The Nintendo Switch 2 now costs $499. That's right, the $50 price hike that was announced earlier this year has hit. If you already bought one, congrats! If not, there's still plenty of fun to be had with your original Nintendo Switch.

To help you get the most for your money, I'm sharing the best Labor Day Nintendo Switch deals. Essential games are discounted, and you can also find Switch accessories on sale from $13 at Amazon.

Keep scrolling for all my favorite deals!

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• Turtle Beach Airlite Fit Gaming Headset: was $27 now $17
• PDP Afterglow Wave Wired Controller: was $29 now $24
• Sonic X Shadow Generations: was $49 now $24
• RDS Game Traveler Deluxe Case: was $29 now $26
• Nintendo Switch Sports: was $49 now $37
• Pokémon Legends Z-A: was $59 now $49
• Kirby Air Riders: was $69 now $51
• Nintendo Switch 2: now $499

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As a child, I asked for Hot Wheels any time my birthday came around. I was obsessed with creating loop-the-loops with the orange track sets. I also have vague recollection of playing a Hot Wheels video game on my dad's PC, too, as well as Hot Wheels Jetz where you'd fly planes instead of drive cars. So when Hot Wheels Infinite Rush was announced at the 2026 Summer Game Fest showcase, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

And now, having spent nearly 15 hours playing it on my PS5 Slim, it's everything I'd imagined and more. Hot Wheels Infinite Rush takes a different approach to the franchise — it's gotten the open-world treatment akin to the Forza Horizon games. You're not bound to just races anymore. There are plenty of side quests to do, objects to destroy, and rival cars to claim as your own.

As someone who's not the biggest fan of racing games, Hot Wheels Infinite Rush has me hooked, and it scratches an itch that Forza Horizon can't. It's some of the most fun I've had since the Need for Speed: Carbon days, and if you're wondering whether or not you should play it, trust me: you don't want to miss out on the chaos.

Driving me loopy

As the first fully open-world game in the franchise, Hot Wheels Infinite Rush has knocked it out of the park. When you first boot up the game, you're dropped on to WheelsWood, a bustling metropolis featuring towering skyscrapers and city streets... with a giant King Kong-style gorilla sitting atop the tallest building.

As you progress through the game, you can unlock three other islands, each with its own unique environment — from lush resorts and beaches to deserts with scorching terrain and dirt roads. Unlocking islands is simple, albeit a little time-consuming, as all you need to do is complete a certain number of races on other islands and beat Rush Masters (or island bosses) in 1v1 races.

That sounds like the premise of pretty much every Need for Speed game I remember playing as a teenager, but Hot Wheels Infinite Rush does things a little differently: its open-world is unlike any other I've seen. Orange loop-the-loops tower over you, and with the Track Builder, you can attach modules to the ground, build them around buildings, weave around skyscrapers, anything you want. It's exactly like playing with the actual Hot Wheels cars and track parts.

I love that the game doesn't feel repetitive either. Because each island has its own unique terrain, you must adapt to it by choosing the right vehicle and hone your skills. What works on the dirt road won't necessarily work on tarmac. The variety of challenges is incredible, too. I've enjoyed taking my time to explore each island, finding photo ops, drift trials, and stunt challenges.

A favorite of mine is the Delivery Stunt challenge, where you must drive a pristine car to the dealership and every time you bump against an object, you lose a health point. Though it sounds easy enough, when you've got NPCs racing around like they've got nothing to lose, it becomes extremely tricky.

When you're driving around in your own car, you don't need to worry about damaging it (and ending up with a totaled car) as you would in Forza Horizon or Need for Speed. Hot Wheels are toys, and the game constantly reminds you of that fact when you drive off a cliff's edge at full speed and incur no damage when you hit the ground. Your virtual car even bounces and flops around as your physical toy car would.

Life in the fast lane

But what good is an open-world racing game if it doesn't nail the most basic racing aspects? The races in Hot Wheels Infinite Rush are extremely easy to get hooked on, and they're ridiculously fun. Again, they don't feel repetitive as each environment is different, and each track demands a different type of car. These include Speeders, Drifters, Titans and Versatiles, and each type features a different playstyle.

For instance, Titans use a progressive boost bar; overusing it makes the car less effective and slows it down, so you have to let off the gas just before the bar runs out to keep your speed up. It took me a couple of races each time to get a hang of the different types, but it feels very rewarding once you wrap your head around it.

There are over 150 vehicles to unlock and collect in Hot Wheels Infinite Rush. You can do this by completing races and challenges across the world, but the best way to do it? By challenging Daredevils. These are NPCs roaming around in the open-world, and you can follow them and challenge them to a race. Win the 1v1 race and their car is yours. I can't tell you how much fun it is to hunt down the NPCs and wipe the floor with them.

Swapping between cars can be done quickly at the press of a button, and you can upgrade them, too. Some changes are purely cosmetic, but you can add mods to elevate your drift, nitro boost, handling, and more. Similar to vehicles in Mario Kart World, some upgrades have a detrimental impact on other aspects of your car, so it's fun to find out the combination that works best for you.

The only real issue I have with racing in Hot Wheels Infinite Rush is that the races feel too easy. From the first race itself, I was leaving my opponents in the dust, achieving top spot on the podium with a massive lead every time. While the four types of cars introduce a learning curve, the races themselves don't. Or I'm just too good at the game.

Double, triple, quadruple the fun

Though the majority of my time with Hot Wheels Infinite Rush was spent playing on my own, my partner and I raced together (and against each other) in split-screen co-op, too. You can play with up to three more players on your couch, or partake in online multiplayer with cross-play support.

My partner doesn't consider herself a gamer but she loves playing a simple couch co-op game, and she thoroughly enjoyed Hot Wheels Infinite Rush. She liked how chaotic and destructive it felt, as you can break practically any in-game object with your car, whether that's while free roaming or racing.

She also liked that she didn't have to worry about her car falling to pieces if she drove it headfirst into a building. It's nice to have another two-player racing game in our arsenal alongside Mario Kart World now.

There's a lot to love about Hot Wheels Infinite Rush, and even though I've played it extensively, I'm itching to take to the wheel again. The open-world has been executed beautifully, with stunning toy-like graphics reminiscent of the cars and orange tracks I grew up playing with, and an indestructible car that wrecks everything in its way. The versatility of challenges and collectible vehicles is fantastic, though I wish the game was a little harder.

All in all, though, it's a wheel-y good game, and Hot Wheels Infinite Rush has done something even Forza Horizon has been unable to: make me like racing video games again.

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So while NBA 2K27 is officially the first game to launch with Nvidia’s newly launched DLSS 5, you’ve probably already seen it pop up in hundreds of more games than that. And I’ll say it again just like I said it before — in photorealistic games, it’s fantastic. But If you venture out of that into anything more stylized, it’s going to look weird.

That’s why it makes the world of sense in 2K27, but during my hands-on testing with my Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (armed with an RTX 5070 Ti), I noticed something bizarre. The moment I entered a menu or triggered a replay, it suddenly felt like it was trudging through molasses.

I dug into the raw telemetry data to figure out what was going on, and what I found completely changed my understanding of Nvidia’s “3D-guided neural rendering.” That intensive new graphics pipeline of DLSS 5 may indeed be a graphical revolution — but on my humble laptop (and lower end desktops), I get the sense Frame Generation is a requirement to make it playable.

The laptop I’m playing on

I’m seeing a lot of people test it on massive desktop rigs. I’ll of course get round to doing this when I’m not on my honeymoon (my wife will kill me if I started benchmarking DLSS 5 in Cancun), but first I wanted to show you some numbers on something that isn’t really being covered here — my Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop.

Nvidia’s been talking about how the model running this mode of neural rendering has been made super efficient over the past few months. In fact, when it first debuted, it ran on a separate RTX 5090 desktop GPU; whereas now, it’s able to run on a single card with the game.

So let’s give it a go in a notebook with a lower power level running through those graphics.

By the numbers

To figure out why the game was suddenly stuttering, I ran the telemetry on three different game states with DLSS 5 turned on and off. And as you can see, while the gameplay numbers are very close matching, elsewhere, the difference is pretty significant.

In fact, this kind of lines up with PC Gamer’s report of a 50-60% drop in performance. So what’s going on here? Let’s talk about it.

The heavy cost of the transformer

So why does turning off the new tech triple frame rate in menus and replays? Because DLSS 5 is not just an upscale filter. It is a highly complex transformer model that interacts with the on-screen geometry and injects neural rendering.

Speaking to Nvidia, it’s clear that this AI pipeline is a heavy one, and the answer to why you don’t see that same impact in gameplay is a simple one: Frame Generation.

During live gameplay, I engaged the 6x Frame Generation multiplier to take that slower neurally rendered base and fill the gaps. However, developers typically disable frame gen during static menus, UI-heavy pause screens or camera-cut replays.

You can see how much this first iteration of DLSS 5 is sweating the system by looking at a couple of factors in the gameplay. Yes, the framerate is barely touched, but the 1% Lows takes a dip and the latency is upped quite drastically, as well as the GPU utilization spiking.

In a controller-centric game like NBA 2K27, that’s not necessarily a noticeable hit, but I can imagine that when this in its current form is moved to games that require faster inputs with a keyboard and mouse, it could become more apparent.

Take away the prop of frame generation in menus, and you see the DLSS 5 penalty more realistically on an RTX 5070 Ti laptop GPU.

But it looks incredible

Like I said in my first impressions, when faced with photorealistic graphics, DLSS 5 is undeniably impressive. There is one very specific takeaway when I looked at these “before and after” pairs of screen captures: the core game look is preserved impressively.

DLSS 5 does a flawless job of preserving the game’s visual integrity. The shots of Jalen Brunson and Victor Wembanyama show off the micro-details on the skin and the way the sweat catches the harsh stadium lighting. The upscaler isn’t adding any aggressive smoothing or plastic-looking artifacts — it’s remarkably lifelike.

Then there’s the fabric and material textures. Brunson’s Knicks jersey and the fabric of the couch in the cutscene get an upgrade to show off the stitching more with high-resolution clarity, and without any noticeable AI-induced blurring.

The lighting reacts to on-screen characters more realistically, there isn’t any noticeable AI “fizzing” or ghosting around finer textures like hair — something upscalers have had problems with in the past.

Is this a frame-generated future?

DLSS 5 integration proved to me that the uncanny valley is dead, but it also proves that native frame rates are on their way out with it.

Nvidia themselves keep saying that Moore’s law is dead, and getting crafty with AI is what will bridge that generational gap. That threshold has been crossed — photorealism is getting too heavy for high-end silicon to render natively.

And DLSS 5 proves that future of photorealism isn’t just about rendering better pixels; it’s about accepting that a good chunk of the frames you see on your screen aren’t technically going to be “real” at all.

We’ve been coming to this moment in the PC gaming space for a while now, and it’s also happening on consoles too.

And personally, I have no problem with it if it looks this good — provided it’s used the right way (such as in photorealistic games).

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The new Alienware 16 Area-51 gaming laptop is largely a refresh of last year’s model, but it includes the one feature I wanted: a glare-free OLED panel. Toss in the latest Intel and Nvidia components, along with the otherworldly design, and you have one of the best gaming laptops on the market.

As with 2025’s Alienware 16 Area-51, this gaming laptop has serious flair, thanks to the Liquid Teal finish on the anodized aluminum chassis, which gives it a dark, iridescent sheen that shifts colors under different lighting conditions. The Gorilla Glass window on the bottom lets you see the internal components, while the RGB lighting enhances the laptop’s otherworldly appearance.

You can configure the Alienware 16 Area-51 (from $2,529, $3829 as tested) with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus Arrow Lake Refresh CPU, an Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU, 64GB of RAM, and 12TB of SSD storage. My review unit, with its RTX 5080, Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, and 32GB of RAM, had no issue handling even the most demanding PC games.

The star of the show is the new OLED panel, which provides rich contrast between dark and light elements. The anti-glare does rob the display of some of its luster, but the bright HDR and vibrant colors make up for that. You won’t complain much given how beautiful games look on this 16-inch 240Hz display.

While this laptop is still too bulky for my liking and has worse battery life than the previous model, this is undeniably a powerful gaming laptop with a fetching design like no other. If you have the cash for this beast, you won’t be disappointed. Find out more in my full review of the Alienware 16 Area-51 (2026).

Alienware 16 Area-51 (2026) review: Cheat sheet

• What was it? The Alienware 16 Area-51 is a high-end gaming laptop.
• Who is it for? The Alienware 16 Area-51 is for hardcore gamers who want a machine that can easily play graphically demanding modern games and look good doing it.
• What does it cost? The Alienware 16 Area-51 starts at $2,529 on Dell’s website at the time of writing. This configuration has an Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus CPU, an Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage.
• What do we like? We like the futuristic design, killer performance, and stunning OLED panel.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like the laptop’s bulkiness and poor(er) battery life.

Alienware 16 Area-51 (2026) review: Specs

Alienware 16 Area-51 (2026) review: The ups

The Alienware 16 Area-51 finally features an OLED panel while retaining the best aspects of its predecessor, including the eye-catching design, monstrous performance, and mesmerizing RGB lighting.

Futuristic design

Alienware didn’t change the design here, which is good, since this is still one of the most distinctive gaming laptops on the market. The rounded corners, Liquid Teal finish and RGB lighting on the keyboard deck make you feel like you’re using a laptop from the future. The smooth, sturdy aluminum chassis also feels good to touch and hold.

The model I reviewed came with a Cherry MX ultra-low-profile mechanical keyboard. Thanks to that, I had a great experience typing, as the keys are clicky and have a short travel distance. The touchpad is still relatively small, but it didn’t ruin my flow. I also like that the spacious keyboard deck gave my hands plenty of room to move.

You’ll find the lion’s share of the laptop’s ports on the back, with the 3.5mm headphone jack and an SD card slot located on the left-hand side. There’s a good selection of ports, including three USB-A, two USB-C, and an HDMI port. It’s not always easy to connect and reconnect peripherals when the laptop’s lid is open, but if you always keep everything connected, then it shouldn’t be an issue.

Powerful gaming performance

The Alienware 16 Area-51 I reviewed is purpose-built for high-end gaming performance, thanks to powerful components such as its Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 laptop GPU, and 32GB of RAM. If you want to play games at native resolution with high graphics settings, you won’t be disappointed.

At native resolution and default graphics settings, with frame generation disabled and the laptop’s performance mode enabled, I got Cyberpunk 2077 to generally run at around 110 frames per second. This includes both walking and driving. Frame rates dipped into the low 90s in some of the denser downtown areas, but it’s hard to complain about a game running at 90 fps.

Using a game’s built-in benchmarking tool, we saw impressive results when we tested the laptop in our lab. At native resolution and maximum graphical settings, with the laptop’s performance mode disabled, Cyberpunk 2077 ran at 38 fps—certainly lower than when I ran it with performance mode on and at default graphics settings. Other titles, such as Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Doom: The Dark Ages, ran much better under these same conditions.

The Alienware 16 Area-51 also fared well against competing laptops with better specs. This includes the Razer Blade 16, which has a more powerful RTX 5090 GPU, and the Asus Zephyrus G16, which has the same CPU and GPU but double the RAM.

Even with frame-boosting DLSS disabled, you can still enjoy extremely high frame rates with performance mode enabled and medium-to-high graphics settings. You’ll get fantastic performance out of the box thanks to the Alienware 16’s powerful components.

Vivid OLED display

This is the big update for the Alienware 16 Area-51, and it’s a welcome one, as the lack of an OLED panel on last year’s model was one of its few setbacks. Now, games look as glorious as they perform, making the overall experience even better.

A game like Cyberpunk 2077 literally shines on this 16-inch OLED panel. The contrast between dark and light elements helps the colorful neon signs and holograms really pop out during the in-game night cycle. The scorching sun during the day is also impressive, with dark shadows contrasting nicely against the daylight.

The model I reviewed has an anti-glare screen that effectively reduces glare from light sources. While that’s a plus, it can also make the overall image look less vibrant than on a glossy screen. This is a minor setback, and one I can overlook since I’d rather have an anti-glare screen than not.

How did the Alienware 16’s display perform in our lab tests? As you can see above, it has strong color reproduction (sRGB and DCI-P3) and solid color accuracy (Delta-E). Hues are somewhat oversaturated, which benefits games like Cyberpunk 2077. SDR and HDR brightness are also good for an OLED panel.

Games run buttery smooth thanks to the fast 240Hz refresh rate. I didn’t encounter any stuttering or flickering during testing. The response time is now 0.2ms, which is much lower than last year’s model’s 3ms. Granted, you likely won’t notice a major difference unless you’re a competitive gamer, but the lower response time will benefit you regardless.

Fun RGB lighting

Like last year’s model, this Alienware 16 laptop has some seriously impressive RGB lighting. And I don’t say that lightly since I’m not typically an RGB fan. But the way it’s implemented here complements this laptop’s unique design.

The Gorilla Glass bottom allows the RGB lighting to cast an underglow. And this same lighting also spills out through the top of the keyboard deck. As before, I haven’t seen other gaming laptops match this effect.

