Games - Page 2 of 166

OnePlus Nord CE vs Poco F3: Which should you buy?

(Pocket-lint) – The mid-range market is heating up. And in this instance, when we say mid-range, we mean the less expensive phones, not necessarily the low powered devices. That’s because in this comparison we’re looking at two fast, smooth phones that won’t leave you wanting.

Those two phones are the excellently priced Poco F3 and the OnePlus Nord CE. Both offer great features and capabilities for what you pay, but each takes a slightly different approach.

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Design

Nord CE: 159.2 x 73.5 x 7.99mm – 170g
Poco F3: 163.7 x 76.4 x 7.8mm – 196g
Nord CE: Plastic back and frame – no official water resistance
Poco F3: Glass back, plastic frame – IP53 splash resistance

Design could actually be one area that decides it for you, if only because of the difference in size. The Nord CE is noticeably more compact. At least, when it comes to width and height. There’s not much difference when it comes to thickness, there’s only a tenth of a millimetre between them, and both are generally quite slim.

The two phones each have their own practical benefits too. For instance, the Nord CE has a 3.5mm port for wired headphones and headsets, where the F3 doesn’t. Poco F3 has IP53 rating against water and dust, which means it’s basically splash proof. OnePlus doesn’t have that, but the company has told us it should survive splashes okay.

One thing we like, surprisingly perhaps, is the fingerprint sensor in the Poco. It has a physical reader in the button on the side that’s not just thin, but quick and reliable too. OnePlus’ we found was decent enough. It was reliable, just not as quick.

Then there’s the hole-punch cutout in each screen. Poco’s is much smaller, and so doesn’t interrupt as much of the available surface area. It’s also placed nicely in the centre, out of the way.

W love the feel of the Poco in two hands, typing away. It’s a great two-handed device, but the frosted plastic finish on the back of the Nord CE is really nice, and looks fantastic in the Blue Void colour.

What’s more, it’s nearly 30 grams lighter, and that’s something you can definitely feel when it’s in your hand. And the size makes a difference too. If you want something that’s easy to hold and carry around with you in your pocket, the Nord is the one.

One minor thing we noticed when typing – the Poco has a much more subtle haptic feedback than the Nord CE, which gives a nasty buzz when you’re typing.

Displays + Media

Nord CE: 6.43-inch – AMOLED – 90Hz – fullHD+ (1080 x 2400)
Poco F3: 6.67-inch – AMOLED – 120Hz – fullHD+ (1080 x 2400)
Nord CE: Single loudspeaker + 3.5mm port
Poco F3: Stereo speakers

Despite spec lists that look a different, there’s not a huge amount in this as long as you’re happy to go into the settings menu and adjust things. That’s because that while both have AMOLED fullHD+ displays at 1080×2400 resolution, their default settings are quite different.

OnePlus default vivid mode seems to boost reds, so white skin tones looks a lot pinker than they are, while the automatic mode on the Poco seems to over-saturate blues and make them unnatural. Thankfully, both have display settings that allow you to calibrate it to the way you’d like to have it.

Poco’s reaches refresh rates of 120Hz, which is higher than the 90Hz on the OnePlus. But to our eye, it’s really hard to tell the difference in daily use. Poco’s does feel fluid in the general interface, but so does the Nord. We wouldn’t suggest basing your purchase decision on this.

Instead, there are other factors, like the fact Poco’s screen is larger, making it a great immersive canvas, joined by stereo speakers to enhance that. Nord CE only has the single loudspeaker. The screen is also brighter. In that way, it’s a much better device for media consumption.

Performance

Nord CE: Snapdragon 750G – 5G
Poco F3: Snapdragon 870 – 5G
Nord CE: 6GB/128GB – 8GB/128GB – 12GB/256GB
Poco F3: 6GB/128GB – 8GB/256GB
Nord CE: 4500mAh battery – 30W fast charge
Poco F3: 4520mAh battery – 33W fast charge

As with any point of comparison on this list, you could easily make a judgement on performance and battery from just looking at the spec sheet and assume the Snapdragon 870 will give you much better performance then the Snapdragon 750 in the Nord CE, but that will depend on exactly what you use it for.

In truth, when it just comes to general day-to-day phone usage and casual gaming, both will run even the most demanding games pretty easily.

Where we did notice a difference was in load times for the bigger games like CoD Mobile where it took a second or two longer on the Nord CE. The Poco seems to render sharper images in those games with more demanding graphics, without stuttering and lag too. The Nord by comparison – while smooth and responsive – had more jagged edges and slightly less detail.

Technically speaking, the 870 is the more powerful chip and will benchmark way higher, offering better high refresh rate performance and you will see it in the more graphically demanding titles if you put them side-by-side.

As for battery life, both have very similar capacities. It’s 4500mAh on the Nord and 4520mAh on the Poco, both with their own fast-charging. 30W vs 33W.

