick my games up right where I left them once I downloaded them to the Steam Deck. Easy.

There are, of course, some exceptions, and they're almost entirely about not having access to Wi-Fi.

If you suspend a game on the Steam Deck, you'll need to quit the game formally for that data to save to Steam's servers. Additionally, if you are playing on a train, the backseat of a car or somewhere else you don't have an internet connection, you'll need to connect to Wi-Fi and sync when you get home to be able to pick up on your gaming PC. This is one area where 5G (or even 4G LTE support) would have made a big difference. The current Steam Deck, though, doesn't even have Wi-Fi 6.

Doing any of this out of order, by the way, can create a cloud save conflict, which you may already know about if you use your Steam account on multiple computers. If that happens, you'll have to pick if you want to use what's in the cloud or the save on your device. This also means you'll want to sync with the Steam Cloud before you leave the house.

Even when you're disconnected from Wi-Fi, you can still play games without online requirements. The Deck will try to connect, but if it can't, it will run games in offline mode.

Upgradeability of Steam Deck

Technically, yes, you can open the Steam Deck. In a video released in October, the company showed how to access the M.2 storage as well as replace the thumbsticks. There are eight Phillips head screws of two different sizes, so you'll want to remember what goes where. 

Valve has made its opinions on opening up the Steam Deck: "you shouldn't do any of this," it wrote in a graphic in big yellow letters in the video.

The company states that opening the case will make the system less resistant to being dropped, and that the Deck was specifically designed for these parts. The thumbsticks are custom designed, and other parts are packed tightly together. Valve is also suggesting that SSDs you find in stores could cause issues with power draw and wireless interference. It heavily recommends using the micro SD card slot. Note that Valve has utilized a shorter M.2 2230 SSD that is less common to find in stores than longer drives.

Despite this, Steam has announced a partnership with iFixit to sell replacement parts. Neither company has specified what those parts will be or how much they will cost. The iFixit teardown suggests that anyone with some experience in PCs will likely be able to make most repairs or upgrades, including thumb sticks and SSDs, though the battery appears quite difficult to remove.

That one part worries me in the long term. The Steam Deck only lasts a few hours on a charge out of the box, so its longevity may wane quickly with constant cycling. Hopefully, for consumers, a good kit will make battery swapping easier than it looks.

Windows on Steam Deck

If you have a Windows 10 or 11 installer on a USB stick, you can put it on the Steam Deck. You can see our instructions on how to install Windows on Steam Deck for more information.

Windows 11 on Steam Deck allows you to play more games, as it allows for you to install other launchers including Epic Games, GOG Galaxy, Origin and more. It also lets you run games that won't work on SteamOS due to anti-cheat.

Some games run better on Windows than on SteamOS, but surprisingly, others actually ran better through SteamOS and Proton. You can see our full benchmarks and impressions for our full testing.

Using Windows on Steam Deck gives you some of the freedom you expect from a PC, but you lose some of the integration with the hardware. The ideal would be to dual boot, but that's not available as of this writing unless you put Windows on an SD card.

Configurations and Availability of Steam Deck

Every Steam Deck is identical except for two components: the storage and the display. We tested the top-tier model with a 512GB NVMe SSD, which Valve calls its "fastest storage," as well as an etched-glass display to prevent glare. This model costs $649.

For $529, you get a 256GB NVMe SSD, and the display doesn't have etched glass. At $399, you get 64GB eMMC storage. Considering the size of most games these days, its hard to recommend 64GB of slower storage unless you only play small indie titles or can't afford the other models and intend to upgrade later.

Each Steam Deck comes with a carrying case included. The one on the $649 model is supposed to be "exclusive." Ours came with white zipper pulls and the Steam Deck logo, along with gray lining on the inside. It also comes with a cleaning cloth that Valve tells me is designed for the etched glass screen. 

Also, you can't just go into a store to buy a Steam Deck. Valve is selling the hardware directly, and reservations opened up in July of 2021. You can still pre-order a Deck, but as of this writing, all orders are for "After Q2 2022." Pre-orders require a $5 deposit toward the purchase price.

Valve will be contacting people in the order they made their reservations to complete their purchase. You can still get in line, but you'll be behind everyone else. Valve doesn't have a firm date for specifically when after Q2 preorders will be fulfilled but told me that it hopes to fulfill all orders by the end of the year.

Those who have to wait a few months may be in the best position. People with the opportunity to buy immediately are likely to see the Steam Deck and SteamOS go through changes as Valve continues to tweak it, and they're less likely to know how much of their game libraries are supported. Such is the life of an early adopter. Those with a few months before their spot in line comes up will be able to watch from a distance and make more educated decisions.

But that's not a choice you can make. The order in which people will have opportunities to buy the Steam Deck was determined almost entirely by luck (and that $5 deposit) months ago, and if you don't get yours now, you may risk waiting quite a long time for your next chance. It's not an enviable position for anyone to be in.

Bottom Line

The Steam Deck is an expertly crafted exercise in compromise. Despite its lack of traditional PC power, it is probably the most interesting computer I've used in years. 

On the one hand, the Steam Deck provides access to your Steam library just about anywhere, as long as those games work well enough and you don't mind playing them on low or medium settings. It's hefty, but ultimately comfortable in most hands. The display looks great on the 512GB model, and with an SD card, storage is easily expandable.

There's a certain intimacy to playing games on the Steam Deck, the same way there is on the Nintendo Switch. Sure, I can play games on my rig hooked up to a monitor or a TV. But sometimes, I'm just more comfortable curled up on the couch under a blanket with a cup of tea in reach. That flexibility has encouraged me to play some games I might not have tried otherwise.

Certain types of games will lend themselves to the Steam Deck (or handheld gaming in general) better than others. Single-player adventure games and side-scrolling indies will be more natural fits. I think any game you're comfortable playing with a controller will ultimately work. I imagine competitive players will ultimately want to keep their gaming on platforms with the most accurate input methods and the highest frame rates.

What I think will surprise some people is how much of a computer the Steam Deck is. Never mind the fact that it's running Linux with access to the KDE Plasma desktop, which could herald more Linux gaming as more people learn about Proton. I'm talking about how some things don't work perfectly. For some games, you'll have to get past launchers or set initial graphics settings or ensure it's using the right controller settings. Most of the time, I found things just worked, but when they don't, you remember that the Steam Deck, as much as it looks like a pumped-up Switch, is still deeply enmeshed in its PC gaming lineage.

Unless you're regularly streaming games to your phone over Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce Now or a similar service, there's not a ton of devices on the market like the Steam Deck (with the exception of a few other handheld PCs like the Aya Neo, which aren't from big brand names.)  Valve is making a big bet here about local computing being the primary way to game on the go, though it wouldn't surprise me to see a version 2.0 at some point with not only an updated APU, but also 5G support.

But despite some first-gen vibes, the Steam Deck has a lot going for it. It opens up a bit of freedom you don't get by only gaming at your desk or lugging a gaming laptop around to play on the go. The Steam Deck enamored me with its finer points, but more time on the software development side will do it a lot of good, and yet so much of it already feels right. I don't strictly need to get my gaming in via the Steam Deck, but I certainly like it.

This article was originally published on February 25, 2022. It was updated on March 16, 2022 with our impressions on Windows on Steam Deck, as well as links to supporting articles.