Naturally, you can customize the lighting effects however you prefer via the Alienware Commander Center app. The app is easy to use if you just want to use presets, but it’s also very granular for more in-depth fine-tuning.

Alienware 16 Area-51 (2026) review: The downs

Though the Alienware 16 Area-51 has a lot going for it, it has some noticeable drawbacks.

Poor battery life

I never expect gaming laptops to have stellar battery life, as they’re usually lacking in that area. The Alienware 16 Area-51 is no different, except that it actually runs out of juice faster than last year’s model.

In our testing, Alienware’s gaming laptop lasted an hour and two minutes on the PCMark 10 gaming benchmark and three and a half hours while surfing the internet. That’s about an hour less on both tests than before, which is a bummer.

You’re likely going to keep the laptop plugged in for better performance, so battery life won’t be an issue in that instance. However, if you plan to use this laptop on the go, don’t expect it to last as long as you’d need it to.

Cumbersome to carry

There’s no denying that the Alienware 16 Area-51 is an attractive laptop thanks to its unique design. Unfortunately, the main downside is that at 14.37 x 11.41 x 1.12 inches and 7.92 pounds, it’s not exactly portable. Yes, you can take it with you, and it will fit in a standard backpack, but you’ll feel it.

I typically take the laptops I’m reviewing home, but because of this notebook’s weight, I kept it at the office throughout the entire testing process. I also kept it in one of our lab rooms because even carrying it around the office isn’t pleasant.

Granted, the laptop’s weight won’t be an issue if you’re not going to travel with it and mainly plan to have it as your primary at-home computer. But if you want to take it on the road, then I suggest you build some muscle first.

Alienware 16 Area-51 (2026) review: Verdict

While the Alienware 16 Area-51 is mostly a refresh of the previous model, the inclusion of an OLED panel is a significant addition that makes an already fantastic gaming laptop even better. Thanks to that, it’s hard not to recommend this laptop to anyone willing to spend top dollar for a high-end gaming experience.

Alternatives like the Razer Blade 16 and Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 are solid choices if the Alienware’s design is too outlandish, though you’ll still pay a similar price for both. So given that, why not go for a gaming laptop with a truly unique design?

As with its predecessor, the Alienware 16 Area-51 comes with my highest recommendation. Forgive the cliché, but it truly is out of this world.

Look, I’m one to admit when I have an obsession. But it’s a perfectly healthy one, and anyone who knows me would describe me as an “Alien” superfan. I spend most of my time browsing for merch online (you can never have enough), rewatching the films, or playing a game set in this incredible universe. That obsession has obviously led me to play the newest game in the franchise, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, a co-op shooter that sees you teaming up with other players to battle hordes of Xenomorphs. As a huge fan, this is my idea of a good time.

The first Aliens: Fireteam Elite arrived in 2021 as a co-op third-person shooter focused on three-player squads battling Xenomorphs across a series of intense missions. The sequel expands that formula with four-player co-op, new classes, weapons and smarter enemies. The 15-mission solo campaign takes the Marines to LV-558 to investigate a deadly outbreak. The developers said they wanted to make sure the new enemies still felt authentically “Alien,” with art director Nicholas Stohlman explaining that the team worked closely with 20th Century to hone in on “what makes an alien feel like an alien.”

Since launching just over a week ago, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 has been met with some pretty middling reviews, particularly around its performance and gameplay. After spending a few hours back in this world, I can see where some of the criticism comes from, but there’s plenty I’m not ready to agree with.

The biggest threat isn’t the Xenomorphs, it’s repetition

When I first heard that Aliens: Fireteam Elite was getting a sequel, I was a little unsure. The first game was a blast, and it’s something my dad and I completed together, battling Xenomorphs across several missions to finish the story. For me, it was great being able to step into this world without fearing for my life or sweating buckets like Alien: Isolation (incredible game) would have me doing, and instead appreciate the game’s homage to the film “Aliens,” from its creature design to its environments. But the first game only offered so much in terms of gameplay, and Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is essentially the same experience, just revamped.

Compared with the first game, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 sticks closely to the same co-op shooter formula but expands it in a few key ways. You can now squad up with four players, while new and improved classes, the customizable Specialist class, smarter Xenomorphs, deeper weapon customization and an updated Horde mode add some variety. The story’s also different, taking players to LV-558 to investigate a mysterious distress signal from a mining facility. Across 15 campaign missions, you’ll battle Xenomorphs and other threats while uncovering what happened to the colony.

While there are some newer features, like class abilities with different playstyles and weapons, as well as Xenomorph types like the Exploder and Siren, this still very much feels like the same game. In fact, I’m surprised they didn’t just update the previous game by adding more missions and content, because Fireteam Elite 2 sadly doesn’t do enough to justify being a full sequel. That’s one of the early criticisms I agree with, as the missions ultimately follow the same loop: move through corridors, shoot enemies, reach an arena, survive waves, interact with an objective, then repeat.

That’s what makes the $49.99 price point a little painful. Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 recycles much of the original formula while throwing in some extras and, to give it credit, making the visuals look much prettier and cleaner.

The campaign itself doesn’t offer quite as much excitement as I was hoping for, with the repetitive mission structure making some sections feel like they’re simply there to get you from one Xenomorph encounter to the next. Most of the excitement comes from the hordes themselves, especially when you’re suddenly surrounded and scrambling to keep them at bay.

But in the midst of all this, I still ended up having a great time. Yes, the game is essentially the same as the first in terms of its gameplay and mechanics, but as an “Alien” superfan, I couldn’t help but be immersed anyway. The reworked classes and Specialist system allow you to build your character around different abilities, while the perk system gives you plenty of room to fine tune your loadout.

The progression is another strong selling point, particularly if you’re someone who enjoys the grind. Upgrading weapons, improving your classes and unlocking cosmetics gives you plenty to work toward, making the game much more appealing to completionists who want to squeeze every last bit of content out of it.

One criticism I disagree with, based on my PC experience, is the technical bugs and constant crashes. Thankfully, during my playthrough, I didn’t really encounter any major issues, other than dead Xenomorphs sometimes getting stuck or morphing into the floor, but nothing that actually affected my gameplay. I know bugs are dependent on your platform and can vary from player to player, so I can only speak from my own experience, but Fireteam Elite 2 ran surprisingly well for me. That was made even better by the fact that the game looks stunning, the shooting feels smooth, and everything came together like a perfectly timed Xenomorph ambush.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 still hits that sweet spot for ‘Alien’ fans

I know I’ve mostly focused on how Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is repetitive and too similar to its predecessor. But, because it’s still a well-crafted game with plenty of Xenomorph mayhem (and cleaner visuals that make its beautiful environments stand out), I can easily forgive its unoriginal formula. One thing I should mention is that I played some of the campaign with bots, meaning all three of my squadmates were AI controlled, and honestly, they surprised me. They were so effective that I barely needed reviving, and the experience was almost as efficient as playing alongside real people, which is pretty ironic given they’re Androids.

Perhaps that’s ultimately what Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 does best. It isn’t the campaign that kept me playing, it’s the simple joy of gearing up, choosing my class and diving into another Xenomorph infested mission with a squad. The story may not be particularly memorable, but the moment to moment combat is chaotic, satisfying and undeniably fun, especially when I managed to survive a massive swarm.

For me, though, one of the biggest draws is simply how much it feels like “Aliens.” The industrial environments, Colonial Marine gear, weapons and hordes of Xenomorphs all capture that familiar aesthetic I love about the franchise. It might not be doing anything revolutionary, but there’s something incredibly satisfying about stepping into that world and feeling like a Colonial Marine for a few hours. Put a pulse rifle in my hands and a Xenomorph horde in front of me, and apparently I’m very easy to please.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

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Our hands-on session with the Acer Predator Atlas 8 at Computex 2026 left us quite impressed. And now, at IFA 2026, Acer is bringing much of that same experience to a smaller handheld with the new Predator Atlas 7.

Acer's idea with the Predator Atlas 7 is pretty simple: push Intel's Arc G3 Extreme to... the extreme, while offering the same flagship handheld performance in a more compact 7-inch form factor.

The Atlas 7 is noticeably easier to hold than its bigger sibling, while still feeling sturdy and premium in the hand. Interestingly, though, it doesn't feel dramatically lighter than the Atlas 8.

And (thankfully) there's a good reason for that: Acer has somehow managed to squeeze in the same massive 80Wh battery in the Atlas 7 that we saw with the Atlas 8.

Considering there's now a smaller display to power, I'm particularly interested to see what that does for battery life. Handheld gaming PCs aren't exactly known for lasting very long away from a charger, so keeping that 80Wh battery could turn out to be one of the Atlas 7's biggest advantages.

Speaking of the display, you're getting a 7-inch 1080p IPS panel with a 16:9 aspect ratio and support for up to a 120Hz refresh rate. There is Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support as well, and Acer has also used Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on top of the display, giving the handheld some added protection against everyday scratches and accidental drops.

The Predator Atlas 7 will be available in two configurations, powered by either Intel's Arc G3 or the more powerful Arc G3 Extreme. You will be able to configure it with up to 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of storage.

Acer is also putting considerable effort into keeping temperatures under control. Inside, you'll find one Predator AeroBlade metal fan working alongside a second plastic fan to cool the handheld.

I got to play Forza Horizon 6 on the Atlas 7, and on its default settings, the handheld ran the game without any noticeable lag or major hiccups. I then pushed the graphics settings all the way up, and that's where I started noticing a few dropped frames and occasional stutters.

That's not particularly surprising, especially considering the unit I tried isn't running final hardware and software yet. But for a handheld this compact, the performance was still pretty impressive, and once again shows just how capable the Arc G3 Extreme can be inside a PC gaming handheld.

The port selection is pretty good for a handheld this size, too. You get two Thunderbolt 4 ports along the top, alongside a microSD card slot and 3.5mm headphone jack, with the power and volume controls also positioned around the top edge.

And thankfully, even though the Atlas 7 will presumably come in at a lower price than the Atlas 8, Acer hasn't removed one of my favorite little touches from the bigger model. The joysticks still have RGB lighting around them, which looks particularly cool in person and gives the handheld a little more personality than the usual plain black joysticks.

The Acer Predator Atlas 7 is expected to arrive in the U.S. sometime this fall, although Acer hasn't announced pricing just yet.

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The Stealth Pro II is the flagship gaming headset from Turtle Beach, intended to compete with the heavy hitters from Razer, SteelSeries and Audeze. The crème de la crème are getting pricey now, with all the manufacturers above asking several hundred dollars for their very best gaming headsets.

The Stealth Pro II is no different, and hella pricey by objective standards, but actually comes in a little cheaper than some of its competition. It also offers excellent sound; an attractive, premium design; zero downtime battery; plus customization via a solid companion app. So could this be a fantastic balanced alternative to the main ultra-premium players?

As long as you don’t mind fairly weak ANC and a slightly tight clamp force! Find out more in my full Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II review.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A premium flagship gaming headset from Turtle Beach
• Who is it for? Competitive gamers and those who value sound quality
• What does it cost? $349 / £299
• What do we like? The sound, mic, companion app, styling and build, base station and zero downtime battery system
• What don’t we like? The ANC is a little weak, and I found the headset a tad clampy

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II review: Specs

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II review: The ups

There’s a lot to love about the Stealth Pro II. Sound quality is excellent, there’s a useful companion app, a super clear mic, and a handy base station for ‘zero downtime’ battery life. It’s also moderately priced versus competition.

Excellent sound quality

The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II’s biggest strength is its sound quality. It uses a coaxial driver setup, with a 60mm woofer and separate tweeter in each earcup. This, in theory, gives better clarity and more separation between higher and lower frequencies, as each driver can focus on its own job. Connectivity-wise, there’s 24-bit/96kHz high resolution data/sampling rates over 2.4G, so this is a true hi-res headset, akin to the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni / Elite and Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC.

The sound is super spacious with exceptional clarity up top and very strong imaging (this lets you pinpoint noises to a specific point). This naturally benefits competitive gameplay, letting me hear the location of enemy cues like footsteps or reloads in my test FPS games: Counter Strike 2 and Isonzo. It was also handy for stealthy games like Sniper Elite: Resistance, where I could again hear and locate even the quietest tapping of enemy footsteps. And it was ideal for immersion, giving three-dimensionality to sounds and effects in the campaign and battles of Total War: Rome II.

There’s also Dolby Atmos (DA) support, so you can benefit from that codec in games that use it for surround sound. But even without DA, the sound is impressively spatial.

Tonal separation and mid-range clarity are really excellent, too. Each of the instruments and layers of the beautiful Rome II soundtrack sounded isolated yet cohesive — the panpipes, the atmospheric flutes, the drums, the horns, all occupied their own distinct space.

And thanks to that hefty 60mm main driver, there’s plenty of bass performance, giving strong, impactful artillery explosions in Isonzo. Bass response is not quite as nicely controlled as on the Arctis Nova Pro Omni or Elite, and you don’t get anywhere near the tightness of the Maxwell 2’s low-end. I noticed a little bit of booming and muddying at times, too, but it was nothing major, and generally, I loved listening to games and music on the Stealth Pro II.

Listen along to my audio testing playlist on Qobuz, our favorite music streaming service for audiophiles.

Useful companion app

Complementing the Stealth Pro II’s sound is an equally strong companion app, which gives you access to a full custom EQ, as well as EQ presets and a (cringe) “Superhuman hearing” mode — essentially some EQ presets to enhance things like footsteps.

There’s not the same enormous range of presets as on the SteelSeries GG app, with its hundreds-strong library of per-game EQs. But there’s still more than enough control in Swarm II to get the most out of your game audio.

In the app, you can also control the microphone EQ, update the headset and (my favorite aspect) change the control assignments to customize how the headset operates. So useful!

Multipoint connectivity

The Stealth Pro II offers multipoint connectivity. You can hook up two devices over 2.4G out of the box, using the base station and included USB dongle. You can also buy more dongles (the carry case even comes with a spare dongle slot) to connect to even more, up to four devices.

If that weren’t enough, you can also connect over Bluetooth simultaneously. I found this a little annoying, though, as the headset doesn’t mute game sounds to prioritize Bluetooth if, for example, you get a call or need to take a work meeting while gaming (which, as you can imagine, happens a lot in my job). You just have both going on at once, and the sidetone dial didn't work to fix this. It’s not a huge issue, but I like that the Nova Pro Omni and Maxwell 2 prioritize Bluetooth in those scenarios.

Super clear mic

The Stealth Pro II uses a unidirectional mic that’s “floating,” meaning it’s suspended on rubber spokes to eliminate vibration. Turtle Beach says this gives exceptional clarity, although in fairness it’s just a great mic anyway, floating or otherwise.

Headset mics, even flagship ones, usually disappoint, so I was very surprised at the cleanness and airiness of voice recordings. There was arguably a little too much clarity, as I started to pick up on some of my inherent lispy and sibilant qualities — but there’s no denying how clean and noise-free the recordings were, especially using the ‘clarity’ mic EQ.

There’s environmental noise reduction, but being a unidirectional mic, that isn’t really needed — the mic only picks up sound from your mouth anyway. I recorded test clips with my window open to a very busy and loud road. Even with noise reduction off, I couldn’t hear the road in any recordings.

Stealthy, grown-up design

Turtle Beach gear is very often styled a little ‘gamer-y’ for my tastes. Even the pricey stuff is typically a bit garish for me, like the $200 Turtle Beach Command KB7 we tested before this headset. So I was pleasantly surprised by how grown up the Stealth Pro II feels. The eponymous, stealthy, blacked-out look means it won’t seem out of place in any setup — whether you’re an RGB-clad unicorn puke kinda person, or an anti-RGBer like me.

I definitely prefer the look of the Stealth Pro II to the chunky Maxwell 2 ANC, and I’d say it edges the Arctis Nova Pro Omni and Elite (although there’s not much in it). For sheer prettiness, the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro and Fractal Design Scape still win out for me, but naturally this is all highly subjective.

Premium build, too

The Stealth Pro II looks and feels like a premium headset, too (as it should, given the price). The brushed metal earcup plates, gunmetal earcup carriers, matte black rubberized headband and mesh padding all scream quality.

Again, there’s very little between all the flagships here. You’ll find a touch of extra finesse and attention to detail on the Fractal Design Scape and BlackShark V3 Pro, but there’s seriously not much in it. The Maxwell 2 ANC feels as sturdy as they come, sure, but that’s mainly because it weighs a frankly preposterous 1.2lbs — it’s like comparing supercars to a dump truck. I’d say the Stealth Pro II feels a tad sturdier than the Arctis Nova Elite / Pro Omni, though. But did I mention there isn’t much in it?

Handy base station

Man, I love me a base station. The Stealth Pro II’s is perhaps rather basic versus the Arctis Nova base station, which bundles a DAC for hi-res wireless, a multipoint USB-C hub, an EQ interface, a settings menu and a battery charging dock.

But hey, the Stealth Pro II’s base station is still super handy, facilitating wireless hi-res audio and battery charging for no downtime (more on this later). I love the simplistic status lights, too. The outer light shows you the audio sample rate and/or mic mute status, while the inner light around the battery eject button displays the current charge of the docked power cell.