That means each will get you a full battery in just under an hour, roughly. They’ll both even get you similar battery life. We lasted about a day and a half with both phones, using them for casual gaming, social media and such throughout the day.

Cameras

Nord CE primary: 64MP – f/1.8 – PDAF
Poco F3 primary: 48MP – f/1.8 – PDAF
Nord CE: 8MP ultrawide – 2MP monochrome
Poco F3: 8MP ultrawide – 5MP macro

So Poco has it when it comes to performance and media, where we think Nord is a better phone is in the camera. Speaking about the primary lens here, it seems to take shots which have much more natural colours and depth.

The processing on the Poco phone is quite aggressive sometimes depending on what you’re shooting, making colours seem too saturated and contrast a bit dark at times. Often it didn’t produce great HDR effect either, completely bleaching out the sky on some shots, while just about getting it right on others. It was just a bit inconsistent in that regard.

Neither is particularly good at focussing on objects that are close to the camera, and both have ultra wide lenses with similar performance. But for the most natural processing of colours, detail and depth, we’d say the OnePlus is the one to go for here.

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Price

Nord CE: From £299
Poco F3: From £329

There’s little difference in price between these two phones. In fact, in the UK, the Poco F3 starting price is only £30 more than the Nord CE’s. It’s worth nothing that’s just the recommended retail price, and you could find it cheaper now that it’s a little older.

For those looking for more storage, the 256GB model Poco F3 is actually cheaper than the OnePlus Nord CE model with 256GB storage. So that’s also worth considering. In that instance it’s £349 for the F3 and £369 for the Nord CE in the UK.

Verdict

So in the end there are a couple of things to consider. The OnePlus is more compact, lightweight and – we think – has a better primary camera. The Poco has a bigger display, faster performance and the stereo speakers for better media and gaming consumption. There’s a little difference in price, with the Poco being slightly more expensive.

So what matters most to you: multimedia and speed or practicality and cameras? If you can answer that, you know which is the right phone for you.

Writing by Cam Bunton.

The Atari VCS retro console gets its long-awaited retail release

The Atari VCS — a part-desktop PC, part-retro console modeled after the Atari 2600 — is finally available to buy at retail. Atari is selling the console via its own site while Best Buy and Micro Center also have their listings. This isn’t the first time the console has been available to the public (VGC notes that IndieGoGo backers recently received their consoles) but it’s the first time the machine has been available to buy at retail.

The VCS has been a long time coming. Originally teased in 2017 as the “Ataribox,” the project re-emerged the following year as the Atari VCS, with Atari running an IndieGoGo campaign to fund its development in June 2018. Originally, the console had been due to ship in mid-2019 but reportedly ran into a series of development difficulties, culminating in the project’s lead architect quitting.

The device that’s been released technically does what Atari promised, but reviews have been pretty middling. VGC says the console’s built-in selection of 100 Atari games (18 from the arcade and 82 from the Atari 2600 console) might be emulated perfectly, but many are “so incredibly basic that they really don’t hold up to the mildest scrutiny in 2021.” There’s also an app store where you can buy modern games, but pickings are slim and lacking in exclusives.

The console technically also works as a streaming box for services like Netflix and Disney Plus, but VGC notes these are just “glorified Chrome bookmarks” rather than native apps. At least the promised desktop mode actually works, allowing you to install Windows, Linux, or ChromeOS and use the machine like a modestly-specced but cool-looking desktop PC.

If you do decide to go down the desktop PC route, the Atari VCS is powered by an AMD Ryzen R1606G system-on-a-chip, paired with 8GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (both upgradeable). There are two USB 3.1 ports on the front and two on the rear along with Ethernet and HDMI 2.0 ports. In other words, don’t expect this machine to rival an Xbox Series S despite its similar $299.99 starting price.

Suffice it to say that you probably shouldn’t be rushing out to drop upwards of $299.99 on the Atari VCS (or $399.99 for the Walnut version, which comes with an included wireless joystick and controller, which retail separately for $59.99 each). But despite its flaws, it’s still an interesting mini PC that might be worth checking out as a curiosity when it inevitably drops in price.

Microsoft is bringing next-gen Xbox games to the Xbox One with xCloud

Microsoft will let Xbox One owners play next-gen Xbox games through its xCloud service. The news was buried in a blog post recapping Microsoft’s Xbox + Bethesda showcase, with the company confirming plans to leverage Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) for Xbox One consoles. That means the 2013 hardware will be able to play Xbox Series X exclusive games from 2021 — extending the lifecycle of what would normally soon be obsolete boxes.

“For the millions of people who play on Xbox One consoles today, we are looking forward to sharing more about how we will bring many of these next-gen games, such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, to your console through Xbox Cloud Gaming, just like we do with mobile devices, tablets, and browsers,” says Will Tuttle, editor in chief of Microsoft’s Xbox Wire.

