By freeing the Lenovo Legion Go S from the gimmicky removable controllers and needlessly large screen, the company has created the device I wanted back in 2023. Had I ended up testing the SteamOS version first, I’d likely be about to dive into one of the next best gaming handheld options. Instead, I’m looking at a device that has unbalanced specs, plenty of Windows 11 caveats, and a dreadful $729 price tag. That inflated MSRP is actually tied to a weird specific US decision to only sell the 32GB / 1TB version, as those of you in the UK can pick up the 16GB / 512GB model for £549. Hmm.

Even the base model is more than what I’d want to pay now that I’ve tested the Lenovo Legion Go S. In a nutshell, its new AMD Ryzen Z2 GO chip shares more similarities with the custom chip in the Steam Deck OLED than the Ryzen Z1 Extreme within the OG Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally. I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with that, but if I’m being real, you can’t slap a premium price tag on a handheld wrestling within the sub $400 ring.

Design

Let me make one thing clear – the Lenovo Legion Go S gets almost full marks for design. It almost feels like someone listened to me moan about the original’s laptop vibes, as this model packs an 8-inch IPS display into a much sleeker package. Gone are the removable TrueStrike controllers, aggressive angles, and smooth plastics of the OG portable. Instead, we have plenty of ergonomic curves, pleasing grippy texturized sides, and far nicer buttons than last time around.

It’d be weird if the ‘S’ Legion Go didn’t weigh less, but I’m pleased to report it’s 740g (1.63lbs). That’s a noticeable difference compared to the 854g (1.88lbs) weighing down the original, even if it’s still a chonker compared to the 580g Asus ROG Ally. Shifting the heat naturally helps the handheld feel nicer to hold, especially when paired with a slimmer back and more pronounced grips.

The main thing that gave me the ick with the original Legion Go was how hollow the back felt. It’s a design choice that’s often the result of cooling techniques, and while the S model also has big vent grills at the back, there’s far less space between the innards and shell. Perhaps I’m being picky, but I like handhelds to feel pretty compacted, and this new version feels just as solid as the ROG Ally in that regard.

I’d argue that the biggest improvement to be found with the Legion Go S is on the gamepad side of things. Lenovo has gone back to the drawing board with all of its buttons, resulting in more tactile thumbsticks, a drastically improved circular d-pad, a thoughtfully placed set of back toggles, and decent shoulder buttons. The only element that’s still not quite to my liking is the shallower-than-average face buttons, but even those are pretty serviceable and not what I’d call a deal breaker.

You’ll perhaps have noticed that I said the Legion Go S almost gets the design right. That’s largely because I’m a little miffed at the tiny touchpad that’s included for mouse inputs. The sensation of using this thing is a bit like the little keyboard nipple included with classic IBM Thinkpads, and that’s sort of amusing since Lenovo now owns that brand. Simply put, the pad is so small that moving the handheld’s cursor around Windows 11 is more frustrating than convenient, and I’d rather just use the joysticks to click around the OS when needed.

On the aesthetic front, the Legion Go S is rocking a new white shell with contrasting black buttons. The accents prevent it from looking too clinical, but you can bet this handheld will end up pretty grubby and prone to marks. That’s less a criticism of Lenovo’s newfound tastes and more a fact of owning lighter colored devices, and it could be another reason to wait for the “Nebula Violet” SteamOS version.

Features

Gaming handhelds and flamboyant features go hand in hand, and while the Legion Go S cuts back on gimmicks, it comes with a few new tricks. Some of its evolved elements feel a little lacklustre, like that comically small touchpad, but the new all-in-one design has allowed for an adjustable trigger system that adds a nice hint of versatility.

Lenovo isn’t first out the door with adjustable handheld triggers, that accolade goes to the Zotac Zone,but it’s a feature that will help make the system more comfortable for a bunch of players, including myself. Sometimes, clicky hair trigger presses are a much better fit and can save larger handhelds from feeling unbalanced in the hands, whereas I’ve got friends who can’t stand not having full action when playing shooters. I’d personally rather click shots in Cyberpunk 2077 and save full presses for racing games or scenarios that need sustained input, but everyone will have different tastes when it comes to portable play.

On the connectivity front, the Legion Go S is armed with two USB-C ports, which is slowly becoming a standard at this point. The idea here is that you’ll be able to charge up that chonky 55.5Whr battery while hooking up a gaming monitor using DisplayPort 1.4 output. I’m in two minds over whether this is actually useful, as you’re still going to want one of the best Steam Deck docks if you’re aiming for full integration with your desktop accessories, but it will mean you don’t need any add-ons out of the box for quickly hooking up to a gaming TV.

I can take an extra USB-C port, but I’ll absolutely leave features like a dual array built-in mic. Maybe I’m a grump who just has no friends to talk to, or maybe I’m just struggling to see why you’d use something like that over a gaming headset on a handheld. Either way, squeezing audio capture into a device like this feels like it’d impact the end cost, and I’d skip on it even if it only cut Lenovo’s MSRP down by a few dollars. Simply put, don’t stick needless extras in your handheld if it’s already sitting at a risky price point.

Technically, Windows 11 is also a “feature”, even if it’s one I think sours the experience. Perhaps that’s a bit harsh since we’re talking about an OS that’ll allow you to run practically any game your PC can, but it’s still nowhere near being handheld friendly, even with Lenovo’s LegionSpace app attempting to bridge gaps.

It doesn’t help that the version of Microsoft’s operating system installed feels immensely bloated and has some irritating tweaks enabled, like a taskbar that’ll auto-hide no matter what you tell it. Plus, vital elements like sleep mode are janky at best and unusable at worst, with the Legion Go S outright refusing to properly nap when plugged in. These flaws aren’t even just an inherent part of the Windows 11 handheld experience, as rivals like the Ayaneo Flip DS and other similar devices come with far less frustration before launching into games.

That’s not to say Lenovo isn’t trying to enhance its Windows 11 experience, and LegionSpace has come a long way since 2023. It still doesn’t do enough to stop me immediately launching into Steam Big Picture mode, and the side quick settings menu is unsettlingly temperamental and laggy. I’m also not a fan of Lenovo thrusting its digital game store in your face rather than providing a clearer hub. But, it’s pleasant enough to navigate when the itch to change RGB thumbstick colors or play with in-depth power settings arises.

Performance

Price and performance go hand in hand, and oh boy, the Legion Go S doesn’t punch like a $729 handheld. Frankly, launching into a new generation with the Ryzen Z2 Go was pretty foolish of Lenovo, as I knew it wouldn’t come close to matching the Z1 Extreme based on its specs. Now that I’ve taken the handheld for a proper spin, I can confidently say that it should be trading blows with the Steam Deck in the sub-$500 ring, as its benchmarks get bludgeoned to a pulp in the premium pit.

I kicked things off by running a few test games at 800p on the Legion Go S to see how it directly compares to the Steam Deck. The handheld managed at 45fps average while running Cyberpunk 2077 with low settings enabled, which isn’t atrocious at a glance. My issue is that it’s not a huge uplift compared to Valve’s handheld, as the Deck reaches 43fps in the same test scenario. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t smell like a $729 boost.

Hitman 3 still stresses out entry-level PCs to this day, so I always install it on new handhelds. The Legion Go S managed to nudge playable results by sticking to around 41fps at 800p. The Deck isn’t far behind with a 36fps average and, while it’s still a win for Lenovo, it’s not what I’d call a graceful victory.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider manages to fare well on the Legion Go S with a 70fps average – a nice lead compared to 53fps on the Deck. A nicer result, but one that’s worth paying over $300 more for? I don’t even have to say it. Keep in mind that these benchmarks are designed to squeeze the highest frame rates possible out of the handheld, and unplugging the system and using it at lower wattage naturally produces far lower results.

Stepping away from the Steam Deck fight and focusing on the Lenovo Legion Go S vs the original is even more harrowing. If my figures reaffirm anything, it’s that the new handheld is very much a light version of the OG, despite technically using a next-gen Ryzen APU. You’re looking at 25fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1200p versus 38fps on the 2023 model, and Hitman 3 widens the gap further with respective 34fps and 51fps results.

Not to pile on Lenovo’s device, but there is another huge issue with this handheld – it wields next-gen hardware without solving our current battery dilemma. I could look past Steam Deck-level frame rates if I could grab the Legion Go S for $400, but the closer I get to the $1,000 mark, the more I’m going to expect an fps boost with runtime to match. Not only are you not getting the same frame rates as the original Legion Go, but you’re only going to be cutting the cord for the same length of time as Valve’s portable.

In proper gameplay sessions, and with brightness sitting half way, the Legion Go S lasted around 1.5 hours. That was my average when exclusively adventuring around in new releases like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Avowed, but I managed to keep the portable running for around 3 hours when wrestling with Windows 11. You’ll realistically be looking at that latter figure if you set “Thermal Mode” to Balanced and mix up playing games with general use activities, which is similar to my experience with the Steam Deck OLED.

At this point, I feel like I’m bullying the Legion Go S, so I’ll touch on another con followed up with some praise. The first is that Lenovo’s handheld likes to get noisy, and its fans are noticeably louder than the Steam Deck OLED or the ROG Ally. It’s not as intrusive if you keep your wattage down low, but that’s not going to do the Ryzen Z2 GO APU any favors.

On the other hand, that promised praise relates to the 1200p 120Hz IPS display and its accompanying speakers. The screen’s nice contrast levels, decent brightness, and respectable colors cheered me up during testing, while the surprisingly punchy front-firing speakers helped mask fan noise without remotely sounding tinny.

I found myself pretty absorbed in the Souls-like indie caper FlyKnight while testing the Lenovo Legion Go S, and it's a good example of a scenario where performance, refresh rate, and resolution all feel like a good fit, even if running a game that takes visual queues from old Runescape isn't exactly a feat.

If the device was even just a bit more powerful than the OG Legion Go, I could see myself using it over an OLED handheld even if it meant compromising on vibrancy. I do rank Lenovo's choice of display among the best within the portable PC scene right now, and while not convinced we need to be pairing lower spec Ryzen chips with anything over 1080p, playing lighter romps at 1200p does produce crisp visuals.

Should you buy the Lenovo Legion Go S?

No, you shouldn’t buy the Lenovo Legion Go S right now. Trust me when I say it pains me to say that, as I fully believe that the cheaper SteamOS version will make for a great Steam Deck when it eventually arrives. I actually think the Windows 11 model could have ranked among the top premium handhelds if it wasn’t rocking that underwhelming Ryzen Z2 GO chip. But alas, this specific device isn’t worth $729, and there are countless options you could pick up for a chunk less that pack a more appropriate frame rate punch.

Ultimately, the Lenovo Legion Go S is a contradiction. Its name suggests it’s a light version of the first model, but its price and additional specs point towards it being a successor. My heart aches for this mixed up handheld and, since I truly believe the company is onto a winner with this formfactor, I hope its blueprint helps the eventual SteamOS model thrive soon.

How I tested the Lenovo Legion Go S

I used the Lenovo Legion Go S as my everyday handheld to assess its performance, battery life, visuals, and audio in general use for two weeks. In addition, I also used Cyberpunk 2077, Hitman 3, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider as benchmark games to compare performance to the Steam Deck OLED and Windows 11 alternatives like the Asus ROG Ally and original Legion Go.

For more information on how we test handhelds and other portable gaming devices, swing by our full GamesRadar+ hardware policy.

Looking for add-ons for Valve's handheld? Take a peek at the best Steam Deck accessories. Alternatively, check out the best retro consoles for a portable system that'll run the classics.

Speed, Balance, and Control are the order of the day, with each of SteelSeries' new gaming mouse pads offering a slightly different feel based on texture, stitch patterns, and fabric weave. I've had all three on my testing deck over the last few weeks, swapping each out for different genres and use-cases to see if they can become the new best mouse pads for gaming.

All of the mouse pads in the SteelSeries QcK Performance line come in either L or XL sizing, featuring the same MSRPs ($39.99 and $49.99 respectively). They're available right now via SteelSeries and select retailers.

SteelSeries QcK Performance: Control

I started my testing with the Control pad. Like most, my gaming setup needs to put on a suit and tie during the day as I work, and between smaller photo editing adjustments and the sheer number of times I accidentally close a tab this felt like the most natural choice for everyday use. The surface is considerably coarser than the Speed model, with a rough feel under the arm during use. That never grew uncomfortable, though - in fact, it provided a pleasant sense of control and grip even before I placed my hand on a gaming mouse.

The Control pad is designed to provide better stopping power, more accurate mouse sweeps, and finer precision in smaller movements thanks to this textured design. It absolutely nails the brief. I'm glad I chose to slap this one on the desk first, because it's easily my favorite.

The rough surface never feels too cumbersome for flashes of faster movement, I was still able to zip through Avowed's more frantic combat moments and keep a solid pace in CS2. However, there's just enough granularity in this surface to keep a high DPI at bay, still keeping clicks tight and controlled during slower moments.

I'm currently using a Razer Basilisk V3 Pro, and combining the mouse's DPI-slowing sniper button with the SteelSeries QcK Control's grainier texture made for particularly precise sniper shots. Ramping up the DPI on something lighter like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX was also far less manic, allowing for faster sweeps without the jittery over-extension I usually experience when running at sensitivities higher than around 8,000.

There is a little extra drag, that's what this mouse pad has been designed to offer, which does compound the feeling of extra weight in a larger mouse like the Basilisk. If you're using a lightweight speedster but still want access to a greater sense of accuracy this is a fantastic pickup.

SteelSeries QcK Performance: Speed

At the other end of the spectrum we have the Speed pad. This is an almost-slick surface that provides the same kind of glide feel as a hard pad, but with the comfort and malleability of a traditional soft design. That's a potent combination, and while I preferred the Control pad for everyday work and most of my games, faster assaults like Apex Legends and CS2 do benefit from the additional slip of this surface.

I was able to move much quicker across the pad and still maintain some degree of control over my movements, though there was definitely less precision in my gameplay than on the above model. Both the heavier Basilisk V3 Pro and lighter Logitech DEX moved nicely over the finer-weaved surface, though the particularly low-weight Razer Viper V3 Pro was particularly swift on this surface. That sometimes translated into a little more of a flick than I was expecting, and I had to adjust my muscle memory accordingly, minimizing my right-hand movements compared to the wider gestures I would make on the Corsair MM700 Extended (my daily driver).

If you're a particularly fast competitive player this is going to be a massive win. Smaller movements means less time spent actually making your plays, and increasing the tracking specs of your mouse's sensor can get those flicks and twists down to simple twitches. However, I'd recommend the reliability and stopping power of the Control or Balance models for the majority of players out there.

SteelSeries QcK Performance: Balance

Finally, we have the happy medium. The SteelSeries QcK Balance gaming mouse pad aims to provide a better halfway point between controlled movements and faster glides. This is essentially the next generation of the standard SteelSeries QcK mouse pad we've all come to know and love, combining speed, comfort, and control into one Goldilocks mat. It's the model most players are going to gravitate towards first, and the one we should see the most action out of.

Like both the Speed and Control, the new generation is thicker, with edged stitching to better protect against frays in the longer term. The SteelSeries logo has also been darkened into a gray rather than the stark white we saw in the original. The actual feel of the pad sits more on the control side than speed. There's a less effortless glide here, with more attention paid to stopping power and finer movements. Being a fan of the QcK Control, this is a lean I'm happy to support. It's much more comfortable for everyday work tasks and more game genres overall.

There's a much less noticeable drag compared to the full texture of the Control model, which is going to keep those who use a heavier gaming mouse particularly nimble.

Should you buy a SteelSeries QcK Performance mouse pad?

SteelSeries is well known for the durability and glide of its mouse pads, it's why the original QcK has stood at the top of our ranks for a couple of years now. The latest iteration keeps the all-in-one nature of the original with the Balance mat, but also brings new options for speed-focused and more precision-minded players. Of the three, the Control pad is the most refreshing. Very few mouse pads are confident enough to actually add an element of drag to their feel, but the extra accuracy it brings to both gameplay and everyday productivity has been a real benefit in my testing. If you use a heavier mouse, the Balance model still offers a grainier feel than the previous generation but provides a smoother glide for a more comfortable experience overall.

The Speed model is certainly fast, and is going to give competitive players looking to milk high DPI settings an edge. The vast majority, though, should be looking to the two more tactile models for a real sense of control.

Right now, only the square Large and Extra Large models are available, whereas I naturally prefer an XXL or an Extended design. It means that, during testing, I have to keep my keyboard veered slightly too far left to truly be comfortable for day to day typing (lest it overlap with the pad itself). In-game, I tend to angle the keyboard anyway, and there's no swapping my right hand between devices, so there's less of a sizing issue if you're buying for a dedicated gaming setup.

Other than the size, the only feature I found myself missing during testing was the RGB lighting of my Corsair MM700 Extended. It does mean I had fewer wires trailed around my setup, but I did enjoy the extra pzazz brought to my setup, and the relatively simple-looking SteelSeries model didn't bring the same level of flair to my desk top.

How I tested the SteelSeries QcK Performance mouse pads

I used the SteelSeries QcK Performance Speed, Control, and Balance mouse pads over the course of two weeks. I split my time evenly between each pad during that time, while also comparing against the previous generation QcK and QcK Heavy on the desk as well. I used both a heavy (112g) Razer Basilisk V3 Pro gaming mouse and lighter Razer Viper V3 Pro (55g) and Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX (60g) mice in both wired and wireless mode. For more information on how we make our recommendations, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

I'm also rounding up all the best wireless gaming mouse models and hunting down the best left-handed mouse for gaming. Or, take a look at the best gaming keyboards for a full setup refresh.

That's $20 cheaper than the lofty MSRP of the previous model. The first PowerPlay mouse pad hit the shelves all the way back in 2017 at $119.99, and while we're talking about small change considering this is still a pretty expensive mouse pad for gaming, that two-figure sum could squeak it into the budgets of Logi fans who already have compatible rodents under their hands.

Spending over $100 for a mouse pad always felt ludicrous, but discounts in the coming months could drop the PowerPlay 2 to around $80 if we're lucky, and the similar original model could well nosedive after this release. Considering you're spending that cash to stop charging your mouse all together, it's not a completely unreasonable value proposition.

This is more than an optimized surface to improve glide, after all. Low-frequency electromagnets keep a small puck in compatible mice charged up the entire time they're on the pad - whether they're moving or still. It's a system of never-ending battery that, as I sit and watch my current pointer blinking red at me, I can't help but envy. After all, I seem perfectly happy to drop more than that on a portable charger for my phone and other accessories, and this is a device I use constantly for between seven and ten hours a day.

It's a small / medium pad (anything extended would be unnecessary considering its charging capabilities), but the 344 x 284mm footprint still gives you a good amount of space for sweeps. Thickness is par for the course, with all components coming together for a total of 3.5mm depth. That's still thinner than the original thanks to the surface cover cutting its waist line.

There are currently eleven Logitech gaming mice that are compatible with the PowerPlay 2 charging system:

• Logitech G309
• Logitech G502 X Plus
• Logitech G502 X Lightspeed
• Logitech G502
• Logitech G703
• Logitech G903
• Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2
• Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX
• Logitech G Pro X Superlight
• Logitech G Pro 2 Lightspeed
• Logitech G Pro Wireless

It's worth reiterating that these are the only gaming mice that can be charged via the pad's electromagnetic system. Even if you have the best gaming mouse on the market, if it's not on that list it's not going to be charging. Similarly, the surface is designed to work with the included puck, which fits neatly into the above devices, so there's no Qi charging for phones or other peripherals available here.

Where to buy the Logitech PowerPlay 2

I'm also hunting down the best wireless gaming mouse models as well as the best gaming keyboard. Or, take a look at the best Razer mice for more from the competition.

The latest Xbox handheld round of rumors comes from Windows Central, as a new report claims a new device dubbed codename "Keenan" is set to arrive in 2025. Rather than entering the best gaming handheld race as an entirely new system, it instead looks to be a collaborative effort with an OEM, meaning it'll likely closer resemble an Asus ROG Ally with themed buttons rather than something entirely new.

Microsoft has allegedly stated that project Keenan will look "unmistakably Xbox" and will seemingly feature elements like a guide button and similar "design sensibilities." Simply put, if you picture a portable in your head with those familiar colored face buttons, you probably won't be far off, but I'm more interested in the fact it'll apparently "almost certainly" run Windows.

Let's be real, Microsoft is dragging its feet when it comes to Windows 11 handheld optimization. It did drop some changes to the Game Bar last year that makes the UI feel a bit friendlier, but systems like the new Lenovo Legion Go S really fall short due to the operating system. That's where the new Xbox handheld comes in, as the current rumors are making me think that a big update could arrive alongside the portable PC.

For starters, the ball will be in Microsoft's court when it comes to software bloat. I'd like to think the PC giant would whip up a bloat-free Windows 11 handheld edition at the very least. I mean, I highly doubt anyone is going to use tools like OneDrive on a device like this, so seeing some of the packaged apps streamlined would be a start.

The other biggie is finding a way to make Windows 11 easier to navigate without relying on a third-party middle-man app. I've yet to use a management program that isn't flawed in some sort of a way, and while Valve's Big Picture mode makes for a nice way to pretend every device is a Steam Deck OLED, I'm willing to bet Microsoft is cooking up something that doesn't require overlays.

Alternate modes aren't something Microsoft has played around with much since the dark days of Windows 8 live tiles. But, the core idea of having a touch-friendly mode that's designed to work with specific devices makes sense in the context of handhelds. You're still retaining full PC compatibility, but having a restructured view of the OS that isn't going to randomly freak out and abandon you on a desktop that's near impossible to touch-navigate without fumbled presses would make a huge difference.

It'd also make for a sensible place to better integrate the Game Pass and store features, in turn feeling into that "everything is an Xbox" sentiment. Rather than feeling like a secondary place you need to go to download your subscription games, the handheld could instead make it your primary home for PC downloads, which is naturally going to help the brand's presence in the ruthless world of portable rigs.

I'd still take any Xbox handheld rumors making the rounds right now with a big old grain of salt. Microsoft's involvement in the portable gaming scene right now feels pretty experimental by nature, and even if we do get a branded device by a well known manufacturer, it might not to anything spectacularly different compared to current contenders.

What I am hoping is that Windows starts evolving to become more handheld-friendly as a result of project Keenan. It's probably a good time to note that it's widely believed Windows 12 could show up at the end of the year or early 2026, so it could be that the new portable PC is set to arrive at the same time as Microsoft's latest operating system.

Already got Valve's handheld? Swing by the best Steam Deck accessories and best Steam Deck dock for excellent add-ons. Alternatively, check out the best retro consoles if you need something that'll run the classics.

PS5 players won't get the benefit of CRKD's new guitar controller though, because it only comes with official licensing for Xbox consoles and support for PC. Meanwhile, the Riffmaster has compatibility on both sides of the console war, and PS5 players are reaping the benefits. Amazon is listing the PDP Riffmaster controller for just $99 right now, which is the lowest cost it's ever been since its launch in early 2024.

A $30 saving is a nice thing for any of the best PC controllers, but for a niche, specialist one like this, it isn't always common. Now that there's more competition brewing, we may see some more discounts as PDP and CRKD try to entice more virtual musicians. Regardless, it's nice that PDP is catering to PS5 players with this current deal - it is a bit odd that CRKD's new Axe hasn't chased Sony's console, since its PS5 player base is undoubtedly larger than Xbox's.

Should you buy the PDP Riffmaster controller?

Other than the fact that, if you play on PS5, you don't have an alternative, is the PDP Riffmaster Guitar Controller worth spending money on? Well, compared to the best PS5 controllers and the best PS5 steering wheels, the Riffmaster won't set you back much. Most pro gamepads like the Victrix Pro BFG or DualSense Edge cost over $150 / £150, and any racing wheel and pedal setup will be well over $200 / £200. For a specialist controller, the Riffmaster's $129.99 MSRP is actually very reasonable, and getting it for just $99.99 is a bit of a steal when you think about it like that.

That said, it probably isn't going to be worth it unless you play a lot of Fortnite Festival. Games with compatibility for the Riffmaster, or any guitar controller in this day and age, are few and far between. Other than Rockband 4, you're going to struggle to find wider uses for PDP's Guitar. If you play on PC, you've got lots of emulators, Clone Hero, and wider compatibility with other rhythm games. If that's you, you may want to wait until CRKD's Les Paul Guitar hits the shelves.

From hands-on time with the Riffmaster, though, it's a controller worth having. For me, the quality of life design elements are what sells it. There's a foldable neck meaning you can store and take it on the go as needed, the thumbstick at the end of the neck makes it easier to navigate menus, it's wireless, it's got a headphone jack, and the list of great features goes on.

I'd hope that the arrival of Fortnite Festival and an influx of Guitar controllers inspires more game developers to remember how much we all loved the Guitar Hero era. If we see a revival of these sorts of titles, the Riffmaster will allow you to jump in straight away.

If you're an Xbox player, check out the best Xbox Series X controllers, the best Xbox steering wheels, and the best Xbox One controllers.

The GPU market may seem like a pretty clear-cut race between Nvidia and AMD, but in truth, there are loads of horses to bet on. There's also Intel's products, there's the board partners like MSI, Asus, PNY, and Zotac, who make their own versions of each GPU and retail them for their own prices. If you're looking for a real two-horse race, you only need to look as far as the best CPUs for gaming.

Looking at Steam's hardware survey each month, you'll see a clear divide between Intel and AMD, and Intel is still way out in front. For years it's been the go-to brand that everyone knows best and aspires to get for their gaming PCs. AMD has always looked to entice budget builders, but its recent strides to engineer for content creators, gamers, and enthusiasts are starting to land them in good stead - the X3D processors it creates are swiftly becoming the most popular choices for all of those categories.

All the while, Intel hasn't had the best time of it of late. Its 13th and 14th generations of desktop processors had a major PR crisis last year as the Raptor Lake products faced widespread reports of instability. Its much-anticipated Arrow Lake, Intel Core Ultra desktop CPUs also launched late in 2024, but their gaming results have really underperformed for gamers in reviews. They're also more expensive than AMD's offerings, and thanks to a new naming scheme, they're terrifically confusing.

Topping all of that off, Intel has now moved onto a new motherboard socket, and given the company's track record, that means no more support for anyone who bought a 12th, 13th, or 14th generation processor and wants to be able to upgrade without rebuilding from scratch on a brand new motherboard. This can prove costly, and for the sorts of performance improvements Intel is demonstrating with Arrow Lake, it doesn't exactly seem worth it, does it?

There are conversations to be had about the lifespan of a gaming PC these days, and I'm not sure a system with an Alder Lake chip from 2021 has any right to be dubbed as "old".

The difference in that respect is night and day between Intel and AMD. I bought my first gaming PC in 2020 and it used a Ryzen 3000 CPU. That generation plugs into an AM4 CPU socket which first launched in 2016, and AMD is still supporting it with new, compatible processors through its extended Ryzen 5000 Series products. That's nearly a decade of support for people who don't want to upgrade to a new system, and while I'd argue that's maybe a little long in the tooth for any PC that's used for gaming on a regular basis, it's unmatched good-faith for AMD's consumers.

The Ryzen 9000 Series plugs into the AM5 socket that's been used by the Ryzen 7000 and 8000G families. This was AMD's first DDR5-compatible motherboard socket, and thanks to now three full generations of processors, there's already an amazing upgrade path for anyone who adopts this motherboard. What's more, AMD has already committed to supporting the AM5 platform through 2027 at least, so anyone who has built a PC in the last five years won't need to think about a new system again until well into the future.

This has been a particularly difficult generation to get consumers to buy into, from the perspective of AMD and Intel. The arrival of DDR5 RAM has called for new motherboards for all, but the prices of that memory combined with a new motherboard and CPU is a tidy sum for most gamers who already poured a lot of money into their DDR4 systems, let alone the best graphics cards. So for Intel to switch motherboard sockets in 2024, demanding yet another new motherboard is doing nothing but fueling AMD's momentum.

Admittedly, I haven't gone hands-on with any of the new Intel Core Ultra processors yet, but it's hard to recommend the idea of a new motherboard and CPU solely for Intel's benefit. If I were building a PC today, be it a budget, entry-level machine, or an enthusiast-grade powerhouse, I'd be building with AMD.

For more PC upgrades, check out the best RAM for gaming, the best computer speakers, and the best PC cases.

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT I'd specifically grab right now is the XFX SWFT 210, largely because it's going for $520.56 at Amazon. It's still just over $20 more than MSRP, but since other custom models are sitting just under $900 at Newegg, it's safe to say this best graphics card contender is still priced sensibly.

Technically, since the RX 7800 XT comes with Monster Hunter Wilds, you could take its $69.99 MSRP off of the card's Amazon price. That'll mean that all in you're paying $450.57, which is a nice saving if you need a gaming PC upgrade and are looking to pick up Capcom's latest role playing caper.

Normally, I would advise holding out for RX 9070 XT stock or opting for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, but if I'm being real, neither option is viable right now. Shortages are once again plaguing the PC gaming scene and have effectively postponed the next-generation of GPUs. It's for that reason that I can still recommend the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT with my full chest, as even if it can't quite boost fps to the same level as new mid-rangers, those might as well not exist if they're unobtainable.

As for what to expect from the RX 7800 XT performance-wise, here's some insights. During testing, the RDNA 3 card performed admirably handling Returnal with ultra 4K settings enabled, hitting a 60fps average. Sony's PC port is pretty taxing, so seeing the card hit that sweet spot was reassuring. It also pulled nice moves in Hitman 3 with the same settings applied, managing around 116fps, which isn't remotely shabby.

If you prefer to turn on fancy ray tracing options, the RX 7800 XT can pull off fancy lighting by either stepping things back to 1440p (the resolution it's probably better suited to) or by using FSR and Fluid Motion Frames, AMD's take on Frame Generation. Unlike with Nvidia GPUs, you can actually switch on the red team's FG techniques in any game at a driver level, which will give you a nice boost if in outings less reliant on low latency.

It'd be pretty hilarious if the RX 7800 XT didn't meet Monster Hunter Wilds system requirements since it's bundled with the GPU, but it thankfully does so comfortably. Capcom recommends using an 8GB card like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, and AMD's mid-range contender more than meets the mark with 16GB GDDR6 VRAM. You might need to fiddle with a few settings if you want to play at 4K without much compromise, but you'll ultimately end up with an experience that looks great and runs at a more than acceptable frame rate.

I'll be keeping a close eye on the GPU availability situation throughout 2025, and I'll no doubt recommend more cards like the RX 7800 XT if they're available. Since RTX 5080 stock has been a bust since launch and the RTX 5090 might as well be a unicorn, I personally believe the best approach is to embrace whatever is actually obtainable for as near MSRP as possible, rather than tormenting yourself with GPUs that practically don't exist.

Planning a full rig revamp? Swing by the best CPU for gaming and the best gaming RAM for recommended components. Alternatively, take a peek at the best Alienware gaming PC builds for out of this world Aurora machines.