By contrast, the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC and Razer BlackShark V3 Pro only come with a 2.4G dongle — and the Razer’s was particularly annoying in testing.

'Zero-downtime' battery

The Stealth Pro II is rated for up to 20 hours on a single charge by Turtle Beach, ANC off. This is ostensibly a little weak. The BlackShark V3 Pro is rated for up to 70 hours, while even the power-hungry Maxwell 2 ANC manages 40 hours without ANC.

However, from my testing, I think Turtle Beach is being a little conservative. After around 18 hours of use with ANC on, I still had around 65% left — partly, this is because the headset is really loud, meaning I only ran it at around 30% volume to hear everything and be comfortable. That saves juice.

Just like SteelSeries’ Arctis Nova headsets, though, the important factor is that the Stealth Pro II is a zero downtime headset. Its second battery charges in the base station as you play, meaning no meaningful downtime when gaming near the base station.

Competitively priced

It’d be remiss of me not to clarify here that the Stealth Pro II is objectively rather expensive at $349 / £299. That said, it offers comparable performance and build quality to all its rivals, despite sitting in the middle of them all.

It’s cheaper than the $399 Arctis Nova Pro Omni and especially the $599 Elite, while offering comparatively strong sound quality. Its mic is just as good as the $449 Maxwell 2 ANC, and it’s a hell of a lot lighter and more breathable, even if it can’t match the sheer sound quality of Audeze’s planar drivers. Yet it’s cheaper than all the above.

The Stealth Pro II’s biggest foil is the $249 Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, which looks a little more premium and offers better ANC for around $100 less. But the Razer lacks the Stealth Pro II’s ‘zero downtime’ battery system and handy base station, and uses the Synapse companion software, which I like a whole lot less than Swarm II (to put it mildly).

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II review: The downs

It ain’t perfect, though. The Stealth Pro II’s biggest letdown for me was its ANC, which let through a lot of sound it shouldn’t. I also found the headset a little too clampy, although mileage may vary based on your head shape.

A little too clampy for me

I'll caveat this section by saying I found the Stealth Pro II mostly very comfortable. The earcups are super thick and padded, not to mention breathable. There's a layer of foam covering the drivers so even if your ears stick out, they won't rub against the plastic driver housing. And the mesh headband padding is a marvel — it’s supportive, light, breathable and effortlessly comfy.

Unfortunately, the headset is a little too clampy for me, though. After a few hours using it, I started to feel pressure on my temples and experience headaches. In fairness, this may reduce over time as the headset flexes, and mileage will vary based on the shape of your head. I’ve got a moderately large noggin, so ye of average headsize may be just fine.

Disappointing ANC

My biggest grip with the Stealth Pro II is its ANC. It has it, and it works to some extent, but it’s really rather poor versus rivals. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni and Elite, while their ANC isn’t perfect (and certainly doesn’t live up to the claims it can drown out a helicopter), performed much better than the Stealth Pro II in the same test. The Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC, meanwhile, is in a different league, as is the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro.

The Stealth Pro II, tested in my home office with traffic outside, let through substantial amounts of traffic noise. It also let through voices, keyboard sounds, mouse clicks, and chairs moving across the floor. It’s better than no ANC, but I wouldn’t recommend buying this headset if immersive and isolating ANC is your chief priority.

What’s that… smell?

Here’s a weird one: I’ve never had to say this about a headset before, but my Stealth Pro II smells bad. Like really bad. Of smoke or burning or something carcinogenic. It’s as though it was QC’d in a room where someone smokes 80-a-day… for a week.

I’m not sure whether this is to do with the materials used or the manufacturing process, or both. But it’s bad enough to be noticeable when holding the headset, and even when wearing it sometimes. At times it made me feel a little nauseous.

I’ve reached out to Turtle Beach’s representative to see why this may be. They’ve confirmed it was an issue with some pre-production models, but I’ve arranged a replacement full production unit to confirm it’s a one-off. I’ll update this review accordingly.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II review: Verdict

The Stealth Pro II is a really strong flagship offering from Turtle Beach. The sound quality is impressive, as is the mic, and I love the array of super useful features, from the handy companion app to the base station and ‘zero downtime’ battery. For Xbox and PC gamers, this is a highly commendable choice.

But it’s not perfect. The ANC system isn't quite up to scratch with the best in the biz, although that’s my only major issue. I found it a little clampy, but that’s really an anatomical roll of the dice, and my headset smelled rather weird, which is likely an isolated manufacturing issue. Given this headset comes in at a cool $50 cheaper than its chief rival, the Nova Pro Omni, they’re definitely things I can forgive.

Things have been busy over at the NYT's puzzle department. A day after announcing they're bringing new puzzles to subscribers we get another devious Wordle answer for September 3. If it's got you reaching for today's Wordle hint, I don't blame you.

According to our own in-house Wordle expert, today's answer is 'unusual' for the very reason that it starts with a letter you hardly ever find at the front of a word. That's enough to trip up a lot of people and according to the New York Times' WordleBot, the average player completes Wordle #1,902 in 4.3 moves for easy mode, or 4.2 if playing by hard rules.

If you need help protecting your streak, then you can jump over to find today’s Wordle hint here. But in the meantime, let's take a look at why today's answer is so tricky and if you can't take it anymore, I'll reveal the full answer (with a spoiler warning) down below.

What makes today’s Wordle answer so difficult?

Even the New York Times itself called today's answer "moderately challenging", which is probably a bit of an understatement. But if you've already taken a couple of tries at today's puzzle, you're going to run into a few hurdles designed to trip you up.

Let's look at what makes today's Wordle hint such a doozy.

• Uncommon first letter: As mentioned above, the starting letter for today's answer is one of the least frequently used starting letters in five-letter words. In fact, there are only 20 possible words that begin with this letter.
• The rhyme trap: Today's answer may start with a tricky letter, but the rest of the word follows a pattern that matches with several other rhyming words. Players locking in the last four letters will easily burn through further guesses trying to make it work.
• Specialized vocabulary: It's fair to say that today's word isn't one you're likely to come across in general conversation. It's almost a piece of technical jargon that you wouldn't know about unless you're familiar with the particular industry it's used in.
• Best start words aren't much help: If you're using one of the best Wordle start words, you may miss two of the crucial letters entirely. The vowel combo in today's answer is an uncommon pairing that occurs less often in five-letter words. Like the starting letter, it's going to make it tough to guess.

September 3’s Wordle answer

So, what’s the answer to today’s Wordle #1,902?

…Are you sure you want to know before I give it away?

Ok, the answer to today’s Wordle is “JOIST”.

If you've never been a fan of architecture or had the pleasure of remodeling a house, it's understandable you may not know this word. It's a horizontal structural beam used in building construction. In fact, in my own experience, I've just heard them referred to as RSJs (rolled steel joists) due to the H-shape of the beam used for support.

According to the Merriam-Webster definition, a joist is "any of the small timbers or metal beams ranged parallel from wall to wall in a structure to support a floor or ceiling."

Social media reacts

Unsurprisingly, players have taken to X/Twitter to share their experiences with today's answer.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best Wordle start words to help you keep your streak
• Check out all the latest puzzles and quizzes handcrafted by Tom's Guide
• Today's Wordle hint

I miss netbooks. There, I said it.

In the late 2000s, Asus Eee PCs and Acer Aspire Ones took over the world. They were ultra-portable and fundamentally awful to use — sluggish Intel Atom chips and zero hope of running 3D games. But damn, I loved them.

Then I walked up to Project DualPlay Mini on the IFA 2026 show floor, and it felt like stepping into an alternate timeline where the netbook grew up and went to the gym.

Because while everyone is racing to copy the Steam Deck, Acer’s 8-inch concept is reviving the lost art of the netbook. It’s a dedicated handheld console when you want to lounge on the train, and an actual clamshell laptop when you need to type an email or play a classic shooter.

Put simply, I’ve seen a lot of prototypes come and go where I thought, “this is cool, but nothing people will actually buy.” This is the first time I’ve looked at something and openly begged a company to release it.

Flip, swivel and play

So let’s get into it, shall we? In its traditional handheld form, it looks weird with its protruding sides. But it's still comfortable to play games on.

But the central focal point is that flip-and-swivel display. The central hinge feels fundamentally stable, and the display flips with a smooth, gracious ease to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard — not big enough to rewrite War and Peace, but definitely enough for the daily essentials and expanding your game collection beyond just controller-preferred titles on the go.

And that 8-inch touchscreen display manages to hit that golden ratio: large enough to display Windows 11 UI elements and game HUDs without squinting, but small enough to maintain that handheld (and netbook) balance.

Also, shout-out to the small details too. Legacy is important, and with Acer celebrating its 50th anniversary, you’ll find “Acer 50 since 1976” embossed in Morse code on the rear cover to celebrate its golden jubilee.

The big friction test

Since this is an 8-inch device, we have to address the physical limitations. The keyboard is smaller than other full QWERTYs. It's still sizable enough not to be just a thumb-typing tool, and you'll get a comfortable feel for the WASD when playing a first-person shooter.

In handheld mode, the keys fold right back in, and you’re back to gaming mode with all the same ergonomic comfort you’d expect from the best handheld gaming consoles in 2026. But wait, what about the lack of a touchpad?

You do have to rely on touchscreen Windows, which can be hit-and-miss, but not the end of the world. If Acer wanted to go truly crazy with this, a ThinkPad-style optical track nub would’ve been God mode for them. But with that touch panel up top, I found myself quickly getting into that flow of tapping and typing.

Serious power in a tiny shell

Performance-wise, Acer can only say it has an “Intel chip,” but given what I was able to get out of it (100 FPS on Forza Horizon 6 with XeSS3), I’m inclined to believe it’s an Arc G3 Extreme.

That’s maintained with rear dual-fan active cooling borrowed from the Predator Atlas 8, and the result is a massive contrast to the 2008 netbook experience and today. This tiny chassis has the thermal headroom to run full Windows 11 and AAA games — not just a single browser tab.

Will Acer actually sell this?

So here’s the bad news. Acer explicitly labeled DualPlay Mini as an “innovation concept,” while launching the standard Predator Atlas 7 alongside it.

But if you’re loud enough, companies will bend.

The gaming handheld market has become dangerously boring, with every brand releasing identical plastic slates. Project DualPlay Mini proves that form-factor experimentation isn’t dead, and it’s actually cool as hell.

Acer shouldn’t leave this in the R&D lab; the audience that loved netbooks — and the PC gamers who want a true all-in-one travel machine — are ready to buy it. I can feel it in my bones.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the $1,299 ROG Xbox Ally X20 — with that OLED display, the $300 price hike is surprisingly palatable
• Forget Framework — I just popped open Acer's new modular laptop and it could be the end of throwaway PCs
• I tested 6 RTX Spark laptops for gaming — and the winner completely shocked me

There are no two ways about it, the HP Omen 35L is the gaming PC I've always wanted. Effortlessly stylish with RGB lighting aplenty, stacked with power to play the latest AAA PC games and smart enough to be easily upgradable for future needs. I just hope that's enough to convince my wallet it's a worthy purchase.

As you may know by now, the RAM crisis isn't making PC purchases any easier, and it's certainly affected HP's latest mid-tower gaming PC. Last year's HP Omen 35L would have set you back $1,299 at its entry-level configuration. This year? It's starting at $2,079. Ouch.

But the HP Omen 35L has an edge to make it all the more appealing at this price: easy upgradeability. Starting with an RTX 5060 Ti rig and want to make the jump to an RTX 5070 Ti GPU in the future? Simply open up its side glass panel (no tools required) and you can swap out parts to your heart's content. Yup, that's all there is to it. For a pre-built gaming PC, that's an impressive prospect to invest in.

It also helps that the Omen 35L runs a smooth, quiet operation even when put under pressure, and that says a lot when you're driving through Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 at max settings. The HP Omen 35L is one of the best gaming PCs I've tested, even with its bloatware nuisances. Is it the right choice for you? Let's dive into the review.

HP Omen 35L review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The HP Omen 35L is a mid-range, upgradeable gaming PC.
• Who is it for? PC gamers, content creators and anyone looking for a powerful tower that can be upgraded in the future.
• What does it cost? The HP Omen 35L is priced from $2,079 at the HP store for its base configuration, going up to an eye-watering $6,999 at its highest configuration (I suggest keeping the price down).
• What do we like? The well-built, fully upgradeable design, excellent performance for the latest AAA games, plentiful ports and fantastic cooling for whisper-quiet performance.
• What don’t we like? Unless you find a deal, this is a wildly expensive gaming PC, and bloatware gets in the way.

HP Omen 35L review: Specs

HP Omen Max 35L review: The ups

From the moment I took the HP Omen 35L out of its box, it's been a seamless, gratifying experience. A pristine design paired with powerful internals makes for some very satisfying gaming sessions.

Designed for the future

Pre-built PCs are a popular choice for anyone who wants to get straight to the joys of PC gaming without having to source their own parts to build a PC themselves, especially in these trying times for RAM. The HP Omen 35L is one of the more smartly designed pre-builds around, both in looks and practicality.

Coming in a subtle yet stunning all-black aluminum chassis, the Omen 35L is a beauty to have sitting on your desk. From its RGB-lit dual-fan array at the front spinning in multi-color patterns (that's completely customizable) to its clear glass panel showing off its impressive internals, it's a gorgeous piece of tech to look at.

Mostly because of its simplicity, too. Don't expect a jumble of screws, slots or mechanisms here, just a tool-less design that allows you to remove panels by simply loosening screws with your hands.

Don't fret, as the frame is still well built and sturdy, but it's equally as simple to take its walls off to tinker and swap out components inside. That's what makes the HP Omen 35L somewhat future-proof, as you can head in to change its GPU, RAM slots, fans and more when you see fit. Now, does anyone know how big GPUs will be down the line? I don't! But in the meantime, you can put the latest components in to your liking.

This isn't unlike the Omen 35L's pricier sibling, the HP Omen Max 45L. It is far more compact and lighter, though, coming in at 8.2 x 16 x 16.1 inches and weighing 31.9 pounds (the 45L is nearly double the size and weight). What this is more like is the Quoted Tech Frontier, being more of a mid-size tower that's not too heavy or big to carry around and make space for on a desk.

No, its design won't blow you away with its sheer detail, like this ridiculous 353-pound desktop, nor will it grab your attention every time you walk into a room. But that's the point. The Omen 35L is a subtly beautiful block of tech. Oh, but the tunable RGB-lit fans and RAM sticks give it that sprinkle of charm.

Performance for the latest

While it isn't the best GPU around, I've been perfectly happy playing on Nvidia's RTX 5070 GPU on my usual gaming PC. Bumping this up to an RTX 5070 Ti on the HP Omen 35L has shown me just how much I can get out of a graphics card with 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM, especially when it comes to adding path tracing while getting smoother frame rates. Throw in the highly capable AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD, and there's plenty you can get out of this dekstop.

As you might expect, I was able to browse the web with 30 Chrome tabs open, watch YouTube videos in the background and listen to tunes without any signs of this PC slowing down. That's what I'd expect for a PC at this price, but even with its lower configurations that are more forgiving to your wallet, this PC ekes out extra power with what it has thanks to its cooling (more on that later).

The HP Omen 35L can hold its own compared to its rivals, and it isn't even so massively behind its bigger sibling, the HP Omen Max 45L, when it comes to raw power. Utilizing the might of AMD's popular Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor, it offers plenty of horsepower in both general tasks and multitasking. Expect to edit 4K videos and work on 3D creative content here, and breeze through any kind of everyday productivity as I did.

So, what about its gaming chops? Being able to play games like Cyberpunk 2077, Doom: The Dark Ages, Resident Evil: Requiem, Marathon and plenty more in 4K with smooth frame rates is hugely satisfying, and jumping down to 1440p to get even higher frame rates for more competitive play gives me the freedom of playing the way I want without much trouble. Calling this a mid-range tower isn't doing it justice, as it isn't too far away from the power-hungry juggernaut desktops that cost a fortune.

Without Nvidia DLSS 4.5 with frame generation involved, the HP Omen 35L model I tested was able to hit high frame rates in some of the most demanding gaming around in 4K at maxed-out settings. Reaching 50 fps in Doom: The Dark Ages is impressive, and even going past 30 fps in Black Myth: Wukong in Cinematic Mode is a triumph.

Of course, I wouldn't generally play games this way, so hitting DLSS 4.5 meant seeing frame rates jump to over 120 fps, and well past 200 fps when switching to 1440p and 1080p gameplay. Even switching to the Ultra Performance setting in Doom saw frame rates skyrocket to 300 FPS.

What it won't hit the ceiling that RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 rigs reach, it's not that far behind. Besides, if you do want the extra firepower (once prices are manageable again, someday), the HP Omen 35L has all the potential for upgrades. But for what it offers as it stands, this gaming PC brings the heat.

Pleasantly quiet

After reviewing many gaming laptops being pushed to their limits, you get used to the very loud whirring of fans trying to keep these rigs cool, along with a "is that a jet engine about to take off?" comment from someone passing by. That's not the case with the HP Omen 35L, thankfully.