Until now, Microsoft had only described xCloud on consoles as a way for players to “try [games] before you download,” but it’s clear the company sees the service as offering much more. Microsoft originally announced Microsoft Flight Simulator as an Xbox One title, before quietly removing references to the Xbox One launch in December. Microsoft recently confirmed Flight Simulator will now launch on Xbox Series X / S consoles on July 27th.

It’s not clear when xCloud game streaming will be available on Xbox One consoles, though. It’s unlikely to be ready in time for the July launch of Microsoft Flight Simulator, and Microsoft’s head of cloud gaming, Kareem Choudhry, previously said xCloud will be integrated into consoles “later this year.”

xCloud availability will provide a welcome boost for Xbox One consoles, particularly as Microsoft is upgrading its server blades to run Xbox Series X hardware later this month. It will give this older hardware a way to play upcoming titles like Starfield, which, like Flight Simulator, will also launch exclusively on the new Xbox Series X / S consoles.

Raspberry Pi BMO Handheld Plays Games Using RetroPie

(Image credit: Lazuardi Rinaldi)

Come on and grab your friends—this Raspberry Pi project was made for adventure! Lazuardi Rinaldi, an electrical and computer engineering student from the Georgia Institute of Technology, has created a playable handheld shaped like BMO from the cartoon Adventure Time.

This BMO lookalike is a fully functional retro gaming console. Some of the best Raspberry Pi projects are made with portability in mind and this one is battery powered—ready for all of your on-the-go Adventure Time-themed gaming needs.

Check out the animated version of this illustration on the official project page. (Image credit: Lazuardi Rinaldi)

The components used in the design are fairly easy to come by. Rinaldi made it clear the project is intended to be as accessible as possible, using little to no proprietary parts. The major components it features are a 5-inch touchscreen, a Raspberry Pi 3 B, an Anker battery and pushbuttons for controller input.

What stands out to us the most is the laser-cut acrylic shell but Rinaldi advises anyone remaking this project to consider other materials like wood or 3D-printed construction. Rinaldi placed sticker sheets behind the acrylic to make the shell blue and add color to the buttons.

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(Image credit: Lazuardi Rinaldi)

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(Image credit: Lazuardi Rinaldi)

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(Image credit: Lazuardi Rinaldi)

Software-wise, the BMO handheld relies on RetroPie—one of our favorite retrogaming platforms for the Raspberry Pi. Gameplay may be limited by the available buttons but a Bluetooth controller could always be used for games with higher button demand.

If you want to create your own BMO, check out the full project breakdown at Instructables.

The best trailers of E3 2021

Guardians, vampires, rabbids, and lots of chaos

The 2021 edition of E3 was perhaps the weirdest yet. After taking a year off due to the pandemic, the world’s biggest gaming event returned in a digital-only format. A lot of big names were still present — like Microsoft, Nintendo, and Square Enix — and there were plenty of surprising reveals and other announcements. But the spectacle felt somewhat diminished without the in-person experience. Meanwhile, the show seemed to come together at the very last moment — seriously, we didn’t even know the schedule of events until just a few days before E3 kicked off.

So you’d be forgiven for having missed some of the show. Lucky for you, we’ve gathered together the best trailers from E3 in one place, so you can catch up on the most exciting announcements, gameplay reveals, and more. Check them out below.

Guardians of the Galaxy

After the muted reception to Square Enix’s Avengers game, it’s surprising just how exciting Guardians of the Galaxy looks. Based on the initial footage, the game appears to really nail the Guardians vibe, complete with lots of banter and ’80s music. It’s being developed by Deus Ex studio Eidos Montreal and, perhaps best of all, is a completely single-player game with no microtransactions.

Starfield

Bethesda’s next epic, Starfield, was announced in 2018 with the teasiest of teasers. We knew its name and that it was about space, but that’s about it. The latest trailer doesn’t show a whole lot more of the game, but at least it feels a lot more real now. It even has a release date: November 11th, 2022.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Who knows if James Cameron’s Avatar sequels will ever actually materialize, but at least you’ll be able to head back to Pandora in a video game. Ubisoft studio Massive Entertainment, best known for its work on the Division games, is helming this new title, which puts players in the role of a Na’vi exploring a new part of the alien planet. It’s due to launch next year.

Redfall

Take the co-op premise of Left 4 Dead, add in some terrifying vampires, and put it in the hands of the immersive sim wizards at Arkane, and you end up with Redfall, a Microsoft exclusive for PC and Xbox launching next year.

Forza Horizon 5

There are few better ways to show off new hardware than with shiny cars. Forza Horizon 5 is yet further proof of this, with a gorgeous trailer that shows off how good a next-gen racer can look.

The Outer Worlds 2

If all you’re going to announce is the name of a new game, you may as well have some fun with it.

They Always Run

Sometimes you just need to get straight to the action. The E3 trailer for They Always Run doesn’t waste much time with setup, instead jumping right into gameplay that shows off the fast and furious combat. The game is listed as “coming soon.”