Over the years, my Windows PC has caught more of my attention, partially due to needing it for work and partially due to spending far too many hours playing Sea of Thieves through Game Pass. As it’s never been my preferred platform, its specs are a little lacking, and a shiny upgrade in the form of a new GPU, more RAM, and maybe a new, speedy SSD is more than warranted. Having a powerful PC at my disposal would be a worthwhile investment for more than just gaming. But I can’t help but set my sights on pre-ordering the new Switch from day one instead.

My gaming PC has served me in good stead over the years too, but it’s a far cry from being one of the best gaming PCs out there. Its graphics card is older than, not just Nvidia’s last-gen RTX 40 series, but the RTX 30 series and then some. It’s at least running Windows 11 and can chug along as I take on fiery megalodons on the seven seas, but I don’t dare throw much else at it. An upgrade, or at this point, even an entirely new build altogether, makes more logical sense than buying a Switch 2.

Nintendo hasn’t officially announced how much it wants us to fork out for its new handheld. However, a former Nintendo of America employee stated recently that he can't imagine the Switch 2 launching for "much more than $400” on the Kit and Krysta podcast. That’s far less than the best graphics card I’d need to future-proof my rig and play the kind of graphically intensive Triple-A releases I have my eye on.

The Switch 2 is likely not going to have the power to play the most spec-demanding PC games, either. But as someone who comes from a background of not being able to afford the best tech, I much prefer the idea of spending a reasonable amount on a brand-new console for years of entertainment, rather than more than double that to upgrade my PC, which may need to be upgraded again just to keep up with the latest games.

With the current Switch, I can pop in a cart, and load up Emio The Smiling Man, or Super Smash Bros Ultimate in minutes. Yet on my PC, there are multiple gaming platforms to rummage through, and settings to constantly tinker with, which I don’t always have the patience for. Sure, I'm not gonna to experience the most impressive-looking games available, but with consoles like the Switch, there's always the benefit of being able to grab your Joy-Cons, or Pro controller, and get comfy on the sofa, without the constant tedious business of updating drivers, software and more.

Both come with their regular system updates of course, but the Switch doesn't come with the need to constantly update and maintain multiple gaming platforms at a time. Additionally, gaming PCs don't just need to be integrated with the latest GPUs and the best CPUs for gaming, but these need to be regularly updated too, which can be stressful to keep track of. This can lead to consuming more storage, which in turn might need further investment in additional storage and maintenance.

Over the eight long years I've owned Nintendo's current handheld, I have had to pick up one of the best Nintendo Switch SD cards, or two, to keep up with my latest eShop purchases. But during the Switch's long lifespan, microSD cards have become more affordable than ever and can be re-formatted and re-purposed for other devices. If other modern handhelds like the Steam Deck are also anything to go by, we'll likely see a microSD card slot make a return on the Switch 2, making any compatible cards I already own even more worthwhile.

It’s not just the cost of decking out my PC that has me clamoring to ensure my funds remain set aside for the new handheld. No matter how souped-up I make my gaming PC, it’s never going to do the one thing the Switch 2 will excel at most: running Switch 2 games. Besides the odd smartphone exception like Pokemon TCG Pocket, or Pikmin Bloom, Nintendo games are exclusive to Nintendo hardware. I’m not going to be able to play Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, Pokemon Legends Z-A, or my dream Super Mario Odyssey sequel on my PC - those will all be found on the Switch 2.

Sure, my PC can give me access to my Steam account, games via PC Game Pass, and a ton of libraries from game services like Epic Games, the Humble Bundle, Nvidia GeForce Now, and GOG, which are already filled to the brim with games to play. But as someone whose favorite games of all time regularly feature a certain mustached plumber and a green tunic-wearing elf boy, I, and anyone else who mostly looks forward to Nintendo's latest releases, is going to get more value out of the Switch 2 over a PC upgrade.

Throughout the years, it’s been my experiences with Mario, Link, and a ton of notable Nintendo characters that have kept me fixated on gaming as a whole. There are, of course, many standouts from the PS5 especially, (looking at you Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart). But to this day, my favorite gaming memories in the last eight years have been found in stealing stars from my father-in-law in Mario Party Superstars or winning race after face against my fiancé and friends in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

The bright and vivid saturated worlds of nearly every Nintendo-developed series out there, still manage to claim the majority of my attention. And the portability of the Switch means I can take those worlds with me. With my gaming PC, I feel constantly tethered to my desk, which even with one of the best gaming chairs, doesn't live up to the comfort of gaming on the sofa with the Switch in hand and Netflix on in the background - a set up I'm more than planning to continue with the Switch 2.

I also can’t pack my gaming PC tower in my backpack, or play it on the train into town like I can with the Switch, either. Alternatively, I could invest in one of the best gaming laptops, but that would still leave my current PC in need of some dire attention and wouldn’t solve my need to play every major game release Nintendo drops.

One day, I’ll get to a point where I’ll have to invest some hard-earned cash into ensuring my PC is fit for not just gaming but running at all - that’s unavoidable. Yet, as far as 2025 goes, the amount I have set aside for the Nintendo Switch 2 will remain for the Switch 2. Not just because it will provide me with the ability to play the latest Ninty games, but its stress-free setup will mean I can spend more time gaming, and less time fixated on updating drivers, and tediously tinkering around with tech. I just hope that come April 2, we’ll finally get that long-awaited release date, so my cash can stop burning a hole in my pocket.

Check out our Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order guide to be kept up to date on the brand-new handheld. Our guides for the best gaming headsets and the best Nintendo Switch headsets also have all you need to prepare your audio setup for whatever Nintendo has cooking up.

The new white model comes with adorable pink accents on the side of each main cup, with the inside of each ear colored with the same bright color. That pink looks a little more vivid than the brand's own Quartz option, which opts for a more muted coloring overall. Everything else has been recolored in that crisp white finish, from the insides of the main earcups to the microphone and cable. It's not giving any of the best gaming headsets a run any time soon, but it certainly looks great.

Sure, the black and quartz versions were nice and all, but with so many cozy setups running with white and pastel aesthetics Razer knows exactly what it's doing here, and I'm loving it.

I naturally prefer my peripherals in white - it just feels like a more polished experience considering everything was black, silver, or gray for so long. This isn't the most expensive gaming headset in the world, but with a clean coat of paint it certainly looks more premium than it ever did before.

This isn't the first time the Razer Kraken Kitty V2 BT has had a wardrobe change. Last month, the Razer Kuromi collection gave the headset a full purple makeover and there's a similar Hello Kitty and Friends edition available as well (for $40 more). This seems to be Razer's go-to for cutesy limited edition runs, so I can't believe it took them so long to give it a full permanent color update.

The Razer Kraken Kitty V2 BT features the brand's TriForce 40mm drivers, a functional set of grills that provide fantastic audio for their price point (they're the same as you'll find in the Razer Barracuda X, one of my favorite devices). While there's no 2.4GHz connection, Razer does include a wireless option with its low-latency Bluetooth (you can still plug in if you run out of charge as well).

Where to buy the Razer Kraken Kitty V2 BT

We're also rounding up all the best wireless headsets and the best PS5 headsets on the market. Or, for more Windows shenanigans, check out the best PC headsets available.

Keeping the best CPUs for gaming under boiling point is something this brand has been tasked with for years, and its array of 240mm coolers and 360mm options tend to get a good reputation, so long as you’re open to paying more for a well-known brand. For the higher price you’ll pay here versus the competition from Cooler Mater, MSI, and even Corsair, you do get some innovative design points that admittedly streamline the installation process.

While the $319 / £270 price tag is a lot to add to your basket when components themselves cost enough these days, NZXT does offer a few things that you won’t get elsewhere. Is that enough for you, or is this a Kraken that should stay “unreleased” for now?

Design

As its name suggests, the NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB is a full-sized AIO cooler for your best gaming PC. It’s available in two versions, one with RGB arrays in the fans, and one without that is a tad cheaper. It has all the usual requirements of this kind of cooler - the pump header, the radiator, the fans, and the cables to power it all. It’s a development of the Kraken cooler you may have seen on the shelves from a few years ago, but it adds a few design flourishes to make the entire system a bit less complicated.

For starters, the wiring is fixed into a centralized, single breakout cable meaning you don’t need to mess around with umpteen different cables that dangle around the facial components of your motherboard. The breakout cable fits into the radiator, and then splits off into the different headers the cooler needs to function in a centralised tube. There’s the 8-pin female connector, the three-pin Pump connector for one of the PWM connectors on the top of your motherboard, there’s the Pump power SATA connector, and finally a USB connector so that you can customize the pump header’s display and fan speeds through NZXT Cam software. These all cater to a cleanly managed cable system, and they all have enough length that they can stretch to the appropriate connectors in your PC. This is something I really like since my smaller PC makes keeping cable clutter to a minimum a very difficult task.

The coolant pipes are mesh, not see-through, so anyone wanting to play around with colored coolant and custom loops probably won’t be happy with what any standard AIO can offer. In fairness, this is the case for 90% of AIO coolers, but while NZXT is trying to refine design elements, maybe a more modular offering could be something to consider in the future. Then again, this wouldn’t exactly fit with NZXT’s clean and sleek white and black, plug-and-play designs. As it stands, the mesh tubes that connect the fans and radiator to the pump header are quite thick, and they’re not the most flexible. Fortunately, they do pivot on the pump header end, which means you can fit things at more of an angle.

The fans for this cooler aren’t three individuals that you’ll need to link together and bolt down separately. Instead, they come as a three-fan-in-one set, fixed together by an outer frame. While this does remove some options for swapping out fans for ones you’d prefer, it does save a lot of cable clutter so you don’t need to daisy chain a bunch of power and RGB connectors together and then find a way to hide the evidence. For simplicity’s sake, this is a nice touch, but if you want to use different fans, it could make life difficult for you because of that centralized cabling system.

Features

Of course, the main draw for a lot of people is going to be the IPS display built into the pump header. If you have an ATX gaming PC with a transparent panel on the side, this is the sort of cooler that you’ll be able to load pictures, gifs, and all sorts of other media onto to give your PC a bit of personality. For builders trying to fling together a themed rig, there are countless opportunities for you to play around with it in NZXT Cam, and it looks really clear and impressive when it’s all working.

Unfortunately, it’s a little wasted on my Corsair 2000D RGB Airflow case, since it’s a mini-ITX chassis with no transparent paneling. RGB can be seen within the case, but only if it’s shining pretty brightly or it's close to the walls.

Both the RGB and the pump header display are customized through NZXT Cam - a software I genuinely like, as manufacturer-mandatory bloatware goes. It doesn’t overstep itself, and it makes customizing the devices you own nice and easy - as opposed to something like Razer Synapse which wants to become your PC’s main application at all times - for everything. Annoyingly, to get the most out of this cooler and its features, you do need to have that USB header plugged in somewhere on your motherboard. Since I have an ITX motherboard with limited space, I’m using all the USB space I have to power my myriad of peripherals and front fan lighting. It’s hardly a flaw, but it is worth checking if your motherboard has enough USB headers to make the most out of this cooler before committing to it - especially for the money you spend.

What I do really like about this cooler though, is that it features super clear installation instructions, and everything you need for either an Intel or AMD processor is in the box, waiting for you. The assembly instructions outline everything clearly, and some diagrams and steps really do feel like they streamline what can be a confusing assembly process.

Performance

Before I get into the nitty-gritty of this cooler’s performance, let me again reiterate that I’ve given it quite a task here. I’ve put it to work in a small form factor gaming PC that has the heat of a lot of components cramped together for it to dissipate. On top of that, I’m asking it to keep the Intel Core i7-13700K cool. That CPU, for all its power, is one of the hottest across the board that I’ve tested compared with all the desktop processors I’ve reviewed, so it’s worth keeping in mind here that if the temperatures I recorded seem a little high, your mileage may vary - particularly if you have a larger case or an AMD CPU which operate a bit colder anyway.

My main draw to an AIO cooler was to keep noise pollution down. I was using a Noctua air cooler in my rig for the longest time, which was more than enough paired with an Intel Core i5-13600K, but did add a lot of noise to my machine when I launched any game. It also meant my rig was relying too heavily on the chassis fans to pull cool air in, which, as you can imagine, caused a lot of noise.

With the NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB now installed alongside that bump-up in CPU power, I can let the chassis fans relax a bit and have the AIO do more of the heavy lifting. That does result in less noise overall, but it does mean that the AIO fans are working harder more of the time. I can’t exactly fault the Kraken Elite for its noise levels - it’s not like sitting on the edge of a runway, but I would have liked a little less noise than the continual whir of these fans give me. I’ve tested this cooler while connected to both my AIO Pump and CPU Fan PWM connectors on my motherboard - and those of you in the know will understand that means I’ve tested it running at 100% all the time, and at carefully selected levels on a fan curve. It still is quite noisy, so for any fellow ITX builders out there, maybe consider something smaller if you want to cut out as much noise as possible.

Of course, ambient noise is a trade-off in my gaming PC for adequate cooling performance. The 13700K can sit at an ambient temperature of 35 degrees thanks to the Kraken Elite, which is a few degrees lower than its ambient temperature in our testing PC during review testing (38 degrees). That’s compared to an older Corsair 360mm AIO cooler, albeit in a much larger case that has a more pronounced airflow pattern and more space for its components.

In software benchmarking like Cinebench, however, the Kraken still wasn’t able to prevent the 13700K from thermal throttling and reaching boiling point, which, in fairness, we found in our review tests too, and have seen is a bit of an expectation for this processor from other reviewers. During a Cinebench Multicore test, I saw peak temperatures of 100 degrees according to HWiNFO, although a lower average temperature during the test than in our review benchmarking, where it sat at around 96 degrees for most of the test. The Kraken managed to keep it sat at 87 degrees for the majority of the test, with occasional climbs up to the low 90s. If that peak temperature of boiling point worries you though, I’d argue this is likely more to do with the chip itself than a slight against the cooler. The fact it managed to keep temperatures lower than another cooler in a larger rig does attest to that.

I found the same results when gaming too, as in my regular haunt, Hunt: Showdown 1896, the processor was peaking in the 70s, which is impressive given that game’s added technical demands following a 2.0 update last year. In Planet Zoo, a CPU-intensive game I use for a lot of processor testing, I found a similar story. A peak of 75 degrees is about what you’d expect for a processor like this in a game that’s making it work overtime, and compared to the air-cooled i5 I had in my rig previously, it’s keeping temperatures lower overall.

Annoyingly, I haven’t been able to test out the funky LCD display on the Kraken’s pump header since I have no room to spare when it comes to USB motherboard headers. Still, the display does work when the pump header is powered correctly, and defaults to displaying your CPU’s temperature. My only slight against the pump header is that it is pretty bulky. Seated on my ITX motherboard, it really does make things more noticeably cramped, and its height means reaching components next to it like M.2 bays or swapping out the best RAM for gaming could be tricky without removing it. The same goes for the depth of the radiator. The Corsair Airflow 2000D RGB was one of the first-ever ITX cases to be able to fit a 360mm AIO cooler inside it, as you might know from our Origin Chronos V3 review, but I feel like the radiator and fans are really testing that in this case, and even those with an ATX build may notice some real estate at the top of their PC get easily swallowed up.

Should you buy the NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB?

I can’t really speak to its fanciest decorative features, but what I can say is that the NZXT’s Kraken Elite 360 RGB has some solid design points that make installation a lot easier than other AIO coolers. Centralising the cable system does make a big difference to both looks and practicality and particularly for those PC builders using an AIO for the first time, this will go down a treat.

I also think as a cut-and-dry cooler, there’s a lot to like here. Asking it to prove its worth by keeping the Intel Core i7-13700K calm is a tough test, and asking it to do it in a small form factor PC where limited airflow puts a lot of responsibility on the AIO makes things even more difficult. The Kraken Elite kept gaming and ambient temperatures down to acceptable levels, and comparable ones with the Corsair AIO we used for our review benchmarking. Although it couldn’t keep content creation tasks from spilling into boiling point territory, I’d argue this is a fault of the 13th Generation of Intel processors rather than a failing of the cooler.

It’ll ultimately be up to you to decide whether or not the streamlined design points and swanky LCD display are worth paying more for versus some more basic coolers under $200, or flashy loops with multicolored coolant. If I had transparent paneling in my case, the Kraken’s LCD display is exactly the type of nonsense I’d love to see whenever I peered into my PC.

How I tested the NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB

I put the NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB to work inside my ITX gaming PC, pairing it with an Intel Core i7-13700K processor, and easing its workload with Prolima Tech PK-3 thermal paste. I tested the cooler both with the CPU Fan and AIO Pump PWM connectors on my motherboard to see the differences in cooling performance when working with a custom fan curve, and with it operating at 100% at all times.

I used HWiNFO to track temperatures and thermal throttling and used Cinebench’s multicore test as a way to probe the upper limits of CPU strain. I also played various games, keeping tabs on temperatures, noise levels, and performance.

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

If you're looking for more upgrades, don't forget to check out the best graphics cards, the best computer speakers, and the best PC cases.

Combine that with the brand’s super vivid RGB lighting and a set of dedicated extra controls and you’re looking at one of the strongest TKL keyboards on the market, save for its high-resistance typing experience. If you don’t want to move past the $200 threshold to pick up one of the best gaming keyboards available, this is an excellent choice.

Design

The Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid is available in black, white, or pink, with all three models benefiting from particularly vibrant Lightsync RGB. It’s those LEDs that steal the show in this design. While I was a little disappointed to see some uneven coloring around longer legends (the caps, tab, and enter keys all lose some of this spark), the main alphanumeric keys are beautifully lit with controlled, rich color. It’s rare that I speak so highly of an RGB system so early in a review, but with no light bleed it’s truly one of the first things to impress me about this deck.

The actual TKL form factor is taller than that of the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3, with a larger top bezel providing extra space for a silver ‘G’ logo stamped into the left corner, as well as the media control buttons and volume dial on the right. It means these controls aren’t as hidden behind the keycaps as they are on SteelSeries’ model, though they’re still set fairly low and some peering and reaching is required to hit them. It’s easier to adjust the volume during more frantic moments, though, thanks to that extra headroom.

A metal top plate is recessed into a plastic chassis, making for a sturdy landing for each keypress that doesn’t break the bank with a full premium construction. SteelSeries adopts a similar design, with the same flex-free results. The plastic casing also means that the Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid is light enough for easy transport, though still sturdy enough on the desk to stay in place when confronted with my occasional mouse-hand knocks.

Doubleshot PBT keycaps provide an overall good sense of grip, but I can’t help but feel that they’re slightly more slippery than the more textured caps of SteelSeries’ product and certainly less grippy than those of the NZXT Function Elite. While I never slid enough to actually lose precision, they don’t feel as satisfying under the fingertips as other options. With a more frantic playstyle, positioning could get sloppy.

The main deck, however, is incredibly well built. There isn’t a hint of a creak to the body itself, every join is seamless, and even larger keycaps resist wobbling under the hand. Two flip feet on the underside operate with a reassuring snap and never buckle when pushing the keyboard up and down a desk. I regularly shove my keyboard up the desk to take notes and hate hearing the clatter of a weaker hinge buckling from the momentum. There’s a little hint of luxury in this build quality as well, with a small strip of glossy metal outlining the main typing plate and catching the light beautifully.

It doesn’t feel like there’s too much additional dampening going on inside this chassis, so keypresses can sound a little more coarse compared to SteelSeries and NZXT. As with most magnetic switches, though, there’s no pinging from within the case during even heavier typing sessions.

I did, however, notice the space bar starting to soften during the course of my testing. The deeper thocc heard at the start of my process was accompanied by a lighter clack towards the end. The space bar has its own padding underneath, but it feels like a looser connection in the stabilizer itself - the switch still feels solid on closer inspection.

Features

Of course, it’s those switches that are going to be drawing many towards the Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid over other decks. Logitech’s Magnetic Analog switches can be configured to actuate at between 0.1mm and 4mm of travel. That essentially means your keys can be as sensitive or as heavy as you wish, and individual keys can be set up in different ways - for example, upping the sensitivity of WASD while lowering it in surrounding keys to avoid mis-presses.

Being able to actuate at 0.1mm makes for a particularly speedy switch, and while SteelSeries matches this full range of customization choices, NZXT’s Hall effect keyboard taps out at 0.6mm, giving you less room to work with. I’m glad Logitech went for the full range here, especially considering it’s $20 cheaper than the Function Elite at MSRP.

Using a magnet rather than a traditional mechanical on / off switch means you can also map two separate functions to two different actuation points within the same keypress. I mostly use this feature for configuring ‘W’ to walk when at a half press, and adding a ‘Shift’ modifier for a run when pushed all the way down. It’s a neat feature that helps replicate more of a controller thumbstick feel, and considering I spend most of my time in Avowed sprinting (thank you no-stamina-sprints) I rarely felt myself hovering uncomfortably at a half press.

It’s worth noting that some keyboards allow for four inputs per keypress (one on the way down, one at a full bottom-out, one on the way up, and one at a full return). That’s particularly tricky to nail and rarely comes up in everyday gameplay, but it is a feature available on the Glorious GMMK 3 HE.

Of course, as the name suggests, that all-important Rapid Trigger mode is also available here. It’s essentially a repeat-press shortcut that allows for incredibly fast debounce responses. In Logitech’s deck, you set a preferred actuation point from which your press with de-register which means you don’t need to wait for a full reset before actuating again, as you would with a mechanical switch. Most Hall effect keyboards use this feature.

SOCD controls are available as well, named ‘Key Priority’ in Logitech’s vocabulary. If you haven’t heard the controversy around this feature, it essentially allows your keyboard to override your previous keypress with a new one. If you’re holding ‘A’ to strafe left and immediately want to change direction with ‘D’, previous keyboards would have nullified this action for the amount of time both keys are being pressed.

In those milliseconds where you have both keys pressed, you’d be going nowhere. SOCD overrides your ‘A’ input with ‘D’ as soon as it’s actuated for an immediate change in direction. This feature is extremely useful in casual play, but it’s also banned in a number of competitive arenas, so use with caution.

All of this is configured in Logitech’s G Hub software, which does make light work of ensuring each customization process is smooth and intuitive. I use a lot of different programs by a lot of different brands, so finding out where each setting is on each one can become tiresome. Logitech combines its actuation point, rapid trigger, and SOCD controls in one menu, called ‘Analog Switches’. A simple sliding scale reminds me of the particularly streamlined NZXT CAM software that I loved during testing, but Logitech also benefits from showing your individual actuation points on a graphic of the keyboard itself as well. That’s particularly handy for finer tweaks.

Customizing those dual inputs is all done in the ‘Assignments’ tab, which makes sense now that I think back on it but threw me at the start of testing. It would make sense to have this ‘analog switch’ feature included in its respective menu, but I can see why it’s here. The fact that it’s one of the more simple multi-action remapping tools I’ve used makes up for that brief confusion - a simple building block interface and a testing section makes the process pain-free where other platforms can get confusing.

Like most Hall effect keyboards, this is a fully wired affair. The extra power draw of these switches mean few keyboards can comfortably run for long enough on battery power over a 2.4GHz or Bluetooth connection. If you do want to go wireless you’ll be paying for it - the Glorious GMMK 3 Pro HE is cable-free, but its price can skyrocket. A 1,000Hz polling rate keeps things reasonable, some keyboards can go higher to cover the odd millisecond of missed input as keyboard and PC converse. The vast majority of players don’t need an 8,000Hz polling keyboard, but competitive players might want to consider Glorious’s model for that extra safety blanket.

Performance

The Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid looks great, feels alright, and is stacked with a good set of features for its price. The way it runs put me off a little at the start of testing.

The first thing I noticed about this keyboard is its particularly soft bottom-out. I’m a fan of a softer clack, I love my Asus ROG Azoth for this pillowy response. But there’s a woolly feeling to these switches that sometimes makes typing feel a little heavier than it should. Combined with a lack of energy from the top plate, it verges on feeling just a little mushy. I’m by no means likening this experience to that of a membrane gaming keyboard, there’s still a snap to these switches, but compared to the rest of my testing pool there’s a little too much tension somewhere in these switches.

Hall effect switches will also lose some of the snap of a mechanical deck, but the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 and NZXT Function Elite still manage to feel crisp and clean under the fingertips. There’s less resistance behind each keypress, particularly in NZXT’s switches while the level of force required to half-actuate Logitech’s keys can get fatiguing during longer typing sessions. This made less of a difference in-game, and - like in the case of the Apex Pro - the extra stiffness actually allowed me to discern where I was within the actuation range of each key a little better. SteelSeries nails this intuitive feel for actuation points while also providing a comfortable everyday typing experience, though.

It should be noted that that heaviness never got in the way of super light keypresses. With my actuation point set to the top 0.1mm, I was never pushing down enough on a key to feel this resistance fully. That made for particularly speedy movements across Apex Legends and CS2.

Should you buy the Logitech G Pro X Rapid?

The Logitech G Pro X Rapid does have a lot going for it, at a price point that appeases more wallets than SteelSeries and NZXT. If you’re after a Hall effect keyboard purely for gameplay use, it’s a fantastic alternative to more premium options (which feels weird to say about a Logitech deck). You’re getting the same range of actuation customizations as you would with both the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 ($219.99) and NZXT Function Elite ($199.99), with dedicated media controls, vibrant RGB lighting, a compact TKL form factor, and a slick design. I’d recommend getting your hands on these switches in-store first if you know you prefer a lighter feel (and you’ll be typing a lot every day), but overall it’s an easy recommendation for the price.

If you can go a little further up the budget scale, though, I’d still point you towards the SteelSeries Apex Pro first and foremost. It’s got better keycaps, a handy OLED display, and a less stuffy switch-feel in the hand. It also comes with a wrist rest and, while it’s a little harder to hit reliably, a volume dial for quick adjustments in-game.

Like most Hall effect keyboards, both Logitech and SteelSeries’ entries are wired-only. If you’re after a cable-free setup, the Glorious GMMK 3 Pro HE is the way to go. It’s a good deal more expensive, but provides a more luxurious dampening design, 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections, and additional multi-trigger settings as well. The deck is also modular for further upgrades later on down the line, with a full customization experience available via the Glorious Boardsmith site.

How I tested the Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid

The Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid was my daily driver across work and play for two weeks, during which time I primarily played Avowed, Oxenfree 2, and Fallout 4. I stress tested the deck in competitive rounds of Apex Legends and CS2, using varied actuation points across different keys and making use of rapid trigger as well. I tested SOCD and dual actuation mostly in Avowed. For more information on how we test gaming keyboards, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

I’m also hunting down all the best wireless gaming keyboards, but if you’re after a look at the competition I’m also looking out for the best Razer keyboards on the market. For switch-swappers out there, I’ve also had my hands on all the best hot-swappable keyboards as well.

Moore served as Microsoft's corporate vice president of home and entertainment (overseeing Xbox) between 2003 and 2007, arriving a little after the launch of the original Xbox and being there when the 360 first released. This timeframe also coincided with the PS2 and Nintendo GameCube (and more briefly the PS3 and Wii), which were obviously big competitors, and at that time, Xbox clearly wasn't afraid to make that rivalry known.

Speaking in an interview on Danny Peña's YouTube channel, Moore is asked his thoughts on Microsoft's newer multi-platform strategy that's seeing the likes of Forza Horizon 5 come to PS5 next month, as well as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle at some point this spring. Releasing Xbox exclusives on rival hardware would have been unheard of in times gone by, but things have obviously evolved quite a bit since then.

"I think the console wars that you're kind of alluding to were healthy for the industry," Moore says. "Look, I've said it before, we just – certainly, I did – encouraged the battle, because I think gamers loved to see Xbox versus PlayStation, maybe Nintendo as well, and that I think was a rising tide that lifted all ships."

Moore says the situation is "different today," pointing to the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which he says "changed things" at Microsoft. "This is not the old days of the console wars, and punching each other, and trying to steal customers and trying to get market share and build your attach rate. This is bigger than that in an economic sense."

While Moore has clearly made peace with the idea that times have changed, he still admits that he thinks a "little bit of the feistiness" that the industry once "grew upon" has been lost. Meanwhile in the general gaming space, it doesn't feel like everyone has moved on from the console wars, but the battles (thankfully) don't feel as vicious as they once did.

Even in the 90s, Nintendo was trying to shut down the console wars: "We ought to appreciate what PlayStation has achieved."

As a case in point, the Pokemon Prismatic Evolutions Booster Bundle dropped last week, but it's already sold out almost everywhere I've looked. Seeing as the Pokemon TCG is one of the best card games of the past 30 years (and due to its introduction of Stellar Tera ex cards), that's not tremendously surprising.

It's just the beginning, too. Some Pokémon TCG: Prismatic Evolutions products have already been released, with more still on the way. (Check below for release date details.) Not that you need to remain on tenterhooks, of course. Amazon has plenty of products still available, while UK fans can find stock at Argos.

Just move quickly. Stock is drying up fast, and I can't say for certain how long it'll last.

Where to buy Pokemon Prismatic Evolutions: US

Where to buy Pokemon Prismatic Evolutions: UK

Release dates for Pokemon Prismatic Evolutions products

A few different types of Pokémon TCG: Prismatic Evolutions products have already been released, with some still on the way. Below is a list of release dates so you can keep track of what's still to come from the most anticipated Scarlet and Violet generation cards.

Released:

• Prismatic Evolutions Poster Collection – 31 January 2025
• Prismatic Evolutions Mini Tin – 7 February 2025
• Prismatic Evolutions Surprise Box – 7 February 2025
• Prismatic Evolutions Booster Bundle – 7 March 2025

Not yet released:

• Prismatic Evolutions Accessory Pouch Special Collection – 25 April 2025
• Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection – 16 May 2025
• Prismatic Evolutions Premium Figure Collection – 26 September 2025

For more why not check out our list of the best board games, or if you're a collector of the Lego kind, some Lego deals to whet your appetite for brick-based goodies.

Armed with an AMD Ryzen 7 5825U APU, the Ayaneo Mini PC AM01 arguably is closer to one of the best gaming handhelds than a traditional rig. Simply put, this tiny system isn't for those of you who're itching to play Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K or like to clock-watch frame rates. Instead, the machine is perfect for running lightweight indie adventures or even as a Steam Link streaming hub.

AM01 specs range from a base 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD, but I've been eyeing up a 32GB/512GB version that's going for $369.99 at Amazon this week. That configuration feels like a happy medium to me since the extra memory will help you meet minimum requirements in some games, and the mini rig makes it easy to expand storage with space extra 2.5-inch SATA drives.

I'd argue that the AM01's beige outfit and cute Machintosh-inspired elements are enough reason to pick one up, but I am a complete retro console nerd. If you need a more substantial reason to invest in the tiny Ryzen PC, I can confirm that it's able to run a surprising number of lighter Steam games at 1080p and 1440p without breaking a sweat.

During testing, I actually played a whole chunk of Price of Persia: The Lost Crown, completed Lara's first outing in the Tomb Raider Trilogy, and started Sonic Superstars. I was easily able to get frame rates to stay around 60fps and, since we're talking about effectively a full PC crammed inside an off-white box, I used a wireless controller just like with my full-sized rig.

