TechRadar: Gaming news

PS3 to get 'play while downloading' feature ahead of the PS4

Hugh Langley — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:46:00 GMT

The PS3 is set to benefit from PS4 development as the "play while downloading" feature makes its way onto Sony's current console with the release of upcoming survival title The Last of Us.

It's one of the PS4 features TechRadar is most excited about, promising gamers the ability to get stuck in

Gamers will only have to download 50 per cent of the game when it hits the PSN store on June 14 before they can get going on what we're expecting to be one of the big hitters of 2013.

No time for downloading - zombies are coming

While it's good news for those who have been drooling over every last morsel of footage since the game's 2001 reveal, we're actually expecting the PS4 to let us play games when even less than 50 per cent has been downloaded to the console - "just a fraction" said Sony.

Still, halfway is good enough for now, and while we might still be waiting to find out what the PS4 actually looks like, we'll be just that extra bit ready for it now when it arrives.

The other question right now is: will the new Xbox also announce 'play while downloading' functionality to games during the big reveal tomorrow?

In Depth: Can gaming be the turning point for Linux on the desktop?

Neil Mohr — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Dear old Linux, what are we to do with you? Developed for just over two decades and it's still barely made a mark on the consumer consciousness.

There was a vague peak during the netbook fad - as it enabled companies to eliminate the extra cost of a Windows installation - but that quickly faltered after people started taking them back because Microsoft Office wouldn't run on them. Have people never heard of Open Office?

The way we're complaining you'd think Linux is overlooked and underused. The amazing truth is that the majority of supercomputers run one type of Linux or another, and it's the leading OS on servers. Besides these, it's put to work on millions of low-power embedded systems around the world - a little something called Android.

Is the Linux desktop becoming extinct?

So why then does the desktop remain a Windows bastion, while Linux is left shivering out in the cold? The same question could be leveled at the Apple Macintosh. Even with the hysterical success of Apple's wider products, the Mac as a desktop system accounts for just under seven per cent of the market. Linux is no higher than five per cent, and web use points the figure down to a pathetic 1.5 per cent.

Even with the attractiveness of the Mac's ease of use - which brutally contrasts with the stubborn user-friendly-free design of Linux - both still have the same fatal flaw: few games.

Until now. Valve, with its release of Steam for Linux - and more recently the announcement it's going to release an open gaming-platform based on Linux-powered PC architecture - could totally revitalise the desktop fortunes of this able OS.

We're going to take a look at how learning to run Linux, getting it installed and knowing the new gaming platforms can help you get gaming on a free and easy-ish to use OS.

Stop laughing at the back. It's okay to admit in these modern times that you've dabbled with Linux at some point in your life. You might have been drunk, or flirted with it during those care-free college days when life was still exciting and fun. But then you grew up a little and realised Windows was what everyone else used. It had everything you wanted and needed, without all the additional baggage that Linux brought with it.

Best office suites for Linux: 5 reviewed and rated

Linux - or as insane people would like you to call it, Linux-based GNU - can be one funny old fish to fry. It's one of the most stable, secure and flexible operating systems on the planet. It's also free - anyone can install, create and release homemade distributions.

The implications are immense for an ever more locked-down DRM world, with devices that require an advanced OS springing up all over the place. Why should you have to pay the Microsoft tax on each one of those devices when Linux frees you from that expense while remaining totally legal? It enables you to throw installs on your desktops, your servers, your media centre and on as many virtual machines as you have time for. No one's going to try and take your money or, most annoyingly, continuously check and ask you to validate your copy if you happen to change a bit of hardware.

So why won't it take off on the good ship desktop? We think the big stumbling point is gaming. Originally, a large part of that stumbling point was a distinct lack of hardware driver support - more specifically, 3D graphics card drivers. If you can't install a 3D card, you simply won't be playing anything more exciting than Minesweeper or Solitaire.

The good news is that the big three, which is to say Nvidia, AMD and Intel, do provide acceptable driver support. We hesitate to use anything more positive than 'acceptable', as stable and optimised support tends to lag Windows drivers by up to a year. This effectively limits you to slightly older and less-able cards, but it's better than a poke in the eye with a VGA cable.

We'll talk at length on just how to get drivers updated in the box on this page, but to get playable 3D frame-rate performance you'll need to grab the updated ones from your card's manufacturer.

Now, when it comes to updating, that brings on another interesting side of Linux…

Terminal illness

If you manage to install Linux without seeing 'the terminal' then you're mistakenly using a Mac. Anyone who tries Linux will discover that at some point they'll have to contend with the terminal and yes, it's as bad as it sounds.

Let's be truthful, all operating systems have a command line interface - it's the base way of running commands. Even from the days of the Atari ST and Amiga, most companies realised that no one wants to use them. Almost thirty years ago, mankind could manufacturer a computer that held a full GUI OS on ROM, so you didn't have to use a bloody command line.

Apple, with its Macintosh, elegantly embraced the new graphical interface, so almost every program - bar the most low-level - offered a graphical interface for us puny humans to use. Linux followed its own path, stubbornly sticking to terminal input as a primary system. So, even today with Ubuntu - which has been diligently designed to be as easy to use as possible - there's no avoiding the terminal. At some point, that black slab of type-based interface is going adorn your screen, like a gravestone marking the death of your happiness.

Maybe we're being a little dramatic here, but when you've spent most of your computing life in a GUI, remembering and typing commands can be a shock. It could also make you look like some super hacker from the movies, but maybe that's just us...

There is, of course, a valid reason for requiring the terminal and that's because the graphical element of Linux is delivered by a system called X Windows or X11. It's a standalone system, badly described as bolted on to the GNU/Linux ecosystem - basically you can't be guaranteed it'll be available.

As Linux was developed, the majority of commands have to assume only terminal input will be available and this goes for a lot of the low-level OS updates and install routines. It simply means that for many of the more basic processes, a terminal is the primary input and output. Even installing the Steam for Linux Beta will involve a segment of updates, where you'll be endlessly typing [Y] into a terminal.