Somerville

Given that Somerville’s developers have previously worked on games like Inside and Limbo, it’s no surprise that the game looks dark and evocative. Only this time, it looks like the game — which takes place in the midst of some kind of large-scale catastrophe — has more three-dimensional elements.

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope

The original Mario + Rabbids was a combination that came out of nowhere: Nintendo’s iconic characters, joining forces with Ubisoft’s Minion-like rabbids, in a game that channels the turn-based action of XCOM. Now, a sequel is on the way, and it somehow looks even more charming.

Far Cry 6

Four minutes of Giancarlo Esposito chewing scenery is exactly what we all need right now.

Life is Strange: True Colors

We’ve already seen a bit of the next Life is Strange story, but the E3 trailer gives a great look at how the powers, which are based on the concept of empathy, actually work. True Colors is launching this September.

We Are OFK

We Are OFK is described as an “interactive series” that follows the early career of a fictional pop group. We already knew the game was stylish, but the latest trailer also gives some hints as to how it will play, including what looks like an interesting decision-based story.

Last Stop

Last Stop is the next release from Variable State, the studio behind the mind-bending and cinematic Virginia. The new game follows a trio of characters as they experience a strange, supernatural event from different perspectives. It’s coming out on July 22nd.

OlliOlli World

The OlliOlli games have done a remarkable job of replicating the feel of street skateboarding, but with a 2D side-scrolling game. OlliOlli World looks to maintain that core but expand on it with a strange fantasy world that players will explore as they shred.

Sable

Sable continues to be one of the most gorgeous games in development, blending Moebius-inspired visuals with a vast world to explore. We’ve been following it for some time, and now it finally has a release date: September 23rd.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

One of the most anticipated games of E3 made a late appearance, with a gorgeous new trailer showcasing a new Zelda world in the skies. The sequel to Breath of the Wild still doesn’t have a release date, but it’s expected to hit the Nintendo Switch in 2022.

Metroid Dread

The long-rumored Metroid Dread is not only real — it’s coming very soon. Nintendo officially unveiled the game at E3, which is a direct sequel to Metroid Fusion and the first brand-new 2D Metroid game in nearly two decades. It’s launching on the Switch on October 8th.

Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin

Chaos.

The Switch is getting new Mario Party and WarioWare games

During its E3 Direct, Nintendo announced new entries in the Mario Party and WarioWare series, both coming to the Switch.

Mario Party Superstars will be a collection of classic Mario Party boards from the Nintendo 64, featuring (hopefully only the most infuriating) mini-games from both the N64 and GameCube eras. According to Nintendo, the mini-games can be played through online multiplayer and are compatible with regular controllers (unlike the recent Super Mario Party, which didn’t allow for the use of a Pro Controller or Switch Lite unless you had external Joy-Cons.) It will release on October 29th, 2021, for $59.99.

Nintendo also announced a new WarioWare game called Get It Together. Nintendo says it will feature over 200 tiny games, along with a story mode, which can be played alone or with a friend on the same system, or via local wireless co-op. WarioWare: Get It Together will release on September 10th, 2021, and will sell for $50. You can watch the trailer below:

CD Projekt says Cyberpunk 2077 will return to Sony’s PlayStation Store on June 21st

CD Projekt says Cyberpunk 2077 will return to Sony’s PlayStation Store on June 21st, slightly more than six months after being removed. As Polygon notes, the news came in a regulatory disclosure by Cyberpunk 2077’s developer, CD Projekt Red’s parent company, saying Sony had agreed to reinstate the game.

A CD Projekt Red spokesperson declined further comment about Cyberpunk 2077’s return, including what potential bug fixes or other updates the new version offers. In a statement to Polygon, Sony confirmed the news but said that it still doesn’t recommend playing the game on PlayStation 4. “Users will continue to experience performance issues with the PS4 edition while CD Projekt Red continues to improve stability across all platforms. [Sony Interactive Entertainment] recommends playing the title on PS4 Pro or PS5 for the best experience,” a spokesperson said.

CD Projekt executives have said they frequently updated Sony on fixes for Cyberpunk 2077’s myriad bugs and performance issues since the game was pulled from the store on December 17th, 2020. The studio has released numerous patches for its console, PC, and Google Stadia editions; in late May, joint CEO Adam Kiciński told investors there’d been “visible progress” on stabilizing the game. But Kiciński said Sony would have to make the final call.

Cyberpunk 2077 was released in December to strong sales but severe technical problems. The game struggled to run on last-generation Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles, and players faced numerous (and frequently hilarious) bugs on every platform. Microsoft and Sony both offered refunds for the game, and Microsoft added a warning label for Xbox One owners on its Xbox store. Sony took the more drastic step of pulling Cyberpunk 2077 from its PlayStation Store entirely. Console owners could still buy physical discs, but CD Projekt has said that the digital version’s absence may have slowed down sales on Xbox and PC as well as PlayStation.