For the giggles, I even tried to optimize Cyberpunk 2077 settings just to see what the little Ryzen machine could do. Surprisingly, I was able to get things running at 1080p 60fps, albeit with pretty janky visuals. But, the point is that if you want access to some of Steam's more unique indie games, or even just a way to grab Epic Game Store freebies and play them on your TV, this device is perfect.

It's probably worth stressing that the AM01 isn't really designed to be a way to primarily play Steam games, and as its aesthetic suggests, it's more geared toward retro gaming. While there are plenty of devices that can handle the classics these days, a Ryzen system with enough juice to emulate most systems, tap into smaller new releases, and provide NAS functionality is a good investment.

Are there more powerful options out there than the AM01? Absolutely, and you can achieve a similar setup using something like a Steam Deck OLED and one of the best Steam Deck docks. But, opting for a machine that can stay plugged in at 35W consistently, uses an efficient high-pressure turbo fan, and can utilize way more memory means Ayaneo's box is more versatile as a living room hub.

Looking to build a full-sized rig? Swing by the best CPU for gaming and the best gaming RAM. Or, if you're looking for something ready-baked, take a peek at the best Alienware gaming PC options.

Of course, you'll need to act quickly if you want to secure one of these rigs as soon as they're available. Given the new graphics card is still suffering from launch day stock shortages, competition in PCs will be fierce, especially with the mid-range GPU battleground getting as competitive as it currently is. The most affordable option I've found is a Yeyian Yari that only costs $1,499.99 at Newegg. Annoyingly, it's already on backorder, but you can still add this machine to your cart for the next time it's in stock.

The other best gaming PCs I've spotted that rock the RTX 5070 come from Walmart and Best Buy, and they seem more available if you're looking for something immediately, but do cost a bit more. This Skytech Chronos at Walmart costs $1,899.99, and it comes with an up-to-date Ryzen 7 processor and liquid cooling. If you don't mind paying more, there's also a CLX SET gaming PC at Best Buy that costs $2,089.99. For more details on all three rigs, check the blocks below.

Should you buy an RTX 5070 gaming PC?

With big marketing claims touting the Nvidia RTX 5070 as an RTX 4090 rival, it's easy to see why you might want to grab a gaming PC with one inside as quickly as possible. We certainly found in our review that while the DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation does put it somewhat on par with the RTX 4090, it really isn't a native rival (to the surprise of absolutely nobody).

Compared to the RTX 4070 Super, however, it does offer a performance uplift, and cuts the price by $50, making it an excellent mid-range graphics card for all sorts of gaming tasks at 4K and 1440p.

Of course, the price of gaming PCs housing one of the best graphics cards is always going to cost more this close to launch, so it might be worth thinking about holding off for now until the stock and price settle on them.

The alternative is finding out where to buy the AMD Radeon RX 9070, which will, according to marketing claims and the first few reviews, give you better native performance for a similar price. I haven't seen any prebuilt gaming PCs emerge holstering this big iron however, so it might be more of a wait for this GPU to reach the prebuilt PC market. AMD can be slower on the uptick in that respect, so only time will tell how many AMD configurations we'll see on the shelves.

If you're looking for more upgrades, check out the best CPUs for gaming, the best RAM for gaming, and the best computer speakers.

Already well-acquainted with Oatchi the dog? Switch games like Luigi's Mansion 3, are available also for $49.99 at Amazon thanks to a $10 discount, and even more recent releases like the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake are down to $49.99 at Amazon, despite only launching on the gaming handheld just last year.

Ninty itself has stated the new console will be compatible with current Switch games, so still adding to your collection is even more worthwhile. But if you're clamoring to get the most value out of the current Switch, even now, there's a wealth of games worth dusting off your Joy-Cons for.

You may not want to grab even more Switch games when the Nintendo Switch 2 is right around the corner, and that's totally reasonable. Especially if you've just started to save for the brand-new console. We don't quite know how much it's going to cost, but even if it's just more than the current £309.99 / $349.99 MSRP of the Nintendo Switch OLED, that's still a fair chunk of change.

That being said, I still recommend grabbing any Switch games you've ever had your eyes on, especially if they have even the smallest of discounts right now. We know that digital, and physical Switch games, will be playable on the new handheld, so there's less of a risk to picking them up (even if you have full intentions of getting rid of your current Switch for its swanky new successor). But, we don't quite know what the stock will be like for a lot of these slightly older games.

Older Nintendo games on previous handhelds can have the tendency to shoot up in the second-hand market and you can expect to pay even triple its original price to grab any games you missed. It's one of the main reasons I picked up Emio The Smiling Man last month, despite the fact I have a backlog of games to play before I even open its box.

Grabbing new games just in case they become harder to get later on isn't ideal, but if it can prevent you from forking out way more later on, it's worth it in hindsight. But ultimately, picking up Switch games now means you won't be starved of super fun adventures, which should be of utmost priority. Just because there's a new shiny handheld on its way, doesn't mean you can't experience the joy of exploring any nook and cranny of the Last Resort hotel in Luigi's Mansion 3, or put off rescuing Olimar in Pikmin 4. And if anything, at least you'll already have an expansive game collection when the Switch 2 finally rolls around.

If you're Switch backlog is already full, you should pair your handheld with one of the best Nintendo Switch headsets, the best Nintendo Switch controllers, or even one of the best Nintendo Switch SD cards to get the most out of it for longer.

The tech giant will be sending more Alienware models onto the best gaming monitor track throughout 2025, but the next two to join the fold are a bit more budget friendly. Those of you who're into the idea of a traditional IPS display with a faster than average refresh rate can now grab the AW2725DM for $269.99 at Dell. However, if you'd rather aim for bigger than 27 inches and potentially swing things up to a curve panel, you'll also be able to grab the VA AW3225DM for $319.99. Not too shabby if you're looking for something more immersive.

Out of the two, I'm personally pretty excited about the 180Hz AW2725DM. Dell's screens normally pretty expensive, especially if you end up looking at the new Alienware monitor with the world's highest QD-OLED pixel density, but $270 feels pretty approachable for 1440p setups that require a bit of extra speed. Plus, IPS screens tend of offer up decent colors and contrast compared to VA, so it's not a complete compromise.

That said, I'm not knocking the 32-inch curved Alienware AW3225DM by any means. Many of the best curved monitors for gaming sit in a lofty price range, particularly models with faster refresh rates. 180Hz feels like a nice speed to hit while still making the move to a more immersive 1,500, and Dell's new curvier stand and purple colorway look pretty snazzy.

As for additional features, both models come with a two port USB hub that'll hook up to your PC via USB-A. That's a bit of a standard inclusion, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't craving USB-C and 100W Power Delivery in these screens so I can hook up gaming handhelds. But, at this sort of price point, I always half expect feature sets to be a bit more streamline, and forking out more for additional luxuries is a norm.

Ultimately, I'm pretty hyped to see more Alienware monitors roll out at cheaper price points. The gaming brand doesn't always dish out the more affordable options, and it can be easy to get caught up serving up QD-OLED panels at a premium party.

Looking for more screen? Check out the best 4K monitor for gaming and the best ultrawide gaming monitors. If you're in need of something much larger, make sure to swing by the best gaming TV options for extra large displays.

Ideally, you'll want to start thinking about where to buy AMD Radeon RX 9070 series graphics cards before launch time. I'd be surprised if the GPU isn't in high demand since it's already arguably beating the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 in the best graphics card race and the red team's GeForce RTX 5070 Ti rival, the RX 9070 XT, comes in at $599.

The base RX 9070 model is also designed to distract you from RTX 5070 stock at $549, and since Nvidia's card is non-existent right now, it's the GPU most mid-range PC players will be flocking towards. The thing that really has me worried is that even if AMD's inventory is plentiful, it could still end up vanishing at retailers fairly quickly since last-gen graphics cards are largely only available for way above MSRP.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 stock checks: US quick links

• Amazon: Check for third party stock
• Newegg: More focused supply could mean success
• Best Buy: Stocks a wide range of GPUs

AMD Radeon RX 9070 stock checks: UK quick links

• Amazon: Wider range of suppliers
• Scan: Has been strong at launch in the past
• Overclockers: Often one of the first to stock
• Currys: Check for third parties
• Ebuyer: Listing pages active now

Will RX 9070 series stock hold out?

There are a couple of key takeaways when it comes to RX 9070 stock and whether it'll remain available at launch. The first is that retailers like Newegg haven't got any models listed ahead of time right now, which might be the retailer's way of trying to combat bots snatching up GPUs as soon as they're available to buy. That does mean you'll have to be super speedy and head to storefronts as soon as the clock strikes 8am, but it may at least mean that the 'add to cart' button can stick around for more than a few microseconds.

The other thing to consider is that the RX 9070 series is arguably even more gaming focussed than Nvidia's cards. That's not to say the GeForce RTX 5080 isn't designed to run Steam games, but RTX 5090 stock was almost definitely snatched up by a large number of AI enthusiasts looking to mess around with that side of things. While RDNA 4 cards do boast their own FSR 4 and Frame Generation abilities for boosting fps, I don't think they'll necessarily be snapped up for running AI models or messing around with generative nonsense.

As for past general availability, AMD traditionally tends to have graphics cards readily available at retailers for not much over MSRP. You will be at the mercy of custom card pricing as always, and that could mean paying beyond $600 for some versions. But, last-gen RDNA 3 supplies were pretty healthy up until recently, and next-gen Radeon GPUs will ideally be easy to get a hold of compared to Nvidia's Blackwell.

I'll be keeping a very close eye on RX 9070 stock over the next few hours, and I'm hopeful that retailers will have plenty to go around. Will I be surprised if we're faced with yet another launch where there isn't actually anything available to buy? Not really, but if we instantly get the out of stock treatment, it'd be practically like there was no launch in the first place.

In the words of Fry, (kindly) shut up and take my money!

Upgrading your rig? Swing by the best RAM for gaming and the best gaming CPU for vital components. You'll also want to check out the best PC cases if you're starting from scratch.

For me, Ring Fit Adventure takes the immense boredom that comes with doing any form of exercise and transforms it into an immersive, genuinely thrilling experience. Instead of staring at the white wall of my local gym, I can now just pick up the game and spend my time running through vivid and stunning landscapes, using the Ring-Con to push and pull my away around huge, action-packed courses.

The bulk of the game is this action-adventure RPG, where you're tasked with taking down Dragaux - a demon with sweatbands that looks like the dude-bros I avoid at the gym at all costs. Throughout the game you'll also regularly run into turn-based battles - think Final Fantasy but instead of selecting between attacks and spells, you're selecting between squats and sit-ups.

These 'Fit Skills' can be used to take down baddies, but you need to pick the right ones. Some enemies will take more damage from a set of squats, meanwhile, others may tremble at the sight of you doing exercises involving that pushing and pulling mechanic of the Ring-Con. The further you play, the more Fit Skills you'll unlock, and the more varied workouts you'll endure.

What makes Ring Fit Adventure extra special is the plethora of game modes to try. While I'm still getting through the main story to this day (I have asthma, so it's taking a while), there's also a music rhythm mini-game that lets you dance, and break up a sweat to tunes from Splatoon, The Legend of Zelda and of course, Super Mario.

To this day, one of my most beloved memories with the current Switch is moving around the Ring-Con in my living room to some of my favorite tracks from the Splatoom franchise - the closest I've ever come to becoming the squid kid I was destined to be. But it did reiterate that playing Ring Fit Adventure takes a lot of space, and can be very noisy.

The main game involves you jogging in one spot, which shakes my house on the regular. Fortunately, there is a 'quiet mode' which lets you crouch instead for a quieter exercise regime. But if you want to gamify your workouts too, make sure you're on friendly terms with your neighbors.

If you're at all worried about picking up Ring Fit Adventure during the year of the Nintendo Switch 2, I totally get it. Nintendo's "certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported" announcement during the initial console's reveal could be aimed at the Ring-Con controller. But if you have no plans to ditch your current Switch even after forking out cash for the Switch 2, Ring Fit Adventure is more than worth holding onto the aging handheld - even if you hate exercise as much as I did.

If you're already working up a sweat with Ring Fit Adventure, check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch headsets, the best Nintendo Switch cases, and the best Nintendo Switch SD cards to unlock some extra mileage out of your Nintendo Switch.

Pixels aren’t on their way out, though. TVs still have their place in our living rooms, whether it be from a 4K value standpoint or simple convenience. Nothing truly beats a 150-inch true UHD home theatre, but if you’re looking to replace your trusty television with one of the best projectors on the market there’s more than screen size to consider.

These throwers haven’t exploded in popularity in recent years for nothing. With 120-inch to 150-inch screens as the norm, they offer bigger viewing experiences often at a better value rate than comparatively sized TVs. The largest static panel display you’ll find on most consumer shelves sits at around 98-inches to 100-inches. If you want room-filling visuals for a medium or large space, projectors are going to be your best option.

They also take up less space in front of you (the actual device might pose some other problems further down the line but is more versatile in its placement), requiring only a thin sheet of screening to run. Replacing a TV with a projector also means you open your wall back up to extra use when not watching. A television is always going to sit there, but a projection setup can be tucked away out of sight.

These days, projectors generally ship with their own smart operating systems, which means you’ll still have access to a variety of streaming apps (though more on that in a moment), with extra ports for connections to dongles and other devices. Most also come with a form of screen sharing for throwing content directly from your phone or tablet.

On paper, then, a projector absolutely can replace a TV. You’re still getting your content when you want it, and on a bigger screen with more versatility. I’ve swapped my TV out for a projector several times, though, and I’ll tell you now it’s not quite that simple. There are a number of quality of life factors that don’t always make their way into the screen vs lens debate, but absolutely deserve to be considered if you’re considering replacing your TV with a projector.

The dark side of the screen

The first is well documented. Projectors simply don’t get as bright as full pixel TVs. A television has thousands of illuminated pixels packed onto its screen and an extra backlight providing further illumination. A projector relies solely on a, sometimes very powerful, laser or bulb.

Even at the top of the price scale, it’s difficult to replicate the full brightness of a TV screen. That means your viewing experience is going to be compromised when watching during daylight hours, or with extra lights on in the room. Of course, this scales across the price range. If you’re spending $1,500 on a projector it’s unlikely to be able to replace a TV for detailed, bright daytime viewing.

I don’t tend to watch too much TV during the daytime, but my game experience during the weekends does take a hit whenever I’m testing a new projector. For reference, I don’t have the best gaming TV in the world, it’s a 4K LG NanoCell that I bought when the PS5 first launched. It’s crisp, bright, and I prefer its color depth to Samsung’s offerings at this mid-range price scale (it was about $500 when I picked it up), but it still delivers a better viewing experience than most of the best 4K projectors I’ve tested when the sun’s out.

There’s a reason these devices sit within the realm of the home movie theatre. They’re designed to be used in dark rooms, where they absolutely can run with a TV panel’s coloring, vividity, and vibrancy. That does, however, mean they might not be able to fully replace your everyday TV viewing experience.

Connections matter

Ports are at the top of my mind when setting up a new projector, and the HDMI battleground is fierce. Even the most expensive projectors seem to cap out at two HDMI inputs, and unless a streaming operating system is baked into the device itself you’ll be relying on one of them for access to your regular apps and shows.

That means I’m constantly switching out HDMI connections when hopping between PS5 and Nintendo Switch, or in some cases where only one HDMI port is available, just moving from watching TV to playing games.

It gets old faster than you’d think it does, and I often find myself missing the three HDMI connections (and easy swapping between them) on my regular TV. Of course, that only applies to those with consoles to plug in, and it’s not too hard to find a projector with an inbuilt operating system and extra HDMI connections on the back. Just make sure you check for these connections if you do regularly swap between inputs (the XGIMI Horizon Ultra is a fantastic example of a have-it-all device).

Unruly wires

With ports comes another issue with replacing a TV with a projector - and one, I’ll confess, I only realized when it came to actually re-arranging my living room for my first ever test device. It’s wires, wires are always the issue.

Different projectors are designed to be positioned at different distances from their screens, which means you could have your device placed on a coffee table in front of you, or behind you on a shelf.

If it’s the former, you’ll have cables running from the nearest power outlet to the middle of your room and, if you don’t want to have to store the device when not in use (and pull it out of the cupboard every time you want to watch something), those cables will stay there permanently. Add a console’s power and HDMI cables into the mix and things get real interesting.

Make sure you check your projector’s throw ratio to ensure your room is either small enough to keep those cables at bay (and avoid a coffee table setup) or large enough to accommodate the device’s image size. If I wasn’t testing them, my living room would be completely unsuitable for a projector and I’m constantly tripping over power and HDMI cables as a result. That’s why I often test projectors with a PS5 in a separate room, placing both on a desk together rather than relying on a full living room setup.

All about that quality of life

Then there are smaller bugbears that often pop up when I’m fully replacing my TV with a projector. Most ship with Google TV, for example, which doesn’t always carry all the apps I can find on an LG or Samsung TV operating system. In the UK, for example, BBC iPlayer isn’t supported. It’s worth double checking whether your usuals are actually available on the operating system you choose before you take the leap. Still, some apps aren’t available on my TV, but in my experience streaming sticks are less likely to have a larger offering than a mainstream OS.

In my more casual observations, I’ve also noticed that a projector can feel like overkill for less involved viewing. I might throw on a few episodes of The Office while cleaning or have one of those awkward weekend breakfast shows on in the background every now and then. While this content previously hummed away in my periphery, it’s center stage when I’m using a projector, which isn’t always the vibe I want from my living room.

I’d also urge you not to underestimate fan noise. While some projectors are quieter than others, there will always be a whirr that doesn’t exist in the land of the television. It’s enough to feel the relief of its absence once I power down a projector for the night, though with the right sound system in place it generally won’t drown out your audio.

I’ve replaced my TV with a number of different projectors over the years, and in my setup and with my casual viewing / gaming uses it doesn’t make sense to make that switch permanent. All of this is going to depend on how, where, when, and what you want to watch.

If you’ve got a room with relatively little ambient light and the right wall outlet placement, and your budget stretches to at least $1,500 (but more likely $2,000 - $2,500) it’s entirely possible to replace your TV with a projector and feel all the benefits of that big-screen experience without the drawbacks.

These devices come with super easy setup tools, screens are getting more sophisticated, and smart features mean they can integrate nicely into everyday processes. It’s important to take a good look at your setup, though, and consider how you use your TV now, before taking that leap.

I'm also hunting down all the best outdoor projectors and the best portable projectors on the market, or take a look at the best projector screens to finish up your setup.

That speedy refresh rate and crisp UHD resolution make up the very DNA of some of the best gaming TVs available, a market that Philips certainly has a reputation with. The brand's Google Gaming TV and its Ambilight range make for excellent adventuring screens, but this is the first time we've seen a Roku operating system paired with that pristine OLED technology.

The Philips Class 974 Series is currently only available to buy at Sam's Club, but considering a membership will only set you back $25 you're still spending less than you would on a comparable LG or Sony model. Yes, you're dropping down from the 144Hz refresh rate on the LG OLED C4, but considering the PS5 can only stretch as far as 4K 120fps in a small handful of games most players really don't need much more than this.

Philips' panel uses Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10 to maximize color contrast, saturation, and vibrancy no matter how bright your room is, meanwhile Dolby Atmos takes care of your audio. This isn't your average Game Mode TV either, AMD FreeSync Premium keeps gameplay running smoothly in full UHD resolution.

Considering $1,299 sits towards the budget end of the OLED TV price range, that's a pretty nifty extra feature. After all, LG's C4 model has only ever hit $1,399 at its absolute cheapest, and is generally found for between $1,500 and $1,700 day to day. Even the more 'affordable' LG OLED B4 launched at $2,199.99. While it's naturally dropped far from that position now (and is actually available for $100 less than Philips' entry at LG), this starting price certainly bodes well for future discounts as well.

PS5 and PS5 Pro gameplay will be well covered here, but streaming is also covered. The Roku Smart Platform has you catered for Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, Peacock TV, Max, Paramout Plus, Pluto TV and more.

The Philips Class 974 Series OLED TV is available now, but this one's a Sam's Club exclusive.

We're rounding up all the best 120Hz 4K TVs as well as the best gaming monitors on the market. Or, take a look at the very best OLED TVs money can buy right now.

If, like me, you went hunting for RTX 5070 stock today, you will have been greeted with the same disappointment at the likes of Newegg, Best Buy, and Amazon. Even monstrously priced custom models failed to show up at 9am, which is weird since I don't know why anyone would pay the same price for the card as the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. Yes, I know it's entirely likely that resellers managed to snap up all the GPUs first, but even that doesn't make much sense in my head.

So, what now? Well, as much as I think the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 is actually a solid mid-range GPU, I'd suggest looking at where to buy RX 9070 series graphics cards instead. AMD has priced its RDNA 4 GPUs pretty competitively, with the non-Ti matching the 5070's $549 MSRP and the RX 9070 Ti targeting at $599 MSRP. There's still a good chance those two options will suffer the same fate as the green team's stock tomorrow, but if it can remain available even for just a few minutes, it'll claim launch victory over the GeForce GPUs.

Should you wait for the RTX 5070?

You'll technically have a second chance to grab the RTX 5070 since the Founders Edition will show up later in the month at an unspecified date. However, you might be sitting wondering if you should even bother waiting for the mid-range GPU to become available again. I'm a big believer in not holding off too long to upgrade your PC if it's getting in the way of you hitting your Steam backlog, and while the new card can pull off tremendous 4K tricks using AI upscaling, it's not the only option on the market.

First and foremost, I'd focus on seeing whether the RX 9070 is worth picking up. AMD's mid-range GPU duo are looking pretty promising since they target a 4K gaming experience for under $600, but I'll need to benchmark both graphics cards myself before I can pass a verdict. Nevertheless, a 16GB GPU for under $600 that can boost fps with Frame Generation and promises UHD performance sounds pretty great on paper, and it'll be a no brainer if it's actually available at launch.

If we end up in a scenario where jumping on the next-gen bandwagon is impossible, there are a couple of GPUs I'd consider instead of the RTX 5070. The first is the Radeon RX 7800 XT since it's one of the few mid-range cards that starts at $499 and provides admirable 4K results. The only issue there is that it's also largely out of stock, but I'm hoping some cards slip onto the scene while everyone tries to track down new stock.

The other contender is naturally the RTX 4070 Super. Ideally, this would be the GPU I'd be telling everyone to jump on if the RTX 5070 remains out of stock long term, but guess what? Even the Lovelace model is MIA. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the graphics card scene is going through another shortage crisis, only this time I'm not sure what the underlying issue actually is.

My TLDR is effectively this - if you can grab a last-gen graphics card like the RTX 4070 Super or RX 7800 XT right now at MSRP, do it. Otherwise, you'll really have no choice but to wait for the RTX 5070 unless you're willing to switch to an entry-level GPU instead, but even the wonderfully affordable Intel Arc B580 is $379 at Newegg right now, $130 more than MSRP.

Hopefully, none of you out there have a rig right now with a graphics card on the blink. If your older RTX 20-series card is still working, I'd keep it from retirement right now. I mean, I've still got an GTX 970 that can technically run Baldur's Gate 3 at 1080p, so when there's a will to play PC games, there's a janky old way.

Looking for more components? Swing by the best CPU for gaming and the best gaming RAM for rig upgrades. Alternatively, take a peek at the best Alienware gaming PC builds for out of this world Aurora machines.

Hori is coming to the rescue for some PS5 players, though, because its upcoming Wireless Fighting Commander OCTA Pro controller is up for pre-order now, and costs only $99 at Amazon in the US and £89 at Amazon in the UK. This is a really surprising price tag to see on an officially licensed PS5 controller since word on the street is that securing Sony's licensing costs a lot more for peripheral brands than if they pursue Xbox or Nintendo Switch instead.

That makes it the most affordable entrant in the best PS5 controller race since the original version of this controller launched back in 2023. In the UK, it's £110 less than the Victrix Pro BFG (£179.99), and in the US it's $100 less than the DualSense Edge ($199).

Of course, there's a rather large caveat to this controller's price, and it's the fact that it's clearly been designed for one specific genre of game and might not be as versatile as some of the more expensive options. This is a fighting game controller through and through, sporting six face buttons (additional R1 and L1 buttons next to X, O, Triangle, and Square). It also features two back buttons, wireless support, a swappable D-pad, and microswitch buttons for speedy actuation.

Unlike most of the best PC controllers launching today, there's no mention of Hall sensor tech inside the thumbstick modules, meaning that stick drift may be an issue to look out for if you're quite hard on your peripherals. It's strange that there's no progression in that respect from the existing version of this controller, the Fighting Commander OCTA. However, the new version does have a shorter right thumbstick to add a bit more versatility, as well as the back buttons, which the previous iteration didn't have.

In the US, the Hori Wireless Fighting Commander OCTA Pro will launch on April 14, 2025, but UK shoppers will need to wait until May 17 to get their hands on the fightpad.

The OCTA Pro certainly stands in a league of its own at the moment though, since no other PS5 controller, and very few Xbox Series X controllers commit so hard to the fighting game genre. Other than something like this, the next best "pro" option is to go for a full-blown fightstick, but these can be expensive, take a lot of setting up, and even more relearning to use.

If you want the fightpad allowance but would rather invest in a controller that can excel in other genres too, I'd recommend the Victrix Pro BFG since it has a modular design and comes with a fightpad module that gives you six facial buttons. Other than that, the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro was designed in collaboration with fighting game Esports athletes, so it could serve you well in games like Tekken 8.

Looking for more niche controllers? Check out the best joysticks, the best racing wheels for PC, and the best PS5 steering wheels.

It was last February when Nintendo first announced that the end was near for repairs of the New 3DS, New 3DS LL (the Japanese XL model), and the 2DS, with the company set to stop offering to fix the handhelds in Japan once it ran out of parts. By August, its stock of regular New 3DS parts had been depleted, and now, it's been confirmed that it's all out of the necessary bits to repair the XL version and the wedge-shaped 2DS.

With that, the only 3DS family console that the company is still seemingly offering repairs for in Japan is the New Nintendo 2DS LL, the infinitely more stylish 2DS model that has a far more complicated name than I initially remembered. Even so, this support won't last forever, as Nintendo similarly confirmed last September that repairs will stop once it's out of parts for them.

Regardless, owners of any other 3DS or 2DS models are out of luck, as are any remaining Wii U fans, as Nintendo confirmed that it was out of parts for the home console and its peripherals – like the GamePad controller – last July. The latter is particularly problematic as the home console is massively reliant on its unique controller for a number of games, as well as to access its system settings, if you can believe it.

Nintendo's support of the Wii U and 3DS family has now ended in pretty much every conceivable way – the company also shut down the consoles' online servers last April, preventing fans from playing online in the likes of Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Pokemon X and Y, and the first Splatoon game. Some dedicated players managed to stay online for way longer than intended, though, with the longest-standing survivor finally disconnecting 210 days after the shutdown after his 3DS crashed.

While you're here, be sure to check out our roundup of the best 3DS games of all time.

Both models feature the same $159.99 MSRP (though Razer is £10 more in the UK), the standard flagship price for a high-end pointer. This is the only luxury gaming mouse that has seriously threatened Razer’s crown in the last few months, with a blindingly fast Hero 2 sensor, 8,000Hz wireless polling straight out the box, an ergonomic chassis, and incredibly satisfying main clicks. There’s a fight going on at the top, and Logitech is gaining the upper hand.

Design

The design of the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX is the biggest, flounciest, feather in its cap. I never really got on with the straight lines and chunky dome on the standard model, but Logitech has cinched this waist and added some extra ergonomic support to the main chassis for its DEX release. That’s a massive relief on the hands.

There’s a much more severe slope on the left flank this time around, with a higher gradient running down towards the bottom of the device. Not only does that make for a much more comfortable hold, but I’m also noticing a considerable improvement in the amount of control I have over the larger body as well. It does mean my thumb has to reach a little higher to hit the side buttons, but this defined curve puts the DEX out in front of both the original model and the Razer Viper V3 Pro. Razer features a straight side flank, pushing the thumb outwards more for a less comfortable claw grip.

At 43.9mm at its highest point, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX is also taller than both the previous Superlight 2 and the Viper V3 Pro. That means there’s slightly less room for a fingertip or particularly light claw grip, but palm holders are better catered for overall. I swap between a palm grip for work and a claw grip for gameplay and had a good time with both styles.

There’s more room for the thumb and pinky to play a larger role in finer movements compared to the squat Viper, making tiny adjustments particularly easy in both palm and claw mode. The wider base does mean it’s not particularly well-suited to a fingertip hold, there feels like a little too much junk in the trunk for movements to be as controlled as they are on the Viper.

At 60g it’s about as light as the majority of FPS-first mice on the market, and that weight is well balanced so that I never felt any dragging or uneven distribution during gameplay or work. The Viper is lighter, though, and those extra grams do make themselves known in side by side comparisons. It’s a little easier to lift the Viper at speed, and the lighter weight also contributes to a less strenuous glide.

Available in black, white, or pink, the DEX follows the same colorways as the original model, still keeping that subtle aesthetic that many prefer in their setups. There are no RGBs to distract or drain the battery - only a simple ‘G’ logo stamped on the back hump.

You’ll also feel the same soft-touch coating across the entire device as the previous model. This is a newer trend in performance gaming mice, with the Razer Viper line and the Alienware Pro Wireless adopting the same strategy.

I’m always sad to see the bumps and ridges of more tactile materials fall out of favor and, like all mice that use this coating, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX can clam up a little during prolonged use. It’s still nicely grippy, I never slid out of grip during testing, but there’s a stickiness that starts to creep in after a while. The Razer Viper V2 Pro is still my go-to for a comfortable surface texture.

I would be surprised if the DEX wasn’t put together well - every other Logitech gaming mouse in the last few years has been particularly durable. There are no creaks to the chassis when pinching hard between the sides or across the top and bottom of the device, and no rattle from inside the main chassis or scroll wheel. Everything is joined nicely, and with no honeycomb cutouts to worry about, dust is easy to manage.

Features

Logitech updated its Hero 2 sensor somewhere between the launch of the original G Pro X Superlight 2 and the DEX model. The optical eye now sports a massive 44,000 DPI, set in increments of 20, with 888 IPS tracking speed and 88G acceleration. Both mice now benefit from these specs, so you don’t have to pick up the newer DEX to upgrade your sensor. While very few players will actually dare near the top end of that DPI threshold, the option is open to you. Don’t get too excited, though, DPI is a bit of a marketing gimmick - most players won’t need to move beyond 3,000 or 4,000.

There’s far more to understand about how a gaming mouse performs from its IPS. If you’re a competitive player, you’ll want to have your rodent tracking as many inches per second as possible. It’s how you maintain precision and tracking control during twitch-reflex movements like a quick shot or rapid pan.

This is the aspect of the Hero 2 sensor I’d recommend putting most stock in. Most gaming mice tap out at around 650 IPS, and Logitech has gone 200-inches above that. Razer’s latest Viper mouse sits behind the G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX at 750 IPS, while Alienware’s Pro Wireless comes in at 650 IPS at a similar price as well.