More critically, if anything should go wrong - other than just saying "Sod you, Torvalds!" and reinstalling - you'll be using a terminal to do some serious fire fighting and bug squishing. It's at this stage you realise just how powerful it can be, as you're able to install updates and entire programs over the internet from a single command.

It's also always there, unlike mother, so if the worst should happen pressing [Ctrl] + [Alt] + [F1] always opens a terminal, and [Ctrl] + [Alt] + [F7] takes you to the first X11 interface. So if you know what you're doing, even with broken graphics drivers, it's possible to fight your way back to a working system. Hurrah, we love the terminal!

Games, you said?

Did someone make the mention of games earlier? The big great hope for Linux gaming comes in the form of Steam for Linux. Currently just out of beta, we take a quick look at the steps you need to get this installed.

Valve has done a reasonable job of making it easy to install, but even so it hardly fills you with confidence. The beta is officially only aimed at Ubuntu 12.04, though you can obviously try to install it on any flavour of Linux your heart desires, and it will work on many.

Steam for Linux is an ambitious project, as it's attempting to bring native Linux games to the Steam platform. The success of which seems rather limited, with around 55 games - minus demos and expansions packs - currently converted, the majority of which were already natively available on Linux.

Even Valve itself is hardly churning out the titles. It's main, and only, triple-A title for Linux is Team Fortress 2, and while it does run on the Source engine it's still a six-year-old game. The three other games from Valve are the original Half-Life and original Counter-Strike, both of which are nigh on 15-years old. Counter Strike: Source was added on 6 February 2013.

But the major benefit of having Steam on Linux, if you're already a Steam user, is that any game you bought on Windows will still be available. So it's likely you'll have at least one copy of FTL, Amnesia, Killing Floor, World of Goo, Defcon or Darwinia on your books. It keeps your library and the community elements of Steam that you know and love, but brings them to an open OS that you can install on anything.

Steaming ahead

That brings us on to the mysterious Steam Box from Valve. Little is really known about the project at this point, though Gabe Newell did talk about it a little at CES 2013, where Valve was holding closed-door discussions with up to 20 potential hardware partners.

From what was said, we do know that a Valve 'Steam Box' is going to be running Linux and likely be released in 2014. It'll be a small-box PC without an optical drive, and it should have the capability of driving remote screens around the home. It sounds like the base system could even be a smart-streaming box, using the processing power of your main PC to do the 3D donkey work, while extending the HDMI output to your HDTV.

It will, of course, run Steam in its Big Picture mode, providing access to your account, chat and games library. It's open in as much as it's a standard PC that other manufacturers can produce, but whether you'll be able to run standard Linux programs and how exposed the OS will be is unknown. Valve is also offering productivity software via Steam, so that might circumvent that issue to a degree.

You need to realise that Steam as an online gaming distribution platform is huge. Steam accounted for at least 50 per cent of the $4 billion worth online sales in 2011, and estimates go as far as 75 per cent. The huge disparity is no one knows how much money Valve actually makes, but we can imagine it's a pretty penny.

With all that muscle, could Valve really walk in with a Linux-based console and proclaim "Start making games!" and expect companies to do just that? Or indeed to re-engineer their entire back catalogue to run natively on Linux? All the while, expecting a gaming community to drop their PCs and pick one up? Surely there's a better way?

Wining away

There is another way and that's using Wine, a recursive acronym that proves how clever everyone is, standing for Wine Is Not an Emulator - an acronym that makes a very good point.

An emulator seeks to mimic the original runtime hardware and software environment by translating the code to run on an entirely new system. Wine does no such thing - it redirects system calls to suitable alternative Linux-based ones, all running directly on the native x86 processor.

An alternative name would be a wrapper, the like of which was used for the DirectX version of Half-Life. At the time it was an OpenGL-developed game based on the Quake engine. To enable a DirectX compatible version, the most elegant solution was to create a wrapper that would translate OpenGL calls into DirectX ones, with almost no slow down or side-effects.

The most interesting aspect of Wine is that it caters for more than just games, as it'll attempt to enable a host of standard Windows software to run under Linux. Wine is an awesome way of running Windows software via Linux - that is, if you like bugs.

Wine breaks compatibility down into four levels: Platinum for flawless compatibility, Gold for great use with special settings, Silver and Bronze are for games with minor issues and Garbage covers, well, garbage. Over 3,400 games are listed as Platinum, just over 5,500 as Gold or Silver, while over 6,000 games are rated Bronze or worse.

Interestingly, Wine concentrates on the core Windows API and doesn't concern itself with how well individual games or software actually work. This means there's a host of add-on systems that attempt to tune Wine for individual games, and a list can be found at http://wiki.winehq.org/ThirdPartyApplications.

Recently, id co-founder John Carmack tweeted that creating native mainstream Linux games makes no business sense for any company. Largely this comes from id's dabble with Quake Arena and Quake Live, with Carmack adding: "The conventional wisdom is that native Linux games are not a good market." He went on to say that a Wine-style layer "could allow developers to get Linux versions with little more effort than supporting, say, Windows XP."

They're interesting words, and perhaps that's what Valve is planning with the Steam Box - whatever it is, it'll be more than a little interesting.

Fighting talk

As a day-to-day OS, Linux is used by millions of people all around the globe. The X11 interface has been developed on for years and offers some lovely touches, while Ubuntu comes with multi-desktop built-in and it's easy to add more extensions than we have space for.

As it was created by programmers, for programmers, it's a fantastic development platform for coders - so if you've got a passion for code or are looking to give it a go then there's no better platform.

As we've already mentioned, it's also used to drive the majority of the world's web servers, so using it to learn and develop web APIs is never going to be a bad thing. It's not even like you have to abandon Windows - you can still cling to your favourite Microsoft OS and still dabble with a little Linux debauchery. It's one of the great advantages of Linux that you can head over to www.virtualbox.org, download it and fire it up on a virtual machine running Linux - just grab an ISO of your favourite Linux distribution and install.