CD Projekt Red spent nearly a decade designing Cyberpunk 2077, and it calls the game a long-term investment that it can sell for “years to come.” The studio has backed away from plans for a standalone multiplayer mode, saying it would focus on adding online features to all its games instead. But it’s promised downloadable content for Cyberpunk 2077’s single-player campaign, plus a major upgrade for new consoles — including the PlayStation 5 — in the second half of this year.

Update June 15th, 2:00PM ET: Added comment from Sony via Polygon and response from CD Projekt Red.

Nintendo is releasing a Zelda-themed Game & Watch handheld

For the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo is releasing a Zelda-themed green and gold Game & Watch handheld console with four playable built-in games. You’ll be able to play the first entry in The Legend of Zelda series, followed by its sequel, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. The fourth game is the Game & Watch Vermin game, but with Link’s character imposed over the original character. Additionally, it can be used as a digital clock or timer.

The handheld will release on November 12th for $49.99. The previous Game & Watch console released for Mario’s 35th anniversary had three games, including the original Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, and the Game & Watch Ball game.

This version has a similar design and color LCD display found in the Mario version, but it’s unique in that it has a start and select button for navigating the Zelda games. Unless Nintendo changed its strategy, it likely has a USB-C charging port.

Nintendo is remastering the first two Advance Wars games for the Switch

Nintendo announced that it’s remastering the first two games in the Advance Wars series for Nintendo Switch in one package under the banner Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp. The game is scheduled to launch on December 3rd, and you can preorder it beginning Tuesday.

The games are “fully rebuilt from the ground up,” and in the trailer shown during the presentation, you can see the game’s great new 3D graphics. But it also looks like the classic grid-based strategy gameplay is intact almost exactly as you might remember.

The first Advance Wars game came out in 2001 on the Game Boy Advance, and the second hit in 2003. I played hours and hours of both games as a kid — they were some of the first strategy games I ever enjoyed — so I’m looking forward to getting my hands on these remasters when they’re released for the Switch in December.

Breath of the Wild 2 heads to the skies in stunning E3 trailer

After years of anticipation, Nintendo has revealed a new trailer for the still-untitled upcoming sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at E3 2021, along with a 2022 release date.

Breath of the Wild was a launch title for the Switch, and it reinvented the now-35-year-old franchise with an open-world model that broke new ground in the genre and is wildly considered one of the most acclaimed games of all time.

That’s a long way of saying that there’s a lot riding on the sequel, which Nintendo announced over two years ago at E3 2019 with a surprise teaser trailer. It featured the return of Link and Zelda from Breath of the Wild, along with what appeared to be longtime series villain Ganondorf.

The Breath of the Wild sequel isn’t Nintendo’s only major Zelda project in the works: the company is also working on an HD rerelease of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, which was originally released for the Nintendo Wii, planned for release on July 16th. The Skyward Sword port offers improved graphics and a new control scheme to allow players to play the Wii Remote-focused title with a traditional controller.

The first three Super Monkey Ball games are getting remastered

Sega on Tuesday announced Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, a “modern HD remaster” of Super Monkey Ball, Super Monkey Ball 2, and Super Monkey Ball Deluxe that will be releasing on October 5th for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X / S, and PC. The announcement arrives ahead of the 20th anniversary of the first game’s original release on June 23rd, 2001.

The meat of the Super Monkey Ball series consists of navigating increasingly challenging mazes as adorable monkeys rolling around in transparent balls. But these three games also had some ridiculous multiplayer mini-games that I spent hours on as a kid, such as bowling, billiards, and even golf.

Soccer is one of the mini-games you can play.

Image: Sega

Sega says Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania will include more than 300 recreated levels and refined versions of the 12 multiplayer mini-games from the original games. Those 12 multiplayer games won’t be playable online, though — they’re four-player local multiplayer only, Sega tells The Verge. The remaster does have online leaderboards and an online time attack mode, however.

Tekken’s Kazuya is coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Nintendo has announced that Kayuza from the Tekken fighting games will be the latest character to join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at its E3 2021 Nintendo Direct presentation. Additional details are promised at a future presentation on June 28th.

The character marks the latest classic fighting game character to join Nintendo’s flagship fighter, joining characters like Street Fighter’s Ryu or Fatal Fury’s Terry Bogard.

Kayuza is the fifth DLC character to be added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s second Fighters Pass. Previous additions included Min Min from Arms, Minecraft mascots Steve and Alex, Final Fantasy VII villain Sephiroth, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s Pyra and Mythra (the two count as a single character) released in February.

The Fighters Pass costs $29.99 for six characters, with a final character — who, barring any changes, will be the last fighter added to Smash Bros. Ultimate — who should be announced later this year. Players who don’t want the full collection can also pay $5.99 for each character individually.