The G Pro X Superlight range has always targeted esports professionals, so its 8,000Hz wireless polling rate makes sense. If you’re a more casual player, or simply starting out on your leaderboard domination journey, you won’t need to be polling this high. In fact, the impact it will have on your battery means I’d actively warn against using this feature in day to day gameplay.

Tournament-level players are adopting this increased polling rate as a safety blanket to prevent missed or late inputs, even if we’re talking about fractions of milliseconds saved. Still, those players do exist and it’s worth pointing out that this is another battleground between Razer and Logitech. Both models can run up to the full 8,000Hz over a 2.4GHz connection, and both cap rates at 1,000Hz when wired (I still find that strange).

However, there’s a slight edge to the Superlight 2 DEX. Razer requires a whole cable and separate receiver for its wireless polling, whereas Logitech can run it all from a simple plug-and-play USB-C receiver. It doesn’t make much of a difference in day to day use, aside from keeping your desk a bit tidier, but if you regularly take your setup on the road it’s not inconsequential. I have to pack a whole extra cable and relatively chunky dongle when traveling with the Razer Viper V3 Pro - the receiver simply tucks into the body of the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX and I’m good to go.

Under the hood (or hoods), Logitech has used its Lightforce optical switches in the main clicks. These clickers provide the speed of a light-based actuation but with the satisfying crunch of a mechanical switch. I don’t want to get into the performance section too early, but I’ll say these are some of the best main clicks I’ve used in a gaming mouse in a long time. They feel richer while also being crisper, and sound far more satisfying, than Razer or Alienware’s switches. The joy of these main clicks was the first thing I noticed about the DEX, and it still remains one of my favorite aspects of the mouse overall.

There’s no dedicated DPI profile shifter on the mouse itself (Razer has one located underneath the main chassis), but there’s space for five onboard profiles. You’ll need to head to G Hub to set them up and switch between them, though, which can be a pain. I hate having to tab out of a game and load up a whole separate program just to swap between free-gunning and sniping, but without a dedicated button that’s the case here.

Still, G Hub has seen some strong development over the years. Two tabs keep your button assignments and DPI settings nice and simple. Actually binding the five available buttons is incredibly easy. A simple drag and drop approach removes the need to hunt through layers of nested menus and there’s a strong supply of Windows system and keyboard shortcut inputs to assign here. It’s also one of the easiest programs to use in creating new macros.

The Sensitivity tab provides a similarly streamlined approach to adjusting DPI, set either with a draggable scale or by inputting numbers straight into the program. It’s a far cry from some of the more obstinate programs I use in testing (Glorious has a particularly frustrating DPI process on its Core software). This is where you can also set your polling rate for both wired and wireless connections and calibrate your sensor’s DPI to match that of another mouse’s settings. This is similar to Razer’s own syncing feature, and like with the Viper I don’t see how it’s going to be used more than maybe once in the life of the mouse.

I noted the lack of lift-off distance settings in this software and, after hunting through tabs and hidden menus, it seems like there’s no way to adjust this commonly personalized setting on the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX. It’s not going to be a deal-breaker, but its absence raises an eyebrow. You’ll also find more sensor and control features in other mice across the market, this is relatively stripped back for a flagship release.

The Viper V3 Pro also keeps things simple, but the Corsair DarkStar Wireless adds more functionality in its tilt controls and the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed provides a sensor orientation guide rope that makes lifts far more accurate. The DEX’s feature list is still par for the course in the world of eSports mice, save for the exclusion of lift-off customization.

Like most speed-focused mice there’s no Bluetooth connection here. Neither Razer nor Alienware’s competitors offer the slower wireless option, but it does mean you’re more limited in your devices compared to a more generalist device. Still, Logitech reckons you’ll get 95 hours of battery life out of a 2.4GHz connection - and I managed to surpass that when starting from a fresh full charge. That’s because Logitech’s estimate is based on constant movement.

In regular day-to-day use (around eight hours of work and two to three hours of gameplay) I kept the DEX alive for just shy of two weeks. Factor in a weekend with less use (roughly three hours of gaming at 1,000Hz per day), that accounts for 11 days - putting the usable battery life at around 100 to 105 hours. Of course, setting the switches to purely optical mode and dialing polling rates to 8,000Hz cut this life short considerably.

Performance

While the sensor can and does perform at the top of its game, very few flagship models actually don’t. Instead, the real performance potential of each rodent comes down to a combination of its shape, weight, click feel, and ease of access. You don’t need me to tell you that an 888 IPS Logitech Hero 2 sensor is going to perform well in-game across both single player adventures and competitive endeavors. I won’t shock anyone by saying that this lens manages to track all my faster movements in CS2 incredibly well, with no jittering, dropped tracking, or over-extended throws.

Instead, it’s the shape and main click buttons that make more of a difference to the G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX experience overall. Those super snappy clackers have just enough tension underneath to still feel deep and richly satisfying, without losing debounce or actuation speed. There’s slightly more travel to them compared to the Viper, which means they do feel a fraction of a millisecond slower to actually hit. However, the optical actuation still ensures reflex-level speed overall. I’m nowhere near the level of tournament play required to notice the slight slow down from that higher click, and I’d take a crisper, more satisfying actuation than an ever-so-slightly faster feel any day.

The shape of the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX also contributes to a more controlled feel overall. While it’s heavier than the Viper, and that fact does make it drag a little in day-to-day, there’s more space for the thumb and pinky to carry a little more of the control load. I like adjusting my aim by wiggling the back portion of my mouse between these fingers in a claw grip, but not all gaming mice have a shape that supports this movement. The higher dome, cinched sides, and fairly severe gradient down the back of the mouse means there’s plenty of space between the chassis and my hand for free motion.

The side buttons are a little more difficult to hit than the Razer Viper due to their higher placement on the mouse itself. That means it’s more difficult to roll between the two with the thumb placed comfortably on top. They’re also softer than the main clicks, still offering a nice snap, but without the extra travel that makes the feature switches so satisfying.

Should you buy the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX?

I have a whole wad of gaming mice to test and review after the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX and I can’t wait to get it back on the desk afterwards. This is one of the most comfortable gaming mice I’ve tested in a long time, and that ergonomic design doesn’t come at the cost of performance. I usually find myself sacrificing lightweight design to pick up a more comfortable form factor (like in the case of the Turtle Beach Kone II Air) but Logitech has nailed all corners of the market here. It’s a no-brainer over the original Superlight 2 and even gives the Viper V3 Pro something to think about.

Razer’s competitor does offer a lower overall weight, with a better design for fingertip and particularly light claw grips and more software features. However, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX wins in its dongle-less 8,000Hz wireless polling, overall comfort for palm and claw grips, and more satisfying main clicks. Both mice hold their own on the battlefield, in far more competitive arenas than I can last a second in. For the vast majority of players who use a claw grip, I’d recommend the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX over the Viper. That’s not a recommendation I make lightly, Razer has dominated the top spot in this war for years now. However, unless you use a fingertip grip, the comfort of this chassis and the sophistication of this sensor are hard to argue with.

If the DEX has beaten the Viper it’s certainly got the Alienware Pro Wireless on its knees. While it’s not as floaty in its glide and its main clicks don’t feature the same super-fast magnetic debounce, improvements to its ergonomics, specs, polling rate, and side buttons make this a much better buy at roughly the same price.

How I tested the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX

I used the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX for daily work and play across a period of two weeks. I spent one week solely testing the device by itself, with another week of comparative testing across the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless, Razer Viper V3 Pro, Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2, and Alienware Pro Wireless gaming mouse. During that time, I primarily tested across CS:2 and Apex Legends, with nightly Avowed sessions and a sprinkling of Fallout 4. For more information on how we test gaming mice, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

I'm also hunting down all the best wireless gaming mouse models on the market, as well as the best left-handed gaming mice available. Or, if you're in Sneki's camp, check out the best Razer mice I've tested so far.

Available at Dell from today, the 27-inch Alienware AW2725Q is apparently the first QD-OLED screen ever to hit a pixel density of 166 PPI. That alone more than qualifies it for the best gaming monitor race in 2025, but it's also packing some serious 4K 240Hz heat and some mean extras to boot. Plus, it's got a new curvy get-up that I think looks pretty slick compared to screens like the Alienware AW2725DF, especially since it ties in with the whole Aurora R16 gaming PC vibe.

I've only just managed to get hold of the Alienware AW2725Q for testing, but I'm already completely onboard with its QD-OLED mission. If I'm not using a larger screen like the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B, I'm normally sitting pretty close to a smaller 27-inch panel, which means there's a greater risk of spotting individual pixels with the naked eye.

That tends to happen when I'm playing on a 1440p screen, but with Dell's latest model? Even sticking my face up to the panel can't help me identify pixels. It's a striking sensation to say the least, and one that could help you enjoy the PPI of a much larger display in a 27-inch package. Yes, my mom did tell me sitting too close to the TV would give me square eyes, but I have adult money now and my eyes are ruined anyway.

Again, I've only had the AW2725Q for a few days, but it's making a huge impression. Its semi-glossy screen helps its delicious QD-OLED visuals pop while admirably combatting reflections using an anti-glare coating. Over the weekend, I dove into Avowed and used the panel for my RTX 5070 review, and Obsidian's RPG looked ridiculously vibrant and detailed. The higher PPI really adds some oomph to finer 4K textures and things like dense foliage, and I ended up just staring at leaves for five minutes instead of stabbing lizard soldiers with a dagger.

In addition to having a ultra sharp 4K 240Hz panel, the AW2725Q also boasts a double serving of HDMI 2.1 ports, meaning it can also serve as a PS5 monitor, DisplayPort 1.4 for hitting those max refresh rates on PC, Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync compatibility, and DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification with Dolby Vision.

That's a nice selection of extras, but I have admittedly got used to having dual resolution abilities to hand. Plus, I'm a pretty big fan of having access to a USB-C hub with Power Delivery since it saves the need for a Steam Deck dock. However, we are talking about a 4K 240Hz QD-OLED for under $1,000, which is pretty neat when you consider the fact the Sony Inzone M10S offers up 1440p 360Hz visuals for the same price.

I'll be putting the Alienware AW2725Q to the test over the next week, and I'm hoping it can reach new heights with its high density QD-OLED panel. Whether it'll become my top display over for 2025 is another matter entirely, as the competition is fierce, but I'm certainly taken aback by what my peepers have experienced so far.

Looking for more screen suggestions? Swing by the best 4K monitor for gaming and best curved monitor for alternatives. You'll also want to check out the best gaming TV if you're looking for a living room display.

Rather than being a RTX 4090 rival, the GeForce RTX 5070 will furnish your eyeballs with approachable mid-range visuals for $549 / £539. At least, it should do if you can find any RTX 5070 stock at MSRP, and if the rest of Nvidia’s best graphics card contenders this generation are anything to go by, that could be painful. The moment you step into the wasteland of inflated AIB partner pricing, the UHD door practically slams shut on most mid-range player faces, including mine.

If the majority of RTX 5070 options can stay under $600, I’m confident that it’ll serve as the graphics card most players should pick up for solid mid-range performance. Whether it’ll actually get to sit pretty on that particular throne really hinges on whether AMD ends up providing more reasons for middle ground players to buy an RX 9070 series instead. I’ll happily watch both scrap it out if it means 4K gaming is technically getting cheaper, and I’d say things are starting to look up for the mid-range scene.

Specs

Kitted out with a Blackwell GB205 GPU, and 12GB VRAM, the RTX 5070 isn't drastically different to the RTX 4070 Super. In fact, more of the improvements come in the form of faster GDDR7 memory modules, next-gen cores, and faster boost clock speeds. On paper, the card's core count is actually lower, but that's largely the result of optimized architecture rather than reduced specs.

Custom cards like the Asus RTX 5070 Prime OC boast faster clock speeds, so that's worth keeping note of if you're not gunning for a Founders Edition. Nvidia's FE models are usually the first to sell out, and since there will be factory overclocked cards theoretically available at MSRP, you'll at least end up with something a little faster and with the cooling setup to pull off further overclocking.

In short, the RTX 5070 is pretty distant from its beefier Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti in terms of specs. In truth, that GPU feels closer to a GeForce RTX 5080 variant, and the 70-class model is firmly a mid-range graphics card. It is a pity that the card is rocking 12GB VRAM rather than 16GB again this generation, and while the extra memory might not be required with DLSS on, it would help futureproof the card.

Design

For what feels like years now, I’ve been asking myself why GPUs need to be almost the size of a phat PS2. I get that the new age of UHD gaming requires chonky coolers to keep temperatures at acceptable levels, but I’ve still been longing for a new card that’s around the same size as my trusty old GTX 970.

Well, we’re finally getting that kind of design back with the GeForce RTX 5070. I’ve been testing two models – Nvidia’s Founder’s Edition and the Asus Prime OC, and the latter is kitted out with a smaller two-slot shroud that effectively follows the same blueprint as the GeForce RTX 5080. Its sleek, two-tone grey body isn’t going to remotely dominate your PC case, and I can see this card making its way into plenty of small form-factor builds over the next two years.

Just like with the RTX 5080, the new RTX 5070 FE design is possible due to Nvidia’s new split PCB approach that allows for more efficient airflow and heatsink placement. The brand has used this to pack a dual-fan solution, large fins on top, and ventilation around back. You won’t have to worry too much about thermal caveats, but if Founders Edition cards sell out instantly, you’ll end up with a custom option at (hopefully) MSRP anyway.

On that note, the Asus RTX 5070 Prime OC isn’t quite on the same page as the Founder’s Edition, as it sticks with a familiar tri-fan setup that prioritizes cooling. Custom 70-class designs, thankfully, aren’t as absurd as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti since that card uses the same shroud as many RTX 4090 models. Plus, Asus’ take is one of the nicer AIB designs out there, as its curves and subtle black body help prevent the card from looking too industrial.

If you’re waiting to hear if the RTX 5070 ditches Nvidia’s new 12-pin power connector, I’ve got bad news. You’ll still have to use the dreaded dongle to hook the GPU up to your PSU, but it at least scales things back to two 8-pin connections, which should create less cable bulk inside your case. The Founders Edition also uses an angled socket to steer wires out the way, but the Asus Prime OC does still have everything firing outwards. Again, it’d be nice to see custom brands embrace some of this generation’s more helpful design queues, but that’ll perhaps come with time.

Features

DLSS 4 pretty much sits at the core of the entire RTX 50-series range, but the feature arguably does its heaviest lifting in the mid-range ring. In case it wasn’t already obvious, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 embodies the idea of using tools like Super Sampling and Multi-Frame Generation by default, and it’s the reason why Nvidia felt it could get up on stage at CES and say the card packs “RTX 4090 performance”.

Don’t worry, I’ll be getting to that bold claim, but I’ll outline exactly what DLSS 4 as a package is first. In a nutshell, it’s effectively Nvidia’s umbrella term for its suite of AI upscaling tools for GeForce GPUs. If you’ve already got an RTX 20-series card, you’ll likely have come across Super Sampling, a setting that dynamically scales resolutions to boost fps. RTX 4000 users can also tap into Frame Generation abilities that, in simple terms, fill in frame rate gaps using AI, with the end goal being faster visuals without a noticeable loss in quality.

With every generation, Nvidia seemingly builds upon DLSS with a new series-exclusive feature. I’m not remotely a fan of locking software features to newer generations, but in the case of the RTX 50-series, you’re getting enhanced “Multi-Frame Generation” abilities that can make three frames for every single rendered image. Switching the option on means you’re theoretically boosting fps by 4x, and that ultimately helps the RTX 5070 outpace even RTX 4090 in terms of AI-enhanced performance.

Super Sampling and Frame Generation is anything but infallible, and both can produce artifacting, latency issues, and other visual hiccups in specific scenarios. Nvidia clearly spends a lot of time looking at its formula in an attempt to kick these quirks to the curb, and DLSS 4 makes headway by adopting a new “Transformer” AI model and additional features like Ray Reconstruction for enhanced ray tracing. The result is instant enhancements in compatible games that are going from strength to strength, and that’s going to help PC builds hopefully resist the generational winds for longer than just a few years.

I get it – the idea of AI creeping into PC gaming more than gives me the ick too. However, DLSS as a toolkit did emerge before ChatGPT and the likes sank their claws into global life. Helping lighten the load for GPUs like the RTX 5070 is beneficial, especially since system requirements keep getting more outrageous by the second, but I get why some are trying to stick to native settings where possible. I don’t completely subscribe to the “fake frames” argument making the rounds since I don’t think the situation is as clear cut, but I will be keeping a close eye out for caveats tied to the tech as more games with support roll out.

The other main draw of buying cards like the RTX 5070 in 2025 is the Nvidia App. The green team’s new hub has effectively replaced the old GeForce Experience software included with previous generations, and it focuses more on quick optimization and providing easier access to settings buried in the Control Panel. There’s even voltage, power, and temperature sliders to play with in there too, but if you’re using a card like the Asus Prime OC, you’ll want to go with the brand’s own GPU Tweak III software for proper overclocking.

Performance

The RTX 5070 has a lot on its shoulders thanks to Nvidia. Claims that the $549 GPU can provide the same performance as a $1,500 flagship raised my eyebrows into outer space during CES, and I immediately assumed the involvement of AI was a given. I’m pretty sure the green team is going to receive a bit of backlash post launch, but now that I’ve benchmarked the card, I’m pretty sure it’ll live up to many players’ mid-range expectations.

Let’s start by taking a look at comparative RTX 4090 performance. Across my test suite of games, the RTX 5070 naturally fell short on the native track. In Cyberpunk 2077, you’re looking at an average of 48fps using the ultra preset at 4K, whereas the Lovelace flagship can easily hit around 76fps. We’re talking about a card with a 250W TDP and a much lower core count versus a 450W monster, so forgive me if I’m not remotely surprised.

That native trend continues across all my benchmarked games, so where’s the RTX 4090 performance Nvidia promised? You guessed it – the green team’s talking exclusively about DLSS enhanced frame rates. For what it’s worth, Multi-Frame Generation does help the mid-ranger outpace the flagship, as I was able to hit around 215fps with x4 MFG enabled while the 4090 couldn’t quite reach the 200fps mark using x2.

Nvidia claims that 80% of users play games on RTX graphics cards with DLSS on. If you’re one of those players, you’ll effectively be hitting RTX 4090 frame rates using the RTX 5070 across your Steam library. I’m planning to test even more games using the mid-range card throughout the generation, but in my usual go-to benchmark test subjects, the card pulls big moves with ray tracing off. Things are much tighter when you turn fancy lighting on, and the 4090 actually still beat the 5070 by 5fps in that instance, but I ended up with over 10% higher frame rates in Hitman 3 and over 20% in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Personally, I think comparing the RTX 5070’s native performance to the last-gen Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super makes far more sense. Using Cyberpunk 2077 and Hitman 3 as benchmark examples, the Blackwell card manages to provide a modest native uplift that makes the GPU feel less generational at 4K. I’m talking three frames of a difference in CP2077 with 4K Ultra Ray Tracing enabled, but the gap is far wider at 1440p.

In CD Projekt Red’s RPG, I was able to comfortably hit 104fps, whereas the RTX 4070 Super taps out at 87fps. Hitman ran at 174fps versus 140fps on the Lovelace 70-class card, and since you won’t be hitting that 60fps sweet spot at 4K on either card without DLSS assistance, the RTX 5070 makes more sense as a 1440p option at $549. If the last-gen model manages to show up for significantly less, it’ll end up being the better value option, but MSRP versions are practically nonexistent right now.

Since the RTX 5070 properly hits 4K with DLSS 4 enabled, I want to talk about what that will actually look like on your gaming monitor. For the most part, the visuals look pretty clean, and I couldn’t find many instances of AI-related quirks, glitchy textures, or misinterpreted images. On occasion, I’d see some finer details look slightly strange, most notably a bush in the Obsidian RPG Avowed that had a glowing marker during the opening, but even that was momentary. I also saw some signage in Cyberpunk 2077 briefly look a little garbled when speeding down Night City in a commandeered vehicle, which is something that also happened with the more expensive RTX 5080.

From my experience, most of the visual hiccups are tied to Super Sampling rather than Frame Generation. I’ve yet to see any drawbacks to using x4 MFG specifically compared to x2, and Nvidia Reflex does a nifty job of keeping latency issues at bay in shooters like Marvel Rivals. Keep in mind that in most games, you can switch MFG and SS on and off independently from each other, so if you ever do find visual weirdness tied to one of the options, tweaking settings can help.

Let’s take a moment to talk about the Asus RTX 5070 Prime OC I’ve also been testing, as its faster clock speeds are somewhat promising. Using just the base factory overclock, I was able to grab a few extra frames here and there, and I was pretty impressed with Hitman 3 running at 302fps with DLSS 4 and MFG on. The three-fan setup means you’ll be able to play around more with higher wattages and squeeze every drop out of Nvidia’s GPU, and if you don’t mind a slightly bulkier card, that could result in some nice performance gains.

Onto thermals, and the highest recorded temperature I have for the RTX 5070 Founders Edition is 71°C. That was under full load in Dragon Age: The Veilguard with ray tracing and ultra settings maxed out, so it’s safe to say this smaller card can keep itself pretty cool. For the most part, the reference model stayed within the mid-60s, but if that’s not icy enough, then the fact the Asus Prime OC variant peaked at 67°C should please you. Keep in mind that’s with the factory overclock enabled, so pushing things beyond the norm shouldn’t get too toasty.

Should you buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070?

It’s not an RTX 4090 alternative, but the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 is a solid mid-range graphics card that’ll help more players hit 4K for under $600. You’ll have to make peace with the fact that DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation are almost mandatory when it comes to UHD performance, but you’re still getting pretty nice results for $50 less than the RTX 4070 Super at launch.

Nvidia is clearly trying to shift the GPU scene away from solely focusing on native benchmarks. That’s exactly why it thinks the RTX 5070 boasts RTX 4090 levels of performance in the first place, and if the entire market ends up embracing AI upscaling as a default setting, marketing graphics cards in that way makes sense. While I’m not seeing any glaring issues with using Mult-Frame Generation right now, there’s no guarantee new quirks won’t emerge in the future, so I’m hoping releases without DLSS support won’t suffer too much over the next two years.

AMD isn’t leaning quite as hard into AI with the Radeon RX 9070 series from the looks of things, as the company is sticking with standard Frame Generation and actively talking more about native performance. If that mid-range rival manages to pull off higher frame rates without assistance for under $600, Nvidia could find itself in a spot of bother, so we’ll see what happens when I put the card through the same benchmarks.

Of course, all of that also hinges on whether the RTX 5070 will be available at MSRP. If all the $549 / £539 stock sells out instantly, it could end up being side-lined. Ideally, retailers will have plenty of both Nvidia and AMD's next gen options available throughout the year, as this still truly help keep things competitive within the mid-range market.

How I tested the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070

For a week, I used the RTX 5070 Founders Edition and Asus Prime OC in my main gaming PC. During that time, I used Cyberpunk 2077, Hitman 3, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Total War: Warhammer 3, and Marvel Rivals to benchmark the GPU and record average frame rates. This enabled me to compare fps against both the RTX 4090 and RTX 4070 Super to assess whether the new model can provide better native and DLSS 4-enhanced results and whether there are any visual caveats tied to the latter.

For more information on how we test graphics cards, swing by our full GamesRadar+ hardware policy for more information.

GameSir makes some of the best PC controllers out there today, especially because they're always priced so reasonably. The Super Nova is no exception, wearing a price tag of just $49.99 / £49.99. Right now, in a special launch deal, you can apply the discount codes detailed below to get one for only $44.99 at Amazon.

Like the Nova Lite from 2024, this controller features ABXY buttons and two back paddles. Note that these aren't the typical back buttons found on other GameSir controllers, and aren't the magnetic paddles found on the likes of the DualSense Edge. Instead, the Super Nova inhabits a space between the two, where the paddles are levers, but take a bit more pressure to actuate.

The Super Nova also features a charging stand, which feels like the trend at the start of 2025, with GameSir's Tarantula Pro, PowerA's Fusion Pro, and the Manba One all sporting charging docks as we entered the year. As you might guess from this accessory, it does have wireless support and is able to be used via Bluetooth, through its wireless dongle, and with a cabled connection that'll provide the fastest polling rates.

Speaking of which, a 1,000Hz refresh rate will likely be a big draw for players here to get the lowest amount of latency possible when playing on PC. Forgoing the competitive option for speedy microswitch buttons, the Super Nova features what GameSir is calling "quiet as a whisper" silent membrane buttons with 2 million click lifespans. For added comfort, the Super Nova has rubber-coated texturized grips.

To begin with, the Super Nova will be available in two colorways, Nightfall Blue and Whipped Pink. Conveniently, they both sport detachable faceplates, meaning that you'll be able to swap them out and change their appearance as time goes on. This isn't a first for GameSir, as its GameSir G7 SE is one of the best Xbox Series X controllers to make decorative faceplates a big part of its appeal.

Unlike the PB Tails Crush Defender and GameSir's Tarantula Pro, the Super Nova uses Hall Sensor instead of the latest standard, TMR thumbsticks. Hall Sensors are still immune to stick drift however, so I'd still count this as a positive. These can be fine tuned through GameSir's Connect App on PC, along with the other customizable parts of the controller.

Where to buy the GameSir Super Nova

Still hunting for the perfect gamepad? Check out the best PS5 controllers, the best PS4 controllers, and the best Xbox One controllers.

The best gaming laptops do more than pack the most expensive graphics cards into luxury CNC milled builds, they offer value-busting performance all across the price range. Right now, the best budget rig I’ve tested is the Asus TUF A15. At $100 more than the Acer Nitro V 14, though with a larger form factor, the A15 would be struggling to hold onto this position - if it wasn’t for one crucial element: availability. It’s near-on impossible to actually find the Acer Nitro V 14 for purchase, which makes an overall recommendation tricky.

Design

All-white is a bold aesthetic choice for a cheaper gaming laptop. While I tend to naturally prefer white tech for a slightly more premium feel, the effect isn’t truly realized here. The all-plastic construction and angular lines cheapen the feel considerably. Inside, the entire keyboard is recessed inside a beveled cut-out, with an extra slope carved into the front lip of the device as well. By themselves, these design features are par for the course - you’ll find a lot of budget machines using cheaper materials and sticking to a more gamerfied aesthetic. However, in combination with a plastic that flexes particularly easily in the main deck and display, things feel a little rudimentary for a four-figure price tag.

I do, however, prefer the embossed design of the iconography sitting on the palm rest area. A Nitro ‘N’ is carved into the lower right corner, with ‘<< Victory Stars Here >>’ underneath the arrow keys. It’s a more subtle nod to the machine’s gaming roots than that of the Asus TUF A15, which features super cringey ‘Caution: High Framerate Zone’ lettering stamped onto the bottom of the wrist rest. The Nitro avoids this ick as much as it can while still featuring mantras of its own.

The Acer Nitro V 14 is a particularly compact machine, though, and it feels like it takes a leaf out of the dusty tome that is the Asus TUF Dash F15. This was my daily rig a few years ago, and I loved the slimline design (one that was rare to find in a budget-friendly machine back then) and visually interesting main deck area. If you’re looking for a backpack friendly cheap gaming laptop in 2025 there are far more options open to you these days. The Nitro V 14 is on the slimmer side of the market, measuring in at 0.8-inches and weighing 1.7kg. That’s more heft than the Asus TUF A14 (my current favorite gaming laptop for portability), which beats Acer’s waistline by 0.1-inches while only weighing 1.45kg. However, this 14-inch device is considerably easier to transport than both the Asus TUF A15 and HP Victus 16, which both sit at over 0.9-inches thick and over 2kg in weight.

Sacrifices are felt in the keyboard and trackpad. Both are obviously made from cheaper components, with a plastic touchpad that sticks just a little too much to truly feel like I’m gliding and a soft feeling to the keyboard that nearly verges on mushy. Unfortunately, the keyboard backlight is set to a stock light blue and isn’t configurable separately. The color actually looks pretty slick against the white frame of the laptop itself, and illuminates evenly under each low profile key. The layout is well-balanced, if slightly left-leaning, though I never noticed my palms knocking against the trackpad too much.

The main lid keeps things simple with a shiny surface (matte would have made it feel slightly more premium, but we’re dealing with a budget laptop here) and a glossy Nitro ‘N’ logo set into the plastic itself. There’s no unnecessary ‘gamer vibes’ going on here - the back panel slots nicely into both gaming and professional situations, a big win for its portable design.

Features

My aforementioned concerns around availability mean I could only find one configuration of the Acer Nitro V 14 on the web, and that’s the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS / Nvidia RTX 4050 version I’m testing. If that’s the only collection of components available, Acer’s rig could struggle to compete with the likes of the HP Victus 16 and Asus TUF A15. Both of these machines also cater to the mid-range with additional RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 GPUs on offer, and a wider variety of CPU options as well. That means there’s more wiggle room in the exact experience you’re getting with these competitors - though the Acer Nitro V 14 is still well-specced overall.

After all, it’s the cheapest RTX 4050 gaming laptop in my testing pool, and that GPU is paired with plenty of juice from the Ryzen 7. I’m using 16GB RAM, but the deck can run up to 32GB, with either 512GB or 1TB of SSD storage space as well. That’s all pretty standard for an entry level gaming laptop, and I’m glad to see Acer moving away from 8GB memory options at their base level. HP still ships some of its Victus machines with this outdated amount.

The V 14 also has a neat trick up its sleeve with USB 4 compatibility. While more commonplace nowadays, this extra functionality (it’s much better for docking your system to an external hub) isn’t to be taken for granted. Both the Asus TUF A15 and Asus TUF A14 offer the same port, but the HP Victus 16 falls behind in this regard.

Elsewhere, the Acer is fairly restrained in its port offerings. One USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 connection is available on each flank, with an HDMI on the left, and a 3.5mm audio connection on the right. That’s all you need for a lightweight work session on-the-go, but if you want to plug in more accessories when home you’ll be relying on a dock. This is the fewest number of ports amongst my entire testing pool, dropping an Ethernet and extra USB-C from the Asus TUF A15, a USB-A and ethernet from the HP Victus 16, and a USB-C from the Asus TUF A14. When not using my hub, I struggled to find space for a mouse, keyboard, headset, and controller connection all at once (especially considering the mouse I’m testing at the moment uses a USB-C connection). Of course, you might not be using all those accessories at once - but be prepared to change connections a little more regularly.

There’s a good amount of extra functionality baked into the keyboard, though. I initially found it odd that Acer had opted to use dedicated buttons (in a right-hand column) for playback, while volume controls were relegated to the function row. As a gaming laptop, it would make more sense to prioritize quick access to volume levels than skipping a track. In-game, though, I realized I only ever tend to adjust volume from my headset anyway, and found the dedicated skip button particularly helpful when listening to music while working. If you don’t use a gaming headset, this layout might be counterproductive, but if you do it’s particularly smart. You’ve also got a handy mic-mute button (doubled up as play / pause) and a dedicated Nitro Sense launcher as well.