HP uses its own Omen components for this desktop, including Omen case fans with ring blade fan designs designed for better airflow and to minimize noise, and an Omen cooling system consisting of AIO Liquid Cooling. This combination, along with five RGB fans pointing out the front, top and rear, makes this gaming PC stay cool. And that means keeping noise to a minimum — even when being put through demanding tasks.

It's not completely silent, with only a soft hum that can quickly blend into background noise. But for a gaming PC capable of 4K gameplay and path tracing at high frame rates, it's great knowing that I never need to put on one of the best gaming headsets to drown out excessively loud fans to hear dialogue in the games I play.

HP Omen Max 35L review: The downs

The HP Omen 35L may have charmed me with its simplistic upgradability, gaming prowess and more, but its price will snap many back to reality, especially with the configuration of my review unit. And it would be nice to drop the bloatware.

Drop the bloat(ware)

The Omen 35L comes stacked with HP's own suite of apps, including the HP Smart App, HP Support Assistant and, the most-used of the bunch, the Omen Gaming Hub. The latter is great for optimizing games and controlling RGB lighting and fans speeds. Plus, like the Omen Max 45L, it can adjust settings for gaming like Marvel Rivals for the best settings.

The rest? Hardly needed. Especially when there's an icon for McAfee you didn't ask for, along with notifications for Dropbox, Booking.com and Adobe. I understand promotions, but it gets annoying when these can needlessly get in the way or slow things down. Don't need them? Get rid of them.

Spend sensibly

One of these days, I hope I won't sound like a broken record by saying "this laptop/desktop/mini PC is expensive thanks to the RAM crisis." But in the meantime, this unfortunately applies to the HP Omen 35L (because of course it does).

As I alluded to earlier, the Omen 35L has seen a sharp price rise compared to the model we tested last year. It's a shame, but it's even a bigger shame to see this RTX 5070 Ti model can cost you upwards of $3,000. That's ridiculously pricey, but not as pricey as its Omen Max 45L sibling (starting at $3,999).

However, since there are various configurations of the Omen 35L, aiming for a base configuration can get you better value. For example, the RTX 5060 model is priced at $2,079, but I've seen it drop to around $1,800. Not as powerful, of course, but having the option to make savings is always a boon. The best part? You can grab a more capable GPU later down the line and fit it right inside the HP Omen 35L!

HP Omen Max 35L review: Verdict

The HP Omen 35L excels at thinking ahead, making for an impressive gaming PC I'd love to have sitting on my desk. With its formidable gaming performance backed up by a quiet cooling system that ekes out better performance and an exceptionally simplistic (yet stylish) design for upgradability, it's one of the best gaming PCs you can grab today.

But that also completely depends on what you're willing to spend. Higher configurations can be upsettingly expensive, but with its various configurations and customization options, not to mention its future-proofing, there's plenty of value to be had here. You can start off small and build towards an even higher-performing desktop — all with the same well-designed rig.

If you're thinking about PC gaming for the long haul, the HP Omen 35L offers just the way forward (while offering up satisfying gaming experiences right now).

Video games are all about second chances. Respawning, restarting and reloading are fundamental pillars of the medium, and most “game over” screens offer the option to try again instantly. Star Wars Zero Company, a new turn-based tactics game set in the iconic sci-fi universe, is technically no different. But it can be, if you opt to turn on the permadeath setting.

If you want to play this game with the comfort blanket that any wrong moves can be rectified with a quick reload, developers Bit Reactor won’t stop you. But trust me, this Star Wars game goes from good to great if you’re willing to embrace failure and select permadeath from the start.

Zero Company is not the first game to incorporate permanent failure. For example, Watch Dogs Legion offered a similar mechanic. In that game, I’ll admit, I played with permadeath switched off; in the case of Zero Company, I’ve found that enabling it makes every decision feel extremely high-stakes.

Star Wars Zero Company permadeath explained

Set during the Clone Wars era, Star Wars Zero Company is a game about assembling a ragtag crew of operators, then heading out on missions as part of the eponymous Zero Company. Mission types include destroying an enemy base, rescuing an ally, or stealing important data. It’s your usual assortment of Star Wars-themed mission objectives.

If you play without permadeath, if one of your operators falls, they’ll be in an injured state until you revive them, but won't actually die. However, with the setting on, if they receive three “injuries,” they will die, and I mean, die for good. There’s no coming back, as the name suggests; it’s permanent.

You can heal squad “injuries” at your base’s medical bay, so even with permadeath turned on, the game gives you tools to keep your squad healthy, but even the threat of permanent consequences is enough to raise the stakes. Plus, the start-up screen notes the game was designed with permadeath in mind, so it offers the developer’s intended experience.

Permadeath brings Zero Company alive

In Star Wars: Zero Company, your squad members aren’t just random faces on a menu screen. You chat to them at your base between missions; you can give them customs name and outfits, and you select their loadout. They become extensions of you. Each is just as vital as the custom protagonist, Hawks. Each one a part of your (occasionally dysfunctional) Star Wars family.

So, with permadeath active, the threat of one of them actually kicking the bucket weighs heavily on you. During a recent play session, I was in the thick of an optional side mission alongside Trick, a former clone trooper, who is part of your starting squad. He already had an injury and was being flanked by multiple enemies, with no squad support nearby to assist.

Even with the safety of knowing Trick could take a second injury and still return to base (remember it’s three injuries before death), I didn’t want to risk the mission going further south and Trick being wiped out for good, so I completely shifted my current strategy to move my other squadmates to Trick’s location to ensure that whatever happened next, he didn’t fatally fall.

This was just one moment, in one side mission, but it neatly showcased the extra dimension that permadeath adds to Zero Company. It stops your squad from being fodder, or you feeling tempted to send them on suicide runs knowing they can just be revived later on. Every move matters more.

Beskar Mode raises the stakes even higher

If just permadeath alone doesn’t increase the stakes enough for you, there’s also Beskar Mode. But fair warning: this option is only for Zero Company players with true nerves of steel.

In Beskar Mode, manual saving is disabled, and the game autosaves after every single turn. You have to live with the consequences of every move. Completely flub a mission and get half your squad KIA; there’s no going back. The game continues, forcing you to adapt even when you make major mistakes. If Hawks dies, it's a permanent game over. You failed your mission.

There are truly no second chances in Beskar Mode. For me, those stakes are just a little too high. I don’t particularly like the idea of getting deep into my playthrough and having to start over from the beginning because Hawks gets surrounded by enemy troops. But if you want to make Zero Company a true test of your decision-making, it’s the option for you.

I think for most players, turning on permadeath finds the sweet spot. You still have to think about your next move, but have the safety net of a restart if you really screw up. Played this way, Star Wars Zero Company has become something of an unexpected GOTY contender for me. I’m not usually one for tactical games, but with my squad’s lives in Hawks’ hands, I’ve become determined to lead them to victory with as few casualties as possible.

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Thanks to the newly released Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol 2, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is finally playable outside the PS3. To be honest, this is a day I never thought would happen, given how difficult it is to port PS3 games because of that system’s infamous Cell architecture. I gained some hope when Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 arrived, and now that glint of hope has become reality.

I bought my original PS3 in early 2008, anticipating Metal Gear Solid 4’s launch. I was already a huge fan of the franchise, with Metal Gear Solid 3 being my favorite game of all time. The iconic E3 2007 trailer and other pre-launch previews only whetted my appetite for MGS4. The final product exceeded my expectations and became my obsession that summer. So you can understand how excited I am to finally play it on modern hardware.

While the Master Collection Vol. 2 also contains Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (another favorite of mine) and the once Game Boy-exclusive Ghost Babel, I want to focus on MGS4, since that’s this collection’s crowning jewel and a title I’ve waited almost two decades to replay. Though I wouldn’t recommend this for first-time Metal Gear players, it’s a must for anyone who originally played it all those eons ago or didn’t own a PS3 back in the day. Here’s why.

Sharper visuals

Unlike Metal Gear Solid: Delta, which is a complete remake from the ground up of Metal Gear Solid 3, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots in Master Collection Vol. 2 is a native port of the 2008 PS3 original. Basically, it’s the same game as before, but with smoother performance, sharper resolution, drastically reduced load times, and some quality-of-life features.

The visuals are an interesting mix. While characters and character models are generally highly detailed, some background elements remain low-resolution, which can be jarring in certain segments, such as two detailed characters sitting at a pixelated table. Despite that, and likely because the game has a more stylized look, the visuals hold up pretty well in 2026, though they still show their age in spots.

Performance is the big win here, as the game now runs at a steady 60 frames per second. I still remember feeling slightly disappointed that the original game ran at 30 fps, since the E3 trailer ran at 60. Now the game runs as well as that legendary trailer. I played this game on the PS5 Pro, which also supports 4K resolution, so I can’t speak to how it performs on other platforms. Based on the reviews I’ve seen, most players will have a smooth experience.

MGS4 was notorious for extremely long loading times, especially when transitioning between acts, which took so long that the game's protagonist, Solid Snake, would take a smoke break during them! You can still access this for fun, but it’s no longer part of the core experience. This is probably for the best, as Old Man Snake shouldn’t be smoking in the first place!

Streamlined gameplay

Controls have also been redesigned for modern sensibilities. They are now fully remappable, and the default mapping is more like a modern third-person layout, with aiming and firing handled by the trigger buttons rather than the bumpers. PS5 users like me also get haptic feedback from the DualSense controller, which makes the experience even more immersive.

Metal Gear Solid: Delta features modern controls and is much easier to play than the PS2 original. While MGS4 has better controls than its predecessor, the updated Delta is far superior in this regard. I only completed the first act of MGS4 and found the gun controls cumbersome compared with those of a modern shooter. Aiming and shooting feel stiff and imprecise. I’m guessing (or hoping) I’ll acclimate to the shooting mechanics with more time. I guess this is a drawback of sticking so close to the original game.

But in fairness to Metal Gear Solid 4, it’s primarily not a shooting game. It’s a stealth game where sneaking around and going unnoticed is at the core. And it still excels in that area, thanks to mechanics like active camouflage, using objects as distractions, and, of course, hiding inside a cardboard box. Sure, Metal Gear Solid V has more refined stealth mechanics and gameplay, but MGS4 is no slouch in this department.

War never changes

While it would’ve been nice if Metal Gear Solid 4 received the same remake treatment as Metal Gear Solid 3, I’d rather have an almost direct port of this long-lost game than nothing at all.

Even if it’s missing Metal Gear Online and has no new missions, I’m just glad I can finally relive one of my all-time favorite games. Hopefully, this opens the door for a major remake down the line. Regardless, Metal Gear Solid 4 is back—and it’s a glorious return indeed!

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There's a particular weight to a debut made by veterans. New studio Rebel Wolves is staffed by several developers who built The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and The Blood of Dawnwalker never lets you forget it. From its opening scene, this dark vampire RPG carries the DNA of one of the greatest games ever made, setting a bar almost nothing could clear.

It doesn't clear it. What's surprising is how often it gets close, and how compelling it stays even while stumbling. You play Coen, a peasant in the plague-ravaged 14th-century valley of Vale Sangora who's turned into a Dawnwalker, human by day and vampire by night, then given 30 days (and 30 nights) to save his family from the vampire lord Brencis.

Around that hook sits some of the sharpest writing and bleakest atmosphere I've seen in an RPG this year, alongside a barren open world, clunky combat and a pile of technical rough edges.

The result is a game I spent hours wanting to defend and, minutes later, wanting to throw a controller at. It's ambitious to a fault, flawed in ways a debut studio can be forgiven for, and stuffed with ideas worth celebrating. Whether it's for you comes down to how much jank you'll happily wade through for a great story.

The Blood of Dawnwalker: The Basics

• What is it? A dark-fantasy action RPG set in a 14th-century valley ruled by vampires. You play Coen, a Dawnwalker who's human by day and vampire by night, racing a 30-day clock to save his family and topple the vampire lord Brencis.
• Who is it for? Fans of sprawling, story-driven RPGs first and foremost, along with anyone who prizes atmosphere and morally gray choices over polished, fluid action. Witcher fans will feel especially at home.
• What’s the price? The Blood of Dawnwalker is $69 at Amazon. There's also a Collector's Edition for $199 with physical extras.
• What other games has the developer made? None yet — this is Rebel Wolves' first game. The studio was founded by CD Projekt Red veterans, including director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, who worked on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
• What games is it similar to? The Witcher 3 above all, with directional combat reminiscent of Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

A land worth getting lost in

Blood of the Dawnwalker’s setup is the easiest thing to love. Vale Sangora has traded one horror for another: its old despot is gone, overthrown by Brencis, an ancient vampire hailed by many as a savior even as he drains the people he 'protects'.

The game commits fully to that bleakness, and it's better for it. Instead of a power fantasy, this is a story about fear, compromise and the slow rot of living under monsters. It subverts vampire mythology rather than leaning on it, which makes the whole thing feel fresh and memorable.

Character work is where the writing really flexes. Nearly everyone has a story to uncover through conversation, and the side threads you follow while recruiting allies are often more interesting than the main quest. Many play out as small mysteries you unravel using Coen's Focus ability, this game's take on Witcher senses, which casts you as a kind of fantasy detective.

One character lets the side down. Cohen himself. For a lead surrounded by such vivid people, he's a bit bland, for lack of a better term: too self-serious. To be fair, if I'd been through what he has, turned into a monster with his family torn apart and a whole valley of horrors to trudge through, I'd be miserable too, and the game earns that gloom.

But there's a difference between a character who's understandably grim and one who's simply underwritten, and Coen too often feels like the latter. He'll head somewhere, a crypt for example, and mutter that the place makes his skin crawl, which lands strangely coming from a literal vampire, and a Dawnwalker at that.

What frustrates me the most is the awkward middle ground he occupies. He's not quite fleshed out enough to stand on his own as a fully realized protagonist, yet not customizable enough to work as the blank slate you can pour yourself into.

I kept waiting for him to grow an edge beyond his vampiric abilities, or a point of view worth following, and, ultimately, I wanted more from him than I got.

Powers, time and the art of making a villain angry

Coen's toolkit is the moment-to-moment highlight. You can bite an enemy's neck to claw back health, unlock satisfying swordsmanship skills, use haste to transform into a wolf and tear across the map, or compel a corpse to relive its final moments and reveal what happened before it died. These powers are inventive, and they make Coen feel distinct even when his dialogue doesn't.

The infamy system is the other pleasant surprise. Disrupt Brencis's operations and you provoke him. Push far enough and you'll bait the old monster into confronting you before you're ready. It gives the recruit-and-sabotage structure a real pressure valve and makes the villain feel present.

The headline mechanic, time, is harder to judge. You spend days and nights as a resource on quests, travel and leveling. In principle it's a smart rebuke to open-world bloat. In practice, I'm not yet sure what it's for. The pressure hasn't bitten, and since I haven't reached the endgame, I can't tell you whether it pays off, feeds replayability, or mostly exists to flip you between day and night.

A chess match with the pieces glued down

Combat is where I'm most torn. The directional system, where you read an enemy's angle and block or riposte to open them up, can feel like a fun little chess match. When it clicks, prying a foe apart is satisfying, and that tactical core does a lot to hold the game together.

But it never evolves. Enemy variety is thin, so you're solving the same handful of puzzles for dozens of hours. Movement is jagged and imprecise almost all the time, turning what should be fluid duels into a clunky arcade brawl.

I lost count of how often I got wedged into a corner mid-dodge while enemies swarmed me, or ended up fighting the camera. At its worst, the combat can feel a step behind the modern RPGs it's competing with, which is a shame given the talent behind it. The foundations are here; they just need more time in the forge.

When the polish flickers

For all the care poured into its world, the game hadn't quite ironed out its technical creases during my playthrough. Some of this may well improve with patches.

As it stands, though, the technical side can be rough: textures load in halfway through cutscenes, frame pacing stumbles in busier areas, and bugs are frequent, including swords floating in mid-air with nobody holding them.

My least-favorite moment came from using the vampiric teleport to reach a rooftop, only to rematerialize stuck against the wrong side of the building, not on top of it.

The frustrating part is how good it looks when it holds together. Once textures fully load and everything turns glossy, certain vistas are a treat, and the strange little dungeons dotted across the map are consistently cool to explore.

The polish is in there. It just flickers in and out too often, puncturing the immersion the writing works so hard to build.

The Blood of Dawnwalker review: Verdict

The Blood of Dawnwalker is a game of loud highs and frustrating lows, and where you land depends entirely on what you want from it. If you're after a fluid, polished action RPG, the jagged movement, repetitive combat and technical issues might grind you down. But if you're here for a dark, uncompromising story packed with fascinating characters and surprises that keep you guessing, there's plenty to sink your teeth into.

It's the kind of game that inevitably becomes a cult classic: undeniably flawed and still capable of winning over players willing to look past them. It needs a lot of post-launch work from Rebel Wolves, particularly on the performance front, before it lands where players will be fully happy. But I keep wanting to come back to it, and I'll be seeing it through to the end. For a debut this bold, that counts for a lot.