Smash Bros. Ultimate also still has its original Fighters Pass, which costs $24.99 and includes five additional characters: Joker from Persona 5, Hero from Dragon Quest, Banjo and Kazooie from Banjo-Kazooie, Terry Bogard from The King of Fighters, and Byleth from Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

How to watch Nintendo’s E3 2021 Direct showcase

Nintendo’s Direct presentation is one of the last big happenings of E3 2021. It’s a 40-minute show that Nintendo says is focused exclusively on Switch games (and not new hardware, for everyone hoping for Switch Pro news). So, what will we see? It’s possible that the unnamed sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will make an appearance, as well as Splatoon 3. Maybe Metroid Prime 4 will see its debut after being announced all the way back in 2017, then — in an unprecedented move — having its development restarted in early 2019. Knowing it’s Nintendo, there will likely be several unexpected announcements.

When does Nintendo’s E3 2021 Direct begin?

This presentation will begin streaming on Tuesday, June 15th at 12PM ET / 9AM PT. Nintendo will have the spotlight, as Microsoft’s event happened Sunday, and Sony didn’t host its own dedicated E3 showing.

Where can I watch the Nintendo Direct?

You’ll be able to watch the show on Nintendo’s YouTube page, as well as on Twitch.

After the show wraps up, you can stay on either stream to watch three hours of Nintendo Treehouse Live, where the staff will demo some of the games announced during the Direct.

Flexound Pulse seat concept delivers a cinema experience without speakers

(Image credit: Flexsound)

We’ve had surround sound, 3D sound via Sony 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos, and now comes multisensory audio. It’s a technology that adds a sense of touch to the mix, supposedly letting the viewer feel what they’re hearing. It might sound crazy, but it has its roots in therapy for autistic children.

Flexound Augmented Audio claims to create a “unique, holistic, immersive listening experience that you can feel as well as hear”. As well as standard audio, you get “gentle physical sound wave vibration” to add the sensation of touch. And it works with all kinds of content, including music, games, television, streaming, movies, and VR.

But perhaps the most obvious application is in cinemas. The Flexound Pulse is a chair with the technology built-in – vibrations radiate through the soft foam padding, which Flexound claims make the viewing and listening experience more immersive. But Flexound believes the tech works equally well as an office chair for video calls, a gaming station, for sound massage, automotive audio, or for home viewing. It also makes content more accessible for the hearing impaired.

It’s also less disruptive to neighbours, co-workers, and anyone else not interested in what you’re watching. Because you can feel frequencies up to 500Hz with your body and up to 1000Hz with your hands and skin, you don’t have to fill the room with sound to get the full audio experience. That means far less sound leakage.

Away from pure entertainment, it also has a therapeutic role to play. The vibro-acoustic technology was developed to provide pain relief and ease anxiety. It has been used by therapists treating children and adults with autism and development disability, people with chronic pain, rehabilitation of memory disorders, neurological and sleeping disorders, depression, and speech therapy.

The technology is ready to be licensed for use in cinemas and by furniture manufacturers, so look out for it at your local multiplex…

MORE:

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And here are the best AV receivers

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Roccat Kone Pro Review: An Ergonomic Win

Our Verdict

The Roccat Kone Pro is a very comfortable ergonomic mouse with a unique look and shape that’s more considerate of the ring and pinky fingers than most rivals. Its mundane plastic can easily attract moisture, dust and fingerprints. But once you download the mouse’s software, there’s a lot of programmability.

For

+ Cozy ergonomic shape catering to most fingers
+ Buttons are highly programmable
+ Unique scroll wheel, RGB look

Against

– Plastic chassis lacks grip, gets clammy, attracts dust
– Need software to change CPI out of the box
– Black version attracts fingerprints

When it comes to the shape of your best gaming mouse, you may prefer an ambidextrous design that’s symmetrical in shape or opt for an ergonomic mouse, which typically curves in a way that caters to the right-handed gamer’s thumb. The Roccat Kone Pro (and wireless Kone Pro Air) are a more unique approach to ergonomic gaming mice with bolder curves that also provide support to the ring and even pinky finger.

For $80, the Kone Pro can keep up with the competition when it comes to specs, software and functionality. But an unimpressive plastic chassis with some questionable gapping in places like under the primary click buttons stop it from being flawless.

Roccat Kone Pro Specs

Sensor Model	Roccat Owl-Eye
Sensitivity	19,000
Polling Rates	125, 250, 500 or 1,000 Hz
Programmable Buttons	8, (including 3 scroll wheel functions)
LED Zones and Colors	2x RGB
Cable	5.9 foot (1.8m) USB Type-A, braided
Connectivity	USB Type-A
Measurements (LxWxH)	4.94 x 2.83 x 1.57 inches (125.6 x 72 x 40mm)
Weight	2.34 ounces (66g)
Extra	1x extra set PTFE feet

Design and Comfort of Roccat Kone Pro

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The Kone Pro’s best asset is, perhaps, its shape. It caters to parts of the hand that many gaming mice today neglect: the ring and pinky fingers. Ergonomic mice often focus on curving in for a righty’s thumb, and the Kone Pro does too. But it also provides a subtler, longer curve in its right side, where the ring finger can easily rest and the pinky may find respite too. I have longer hands for a woman, and sometimes I noticed my pinky dragging on my mouse pad in my typical claw and palm grips still, but this happened less often than with most gaming mice I’ve tested.