That’s because Nitro Sense is your main control hub, not the Planet 9 software that for some reason comes pre-pinned to the taskbar. Planet 9 is dystopian nightmare fuel as far as marketing bloat goes, looking like a Windows 95 program existing solely to show you random streams. It’s odd that this is presented front and center while the actual settings software is hidden behind search menus.

Nitro Sense is gaming software through and through. Its orange home page looks like a fake interface from an early 2000’s kid spy movie, with angular cutouts, generic ‘sci-fi’ fonts, and a slowly rotating cluster of dials around your GPU stats. It does, however, provide an easy quick look at your current profile, temperatures, and fan settings without any marketing guff getting in the way.

The first tab, Scenario, allows you to choose profiles for daily use, gaming, and ‘quiet occasion’, which sounds a little sombre, choosing your GPU and CPU clock rate across four presets (Quiet, Balanced, Performance, and Turbo), as well as the speed of the fan. Acer’s TrueHarmony EQ presets can also be selected in this panel, but I never noticed them making much of a difference to the audio.

Elsewhere, battery and charge limits, display bluelight filters and keyboard backlight settings can all be altered in the ‘Personal Settings’ tab. A more detailed view of your current speeds and temperatures can also be viewed in the ‘Monitoring’ tab.

You’ll be viewing that all on a 14-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) display running at a 120Hz refresh rate. That’s a smart selection of panel specs for this configuration, keeping things affordable by providing the kind of panel the RTX 4050 will actually be able to push. I was impressed with the overall color and brightness of this screen as well. It’s rare to find a cheaper gaming laptop that doesn’t dull its colors and limit its brightness (the Asus TUF A15 does suffer for this unfortunately). Acer has always been great at keeping its visuals shining no matter the price point, though, and that’s clearly true of the Nitro V 14.

Contrast is vivid, the picture remains sharp and detailed across both high and low light scenes, and I’m treated to bold, vibrant coloring in all hues. That’s a real rarity for a machine this cheap, and while it’s not going to outpace OLED, Mini LED, or even simply HDR-enabled, panels, it certainly offers better visuals than most budget rigs (and some premium Alienware laptops as well.)

Performance

I don’t get too many RTX 4050 gaming laptops in for review that often, so my main point of comparison here is the HP Victus. With its larger chassis, the Victus beats the Acer Nitro V 14 across in-game benchmarks in everything apart from Returnal. It’s got more space to play with and therefore more cooling to keep everything running. The Nitro still puts out some playable framerates, even moving things up to more demanding titles like Black Myth: Wukong and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. The following was recorded in Turbo mode with fans set to Max, with frame generation on where automatically enabled by individual titles.

The Acer Nitro V 14 can confidently take on older titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Total: War Three Kingdoms even at their highest settings. While the latter dipped just below the ideal 60fps in an average test, it’s still perfectly runnable. Those more generous textures and greater details start to grind things to a halt when we get to more complex titles, though, with The Talos Principle 2 and Black Myth: Wukong struggling to stay near 60fps at ultra settings. High is workable, though you’ll still notice a few stutters and dropped frames during more intense moments.

Frame generation was made for rigs like this. The Acer Nitro V 14 was never going to top the performance charts, but its RTX 4050 GPU is chugging along nicely under the hood. Without the brand’s own inserted frames, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered drops from an average of 98fps to 63fps in High settings, and 81fps to 51fps in Highest. The Talos Principle 2 dips down to 56fps and 26fps respectively, from 68fps and 33fps with the system enabled. It’s not going to be worth it every time (the system load does increase significantly in Horizon, and works too hard in Black Myth: Wukong resulting in lower framerates overall), but in lightweight packages like this it can sail you over that 60fps threshold without needing a step-up in your GPU model.

Synthetic benchmarks push that RTX 4050 GPU to its limit, and I’ve pitted it against the same 14-inch and entry level 15/16-inch gaming laptops here. The extra thickness in the Acer Nitro V 14 is certainly helping it push its overall score beyond that of the tiny RTX 4060 HP Omen Transcend 14 in the easier Fire Strike test, but it still can’t quite keep up with HP’s more robust build. It does dip below the Transcend in Time Spy as well, just nestling under HP’s 7,913 score.

The AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS is a speedy CPU, so while it’s not necessarily shifting the dial across overall in-game benchmarks with that RTX 4050 in tow it’s certainly up for more demanding productivity workflows. Second only to the fantastic AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 in the TUF A14, the Acer Nitro V 14 storms through PC Mark 10’s intensive test, scoring an impressive 7,362.

Should you buy the Acer Nitro V 14?

While it doesn’t quite have the power to take on the Asus TUF A15 as the best budget gaming laptop on the market right now, the Acer Nitro V 14 certainly gets a lot right. If you’re looking for a portable machine with a display that looks better than its price tag would suggest, this is a fantastic option. The cheaper build quality will feel a little less slick in the hand compared to Asus’s counterparts, but if you’re at the bottom of the RTX 4050 budget range and you’re happy dialing some settings back for ultra graphics it’s a go-to. Its framerates aren’t as high as that of the HP Victus 16, but I’d argue the boost in display quality is worth it considering everything is still easily playable.

However, if you can spend a little more cash, the Asus TUF A14 remains my favorite slimline gaming laptop and it’s not too far away from Acer’s price point. With that AI processor in tow, you’re spending $400 more on Asus’s model but picking up a better build quality, more ports, a slimmer design, double the RAM, and a higher resolution QHD+ display. The jump to an RTX 4060 GPU also makes a marked improvement to performance in more demanding games like Returnal and The Talos Principle 2 as well.

How I tested the Acer Nitro V 14

I used the Acer Nitro V 14 for all daily work and play over the course of two weeks. In that time, I used the device both on its own and connected to an external monitor setup, while also travelling with it and working outside of my main desk area. I primarily played Avowed and Oxenfree 2 during my own testing time, while also running in-game benchmarks across Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Total War: Three Kingdoms, Returnal, The Talos Principle 2, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and Black Myth: Wukong. I tested the last three titles in that list with frame generation both on and off. Each benchmark is run three times at both high and highest graphical settings, with the results above representing an average from each of the three tests.

I also used synthetic benchmark tools in 3D Mark for a more formalized score of GPU performance, using Time Spy, Fire Strike, and Steel Nomad. PC Mark 10 was used to test CPU performance and compare against similar models.

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

I’m also hunting down all the best Razer laptops and the best Asus gaming laptops on the market. Or, for something even more portable, check out the best gaming handhelds available.

I first picked up Doki Doki Literature Club just before the game went viral, and was played by just about every single YouTuber you can imagine - so I went in suspecting it was just an average romance visual novel. You join a literature club (that part should be obvious) and spend your time chatting away to members Sayori, Natsuki, Yuri, and the leader of the club, Monika, as you write poems.

Things take a turn later on, and what appeared to be a run-of-the-mil adorable game where you befriend a bunch of anime girls, turns into a psychological horror fest that I still think about every day. If you've somehow managed to avoid any true spoilers of what this game becomes, and love a bit of horror, picking up the game on the Switch feels like a no-brainer. Especially as playing it on the 'family friendly' Nintendo console makes it feel all the more messed up, and just heightens the creepy, contrasting fun.

I'd also highly recommend the Switch version because physical horror games are getting harder to collect. Take it from someone who actually owns a copy of Rule of Rose on the PS2, if you love horror, pick up any physical horror game you can, especially if it has a discount like this current $10 off deal on Amazon. It just so happens that this physical version of Doki Doki Literature Club Plus comes with extra physical goodies, but it's very likely this could be re-sold on second-hand sites for more than the cost of a brand new Switch 2 in the near future, which is a bit of a bummer.

I'd be remised if I didn't mention however, that as a visual novel, you do have to be okay with a lot of reading to play Doki Doki Literature Club Plus. Visual novels, even the scary kind, are - by nature - essentially novels with music, art, and some animated and interactive aspects to keep your attention. There's also some gore and heavy subject matter featured in this game - so it's not for everyone. The official Nintendo website listing for the game states it's not for "those who are easily disturbed" and that warning shouldn't be taken lightly.

If you're worried it might be too much for you, or if $49.99 is still a bit too much to pay for a game that's still free-to-play on Steam, Emio The Smiling Man is currently $46.49 at Amazon and is exclusive to the Ninty handheld. You won't find Emio on any other platform, and it only launched just last year. However, it doesn't hide its horror attributes, especially as it's part of the long-running Famicom Detective Club franchise. Alternatively, Paranormasight, is available on the Nintendo eShop, and is not just one of the best horror visual novels I've played on the Nintendo Switch, but on any console in existence.

However, if you love romance visual novels, and have a fondness for spooky games of every kind, Doki Doki Literature Club is perfectly worth your time. Especially if you're looking to fill up your Switch game collection before its successor takes the limelight.

If you've already got plenty to play, check out the best Nintendo Switch SD cards to give your handheld a well-needed storage boost. Pairing your handheld with one of the best Nintendo Switch headsets, and best Nintendo Switch controllers will also help complete your Ninty gaming setup.

Squaring off for this Saturday night blockbuster fight are two headsets that can offer a lot of versatility. Whether you just want one of the best VR headsets for immersive gaming, you want spatial computing power, or you want a fun new way to enjoy some you-time without distractions, the Pico 4 Ultra and Meta Quest 3 are great products for you to consider.

Although the Meta Quest 3 is much more commonly known, you shouldn't count the underdog out early. The Pico 4 isn't available in US markets, so that does take it out of contention for a lot of readers. Still, if you're anywhere else in the world, the Pico 4 Ultra is an extremely formidable opponent for Meta's Quest 3, and may even top it in certain aspects.

There's a multi-round battle ahead of us, so grab your popcorn and get ready for a classic.

Availability

Zuck's Meta Quest 3 is off to a raring start, as we all suspected. The Pico 4 Ultra just hasn't turned up in this opening round.

Since the Quest 3 is available at so many retailers in the US and UK, it's the clear winner here. The Pico 4 Ultra is available in the UK though, and although I've seen it dip out of stock just once since its release, I'd say it's probably the harder of the two headsets to come across. As it continues to age, the Quest 3 is likely to get more discounts, bundles, and deals too.

Let's not forget that the Meta Quest 3 comes in a few different variations too. The Pico 4 Ultra has one 256GB SKU, whereas the Quest 3 has its 512GB model, the 3S 128GB model, and the 3S 256GB model as well. The Quest 3 did have a more affordable 128GB version, but that's since been discontinued now that the 3S headsets are here.

Winner: Meta Quest 3

Specs

This is the round where things get interesting. After a near knockout in that first round, Pico 4 Ultra seems to have woken up, and we've got a real fight on our hands.

On paper, the Quest 3 and Pico 4 Ultra have very similar specs. They both share the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, which in fighting terms is equivalent to having the same coach. In short, you're going to get very similar experiences with both of these devices, and there isn't much that separates them.

As you can see, it's a very close match-up to call between these two headsets. The tale of the tape has a lot of back and forth and a lot of things that are virtually the same, or cancel one another out.

The Pico 4 Ultra has strengths in its Wi-Fi 7 support which means it'll be faster to install games and content. It also has 12GB of RAM up from 8GB in the Quest 3, which arguably futureproofs it more for more demanding VR games that have larger levels. RAM is really important in terms of VR computing power, so that's a huge win to have. The Pico 4 also does a great job of its crystal clear cameras and room tracking thanks to a depth sensor the Quest 3 doesn't have.

The Quest 3 has more versatility when it comes to refresh rate, since depending on the application and what feels right for you, you can vary the frame rate of the headset from 72Hz to 90Hz, or even 120Hz. 110 degrees of horizontal field of view feels like a cheap win over the Pico 4 Ultra's 105, but it is a slight disparity. Storage also sits in the Quest 3's corner, although I'd argue this is less of a win in VR, since applications and games take up such a small amount of space compared to flat-screen games. Whatever Meta's been doing with audio has paid off though, and a big win for the Quest 3 comes in its quality of sound.

While weight technically goes in Meta's favor too, I'd argue it's one of the specs that's virtually identical, for reasons I'll come onto. This is a tough round to call, but I think the wins that Pico 4 Ultra has in terms of its spec sheet are more significant strikes than the ones the Quest 3 can land. It's more about futureproofing in this arena, and the 12GB of RAM and increased Wi-Fi speed do make a big difference.

Winner: Pico 4 Ultra (but not by much)

Comfort and Fit

If there's one disparity on the spec table that makes no sense, it's that the Meta Quest 3 weighs less than the Pico 4 Ultra. That's because the Pico 4 Ultra is designed to sit so comfortably on your face, and the way it distributes its weight across your head deserves a lot of credit. Longer sessions fly by while wearing this device, and that's down to some excellent design.

A lot of that comes down to the fact that Pico's headstrap is much more substantial than Meta's. It reminds me of the one used for the Meta Quest Pro, and it feels like better value for money than the very simple material strap you get with the Quest 3.

On the other hand, the best Meta Quest accessories do allow you to personalize your device to suit the comfort and weight distribution you'd like, so it's not a total walkover in this round. I'd argue this is a nice parry, but not an ideal counter since accessories demand more money on top of the headset.

Winner: Pico 4 Ultra

Price

This one is another complicated round, and it's a bit of a shame, really.

The Meta Quest 3 launched in October of 2023 and its 512GB SKU landed a lofty price tag of $649 / £619. The Pico 4 Ultra then launched just under a year later, and with a 256GB storage capacity that fit between the Quest 3's two models in price while touting some beefier specs. It launched to the tune of £529 in the UK, coming in comfortably under the Quest 3's larger 512 variant and making an excellent name for itself in the process. As an underdog, it really felt as though this was going to be a necessary move to win favor among VR shoppers who knew Meta's Quest brand well.

Unfortunately, it wasn't long before things turned sour for Pico. The Quest 3S devices launched at $299 / £299 for 128GB, and $349 / £349 for 256GB. The Quest 3 128GB model was discontinued, and the 512GB Quest 3 received a price drop down to $499 / £469.

It feels like a low blow has been struck to the underdog Pico 4 Ultra while the referee wasn't looking, and the Quest 3 has a smug look on its face as it walks back to the corner.

Winner: Meta Quest 3

Games + Apps

One of the biggest slights I hear against the Pico headsets is that they don't have access to the number of games that the Quest 3 has, and while that is true, it really isn't as bad as you think. A lot of the VR heavy hitters are still available on both headsets and if this is really a concern for you, maybe check to see if your favorite games are exclusive to one or the other before purchasing. You may find like I did, that the list the Pico 4 Ultra misses out on isn't actually that long.

Both have access to Steam Link and can be hooked up to a gaming PC, so if you plan to tether to a beefier machine that can access SteamVR's library of games, both will do you just fine.

Meta's Horizon OS does tend to be the first one to be thought of, however, so who knows what the future may hold as it likely continues to become the larger platform.

Winner: Meta Quest 3

Gaming experience

This one is slightly subjective, but from testing both headsets extensively and going through the process of reviewing them, I'd argue the Pico 4 Ultra is the better gaming device. It's a comfier headset that again, thanks to that weight distribution, extra RAM, and better depth sensing, makes immersive gaming experiences so much richer. There are fewer technical stutters that remind you you're running a standalone device through its paces, controllers track a bit more consistently, and in all honesty, I noticed more visual detail in Pico 4 Ultra games.

At the same time, the visual fidelity on both headsets is virtually identical since their lenses, resolutions, displays, and FOVs are so close to one another. Meta Quest 3 has better passthrough quality since, for some reason, you can clearly read content on other screens better, but either will give you great passthrough quality.

I'd say one of the big difference makers in this department is the controllers, which on the Pico 4 Ultra, are just that little bit better. They're marginally longer than the Quest 3 and have a few extra buttons, and it's amazing the difference this makes in games like Blade and Sorcery. Then again, the Quest 3 has some really polished hand-tracking features these days, if that's your thing. I think the motion trackers that come with Pico's device do add a lot more potential for immersive gaming experiences though.

Winner: Pico 4 Ultra

The judge's scorecards...

It's been an exhausting fight for the ages. Both combatants have come away bloody, beaten up, and bruised, and while neither has scored a decisive victory, there can only be one champion.

I think the Pico 4 Ultra is, in a lot of ways, a better headset than the Quest 3. It feels a lot more tilted toward power users and those who want a futureproofed device that'll be able to run demanding VR games without compromise for years to come. It feels designed to counter some of the worst parts of the Quest 3. It's comfortable without the need for extra accessories, and its controllers aren't so small they lose tracking capability. Its software offering isn't as limited as some make it seem, and there's a lot of potential to use it in versatile ways, like any mixed-reality device today.

It is hugely limited by its reluctance to enter the US market, however, and it's a shame we probably won't see a direct fight on the shelves between such close rivals.

The Quest 3, thanks to its accessibly priced Quest 3S models, does a lot to bring VR technology into the mainstream limelight. In this day and age, it's the affordable, versatile, and genuinely capable VR device to own.

In other words, the Quest 3 wins, but only because it had a home advantage.

Looking to build a VR-ready gaming PC? Check out the best RAM for gaming, the best CPU for gaming, and the best graphics cards.

Now, Sony has officially dropped its price tag to $399 in the US, and £399 in the UK. This was a move most likely brought on by an increasingly competitive VR market. Since PSVR 2's launch, the Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S, Pico 4 Ultra, Apple Vision Pro, and HTC Vive Focus Vision have all launched, following PlayStation's lead of bringing 4K VR devices down below a grand in price. PSVR2's price drop takes effect today, and retailers like the PlayStation Direct store are already showing Sony's second VR headset for its new price of $399.

The new cost for this device brings to a cheaper level than the 512GB Meta Quest 3 ($499), and the Pico 4 Ultra in the UK (£529). The best VR headsets for PC often pull in far more, with the HTC Vive Focus Vision costing $999 / £999. PSVR 2 is plug-and-play compatible with the PS5 and PS5 Pro and, thanks to a handy PC adapter, it can now be used to play SteamVR games for an extra cost of $49.99 / £49.99. That brings you 4K VR gaming on PC with OLED displays for much cheaper than the likes of HTC Vive's headsets, or the Valve Index which doesn't even have integrated room tracking.

With PSVR 2's price now more affordable than the Meta Quest 3, that makes the two clear rivals (if they weren't already), and even makes the argument for buying PSVR 2 over a Meta Quest 3S. Arguably, the two appeal to different sides of the market since the Quest 3 targets the user with standalone aspirations and spatial computing needs with all its mixed-reality goodness. PSVR 2 is a very gaming-coded headset that doesn't have much use besides, but it's always been the case that a big part of Meta Quest's market share comes from gamers who want a convenient headset.

I'd argue that, for gaming, PSVR 2 is the winner. It needs to be tethered to a PC or PS5 to work, but you get OLED displays which make your games punch your eyeballs with incredibly vivid colors, a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, eye tracking and foveated rendering, all with haptic feedback in the headband. Quest 3's gaming is fine, and its pancake lenses do a lot of the hard work, but PlayStation designed its headset for the best gaming experiences, and Meta's more general appeal definitely pulls it back a bit in comparison.

It should be noted that some of those PSVR 2 features won't work if you're planning to play on PC, but I'd argue PSVR 2 is still worth your investment over the Quest 3 thanks to its excellent controllers that tend to track a little more consistently. Of course, if you're on a tight budget, the Meta Quest 3S is the ultimate counter to Sony's price drop tactics. It gives you a lot of the same wins as the full-fat Quest 3 starting at $299 / £299.

Where to buy PSVR 2

For more on VR, check out the best Meta Quest accessories. If you still need a cheaper price, maybe keep an eye out for one of the best PSVR 2 bundles and deals or one of the best Meta Quest deals.

I am praying that RTX 5070 stock will hold up on March 5 when the Nvidia GPU finally launches, but I'd be appalled if it isn't in high demand. Not only did CEO Jensen Huang suggest that the best graphics card contender is capable of GeForce RTX 4090 levels of performance for $549, but it is the most affordable Blackwell options of the bunch. Plus, when you consider the fact the PS5 Pro comes in at $699.99, its easy to see why budget conscious players might end up using this card to create a beefier rig instead.

As a prelude to my review this coming week, I thought I'd spend my lazy Sunday providing a RTX 5070 preview of sorts. I'll be crunching lots of numbers and comparative frame rates in the days ahead, but as a graphics card reviewer, I'd argue freeing your mind from frame rate counters and just straight up playing games on a GPU in real scenarios is vital.

Don't get me wrong, GPU benchmarks ultimately help paint a performance picture that ties into overall value. The RTX 5070 will have to prove its a worth Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 successor this month while also convincing you to not buy an RX 9070 series card instead, as AMD is targeting the same mid-range ground with its duo. But, before we get to any of that, I want to talk about how kicking back with Nvidia's offering feels in demanding romps like Cyberpunk 2077, Obsidian's shiny new RPG Avowed, and speedy shooters like Marvel Rivals.

Letting the Nvidia app take the wheel

I spend a lot hours messing with PC settings, but for today, I'm going to let the Nvidia App do the hard work for me. The green team's GPU hub has a whole segment dedicated to automatic game optimization, which theoretically should help you strike the right balance between visuals and frame rates across most of your Steam library.

If you're enthusiast, you'll likely still find yourself in settings menus playing around with the usual array of lighting and texture dials. But, those of you who just want to dive into new outings like you would on PS5 and Xbox Series X will make full use of the Nvidia App. Rather than wondering if you can switch ray tracing on or whether you'd be better scaling things back to 4K, the program will come up with all that for you, and I've yet to pick in any real holes in the optimization process.

Automatic optimization will never be flawless, but neither is picking between performance and quality modes on a console. While I'm, going to say it'll kill off the ritual of messing with PC settings as we know it, I do think it provides those ready-baked vibes that make console gaming so appealing. Put it this way, if you end up using a small formfactor rig in your living room instead of a PS5 Pro, you'll want something that involves less faff so you can head straight into high-spec experience with a controller.

RTX 5070 preview: Cyberpunk 2077

No matter what GPU I'm using these days, I always start my road testing with a drive to Night City. You could call kicking off with Cyberpunk 2077 a birth by fire since the RPG is still one of the most demanding romps on PC, but the RTX 5070 doesn't seem to flinch when using the Nvidia App's optimized settings.

For traversing Cyberpunk 2077's neon soaked concrete jungle, Nvidia suggests running things at 1440p with Ultra Ray Tracing settings enabled. That's ambitious to say the least, and something I'd argue wasn't within the bounds of a mid-range GPU before the dawn of AI upscaling.

However, after spending some time messing around in Night City with the Alienware AW2725DF as a QHD OLED portal, it's clear that fancy lighting and lofty frame rates are absolutely a thing with the next wave of sub-$600 GPUs. While I'm deliberately not looking at frame rates as a sort of Pepsi challenge for the eyeballs, it absolutely felt like I was speeding around and picking fights with local gangs at well over 140fps, so there's potentially a lot of wiggle room if you do want to ramp things up to 4K or swap out other settings.

I've played Cyberpunk 2077 on everything from the best gaming handhelds to tiny mini PCs that are no bigger than a NES cartridge (looking at you, Ayaneo Mini PC AM01), which means I've got a feel of the game's visual range. I've also used a RTX 4090 to really push the RPG to its visual limit, and honestly? The RTX 4070 feels like it's singing from the same high-spec sheet. Ray traced reflections are out in full force and benefiting from Nvidia's Ray Reconstruction DLSS 4 features, and I couldn't really see any textures that felt compromised.

I'll obviously be looking to dive right into how the GPU fairs without Multi-Frame Generation and DLSS 4 providing an AI boost, but since I can't find any glaring reason to switch those off at a surface level, I'd say Nvidia's RTX 4090 levels of performance claims are pretty much holding up. Keep in mind we're talking about a $549 card with a much lower 250W TDP, so even vaguely mimicking the results of a $1,599 model is a feat.

RTX 5070 preview: Avowed

I'm carrying out this experiment on a Sunday, so I think I deserve to mess around with the new Obsidian outing Avowed as a treat. If I was putting together a mid-range rig to play the new RPG, I'd probably have my eye on the RTX 5070 anyway since I originally played through Skyrim using a good olde GTX 470 before upgrading to a GTX 970 a few years later.

A lot has changed since those GeForce GPUs were on the battlefield, but I reckon the RTX 5070 is aiming for that same console-beating experience. The GTX 970 specifically arrived just in time to showcase what a PC could do at 1080p compared to the PS4 and Xbox One, and the Blackwell card pulls some incredible tricks that feel out of reach for current gen consoles.

The optimized settings presented to me by the Nvidia App ended up being everything cranked to its highest at 4K, AI upscaling set to "performance", and Multi-frame Generation on. As soon as I reached the character creation screen, I knew I was in for something special based on how detailed my Fungai-covered fantasy persona was.

Upon landing on the sandy beaches of the RPGs opening, I fully expected to see some weird nonsense going on since there's an absurd amount of foliage. Instead, I was treated to incredibly detailed greenery that managed to avoid any textural weirdness or aliasing issues. The only thing I could stop across the whole area was some slight shimmering on a highlighted bush, but I almost didn't even notice that.

I ended up pretty engrossed with Avowed's opening and was having a blast poking Lizard soldiers with a pointy dagger. Not one did I find myself distracted by anything that felt like a frame rate dip or spike, and everything felt far beyond 60fps to say the least. If were to guess, I'd say I was hitting over 100fps, which is fabulous considering how delicious Obsidian's world looks even with MFG and DLSS 4 filling in frame rate gaps.

Seeing a mid-range GPU provide punchy visuals at 4K in what could be the closest thing we'll get to a new Elder Scrolls game for a while is pleasing. I want to reiterate that we're talking about a GPU that starts at $549 and small enough to fit comfortably in a compact small formfactor build, and I can imagine such a system becoming a high end living room solution that'll pair nicely with the best gaming TVs. That's not to say it's not an excellent choice for desktop dwellers too since I played with keyboard and mouse, but it'd be hard to justify buying a Series X to play Avowed since I could upgrade an existing PC instead and kick back with a controller.

RTX 5070 preview: Marvel Rivals

I'll admit that I was a little less keen on letting the Nvidia App dictate Marvel Rivals settings on behalf. Non-competitive adventures are on thing, but I wasn't sure if throwing MFG and AI upscaling into the optimized settings mix would impact responsiveness at higher refresh rates.

Those fears ended up being unfounded, as the Apps suggested 4K ultra settings paired with DLSS 4 felt slick. If you're using a high refresh rate monitor or something like the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B with dual 1080p 480Hz abilities, you'll want to engage in some manual tinkering to boost fps to suit. But, since the romp features some excellent semi-cell shaded takes on iconic Marvel characters, I imagine many of you would want to stick with UHD settings and still hit what felt consistently around 120fps.

I'd frankly be horrified if I didn't see a big benchmark difference compared to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti in many games. The card honestly shares more in common with the GeForce RTX 5080 since they use different flavors of the same GB203 GPU. However, in games like Marvel Rivals, I'm getting the impression that those beefier cards aren't entirely necessary unless you're gunning for perhaps solid 1440p 480Hz performance using something like the Sony Inzone M10S. Alas, I'll be presenting my RTX 5070 findings for Marvel Rivals and other games in my final review.

RTX 5070 impressions

Casually playing games with the RTX 5070 has taught me two things. The first is that mid-range graphics cards this generation should potentially pack enough punch to take on current gen consoles like the PS5 Pro, especially since the latter will also be relying on Sony's PSSR AI upscaling rather than relying solely on native results.

The second is that the RTX 5070 could end up being the perfect jumping on point for console players craving a visual upgrade. I'm still a big fan of console-like experiences and a hands-off approach to running games, but features like the Nvidia App and DLSS 4 mean you'll worry less about whether your settings are right. I know too well the pain of trying to hit minimum requirements and recommended specs for new games, but it feels like the green team is elevating a lot of that worry offering up optimizations that that strike a nice balance alongside Multi-frame Generation that'll potentially fill in any problematic gaps in future releases.

All of my RTX 5070 impressions right now are all qualitative, and my final benchmarks could end up telling a different story. That said, based my time simply enjoying Avowed, exploring the streets of Cyberpunk 2077, and clashing with superheroes in Marvel Rivals, I'd be pretty happy with spending $549 for the experience at hand.

The RTX 5070 will still be a significant investment, but I can see the GPU being a solid upgrade option for an existing systems. Plenty of you will no doubt be looking to upgrade from an older GTX 10-series or maybe even RTX 20-series model, and the Blackwell 70-series contender feels more worthwhile than trying to pick up an older GeForce graphics card that lacks DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation. Those features will likely play a big role in keeping your system relevant for multiple generations, and I've got a funny feeling the 5070 will still be kicking by the time the PS6 rolls onto the scene.

Still browsing for GPUs? Check out RTX 5090 stock and RTX 5080 stock for premium graphics card options. You'll also want to peek at the best CPU for gaming if you're putting together a new rig.

The Miyoo Mini Plus is an advocate for being one of the best gaming handhelds as despite it being marginally smaller than my Steam Deck OLED, it's able to run games from the original Game Boy, Genesis, SNES, and even the original PlayStation, without issue. This is thanks in part to its onboard Linux OS, which comes pre-loaded on the 64GB microSD alongside a case, screen protector, charging cable, and a card reader for loading your collection onto the system.

If you had told me as a kid in the 90s that I could get all my favorite Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, SEGA Master System, Genesis, and PlayStation games all on the one tiny handheld, I'd of lost it. Even as an adult, I'm still blown away by what the Miyoo Mini Plus is capable of and just how good the games of my childhood look on its compact screen.

I'm well aware my Samsung S24, iPad, or my Steam Deck for that matter, can emulate all those systems and more, and I've put that to the test. But with the Miyoo Mini Plus, you're not only getting a ton of games you can take on the go, but it still manages to capture that feeling of staying up late playing Pokemon Blue at 3 am with Ninty's Game Boy - just this time there's a backlit screen involved.

If you pick up the white, gray, or black versions of the handheld part of this limited time deal, you won't have to spend time racking your brain over downloading any software. The device comes with a 64 microSD that's pre-loaded with a custom version of Linux, so all the emulators it can run are available from the get-go and ripe for trying. The second I got my 'Atomic Purple' version I ran straight to the PlayStation section to see if the tiny thing could actually run games like Tekken 2, or Final Fantasy VII, or if it was too good to be true. To my elation, the games I spent years of my life on growing up looked stellar on the 3.5-inch IPS HD retina display, and there was no lag in sight, even during the pre-rendered cut scenes.

Switching between games is easy too - as you can just press the menu button, and load in whatever you want. Or alternatively, load up a save slot. Which, I'm well aware is seen as pretty blasphemous among older gaming fanatics, but has become a lifesaver for me when I just want to take out the handheld when waiting at the dentist, or on the bus going into town.

What made me truly become obsessed with the device is down to how good it feels to play. The buttons are partially smaller than that of the Game Boy Color, but they're comfortable and highly responsive, and its smaller size never became a pain in the wrists. Not only that, the Miyoo Mini Plus has a large community of people sharing alternative operating systems, which includes cute themes and additional software, all of which are free to download. There's even a ton of fans making alternative mods, from button sets to cute stickers, you can buy to truly make the handheld your own.