So there I was — Nvidia giving me a full breakdown of what DLSS 5 is and how it works, alongside a chance to play NBA 2K27 on multiple systems to show how it’s evolved from the controversial AI slop filter that divided opinions in the office to something much more refined.

I thought things were heading in the right direction. But then, modders extracted the leaked DLSS 5 files from 2K27 and stuffed it into unsupported games. The online reaction was immediate and fracturing: half praising the added detail while the other half declared it the AI-filtered destroyer of frame rates.

Now that the embargo has lifted and I can (finally) talk about DLSS 5 (coming September 3 to NBA 2K27 first), as someone who spent time with the official integration, these mods are missing the point. Brute forcing a neural rendering file into a game without engine-level hooks is like judging a luxury car after hot-wiring it with missing spark plugs.

The big question: is DLSS 5 just an AI filter?

So the answer, technically, is no. But there’s a lot to it. When you think about AI filters, they slap a 2D post-processing effect over a completed image. As I quickly learnt when talking to the team behind DLSS 5, this is so much more.

This is a 3D-guided neural rendering pipeline — ingesting all that vital 3D geometry data, such as surface normals, semantics of lighting, motion vectors and scene depth, to work within the physical rules of the game engine rather than hallucinating.

And with all that information, it does something Nvidia calls real-time determinism. Think of it like the neural equivalent of when a bar is full — the rendering queue has a one-in/one-out policy.

Unlike offline video gen models that process chunks of video and take a guess at what it’ll look like (probabilistically), DLSS 5 processes every single frame in real-time to maintain stability between each one (deterministically).

This means that instead of seeing somebody’s face change with every scene change in AI-generated video, the neural rendering on offer here doesn’t just imagine something new out of nowhere.

What’s new since we saw DLSS 5?

When the next generation DLSS was announced earlier this year, the reaction across Tom’s Guide’s gaming Slack channel was swift and severe. The AI beautification of characters felt weird, and Digital Foundry’s test was combed over to see how much of the lighting and atmosphere had changed for the worse.

Of course, this was an extremely early build, and a lot has changed since then. Nvidia was quick to tell me they should’ve communicated DLSS 5 better at GTC, and Team Green is laying everything out about this new upscaler to us.

Put simply, Nvidia’s providing some very strong tools here, but ensuring artistic intent remains at the heart of how you work with them — rather than having them replace the artistry.

Performance reality check

If you were to look at the DLSS 5-injected modding over the weekend, it’d be fair to believe that frame rate takes a huge hit when doing this frame-by-frame neural rendering.

However, that’s not the experience I had across multiple tiers of systems playing the official DLSS 5 integration on NBA 2K27. Now, it’s worth noting that these demos I tried all had multi-frame generation turned on and ramped up too.

Frame counts were not turned on, so I can’t give you anything more numbers-wise than what Nvidia has given me here. But what I can confirm is gameplay felt silky smooth with no noticeable latency.

The RTX 5090 desktop rig was of course the star of the show, with frame rates so high that it completely saturated the refresh rate of the gaming monitor. And when played using GeForce Now, it looked like a flawless 120 FPS frame rate.

But the real star of the show to me is that RTX 5060 laptop. This goes to show the huge work Nvidia’s done to shrink DLSS 5 down and optimize it to run across the entire breadth of its GPUs, and the smoothness felt like it was around the 90-100 FPS mark in play.

How does it look?

Visuals-wise, in a game like this that is actively pursuing photorealistic quality in its graphics, DLSS 5 really sings. Whether its the massive improvement in facial textures and definition in hair, the deeper contrast in and more realistic lighting, and the upgrades made to the crowd watching too, everything comes together nicely here.

If this were to placed on a game that’s more artistically stylized, it would look weird (and you’re seeing that on some of the modded work). Nvidia themselves are clear in saying that developers can just choose not to use it if that is what developers are aiming for.

But in the case of NBA 2K27, the updates made to DLSS 5 since we last saw the super filtered looks from previous are really evident. The changes are more nuanced, and with the granular levels of control, they make a big positive difference to my eyes.

A specialized weapon

So let’s get down to brass tacks. DLSS 5 is built specifically to bridge the uncanny valley in photorealistic titles. It won’t make sense for cel-shared or heavily stylized indie games. But for sports sims, cinematic shooters and immersive open worlds, to my eyes and early impressions, this feels like a generational leap.

Of course, I want to test it more to be definitive about it, which is what I’ll absolutely do when it officially drops on September 3rd with NBA 2K27 across RTX 50-series systems and GeForce Now.

One thing is clear: this isn’t an AI filter — it’s the start of real-time neural rendering. I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops, and how the people will respond to it.

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The next Xbox system might not be a single console but a family of devices. That’s not wild speculation, as Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has now hinted at this possibility.

In an interview with BBC News during Gamescom 2026 (via Digital Trends), Asha Sharma said that Project Helix, which is the codename for the next Xbox console, is a “great family of devices.” Now, you can’t have a family of one, so Sharma’s statement heavily suggests that we could see more than one Helix device.

We’ve previously reported that Project Helix could be more akin to a gaming PC than a console, and that Xbox is also reportedly manufacturing its own in-house handheld system. Combine those reports with Sharma’s statement about a family of devices, and we start getting a clearer picture of Microsoft’s potential next-gen plans.

Play anywhere: The next generation

Xbox’s “Play Anywhere” initiative currently lets you buy a digital game once and play it on your Xbox console, Windows PC, and supported handhelds like the Asus ROG Xbox Ally. If there is a family of Helix devices, then it seems Xbox will bring the existing Play Anywhere initiative to the next generation.

So what could this “family” of systems consist of? The Project Helix console could provide the traditional living room experience, while an Xbox-developed handheld could let you take your games on the go. That’s something that currently exists if you own an Xbox Series X and Asus’ Xbox-centric handheld, but what if Xbox goes beyond even this?

Reports suggest the Helix will be more like a PC, but what if that system is a higher-end model for hardcore players with money to spare? That’s speculation on my part, but if we’re talking about a family of devices, I have to imagine there could be more than just two systems. Given how Xbox already caters to console, handheld, and PC gamers, it’s not outlandish to wonder whether the Helix will exist for all of those customers.

All-digital future?

Ever since Sony announced it would stop manufacturing physical discs starting in 2028, many have wondered whether Xbox would follow suit with an all-digital initiative. Asha Sharma hasn't directly answered this question, but if Xbox really wanted to stick it to Sony and potentially win over some of Sony’s disgruntled customers who want physical media, adding a disc drive to the Helix would be a savvy move.

Xbox recently launched its disc-to-digital program, which lets you convert eligible physical game discs into permanent digital licenses linked to your Microsoft account. If the company wants to continue this beyond Xbox Series X systems, it would make sense for Helix to either include a disc drive or for Xbox to release a detachable disc drive similar to the one for PS5 Pro.

It’s still anyone’s guess whether Project Helix will be an all-digital system. Microsoft is still largely a software company, so going all-digital seems logical. That said, if it plans to keep releasing gaming hardware, it would be smart for Helix to support discs in some fashion.

Outlook

Naturally, we don’t have firm details about what Project Helix will be, so we’ll have to hold tight until Sharma or anyone else from the Xbox camp decides to share more. Regardless, it seems Xbox could be trying something relatively unusual and potentially game-changing for its next major console launch.

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I'm a lot of things, and a cheapskate is one of them. Subscriptions are only getting more expensive, so I take every chance I can get to shout out whatever the best free streaming services have to offer. Now, Sony's launched a convenient new PlayStation 5 feature that adds over 100 free live channels.

It's Sony's take on free ad-supported television like Tubi, Pluto TV and the Roku Channel, bringing fan-favorite TV shows like "Community" and "The Walking Dead" alongside sports programming from NFL Channel, UFC, and other staples, news, weather, long-running anime series from Crunchyroll, and more to the gaming console you already use.

(Btw if you're looking to snag a PS5 Pro to play GTA 6 on, check out our live blog on all the latest PS5 Pro restocks.)

To watch these new free channels (you can find a full list below) now, just go to the Media tab on the console's home screen, select the Live TV on PS5 icon, and sign in to your PlayStation Account. Easy as that! Live TV on PS5 is currently available in the U.S. to start, and Sony plans to roll it out to Canada and other regions in due time.

Sony said the service will evolve over time, but at launch, here's all the free programming you can watch now:

All the new live TV channels on PS5

• Movies – Free movies across action, horror, sci-fi and more, with channels including MovieSphere by Lionsgate, 50 Cent Action, FilmRise Free Movies, Sony One Horror Hits and Cinevault.
• TV Shows – Fan-favorite programming including Community, The Shield, Hell’s Kitchen, The Walking Dead, Forensic Files, Unsolved Mysteries, Deal or No Deal USA and Fear Factor, plus Ice Road Truckers from A+E’s HISTORY.
• Anime – Anime favorites including Naruto, Sailor Moon, Hunter x Hunter, Death Note and more, including exclusive channels Black Clover and Box Sets channels from Crunchyroll.
• Sports – Sports programming from FOX Sports, NASCAR, NBC Sports Now, UFC and more spanning MMA, football, hockey, motorsports, golf, boxing and soccer
• News & Weather – National, local and international coverage including NBC News Now, Fox Weather, and LiveNOW from FOX
• Creator & Specialty Programming – Programming featuring Hot Ones, Spotify’s The Ringer, Futcrunch, Idle Mode, comedy, action sports, gaming, esports and other creator-led content.
• Additional Programming – Discover gaming and esports, creator-led entertainment, documentaries, podcasts and other specialty programming, including eCLUTCH (exclusive) and more.

It's the same FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channels that have been available for years on free streaming services like Tubi and Pluto TV, now just all in one convenient location on your PS5. Both live and on-demand content will be available at launch, and there's no paid subscription, hidden fees, or downloads required.

I'm always happy to see more free streaming options arrive on the scene since the days of streaming as a cheaper alternative to cable are long gone. Of the PS5's selling points, Live TV channels are barely a footnote, but it's a handy addition for those who already own a console and want to have access to live news, the latest seasons of their favorite TV shows, and sports all in one place. So who else is gonna join me in watching the 50 Cent Action channel on PS5 tonight?

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The PS5 Pro is suddenly experiencing a wave of stock shortages, and a certain GTA 6 appears to be the culprit. PlayStation’s premium console turns two years old in November and was readily available at launch. However, with the Grand Theft Auto VI juggernaut on the horizon, gamers appear eager to upgrade their setup for the best possible experience.

The sudden spike in demand for the PS5 Pro has seen major retailers sell out of stock, and even the PS5 Pro’s March price hike (from $699 to $899) seemingly isn’t deterring buyers. In fact, there are reports of resale sites listing the console for as much as $1,300. But don’t give in to the scalpers; here at Tom’s Guide, it's our mission to get you a PS5 Pro at a fair price.

We’re experienced restock trackers, having covered everything from the original PS5 launch to the very popular PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection. So, if you want to upgrade to a PS5 Pro before GTA 6 launches on November 19, we’ve got the latest restock updates down below. Be sure to bookmark this article, as we’ll update you when PS5 Pro stock appears.

PS5 Pro restock — latest updates

As of 8:07 a.m. ET on Monday, September 7, the PS5 Pro remains out of stock at major retailers. That includes Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and even PlayStation's own official online retail arm, PlayStation Direct.

The restock situation is particularly bleak at present. There have been no signs of stock for well over a week, but we're still watching in the hopes that retailers will offer fresh chances to secure one in the near future.

If you don't want to wait for "new" PS5 Pro restocks to appear, GameStop offers pre-owned units, but stock varies by location (so check your nearest store). Or, a Best Buy third-party seller is attempting to sell PS5 Pros for $1,499, which is an eyewatering $600 over MSRP. My advice is to avoid this listing and wait it out. PS5 Pro is certainly not worth $1,500.

PS5 Pro restock — Quick links

• PS5 Pro: check stock @ Amazon
• PS5 Pro: check stock @ Best Buy
• PS5 Pro: check stock @ Walmart
• PS5 Pro: check stock @ Target
• PS5 Pro: check stock @ GameStop
• PS5 Pro: check stock @ PlayStation Direct

PS5 Pro restock — Full retailer listings

PS5 Pro restock — what you need to know

How much does the PS5 Pro cost?

As of March 2026, the PS5 Pro retails for $899. This is quite a step up compared to the base PS5 Slim, priced at $649, and the PS5 Slim Digital Edition, which costs $599 as standard.

$899 was not the PS5 Pro’s launch price. The powerful PlayStation console initially retailed for $699, but earlier this year the price was hiked due to, in Sony’s words, “continued pressures in the global economic landscape.”

In simple terms, that means the increasing cost of RAM, which has been dubbed “RAMageddon.” The price of RAM has spiralled in recent months due to overwhelming demand, particularly from AI and data companies. The result has been price increases across consumer tech. Sadly, video game consoles haven't escaped the price hikes seen across tech products.

Why is the PS5 Pro sold out right now?

Since its launch in November 2024, the PS5 Pro had never been difficult to buy. I was in the pre-order trenches two years ago and can confirm first-hand that securing one was as simple as heading to your preferred retailer, checking out, and ideally not looking at your bank balance afterward. The price increase in March this year likely only further softened demand.

So what’s changed? That appears to be a little game called Grand Theft Auto VI. The long-awaited next mainline installment in Rockstar’s open-world crime series releases on November 19, and now that we’ve got a proper look at GTA 6 gameplay, the hype levels are reaching a peak. This has led many gamers to invest in their gaming setup before launch.

GTA 6 is dropping exclusively on console in November. It’s only on PS5 and Xbox Series X, and if you want to play GTA 6 on the most powerful console around, that’s the PS5 Pro. So we have the perfect storm of a once-in-a-generation game leading to increased demand on a console that was previously considered niche. Plus, Sony can’t just rapidly manufacture more stock due to the aforementioned rising cost of key components, like RAM.

Is the PS5 Pro worth buying in 2026?

This is a tough question to answer. Back in 2024, when I reviewed the PS5 Pro for Tom’s Guide, I said, “The eye-watering $699 price tag makes it a machine that will only appeal to the most dedicated gamers,” and I stand by that verdict. The only thing that has changed is that the price has gone from eye-watering to downright off-putting. Yet, the PS5 Pro is selling out.

If you want to experience GTA 6 at its absolute best this November, the PS5 Pro will presumably be the place to play. Rockstar hasn’t yet confirmed how (or if) the game will utilize the Pro’s extra horsepower, but it’s expected to look (and run) best on the PS5 Pro.

However, $899 is a steep price to pay, and that’s assuming you can even find a PS5 Pro in stock for MSRP. It’s also worth noting that the recent GTA 6: An Extended Look presentation showcased the game running on a base PS5 console, and it certainly didn’t look bad — far from it. It looks stunning.

If you take your console gaming seriously, the PS5 Pro could be a worthwhile investment, as it’ll boost the performance of not just GTA 6, but also the majority of AAA games on the PlayStation platform, but I don’t think it’s an essential upgrade in 2026, any more than I did back in 2024.

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More from Tom's Guide

• PS5 Pro review: The most powerful console ever comes at a price
• The best PS5 games in 2026
• I grinded enough Microsoft reward points to get GTA 6 for free 

I can precisely pinpoint the moment Onimusha: Way of the Sword won me over. During one of the game’s many boss battles, I was being repeatedly crushed. I died so often that the “game over” screen even asked me if I wanted to lower the difficulty. Undeterred, I persisted. Eventually, when I did defeat the boss, I needed only one of my six available healing items.

It was a hard-fought victory, coming after around 30 minutes of repeated defeat, and by the end I had memorized the boss's moveset and knew how to counter each attack. It was a deeply rewarding encounter. It gave me the sort of satisfaction that makes Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice one of my favorite video games. Onimusha offers those same intoxicating highs.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword is at its best in these epic moments. When it’s just you and an imposing foe clashing steel, timing your parries perfectly to deflect a blow that might have been fatal. While it struggles to maintain a consistent difficulty level and lacks enemy variety, the highs in this new Onimusha game make up for most of its shortcomings.

With Resident Evil: Requiem and Pragmata already under its belt in 2026, Capcom is having an incredible year, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword is another winner that keeps the Japanese company’s “Golden Era” going.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword: The Basics

• What is it? The first new Onimusha game in 20 years, Way of the Sword is a third-person action game that casts you as a samurai trying to stop malice spreading throughout Kyoto.
• Who is it for? Long-time Onimusha fans will surely flock to this new installment, but action game fans, particularly those with a passion for parry-based combat, will greatly enjoy Way of the Sword.
• What’s the price? Onimusha: Way of the Sword costs $69 at Amazon. Collectors will want to grab the Steelbook Edition for $74, which includes a steelbook with striking artwork.
• What other games has the developer made? Onimusha: Way of the Sword comes from Capcom, whose stable includes Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Monster Hunter, Dead Rising and plenty more.
• What games is it similar to? Players familiar with games like Sekiro and Nioh, or who love a parry-based combat system, will feel at home. However, it should be said that Way of the Sword is not a Soulslike.

