Sure, Amazon’s event has always emphasised price cuts for its own products. It’s why you can guarantee the biggest overall discounts going to Alexa or Fire Sticks (for instance, you can currently save up to 60% on devices with Alexa installed (opens in new tab)). But that’s not the whole picture. Alongside masses of reduced tech, gaming deals make up a significant chunk of the Prime Day savings. So long as you know where to look, you can even find some hidden bargains with the Prime Day gaming deals. 

On the cheap

First up is affordable third-party gear. Although they won’t win any prizes for quality, you can be sure of getting cheap headset gaming deals during Prime Day. As an example, the Bengoo G9000 headset has already tumbled by 56% to $21.99 (opens in new tab). Is it any good? I’d gone in with my expectations fairly low based on the price and its love of sticking RGB lighting on every available surface, but a quick glance through many of its 9,800+ user reviews revealed that it’s surprisingly OK. Indeed, 67% of customers gave it a full five stars. It has its flaws, but that sort of feedback speaks volumes. And for just over $20? You can’t go wrong. This is very much the tip of the iceberg, so it’s worth having a quick browse through these budget options just in case you strike gold.

Naturally, Amazon’s own gaming kit is also significantly cheaper than normal. Take the Luna range of controllers. These devices (and bundles that pair them with Fire HD tablets) have been reduced by up to 36% (opens in new tab) in total. These offers appeared a full four days before the Prime Day video game deals even began, and while they won’t hold up to the tried-and-true Xbox Series X handset or PlayStation’s DualSense, they make good controllers to use with your mobile device and Game Pass streaming.  

Heavy-hitters

However, the biggest and best offers that you’ll really care about are on games themselves. Heavy-hitters for PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch always get the lion’s share of reductions, and these deals are often on the sort of thing you’d actually want. Last year we saw savings on everything from Returnal to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and I’d expect a similar price cut with 2021 games this time around. That means Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Deathloop, and Far Cry 6 are candidates for a discount. In fact, Far Cry has already been cut right down to $19.99 on PS5 (opens in new tab). Considering the fact that it was one of 2021’s most anticipated releases, that’s wild.

Sometimes you’ll get lucky with more recent launches, too. Namely, 2022 critical darling Elden Ring has hit its lowest ever price on Xbox – you can pick it up for an impressive 24% less (opens in new tab). Hopefully, more headliners from this year will join it soon. 

As such, you should absolutely be keeping an eye out for gaming deals during Prime Day this July. There’s a good opportunity to save on quality peripherals, games, and beyond, so don’t sleep on it.

Want to keep up with all the most tempting offers? You can check out the best Prime Day TV deals, Prime Day gaming laptop deals, and Prime Day board game deals with our dedicated guides.

The post Are the gaming deals for Prime Day actually any good? appeared first on Game News.

PS Plus (now called PS Plus Essentials), PS Plus Extra, and PS Plus Premium all offer a slightly different experience, based on how far back into Sony’s library you want to journey. We’re showing you exactly what you get for each tier’s price, and rounding up who should be interested in each one right here. 

Of course, if you’re perfectly happy right where you are, nothing needs to change. In fact, we’re seeing some particularly strong PS Plus deals on what is now considered PS Plus Essentials right now.

Which PS Plus tier should you choose?

The two new PS Plus tiers are remarkably similar in price. The PS Plus Extra membership adds 400 PS4 and PS5 games to your collection for the duration of your subscription, and comes in at $14.99 / £10.99 per month, or $99.99 / £83.99 per year. However, retro fans can also upgrade to a whole roster of PS1, PS2, and PSP games for just $3 / £3 more a month (or $20 / £16 a year). If you’re keen to revisit PlayStation’s classics, this decision is a no-brainer. Yet if you don’t think you’ll play them, that’s an annual price difference large enough to warrant a second thought – particularly if you’ve just had to shell out a tidy amount for a PS5 restock.

It’s especially tricky because the PS Plus Extra tier represents a larger price jump over the original PS Plus system. The old subscription is holding onto its previous price, which means there’s a $4 / £4 difference a month – escalating to an annual price difference of $40 / £34. That’s double the price of the original subscription (before the increases in 2017 and 2019). 