This effectively gives you a perfectly safe and flexible environment to learn and use Linux within. Don't forget to create a snapshot of a clean build, so even if you utterly break an install, it's just a click away from being totally restored.

Nvidia's Shield Android game system up for early pre-order

Michael Rougeau — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:29:00 GMT

Nvidia's Android-powered portable video game system Shield is available for pre-order today.

That's three days earlier than the previous pre-order date of May 20, and according to Nvidia's announcement, the bump-up is at the behest of retailers.

"Good news," the announcement harped. "Our partners are so excited about Shield that they're moving up the pre-order date for our amazing new open platform gaming portable. You can now pre-order your Shield today."

The Nvidia Shield is available for pre-order now at GameStop, Newegg, Canada Computer, and through Nvidia's own site. Micro Center's pre-orders will go live "within the next few days."

The rise of Android gaming?

Nvidia's Shield helped gaming devices steal the headlines at CES this year, where it made its first big appearance.

It's a portable gaming device that looks like an Xbox controller with a 5-inch display strapped on top.

Home to 16GB of storage and able to play most Android games, another big draw of the system is its capacity to play games streaming from a PC over Wi-Fi. That is, if the PC has a GTX 650 graphics processor or higher.

Android gaming is perhaps not what it could be, though exciting projects like Nvidia's Shield and Ouya may change that soon enough.

Still, Shield may prove to be a niche product, especially with unfortunate limitations like the GPU requirement.

Expect to see the Shield on shelves in early June.

Nintendo is taking a grassroots approach to E3 by bringing games to the masses

Michael Rougeau — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:32:00 GMT

Nintendo announced this morning that several of its unreleased Wii U games will be playable at 100 Best Buy stores across the U.S. and Canada during the week of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in June.

E3 is gaming's biggest event, but these days Nintendo is more interested in interacting directly with fans.

That's evident in the company's Nintendo Direct videos, a series of live streamed presentations that anyone can watch online.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime announced the partnership with Best Buy during today's Nintendo Direct.

Stomping the middle man

Fils-Aime did not reveal what games will be playable at Best Buy stores, and it's unknown what new games Nintendo will be showing off at E3.

"This year we're making E3 for the people," he said. "We want to make sure you get the chance to try our games as well."

The Mario maker announced in April that it will not hold a traditional press conference during the expo, instead hosting more low-key demos for press.

With Nintendo game demos coming to Best Buy stores as well, it seems press and fans will be getting the same E3 experience for once, at least where Nintendo is concerned.

During today's Nintendo Direct video Nintendo global president Satoru Iwata revealed new games like Sonic: Lost World and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games as well as release dates for The Wonderful 101 and Super Luigi U.

Xbox 360 dashboard update for 2013 reportedly ties into new Xbox

Matt Swider — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:17:00 GMT

All eyes are on the new Xbox, set to be announced on May 21 in Redmond, Wash., but in additional all the next-gen festivities, Microsoft also plans on updating the Xbox 360 dashboard, according to a report out today.

The Xbox 360 dashboard update for 2013 is meant to help gamers transition over to the next-generation Xbox, according unnamed sources who talked with The Verge.

Microsoft wants to ensure that messaging, beacons and achievements carry over to the new console while also experimenting with the user interface a bit, the report claimed.

Specifically, the Xbox 360 dashboard UI tweaks are said to make it look more consistent with the planned Windows 8.1 design thanks to smaller Live Tiles.

Currently, the video game console sports a Metro interface with larger tiles, which replaced the "New Xbox Experience" and original five "Blades" design.

Xbox 360 dashboard beta

It's unclear when Microsoft plans to launch the Live Tile version of the Xbox 360 dashboard, but the report does indicate that there will be a late June or early July public beta test.

The company has consistently released a public beta of its dashboard updates in the summer in an effort to test and hype the changes that become public in the fall.

That would be perfect timing for gamers to prepare for the new Xbox hardware, which is expected to hit shelves before the end of the year to challenge Sony's PS4.

Other dashboard features

Likely changes to the Xbox 360 dashboard may include darker and lighter themes compared to the system's current Metro interface, according to The Verge.

Additionally, when the new update rolls out, it may very well mark the end of the Microsoft Points currency system, which the company first introduced alongside Xbox Live in 2005.

This would further match the Windows 8 experience, which neglected to add the pesky points-based method of paying for digital content when the operating system launched last year.

With the Xbox brand taking its lead from Windows 8, some have suggest that the name of the new system could very well be Xbox Infinity - the number side turned on its side.

Microsoft is expected to reveal the true name of the new Xbox along with what may be the final Xbox 360 dashboard update on Tuesday. TechRadar will be in Redmond to cover the event live, so be sure to tune in at 10 a.m. PT/6 p.m. BST for the latest news.

Blip: Xbox Wire goes live ahead of new console reveal

Hugh Langley — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:47:00 GMT

The TechRadar team is so excited about the new Xbox reveal that none of us have slept all week. Seriously, we should probably seek medical help or something.

And it looks like the next few days will be much the same as Microsoft has just launched a new blog, Xbox Wire, which we'll be refreshing manically for any possible early hints at what's coming on May 21.

A post on the site by Editor Lisa Gurry says "a new generation of games, TV and entertainment" is coming our way, but there's not much else for the time being. Microsoft, you tease.

More blips!

Updated: 68 best free Android games 2013

Gary Cutlack — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:17:00 GMT

Best free Android games 1 - 20

As Android phones and tablets have increased in popularity, the number of apps available for the platform has rocketed.

And that means more free Android games. There's a lot of junk out there but, fortunately, there are gems among the junk.

We've worked our way through a whole load of Android games to reveal the ones you should download to your phone.

So without delay, here is our pick of the best free Android games available.