The mouse’s shape makes palm gripping very comfortable. My palm’s outer edge makes comfortable contact with the Kone Pro’s hump, while the deepest part of my palm hovers above. In both palm and claw grips, my ring finger often grazes the gap underneath the right click button. This is a small annoyance but one worth noting for perfectionists. This wouldn’t be an issue if I used a fingertip grip, but I find the mouse a bit bulky for that, and a more symmetrical shape would be helpful too.

Roccat’s Kone Pro measures 4.94 x 2.83 x 1.57 inches and weighs 2.34 ounces. For comparison to other ergonomically shaped wire mice for righties, the Razer DeathAdder V2 is longer, less wide, taller and heavier (5 x 2.43 x 1.68 inches / 2.89 ounces), and the honeycomb-filled Glorious Model D is about the same length and weight but less wide, taller and lighter (5.04 x 2.4 x 1.65 inches / 2.4 ounces). Especially with its lightweight plastic, the Kone Pro does a good job of feeling light for its size, but I wouldn’t call it lightweight, especially with the likes of honeycomb mice like the 2.08-ounce Glorious Model O- around.

Roccat Kone Pro and wireless Roccat Kone Pro Air (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Available in black or white (the above picture shows both color schemes available for the wired and wireless versions of the mouse, and the white version is wireless), the Kone Pro’s plastic shell is nothing remarkable. It’s carved with a gathering of parallel lines on the sides where it curves in, and it’s easy for fingerprints together there and elsewhere, making the mouse look extra unremarkable, especially with the black unit we’re reviewing. The chassis lacks gripping and is a little slick without being gross or too slippery, but some more grip would be appreciated.

A Roccat Kone logo stamped on the plastic chassis is inoffensive, yet snooze-worthy. The chunky, plastic side buttons don’t look the most premium to me; although I like the contrast they create on the white version of the mouse. Of greater concern is the amount of spacing under the primary click buttons, between them and throughout the scroll wheel, where dust accumulated during my weeks of testing. The gaps under the primary click buttons allow RGB to shine through in a unique, appealing way. But if you look through the spacing at the right angle, you’ll be alarmed to see some of the mouse’s internal components. (Note that the mouse has a 2-year warranty.)

Although the scroll wheel can get dusty and some might think it looks flimsy, it adds a special touch to the Kone Pro. Instead of opting for some pattern-textured rubber, the Kone Pro’s scroll wheel is a thin, but hard, piece of aluminum. It makes for a cool side profile, as I can see through the wheel into some RGB lighting. Tactile scrolls are subtly reassuring, and it’s a little heavier to press in than other wheels. It’s also not as grippy as some rubber wheels, but slippage shouldn’t be a problem unless you’re literally sweating. And if you are (no judgement here), this wheel may be a bother.

Gaming Experience on Roccat Kone Pro

The Kone Pro starts off with the right tech to compete with other gaming mice in its price range. Its Roccat Owl-Eye sensor is based off PixArt’s PAW3370 and can reach 50g max acceleration and a sensitivity of up to 19,000 CPI. But while many mice offer a way to change CPI settings without ever opening an app, the only way to change the Kone Pro’s CPI out of the box is by downloading software. There’s even a profile switch button on the mouse’s underside, but this doesn’t change CPI by default. Even worse, CPI was set uncomfortably low. Swarm eventually confirmed it was set to 800 CPI, when I’d prefer around 2,500-3,000.

I used the Kone Pro across CPI settings, from a comfortable 2,500, to the lowest (50) and highest (19,000). Regardless, tracking seemed as smooth and accurate as expected of a premium gaming mouse. I had no trouble with large sweeping swipes or careful, small movements, meaning the mouse was part of the action rather than a hindrance.

The primary click buttons use what Roccat calls Titan Switch Optical mechanical switches. If you haven’t heard the hype around optical mechanical switches, (which are finding homes in some of the best gaming keyboards too), yet, basically they actuate when their stem goes through a light beam, rather than via metallic contact. This should prevent them from suffering from accidental double-clicking, which has been reported among some premium gaming mice after a years of extended use. Roccat claims these Titan switches are particularly “great for FPS and action games.”

I tried the Kone Pro across some shooters and found it easy to press the primarily click buttons with my fingers at various positions. It didn’t take much force or effort to press those buttons or the cheaper feeling plastic side buttons.