Still, if you were to play one or two games a year from that 400-strong game collection, this Extra tier would be worthwhile (it’d certainly put the best PS5 SSDs to good use). It’s just a case of whether your backlog can take the additional pressure.

Choose PS Plus Essentials if you: 

• Are happy with your current setup 
• Have already played the biggest PS4 / PS5 games
• Don’t have an interest in Sony’s retro catalog 

Choose PS Plus Extra if you:

• Have joined Sony with the PS5 generation 
• Would play at least one or two games from the collection per year 
• Want more from your console’s subscription

Choose PS Plus Premium if you:

• Have no other way of playing through Sony’s retro collection

How does PS Plus compare with Game Pass?

The latest moves by Sony bring PS Plus into an era which Xbox Game Pass has been dominating. Microsoft’s subscription service has carried its consoles through some rocky shores, with the whole Xbox brand emerging better for it on the other side. That’s some stiff competition, and a value proposition that Sony is attempting to match with its latest announcement. 

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the closest direct link to the PS Plus service. Both of these subscriptions are necessary for online play and come with their own unique discounts as well. 

The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price is $14.99 / £10.99 a month, for over 300 games and select day one releases. That price is exactly the same on PlayStation, with the comparable PS Plus Extra tier coming in at $14.99 / £10.99 as well – however you’re upping your roster to 400 games and dropping those shiny new releases. It’s also worth mentioning that Game Pass Ultimate also has its fair share of Xbox 360 titles – a generational jump you’ll need to spend $17.99 / £13.49 on with Sony. 

That means PS Plus doesn’t quite have Game Pass in a chokehold quite yet. Sure, there’s a slightly larger catalogue of titles up for grabs (the quality of that roster will be down to personal taste, of course), but you’re Sony isn’t including day one releases in its package. That’s a considerable sacrifice if you’re still between the two systems. 

Want to make sure your PlayStation is fully set up? Be sure to check out the best PS5 accessories or the best PS5 headsets. It’s worth taking a look at the best PS5 external hard drives as well if you want some bonus storage space.

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That’s right, there’s no option available that includes a discrete graphics card, such as the RTX 3060 or RTX 3070. Instead, the MSI MAG Trident S 5M is relying solely on the popular AMD Ryzen 5700G APU. MSI appears to have high hopes for the system, with a press release (opens in new tab) claiming that it “reimagines the gaming experience”. That’s a bold claim for sure, so here’s what we can discern from the news on what could be a new wave of graphics card-less gaming PCs following in its wake. 

Is the MSI MAG Trident S 5M a console replacement?

While the MSI MAG Trident S 5M may be a similar size and weight to the likes of the Xbox Series One X, at least from what we can see, the ideology of this system is entirely different. The Trident S 5M isn’t going to replace your PS5 or Xbox Series X games – rather, it’s more occupied with delivering a powerful streaming box to your living room. Think of this machine as a beefed-up Nvidia Shield TV or Apple TV streaming box running traditional PC hardware inside. That’s the best outlook we have on this machine, and we’ll get into why below. 

MSI MAG Trident S 5M: hardware

The MSI MAG Trident S 5M is being marketed primarily as a “machine dedicated to cloud gaming and mobile gaming”, so MSI reports. This manta opens up a fair amount of possibilities as to what a gaming PC made for the living room can be in 2022, and could succeed where others have failed should the price be right. Unfortunately, that’s the one thing we don’t have official word on yet. 

From what we could find on the MAG Trident S 5M’s pricing online, German retailer Computer Universe (opens in new tab) is selling a configuration for €808 (that’s roughly $890). This is a little on the steep side in our opinion. We’ve seen many cheap gaming PCs at this price point that are running dedicated graphics cards, such as the RTX 3050, which are more capable (at least on paper). 

However, we’ll cast a verdict once official US pricing is officially unveiled. 

What we do know are the MAG Trident S 5M’s specs, which are more than respectable. From what the official press release tells us, there will be three versions of the entry-level system available at launch running a different SOC (system on chip). The Ryzen 5000G Series has the honor in this case, and that’s significant because of advancements made in terms of the Accelerated Processing Unit – think of them as a combination of both graphics and central processing working together in tandem. Options range from the Ryzen 3 5300G, the Ryzen 5 5600G, or the Ryzen 7 5700G, which will no doubt scale in performance and price in ascending order.

