Hardware News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

Lured like an unsatisfied sailor by the siren song of alleged performance woes, I’ve been giving No Rest for the Wicked a cursory benchmarkin’, and yes! The isometric ARPG does suffer from all the early access wonkiness you’ve likely heard about already today.

Razer, makers of various pretty good gaming peripherals and one deeply questionable face mask, have been slapped with a $1.1 million fine by US regulators after said mask was determined to have misled buyers over the amount of protection it afforded. Kotaku reports that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took issue with Razer’s claim that the Zephyr, an RGB monstrosity released during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, could act as a medical-grade N95 respirator – it could not – and will allocate $1 million of that fine towards refunds for fooled, if colourfully illuminated, buyers.

The best thing about my 8Bitdo Ultimate 2.4G controller is the pair of paddle buttons on the back. Add to that the fact that both my Steam Deck and ROG Ally come with paddle buttons and I’ve gotten so used to this setup that I don’t want to game with an old-fashioned controller anymore.

While the Steam Deck is the closest we’ve got to a gaming console out of all handheld PCs, I recommend grabbing a keyboard if you plan to venture out into Desktop Mode or use your Deck docked. Here’s how to pick one, along with a few recommendations if you don’t feel like window shopping online.

New hardware details for Nintendo's successor appear to have leaked, reportedly revealing features for its controllers, screen and more.

No Rest for the Wicked launched into early access as a bit of a fixer-upper, even by the standards of its 'buy now, play finished game later' model. The good news is that the grim action-RPG’s wonky performance is already being straightened out, with two of its three hotfixes thus far delivering a noticeable improvements, even on older graphics cards.

It's now been two years since the hotly anticipated launch of Panic's handheld, the Playdate.

Controllers that can be mounted to your phone are nothing new, and Razer's Kishi gamepads have been a popular option for mobile games, cloud gaming, and playing emulators. Now, Razer has launched its most premium product in this range, the Kishi Ultra.

Now that Android's Find My Device network is off the ground, Chipolo is launching a pair of AirTag-like tracking devices that are specially designed for wallets and bags. The Chipolo ONE Point and CARD Point arrive May 17th, just in time for summer vacation.

Phones today don't seem to hold a charge much longer than old ones. Phones have gotten much better in many other ways, so what gives?

Xbox has established a new team dedicated to video game preservation and forward compatibility.

You may have seen the stories or even noticed for yourself—small phones are dead. Standard phones are much bigger than they were ten years ago, and you're more likely to see new larger "pro" variants than tiny ones.

Samsung no longer provides monthly security updates for Galaxy S20 or Note 20 smartphones. These devices have been demoted to quarterly updates, with support ending in March or April of 2025.

The jump from USB-C 2.0 to USB 3.2 may seem small, but in reality, they are worlds apart for data transferring between Android devices. The difference is easy to overlook—USB-C standard can help you make a more informed purchase, especially when you're stuck between two similar choices.

I have spent most of my working life looking at efforts to breach the FPS event horizon, and going 'OMG who cares, they literally all look the same?'. People like our hardware editor James then point and laugh at me, as an objectively wrong person. But according to a small study highlighted by the Guardian, I might have been right too! Turns out there's evidence that we might all see life at different FPS. That player might not be cheating, he might just experience Fortnite at a speed you don't.

For two of my last three phones, I've gone out of my way to select one that comes with a stylus. The same is true of my last two tablets. Like gaming with a wireless gamepad, there are certain tasks that are just more pleasant with the right kit.

Tired of plugging in your phone before every drive? AAWireless now provides a quick compatibility checker that tells you whether your vehicle will work with a wireless Android Auto adapter.

I've spent a year with the Steam Deck, and in that time I've slowly been spending less time playing games on my desktop PC. After discovering the delights of local game streaming and acquiring a second handheld PC, an ASUS ROG Ally, my desktop PC doesn't stand a chance. Here’s why.

It's exciting when a new phone feels completely different from what came before. Thing is, that's not what most people actually want. When a smartphone design is good, we want it to stay good, and frankly, most modern phones are good. That phones largely look the same year after year is actually a blessing, not a curse.

Can't hear any sound from your phone? Problems like malfunctioning headphones, your phone using a wireless device for audio output, sound being muted within a particular app, interference from other installed apps, and more could be causing this issue. We have some solutions you can try to resolve this problem.