Onimusha for a new generation

The last mainline installment in the Onimusha series was 2006’s Dawn of Dreams, so Capcom has smartly opted for a reboot approach. Way of the Sword does have some connective tissue with the franchise’s legacy, but it’s designed to be approachable for newcomers.

You play Miyamoto Musashi, a samurai in Japan’s Edo period, who, after a deadly encounter with otherworldly foes, is reborn with a powerful gauntlet welded to his arm. With darkness spreading across the land and rapidly taking hold in Kyoto, it’s up to Musashi to become a reluctant protector, battling against hellish hordes to push back the swarming blight.

It’s a conventional tale, with even games released earlier this year (like Nioh 3) offering a very similar yarn. Where Onimusha: Way of the Sword attempts to stand out a little more is with a surprisingly comedic tone. Musashi doesn’t always take his quest seriously, and at least at first, seems more annoyed about having to save the land and its inhabitants.

Unfortunately, the English VO isn’t the strongest, and early on, I found Musashi’s quirks becoming tiresome. However, after switching to the Japanese voice track, not only did the game feel more authentic, but I enjoyed most dialogue exchanges significantly more.

The heroes of this tale might range from bland to irritating, but the villains sure aren’t. One foe, a sadistic Genma (think immortal demons), is genuinely unsettling, and Musashi even gets a rival, a corrupted samurai named Sasaki Ganryu who reappears throughout the game.

Even if the story never surpasses serviceable, I was always compelled to push through because Way of the Sword shines where it really matters.

You'd better learn to parry

Onimusha’s combat system is fantastic. Instead of focusing on numerous weapons, you’re equipped with a sharp samurai sword for the whole journey. It’s all very similar to Sekiro!

This has allowed the developers to really refine combat. Like many action games, fighting enemies is largely about deploying the right move at the right time. You have your standard light and heavy attacks, but responding to your enemies with the right counter is crucial.

If they take a swipe at you, parry it to avoid damage and carve out an opening, or if they charge at you with a grab attack, dodge out of the way. Timing these right will allow you to strike back and deal huge damage of your own. In these moments, the numerous combat animations are particularly impressive, including some very visceral finishing moves.

Which isn’t to say you have your sword and that’s it. Musashi has access to a bow, which is great for picking off pesky rooftop archers, and thanks to his magical gauntlet, he can enter a powered-up state to deal extra damage. When a meter is filled, you can unleash one of several special weapon attacks. One that allows you to spin in a circle and send a whirlwind at your enemies was such a favorite of mine that I largely neglected the other options.

Another wrinkle to skirmishes is that enemies drop colored orbs when killed (bosses drop them when damaged). At the press of a button, these can be sucked up, with different orbs offering different effects: yellow ones heal you, blue fill your meter, and red are a currency that can be spent on upgrades and abilities. It’s a simple system but adds an extra layer.

Bringing down the big guys

The unequivocal best moments of Onimusha: Way of the Sword are when you get to face off against a boss, and fortunately, it seems Capcom knows this, because there are quite a lot of them; some story quests will literally pit you against back-to-back bosses with little pause.

On the default difficulty (named “Action”), bosses put up a real fight, and each one requires you to make use of all your abilities and, most importantly, learn the boss’s moveset to deploy the right counter at the right time. A few even require use of your bow, just to keep you on your toes. Most bosses have two full health bars, so victory doesn’t come easy.

Outside of boss encounters, Way of the Sword is quite a forgiving game. The combat is tightly designed, but regular enemy mobs pose little threat. You can get by with button-mashing and sloppy parries. This creates an imbalanced difficulty curve, where levels feel a bit too straightforward and don’t suitably prepare you for the bosses. I suspect some players will find the stark differences in difficulty between levels and bosses frustrating.

By the late game, fending off a pack of regular enemies started to feel like filler, a bland barrier you must pass through to get to the really good stuff: the bosses. The lack of enemy variation further compounds this issue. You constantly face the same generic enemy types throughout the quest, and a couple of mini-bosses are recycled to a near-comical degree.

Open but not endless

Onimusha: Way of the Sword isn’t fully open-world, but it’s not strictly linear either. The roughly 20-hour main campaign is split between story levels and a Kyoto hub, which you can explore at your leisure.

Kyoto isn’t an overwhelming region, stuffed with endless map markers; instead, it’s quite manageable, and while it does open up further as you progress, it never reaches the size of the vast worlds found in something like Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In a sea of games that demand dozens upon dozens of hours, I found Way of the Sword’s smaller size quite refreshing.

Of course, there is optional side content to complete. Most of these distractions are simple, but they give you valuable upgrade resources and currency, which you’ll want because you will get stomped by bosses if your gear is underpowered. Plus, you’ll need specific items to upgrade the two skill trees, both of which unlock useful, if slightly situational, abilities.

Nevertheless, it’s the story levels that take you to the best locations, from grand palaces to an underground laboratory where one of the main antagonists has been experimenting on victims. This sequence is almost as chilling as anything found in Resident Evil. It’s a high point, and a rare example where the level itself is better than the boss at the very end.

Way of the Sword does have Soulslike elements, such as checkpoint shrines that refill your healing items. Plus, stamina management is key to combat (both maintaining your own and depleting your enemies). But it’s not a full-fledged Souls experience. You don’t lose your currency upon death, bosses can be instantly restarted, and build-crafting isn’t a factor.

The game strikes a solid balance, taking some of the genre’s best ideas but remaining accessible. You can even lower the difficulty without penalty if you find a boss or a section a little too challenging for your tastes. But I encourage you to play on the standard setting, as the feeling of victory that comes with defeating a boss is most potent after some struggle.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword review: Verdict

Capcom has already had a phenomenal year, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword is another fantastic experience from a company on a remarkable hot streak. Played on the PS5 Pro, the game looks and runs great (the 60 fps framerate never let me down), and it includes some of my favorite boss battles, not just of 2026, but the last several years as a whole.

Though I wish the buildup to the bosses were stronger, the impressive combat animations and fantastic parrying mechanics kept me engaged even when I was facing the same enemy types hours into the game.

Despite its flaws, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a satisfying action game and a brilliant return of one of Capcom’s most beloved franchises.

I'm buying a Nintendo Switch 2 today and you should too. I haven't purchased a gaming console since the Xbox 360, but I'm snagging a Switch 2 today because starting September 1st Nintendo is increasing the console's price to $499.

As much as I'd like to hate on Nintendo for jacking up the price, they're not the only company that's stuck it to consumers this past summer. Amazon, Google, Apple, and even the price of toilet paper has increased in the past few months.

So consider this your final warning: right now you can get the Nintendo Switch 2 for $449 at Amazon. Unfortunately, the Switch 2 Choose Your Game Bundle — which includes the console and a game download — has been out of stock for days and will likely remain that way. So your best bet is the standard console for $449.

You might be wondering — with Labor Day sales around the corner, is there a chance we'll see the Switch 2 selling for $449 later this week. Unfortunately, I doubt it. There's just no incentive for retailers to discount the Switch 2. At least not until Black Friday. (And even then I doubt we'll see lots of Switch 2 discounts over the holiday season).

Bottom line: get your Switch 2 today. My colleague Millie Davis-Williams is a huge Switch 2 fan, so I'm also sharing some of her favorite games and accessories below. Otherwise, my first game purchase will likely be Donkey Kong Bananza ($69 at Amazon). If you have any other gaming or accessory recommendations, feel free to let me know in the comments below.

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• Nintendo Switch 2: now $449 @ Amazon
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I can’t help but laud the myopic vision of ModRetro, a retro video game console maker that aims to create products that exist in the rose-tinted vestiges of our nostalgia. Despite how fondly gamers might remember saving princesses or throwing banana peels out of go-karts, those video game systems were products of their time and were made to best fit within those technological limitations.

For early 3D systems, images were soft and blurry, with rough polygons that could barely construct a believable face. Frame rates were poor but were tolerated because it was the first step into the third dimension. Even with these deficiencies, fondness for that time period remains ever-present, as it came before the heavy pressures of adulthood.

ModRetro’s first system, the Chromatic, a restomod-style take on the Nintendo Game Boy, spectacularly accomplished its goal: recreating a system not as it was, but as we chose to remember it. As for the M64, a modern interpretation of the Nintendo 64, it falls short of meeting that standard.

It’s not that the M64 does a bad job of taking N64 titles and blowing them up on a large 4K display. It’s just that it doesn’t feel like it does much beyond that. This comes from experience with the Analogue 3D, another modern N64 console that uses some upscaling and image-cleaning algorithms to help render a more palatable presentation.

While it seems that ModRetro put a lot of care and attention into the M64, that alone shouldn’t be the reason gamers hand over $230. For the M64 to be competitive not only against the Analogue 3D, but also the small-but-growing library of N64 titles available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, it should have been more feature-complete and bug-free. Unfortunately, it misses the mark.

ModRetro M64 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The ModRetro M64 is an FPGA-based Nintendo 64 clone console that aims to capture the original’s game compatibility and accuracy.
• Who is it for? The ModRetro M64 is for hardcore N64 fans with large cartridge libraries and those who prefer the timing and accuracy of playing on original hardware.
• What does it cost? At $230, the ModRetro M64 costs about twice as much as a used Nintendo 64 on eBay. The wireless M64 Pro Controller is an additional $90 (a wired controller by Hyperkin is also available at $30).
• What do we like? We like the retro design, fantastic controller, and overclocking capabilities
• What don't we like? We don't like that it produces blurry images (even by N64 standards), has mediocre scanline filters, and has questionable flash cart support.

ModRetro M64 review: The ups

The M64 might be imperfect, but it gets some things right — particularly in its design.

Unpretentious design ethos

Kudos to the designers over at ModRetro. Opening the M64 for the first time is delightful, with brightly colored packaging and a premium-feeling box inside. After prying apart the tightly packed box, a transparent M64 emerges in a “funtastic”- inspired purple colorway.

Adding to that design vibe, ModRetro says it developed new manufacturing methods to integrate two types of transparency with its console. It features frosted transparency on the front of the system that shifts to clearer transparency so gamers can see the internal componentry.

Inserting a game and turning on the system, there’s a classy light bar that illuminates right in front of the cartridge, treating copies of GoldenEye 007 as if they were a piece of art in a gallery. Behind the cartridge is an eject button that allows for easy and satisfying egress of game carts, with, according to ModRetro, little mechanical strain on the pins.

A trident controller worthy of Neptune

Moving on to the M64 Pro Controller, it feels thoroughly substantial and of high quality. The front is made of thick, rigid plastic, while the back is metal. The controller's weight feels wonderfully premium, which might be why it demands a $90 price tag. At the very least, a wired M64 controller by Hyperkin is also available for $30. ModRetro didn’t provide a Hyperkin variant with our review unit.

Unlike the Analogue 3D, the M64 Pro Controller keeps the N64’s original trident design. It feels like a bold choice, especially since gamers have been accustomed to two-prong, dual-analog controllers for nearly three decades. I, personally, appreciate it.

While the M64’s design fills the senses with a Christmas morning twinkle, its software experience is where the system falls short.

ModRetro M64 review: The downs

Unfortunately, the M64 gets more wrong than it gets right.

Cumbersome settings

When popping in a copy of Mario Kart 64 into the ModRetro M64, the game loads immediately, just as it did on the N64. As in, there’s no top menu like the ones found on the Analogue 3D and the Nintendo Switch. It’s pure N64 orthodoxy.

That adherence to the N64’s original experience makes tweaking settings a bit more cumbersome once the game is running. Changing settings is easy, however. To load system settings, just press Start and Z at the same time. An 8-bit style overlay appears, allowing changes to resolution, CRT filters, software updates, and other settings.

Blurry images

When comparing output between the ModRetro M64 and its competition, it’s best to start with clean image output, without any additional filters.

Comparing the output between the Switch 2, Analogue 3D, and the ModRetro M64, the Analogue 3D pulls away in brightness and color saturation. The higher contrast on the Analogue 3D better sells texture detail.

It’s a surprising result given that the Nintendo Switch is using software emulation, meaning it’s using internal image upscaling. By comparison, the M64’s image looks a bit dull and muddy.

Regardless, it’s unlikely that anyone would want to play N64 games on clean settings as titles look very pixelated. The real fight happens when CRT filters come into play.

Filter frustration

I played the ModRetro M64 on a 77-inch LG OLED G3 television. Given that the N64 rendered games at a paltry 320x240 resolution, it ultimately creates a blurry and pixelated image when blown up to 4K. It also makes one wonder if N64 titles really looked this bad back in 1996.

The reality is that N64 games looked great in the mid-to-late 90s due to the display technology of the time. Many gamers experienced the N64 on CRT televisions, which used electron beams to draw scanlines onto phosphor dots. This technology created an analog softness and glow, blending the adjacent pixels and hiding the jaggedness in the process. The N64 also used aggressive anti-aliasing to help low-resolution assets look cleaner on-screen.

I’d personally forgotten about how games looked on older displays until I attended the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo earlier this month in Garden City, NY. There, I was watching people play all sorts of retro consoles, from the Atari 2600 to the Sega Dreamcast, on big old-school CRT televisions.

The images were surprisingly sharp and clear. Many older systems, especially early 3D consoles, were developed with these kinds of displays in mind. Game makers used techniques like dithering to smooth over color gradients. Unfortunately, on modern displays, these techniques only highlight image disparities.

To combat the mismatch between CRT and modern displays, both ModRetro and Analogue have included some CRT and scanline filters. These filters attempt to output an image that’s more reminiscent of a CRT or other old-school displays. ModRetro’s default CRT and scanline filters, unfortunately, don’t do the best job.

Both the CRT and scanline filters do seem to clean up the image somewhat, hiding the jagged pixels and adding some bloom to create a more cohesive blend. At the same time, these don’t look like any of the CRTs I saw at the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo. Often, I found the image to be dark and grimy, and in bright scenes, highlights were overblown. Thankfully, ModRetro does have a custom menu that lets pixel-peeping gamers tune things like the aperture grille, sharpness, horizontal bloom, and scanline width, among other settings.

My knowledge on this front is a bit limited. Luckily, folks on Reddit have been sharing various custom settings to better replicate a CRT display. After trying the settings recommended by Reddit user fpsdabs, I found the image to be more like what I saw out in Garden City.

Annoyingly, the M64 currently has a bug that doesn’t save custom settings across titles. This meant that if I turned off the system or swapped games, I had to re-enter all of fpsdabs’ settings. ModRetro said that this will be fixed with the next update.

The Analogue 3D really should have a custom settings option so that gamers can tune the CRT filter to their liking. At the same time, the M64 lacks other display filters, like those for production and broadcast video monitors, both of which are considered the gold standard for CRT displays. The ModRetro team really needs to go back and retune the default CRT and scanline filters. I can imagine casual gamers won’t go through the hassle of tuning scanline settings in the custom menu.

At the very least, sound output by the M64 is excellent, and playing Mario Kart 64 with turtle shells zooming behind me was the best way to experience this classic.

Horizontal activities

Recently, Analogue issued an update for horizontal upscaling that doubles a game’s horizontal resolution. This internal upscaling technique allows for twice as many horizontal pixels “without affecting 2D graphics” and with “no impact to timing authenticity or performance,” according to Analogue.

For a certain subset of very hardcore N64 fans, any type of internal upscaling might be seen as sacrilege. But for those that want to use their dusty N64 library on a modern display in a decently presentable manner, it’s a welcome upgrade. It’s also a feature not available on the M64.

Horizontal upscaling’s impact does differ from game to game. Of the games that I own, the title that benefited most from horizontal upscaling was Star Wars Episode I: Racer. Without horizontal upscaling, the image is incredibly blurry, with interlaced lines weaving from left to right. With horizontal upscaling, it looks more like a game made with modern displays in mind. It honestly felt like it was being software-emulated.

By comparison, the M64’s output of Racer was jarring. It’s as if character models were being zapped by electricity, with their bodies vibrating from a current.

Unlike the Analogue 3D, the M64 doesn’t support HDR out of the box. Normally, that should be okay considering the N64 itself didn’t support HDR. But Analogue has a clever HDR10 implementation that takes advantage of HDR’s much brighter highlights against dark scanline gaps to better mimic a CRT, BVM, or PVM display. This works better on OLED televisions.

Cumbersome gaming experience

Once updated and ready to go, the ModRetro M64 is, overall, a hassle-free experience. When playing Mario Kart 64, inputs were fast and responsive. It’s certainly refreshing when jumping from the Nintendo Switch Online version, which is noticeably laggy.

According to ModRetro’s game compatibility list, a large majority of titles shouldn’t run into any issues during play. As of this writing, 20 titles have issues, and ModRetro is working to update them. For example, vine swinging in Donkey Kong 64 will fail, or Hydro Thunder might crash.

In my case, I had issues creating a save file for Perfect Dark. Granted, this is a known issue with the original game and can be fixed by putting my cartridge into an original N64 system. So, this issue might not be ModRetro’s fault.

ModRetro includes some overclocking modes that let more graphically intensive games run at smoother framerates. When I tested it on Goldeneye 007, I found that overclocking helped fix framerate dips. I wanted to test this feature on Perfect Dark, which is known to struggle on original hardware, but wasn’t able to.

