Customized Portable Gaming Device: Invested $149 to Craft Personalized Handheld Console
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A Budget-Friendly Gaming Powerhouse in Your Pocket: The Phone Cloud Gaming Revolution
Are you missing out on that Nintendo Switch 2 due to financial constraints? Fear not, my friend! You might already possess the ultimate economical alternative lurking in your pocket.
It's not a Switch Lite or even the original Switch. It's your humble smartphone, elevated by cloud gaming and an outstanding mobile controller. You may snicker at the lack of 'Mario Kart', but prepare to be persuaded! I used to disregard my phone as a gaming device, too, until one game-changer opened my eyes. It could do the same for you.
Cloud gaming and the perfect mobile controller can transform your phone into a remarkably potent handheld gaming device, boasting better ergonomics than the Switch 2, while offering access to your PC game library.
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Razer Kishi Ultra: A Must-Have Upgrade – $149 on Amazon
The Razer Kishi Ultra is arguably the finest mobile controller on the market, featuring full-size grips, joysticks, clicky buttons, and Hall Effect triggers, which provide a robust mobile app and built-in haptics.
Dive into Cloud Gaming with the Razer Kishi Ultra
One of my biggest gripes about mobile gaming used to be the inconvenient form factor. Touch controls, phone clips on controllers, and propping up your phone for use with a controller were all pain points I had to deal with.
The Razer Kishi Ultra was the solution to these problems and the key to tapping into my phone's gaming potential.
This mobile controller connects via USB-C and snaps onto your phone in a Switch-like layout. Unlike similar controllers like the Backbone, the Kishi Ultra features full-size, ergonomic grips with tactile clicky buttons, similarly sized sticks, and even analog Hall Effect triggers. It also sports haptic feedback and customizable RGB lighting strips.
Snapping the Kishi Ultra onto my Nothing CMF Phone 1 feels nearly the same size as my Switch Lite, yet it offers a more comfortable gaming experience, boasting a larger game library and a superior display.
The appeal of mobile gaming spans beyond a few great native titles, like the Netflix Gaming version of Death's Door. You can also access cloud gaming services and play PC games on your phone, transforming it into a portable gaming PC.
I installed Nvidia GeForce Now on my phone and effectively turned it into a handheld gaming device. Through GeForce Now, I could access games from my Steam library and enjoy them on my phone, despite the fact that it doesn't conceal an RTX 3080. You wouldn't know that from its performance, though.
Avowed ran smoothly at a steady 60 frames per second on my phone, while Cyberpunk 2077 boasted vibrant graphics, seamless performance, and responsive controls. I don't have the Switch 2 to compare it to, but it's safe to say this game looks far better on my phone's AMOLED display than it would on the LCD on my Switch.
Cloud Gaming: Smartphone vs. PC – What Are The Differences?
Although you can access cloud gaming services from any internet-connected device, the experience may differ between mobile devices and laptops/PCs.
In my experience, yes, but there are some nuances. I noticed when I first tried cloud gaming on my phone that I got a different interface after launching games through GeForce Now. On my PC, GeForce Now boots me into a virtual desktop environment, but on my phone, it mimics a Windows 11 handheld gaming PC, making the cloud gaming interface easier to navigate on my mobile device without affecting performance.
Unfortunately, that interface had one quirk - cutscenes would occasionally re-scale to an awkward aspect ratio, presumably because the game wasn't designed for phones with a 20:9 aspect ratio. This didn't impact playability, but it might annoy some users. The game always returned to full screen after cutscenes without any issues.
The most significant difference was slightly weaker performance on my phone. However, it was still perfectly playable, I just experienced slightly lower frame rates compared to streaming on my PC or laptop.
Overall, cloud gaming and the Razer Kishi Ultra can provide a surprisingly good gaming experience on a smartphone. If you're mindful of your budget and want a budget-friendly alternative to a Switch 2 or a handheld gaming PC, you've found it!
- The Razer Kishi Ultra, priced at $149 on Amazon, can elevate your smartphone's gaming capabilities, transforming it into a powerful handheld device for cloud gaming.
- With the Razer Kishi Ultra, mobile gaming becomes less cumbersome as it offers a Switch-like layout for comfortable play, full-size grips, and a superior display to immerse you in gaming.
- Cloud gaming services, like Nvidia GeForce Now, enable you to access PC games on your smartphone, creating a portable gaming experience while still catering to budget-conscious gamers.
- Although nuances exist between mobile and PC cloud gaming experiences, smartphones can offer an engaging gaming experience with the help of dedicated mobile controllers like the Razer Kishi Ultra.
- The ability to play console-quality games at a budget-friendly price using cloud gaming and a high-quality smartphone like the Nothing CMF Phone 1 warrants a reconsideration of smartphones as gaming gadgets in the realm of modern technology.