We also have a video run down of the top 10:

FutTv : n129069G01eX4

1. Angry Birds

The amazingly popular iOS game moved to Android a while ago, earning over two million downloads during its first weekend of availability.

The Android version is free, unlike the Apple release, with maker Rovio opting to stick a few adverts on it rather than charge an upfront fee. The result is a massive and very challenging physics puzzler that's incredibly polished and professional. For free. It defies all the laws of modern retail.

Angry Birds for Android was first available to download from app store GetJar but is now available through Google Play.

2. Bebbled

Bebbled is your standard gem-shuffling thing, only presented in a professional style you wouldn't be surprised to see running on something featuring a Nintendo badge with an asking price of £19.99.

You only drop gems on other gems to nuke larger groups of the same colour, but with ever-tightening demands for score combos and scenes that require you to rotate your phone to flip the play field on its head, Bebbled soon morphs into an incredibly complex challenge.

3. Red Stone

There's an awful lot of square-shuffling games on Android and Red Stone is one of the best. And one of the hardest. You start off with a big fat 'King' square that's four times of the normal 'pawn' squares, then set about shuffling things so the fat King can get through to an exit at the top of the screen.

It's hard to accurately describe a puzzle game in the written word, but seriously, it's a good game.

4. Newton

Released in beta form, Newton is a maths/physics challenge that has you lining up shots at a target - but having to contend with the laws of nature, in the form of pushers, pullers, benders (no laughing), mirrors and traps, all deflecting your shot from its target.

The developer is still adding levels to it at the moment, so one day Newton might be finished and might cost money. But for now it's free and a great indie creation.

5. Angry Birds Star Wars

The Angry physics phenomenon took a turn for the weird late in 2012, with Rovio acquiring the rights to blend Star Wars characters with its popular Angry Birds play mechanics. Angry Birds Star Wars is actually pretty nice, with players using Star Wars weaponry to smash down scenery alongside the usual destructive physics action. Not the car crash IP clash we were expecting.

6. Drop

Some might call Drop a game, others might classify it as a tech demo that illustrates the accuracy of the Android platform's accelerometer, thanks to how playing it simply involves tilting your phone while making a little bouncy ball falls between gaps in the platforms. Either way it'll amuse you for a while and inform you of the accuracy of your accelerometer - a win-win situation.

7. Frozen Bubble

Another key theme of the independent Android gaming scene is (ports of) clones of popular titles. Like Frozen Bubble, which is based around the ancient and many-times-copied concept of firing gems up a screen to make little groups of similarly coloured clusters. That's what you do. You've probably done it a million times before, so if it's your thing get this downloaded.

8. Replica Island

Replica Island is an extremely polished platform game that pulls off the shock result of being very playable on an Android trackball. The heavy momentum of the character means you're only switching direction with the ball or d-pad, letting you whizz about the levels with ease. Then there's jumping, bottom-bouncing, collecting and all the other usual platform formalities.

9. Gem Miner

In Gem Miner you are a sort of mole character that likes to dig things out of the ground. But that's not important. The game itself has you micro-managing the raw materials you find, upgrading your digging powers and buying bigger and better tools and maps. Looks great, plays well on Android's limited button array. Go on, suck the very life out of the planet.

10. ConnecToo

Another coloured-square-based puzzle game, only ConnecToo has you joining them up. Link red to red, then blue to blue - then see if you've left a pathway through to link yellow to yellow. You probably haven't, so delete it all and try again.

A brilliantly simple concept. ConnecToo used to be a paid-for game, but was recently switched to an ad-supported model - meaning it now costs you £0.00.

11. Titres

Once you're successfully rewired your brain's 25 years of playing Tetris in a certain way with certain buttons and got used to tapping the screen to rotate your blocks, it's... Tetris.

It hinges on how much you enjoy placing things with your phone's trackball or pad. If you're good at it, it's a superb Tetris clone. Let's hope it doesn't get sued out of existence.

UPDATE: While Titres seems to have been removed from Google Play, there's now an official Tetris app available to download.

12. Trap!

Not the best-looking game you'll ever play, with its shabby brown backgrounds and rudimentary text making it look like something you'd find running on a PC in the year 1985. But Trap! is good.

You draw lines to box in moving spheres, gaining points for cordoning off chunks of the screen. That sounds rubbish, so please invest two minutes of your time having a go on it so you don't think we're talking nonsense.

13. Jewels

Coloured gems again, and this time your job is to switch pairs to make larger groups which then disappear. That might also sound quite familiar. The good thing about Jewels is its size and presentation, managing to look professional while packing in more levels than should really be given away for free.

14. OpenSudoku

We had to put one Sudoku game in here, so we'll go with OpenSudoku - which lives up to its open tag thanks to letting users install packs of new puzzles generated by Sudoku makers. It's entirely possible you could use this to play new Sudoku puzzles for the rest of your life, if that's not too terrifying a thought.

15. Abduction!

Abduction! is a sweet little platform jumping game, presented in a similarly quirky and hand-drawn style as the super-fashionable Doodle Jump. You can't argue with cute cows and penguins with parachutes, or a game that's easy to play with one hand thanks to its super accessible accelerometer controls.

16. The Great Land Grab

A cross between a map tool and Foursquare, The Great Land Grab sorts your local area into small rectangular packets of land - which you take ownership of by travelling through them in real-time and buying them up.

Then someone else nicks them off you the next day, a bit like real-world Risk. A great idea, as long as you don't mind nuking your battery by leaving your phone sitting there on the train with its GPS radio on.

17. Brain Genius Deluxe

Our basic legal training tells us it's better to use the word "homage" than to label something a "rip-off", so we'll recommend this as a simple "homage" to the famed Nintendo Brain Training franchise.

Clearly Brain Genius Deluxe is not going to be as slick, but there's enough content in here to keep you "brain training" (yes, it even uses that phrase) until your battery dies. The presentation's painfully slow, but then again that might be the game teaching you patience.