I also own an Everdrive-64 X7. It’s a flash cartridge by Krikzz that can play ROM backups off of an SD card. While some on Reddit have been able to use their flash cartridges without issue, mine would load on an Analogue 3D but wouldn’t on an M64. According to ModRetro, this could be because my cartridge doesn’t have the latest bootloader fix, which is separate from the standard firmware update. I’ve yet to resolve this but will update this review if/when I get things working.

Palmer Luckey’s ownership has become a point of contention in the retro gaming community, and some outlets refuse to review the company’s products. This review evaluates the M64 on its technical merits and performance, but readers should have the context needed before deciding whether to buy.

ModRetro M64 review: Verdict

The ModRetro M64 is a competent Nintendo 64 FPGA-based clone console that does what it advertises but doesn’t reach the heights of its primary competition. Even with its flashy colorways and excellent trident-style controller, the M64 lacks features and ships with a few bugs. ModRetro has a list of features planned for the M64 in the coming months, however.

At the moment, the Analogue 3D at $270 is the better buy, despite being $40 more expensive. It’s more feature-complete and has some internal upscaling trickery that’s sorely lacking on the M64. I do like the custom settings menu for scanlines on the M64 and would love a similar implementation on the 3D. The M64 also doesn’t have perfect game compatibility yet, although I suspect that it’ll get better as more updates come in.

It’s also worth noting that ModRetro itself is publishing N64 games. At launch, these $50 titles include Extreme-G Turbo Fusion, a compilation of the first two Extreme-G racing games, Buck Bumble, Xibalba64, and Xeno Crisis. Buck Bumble is a somewhat rare game that now sells for over $100. Being able to buy a new copy for $50 is a great pro-consumer move.

There’s certainly a lot to appreciate with the M64. Unfortunately for ModRetro, there’s just as much to appreciate, if not more, with the Analogue 3D. So, unless you really dig the colorful aesthetic of the M64, or are a Palmer Luckey fanboy, the Analogue 3D is the N64 clone console worth buying.

We’re in a boom period for video game handhelds. From the Nintendo Switch 2 to handheld PCs, like the Steam Deck OLED and ROG Xbox Ally X20, there’s never been more (and in my opinion, better) ways to take your games on the go. But while these devices focus on the new, the upcoming Evercade Nexus is carving out its own niche by focusing on the past.

The first Evercade hardware launched in May 2020, and six years on, the range has expanded to include home consoles and handhelds. The Evercade Nexus, due for release in October, is the company's latest portable device, and a reminder that sometimes you just can’t beat the classics.

I got the chance to go hands-on with the Evercade Nexus and speak to Sean Cleaver, Head of Marketing at Blaze Entertainment (the company behind the Evercade range), at Gamescom 2026. I came away from this session convinced this little handheld could be a retro fan's dream device.

Into the Nexus

The Nexus marks several firsts for Evercade. It’s the company's first portable with dual analogue sticks, and packs the largest screen of any Evercade handheld, with a 5.89-inch IPS display. Other features include wireless headphone support, dual stereo speakers, Wi-Fi 6 support, and an estimated five hours of battery life, which comfortably beats the Switch 2.

While some previous Evercade handhelds, like the $59 Super Pocket, have gone for a more kid-friendly aesthetic, with brightly colored plastic, the Nexus takes a more unassuming approach. Its slick, black look wouldn’t stand out in a crowd, but I don’t think that’s a flaw. Plus, if you do want to add some color, the Nexus logo underneath the screen lights up and can be customized — though the default red option contrasts quite nicely.

When I first picked up the Evercade Nexus, it felt nice in the hand, and the “Ultra Bright” screen certainly lived up to its name. The device comes bundled with a Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack (a firm childhood favorite of mine, and what brought the Evercade Nexus to my attention), and the lush greens of the game’s first level, Spiral Mountain, looked particularly sharp.

The D-pad is also tactile, which is vital for a retro device with many games originally designed for systems that didn’t offer analog sticks. So this is an area that Evercade really needed to nail.

On the flipside, the triggers felt quite sluggish, but this was really my only sticking point (pun intended). For the most part, the Evercade Nexus seems a well-designed handheld. And it’s clear it’s been created with retro gaming at the forefront; it even offers a “Tate Mode,” which at the touch of a button lets you play vertical screen games the way they were designed.

For cartridge collectors

In a gaming landscape where Sony has announced plans to stop producing physical game discs, the conversation around actually owning your collection has never burned brighter. This gives the Evercade Nexus another big advantage, because it’s a handheld rooted in the good old days, where you got a box, a thick manual, and a physical cartridge that you own.

The system is compatible with Evercade’s entire range of existing cartridge-based software, and this library is impressive. There’s the usual assortment of compilations that include titles from Atari, Interplay, Namco and more, as well as collections dedicated to franchises like Tomb Raider, Doom and Duke Nukem. And it’s not all favorites from yesteryear either. Evercade has released retro-inspired modern indies like Full Void on cartridges as well.

If you take your retro gaming seriously or just want to get lost in a sea of childhood nostalgia, Evercade’s library is a treasure trove of games that shaped the industry as we know it. And while it is still a handheld released in 2026, meaning it has Wi-Fi connectivity and some online features, every cartridge is playable out of the box with no need for digital downloads.

If you buy an Evercade cartridge, the whole game is on the cart. It’s yours to treasure for years to come (or loan to a friend, or sell on, if you wish). You’re not buying a digital license; you’re buying full games, like the old days.

My verdict on Evercade Nexus (for now)

Launching in October for $199 / £169, the Evercade Nexus really could be the ultimate retro games handheld. It’s certainly not trying to compete with the Switch 2 or the ROG Ally by offering a AAA experience on a portable. Instead, it’s a nostalgia device that harkens back to a simpler time for gaming. Before always-online requirements and mandatory downloads.

Maybe that succinct pitch won’t appeal to the next generation of gamers, but for a certain type of player, it’s a message that will resonate. If you appreciate the classics and want a well-designed handheld device that successfully highlights the best of what video games used to be, the Evercade Nexus might be the portable console you’ve always wanted.

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• I tested the ROG Xbox Ally X20 — the $300 price hike is palatable
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The HP Omen Max 45L is a towering gaming PC that commands attention and respect. Its enormous size isn’t just for show, as it justifies its imposing design with the latest flagship components. While it will certainly leave your bank account reeling, you’ll make up for it with the phenomenal gaming experience this beastly rig delivers.

HP’s Cryo Chamber, located at the top, not only gives this rig a unique appearance but also keeps it running cool even under heavy load. The huge 120mm front fans also help keep components from overheating and barely make a sound. This ensures that games run at their best even during long sessions.

Steep asking price aside, the HP Omen Max 45L is undoubtedly one of the best gaming PCs I’ve ever reviewed. If you can stomach the cost, there’s a lot to love about this massive gaming rig. Find out more in my full review.

HP Omen Max 45L review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The HP Omen Max 45L is a premium, flagship gaming PC.
• Who is it for? For folks who want an ultra-powerful gaming rig and are willing to pay big.
• What does it cost? The HP Omen Max 45L starts at $3,999 but is discounted to $2,999 at time of writing. As configured, our review unit is valued at $5,629.
• What do we like? We like the hulking, all-black design, powerful gaming performance, easy upgradeability, and smart cooling system.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like the gargantuan price point even for the entry-level model.

HP Omen Max 45L review: Specs

HP Omen Max 45L review: The ups

The HP Omen Max 45L delivers high-end performance for a gaming experience with virtually no compromises. It also features a striking design and is easy to upgrade.

Imposing yet practical design

At 21.85 x 18.5 x 8.03 inches and 49.8 pounds, the HP Omen 45L is one ginormous gaming PC. The all-black aluminum chassis makes it appear even more monolithic. Despite its size, the simple box-like design gives the Omen Max 45L an air of elegance that I quite like. Yes, it’s intimidating, but it’s also beautiful.

The clear glass panels on the front and back offer a clear view of the front RGB fans and internal components. The liquid cooler inside features an LCD that displays the CPU and GPU temperatures. The rear exhaust fan’s RGB complements the front fans’, and even the two RAM sticks have RGB lighting. I’m generally ambivalent about RGB lighting, but I’ll admit it contrasts nicely with the black chassis and adds a bit of pizzazz and fun to the design.

As mentioned in the intro, the Omen Max 45L’s most distinguishing feature is the CPU radiator up top. Don’t mistake that gap for simple handholds; it’s designed to draw air in from the outside rather than from inside the PC and then push it out the top through three more 120mm fans. This Cryo Chamber solution is pretty clever and certainly does an excellent job of keeping the PC nice and cool.

Accessing the interior of the Omen Max 45L is simple thanks to the toolless chassis. The only requirement is pressing the “Internal Access” button on the glass side panel, which opens outward so you can remove it. This also lets you open the panel with the Omen logo on the other side, which is convenient. The PC supports industry-standard parts, so you can configure the Max 45L however you wish. There’s plenty of room inside, making upgrades seamless.

Naturally, this giant PC has all the ports you could ever need and then some. On the top, you’ll find a lone USB-C port, a pair of USB-A ports, and a headphone jack.

Over on the back, you’ll find two more USB-C ports and six USB-A ports. Accessing the ports can be tricky given the Omen Max 45L’s size and weight, but it’s a fair trade-off for so much I/O.

Killer performance

Our HP Omen 45L review unit came configured with an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU, an Nvidia RTX 5080 GPU, and 64GB of RAM. Thanks to that configuration, it delivers exceptional gaming performance in even the most demanding PC games without needing to tweak graphics and video settings. This is about as powerful as you can get.

I tested Cyberpunk 2077 at 6K resolution with the default graphics settings and got the game to run at a consistent 65-75 frames per second, which is great for such a demanding title. At 4K resolution, the frame rates hovered in the '80s and '90s, which is even smoother.

Doom: The Dark Ages was similarly impressive, running at 65-70 fps on default graphics at 4K resolution. When I enabled DLSS 4.5’s frame-boosting and the Ultra Performance setting, the fps jumped to a staggering 400! That’s a great match for the Asus ROG Swift OLED, which tops out at 330Hz. Even if you’re not a professional gamer, you’ll feel the difference in frame rates.

We saw equally impressive results when we put several games through our lab tests, which use each game’s built-in benchmark tools. As you can see above, the games we tested generally ran great at max graphics settings and 4K resolution.

Naturally, the Omen 45L has no issues handling everyday productivity tasks. Even when I had nearly 30 Chrome tabs open and a YouTube video playing, this PC kept going without slowing down or stuttering.

Our lab tests corroborate my anecdotal experience. On Geekbench 6, which tests overall CPU performance, the HP Omen 45L delivered strong single-core and multi-core scores. It also performed great in HandBrake, where it took 1 minute and 48 seconds to transcode a 4K video to 1080p.

Omen Gaming Hub

The Omen Gaming Hub comes pre-installed and is easily the most useful of HP’s included apps and services for this PC. This is where you can customize and fine-tune things like the 45L’s RGB lighting and performance. Omen AI automatically adjusts performance settings for games like Marvel Rivals and Fortnite (among others).

One of my favorite returning Omen Hub features is the ability to connect to other Omen peripherals and devices. So if you have Omen keyboards, headsets, or even a monitor, you can control their respective lighting and other features via the Omen Hub.

HP Omen Max 45L review: The downs

The HP Omen Max 45L doesn’t disappoint when it comes to gaming performance, but you’ll have to accept some drawbacks for that experience.

Extraneous apps

The Omen Gaming Hub is undoubtedly great and rather useful, but I can’t say the same about most of the other bundled-in apps in the Omen 45L.

Like the HP Omen 35L, you get the usual apps like HP Smart, myHP, and HP Support. That’s not egregious, but the Adobe and Dropbox promotions seem superfluous. You can safely ignore most of these apps, but having so many that you likely won’t use isn’t ideal.

Expensive

There’s no denying that the HP Omen 45L is a god-like gaming PC. It’s exactly the kind of rig I would want to own, delivering superlative performance while looking stylish. But though I’m infatuated with this beast of a machine, it’s a tough recommendation due to its wallet-busting asking price.

The $3,999 asking price for the entry-level model, which features lower-end (but still great) components, is already a tough pill to swallow. If you want a rig with the same specs as the one I reviewed, that’ll set you back $5,629. Then there’s the top-of-the-line build, which comes in at an eye-watering $6,499!

I’m not going to knock HP for these prices, given that high-end rigs were never exactly cheap even before RAMageddon drove up component costs. Still, if you’re really set on the Omen 45L, you’d better start saving now. It’ll be worth it, but the cost will certainly sting for most people.

HP Omen Max 45L review: Verdict

There’s no denying that the HP Omen Max 45L is a hulking gaming PC that can run demanding games without breaking a sweat. Sure, it’s very expensive, but the various configurations and easy customization mean you’re getting your money’s worth, especially over the long haul.

When I think about the ideal gaming PC, this is exactly the kind of rig that springs to mind. If you can afford it, you won’t be disappointed by the HP Omen Max 45L.

If you want to understand the future of gaming, you have to survive Gamescom first. With over 350,000 attendees flooding into Cologne, Germany, the city’s convention center is a chaotic, RGB-lit maze of upcoming titles, booth tours and next-generation hardware.

The Tom’s Guide team was on the ground to cut through the noise, as we spent the week walking the halls, getting exclusive behind-the-scenes access, playing a ton of titles early and getting our hands on the tech that will redefine how we play over the next few years.

From Nvidia’s astonishing new MacBook-killing superchips and Alienware’s 5-star OLED monitor, to the return of the Alien franchise and gaming furniture we actually want in our living rooms, we found the gear that truly stood out.

After covering every square inch of the show floor, here are our official Tom’s Guide Best of Gamescom 2026 awards.

Best of show: Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20

I’ll put my hands up and admit that maybe I was a little hard on the ROG Xbox Ally X20 back at Computex 2026. In the midst of Intel Arc G3 Extreme eating AMD’s lunch in handheld gaming, I was quick to count it out. But as the $1,299 price emerged for this impressively upgraded Ally, my mind changed on it quite drastically.

That OLED panel is glorious, the ergonomic tweaks with TMR joysticks, reshaped bumpers and face buttons and rubberized grips make the most comfortable PC handheld even more comfortable, and that transparent design is a nerd’s joy to behold.

Yes, I can only hope that FSR 4 comes to the AMD Ryzen Z2 AI Extreme chipset here for boosted performance in the future. But with 60 FPS being easy to achieve if you tweak the settings in AAA titles, this is a really well-rounded system for gaming enthusiasts on the go.

Jason England - Managing Editor of Core Tech

Best game: Alien Isolation 2

When it came to getting hands-on with upcoming games, I came into Gamescom 2026 with one mission: Play Alien: Isolation 2. The larger Alien franchise is a personal favorite of mine, and Alien: Isolation was a dream game come true. I still can’t quite believe we’re getting a sequel. But we are; I can confirm it’s real, and I got to play 30 minutes of it at Gamescom.

My demo was short, but it doesn’t appear to be shaking up the first game’s formula all that much. Once again, it’s a tense survival-horror experience, in which players are powerless against a stalking Xenomorph. But when you hit a home run, why change anything big?

The scene-setting prologue boasts a phenomenal sense of atmosphere and highlights the game’s biggest change: the setting has been swapped from a claustrophobic spaceship to a more expansive planet surface. Offering the same extraordinary attention to detail and movie-accurate authenticity, Alien: Isolation 2 is shaping up to be my dream sequel!

Rory Mellon - Senior Entertainment Editor

Best gaming tech: Nvidia RTX Spark

Nvidia had a very busy Gamescom with the likes of DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction and key updates to GeForce Now. But hidden away in the depths of the convention center, I got the first real chance to play games on their upcoming RTX Spark machines. And put simply, I was blown away.

The promise of 1440p at over 100 FPS is absolutely on show here with the likes of 007 First Light and Arc Raiders pulling it off with near-maxed out settings and DLSS turned on. And some of these games were being emulated in real-time to be compatible with this Arm chip (as well as the anti-cheat software that runs beneath it).

With these upcoming machines, Team Green has done the one thing I’ve always wanted — a Windows MacBook Pro competitor. No longer do I need a sleek, long-lasting laptop for work and a bulky gaming machine for play. They are now combined into one notebook, and the options look awesome.

Jason England - Managing Editor of Core Tech

Best gaming monitor: Alienware 39 5K2K OLED (AW3926QW)

Alienware really took things to the next level with its fantastic Alienware 39 5K2K OLED (AW3926QW). The fact that this is the first device I’ve given a full 5-star rating to says it all. If you’re looking for the finest gaming experience possible, then you need this gaming monitor in your setup.

What makes the AW3926QW stand out is its four-stack, three-subpixel RGB stripe tandem OLED panel, which Alienware says is the first of its kind to hit the market. What all of those fancy terms mean for real-world use is higher OLED brightness, more vibrant colors, sharper text, and exceptional contrast. You can also swap between 5K at 165Hz for cinematic games and WFHD (1080p) at 330Hz for competitive gaming.