Compared to left-click, right-click felt clunkier though. In a side-by-side comparison with mice using standard mechanical switches I had on hand, including the Logitech G203 Lightsync, Cooler Master MM711 and Razer Orochi V2, the Kone Pro’s clicks sounded noticeably softer and seemed easier and lighter to actuate, but the other mice’s clicks felt sharper.

In the Human Benchmark reaction time test, where you must click when the screen turns from red to green, I averaged 178.6ms with a low of 168ms with the Kone Pro, compared to 205ms and 163ms, respectively, with the Orochi V2.

Meanwhile, the side buttons are large and high enough to be easily accessible without repositioning. Both myself and a man with larger hands had no issue accessing both buttons that way with palm and claw grips and without accidentally pressing another button on the mouse.

The Kone Pro keeps up with the design trends of other gaming mice in its price range, with its 5.9-feet-long braided cable and “heat-treated pure PTFE glides.” The PTFE feet are spread across the top of the mouse’s underside, plus around the sensor and on the bottom. Roccat also includes an extra set of feet in the box. The mouse moves slightly easier and more lightly than I expected from looking at the chunkier rat, but it’s not as slippery a glide as I’ve experienced on other mice, such as the small Razer DeathAdder V2 Mini.

Roccat’s Kone Pro proved comfortable enough for hours of gaming but after a few minutes of heavy gaming it felt a little clammy and moist. There’s not much in the way of grip here either. There are slimier mice out there, but after a bit you may want to take a moisture break from the Kone Pro.

Features and Software of Roccat Kone Pro

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The Kone Pro uses Roccat’s Swarm software, which is a required download if you want to change the mouse’s default CPI setting. There’s no button that’ll change CPI out of the box unless you program it to in Swarm. Swarm’s UI is pretty extensive but harmless to use; however, every saved change in Swarm results in a 1-2 second delay, making detailed changes to the mouse a little tedious.

The Settings page has tweaks that many gaming peripheral makers don’t include in their software, including vertical scroll speed and double-click speed. Here’s also where you can change the DPI settings from 50-19,000 in 100-unit increments. There’s a CPI calibration tool too, but I’ve found it ineffective here and with other Roccat mice because it always suggests I go just a little higher or lower than what I’ve already set it to.

Swarm’s Button Assignment section lets you assign functions for the programmable buttons: left and right click, scroll up, down or in, the two side buttons and the profile cycle button on the underside. Swarm even includes 3 extra presets to give you some ideas for using all that functionality. Additionally, if you program one button as the Easy-Shift[+] button, all aforementioned inputs can have a secondary function when pressing the Easy-Shift[+] simultaneously. The mouse’s RGB will automatically switch to blue to inform you that Easy-Shift[+] has been activated.

That ultimately means you can program 16 different inputs with the Kone Pro, from launching programs, to keyboard functions and macros and opening a new browser window. A macro manager also lets you set up macros that’ll automatically launch with games and other apps.

Illumination controls the Kone Pro’s 2 RGB zones, including a brightness slider. You get 5 RGB presets, (plus off), with most offering a slider for speed too. You can pick a solid color for each individual zone if you want via a color selector or by entering red, green and blue values.

I used the Kone Pro as my primary mouse for about a month on and off using its Aimo reactive RGB setting. According to Roccat, Aimo RGB is meant for “adapting to your play the more you use them, and becoming more dynamic and nuanced as AIMO products combine.” Swarm adds that “Roccat is continually developing exciting new features and effects for Aimo, which will see your level increase.” But I’ve never been able to get my AIMO level past 15% when reviewing Roccat’s Kone Pro, Burst Pro or Kain 200 Aimo; however, I haven’t combined Aimo peripherals. I did hit 35% with the Vulcan 122 Aimo keyboard but didn’t feel like RGB was reacting to what I was doing on the PC. The case was the same with the Kone Pro.

In Swarm’s Advanced Settings tab you can choose among a 125, 250, 500 or 1,000 Hz polling rate (sorry, extremists, no 8,000 Hz here yet). There are also tools for playing with things like distance control and angle snapping.

Swarm lets you program a generous 5 onboard memory profiles. If you have Swarm open, you can also have the profiles launch automatically with specific programs.

Bottom Line

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The Roccat Kone Pro is a solid gaming mouse, especially where ergonomic shapes are concerned. A well-endowed hump, accessible buttons and space for the ring and smaller pinky fingers make it a win for palm and claw grips especially. And while it’s not the most exciting look in all black (the white version does pop more), an aluminum scroll wheel and RGB-lit left and right-click buttons help differentiate the mouse.

The Kone Pro’s plastic shell is not a standout though. There’s nothing to help boost your grip, and it easily starts feeling moist when gaming. Plus, there are gaps throughout the design where dust easily builds up. For a better grip in an ergonomic design, consider the Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro, which is going for $30 less ($50) than the Kone Pro as of writing. And if you hate cables, note that there’s a wireless version of the Kone Pro.

But if your fingers have earned some extra attention, the Kone Pro knows what to do.