18. Coloroid

Coloroid is aery, very simple and has the look of the aftermath of an explosion in a Tetris factory, but it works. All you do is expand coloured areas, trying to fill them in with colours in as few moves as possible - like using Photoshop's fill tool at a competitive level.

19. Cestos

Cestos is sort of a futuristic recreation of curling, where players chuck marbles at each other to try and smash everyone else's balls/gems down the drain and out of the zone. The best part is this all happens online against real humans, so as long as there's a few other bored people out there at the same time you'll have a real, devious, cheating, quitting person to play against. Great.

20. Air Control

One of the other common themes on the Android gaming scene is clones of games based around pretending to be an air traffic controller, where you guide planes to landing strips with a swish of your finger. There are loads of them, all pretty much the same thing - we've chosen Air Control as it's an ad-supported release, so is technically free.

Check out Samsung's Your Mobile Life to discover loads more about the infinite possibilities of the GALAXY Note II

Best free Android games 21 - 40

21. GalaxIR

GalaxIR is a futuristic strategy game with an abstract look, where players micro-manage an attacking alien fleet. Pick a planet, pick an attack point, then hope your troops have the balls to carry it off. There's not much structure to the game as yet, but that's what you get when you're on the bleeding-edge of free, independent Android gaming development.

22. Graviturn

Graviturn is an accelerometer based maze game, where the aim is to roll a red ball out of a maze by tilting your phone around. Seems embarrassingly easy at first, until increasing numbers of green balls appear on screen. If any green balls roll off the screen you die and have to try again. It's abstract. It's good.

23. Alchemy Classic

There are a few variants on Alchemy out there, each offering a similarly weird experience. In Alchemy Classic you match up elements to create their (vaguely) scientific offspring, so dumping water onto earth makes a swamp, and so on. It's a brain teaser thing and best played by those who enjoy spending many hours in the company of the process of elimination.

24. ActionPotato

In ActionPotato you control three pots. Pressing on the pots makes them jump up into the air, where they harvest potatoes. See how many you can get in a row. That's the gist of it. And don't collect the rotten potatoes, else you die. That really is it. The Google Play stats say this is on well over 1,000,000 downloads, so it's doing something right.

25. Scrambled Net

Scrambled Net is based around the age-old concept of lining up pipes and tubes, but has been jazzed up with images of computer terminals, high score tracking and animations. Still looks like something you'd have played on a Nokia during the last decade, but it's free - and looking rubbish hardly stopped Snake from taking off, did it?

26. Dropwords

Dropwords is laid out like your standard Android block-based puzzle game, the difference here is we're not dealing with gems - you make blocks disappear by spelling out words from the jumbled heap of letters. There's not an enormous amount of point to it, but you can at least submit your scores and best words to the server, where an AI version of Susie Dent will pass her approval.

27. Barrr

What you do in Barrr is man-manage a bar world, pointing men at the beers, games or tattoo parlour, then taking their money off them once they're drunk and happy like a good capitalist. And make sure they go to the toilet. Things, as things do in games, soon start speeding up and it gets rather insane and difficult.

28. Tetronimo

The name gives it away - this is a Tetris clone. Or rather it's a game that uses the same sort of block-shifting rules as Tetris, only with a very nice and user friendly touchscreen area beneath the block pit to make it easy to play. We're having trouble locating this on Google Play at time of writing - either a glitch or the inevitable legal troubles.

UPDATE: Tetronimo seems to have been removed from Google Play, but there's now an official Tetris app available to download.

29. Wordfeud

Wordfeud is a superb little clone of Scrabble, with a big, clear screen and online play options that actually work. The game's been offered for free with some hefty advertising over it thanks to the developer being based in Norway - which only received paid-for app sales support recently. A paid version may arrive soon, but Wordfeud remains free right now.

30. Friction Mobile

Friction Mobile is a very odd concept that makes no sense in still images. You fire a ball into the screen, then try to hit that ball with other balls until it explodes. The catch is you're not allowed to bounce balls backwards into your own face. Because then you die. Sounds rubbish, but works well. It's free, so give it a no-obligation, no-commitment whirl.

31. Geared

Geared is a weird little thing finally converted over to Android from iPhone. It's an embarrassingly simple concept - players slot different sized cogs into place on the screen, with the aim being to power one gear from another. Then, as is video game tradition, it gets harder and harder. Plus there are 150 levels of it all.

32. Meganoid

A stunning little retro game, Meganoid plays and looks like something that ought to be running on a Nintendo emulator. But it isn't. It's new and on Android. It's a speed-based challenge, using on-screen or accelerometer controls to jump and bounce through ever-hardening levels. Developer Orange Pixel is aggressively supporting it, too, with constant map packs, characters and more regularly appearing for download.

33. Cordy

A standard and traditional platform game. Cordy is a speed-based affair, with players running, jumping and collecting their way through its pretty green levels, using an electrical cable to jump, swing over obstacles and grab energy. Uses on-screen buttons so can be a bit tough to play, but comes with 12 free levels to get you going.

34. Angry Birds Rio

Yet more Angry Birds for fans of the simplistic trial and error physics game. Angry Birds Rio is another chapter-based effort as well, with developer Rovio leaving tempting empty slots on the menu screen for periodic updates of new levels. More of the same, but with a prettier, 3D look to it this time thanks to a vague association with animated movie Rio.

35. Grave Defense Holidays

As with Angry Birds, the maker of this superb tower defence game has spun out a separate version it fills with seasonal levels. Recently updated with an Easter map, this free version of the game also includes Valentine, Christmas and St Patrick's Day themed maps. Currently calls itself Grave Defense Easter. Easily one of the best examples of the tactical genre.

36. Words with Friends Free

The popular iPhone Scrabble-alike is now on Android, with an ad-supported version up on Google Play for free. Words with Friends Free should actually be called Words for People Without Any Friends, as once installed it lets users play with complete strangers online - or pick specific people from your contacts list. It's turn-based, so several ongoing games can be strung out for days.