I will admit though, that the Miyoo Mini Plus doesn't sound the best. However, for something of its price and size, I wasn't expecting much on that front. Even with headphones plugged into its 3.5mm jack, things can sound a little tinny - so don't go in expecting the booming OST as if you were playing the same games on your big TV. Unlike retro handhelds like the Anbernic RG ARC-D, it also cannot be hooked up to a monitor to become an all-out emulating station.

This is purely a device for those who want something that fits right into their pocket so you can replay the games of your childhood when you have time to spare, rather than wasting time on a gacha-riddled mobile game. Or, the Miyoo Mini Plus makes for a nice handheld to cozy up with on the sofa when you're in the mood to play the SNES but don't have the energy, or the space, to set up the real thing.

Prefer to play retro games on your Steam Deck? Check out the best Steam Deck headsets, best Steam Deck accessories, and best Steam Deck docks to unlock the full potential of your portable pixel-pushing handheld.

Razer Kraken Kitty V2 BT Kuromi Edition

We're starting off strong with the Kuromi Edition of the Kraken Kitty V2 BT gaming headset as it feels like the pièce de résistance of the entire collection line-up.

A lot of licensed hardware collections like to play it somewhat safe by replicating a character's color scheme or featuring imagery of them scattered throughout every product. Razer does go down this route as far as the rest of the Kuromi lineup is concerned, but the Kuromi Edition headset wears its theming with pride - replicating her jester ears that fit enough for cosplay.

Korumi's ears are retrofitted and balanced on top of the headband. They're made from a super soft silicon-like material. Unfortunately, they're not swappable for other accessories, like with the Kraken Kitty Edition V2 Pro. However, the rest of the Kuromi theming is on point with its pastel purple foam padded headband and matching purple earcups, and art of Kuromi herself strutting her stuff above either ear cup.

Even the inside of the cups, which other gaming tech brands leave blank, feature delicate light gray detailing of Kuromi, and the same pattern of stars, skulls, and other doodles as seen throughout the collection.

As a Kraken Kitty V2 BT headset, the Kuromi Edition features Razer Chroma-powered RGB logos on either side of the cups, which can be customized through the Chroma Synapse add-on software. There was maybe a missed opportunity here to swap the Razer logo for something Kuromi-themed instead - but the logistics of that likely would have sent the mid-range $129.99 pair of cups over to the pricier side.

Its features don't quite rival that of the best gaming headsets I've ever tested. But it still comes decked out with up to 40 hours of battery life and Razers 40mm triforce audio drivers - the same drivers featured in some of the best Razer headsets like the Razer Barracuda X or its RGB counterpart, the Razer Barracuda X Chroma. This means that, while you won't get the same bass depth provided by the Razer's TriForce Titanium 50mm Drivers, the Kurmoi Edition can still pack a punch and make everything from a cute Hello Kitty's Island Adventure OST, to the band Babymetal, and their distorted guitars, sound crunchy and clear.

Regardless of some small nit-picks, the Razer Kraken Kitty V2 BT Kuromi Edition is one of the best-looking headsets and peripherals Razer has ever slapped its name on - and is exactly what I imagined when I conjured up what Kuromi tech could look like 20 years ago. So far, the collection is off to a great start, and already I'm eager to see what else Razer could do with the Sanrio characters it's yet to get its hands on.

Razer Kraken Kitty V2 BT Kuromi Edition | $129.99 at Razer

Razer Ornata V3 Tenkeyless Kuromi Edition

The amount of peripheral real estate you have to play with for even a Tenkeyless layout makes the best gaming keyboards an opportune place to show off a cute IP collab - and Razer has mostly risen to the occasion.

Each of the UV-coated, low-profile keys of the Ornata V3 Tenkeyless keyboard features the same vibrant purple shade found throughout the collection, while the board itself, and its magnetically attached palm rest, is decked out in black. There aren't any unique keycaps found here, which is a little disappointing. I'd have loved to see Kuromi's iconic skull design available as an additional hot-swappable cap, or even an optional decorated spacebar. However, there's still a lot of Kuromi to be found with the keyboard transformation.

Cute star designs litter the corners of the board, including around the backlit media keys. Kuromi herself is tucked away above the left arrow key but opts to take center stage on the "soft-touch" wrist rest. This magnetically attached wrist rest is the most prominent bit of theming on display and features that adorable illustration of Kuromi strutting about as her cute and sassy self also found on the headset.

Without the Korumi theming, this isn't one of the best Razer gaming keyboards I've ever used. Its mecha membrane switches feel satisfying to touch with their almost ASMR-like clicky sound, but they need more force than mechanical clickers. It's also wired-only, which could be a deal breaker for those who prefer a sleek and minimal look to their cute and cozy PC setups. Razer does have a cable management solution on the back to shorten that unruly wire, but it can still be distracting - Kuromi tech is cute, but a PC gaming setup with messy cables is anything but.

Razer Ornata V3 Tenkeyless Kuromi Edition | $119.99 at Razer

Razer Leviathan V2 X Kuromi Edition

Like the rest of the collection, the Leviathan V2 X Kuromi Edition sound bar has ditched its original look for the character's staple black and purple colors. This is one of my favorite pieces as the the entire length of the speaker grill is coated in a charming purple fabric. As one of the largest pieces in the set, it brings the entire collection together.

Even the mode source, Bluetooth, power, and volume controls are the same shade of purple, which is an unnecessary but charming addition to this Kuromi Edition sound bar. Sitting just left of the purple buttons is that Kuromi illustration that's definitely a staple of the whole set. The art features alongside Kuromi's name written out in purple font, which is just large enough that it doesn't feel distracting from the rest of the design.

One of my favorite decisions made for the Leviathan V2 X is that, instead of sticking with the same all-black colorway, Razer has used the same Kuromi background pattern that features faint adorable doodles of the same stars and skulls as found on the keyboard. You won't really see them unless you're right up close, but it adds a bit of nuance to the theming.

This is definitely the talking piece of the set, and when the Razer Chroma RGB strip is synced up to the rest of the collection, it makes for one impressive, and utterly endearing PC setup. However, this is still the same Leviathan V2 X as it always was, and so is lacking in the bass department. Without a subwoofer, it doesn't quite muster up the gumption to give justice to any music genre that's driven by lower ranges - which, is a lot of them.

Listening to the likes of Nirvana and the Pixies feels appropriate on tech-themed after Sanrio's favorite 'bad girl' but my off-brand Elegant $20 speakers do a better job at providing that punchy bass. You can customize the EQ through Razer Synapse, but I never quite got the sound I was looking for. Game dialogue, on the other hand, sounds just as you'd want it. The slightly angled nature of the Leviathan V2 X means the clarity of the game's soundscape is right in your face, which was exactly what I wanted when replaying the classic original Sims on my desktop PC.

The Kuromi theming means this sub $100 sound is now sitting just above its usual MSRP of $89.99 - which means it's less of a budget introductory sound bar than it used to be and it still packs the same sub-par sound and limited USB and Bluetooth connectivity. That being said, its stunning design brings the entire collection together and turned my desk into a flashy, Sanario light show.

Razer Leviathan V2 X Kuromi Edition | $129.99 at Razer

Razer Deathadder Essential & Goliathus Bundle Kuromi Edition

The Razer Deathadder Essential and Goliathus Bundle (Kuromi Edition) is one of the best options for those looking for some Sanrio drip in their setup without the exorbitant price point. This makes sense, given this set features the budget-friendly Razer Deathadder Essential gaming mouse, which typically costs less than a new AAA game, coming in at just $29.99. The mouse ships with a themed Razer Goliathus mousepad for $69.99.

The mouse may be wired, which is not my jam, and doesn't give any of the best gaming mice a run for their money, but its Kuromi design almost makes up for it. Around the edge of the ergonomic chassis is that lovely purple colorway. Instead of taking up a large portion of the design, the base of the mouse features the black pattern, with the faint inclusion of Kuromi drawings with stars and skulls placed throughout.

What really makes the mouse stand out is that, instead of a drawing of Kuromi herself, Razer opted for an RGB-lit skull - the same one found on her adorable jester hat. As an alt-wannabe goth girlie myself, I love adding as many skulls as I can to my household so this is easily my favorite design choice of the entire collection. Unlike the other accessories, you can't customize the colors of the mouse. However, the default pink glow looks so good that I never felt the need to change it in the first place.

While it looks great in its own right, everything looks more on-brand when gliding across the included Goliathus mousepad. At 10 x 13.98 inches it fits nicely to the side of the Kuromi keyboard, even on a cluttered desk like mine. Kuromi's printed face will be obstructed by the mouse, but that doesn't detract from the fact that the pad itself looks stunning. Made from a polyester fabric, it also feels soft to the touch and is nicely hemmed with a purple fabric that ties in with the rest of the set.

Unlike the other peripherals, however, there's no signature Razer RGB lighting present here. While it would have been nice to see one of the best mouse pads for gaming get the Kuromi makeover, having a more budget-friendly option in this bundle keeps costs low.

Razer Deathadder Essential & Goliathus Bundle Kuromi Edition | $69.99 at Razer

Razer Enki X Kuromi Edition

I wasn't provided with the Enki X Kuromi Edition gaming chair for this look at the Kuromi Collection. However, as someone who currently has their tush a Razer gaming chair, I'm more than familiar with the build, and design quality, you can expect from one of the best gaming chairs out there.

While it's not my favorite piece of the collection (that award goes to the Kitty V2 BT gaming headset), the chair is definitely the most striking. Not just because it's the biggest piece of the set, but because its design is unashamedly Kuromi.

The edging, built-in lumbar support, and cushioned section don that stunning purple shade. Meanwhile, the rest of the EPU Synthetic Leather is coated with stars and skulls on a black background - matching that of the headset, keyboard, and sound bar. Two large pink skulls sit on either side of the front, which perfectly matches those found on the Razer Deathadder Essential mouse.

One of my favorite details is that not just one, but both Razer logos found on either side of the headset have undergone a purple makeover to fit in with the rest of the design. It's definitely weird to see Razer logos not in their iconic green color, but it helps make the cuteness ooze from every inch of the chair's surface.

That all goes into overkill with Kuromi plastered on the back, featuring the illustration found through this set. This is the biggest use of the art overall, and even after seeing it multiple times throughout, I've yet to grow tired of seeing my favorite goth bunny strutting giving it her all. I'm also glad Razer opted to place this on the back, where anyone who wanders into your gaming space can actually see just how big a Sanrio fan you are - instead of the cute illustrations being hidden behind you.

The Kuromi Edition is also packed with optimized cushion density for a more comfortable fit, with a 152-degree recline, should you want to sit back and properly get into your game of Hello Kitty Island Adventure, and 2D armrests that can be adjusted to suit your height needs. This isn't the most premium gaming chair in Razer's repertoire, and the Korumi touch adds another $150 on top of its price tag. That being said, it's easily one of the flashiest chairs Razer has to offer, and is making my Iskur V2 jealous with its gorgeous design, and stunning use of the Kuromi branding.

Razer Enki X Kuromi Edition | $549.99 at Razer

Should you buy the Razer Kuromi Collection?

Like with most officially licensed bits of gaming tech, whether or not this collection calls to you will depend on whether or not you're a big fan of Kuromi and Sanrio characters of any kind.

On their own, each piece of Razer gaming tech is considerably cheaper without the Kuromi coat of paint. You're essentially paying extra to have your PC gaming setup covered in this adorable face and color palette. That's not unusual, licensed gear is always going to be marked up, but what you really need to take into consideration with this collection specifically is whether or not you're okay with not having the very best of Razer's peripherals at your fingertips.

Don't get me wrong, every item here from the Razer Kraken Kitty V2 BT headset to the Razer Ornata V3 Tenkeyless keyboard comes with that high-quality build of any product they release, but they have given their more PC beginner-friendly products this makeover. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as it keeps costs lower. If you had the more decked-out gaming mouse, keyboard, or headset to deal with then the collective amount for this set would be astronomical. Just don't go in thinking you're going to get the features of Razer's more premium tech, like the 2.4 GHz connectivity of headsets like the Razer Barracuda X Chroma, or the wireless connectivity found with the Razer Viper V3 Pro gaming mouse.

What you will find is one of the best-looking sets of licensed gaming tech I've ever laid my eyes on. If you're putting together a new build, and want to have all your key PC accessories match and tie in with your cute and cozy surroundings, the Kuromi Collection is a no-brainer. Alternatively, if you have kids who want to get into PC gaming for the first time but won't quite benefit from all the bells and whistles of higher-end tech, and they happen to love Kuromi too, this set would go down a treat.

As a collector of anime figures, plushies, and a multiple decade-old Sanrio fan, this collection has me excited to see what else Razer has up their collab sleeve. You can get your hands on Hello Kitty, and even Gudetama Sanario tech, but I can only dream of what my favorite metal head, Aggretsuko would look like with her own set of adorable heavy-metal-themed Razer accessories.

The Kuromi Collection is available right now at Razer.

If you're not a Sanrio fan, check our guides to the best PC headset for gaming, the best SSD for gaming, and the best PC controllers for gaming to give your setup the boost it deserves.

RTX 9070 stock is holding out much better than Nvidia's entire RTX 50-series, but MSRP models are now largely out of stock. I am still seeing some GPUs spring back to life intermitted, which is probably the result of cancelled orders and other changes of mind, so it's well worth refreshing listings at Newegg and Best Buy for updates.

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is set to become AMD's latest best graphics card contender, but it's not what I'd describe as a premium GPU. Don't get me wrong, $600 is still a hearty investment, but it's not designed to take on the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 or Nvidia's monstrous RTX 5090 flagship. Instead, it'll be jumping in the ring with the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti while the vanilla RX 9070 tries to distract you from RTX 5070 stock when it becomes available again.

Those of you looking for RX 9070 stock might want to immediately jump on options like this SAPPHIRE PULSE Radeon model for $549 at Newegg. I've saw that specific version come back twice since 9am, and I reckon it's the card you're most likely to get today at MSRP.

Where to buy RX 9070 series GPUs in the US

Where to buy RTX 5070 in the UK

Where to buy RX 9070 series graphics cards: FAQ

Should you buy an RX 9070 series graphics card?

I'll be looking to put both the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT to the test before making any solid recommendations, but AMD's mid-range RDNA 4 options could be worth considering. Not only are they aiming to provide 4K performance for under $600, but the red team claims the duo will rival the new RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 when it comes to "performance per dollar."

There are a few stand-out differences between AMD's RDNA 4 GPUs and Nvidia's Blackwell cards. For starters, the latter comes armed with faster 16GB GDDR7 VRAM modules, whereas the RX 9070 models stick with older 16GB GDDR6 memory. Whether this will have a huge impact on frame rates remains to be seen, but it does play a role in keeping Radeon prices lower this generation.

The other biggie is that the RX 9070 XT is $150 less than the RTX 5070 Ti. While you'd think that'd put the Radeon card in a lower class, AMD claims that the graphics card can practically match the Blackwell model's native 4K and ray tracing-enabled benchmarks, with the base XT coming in at just 2% slower. Switch that card out for a custom overclocked model, and the component giant says it's 2% faster, but this is based on in-house results across 30 games.

It's a little too early for me to say whether you should buy an RX 9070 series graphics card over an RTX 5070 series GPU. However, I will be looking to test both options side by side and declare a mid-range champion, so I'll keep you updated with my own independent benchmarks and overall impressions. What I will say is that I'm keen to see how AI upscaling tools like DLSS 4 and AMD FSR 4 change the experience at hand, especially since Nvidia is keen for features like Multi-Frame Generation to become intrinsic to the PC gaming experience.

Looking for more graphics cards? Check out where to buy the RTX 5080 and where to buy the RTX 5090 for premium 4K options. You'll also want to peek at the best CPUs for gaming if you're building a rig from scratch.

Key Specs

Design

• Unique off-white space age colorway
• Subtle RGB lighting
• Comfortable soft-to-the-touch cushion cups & incredibly lightweight

The design of the OXS Storm G2 wireless gaming is a double-edged sword - on the one hand, it’s one of the best-looking budget headsets I’ve come across. Its decision to go with an off-white, almost cream-colored form factor (for the white version I was provided) makes it look unique and almost space-age in its design. But the actual quality of the build leaves a lot to be desired and reminds me of one of the many off-brand, lower-end headsets clogging up big retailers’ search results.

If I wasn’t any wiser, I’d think that the Storm G2 wireless headset was a licensed piece of Starfiend tech. Its colorway and unique printed markings on each cup make it look like it would fit right in the cockpit of an X-Wing. It even reminds me slightly of my favorite budget headset, the Turtle Beach X-Wing Pilot headset, which featured its own printed markings to tie in with the Star Wars franchise.

When you get up close and personal with the build quality, you start to see past its distracting, albeit, funky design pretty quickly. To put it mildly, it feels cheap. The metal attachments connecting each cup to the leather-bound headband feel flimsy and almost sharp to the touch. This wouldn’t be too bad if it was the only issue I had, but after spending close time with the Storm G2, I noticed you can get a clear look at its internal specs through every port on the left cup. This isn’t something I’ve experienced with other budget-friendly headsets, or even headphones for that matter.

Each port on the left cup is illuminated once you turn on the headset, and the RGB lighting does its thing. With that, you can get an in-depth look at what makes the headset tick, which upon my initial discovery, didn’t instill a lot of confidence. It’s unfortunate that that’s the first thing I noticed with the RGB lighting on, as the Storm G2 actually features one of the most stunning uses of lighting on a headset I’ve come across. Rather than the harsh, saturated rainbow lighting that adorns many pieces of gaming tech I own, the RGB back-lit OXS branded logos, and ring of lighting on each cup, are subdued and almost pastel colored.

The RGB lighting is nice, but I was even more impressed by how lightweight and comfortable the Storm G2 was to wear, even after hours upon hours of Marvel Rivals and Sea of Thieves. It only weighs 250g, which is monumentally lighter than the 408.2g of the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3, which I just had across my testing bench. This comfort is aided by the nicely cushioned leather foam pads on the cups and the leather padded cushion on the headband. I’m also super glad that OXS opted to avoid a fabric coating for the cups, as it means I don’t have to squirm thinking about the sensory issues they fuel within me. But also, the soft-to-the-touch headband with its finely done red stitching gives the headset a more professional edge. Just enough to distract me from its more flimsy elements.

Features

• Limited wired, Bluetooth & 2.4GHz connectivity
• Easily identifiable and awkward to press onboard controls
• Up to 40 hours battery life (RGB lighting off)

As an under $100 headset, the OXS Storm G2 isn’t swimming in features. But it does at least offer up a wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4GHz connection via a dongle for most consoles. I say most, as despite advertising its “multi-platform compatibility”, you cannot connect via Bluetooth to the PS4 or PS5, and there’s no Xbox Series X/S or Xbox One support to be found here at all. (Though they do mention that in the small print.)

That isn’t too much of a deal-breaker, especially as I prefer to use a 2.4GHz connection with my PS5 anyway, and would always recommend that to anyone looking to avoid any annoying audio lag and latency issues. But it’s a little disappointing given not just OXS’s boasting of multi-platform capabilities, but that other budget headsets not that more expensive, like the Razer Barracuda X, have wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4GHz support, and Bluetooth for Sony’s consoles is still on the cards.

With the Storm G2, you do get all you need to connect to the PS5 or PC via the included 2.4GHz dongle. The OXS Storm G2 even included a 3.5mm AUX cable and a sleek-looking gray draw-string bag to keep everything in, which I always appreciate. But just as I’ve come to expect with this headset, every time I find something I like, it’s followed up by something that raised many an eyebrow.

To alternate between Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz, you have to use the switch on the right ear cup. While it’s easily identifiable, with “BT” and “2.4G” written at either end, it’s not fun to use. You have to put a lot of gumption into moving this switch, to the point where it actually hurt my thumb the first time I used it. If you’re a Sony fan, you can’t use Bluetooth anyway, so it’ll always be in the 2.4GHz position, but the cheap and hard-to-use switch is another reminder of the overall cheap feeling of the wireless headset.

At least, it’s the only switch you’ll find. The Storm G2 opts to use easy-to-press black buttons for the power, EQ (also the RGB off button), and the mic mute button found on the left ear cup. These buttons are joined by a volume dial, 3.5mm port, USB-C charging port, and a port for the detachable microphone. Each of these buttons is also labeled, which means you’ll spend less time frantically pressing buttons in a myriad of ways when figuring out how to change the EQ, of which there are three modes, surround, game, and music.

You’ll also want to know exactly where this button is in the future. While I absolutely adore the look of the almost pastel-colored RGB lighting, having it on will seriously drain your headsets' juice. OXS even states that with the RGB on, you’ll get about 24 hours of battery life, which was pretty much my experience after weeks of testing. If you have these off, however, you can push it to provide up to 40 hours, which is more what I’d want from a headset that costs $79.99 / £79.99.

Performance

• Hollow and sub-par sound quality
• Surprisingly clear detachable mic
• Average battery life

When we get into the nitty and gritty sound quality of the OXS Storm G2, it truly shows just how much it falls behind other budget-friendly alternatives. Setting up Bluetooth, or 2.4GHz was at least super straightforward, and the typically mesmerizing music of composer Robin Beanland instantly came out of the cups seconds after I loaded up Sea of Thieves with the dongle securely in place within my PS5. But, to put it bluntly, everything in the game sounded pretty lifeless.

Whether I was sailing the seven seas, or keeping my team healed and in good working order as my new main Cloak and Dagger in Marvel Rivals, there was a tinny hollowness to the sound. It was almost like I was listening to the game’s audio from a distance rather than right up close to both of my ears. I wasn’t expecting anything too dramatic but as any headset that comes decked out with 50mm audio drivers, like that of the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro, I was at l least expecting some form of justice to be paid to at least, any game I threw its way.

The Storm G2, on the other hand just sounds lackluster. Its faint output did at least make games with a more top-resonating soundscape sound okay. Most notably the OST from Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Sunshine were passable. So, if you needed a sub-par sounding headset for the kids to use with their Nintendo Switch, this could do the job. But for a Super Mario die-hard fan, I couldn’t help but wish I had more oomph.

For dialogue, it definitely had an easier time of things. Other than the usual roundtable of games we use to test headsets with, I picked up the brand-new Lost Records Bloom and Rage, which dropped for PS Plus Premium members during the testing period. The Don’t Nod developed game centers around the mid-90s, and not only has a killer OST, but is full of dialogue. The latter sounded pretty okay on the headset and was an ideal way to put the 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound to the test. As protagonist Swann, I was able to hear characters in a dimly bar exactly how they were placed in the scene, which really upped the immersion factor.

The OST itself, as I expected, didn’t sound too grand, which is actually why I’m eager to replay the first half of the game with my favorite mid-range headset, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5P, to see how the wonderfully thrashy riot grrrl tracks sound when they have the right support. Yet, at least the dialogue sounded a-okay on the Storm G2, and not as distant and sterile as the OST.

When not gaming, I used the Storm G2 to listen to a magnitude of bands. As the 90s mood of Lost Records had me hooked, this meant listening to some Cocteau Twins, The Cure, Nirvana, and a dab of My Bloody Valentine. As you can probably guess, anything of the grunge and shoegaze persuasion didn’t have the deep, bone-shattering bass they needed. Yet, after hearing how it coped with Marvel Rivals, Sea of Thieves, and later hours upon hours of Dead by Daylight, this was unfortunately unsurprising.

What did take me aback was the quality of the microphone. It’s detachable, which was a nice addition as I don’t always like having a mic dangling in my face, especially if I’m playing a single-player game like Lost Records. But when turned on, it made me sound crystal clear, to the point where I was having full-on conversations with random players through Sea of Thieves' proximity chat.

The mic itself still feels pretty flimsy. The wire of it, which you can move around, doesn’t stay in place, making the bulbous foam tip flop around. With that being my first experience with the mic, I was expecting a distorted, barely understandable quality, but I was pleasantly surprised. Honestly, the mic is almost the saving grace of this entire headset and even sounded on par with the mic of the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro, which is one of the best mics I’ve ever used.

Streaming services like Disney+ or Prime sounded fine through the headset, which I used while catching up with the latest episodes of High Potential or Invincible. Although, I did have to charge the battery on a couple of occasions, mainly as I liked to have the RGB lighting on which as OXS states, only means you have around 25 hours of juice at your disposal. I also had to have the volume up pretty loud, to make up for the hollow sound even when listening to TV shows, which also helped whittle away at the battery life.

Should you buy the OXS Storm G2 wireless gaming headset?

I went in really wanting to like the OXS Storm G2 wireless gaming headset, especially as the more budget headsets out there, the better. I grew up loving gaming tech, but not always having the budget to be able to pair my second-hand consoles with the very best in accessories, and so any time there’s a gaming headset especially, that can still provide the flashy RGB and multiple connection options without breaking that $100 barrier, I’m more than on-board. Yet, even at its actual price of $79.99 / £79.99, this gaming headset feels hard to recommend, especially when there’s a ton of similarly priced headsets doing all it can and more.

Primarily, with a gaming headset, you want your favorite games, whether they’re on the PC, PS5, Steam Deck or Switch, to sound good. From the get-go, the OXS Storm G2 fails to do this basic requirement, and even with its 50mm audio drivers, everything sounds hollow and tinny. If you’ve ever listened to the overspill from someone’s headphones on the bus, that’s exactly how I’d describe the audio coming from either cup.

On the plus side, dialogue in games like Lost Records Bloom, and Rage sounds fine - and the 7.1 virtual surround sound did exactly what it’s meant to. But whether I playing a brand-new release like Lost Records, or Marvel Rivals and Sea of Thieves, any game I through the headset’s way sounded lifeless. It’s not just the audio quality that has me reluctant to recommend the Storm G2 over similarly priced alternatives like the Corsair HS55 Wireless Core, or the Razer Barracuda X, but the build quality is iffy to say the least. Areas like the metal attachments feel sharp and flimsy, and the RGB lighting, though one of my favorite aspects of this headset, illuminates every port giving you a glimpse at the rattling internals inside.

In the short amount of time since the OXS Storm G2 launched in this new white colorway, I’ve already seen some discounts floating around on retailers Amazon. With $20 knocked off this wireless headset, I can see it being an ideal entry point for those looking for a 2.4HZ wireless hook up for their PC or PS5, that still has a high-quality mic, and some dazzling RGB lighting. However, even though its MSRP may seem budget for some, it feels like a hard sell at $79.99 / £79.99 when it can’t get the one fundamental thing anyone wants out of any gaming headset done right - making sure your games sound great.

Ratings

How I tested the OXS Storm G2 wireless gaming headset

I spent over two weeks with the OXS Storm G2 wireless gaming headset. In that time frame, I lived and breathed the the budget pair of cups and put it through its paces through plenty of hours of the competitive hero shooter, Marvel Rivals to see how it coped with a full and busy soundscape. As per our testing games of choice, I also played plenty of Dead by Daylight, and Sea of Thieves, to change things up with a more atmospheric audio environment. Additionally, I also tested to see how the Storm G2 dealt with a dialogue-heavy Lost Records, which launched on PS Plus during the time the headset was on my testing bench. The wireless headset was also hooked up to a Nintendo Switch OLED, where it was tested alongside Super Mario Galaxy (via Super Mario 3D All-Stars) and Super Mario Sunshine.

Any time not spent gaming was used to see how the Strom G2 dealt with streaming music. Through apps like Spotify, I throw multiple genres its way, from Carpenter Bruit to the bustling tunes of Bombay Bicycle Club. With the latest season of TV shows like Invincible currently ongoing, I also used the headset when watching streaming platforms, including services like Prime and Disney Plus. For more information on how we test gaming headsets, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

If the OXS Storm G2 doesn't sound like the right fit for you, we've gathered all the best Steam Deck headsets, best Xbox Series X headsets, and the best Nintendo Switch headsets in one place to make it easier to find the perfect peripheral for your gaming setup.

It's pretty clear that AMD isn't gunning for the best graphics card crown this generation. Instead, it's sending cards like the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT into the mid-range battlefield to take on the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and its cheaper RTX 5070 sibling, I initially had fears that the red team would pick the wrong price point for these cards, but with the XT model coming in $150 cheaper than the new Blackwell card, I think we could be looking at a proper middle ground scrap.

AMD CEO Lisa Su previously claimed the company was aiming to cater to the "highest volume portion of the enthusiast gaming market," which explains why it's primarily focussing on mid-range graphics cards like the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT for now. I'm personally all for graphics cards that cost a chunk under $1,000, even if options like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 and its monstrous RTX 5090 sibling can practically pull off 4K PC gaming with zero compromise.

Should you buy an RX 9070 series graphics card?

Now that AMD has lifted the lid on its RX 9070 series GPUs, there are a few takeaways to consider. The first is that the RX 9070 XT beats the RTX 5070 Ti on price while allegedly providing 23% better gaming performance "per dollar" across 30 games. That's according to in-house benchmarks, and it's more based on the price in correlation to frame rates rather than actually boosting fps higher. Still, it's a bold claim that makes the XT even more attractive as a mid-range option.

Naturally, I'll be looking to benchmark the AMD Radeon RX 9070 and the XT model, and that'll ultimately help me decide whether they're worth buying over RTX 5070 series cards. The green team is learning pretty heavily about making AI upscaling and Multi-Frame Generation an intrinsic part of running PC games, and while alternatives like FSR 4 will provide similar fps-boosting abilities, RDNA 4 could be where players adverse to AI end up turning.

The RX 9070 Series will officially land on March 6, so watch this space for stock updates and more. If you'd rather stick with the green team, you'll also want to keep an eye on RTX 5070 stock since the non-Ti card will roll into town on March 5.

Looking for more components? Check out the best gaming CPU and the best RAM for gaming. Alternatively, take a peek at the best gaming handhelds if you want a machine you can take on the go.

Made in official partnership with one of the most beloved guitar brands in the world, the CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controller will arrive on the shelves this June. It's available for pre-order already and comes in a few different forms. For the price of $119.99 / £119.99, you can get the Black Tribal Encore Edition officially licensed for Xbox. For a more affordable $119.99 / £119.99 you can grab a multi-platform version, which doesn't appear to be compatible with PS5, but will connect to PC, Android devices, tablets, and more.

CRKD didn't just stop there, though. Those hunting for the absolute best PC controllers money can buy will want to know about the Pro Edition Guitar Controller, which is also up for pre-order. Its multi-platform model is available for $119.99 / £119.99 and its officially licensed Xbox version is $129.99 / £129.99 - bringing it to the same price as PDP's Riffmaster controller.

But what is the difference between the regular and pro models, I hear you rock scream at me through your device. The Pro Edition sports mechanical fret buttons, which are sure to add so much feel to each riff you play. It'll also have haptic feedback in its strumming bar, which regardless of the model you buy, is controlled by Hall Sensors.

Besides coming in a Gibson Les Paul classic-looking Blueberry Burst colorway, the Pro model isn't going to offer you too much more for your money. That said, the added feel from mechanical frets and a haptic feedback strumming bar will likely add so much to your immersion.

