PLAY KIT EASY ON YOURSELF

There may be no major console arrivals to drool over but the world of gaming is far from stagnant, with new titles galore and enough accessories to block out the sun. PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and VR gamers unite: this feature has loads for everyone, as we bring you the best extras – and upcoming games – for all the big platforms…

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ASUS ROG ALLY

Struggling to set up your giant PC gaming rig on the bus? This Windows portable is much more potent than the Valve Steam Deck thanks to an all-new AMD Ryzen Z1 processor, yet mostly stays whisper-quiet. Its screen has a higher resolution and a variable refresh rate, and it runs any PC game you like – not just the ones that get on with Linux.

The ROG Ally is slightly smaller and lighter than the Steam Deck, but slimmer hand-grips do make it less comfortable to hold. The full contingent of inputs at the sides (plus paddles at the rear) are all easily accessed, though – as are handy navigation keys that open Asus’s gaming software. This puts installed games within easy reach, along with the settings, although it feels like a bit of a work in progress.

You won't care once in-game, with 1080p framerates that are often on a par with the Steam Deck's performance even before using AMD's FSR scaling to ease the strain in demanding titles. On mains power, Turbo mode boosts the CPU for even bigger gains.

When you aren't tethered to a plug socket, though, battery life is rather basic: at best we saw 4hrs, and more intense games would drain it in half that. On the plus side, a 65W charger delivers a 50% top-up in under 1hr, even while you're playing.