37. PewPew

Very similar in style and concept to Xbox and Xbox 360 retro classic Geometry Wars. In fact, one might legally be able to get away with calling it a right old rip-off. Android PewPew is a rock-hard 2D shooting game packed with alternate game modes. It's a bit rough around the edges and requires a powerful phone to run smoothly, but when it does it's a fantastic thing.

38. Tap Fish

A nice looking little aquarium, that combines the timeless hobby of staring at goldfish with game elements based around breeding new varieties. There's a slight sting in the tail here in that Tap Fish is one of the initial wave of "freemium" Android games brought into life thanks to Google's launch of in-app billing. The really cool new stuff costs little bits of money.

39. Beats, Advanced Rhythm Game

A standard rhythm action, button pressing music game for Android. Beats manages to outdo the official music games by including a Download Song tab, where it's possible to install new song files created by users. It's very hard and very fast. Just like they should be. Runs perfectly on an HTC Desire, too, so there's no blaming glitches for not doing very well.

Check out Samsung's Your Mobile Life to discover loads more about the infinite possibilities of the GALAXY Note II

Best free Android games 41 - 68

40. Pinball Deluxe

Pinball Deluxe is an actually decent pinball sim for Android, and it's free. At the moment it comes with four tables - Wild West, Carnival, Space Frontier and Diving for Treasure. Ball movement is convincing, and although a bit of the magic is lost thanks to having to use on-screen buttons, it's a smooth enough experience. It's ad-supported. Don't press those. You don't get a bonus.

41. Winter Walk

Winter Walk is madness. You play the part of a gentleman, out for an evening walk. From time to time the wind picks up, so you have to hold on to his hat to stop it blowing away.

While this is happening, the chap's internal monologue appears on screen, giving you an entertaining and distracting read in the process, too. Very simple, but a perfect little high score challenge game for the touchscreen era.

42. Colosseum Heroes

Publisher Gamevil takes a break from churning out the role-playing games to give dumb action a go here. Colosseum Heroes is a 2D slasher, where you simply try to survive for as long as possible, building up your armour and weaponry to make yourself tougher and meaner.

Technically this is a "freemium" game paid for with in-app purchases, but if you're prepared to spend a while building up your character's skills manually, there's no need to pay out.

43. Stardash Free

Developer Orange Pixel has a knack of creating excellent retro titles, with Stardash a fine example.

Designed to look like a Game Boy game from before many of you younger readers were born, Stardash is clearly a bit of a Mario homage - but it's done exceptionally well and is endlessly replayable. If you like it, and you probably will, there's an alternate paid version that removes the adverts.

44. Scramble With Friends Free

Zynga's latest puzzler Scramble With Friends Free is technically a free game, but in order to get the most out of it and play as it's meant to be played you'll need to use the in-app purchasing system to buy "tokens" to let you access games quicker. Which leaves a slightly bad T-A-S-T-E in the M-O-U-T-H, but at least it's free and perfectly playable at a slow pace if you're just curious.

45. Dead on Arrival

Dead on Arrival is a very impressive looking 3D survival horror game, which dumps you in a hospital infested with zombies. You then try to not get eaten by buying new weapons, boarding up doors to keep the brain-eaters at bay and using wall-mounted weaponry to quicken the zombie mincing process. As with many of today's Android titles, there's the option to pay for stuff within the game to unlock features and remove ads - but you don't have to.

46. Stick Cricket

Stick Cricket is a fantastically simple little game that reduces cricket to its core values - you just smash every ball as hard as you can. There's no worrying about field positioning, just a bat and a ball coming at you very quickly. Initially it seems impossible to do anything other than make a complete mess of things and having your little man smashed upside-down, but it soon clicks.

47. Draw Something Free

Draw Something Free is the new phenomenon that's taking the world by storm (at the time of writing, at least). It's basically a mobile version of Pictionary, where you're given a choice of three words of varying difficulty, then tasked with drawing them so someone can tell what it is. Syncs with Facebook, too, for easy cross-platform play. If you like the free trial, there's a paid accompaniment with more content.

48. Fragger

The popular web-based Flash game Fragger is now on Android. It's pretty much a clone of Angry Birds, mind, offering simple physics-based challenges based around chucking grenades all over the place to make stuff blow up. It comes with some rather intrusive ads, but that's the price you (don't) pay for sticking with the free version.

49. The Sims FreePlay

Global mega-corporation EA has gone literally mad, giving away its Android version of The Sims for nothing in the form of The Sims FreePlay. In return for sitting through some full-screen adverts every now and again, players get a decent mobile version of The Sims, complete with pets, plants, lifestyle points and all the usual mundane activities that make the series popular. It's not perfect, but does fit in most Sims core features.

50. Super Bit Dash

About as far away from The Sims as you can get. Super Bit Dash is a retro-style 2D platform game, with controls as simple as its pixel art design. The game runs at a constant pace, so all the player has to do is jump and super-special-jump at the right time in order to avoid smashing into the scenery. Obviously it's a lot harder than that makes it sound.

51. Chrono&Cash Free

Chrono&Cash Free is very hard and sweet little one-screen platform game, where players jump about collecting bags of cash while avoiding enemies. And that's all there is to it, aside from some mini challenges to boost your score multiplier and online sharing of your scores to goad friends into trying to beat you. Looks cool, is a tiny download and a great laugh to play.

52. Autumn Walk

A weird little gem, Autumn Walk sees players controlling a man and his dog as they stroll through a Victorian park landscape. The challenge here is dog management, with the hound either running ahead or hanging back - both precarious scenarios that could cause the lead to snap. It's basically a high score challenge, to see how long you can stand the weird experience. Worth it for the awesome comic dialogue that accompanies your stroll.

53. Meganoid 2

Meganoid 2 is an insanely difficult 2D scrolling platform game, once again presented in developer Orange Pixel's awesome pixel art style. The levels are rather short, with the challenge here being to simply play them again and again and again so you can get through them without death. Might drive you mad. Might be your favourite game of the year. Close call.