Deep diving into the MAG Trident S 5M’s hardware also reveals a few interesting things about its power potential. For a start, there’s support for 2x NVMe SSDs, as well as 1x SATA III SSD. Moreover, each unit will be fitted with a dual-channel DDR4 RAM kit clocked at 3200 Mhz, which isn’t too bad either.

The two outliers to our eyes, however, especially as far as a PC marketed for the living room goes, are in the low PSU (120w adapter) and Wi-Fi 5. Ideally, Wi-Fi 6 would have made for far stronger, and more stable, wireless performance, especially in a box living near your TV without the need for Ethernet. While a huge amount of power is not strictly required, a little more under the hood would mean the integrated graphics processor could be pushed that little bit further as well.

What does the MAG Trident S 5M mean for cloud gaming?

We touched upon the MAG Trident S 5M running Wi-Fi 5, instead of the newer Wi-Fi 6, and that’s our only major point of concern for a system with a core focus on cloud gaming. If you’re wanting to stream titles from Xbox Game Pass, Nvidia GeForce Now, Amazon Luna, Google Stadia, or other services, then one thing is paramount above all – you’re going to need a great internet connection.  

Wi-Fi 6 has been the standard inside many of the best gaming PCs and best gaming laptops since its inception in 2019. Really, widespread adoption of 802.11ax support 802.11ax wouldn’t have taken off until 2020, which makes the AG Trident S 5M’s reliance on older tech questionable. 

In terms of comparing Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6, there’s a maximum throughput of 9.6 Gbps with Wi-Fi 6 compared to Wi-Fi 5’s 3.5 Gbps. That’s quite the substance speed difference, and while unlikely to be leagues apart in real-world game streaming potential, you’re always going to want more bandwidth to reduce the likes of lagging, ghosting, and input delay in-game.

Still, as long as you’ve got a stable internet connection of around 35 MB/s or higher then you’re not going to run into many problems when streaming in Full HD from popular streaming services. We would always recommend being plugged in if possible, just to prevent any interference with the signal. 

How good are Ryzen 5000 Series APUs for gaming? 

Let’s say you want to forgo the likes of cloud gaming or running Android games on your TV, as MSI’s advertising advises. Just how competent are the likes of the Ryzen 7 5800G (the highest spec available) for running PC games natively? The performance may surprise you.

While you’re unlikely to be blown away with the benchmarks from a raw numbers perspective, the figures are decently competent in some graphically demanding titles. For instance, we’ve seen benchmarks (opens in new tab) cranking out playable figures in the likes of Grand Theft Auto V at 1080p (with a 65 FPS average) as well as Doom Eternal (running at 48 FPS average). You’re unlikely to crank sliders higher than medium (game dependant of course), but the fact that frame rates of 30+ are playable in visually impressive games is still certainly commendable.

Finalize your setup in style with the best gaming desks and best gaming chairs. Want to upgrade your gear, on the other hand? You can replace your old deck and pointer with the best gaming keyboards and best gaming mouse on the market.

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Because many of us will be hoping to put one of these consoles under the Christmas tree this Holiday season, getting to the bottom of the Nintendo Switch OLED vs Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite kerfuffle before Black Friday isn’t a bad idea. Let’s break it down, shall we?

Nintendo Switch OLED vs Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite

1. Nintendo Switch

The best Nintendo Switch for most people

Specifications

Price: $299 / £259Uses: TV or handheld modeResolution: 1080p (TV) / 720p (handheld)Controllers: Detachable

Reasons to buy

+Can be used on TV and in handheld mode+Great for big-screen multiplayer+Middle-of-the-road price

Reasons to avoid

-Screen isn’t as nice as the OLED

The ‘standard’ Nintendo Switch will be the best fit for the majority of people. Besides being somewhere in the middle in terms of price, it’s enjoys the best of all worlds – it can be connected to the TV for big-screen action or taken on the go in handheld mode. 

Because playing on your TV is perfect for multiplayer sessions, this version of the console is the best all-rounder for families this Holiday season. It’s also the most versatile. Namely, the Lite seen below can only be used in handheld mode.