In both models, you'll get Hall effect joysticks and whammy bars to help you navigate in-game menus, along with an "ergo D-pad" on the back of the controller's neck. Both editions sport a detachable, modular neck design that means you can probably upgrade to that mechanical fret board later on - CRKD is listing the OG guitar controller fret neck for $29.99 right now, and the pro model for $39.99 (although it will launch later between July 14-31).

Connectivity offers you some great versatility as well, as each model has three ways of connecting to your platform of choice. There's a wired mode that grants you "rapid polling technology". There's no specified polling rate mentioned in the press release I've got here, but I'd assume that means that on PC you'll be able to ramp up to 1,000Hz. As a wired Xbox Series X controller, it'll be limited to the standard 400Hz which is the limit for that console. A 2.4GHz wireless mode is also available, and Bluetooth mode adds yet more versatility for connecting to mobile devices.

For your money, you'll get a shoulder strap, a USB dongle for wireless play, and a removable, rechargeable battery. For wired play, there's a 2.5m USB cable as well. If you pre-order, you'll get a funky orange or Purple shoulder strap and an exclusive Collector's Pin too - a nice bonus.

Higher up on the fretboard, you might notice some small flame emblems. These can enter an RGB Show Mode that'll let you customize the dynamic lighting within.

It does seem like the PDP Riffmaster has a few points of convenience over the new Gibson controller, however. For starters, it managed to leverage official licensing from Sony and Microsoft, which means if you're looking for the best PS5 controller, the Riffmaster seems like it'll be your only option right now.

The detachable neck on the new CRKD product is countered by Riffmaster's foldable design for easier storage and portability. The Riffmaster has a 3.5mm headphone jack and a slot to holster its USB dongle, which CRKD has made no mention of in its controller. Still, it'll be a real battle of the bands between the two come June, when the CRKD Gibson Guitar Controller launches worldwide.

Looking to build a sim-specific gaming setup this year? Check out the best racing wheels for PC, the best Xbox steering wheels, and the best PS5 steering wheels.

The bulkier controller set only works when fitted to the Nintendo Switch's rails, an attachment system that's on its way out the door with the new device's magnetic connections. However, the wider form factor, full-sized buttons, and incredibly snappy thumbsticks mean this is the best Nintendo Switch controller in my personal arsenal. Seriously, those sticks feel far closer to those of the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller than the tiny nubs on the Joy-Con. They make for more precise play, snap back into position immediately, and add extra height to your controls. The Hori Split Pad Pro is also considerably cheaper than Ninty's own Joy-Con.

The Nintendo Switch 2's official controllers may well solve a lot of current Joy-Con issues. Even in those early days of design leaks, I was excited for the visible changes to the controller shape. The new Joy-Con appear to be wider and slimmer, at least relieving some of the cramping that comes with the current narrow form factor. They're skinny, though, so Hori's bulbous curves still look the comfier choice.

I hope the third party brand brings its Split Pad Pro line to the next-generation console, and I'm optimistic that it will. After all, it's one of the best Nintendo Switch accessories on the market - and a popular alternative for those with larger hands. For all the Switch 2's mouse-like magic, there's no substitute for a good grip.

It's also a fantastic opportunity for the brand to address some of the existing Split Pad Pro's downsides. The lack of rumble rarely gets in the way of my enjoyment, but I do find myself missing it in certain titles. Jumping back on a set of Joy-Con, I'm often relieved to full that buzzing between my hands, giving games like Pokemon Legends: Arceus and Super Mario Odyssey.

Wireless functionality will add to the final price, but we've come a long way in the five years since the Hori Split Pad Pro's release. If some of the cheapest PC controllers can throw a Switch connection into their chassis', so can Hori. Right now, the gamepad can only run when connected to either the console tablet or via the Attachment Set (a wired adapter sold separately). The ergonomic design won't lend itself to multiplayer setups in the same way as the existing Joy-Cons, but compatibility with docked mode straight out of the box will be a massive win.

We're also rounding up all the best Nintendo Switch headsets to accompany your new gamepad, or check out the best Nintendo Switch memory cards and best Nintendo Switch cases for more accessories.

Competition in this price range is brutal. The three decks most closely aligned to the Alienware Pro Wireless’s price point just so happen to be some of the best gaming keyboards money can buy right now. Alienware wants its tri-mode connectivity, bold RGB lighting, and thoccy mechanical switches to speak for themselves, but where others are upping the game from a customization standpoint, the brand struggles to be heard against the rest of the market.

By itself, the Alienware Pro Wireless gaming keyboard is a nicely constructed piece of kit. A rock solid build quality, excellent typing feel, and strong versatility in its connections puts it in good stead for those after a pure mechanical experience. Problems occur when that $199.99 receipt floats into view.

Design

I received the Alienware Pro Wireless gaming keyboard in the brand’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ colorway - that’s black to you and I - but it’s also available in ‘Lunar Light’, aka white. I personally prefer white gaming tech - it just looks more premium and stands out more compared to the hundreds of boring black gadgets on the market. Still, I can appreciate the slightly lighter gray base body and jet black caps here - even if they may be absorbing some of that RGB power.

Don’t get me wrong, Alienware’s deck does a lot to differentiate itself from the usual black bricks that pass over my testing desk. The soft rounded corners make for a more relaxed aesthetic overall, with a gentle slope on the underside providing a little more visual excitement as well. Not that you’ll be picking up your keyboard all too often, but it’s an extension of Dell’s curvy design vibe.

That comfort-factor is compounded by the soft-touch coating across the top of the aluminum top plate. It’s a softer alternative to the cold, hard metal found on the Asus ROG Azoth and SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 and, while the slimline bezels mean I wasn’t coming into contact with the surface all too often, it adds an air of sophistication to the design as a whole.

The aluminum chassis melts into a plastic under-case with a seamless join halfway down the side, with both panels working together to produce a fantastic build quality. This thing is rock solid - exactly what you want for a traditional linear mechanical switch. I never encountered even a whisper of flex in the main deck, and the response to a fully bottomed-out keypress was clean and energetic. Even switch wobble is kept to an absolute minimum across large and small keys - everything is incredibly tight under the fingertips here.

Those old school mechanical switches do make themselves known, with a loud clack to each actuation that takes me straight back to the glory days. It’s a little too loud to truly be considerate in a shared space, though I personally love the auditory feedback in my little den. While there are some dampening foam layers in the internal construction, which work particularly hard to calm any rattle or ping produced by the switches, this is still far from the gasket mounted clicking of the ROG Azoth.

This is a 75% layout, but not as you might know it. Everything is squished into a form factor more in keeping with the traditions of a 65% deck. You’re still getting arrow keys and a full function row, with some extra navigation and media controls on the right hand side. The main alphanumeric area still remains nicely balanced, though, and I never had any issues with mis-presses between keys. It does, however, mean that you miss out on some of the extra features like a display or control dial that you’ll find in SteelSeries or Asus’s boards.

The Alienware Pro Wireless gaming keyboard provides a very slight natural incline due that extended section underneath, with two flippable feet adding extra elevation as well. These are the first keyboard feel that I’ve used to flip out sideways, and I’m a big fan. Unless you’ve got all but the strongest hinges, front-folding feet tend to buckle and fold back into place when moving a keyboard backwards and forwards. Whenever I make similar adjustments with Alienware’s device, the feet simply glide in motion with the deck. A rubber strip also runs along the bottom of the Pro Wireless to keep it in place on a desk as well.

Connection options are a little hidden at the front of the keyboard, and it’s a little frustrating to have to lift the deck and angle it simply to see which device I’m connected to or to switch between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connections. Still, I’m rarely tinkering with these once everything is set up - so it’s not going to be a major headache in the long term.

Features

Dell has outfitted the Alienware Pro Wireless gaming keyboard with a set of its own linear switches. These clickers are both the deck’s greatest strength and biggest point of contention. At $199.99, you’re not exactly skimping on your new gaming keyboard, so it’s difficult to justify the lack of Hall effect clickers from a pure functionality perspective. These newer magnetic switches provide far more customization of your switch behavior via personalized actuation points and dual-step triggers. They also provide faster repeat presses when a dynamic feature called Rapid Trigger is enabled. Newer gaming keyboards, like the NZXT Function Elite Wireless ($199.99) and SteelSeries’s latest Apex Pro ($219.99), easily throw these switches into their decks.

A longer feature list isn’t always the hallmark of a great gaming keyboard, though. That’s where the stronger side of this mechanical offering comes in. These are particularly smooth, responsive, and satisfying switches, operating at a Goldilocks 40g actuation force for the perfect balance between sensitivity and speed.

While the smaller 75% form factor does limit some of the controls available, the Pro Wireless still features dedicated volume buttons along the right, with a preset swapper in the top corner. This gives you fast access to your five onboard profiles, with RGB switching as well. Having onboard control over these presets is a fantastic bonus, especially if you regularly switch between control schemes on the fly. I appreciated being able to make the change from a sniper position to a full run’n’gun playstyle with the tap of a button, rather than having to tab out and head into Alienware Command Center. It does, however, mean that the delete button has been pushed to the left, which never felt intuitive during day to day productivity.

The squished form factor also means media playback and navigation buttons are relegated to a separate function layer, though they’re all neatly placed around the right for easy access.

Wireless connectivity is also one of the Pro’s strongest assets. A USB-C 2.4GHz receiver takes care of all your low-latency gaming needs, while slots for three Bluetooth connections keeps things flexible across separate devices as well. 1,000Hz polling is nice and speedy for everyday players but those with their sights set on tournament stardom will be disappointed to learn that there’s no additional polling gains to be had from a wired connection. While the NZXT Function Elite relies solely on a wired connection, it runs at a faster 8,000Hz polling rate for the uber competitive.

Alienware Command Center is back in action to set up all your personalized keybindings, configure RGB settings, and enable power saving features. It’s a little basic compared to some of the controls available in Razer Synapse, for example, but it does the same core job. Everything is nicely laid out, with three main tabs for lighting, keybinding, and general settings. I do prefer the single-page layout of NZXT’s CAM software, though this is a better experience compared to Asus’s Armory Crate.

Performance

I’ve been testing a hell of a lot of Hall effect gaming keyboards in the last few weeks, so hitting these linear mechanical clackers felt like coming home. The typing feel is fantastic here, offering just the right level of tension behind each switch while still providing a nicely sensitive actuation threshold. I missed not being able to set a higher actuation for certain keys I’m more likely to need to twitch into, but there’s a reason mechanical keyboards lasted so long in the gaming world. These factory-lubed switches are smooth and bouncy with strong feedback that feels tactile without getting in the way of comfort during longer typing sessions.

That means accuracy and speed are maintained at high levels. I was able to hit my dodges in Avowed just as well as I would on a controller, while also benefitting from a range of quick-tap commands elsewhere on the deck. I also appreciated the slightly narrower design when it came to holding caps or shift for certain maneuvers, as my fingers didn’t need to stray as far from WASD to keep everything locked in.

Battery life also holds its own, coming in at up to 72 hours over 2.4GHz (with RGB switched on), and up to 798 hours without that lighting enabled. With these LEDs engaged, I was able to run the deck for around a week and a half from a full battery - using the deck between seven and ten hours per day, and a few hours on weekends. Asus still wins in the battery department, though, with a massive 2,000 hours of charge in its ROG Azoth provided you keep those LEDs off.

Should you buy the Alienware Pro Wireless gaming keyboard?

There are a few gaming keyboards the Alienware Pro Wireless needs to beat. The $249.99 Asus ROG Azoth has long been the best wireless gaming keyboard on the market, and its age means that price is much closer to $199.99 these days. It’s a 75% deck with a little more breathing space, a better battery, extra control and display features, and a softer typing feel. Not all of those benefits are going to appeal to everyone, if you’re after a more traditionally clacky switch then Alienware is the better choice, but overall value is on Asus’s side.

The $219.99 SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3 TKL swaps the Alienware Pro Wireless’s cable-free connection for infinitely more customizable Hall effect switches. It’s a much more sensitive experience if you need it to be, and also comes with more onboard controls, higher headroom for faster inputs, and a wrist rest included. If you’re going all out on speed over a classic mechanical typing feel, SteelSeries is the deck to beat. It’s currently my favorite TKL form factor plank on the market.

Then there’s the NZXT Function Elite ($199.99). This is a newer release that also takes advantage of Hall effect switches while keeping the price closer to that of the Alienware Pro Wireless. It’s got a similarly squished TKL form factor, though includes dedicated navigational keys at the expense of media controls, and provides a solid light show in the process. The build quality doesn’t match Alienware’s, and it’s a wired-only device, but if you’re climbing those competitive ranks fast its more sensitive switches and increased polling rate could make it the better buy.

Overall, I’d recommend the Alienware Pro Wireless to players who have cash to burn on an old school mechanical experience. If you don’t want to tinker with switch actuation points, and would prefer a deeper, richer key feel you’re going to be right at home here. It’s not one for the pros, and its far from entry level, but if you’re upgrading to a hot-swappable keyboard with plenty of versatility for extra devices it’s a solid option.

I'm also scouting down all the best membrane gaming keyboards for something a little cheaper, or check out the best Razer keyboards to see what the competition has to offer. If you're outfitting your whole setup, take a look at the best gaming mouse models I've tested so far.

It's been rumored for a while that Valve is secretly working on a successor to the Valve Index, and new leaks put it in position to challenge the best VR headsets on the market today. Codenamed "Deckard", the headset is touted to be a standalone, wireless device like the Meta Quest 3 or Pico 4 Ultra. It's also got controllers with the codename "Roy", so Apple Vision Pro's hand-tracking approach doesn't seem to be what Valve is chasing.

According to the latest speculation from Twitter user Gabe Follower, who has a track record of knowing Valve's upcoming projects, the Valve Index successor could hit the shelves before the end of 2025 and might cost $1,200. This would put it in a more expensive category of headset, way more than the Meta Quest 3S's affordable $299 asking price, but only $200 more than HTC Vive's Focus Vision headset. For that money, you'll supposedly get the headset, controllers, and some "first-party games or demos", according to Gabe Follower.

Deckard is also rumored to run on a refined version of SteamOS, the Steam Deck OLED's operating system. That'd definitely give Meta's Horizon OS a run for its money, and according to some sources, the new Valve device would put a big emphasis on being able to play flatscreen games on a virtual big screen like PSVR 2 and its excellent cinematic mode.

While the first Valve Index was all about tethering to a PC to experience immersive games with a visually lossless connection, a standalone device in 2025 would most likely remove separate tracking modules, and rumors say that while tethering to a gaming PC would be possible on the new headset, a big emphasis would be put on wireless PC streaming to take cables out of the equation.

Valve's Roy controllers were first leaked three months ago when VR Twitter leaker SadlyItsBradley found SteamVR driver files attesting to their existence. These look very reminiscent of Meta and Pico's latest generation of VR controllers and abandon the tracking rings of the original Valve Index.

Interestingly, Gabe Follower notes that even at a price of $1,200, the headset would be sold at a loss, which goes hand-in-hand with what many competitors say of Meta's Quest headsets. It also suggests that the innards of the Valve Index sequel might be on the beefier side, which suits the PC market it'd likely attract first and foremost.

While there's been no confirmation from Valve about these leaks, or indeed the existence of a "Valve Index 2", it's been a known project for a while, with Valve CEO Gabe Newell even saying at a QNA in New Zealand in 2021 that his company was "making big investments in new headsets".

Do you need to beef up your gaming setup before the second Valve headset arrives? Check out the best gaming PCs, the best CPU for gaming, and the best RAM for gaming.

Available for $79.97 at Amazon, the Anbernic RG ARC-D is designed to emulate a variety of history's best retro consoles using a hybrid Linux and Android setup. While the fact it looks like a pocket friendly version of the Japanese Saturn suggests its the best gaming handheld for Sega games specifically, it can actually handle a whole bunch of old games from yesteryear. Simply put, there's nothing stopping you firing up Pokemon Blue on this thing, and the idea of exploring Kanto using a Sega-style D-pad and six face buttons pleases me greatly.

Hell, you can even dive into Nintendo DS games on this handheld since it's armed with a 4-inch touchscreen, which feels slightly wild. However, I'd still argue that Sega classics are this handheld's bread and butter, as while there are plenty of portables out there that can run Retroarch using Android or Linux, I can guarantee none of them will feel as authentic as this one.

I am the proud owner of a white Japanese Sega Saturn, and I'm pretty touch-familiar with how the plastic of the console and its controller feels. Somehow, Anbernic has managed to mimic the texture of the PS1 rival's d-pad and face buttons perfectly, even going as far to make the RG ARC D feel more premium than the original accessory.

The physical side of using old consoles is a huge part of the experience for me. It's the reason why I still have multiple CRT TVs scattered across my house and numerous retro systems. But, if you give me something that feels like the real deal mixed with modern portable convenience and a bucket load of features, you can bet that I'm going to end up caving to using contemporary devices like the RG ARC-D.

The handheld might look like a Saturn homage, but as I've already touched on, I'm a Sega Genesis child. So, that's the system I largely end up using the RG ARC-D for, and its controls feel like the perfect substitute for the console's six-button pad. I knew this to be true upon diving into yet another Sonic the Hedgehog 2 playthrough and realizing that, as far as my hands and motor reflexes were concerned, I was playing on real hardware, despite the fact I was actually under a duvet with a cup of tea.

I'd argue that this handheld is worth $80 for its Genesis abilities alone, but you're actually getting so much more than just a way to play 16-bit capers. I'm not even referring to its talents as an arcade fighting game machine, even though it's a dream portable for anyone who's a fan of Street Fighter or King of Fighters. No, instead I'm talking about the fact this Android/Linux hybrid is kitted out with Bluetooth, 2.4/5Ghz Wi-Fi, that aforementioned 4-inch 640 x 480 touchscreen, and even a mini-HDMI port.

If you've got limited space at your setup, you can effectively use this handheld as a full blown retro entertainment system. That's pretty phenomenal given it just looks like a six-button gamepad with a screen, and while its RK3566 Quad-Core CPU and 2GB LPDDR4 aren't extraordinary compared to something like the Steam Deck OLED, the RG ARC-D's innards provide more than enough juice to emulate most classic games.

With so many handhelds flooding onto the market these days, it can be hard to pick out the perfect portable. I'm not saying everyone should go grab the RG ARC-D by default, as there are alternatives like the Anbernic RG Cube and pocketable Anbernic RG28XX that bring different qualities to the retro gaming table. That said, for under $80? I think every Sega fan should pick up the company's Saturn homage, as it hits all the right 90s hardware notes while boasting everything you'll need for emulation in 2025.

Already got Valve's handheld? Swing by the best Steam Deck accessories and best Steam Deck dock for plenty of excellent add-ons. Alternatively, take a peek at the best gaming laptop if you're looking for a full blown mobile rig.

The Logitech G RS Wheel Hub is the actual start of a wider ecosystem being built out. This $149/£139 button box pairs with the existing Logi G Pro wheelbase and a couple of new bolt-on wheel rims to finally give gamers a choice when shopping for the best racing wheels for PC.

The RS Wheel Hub is up against some stiff competition though. There are plenty of quality options already in the last year or so, and it’s been a long wait for new options since the G29 Series. Can Logitech pull off the overcut or is it out of the race before it started?

Compatibility

Ecosystems mean options but they also mean compatibility minefields and there’s a bit to unpack with the G Pro racing range, so buckle up.

Firstly you’ll need a Logitech G Pro Wheelbase which is now available on its own, starting at $599 for a PC-only version and rising to $699 for PC and PS4/PS5. You’ll notice a confusing lack of Xbox mention, that’s because compatibility there comes via the RS Hub and not the wheelbase, so technically your options are PC/Xbox and PS/PC/Xbox. With me so far?

Now we add the RS Hub, which again has two versions. The variant labeled for PC works for both the PC and PS/PC wheelbases, while you’ll need to fork out an extra $20 for the PC/Xbox version which supports Series X, Series S, and One, but also supports PS4/5, so it’s actually PS/PC/Xbox - but only if you bought the PS/PC wheelbase. Take a deep breath, thankfully it gets simpler from here.

Next, we need a wheel rim to bolt to the RS Hub. There are four options here at two price points ($69 and $229) but they’re universally compatible so it’s simply a case of which shape, finish, and price you fancy. You can add a 2-in-1 sequential shifter and handbrake that’ll work across all platforms for $149 and you’ll need the G Pro Racing Pedals, which again only come in one, $349 universally compatible option.

In total, for a basic all-platform setup, you’re looking at between $1,066 and $1,226 which is actually a good chunk cheaper than the original G Pro Bundle which sets you back $1349 for the same set of parts.

Design

While the original Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel was an all-in-one unit, the RS Wheel Hub and its matching rim are two separate parts that need to be purchased separately. This means you have an immediate decision to make, do you go for the traditional RS Round Wheel or the sportier RS Track Wheel? I’ve been testing the latter though the difference between the two is largely a matter of personal preference and the kinds of racing you’re likely to do.

The RS Wheel Hub is the brains of the operation, this triangular button box contains all the important bits with your wheel rim of choice simply bolting to the front. The Hub may be almost entirely plastic, but it feels impressively premium and nicely matches the rest of the G Pro Racing Wheel. There’s no noticeable creak or flex and Logitech also claims it’s constructed with a minimum of 23% recycled plastic from old consumer electronics which is a neat touch.

Features

There are 15 different inputs across the face of the RS Wheel Hub with a pair of metal shifter paddles around the back. The button layout closely mirrors that of the original G Pro Wheel with the exception of the right rotary encoder which moves from being front facing to downward facing, and the addition of two new buttons with one on each side. The buttons feel fine but not remarkable with a short, clicky travel that does the job but isn’t as nice as the mechanical buttons found on the MOZA R12. The encoders have just the right amount of resistance to make them easy to adjust without overshooting and the mini thumbstick is responsive and snappy.

The RS Track Wheel rim feels wonderfully high-end. The aluminium faceplate features a subtle brushed effect which means it both looks and feels luxurious. The same is true of the grips which are wrapped in a TPE material that delivers a comfortable yet grippy surface with a pleasant dot matrix texture that stops things getting too sweaty on track. It’s one of the best grip materials I’ve experienced on a sim racing wheel, surpassing the original G Pro’s genuine leather and options from other brands like the MOZA GS V2P (which I reviewed along with the MOZA R12). It’s worth noting though that if you opt for the RS Round Wheel this textured TPE is swapped out for a smooth synthetic silicone leather, but you’ll keep the same brushed aluminium faceplate.

Performance

It was a simple task to attach the RS Track Wheel to the RS Wheel Hub with six hex bolts just needing a few turns from the supplied key. The quick-release adapter feels beefy and similar to the original though takes a small step backwards in user experience as it’s now a little fiddlier to mount. Where the Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel quick release holds its position open when removed and could simply be pushed on, the RS Wheel Hub’s adapter springs back and requires you to reach around and hold it open as you slide it onto the wheelbase. It’s a minor, though confusing change but thankfully one that won’t impact you too often unless you’re consistently swapping wheels between wheelbases.

With everything connected and heading out on track in F1 24 the Logitech RS Wheel Hub, RS Track Wheel, and the G Pro Wheelbase proved a delightful combination. The Logitech G Pro is already on our list of the best Xbox steering wheels and has a regular home in my setup, but the addition of the RS Track Wheel takes things up another level. The formula-style open wheel rim feels a little more responsive to whip around corners and those two extra buttons within thumbs’ reach are handy for making quick adjustments on the go.

The RS Track Wheel rim is nicely sculpted with subtle grooves for your thumbs, though I did find it still dug in a little towards the latter stages of a long race. There’s a very slight amount of give to that TPE covering which does soften the strain a little but it’s far from soft and I’d have appreciated a little more support here. I found myself looking to stretch and wiggle my thumbs down longer straights as the lap count ticked up, and while this isn’t a unique problem for the RS Track Wheel, Logitech also hasn’t done anything noticeably better than others either.

The RS Wheel Hub button box gains a row of diffused rev lights which are bright and nicely saturated. I found these much more prominent and easy to see mid-race than the small line of dots on the wheelbase which is actually disabled when the new Hub is attached. The magnetic paddle shifters remain just as tactile and responsive as ever, but disappointingly the dual-clutch paddles have been removed. This is an odd decision to me. Not only were these particularly useful for F1 sim racers like myself, but they also presented a nice accessibility option for gamers who may prefer or require a hand throttle and brake rather than needing to use pedals.

Should you buy the Logitech G RS Wheel Hub?

While the Logitech G RS Wheel Hub does bring a few subtle upgrades over the original G Pro Wheel and it’s certainly a welcome addition to the range, I can’t help but think there’ll be racers feeling a little short-changed by its arrival. That’s because bizarrely there’s no direct upgrade path for gamers who invested in the G Pro Bundle when it first launched. The main body of the wheel may look almost identical, but the new RS Wheels aren’t compatible with the original and the original isn’t compatible with the new RS Wheel Hub. It’s not the end of the world because the wheelbase itself is compatible with it all, it just means a more expensive upgrade for those who jumped on board early and it’s a shame they aren’t shown a little more love in return.

That aside, both the RS Wheel Hub and the RS Track Wheel are fantastic and a joy to drive with, and their availability as PS5 steering wheels as well as every other platform will make them a great go-to for a lot of sim racers. The new formula-style open rim is a nice change from the standard round wheel the Logitech G Pro first shipped with and features probably the most premium grip material on any wheel I’ve tested.

The RS Wheel Hub makes small steps forward too, the new rev lights are a smart addition and I’ll never say no to having more buttons within reach. This duo takes the excellent G Pro to an even greater place, even if the upgrade from the original is minimal. If you’re new to the G Pro range it’s a no-brainer. If you’re an existing owner with the OG round wheel the RS Track Wheel likely holds real value, though you likely won’t notice too much of a change with the RS Round Wheel.

How we tested the Logitech G RS Wheel Hub

I combined the RS Wheel Hub with the RS Track Wheel attachment and used it with the original Logitech G Pro Racing Wheelbase for a number of races in both F1 24 and Forza Motorsport on PC. Throughout testing, it was mounted to the Playseat Formula Instinct Racing wheel and used without gloves.

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

Alright with just a gamepad for now? Check out the best PC controllers, the best PS5 controllers, and the best Xbox Series X controllers.

Should you buy the WD Black 8TB SN850X SSD?

The PS5 may be my favorite of all the current-gen consoles right now, but that doesn't mean I'm not constantly fed up with the lackluster onboard storage. Regardless of which version you have, the current PS5 models only go up to a maximum of 2TB in storage with the PS5 Pro, which still doesn't feel like enough. Especially when you consider the storage demanding size requirements of modern games, hefty game patches, the size of some DLC, and the increasing amount of PS Plus Premium games that are itching to be downloaded.

While the onboard storage options are always a bit lacking, the PS5 makes up for it by being one of the easier consoles to upgrade. Some of the best SSDs for gaming, just like this 8TB WD Black SN850X drive, can give your Sony console that well-needed storage boost and can easily slot in the available M.2 SSD slot on the back of the console.

Whether you actually need a whole 8TB worth of storage space, however, depends on how you use your PS5. Each month I download the latest monthly PS Plus games, and am constantly trying out new and old games from the ever-growing catalog. As a result, I'm greeted by notifications about my storage every single day, and constantly have to delete games to make space for others. If that sounds like a familiar scenario, then the 8TB WD Black SN850X would be a no-brainer for your console, so long as your budget can allow it.

Even if you prefer sticking with physical games, having that 8TB of extra storage can come in handy. Patch updates for physical games can be pretty storage-demanding, and if you regularly like to record gameplay directly to your console, you'll fill up its storage pretty fast. You might just as fast fill up 8TB, but at least it's a big step up from the 825GB of the launch PS5, 1TB of the PS5 Slim, and as stated earlier, it's still larger than the 2TB of the PS5 Pro.

Not only can you store plenty of extra games on this 8TB drive, but the WD Black SN850X is also one of the fastest SSDs going, boasting sequential write speeds up to 7,300MB/s, and read speeds up to 6,300MB/s. Our hardware team's own Duncan Robertson stated in his WD Black SN850X review that through his own testing, these speeds rang true with the and were "indeed just over 7,300MB/s" with the writes also in "excess of WD’s 6,300MB/s figures."

As an SSD, it's also capable of not just storing PS5 games, but running them too. The only major issue here, other than its still big price even with Amazon's current savings, is that this version doesn't come with a heatsink. You don't have to have a heatsink in order to pop this drive into your Sony console, but it will help prevent any issues down the line.

Luckily, Western Digital does have a version with a heatsink, which is currently just $599.99 at Amazon, a saving of 35% off its MSRP of $929.99. But if you want to keep costs even lower, you can leave the heatsink for another day. If this SSD deal is still a bit too much, the WD Black SN850X is available in other storage versions from 1TB, 2TB, and even 4TB. This won't give you a huge amount of space as opposed to the 8TB version, but any extra storage for the PS5 is worthwhile in my eyes.

If you're already struggling to fill up your PS5's console's storage, picking up one of the best PS5 accessories, like one of the best PS5 headsets and best PS5 controllers will help unlock the full potential of your beloved Sony console.

At $79.99 / £79.99, it’s cheaper than other pointers in its class; the Glorious Model O 2 Mini comes in at $99.99 / £89.99 and the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed hits $99.99 / £99.99. In dropping Bluetooth functionality and a few nice-to-have sensor features, the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless keeps its spec sheet impressively lean. The result is a fantastic mid-range rodent that looks to threaten some of the best gaming mouse models on the market for sheer value.

Design

I’ve used $150 mice that feel like they could be $50, so the premium build quality of the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless took me by surprise when I first opened up the box. There’s a little creaking when squeezed in at the sides, but the plastic chassis feels solid where it counts. In an age where the best Razer mice and the best Logitech gaming mice are all opting for smoother plastic surfaces, I was relieved to feel a little grit under my paws this time around. Small bumps on the Lift Elite Wireless’s plastic frame provide a tactile sense of grip, even if their application is a little more slap-dash compared to the Razer Viper V2 Pro. Still, if you’re worried about the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed’s surface getting clammy after a few hours of use, this is a fantastic alternative.

Measuring in at 118.8mm in length and 60.8mm in width, this is a fairly compact device, though I got on fine with my smaller hands. Those with larger hands might struggle to maintain comfort during longer sessions - the extra footprint of the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed (125.2mm x 63.3mm) provides extra space to work with. In practice, the dimensions of the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless felt natural and intuitive personally, and I appreciated the extra dome height compared to the Glorious Model O 2 Mini Wireless when it came to a palm grip. NZXT has lifted its hump to 38.3mm at its highest point, for a more relaxed hold than Glorious’s 35.5mm.

That said, I generally prefer a claw hold when working and gaming, and that’s where the extra grip panels on each side come into their own. It’s rare to find these days - a lot of more premium mice have ditched these textured panels in recent releases, save for the fantastic Corsair Darkstar Wireless, but the extra support they provide in fast-paced games can’t be beaten. The grip panels on the Lift Elite are made up of small, almost rubbery-feeling, dots spanning the thumb and pinky portions of each flank. It’s a well-positioned section, providing a reliable surface just below the side buttons and making for much easier fine-adjustments with the thumb. If you need even more control, the Lite Elite Wireless also comes with additional grip tape in the box - though I found it to be slightly overkill when I applied it.