Top that with a sleek design and an immersive 39-inch curved panel, and you have one of the best gaming monitors ever. The fact that it’s a relatively affordable $1,099 for what you get almost makes this a steal. If you have room for it on your desk, then the Alienware 39 5K2K OLED (AW3926QW) comes with my highest recommendation. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

Tony Polanco - Senior Computing Writer

Best gaming peripheral: Genki Manta Controller

Speaking to the team behind the Manta Controller, it felt like they’d thought of everything. On the surface, this controller looks similar to an Xbox pad with a built-in 2.7-inch color display, but it’s designed to be customizable. And I mean, fully customizable. Via the display, you can tweak just about every setting, letting you adjust each element to fit your play preference.

Take, for example, its face buttons; these aren’t your standard buttons that register input at a set point (usually when fully pressed down); they are analog, letting you determine the point at which the input is registered. The triggers are the same. And that’s just the start of the options on the Manta Controller. You could spend hours tweaking everything to your liking.

For players who want an almost obscene level of control over their controller, the Manta Controller could be a vital gaming peripheral. Plus, all these adjustments can be made on the controller display rather than utilizing a separate desktop or mobile app, which lets you dive into the myriad of adjustment options without even having to put the pad down.

Rory Mellon - Senior Entertainment Editor

Best gaming accessories: Ikea x Xbox YXSTABY

Normally, gaming furniture is the kind of stuff you’re personally proud of, but I wouldn’t dare seriously consider it in my future home with my wife. It’s all a bit of an angular, RGB-laden cringe fest — that was until I got to see/sit on all the YXSTABY options created as part of the Ikea x Xbox tie-up.

The aesthetics are refined, but with cheeky nods to gamers in the aesthetics and ergonomics. For example, the joystick stool that wobbles around is both a cheeky nod to the Xbox controller, while also being optimal for leaning forward and locking in.

The same can be said for that lounge chair too, paired with some nice storage options including that rolling coffee table. This is a full suite, and it all comes together really nicely.

Jason England - Managing Editor of Core Tech

Best sim racing gear: Initium Asetek ecosystem expansion

A while ago, I called the original Asetek Initium sim racing rig one of the best investments for driving enthusiasts. And now, the company is proving that by vastly expanding the ecosystem for those who want to start bridging the gap between getting started and becoming an enthusiast.

From expanding into different disciplines like rally driving with the shifter and handbrake, improving pedal feel with the hydraulic brake expansion kit, to the much more intense-feeling 10 newton-meter DD10 hub, there’s something for everyone here to start building up from that base level.

Jason England - Managing Editor of Core Tech

Best retro gaming tech: Evercade Nexus

Evercade has been making dedicated retro consoles and handhelds since 2020. However, its latest offering, the Evercade Nexus, looks set to take on rivals like the Nintendo Switch 2 with a slick portable device that proves sometimes you just can’t beat the classics.

Compatible with Evercade’s entire library of cartridge-based software, including various arcade compilations (Atari, Interplay, Nacom, etc.) and collections dedicated to beloved franchises like Doom, Tomb Raider and Duke Nukem, the Nexus has the potential to be a retro game fan's dream handheld console. And it’ll launch with a Banjo-Kazooie double pack, which completely transported me back to being a young kid playing my first game.

It’s the first Evercade handheld with dual analog sticks, sports a 5.89-inch IPS display, and the returning “Tate Mode” lets you enjoy vertical-screen arcade titles as they were designed. It’s also not lost on me that in an era when owning your game is under threat, Evercade is designed exclusively to use physical cartridges. There’s no need for digital downloads or “Game-Key Cards” that hold nothing more than a license to install software on your console.

Rory Mellon - Senior Entertainment Editor

More from Tom's Guide

• As a PC snob, I wanted to catch GTA 6 making console compromises. Instead, I’m in awe of the trickery
• I tested the first 5K G-Sync Pulsar gaming monitor — 144Hz looks like 500Hz of clarity, and it ruined my home display
• I just went eyes-on with the world’s fastest OLED gaming monitor — and motion blur is officially dead

This week I was fortunate enough to head over to Cologne, Germany, to attend Gamescom 2026, one of the world’s biggest gaming conventions. But with only a limited time on the show floor, I knew I had to lock in and play as much as possible in just a single day.

In just over nine hours, I got hands-on with 7 upcoming games, including Alien Isolation 2, Metro 2039 and Silent Hill: Townfall. Plus, I also caught an extended 50-minute presentation for The Witcher 3’s new expansion Songs of the Past. With plenty to talk about, I’ve put all the new games I played at Gamescom 2026 into an internet-friendly ranked list.

One note before diving into the list: while I did get a 30-minute hands-on session with Stuntman: Hollywood, my impressions are embargoed, so that game isn’t included in my ranking. Otherwise, here’s everything I played at Gamescom 2026, ranked from “not sold yet” to “I need the full game now.”

Everything I played at Gamescom 2026, ranked

7. Crazy Taxis: World Tour

It’s been more than 20 years since Crazy Taxis got a full console release, and World Tour brings the arcade racing series back into the spotlight, soundtracked by the tunes that defined the franchise (Yes, The Offspring are included). I got to play 30 minutes, and within moments, I was nitro-boosting through packed city streets and drifting around tight turns.

It’s all good fun, and as somebody who played the PS2 port of the original extensively, quite nostalgic, but at the same time, even in this relatively short hands-on session, repetition started to creep in quickly. Passengers routinely ask to be dropped at the same destinations, and the green-haired protagonist, Axel, repeated the same handful of voice lines ad nauseam.

Crazy Taxis: World Tour seems primed to be throwaway fun, but I have concerns about its staying power. I’m not sure it’ll hold players’ attention for longer than short sessions. Maybe the full experience will offer more variety.

Crazy Taxis: World Tour launches in 2027 for Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S

6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past

I’m being a little cheeky by including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past, because I didn’t play this new expansion for the acclaimed RPG. Instead, I got an extended look at the upcoming third major DLC. But it’s easily one of the biggest titles at Gamescom 2026, and the public interest is high. The word on the show floor was that the booth wait time exceeded five hours on Thursday, which isn’t even the convention's busiest day.

So, considering I adore The Witcher 3, why is Songs of the Past ranked lower on my list? That’s simply because, while I have no doubt it’ll be a high-quality RPG experience, based on what I saw, it's just more Witcher 3. That’s a very compelling pitch, but the presentation didn’t have that one “wow” moment that I was looking for. Something that would neatly showcase why The Witcher 3 is getting a new expansion, 12 years after its launch.

Like any self-respecting RPG fan, I'll be returning to The Witcher 3 for this expansion next year, so don't take this as a major knock on its potential.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past launches in 2027 on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S

5. Persona 4: Revival

Persona 4: Revival isn’t necessarily a game that demos well. Even with a chunky 60 minutes to explore this remake of the beloved 2008 RPG (which was already expanded and remastered as Persona 4 Golden in 2012), that’s no time at all when you consider a proper playthrough will run you 100+ hours. But because I’ve already completed the base Persona 4, I was able to get my bearings quickly and enjoy all the ways Revival polishes things up.

Much like 2024’s Persona 3: Reloaded, the biggest compliment I can give Persona 4: Revival is that it takes an already great game and gives it a visual overhaul that matches modern standards. The beloved characters, setting, and core gameplay are retained (though the new “Prime Time” ability in combat boosts your options), but everything is prettier and more stylish.

I’m confident this remake will offer newcomers the perfect chance to step into the world of Persona 4, and returning players will also itch to head back to the cozy setting of Inaba.

Persona 4: Revival launches on February 18, 2027, on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S

4. Hellraiser: Revival

Hellraiser Revival might be the most violent and graphic game I’ve ever played. The developers did not hold back. We’re talking buckets of blood, guts and body fluids. In fact, there are scenes here that I can’t even describe for fear of making readers feel a little bit queasy. It’s most definitely a game that some will find in bad taste. Hellraiser: Revival won’t be for everybody.

But that is also true of the Hellraiser movie franchise, so I commend the team at Saber Interactive for staying true to the horror series. In terms of gameplay, it takes inspiration from the modern Resident Evil games.

It’s a first-person survival horror where you explore detailed environments, searching for keys and lock combinations to explore yet more rooms. The grotesque sights make Hellraiser: Revival stand out, and my hands-on preview concluded with a section clearly inspired by the (in)famous PT demo, which was novel.

Perhaps it says something disturbing about me, but Hellraiser Revival’s commitment to graphic violence had me intrigued and eager to see what even more horrific sights are found within the full game.

Hellraiser: Revival launches on October 8, 2026, on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S

3. Metro 2039

In my mind, Metro has always been a story-first franchise. The shooter series, based on the written works of Dmitry Glukhovsky, is all about the morally grey characters and bleak post-apocalyptic Moscow. Curiously, my 25 or so minutes of Metro 2039 were largely stripped of narrative beats. The preview focused on gunplay as the new protagonist, known as the Stranger, assaulted an enemy hideout.

The fundamentals of the shooting felt fantastic; every shot fired was punchy, and I particularly became attached to the game’s shotgun, which hits enemies hard. I ran through the hideout more than once, letting me experiment with a stealthy and a guns-blazing approach. I still have many questions about Metro 2039’s narrative, but perhaps this fourth installment in the series will be the one where the gameplay matches up with the narrative quality.

I also want to acknowledge that the game comes from 4A Games, a Ukraine-based team. So, when you consider they’ve been working on the title during Russia’s invasion of the country, it adds real-world weight and makes what they appear to have produced all the more impressive.

Metro 2039 launches in February 2027 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S

2. Silent Hill: Townfall

I don’t want to downplay my pre-Gamescom interest in Silent Hill: Townfall. I love survival-horror (as this list probably tells you), so any new installment in the long-running series has my attention. However, I wasn’t expecting to love the 90 minutes I spent creeping through Townfall’s setting of St. Amelia, a (fictional) resort town in Scotland, quite so much.

Maybe it’s just that as a Brit, any game set in the U.K. appeals to me, but Silent Hill: Townfall was my biggest (pleasant) surprise of Gamescom. Its unsettling atmosphere was stellar, and because I got to play from the very start, its cryptic narrative really hooked me. Konami seems to be all in on the Silent Hill series now, and while 2023’s Silent Hill 2 Remake set a high bar, based on what I played, Silent Hill: Townfall could reach a similar level of quality.

Oh, and the decision to set the game in 1996 appears another inspired choice; the use of CRT technology adds to the spooky vibes, with the protagonist, Simon, having access to a pocket device with both gameplay and narrative functions. I'm glad the full game is less than a month away.

Silent Hill: Townfall launches on September 24, 2026, on PC and PS5

1. Alien: Isolation 2

If you know me, you’d know that Alien: Isolation 2 was likely always going to be my top Gamescom pick. 1979’s “Alien” is my favorite movie of all time, and the first Alien: Isolation was practically my dream game. I gave up hope of a sequel years ago, so when it was unceremiously confirmed in a social media post in October 2024, I was genuinely dancing around my home.

I didn’t expect it would be playable already, but at Gamescom 2026, I got to experience the 30-minute prologue chapter, and it was everything I wanted. Based on this early preview, it doesn’t seem like a sequel that will radically change the formula, but the shift to a planetary setting, rather than a claustrophobic spaceship, could be enough to inject freshness.

The short-and-sweet demo was heavy on atmosphere, and while the Xenomorph only appears briefly, my palms were sweating as I crept through the detailed level to avoid becoming alien chow. I also adore how Isolation 2 connects to the first game. The Xeno here is the one that Amanda Ripley fired out the airlock in Alien: Isolation. That's genius!

Alien: Isolation 2 launches TBA on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S

More from Tom's Guide

• GTA 6 gameplay analysis — how Rockstar is pushing the PS5
• I sat on all the IKEA x Xbox furniture — it’s the ultimate upgrade
• I tested the $1,299 ROG Xbox Ally X20 — the price hike is palatable

When you spend your life gaming on a high-end PC, watching console game reveals like the GTA 6 Extended Look usually means spotting the ugly trade-offs: aggressive texture pop-in, flat lighting, messy background items and resolution scaling that melts into pixel soup during intense moments.

Then Rockstar drops 26 minutes of Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay into my lap, and the cynicism is completely replaced with “how on Earth did they do this!?”

The footage wasn’t captured on a boutique developer workstation or devkit; it ran on a standard PlayStation 5 — a machine built on silicon that hit shelves back in 2020. My mind is blown, and having frame-stepped through the footage repeatedly, the fidelity in which Vice City has been realized is truly astonishing.

But if I can get nerdy with you, the real story isn’t just raw horsepower, it’s the meticulous, brilliant optical illusions being used to create these visuals without cooking a six-year-old console. I’d love to share what I’ve found with you, and what made me pre-order the second after my first watch-through.

• Preorder for PS5 ($79)
• Preorder for Xbox Series X/S ($79)

Guesswork and analysis: My analysis is from watching the full 4K version of the GTA 6 Extended Look, which you can download for yourself here. Paired with my understanding of game graphics, but with no comment from Rockstar, so I don't know the specifics of their game engine, but I can make some educated guesses.

Natural lighting that doesn’t melt the console

The single biggest visual upgrade in the footage is how light moves through the world. It’s what really brings that level of depth and moodiness to every scene — from the dark, smoke-filled dinginess of the drug den to the sun-soaked streets of Vice City.

In past games, lighting was largely “painted” onto objects with pre-set shadows. In GTA 6, however, sunlight actually bounces off surfaces in real-time. When light hits the floor of Jason and Lucia’s apartment, it naturally bounces up to softly illuminate the room.

Speaking to Nvidia on the PC gaming side of things, they’re quick to tell me just how much immense processing power calculating these real-time light bounces takes. To handle it on a base PS5, the console isn’t drawing every single pixel at 4K sharpness:

• Smart upscaling: To my eyes, the console appears to draw the internal image at a lower baseline resolution (around 1440p) and uses smart upscaling software to sharpen it up for your 4K TV. Think like Nvidia’s DLSS — easing the burden on the internals with a clever workaround.
• Using atmospheric fog: Miami is filled with humid ocean air, which can lead to a haziness. Not only does this add a serious vibe to the place, it could also be the key to creating rich, believable lighting without having to calculate every microscopic beam of light in the distance.

The reflection illusion

True, mirror-accurate reflections across an entire game are usually a death sentence for smooth performance. It’s why I find myself relying on Team Green’s DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction to use AI for those calculations and keep some semblance of smooth performance.

In the console space, you have to get extra crafty, and from what I can see, Rockstar is getting around this by prioritizing what is right in front of your character:

• Sharp details up close: Puddles on the street, shiny car hoods and glass shopfronts near Jason and Lucia show crisp, accurate reflections.
• Faking the distance: For background buildings and far-off bay views, the game quietly swaps out those expensive reflection calculations for simpler visual effects. Your eyes naturally focus on the sharp details right next to your character, while your brain fills in the rest.

Natural hair without stealing horsepower

Individual hair strands are notoriously difficult for even the priciest gaming hardware to render. In GTA 6, Jason and Lucia’s hair visibly catches the wind and shifts realistically as they move or drive. It looks incredible, and it took me a while to figure out what was going on here.

To keep performance steady, it looks as if the game is rendering character hair at a slightly lower visual detail, then smoothing the edges out onto the characters head. The decision was made here that the way hair moves is more important than the sheer fidelity of it, and when everything is moving, it looks dense and natural while freeing up vital processing power.

Realistic clothes that actually fold and stretch

In GTA 5, character outfits mostly moved like stiff, molded plastic glued to their bodies. In the sixth edition, clothing acts like actual fabric:

• Dynamic wrinkles: When Lucia is at the firing range, her jacket dynamically wrinkles, pulls tight around the shoulder and bunches around her elbows.
• No awkward clipping: From what I saw in this polished demo, sleeves didn’t awkwardly slice through a character’s arms or torso during quick animations. Instead, the fabrics collided and folded naturally against the body.

The reality check

All of these visual tricks bring up the million-dollar question for console gamers: will GTA 6 be able to run at a smooth 60 frames per second on a base PS5?

Almost certainly not.

Rockstar Games has made a series of important decisions here from bigger things like the way ray tracing works across the world to the smaller details I mention above that really bring life to a place. And that’s before even thinking about the density and artistry of the world tasking that console.

To hit 60 FPS, you’d likely have to turn a lot of this down or off altogether, as well as really ramping up the motion blur and turning down the base resolution.

The team decided that a living breathing world matters more than high frame rates, and watching a console from 2020 deliver this level of visual polish is a clinic in smart software design proving that clever engineering matters just as much as raw horsepower.

And now, I hope that my boss approves my PTO request for the November 19, 2026…for “important reasons” of course.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the $1,299 ROG Xbox Ally X20 — with that OLED display, the $300 price hike is surprisingly palatable
• I sat on all the IKEA x Xbox furniture — it’s the ultimate stealth gaming upgrade
• I tested the first 5K G-Sync Pulsar gaming monitor — 144Hz looks like 500Hz of clarity, and it ruined my home display