The PS5 Pro is an (unofficially) expected mid-generation refresh for the popular PlayStation 5, but many gamers who already own a PS5 are dubious on why such an upgrade is even necessary,

Samsung is preparing to launch the 2024 Galaxy Tab S9 Lite, a mid-range tablet with an integrated S Pen stylus. Arriving March 28th in some regions, the tablet may be a good option for entertainment or casual work, though it's basically identical to its predecessor.

Gaming laptops are one of the best ways to get into PC gaming with competitive prices for mid-range systems and a plug-and-play mobile experience. However, your screen choice is far more important in a gaming laptop than usual.

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Qualcomm’s chips power many popular mobile devices, including the Samsung Galaxy S24 series, the Meta Quest VR headsets, and ARM-based Windows PCs. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is the company’s top mobile chip, and now Qualcomm has revealed a new variant that could bring premium features to slightly-cheaper phones.

I've spent most of my career working remotely from a laptop. Now, I do my work from a foldable Android phone, and it’s become difficult even to consider switching to any other platform. Only Android offers a convergent device that can match this level of convenience.

Many of us yearn for the best flagship smartphones that manufacturers can make, but their prices are increasingly hard to justify. This begs the question: what exactly do we lose out on when we opt for a budget phone instead?

I’ve been using a Steam Deck for more than a year, and in that time, I’ve discovered a plethora of cool tips and tricks that have improved my experience. Here are some pointers to get the most out of your Deck and SteamOS.

Mobile phones grow more powerful every year. A premium phone is far more powerful than a midrange PC and even has stronger graphics processing than an ultrabook with Intel-integrated graphics. Yet despite all that power, have you ever noticed how your phone lacks a fan? Why is that?

Need a phone number that can vanish at a moment's notice? Burner phones offer temporary anonymity for undercover chats, emergencies, or just avoiding those pesky spam calls. Burners are not only for criminals in movies—they might be the right call for you.

My first Android Wear smartwatch was the Moto 360. My second was the Google Pixel Watch. Smartwatches have gotten a lot better in that time, but I still didn’t keep one on my wrist for more than a few months. Why?

Former EA and Microsoft exec, Peter Moore, says there are «serious questions» to be asked about video game hardware and whether or not there's a future for the traditional home console system.

Considering it’s one of the most gawwwwjuss games you can get one o’ them PS5 machines, Horizon Forbidden West’s upcoming PC version has some pretty fair-looking system requirements. The newly released specs, which you can find below, suggest that pushing the open world, robosaur-slaying sequel to its most extreme settings will take a burly graphics card – but likewise, lower settings and resolutions can get by with much creakier hardware.

The Galaxy Watch and Pixel Watch now offer on-wrist transit directions with Google Maps. Plus, the Google Wallet smartwatch app can now access boarding passes, gym membership cards, concert tickets, and other items from your smartphone.

Cooler Master just launched the MK770, a highly customizable mechanical keyboard with a unique sense of style. The MK770 should appeal to both casual users and enthusiasts, as it focuses on comfort without sacrificing high-end features, such as hot-swappable switches and per-key lighting.

Most smartwatches struggle to last 24 hours on a single charge. But the newly-released OnePlus Watch 2 boasts a maximum 100-hour battery life. This shocking accomplishment comes courtesy of the "hybrid interface" in Wear OS 4, meaning that a 100-hour battery may become commonplace in new Android smartwatches.

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Wireless charging is pretty straightforward—it's charging without a wire. But reverse wireless charging, what's that?

Wireless charging has always been convenient, but it was typically slower than wired charging methods. Good news! With the Qi2 wireless charging standard, things are faster and more convenient.

It's not always easy to remember when to do important things. Luckily, your iPhone or iPad can easily remind you about a repeating task or event using the Reminders app. Here's how to set it up.

Today's cell phone market is flooded with multiple carriers, dozens of plans, and exorbitant monthly costs. We're here to help. From unlimited data and family plans to prepaid options and more, here are the best cell phone plans available.

Did you buy a used or refurbished Steam Deck and want to check its battery health? Perhaps you've had your Deck for a while and want to see how the battery is holding up. Let's take a look at how to check your Deck’s battery health, and a couple more battery-related tips to keep things in good condition.

Xbox controllers are great. Not only are they the best choice for an Xbox console, they also happen to work great on many other gaming platforms, whether that's your phone, your PC, or even other other consoles with the use of unofficial adapters. Microsoft also likes to release them in several different colorways. These new options, however, are perhaps among the best-looking ones if you're not completely convinced by previous designs.