2. Nintendo Switch Lite

The best Nintendo Switch for kids or those on a budget

Specifications

Price: $199 / £199Uses: Handheld mode onlyResolution: 720pControllers: Built-in

Reasons to buy

+More affordable+Sturdier design

Reasons to avoid

-Handheld mode only-Not great for local multiplayer

This cheaper, smaller version of the Switch is ideal if you just want to dabble in Nintendo’s game library without breaking the bank, or if you’re looking for a console that’ll suit your kids. Sturdier than its counterparts and featuring built-in controllers, this console is perfect for taking with you when out and about. 

However, note that it can’t connect to the TV and can only be used in handheld mode. This means it’s not great for local multiplayer sessions; crowding around its little display for split-screen action isn’t much fun.

3. Nintendo Switch OLED

The best Nintendo Switch for handheld play

Specifications

Price: $349 / £309Uses: TV or handheld modeResolution: 1080p (TV) / 720p (handheld)Controllers: Detachable

Reasons to buy

+Gorgeous screen+Excellent in handheld mode+Small quality-of-life changes

Reasons to avoid

-Not a huge upgrade

Hoping to clock some hours playing in handheld mode? The new Switch OLED will be your jam. While it isn’t the 4K Nintendo Switch Pro we were originally hoping for (and it doesn’t offer much of a reason to upgrade from older models, as discussed in our Nintendo Switch OLED review), it does have a new and improved screen that features a gorgeous OLED display for brighter, more vibrant color. The console itself also has an improved kickstand, so it’s ideal if you want to play in tabletop mode as well.

Happily, it’ll connect to your TV too. This allows you to get in on some split-screen multiplayer gaming, adding to the OLED’s versatility. Speaking of which, small quality-of-life improvements such as an Ethernet port on the dock (ideal for those looking to play online multiplayer more reliably) have been added.

Today’s best Nintendo Switch deals

Want to see what’s on offer right now? Once you’ve made your decision, you can browse the latest deals and discounts on every kind of Nintendo Switch (including the best Nintendo Switch bundles that are currently available) below. More are sure to appear in the Black Friday gaming deals, so keep an eye out as we approach the end of November.

As for other consoles, don’t forget to drop in on our guide to the upcoming Black Friday PS5 deals and Black Friday Xbox Series X deals.

Want to get ahead of your Christmas shopping and track down some gifts? Be sure to check out these Black Friday board game deals and Black Friday Lego deals.

The post Nintendo Switch OLED vs Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch Lite: which console should you buy this Black Friday? appeared first on Game News.

It’s a fair question; both have made waves over the last few years (our Oculus Quest 2 review praised its “vastly improved” visuals), but the new Vive Pro is featured in the GamesRadar Hardware Awards 2021 thanks to what is arguably the best VR experience on the market right now.

Black Friday at a glance

When is it? November 26
How long does it last? At least three days, but it unofficially starts mid-November

Basically, this is an argument of cost versus longevity. The Oculus Quest 2 is a cheaper option that won’t cripple your bank account, but the HTC Vive Pro 2 remains leaps and bounds ahead when it comes to immersive tech. Is it better to hedge your bets with the more affordable choice, or should you invest in a premium device that’ll last for much longer? Seeing as both cost a pretty penny, it’s worth giving some thought as to which is better for you.

• Oculus Quest 2 bundles: find all the deals available now

Oculus Quest 2 vs HTC Vive Pro 2

Let’s start with a breakdown of how the two VR headsets compare, shall we? You’ll find direct comparisons between specs, price, and requirements below.

Oculus Quest 2

• Price: $299 / £299
• Resolution: 1832x1920px per eye 
• Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz
• Requirements:  None

HTC Vive Pro 2

• Price: $1,399 / £1,299
• Resolution: 2448×2448px per eye
• Refresh Rate: Up to 120Hz
• Requirements:  PC

So, which one is worth your cash? Here’s the tea: personally speaking, I’d recommend checking out the Oculus Quest 2 if you’re new to VR or remain unsure about how much long-term use you’ll get out of the platform. However, if you’re looking for the best the medium can offer and want to avoid your tech becoming outdated in a few years, it’s a good idea to opt for the Vive Pro 2 instead. It’s more expensive, yes, but it’s a far more versatile piece of kit on the whole. Very little can match it in terms of VR excellence.