54. Pitfall

Developer Activision has updated one of its oldest and most fondly remembered classics, turning the ancient platform game into a posh, 3D infinite running thing. Pitfall uses swipe and tilt controls like the famous Temple Run, including power-ups, vehicles and changing camera angles to add a bit of variety to the look and feel of it all.

55. Bad Piggies

A shock move from developer Rovio, in that this one isn't a simple take on the Angry Birds style. Bad Piggies is a clever building game, which dumps you at the beginning of a big map with a pile of component parts. You then build a flying machine using the given elements, then try to fly it to the end of the level. A really nice, original little idea from the physics game specialists.

56. Pocket Planes

Pocket Planes puts you in charge of an airline. You potter about the world looking for paying jobs, whether that's passenger or freight routes, then send off your planes to do the little delivery tasks. As things progress the complexity increases, until you're eventually flying customised jumbos with hundreds of passengers around major international cities.

It works in real time in the background, so you can minimise it and do other things while all your birds are finding their way home, then pop back in when the game notifies you that something's arrived and needs attention.

57. Neon Blitz

Neon Blitz is a kind of a posh tracing game, where you use your finger to draw over the shapes on the screen. You're rated on accuracy, with scores compared against the world on its global leader board. There are power-ups and stuff like that, but it's all about having a jazzy, bright experience, that works perfectly on a touchscreen.

58. Agent Dash

Agent Dash is another take on the infinite runner genre that's come to dominate the smartphone gaming landscape, only with a comedy spy angle. As well as swiping to dodge objects, Agent Dash incorporates weaponry and spy gadgets, making it more of an interactive and action-based experience than most of its "Step Right" peers.

59. Whale Trail Frenzy

Whale Trail Frenzy is an updated version of the iOS original, with the developer heaping in more levels for the Android release of its bonkers flying game. You just fly a little whale around the sky (for reasons never explained), collecting things, avoiding bad clouds, building up a multiplier and generally being wowed by its unique and gorgeous style. A really sweet experience.

60. Radiant Defense

Radiant Defense is a fantastic tower defence game, given a dazzling modern look. You do all the usual tower defence stuff like building up your weapon strengths and deciding how best to stop the endless marching enemy, with some "super weapons" to unlock and hundreds upon hundreds of waves to beat. And it all looks astonishingly pretty on a big screened device.

In this age of austerity and scrimping, we've all long since sold our last set of dominoes and melted down our Monopoly counters for scrap.

So where's a frugal gamer to go for fun that won't break the bank? Why, straight to the TechRadar top 10 free Android games of course…

61. Temple Run 2

The original Temple Run made staring at a man's bottom on public transport a wholly acceptable pastime, and this sequel augments the endless-running fun with slicker graphics, more power-ups, obstacles and achievements – plus a bigger monkey hot on your heels.

Download from Google Play

62. CSR Racing

The best cars require in-app purchases, but there's plenty of free fun to be had with this fast and furious racer. Console-quality graphics show off the mean machines (from Audi, BMW, Bentley and others), and gameplay blends strategy as well as speed.

Download from Google Play

63. Mini Golf MatchUp

Putting (putt-ing, geddit?) the crazy into crazy golf, these five courses take in dinosaurs, sharks and pirates across 70 holes, with realistic physics to temper the unreal environments. Facebook integration is par for the course, while in-game chat keeps things swinging.

Download from Google Play

64. SongPop Free

A bit like Never Mind The Buzzcocks' intro round, this is the handy alternative to carrying Phill Jupitus and someone you've never heard of in your pocket. Guess song clips from loads of genres, then challenge your friends to do better.

Download from Google Play

65. Dead Trigger

That this zombie shooter is set in the dystopian future of 2012 is testament to its lasting appeal. Frantic first-person missions set in realistic 3D environments are sure to get your heart racing (unless you're a zombie), even on smaller screens.

Download from Google Play

66. Cut the Rope Full Free

Cute critter Om-Nom is the Daniel Day-Lewis of puzzle games, with a BAFTA amid his haul of gaming awards. The simple premise (cut the ropes to release Om-Nom's lunch) sustains 350 well-pitched levels, packed with character and cartoonish charm.

Download from Google Play

67. Lexulous

Scrabble by another name (its second, after "Scrabulous" proved a tad too copyright-infringing), Lexulous has all the social gaming options you'd expect, but beats its many rivals with its antisocial options: three AI opponents ranging from the simple to the sesquipedalian.

Download from Google Play

68. Pac-Man + Tournaments

Fed up of 3D, HD, 360-degree action? This authentic recreation of an arcade classic is the kind of good, clean pill-munching fun they enjoyed in the 1970s. A tournament mode offers regularly updated mazes, but the retro original is hard to beat.

Download from Google Play

Check out Samsung's Your Mobile Life to discover loads more about the infinite possibilities of the GALAXY Note II

Introducing the PlayBox - the ultimate PS4-Xbox hybrid

TechRadar — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:11:00 GMT

With the PS4 and new Xbox heading our way, TechRadar asked: what if Microsoft and Sony put their differences aside and teamed up to offer the ultimate console? Then we realised that there's about zero chance of this ever happening - so we designed it ourselves.

We brought together the best of both worlds to form the PlayBox. Blu-Ray? Check. 8GB of RAM? Check. Kinect with two dual 1920x1080 cameras? You betcha.

As for the controller, we think it's the perfect hybrid, offering optimum comfort and functionality. Plus the built-in touchscreen offers a whole raft of new ways to play and navigate the console.

So Microsoft, Sony, if you do happen to see this, you're welcome to try the idea out. We reckon it could be a real game changer.

YouTube : www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRIXSPeClmw

Exclusive: Nvidia: Google is tearing ahead on gaming, Shield will reap the rewards

Hugh Langley — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:06:00 GMT

Nvidia's Shield has just been given an official pre-order date ahead of a June release, and we're really interested to see how the gaming market reacts to its arrival. As for Nvidia, it seems pretty confident that the growing power of Android's growing ecosystem will propel the handheld into the big time.