NZXT has kept this mouse’s weight impressively low. At 57g, this is much lighter than some of the best wireless gaming mice on the market. It matches the Glorious Model O 2 Mini without requiring honeycomb cutouts across the main chassis and far surpasses the 82g Razer Viper V3 Hyperspeed. The DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed does have NZXT beat with its own 55g form factor, though.

That weight is generally well distributed, though a little front-heavy. Peering inside (which is pretty easy to do thanks to the hollowed-out chassis), the Lift Elite Wireless’s innards are housed entirely under the main clicks. I’d certainly prefer a mouse that leans slightly forward in its weight distribution over one that drags to the rear, but it is noticeable when lifting off.

Features

I talk a lot about mouse polling rates when trying to consider the value of each rodent scuttling across my desk. With so many mice shipping with high price tags and ‘8,000Hz polling’ slapped across their marketing materials, it’s easy to get swept up in feature lists and end up paying for something you won’t use. The vast majority of players won’t need this kind of speed, and yet they’re sold it under the pretense that it makes a better mouse for all. That irks me. In reality, it’s only the hyper-competitive among us who will notice the difference between a 4,000Hz rate and an 8,000Hz rate. This is why NZXT’s approach to polling is exemplary.

This is a particularly low price for a gaming mouse that can poll at 4,000Hz wirelessly. That’s the kind of speed that provides a runway for improvement for more casual players setting their sights on tournament glory. NZXT isn’t cutting its esports players out entirely though - 8,000Hz is within reach, you’ll just need to plug in for it. That brings the final cost of the Lift Elite to a much friendlier level, while still providing the extra features that more professional players will need.

PixArt’s PAW-3395 sensor runs the show here, a step down from the slightly beefier PAW3950 but still excellent value with its 26,000 DPI. Very few players will need to move all the way up to the top end of this scale but there’s still enough scope to fine-tune tracking settings at a more granular level. The sensor also features a 650 IPS tracking speed (that’s faster than the 500 IPS on the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed), with overall specs that match the Glorious BAMF 2.0 optical sensor.

Under each main click, NZXT has opted for TTC Optical switches with 60gF of actuation force. These are light and snappy, a crisp relief from the soft-feeling Alienware Pro Wireless gaming mouse I tested before this, with a 0.2ms rated response time.

Two side buttons and a clickable scroll wheel make up six total programmable inputs (there’s no side-to-side action on the wheel itself). These are all configured in the NZXT CAM software, a piece of kit I much prefer to the more bloated options from the likes of SteelSeries and Corsair. This is a clean interface with a single page of customization options - no digging through unintuitive nested menus like you would with Glorious’s Core program. It’s relatively CPU-light and provides a quick look at your battery and DPI settings with simple sliders for personalized configurations across five presets.

There are six buttons, but only four programmable inputs mapped across the middle click, two side buttons, and DPI clicker (located on the bottom of the device). Actually setting up these keybindings can get a little tedious. The program locks a setting when it’s been assigned to a macro, which means I needed to delete each macro before I could remap. A selection of handy Windows functions is included in the keybinding menu, but I quickly found that the “Copy” option was non-functional. NZXT has assured me that an update to the program is in the works to fix the bug.

The software houses customization options for polling rate, lift-off height (set to 1mm or 2mm), and motion sync. I prefer to keep that last feature turned off - it’s designed to keep your mouse’s polling in line with the 2.4GHz receiver’s own rate but I find it generally just translates into a slightly woolly tracking experience. Handy power management features allow you to customize the time it takes for your mouse to sleep when not being used.

These software features generally play nice with the rest of the market’s offerings, though Razer does go a step further with the DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed. Its Focus X sensor supports a sensor orientation feature that makes repositioning after lift-off much more precise as well as a dynamic ramping of DPI based on your own pre-set sensitivity curve.

There’s one omission to this feature list that puts Glorious’s competitor out in front, and that’s Bluetooth. The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless only connects via its 2.4GHz receiver or through a wired connection, whereas a good range of other gaming mice also provide Bluetooth support for extra versatility. In truth, it didn’t make much of a difference to the way I play. I’m quite happy unplugging a dongle when switching computers, and I don’t tend to use a mouse with my iPad.

It does, however, limit the Lift Elite Wireless’s use outside of its core functionality - and many players do prefer a mouse they can easily connect to different sources without any faff. The only time I felt this pinch was when connecting my Asus ROG Ally to a monitor with only an HDMI converter. It’s a sacrifice that the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed also makes, but one that plenty (like the Model O 2 Wireless) don’t. Still, the cheaper Razer Viper V3 Hyperspeed even does away with wired connectivity further down the price scale.

Battery life sits pretty strong at 70 hours with a 1,000Hz polling rate in play. That’s towards the bottom end of the market, but considering the price point matches this scale I’m not too mad. I was able to run the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless for a week and a couple of days of full work and play before needing to plug in. Bumping things up to 4,000Hz wireless polling did cut that charge short, dropping me down to around 25 hours. At 1,000Hz, the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed can zoom for up to 100 hours, while the Glorious Model O 2 Mini tops the chart at 110 hours. The cheaper Razer Viper V3 Hyperspeed does win with its 280-hour life span, but you’re relying on AA batteries for that one.

Performance

A lightweight mouse with a zippy sensor and speedy clicks is always going to perform well, but the NZXT Lift Elite comes in at a fraction of flagship prices and still nails both speed and accuracy in-game. The allocation of weight towards the front did slow things down a little in more frantic moments, putting slightly more strain on my pinky grip when lifting off. The skates aren’t as super-smooth as those of the Alienware Pro Wireless. The side buttons take a smidge longer to reach due to their higher placement on the body than some. At the end of the day, though, I had a blast with this pointer.

I was able to maintain my usual speed in Counter Strike 2 and Apex Legends, panning with accuracy and fine-tuning aim points with as much precision as I can muster. The sensor keeps up with the action particularly well, never jittering over smoother tracking surfaces. Dialing between weapons was particularly easy thanks to the generous gaps in between notches on the scroll wheel - plenty of more expensive gaming mice feature much smaller steps, which often leads to overextension.

There was a little more resistance to smaller mouse movements than I’m used to with more premium pointers. I’d chalk that up to the aforementioned front-loaded weight, but it sometimes made inching over a few millimeters when lining up a sniper shot feel less responsive.

The main clicks feel particularly energetic, though. The low travel distance and super-fast debounce make for a lightning-fast click that registered within the time of a twitch reflex. The side buttons feel a little more hollow but generally better than the far more expensive clickers on the Alienware Pro Wireless. A similar low-travel action is present here, making for fast inputs once I had made my way up the side of the chassis itself.

One strange behavior kept coming up in my testing, though, particularly in the first week. I was regularly misclicking the right main button. It’s not something I come up against in other gaming mice, so my grip isn’t to blame. The switches themselves never felt super-sensitive during regular gameplay, so it’s not a case of low actuation pressure.

The slightly narrower front width does force my ring finger onto the main click area where it wouldn’t normally sit on a larger device, but I didn’t have the same issue with the similarly built Glorious or Razer devices I’m comparing against here. That leads me to believe there’s something about the overall shape that’s putting a slightly different pressure on my middle and ring fingers than usual. Move in a certain way and they accidentally hit the switch. This generally only happens with slanted designs, though, and I can’t see any heavy gradient in this form factor.

Should you buy the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless?

The NZXT Lift Elite Wireless is one of the best value gaming mice on the market, but it doesn’t have the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed beat overall. Yes, this is $20 cheaper than Razer’s alternative but that little extra cash gets you a lighter device with a better battery as well as more software and sensor features. If you don’t need to fine-tune more aspects of your sensor’s behavior and would rather prioritize a grippy feel over a lower weight it’s a must-see.

It has better software and the space for a more relaxed grip compared to the Glorious Model O 2 Mini Wireless, which could well be the deciding factor if you use a palm hold. However, it’s worth noting that the $20 you save compared to Glorious means you’re dropping Bluetooth functionality and that extra battery life.

Overall, the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless is perfect for those looking to upgrade their entry-level gaming mouse and still pick up a set of excellent features. 8,000Hz polling isn’t to be taken for granted at this price, even if it is via a wired connection, and the smooth sensor response and snappy click buttons speak for themselves.

How I tested the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless

I used the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless gaming mouse for two weeks’ worth of everyday work and play. I spent a lot of that time exploring Avowed and making my way through Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, while also testing faster scenarios in Apex Legends and Counter Strike 2. I used the mouse on both a bamboo work surface and Corsair MM700 RGB Extended Mouse Pad, across 1,000Hz and 4,000Hz wireless polling and 8,000Hz wired polling. For more information on how we test gaming mice, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

I’m also hunting down all the best mouse pads for gaming as well as the best gaming keyboards for those who truly want to finesse their setup. Or, take a look at the best left-handed gaming mouse models for more ambidextrous designs.

The Manba One feels like a true counter to that. Its creators have clearly been watching the best PC controller market of late, they’ve observed gamepads coming out from Turtle Beach that have on-board displays and integrated menu systems, and they’ve decided to one-up them. See, while controllers with a screen are a nice idea, they’re usually so small and their functionality so awkward that I never tend to use them - I’d rather deal with the origami user manual.

But when I unboxed the Manba One, I was immediately greeted with a simple and easy-to-navigate menu screen that not only let me map the pad’s back buttons but contained the power of a fully-fledged PC customization app. For $69.99 / £87, that type of accessibility is fantastic. When you then consider its four back buttons and innovative other features, you’ve got a controller that screams value for money.

Design

The Manba One is available in two colorways. It comes in a black version which has grey textures on its grips but, other than its side RGB lighting, keeps a pretty low profile. The model I’ve been sent is the white version, which has a transparent shell, and a brighter white and brushed silver skeleton within. It has some side RGB lighting too, which glows and reflects from the transparent chassis like a Dragon Ball character’s aura.

In some ways, the Manba One’s shape reminds me of the Thrustmaster eSwap X2. Its body is tall and its shoulders have this broad quality to them. My pinky fingers have ample room on the grips, and this is clearly a controller made with bigger hands in mind. The back has a dotted texture to it that feels almost rubberized. This feel doesn’t over-exert itself though, and doesn’t feel like the quite sharp grip of the GameSir T4 Kaleid.

The Manba One feels comfortable in the hands, but its transparent armor does give it quite a cheap and nigh-on hollow quality. It’s a shame that the ability to peer inside the controller’s inner workings results in what feels like lesser build quality. The back buttons in particular make a reverberating “clack” sound to them which is never reassuring. Speaking of those back buttons though, there are four, which is a massive win for this controller of this price. So many manufacturers of pro controllers under the $100 mark opt for two back buttons and I wish more would find room for another pair. It can add so much value for money and a lot more potential to a gamepad, as found with the PowerA Fusion Pro.

I don’t massively enjoy the placement of the Manba One’s back buttons though - they sit quite high up on the controller, meaning you need to press both with your middle fingers. This can work well if they’re placed intuitively, like the ones on the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra, but here they’re still placed one under the other, which can make them harder to use. I do really appreciate the small design choice to put a lined texture on the top back buttons so you can easily differentiate which ones you’re pressing.

Thanks to its central display, the usual pause buttons of the Manba One are relegated to the bottom of its body. There are four in total - a start and in-game menu button, then a home and share button. These can help you alt+tab in Windows, which is a nice touch, but are what you’ll use to navigate the gamepad’s own UI. Sitting in the included charging stand, which I’m delighted to say has a space for its USB Wireless dongle, the function buttons frame the controller nicely.

Features

For a controller under $100, there sure are a lot of features to discuss here. To begin with, the controller has microswitch facial buttons that feel as tactile as the EasySMX X10 and dodge the spongy feeling of the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro. The d-pad is a circular 8-way clicker that’d be right at home on one of the best Xbox Series X controllers.

The thumbsticks feature Hall sensors and have swappable tops in case you need a little more height. Again, this is great value, and although there isn’t a carrying case, this modular aspect alone grants a lot of adjustability. All four thumbstick tops have an indented shape, and they’re both wide and deep enough that your thumbs always feel secure when flicking them around.

Flipping the Manba One over, you’ll see a set of trigger stops for the pad’s Hall sensor triggers. These only have one locked setting, but the on-board menu lets you set the actuation of the triggers in more depth, which I’ll discuss in a moment. Alongside the aforementioned four back buttons is a very handy on/off switch. This might honestly be one of this controller’s best features. It saves so much battery life and faff to be able to just turn a pro controller off with the flick of a switch rather than disconnecting a USB dongle, and then waiting for the gamepad to give up on its pairing dreams.

Of course, the biggest feature of all comes in the Manba One’s integrated display menu, which has incredibly deep customization that you can normally only find in dedicated PC applications. When you first open it up, you’ll be met with some sub-menus. You can change which device the Manba connects with, dive into the settings, and change aspects of the display, or recalibrate the triggers, buttons, and thumbsticks.

The settings menu is particularly impressive. You can set three profiles for the PC, and one additional profile for when you use it as a Nintendo Switch controller. For each profile, the Manba One lets you establish different back button mappings, thumbstick/trigger deadzones, input curves, and even set vibration levels. A lot of controllers these days allow you to map buttons on the fly or change profiles quickly, but very few allow you to get in the weeds of deadzones without the use of a gaming PC.

These menus also mean you can customize settings for the RGB without being strong-armed into a brand like Razer’s RGB syncing programs. There really is no need for a PC application to get the most out of the Manba One, and that really deserves to be applauded as a standout feature.

USB-C is how you’ll tether the Manba One to a charging port. When using a wired connection to play games, you can benefit from up to an 800Hz polling rate. That isn’t quite as much as the GameSir Tarantula Pro’s 1000Hz connection, but still a lot more than the Xbox standard of 400Hz. The charging stand has three magnetic capacitors which allow for wireless charging. The battery life of the Manba One is well over 10 hours in my experience, which is certainly more impressive than the average battery life of a PS5 controller.

Performance

I’m not a big lover of deadzones in controller thumbsticks. The first thing I usually do after mapping back buttons is set the deadzones to zero so I can get the absolute most out of small adjustments in my aim. But upon making the same adjustment to the Manba One, I was met with perhaps the hottest thumbstick sensitivity I’ve ever come across in a controller - including new options with TMR sensors in them. Super-hot sensitivity can be a blessing and a curse. You get ultimate twitch-reaction aim, but large sweeps can be really unruly and take some getting used to. In FPS games like Hunt Showdown this, combined with the taller thumbstick attachment, makes for excellent sniping capability, but using shotguns and running around the world can feel really unruly.

In Avowed, playing in both first and third-person, I found some very bizarre calibration issues after tuning the deadzones of the thumbsticks. This was only an issue in Avowed, but it isn’t something I’ve come across in any other Hall sensor controller. It essentially meant my left thumbstick was registering a constant move to the right - so anyone who had come across stick drift would have been immediately triggered. Thankfully, after recalibrating the sticks this issue disappeared, but it’s something to look out for. Otherwise, the Manba did a lovely job of helping me to manage all my magical spells and companion abilities in Avowed, with back buttons coming in clutch in various ways.

The Manba One did a lot for me in terms of comfort while playing 1000xResist too. The larger frame of the controller meant playing a game with fewer inputs was nice and comfortable, and using either the microswitch buttons or the back buttons felt great during longer sessions.

Those face buttons were great when I felt I needed more speed in games like Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero. Button mashing and fast tapping are so much more responsive on a controller with microswitches, and although the rest of the pad didn’t feel so strong in a fighting game scenario, it did put the face buttons in a nice spotlight.

While I do wish the back buttons were moved a little further down the Manba One’s grips, it’s hard to fault them in games like Celeste, where they helped me to jump and dash without too much frantic thumb movement. Feedback was good here too, although I actually found myself dialing the vibration level up a touch from its out-of-the-box setting since it was a bit too subtle for the crunchy feel of that game. This is unusual since most pro controllers can have their rumble motors working far too hard out of the box.

All told, the Manba One makes a great case for itself across all sorts of gaming genres. I guess the trouble is that it doesn’t really excel in any of them. The GameSir Tarantula Pro is similarly priced and has better thumbsticks and comfort. The Victrix Pro BFG for Xbox doesn’t have an onboard screen, but many more physical adjustments. The Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra has a screen and better back buttons, and the PowerA Fusion Pro has better RGB lighting. The good thing about the Manba One is that it combines a lot of these controllers into one, fairly affordable package. I’d just consider the others if you have more budget to play with.

Should you buy the Manba One?

The Manba One is a great pro controller for its price. It isn’t my favorite pick in the four-back-buttoned gamepad arena, and it’s a shame that both its cheaper-feeling build quality and poor back button placement let it down.

Nevertheless, the Manba One has excellent features, including a massive quality of life bonus in its on-board user interface. The power of a PC app in the palm of your hand is not a common occurrence, and Manba deserves credit for that reason. This is a comfortable controller with a lot of versatility. While it doesn’t excel in any one genre of gaming, it makes a strong case for a tool in any of them.

For its price, the fact it gives you four back buttons, and some great features, this is an easy controller to recommend to those players who need a bit more utility and who don’t want to faff about with PC customization software or confusing function buttons. I’d argue the most competitive players should look elsewhere though, especially if their budget can stretch over $100.

How I tested the Manba One

I tested the Manba One across various gaming genres. I played 1000xResist, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, Hunt: Showdown, Celeste, Avowed, and more. With a few of these games, I compare them to other gamepads I’ve tested so to give a more consistent account for how each product performs. In others, I see how the Manba One helps me to connect with the games I’m playing currently.

I compared my experience with the Manba One closely with the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra since they both have displays and integrated menus, and a lot of other more affordable controllers too.

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

If you're looking for good value, you could always shop for an older controller. We've got lists of the best PS4 controllers, the best Xbox One controllers, and the best joysticks in case you want to have a look.

Of course, this being Razer, the Minecraft collection kicks up those green levels another notch. From the full creep-face of the mouse pad to the almost slimey look of the BlackWidow keyboard this is a celebration of all things strangely terrifying. Right now, everything but the Gigantus Mouse Pad is available to order direct from Razer, with the cheapest item being the budget Razer Cobra at $39.99.

Each item is purchased separately, but also comes with free in-game items. A code for the Ender Dragon Shawl is available with the Razer BlackWidow V4 X and Razer Kraken V4 X, while the Overgrown Arm comes with the Razer Cobra and Razer Gigantus. It should also be noted that there's a slight price increase on a couple of these peripherals, ranging from $40 on top of the regular BlackWidow V4 X price to $20 over the usual Kraken V4 X MSRP.

Razer loves a collaboration, previously releasing its own Fortnite swag and most recently a Kuromi collection. These aren't just decals either, I took a long hard look at the Razer x Fortnite collection and was impressed with the vividity of the color work on offer. Just one look at those bright green keycaps is enough to suggest the same pedigree of quality is available here, even if the actual tech errs on the cheaper side of the brand's collection.

The $169.99 Razer BlackWidow V4 X is the most expensive item in the Razer Minecraft collection, and comes in $40 more expensive than the $129.99 standard model. It packs a gorgeously pixelated Minecraft block base deck with those aforementioned green keycaps up top. Creeper be creepin', though, with those haunting faces appearing around the arrow keys and between the function row of this full-sized gaming keyboard. This is a wired device, but it still comes with six dedicated macro buttons, a volume scroll wheel, and either Razer Green or Yellow mechanical switches.

Then we have the $99.99 Razer Kraken V4 X gaming headset, a wired budget version of the standard Razer Kraken V4 (though the special edition is $20 more than the standard headset). Those iconic earcups have been saved from the green treatment, but you'll still find that creeper face adorning the sides of the headband, and sneaking up on you on the internal fabric driver covers. Of all the Razer Minecraft collaboration items, this is the most subtle - if it could ever be considered so. With the brand's TriForce 40mm drivers and 7.1 Surround Sound, every crack of your axe against a tree will be beamed straight into your ear holes.

The Razer Cobra is a similar story. At $39.99 it's significantly cheaper than the wireless Razer Cobra Pro, but you won't find the more premium model with those luscious Minecraft blocks running down the top of the main chassis. This is actually the same price as the standard model as well, which is refreshing. Of course, our old friend is still here, peering up over the right-hand click. Though this design extends only across the main panel - the rest looks to be a standard black. At 58g this gaming mouse is light enough to hold its own in more competitive arenas, while still offering Chroma lightning underneath as well (you know it's going to have to be green).

You'll find plenty more of the best Razer mice and the best Razer keyboards right here on GamesRadar+, but we're also hunting down all the best Razer gaming headsets as well.

You'll find the orange-switch model available for $160 right now, down from the original $189.99 MSRP. That's a return to a price I've seen for a few weeks at the start of the year, but this deck has actually been much closer to full price for most of the month. Before that, it only ever hit $165 during last year's holiday sales, moving beyond its regular $170 sales price for the first time in late November. It's been $158.99 in the past - just over a buck cheaper, but considering this is actually relatively cheap for a full hot-swappable keyboard it's a fantastic discount in itself.

Like many of the best gaming keyboard brands, Razer adopted hot-swappable switches in the last couple of years. With the newer Pro model now on the shelves (and my review incoming), the base version is looking prettier than ever.

Should you buy the Razer BlackWidow V4 75%?

It took a little while for mainstream gaming brands to adopt hot-swappable switch designs, but I'm sure glad they did. The Razer BlackWidow V4 75% was launched by Sneki's brand in 2023, and has held up as one of the best dedicated gaming options on the market since then. With full Synapse customization support, a slick RGB Chroma system, and a truly satisfying typing feel, this was one of my favorite releases of its year.

It stands tall against competitors, beating Corsair's K70 Pro Mini Wireless in its functionality and overall value and including more comfort features than the Asus ROG Azoth. I'd recommend it to most players looking for a switch-swapping compact keyboard with ergonomics built in. That's because it's one of the few options that also include a wrist rest (and a super plush one at that) with a slightly higher incline height as well. If you're looking to get a better understanding of how your switches can change your experience, but still want a core gaming device in front of you, it's a fantastic investment.

There are a few areas where the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% can't beat Asus, though. The ROG Azoth packs a wireless connection over both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth (and a superb battery life to boot) where Razer can only run off a USB-C cable. I naturally prefer the shorter, slightly softer, feel of the Asus ROG NX switches that ship in the Azoth as well, though I do enjoy returning to the deeper thocc of Razer's Orange Tactile Mechanical clickers.

The Asus ROG Azoth comes with a much higher starting cost at $249.99, but it's also on sale for $199.99 at Amazon this week. Those looking for a quieter switch with less of a focus on comfort and more resource dedicated to versatility will be better served by that price tag. It's worth noting that you do drop some Synapse features when swerving away from Razer's model, as well as those glimmering side LEDs.

I'm also hunting down all the best wireless gaming keyboards and best membrane gaming keyboards on the market. Or, for more of the green snake's wares, check out the best Razer keyboards available now.

Unfortunately, the Alienware AW2725DF is a bit like a vampire – and not the glittery Robert Pattinson dreamboat type. I’m not saying it won’t be up for a daytime date playing some PC games, but it certainly won’t be the vibrant soul it’s capable of being in darkened rooms. Instead, it’ll succumb to some of the usual pitfalls of QD-OLED tech by providing less of a punch in terms of brightness and contrast. However, draw the curtains and you’ll be treated to handsome HDR abilities that many premium QHD panels could only dream of achieving.

At full price, the AW2725DF is going to set you back $899 / £679. That places it in the same ballpark as the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6, and while I’m not convinced it beats that panel in every department, Dell’s QD-OLED monitor is winning me over. So long as its price shifts downwards this year, it should also be able to stand up against faster options like the 480Hz Sony Inzone M10S, and it’s certainly worth looking at over most premium IPS contenders.

Design

Modern Alienware screens tend to strike a balance between futuristic flamboyance and subtlety, and the same can be said for the AW2725DF. From the front, you’re getting that staple hexagonal base feeding up to a curvy pedestal that feels in keeping with the Alienware Aurora R16, all while its dark grey matte plastic finish prevents it from standing out too much.

There is a bit more junk in the back of the AW2725DF’s trunk than I’d like for an OLED panel. The hump feels pretty hollow, and I can’t really work out what the extra space is for besides the usual illuminated zeta-head logo on the right-hand side and a small fan setup. There are some cut-outs for cable management built into the lip, but those contribute to a plasticky feeling that I just don’t vibe with.

On that note, the monitor’s port selection is indeed tucked away, which makes concealing cables easier at the cost of easy access. Reaching from the front to plug things in is near impossible, so if you’re the kind of player who likes to hot-swap HDMI devices out, you’ll likely have to get up and peek around the back. Considering the setup only offers one HDMI port and two DisplayPorts, that journey might be more likely than you’d think.

What you will be able to use without too much strain is the OSD joystick positioned underneath the center. I am not remotely a fan of using nubs for option controls, but Dell’s toggle feels pretty tactile and provides decent navigation. I doubt you’ll end up experiencing many miss-presses with this dial, and while I’d love for monitor makers to come up with something different, this specific implementation is serviceable.

Features

Dell always goes pretty heavy on software, and the AW2725DF’s OSD doesn’t disappoint. Within the menu, you’ll find a whole banquet of settings relating to picture pre-sets, OLED protective measures, and Alienvision overlays, not to mention you can customize that back RGB logo without the need for any additional PC apps or programs. You can download Command Centre if you’d prefer to access things using Windows 11, but it’s far from mandatory.

You’re getting DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification with this screen, which makes sense given we’re talking about a high-end QD-OLED panel. However, the results can be enhanced using “Smart HDR” which tunes things in using pre-sets. I’m a pretty big fan of these options since they provide some customization on top of natural high dynamic range results, and it’s something I’ve made full use of in mini LED alternatives like the BenQ Mobiuz EX321UX. Of course, this screen potentially doesn’t need extra tweaks since it doesn’t suffer from the same halo effect and local dimming issues, meaning less intervention is required.

While this display has pixel and panel refresh countering long-term burn-in risks, it could benefit from the same protective OLED measures included with models like the Dough Spectrum Black 32. That specific lineup of screens comes with additional perks like a logo extraction algorithm and menu bar detection, which will ultimately extend the lifespan of the screen by preventing any permanent damage through use.

An extra perk that's included with this specific model is a USB hub that'll hook you up with two full sized ports and a USB-C port for good measure. It's always an appreciated feature since it'll help channel wires to a central place, and the latter connection comes with 90W Power Delivery. It does skip out on KVM abilities, though, so it's not as handy as a Steam Deck dock alternative as some models.

Performance

There’s no getting around the fact the Alienware AW2725DF is a good-looking screen. It has QD-OLED tech to thank for that, but it certainly leans into the drawbacks of the panel type. Compared to some of the latest WOLED displays, particularly the likes of the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B and Dough Spectrum Black 32 with their rival MLA+ (Micro Lens Array) approach, things are a little less resilient to bright conditions. But, it ultimately still sings from the same hymn sheet in terms of colors, contrast, and vibrancy, all while sporting extra flair via a semi-glossy coating.

I used the AW2725DF as my main gaming screen for about a week and kicked things off with a visit to Night City. Cyberpunk 2077 makes for a fantastic setting for assessing a monitor’s HDR abilities, and the neon glow of signage and vendors is really something special on this display. The intentional glare of bright street lighting actually manages to hit some of the same notes as mini LED panels while still maintaining better vibrancy and depth. Colors pop slightly less than on a WOLED, but many of you might dig that things are a little more toned down.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard looks similarly impressive on the QD-OLED panel, and I noticed glowing sigils catching my eye more on the 27-inch screen than usual during the opening act. I was already aware that the AW2725DF would have the upper hand thanks to its Quantum Dot qualities, but actually exploring worlds with high dynamic range switched-on hammers home why you’d want to pick up the screen type in the first place. The only caveat I could sniff out in this scenario is that the screen’s brightness struggled to combat the natural light in my room during the day, making some of the semi-glossy screen reflections more noticeable.

Being a 360Hz display, the Alienware AW2725DF absolutely holds up in terms of competitive performance. Am I a bit too used to playing at 480Hz now that dual-resolution 4K screens are a thing? Absolutely, but I feel like this model's refresh rate and QHD abilities make for a nice pairing. Diving into my usual Overwatch 2 sessions, the panel provides great responsiveness that avoids feeling sluggish compared to the Sony Inzone M10S, but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a visual difference. Keep in mind that response times in both instances measure in at 0.03ms, so you’re getting ultra response input regardless.

The other shooter I consistently dabble with right now is Marvel Rivals, and screens like the Alienware AW2725DF feel like they’re made for the comic book caper. Playing at 1440p means you’ll have a better chance of boosting fps to match the screen’s 360Hz abilities, all while letting the QD-OLED’s contrast and colors bring the vibrant semi-cell shaded battles to life.

Outside of my big-budget and competitive haunts, I’m still diving in and out of the indie darling FlyKnight. The bold color pallets of the weird little Runescape homage really pop against the black abyss of the romp’s deliberate short draw distance, but playing darker games does highlight the cons of using a not-as-bright QD-OLED screen with a semi-glossy coating.

Yes, the gloss does contribute to a level of extra definition and contrast, but it’s easy to see why the anti-glare coating of the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 would appeal to players who consistently game in a room filled with daylight. My setup specifically is positioned next to a large south-facing window with not many buildings blocking out the sky, which results in being able to see quite a lot of the outside world reflected in the top left corner of glossy screens. The Alienware AW2725DF isn’t the only screen to suffer in this scenario, but it certainly hinders the QD-OLED experience.

Should you buy the Alienware AW2725DF?

Out of all the QD-OLED monitors I’ve tested so far, the Alienware AW2725DF makes the strongest case for the panel tech. The 27-inch screen packs a far greater HDR punch than the vast majority of displays out there, not to mention it’ll take color volume to the next level if provided the right setup environment. That said, you’ll really want to use this specific display in a room where you can vanquish other light sources to suit, as you’ll otherwise notice a lack of brightness and compromised vibrancy.

My main concern with the Alienware AW2725DF is its price. I’m not saying Dell’s display isn’t necessarily worth $899, but there are so many contenders out for blood on the battlefield that it’s easy to see a higher-spec WOLED panel emerging victorious during the sales. While there are clear advantages to investing in QD-OLED, there also plenty of caveats to match, and if you’re able to get a 4K 32-inch screen for the same money, especially one with an LG MLA+ panel, you’re not going to be left wishing you’d joined the Quantum Dot club instead.

How I tested the Alienware AW2725DF

For just over a week, I used the Alienware AW2725DF as my main gaming monitor at my setup. To assess the screen’s brightness, contrast, and colors, I made sure to play a variety of games in both full daylight and in a light-controlled scenario to check how the panel performs in both scenarios. During testing, I used Cyberpunk 2077, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Overwatch 2, Marvel Rivals, and FlyKnight to get a feel for the monitor’s abilities, taking note of responsiveness and attributes like HDR.

For more information on how we test gaming monitors and other screens, check out our full GamesRadar+ hardware policy.