No matter what, these offers will be snapped up all too quickly. The Oculus Quest 2 sells like no-one’s business at the best of times, so discounts won’t last long before they’re claimed. There may be some offers left over for the Cyber Monday Oculus Quest 2 deals if we’re lucky, but it’s probably wise not to rely on the off-chance.

Meanwhile, the HTC Vive Pro 2 is expensive enough to make any reduction hot stuff. That means it’s a good idea to get in early and check the deals as soon as Black Friday begins in your area. Biding your time puts you at risk of missing out.

With that in mind, our team will be on hand to bring you all the latest offers throughout Black Friday. If there’s a deal to be had on either the Oculus Quest 2 or the HTC Vive Pro 2, you’ll find it here. Check in as we approach the end of November for the latest deals!

Want something to pair with your new VR headset? These Black Friday gaming PC deals should be your first port of call. It’s worth looking into the best gaming earbuds if you want an Oculus Quest 2 as well – it has speakers, but in-ear audio will provide a better overall experience.

The post Oculus Quest 2 vs HTC Vive Pro 2: which should you buy on Black Friday? appeared first on Game News.

Written and directed by Sam Levinson and produced by Avengers: Infinity War (opens in new tab) directors the Russo brothers, Assassination Nation takes a small-ish American town and imagines what would happen if everyone’s secrets got out. Or, more accurately, what would happen if everyone’s secrets got out in such a way that they could blame ‘the young people’. As the intense trailer states: “When 17,000 people’s texts and emails get leaked, people get really weird.” At the centre of the story are high school BFFs Lily (Odessa Young), Bex (Hari Nef), Sarah (Suki Waterhouse), and Em (Abra). Your typically beautiful ‘young people’, they spend their days sexting, drinking, and generally doing things they probably shouldn’t – but hey, we’ve all been there, right? When the hacks start happening, some terrible things follow, but it’s not until the biggy hack – the one which reveals the deepest, darkest secrets of half the town – happens that things get really fucked up. And I mean, really fucked up. 

As Lily states: “Who sees a naked photo of a girl and their first thought is ‘Yo, I gotta kill this girl’? Way more people than you think.” While technology is the instigator for the destruction, which is unleashed in the days following the hack, Assassination Nation is really about any number of political and social issues facing young people today. From slut shaming and homophobia, to the dangers of mob mentality and the fight for Trans equality, it’s hard to think of a film which is more of its time than Assassination Nation. This movie takes a good, long, hard look at the world and – spoilers – it doesn’t like what it sees. But the main criticism the movie heaps on the world of today, is its tendency to blame the innocent. 

Read more

The 25 most disturbing movies (opens in new tab) ever made

You’d think the adults of Salem (yeah, that’s what the town is called. Get it?) would turn on each other when it’s revealed that there are adulterers, abusers, and liars living among them – and we do see some of that to start with – but once everything goes to shit and normal behaviour gets thrown out the window, it’s the younger generation, and especially the young girls, who are targeted in the wake of the hack. Well, it’s their fault, right? The hack wouldn’t have happened with technology, and it’s those bloody Millennials who are always on their phones, posting pictures, and taking selfies… never mind the fact that some of those questionable nudes were found on the phones of adults. Plus, the hacker is undoubtedly a young person because no one over the age of 30 would know how to do this. This is how Salem very easily finds itself in the middle of a generational war, with parent turning on child and everyone going full-on Purge mad. 

While the conclusion strays into disbelief and predictability somewhat, as the four teenagers defend themselves Kill Bill-style armed with machetes and machine guns, this doesn’t detract from the powerful message of the movie as a whole. Violent, bloody, intensely political, and generally very disturbing to watch at times, Assassination Nation is a young generation’s fuck you to the world they’re living in, and it will no doubt resonate with many. If you’ve ever taken issue with the message that Millennials are the problem when it was previous generations who crashed the housing market, fucked the environment, and put a celebrity businessman in the White House, then this is the movie for you. And if you like a disturbing amount of blood and violence too, then you won’t go far wrong either. 

Assassination Nation is in US theatres now and will open in the UK on November 23, 2018.

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