Purchasing a flashy new graphics card is exciting, but with so many factors to look at, excitement can easily turn into frustration. Today we'll help figure out which card to buy based on your unique scenario and budget.

If you've ever wanted a scientific calculator app on iPhone, don't fret—your iPhone already comes with one built in. Apple's Calculator app includes a scientific mode that has been hiding in plain sight since 2008. Here's how to use it.

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People who read my articles have exceptionally good taste, which is why I will assume you are already intimately familiar with Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. For those who are not and somehow got here by mistake, it will save me a lot of time if you go away and read them all. Oh fine, I will explain Hex. And also, if I have time, a real life man with ants in his computer.

A new report claims Nintendo Switch 2 is expected later this year and will feature a custom-made Nvidia chip.

Xbox is still committed to making consoles, says boss Phil Spencer

The latest Steam Deck beta client update is out, and it’s made a pretty neat addition to the quick-access performance menu. A tap of the Y button now brings up a brief explainer for whichever individual setting is currently highlighted, a handy lil’ reference for anyone who wants to customise how their Deck (or Steam Deck OLED) runs without knowing exactly how things like TDP limits and half-rate shading affect performance. Clearly it’s also a brutal attack on the livelihoods of honest hardware editors who write guides to this sort of thing, but whatever, Valve.

A brand new year means brand new tech being showcased at CES 2024. We were on the ground in Las Vegas, scouring the show floors for cool gadgets and impressive innovations. We've highlighted some of our favorite products from the event, giving you a taste of what to look forward to this year.

After plenty of teasers, the Galaxy S24 lineup has finally been revealed. It's an iterative upgrade, but it's the first Galaxy release to include seven years of OS and security updates. That said, if you're a hardcore Samsung Galaxy fan hoping for massive hardware upgrades, you'd better hop into a time machine and skip to 2025.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 looks great, but it ain't cheap. That's why Samsung launched the Galaxy Tab A9 and A9+ last year. These affordable tablets integrate with the Samsung ecosystem and offer a wealth of important features, though they aren't quite as flashy as the S9 series, and now the Tab A9+ is available in the United States.

The latest iteration of Motorola's ultra-affordable Moto G Play arrives on February 8th. It looks to be an excellent upgrade over its predecessor, and at $150, it's actually $20 cheaper than last year's model.

MSI are the latest gaming gear makers to unveil a Steam Deck-alike, announcing the Claw as part of their CES 2024 showcase. The Claw – great name, by the way – actually looks and sounds closer to the Asus ROG Ally than Valve’s handheld, being a Windows 11-based device without any flashy hardware tricks like the Lenovo Legion Go’s detachable controllers. All the same, it’s aiming to stand out among these portable PCs through two means: its engorged 53Whr battery, and the industry-first use of a 14th-gen Intel Core Ultra chip as its APU.

Nvidia have resurrected their Super refresh branding for a new trio of GeForce graphics cards: the RTX 4070 Super, RTX 4070 Ti Super, and RTX 4080 Super. The announcement, part of the GPU giant’s CES 2024 showcase, was light on specifics about gaming performance – but all three promise marked improvements on their 40 series predecessors. And, in the RTX 4080 Super’s case, even a big ol' price drop.

Intel have finally confirmed the full lineup and specs for their 14th gen Meteor Lake CPUs, which for now is comprised entirely of ultrathin laptop chips with the new Core Ultra branding. I appreciate that a PC gaming site might not be the most natural home for this information, considering both that these are not technically gaming CPUs and that that Meteor Lake’s most hyped-up feature is more of a productivity aid: a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for client-side AI work. However, as the new H-series parts also integrate Intel Arc graphics for the first time, there is some interesting potential for them to transform lightweight ultrabooks into viable gaming laptops.

By Nvidia’s count, there are now 500 games and applications that employ DLSS upscaling and ray tracing visual effects – or "RTX technologies," in GPU superpower speak. While there’s arguably some cheekiness behind that count, as ray tracing in particular is not an RTX-exclusive feature, it is nonetheless quite the feat for a set of tools that launched in subjectively auspicious circumstances back in 2018.

While the Steam Deck OLED is awash with upgrades over the original handheld PC, it’s not a full replacement, and Valve still reckon that anyone wanting a proper Steam Deck 2 will be waiting a while.

Valve love their surprise hardware announcements, and there’s just been a doozy in the Steam Deck OLED. It’s a "definitive" refresh of the existing Steam Deck handheld PC that swaps the underwhelming IPS display for a brighter, more vibrant OLED panel, while making numerous battery life improvements – up to and including a new, more efficient AMD APU – that promise significantly more time away from the mains. It’s not far off either: the Steam Deck OLED’s release date is November 16th, just one week away.

There are so many new games dropping this side of the holidays that you'd be forgiven for saying you've got no space for any other hobbies. You can admit that to us in private if you want, as we're running a survey where you can tell us all about how you play games for the chance to win an Amazon voucher worth £250 / $300. 

The Xbox Series S has posed an interesting dilemma to many in this current console generation. From a consumer’s perspective, it’s got undeniable value, serving as a cheaper, entry-level option for those looking to jump into the new generation of gaming hardware. At the same time, however, due to its weaker hardware compared to the Xbox Series X and PS5, there’s no shortage of developers who’ve spoken about the limitations it poses, and whether or not it might restrict and hold back game development going forward.

We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Summit Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak  here  and learn more about sponsorship opportunities  here . 

We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Summit Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak  here  and learn more about sponsorship opportunities  here . 

Microsoft has announced that it will no longer produce any more Kinect hardware.

At this year’s QuakeCon, AMD announced a special treat for Starfield fans. If you like PC hardware that’s themed after Bethesda games, are you in for a treat. That’s if you’re lucky enough to be able to get any of it, of course.

Earlier this week, Sony opened the gates to the PS5 cloud streaming testing phase by inviting select PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers to test the feature. Early reports revealed that 4K streaming is already supported, making it an improvement in streaming quality over Microsoft's XCloud, which is currently limited to FullHD (1080p) streaming.

There’s no shortage of rumours going around right now about upcoming hardware releases, from Nintendo’s next-gen console to a PS5 model with a detachable disc drive to even a PS5 Pro. Unsurprisingly, it seems Xbox has joined the fray on that front as well.

A new Xbox Series X model is currently being looked into by Microsoft, according to rumors circulating online.

A Nintendo 64 game modder has managed to get Banjo-Kazooie‘s fabled Stop N Swop feature working on original hardware.

Give it up for the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX. Nearly nine months since the new RDNA 3 graphics architecture was announced, the RX 7900 XTX is the first example of GPU based on AMD's latest graphics tech to appear in Valve's survey of Steam users.

Apple will host an event in the first half of next year where it will announce its next generation of iPhone 15 and Apple Watch models. The devices are slated to feature major upgrades compared to the current models. While the iPhone 15 series and the Apple Watch Ultra are sharing the hype, we are now hearing that the company is also working on an upgraded iPad mini 7, which could see daylight as soon as next month.

An earlier EU ruling will require companies like Apple to offer devices to customers that feature ‘easy to replace’ batteries. However, despite the enforcement of these rules, the Cupertino firm’s Senior Vice President of hardware engineering hints that such a change will not be arriving to the company’s devices as it can compromise the internal integrity, reducing the overall durability.

It was September 10, 1999 – the day after the Sega Dreamcast’s US launch.

Phantom Blade Zero instantly caught the attention of many with its debut this year, and though the bulk of that attention is probably down to the game’s intriguing setting and its promise of a fast-paced action RPG experience, it’s making some visual promises from a tech perspective as well.

Scalpers lucky enough to have snapped up a limited edition Spider-Man 2-themed PlayStation 5 cover plate are trying their luck at doubling or even tripling their money by auctioning off their pre-orders.

A nearly unknown indie developer from China stole the show during the latest PlayStation Showcase with their upcoming game Phantom Blade Zero. Nearly unknown to PC and console gamers, anyway, as S-Game had previously found success with the sidescrolling action RPG for mobile Phantom Blade: Executioners (due to launch this year on PC and PlayStation, too).

Microsoft has announced its Q4 revenue figures for the financial year 2023, and Xbox hardware sales are down 13% year-on-year compared to the same three-month period. This follows a Q3 report back in April that showed hardware sales being down 30% compared to the first three-quarters of FY22.

Microsoft’s financial results for Q4 of the 2023 fiscal year are available, and the company has reported $56.2 billion in revenue, an eight percent increase. Net income is also up by 20 percent at $20.1 billion.

Xbox revenues remained relatively flat for the final quarter of Microsoft's financial year, showing a 1% increase for the three months ended June 30.