"The momentum is now on Google's side," Igor Stanek, head of Nvidia EMEA Tegra PR, told TechRadar in a discussion about where Mountain View stands right now on gaming in relation to competitors like Apple.

Talking about iOS's graphical power, he said, "They are still ok but you see that Tegra 4 is already faster, then we get the next-gen chip and the next-gen chip. Look at how fast Android devices are improving."

But it's more than just the power that will be key for Shield, according to Stanek. "It's not just the device itself but the ecosystem in which it exists," he said.

"Shield is different [from 3DS, PS Vita] - it's a part of an ecosystem, it's part of the Android ecosystem."

As for what the PS4 and new Xbox will offer gamers, Stanek didn't seem too worried. "I don't see consoles as a big issues for us," he said. "This is just my opinion, but I think this generation of consoles could be the last one."

SHIELD initiative

Google's devices have traditionally been behind iOS when it comes to getting apps and games, but the trend is shifting and Nvidia recognises the significance in this.

"The majority of games are now released at the same time for iOS and Android or with very little delay," said Stanek. "The install base on Android is so huge it wouldn't be clever from the developer's side to not support it."

As for those hoping for word of a UK release, there's nothing new to add, said Stanek. "Our plan is to see how it's going [in the US and Canada] and then we can expand to other regions."

Whether this refers to actual sales or critical reception, Stanek couldn't say, but we hope Nvidia will be able to tell us more very soon.

PS4 job opening hints that voice control is in the works

Kate Solomon — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:58:00 GMT

Sony's Computer Entertainments division, currently beavering away on the PS4, has posted an interesting-sounding job on LinkedIn.

The company is looking for a 'speech recognition engineering intern' who will work on 'robust speech feature extraction' and 'processing of noisy speech with human voice in the background'.

Put into plain English, we'd say that it sounds like Sony wants an engineering intern to help it bring speech recognition to its gaming roster.

And while it doesn't actually state what platform, console or other hardware the intern will be working on, we can't imagine any new features Sony develops not coming to the PS4.

Shock to the system

We first saw the new PlayStation back in February, although we only got a look at the DualShock 4 controller and an Eye add-on for motion control; as well as a double-camera, the accessory comes with a 'four channel microphone array'.

What better use of a four channel microphone array than voice control and noise cancelling?

Nintendo upsets gamers with YouTube cash-in plan

Hugh Langley — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:29:00 GMT

In an announcement that's causing quite a stir among gamers, Nnitendo has begun claiming advertising revenue from user-made YouTube videos that feature its games.

"Let's Play" type videos are hugely popular on YouTube, offering complete playthroughs of titles, and are considered by gamers to be harmless to game developers and publishers.

Nintendo, however, seems to disagree. It says it doesn't want to block videos like music and film publishers do, but instead place ads at the start and end of videos that features its games from which it will profit.

It told TechRadar in a statement "For most fan videos this will not result in any changes, however, for those videos featuring Nintendo-owned content, such as images or audio of a certain length, adverts will now appear at the beginning, next to or at the end of the clips."

Let's…make some money

While putting movies, TV and music on platforms like YouTube has a more clear damaging effect on their respective industries, watching a video of a game is obviously not the same as playing one.

So the gamers aren't happy. One big "Let's Play" name on YouTube, Zack Scott, went immediately to Facebook to air his disappointment at Nintendo.

"When I see a film that someone else is also watching, I don't need to see it again," he said. "When I see a game that someone else is playing, I want to play that game for myself!"

Nintendo no show: EA has no games in development for the Wii U

Michelle Fitzsimmons — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Nintendo's struggling Wii U won't get love from at least one game developer anytime soon, according to a new report out today.

Kotaku chatted with EA spokesperson Jeff Brown this week, and Brown revealed there are no EA games under construction for the system.

"We have no games in development for the Wii U currently," Brown said.

The company isn't ruling out developing for the U at some point, but following recent comments by Johan Andersson, technical director of EA's Frostbite project, about the system's lack of power, that day may be very far away.

Le sigh

As the Wii U couldn't even nip up to the current iteration of Frostbite - an effort Andersson called "not too promising" - next-gen titles fueled by Frostbite 3 skipping out on the system seems like a given.

The console didn't land 2013 EA titles like Dead Space 3, Battlefield 4 or the new Madden and FIFA, and Brown said that early runs of EA games on the Wii U delivered on the "unprecedented partnership" between it and Nintendo outlined at E3 2011.

Let the hand-washing begin.

Google IO: Google+ Games phased out in favor of new Play service

Lbrown — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:57:00 GMT

In case you haven't been paying attention to all the news coming out of Google IO, the company announced a new way to play games during its annual developer conference.

Revealed on Wednesday, Google Play game services will be made available for both Android, iOS and the web, and will serve as the foundation for Google's gaming plans through the next generation.

As the Mountain View company turns its eye towards mobile and web gaming, it will unfortunately abandon the gaming already available on its Google+ social network.

Effective June 30, all games on Google+ Games will cease to exist.

The game played on

Though Google+ Games may no longer be relevant in another six weeks, many of the developers will still run their titles on other sites.

For those of you that have some money invested in these games, Google advised reaching out to the individual developers to see what they will be doing in regards to continued support.

Some devs will carry over these unused credits to the new site, while others will require players to use any remaining credits they may have before the June 30 shut off.

Google Play game services will incorporate some Google+ functionality like leaderboards and matchmaking, but that will be the extent of the company's gaming with Google+ in the future.

You can find a list of all the developers (and the contact information) currently hosting soon-to-be discontinued games on Google+ here.

Goodbye, Google+ Games. We hardly knew ye.

Buying Guide: Best PC upgrades under £100: get a faster PC for less

Dave James — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

One of the greatest things about the PC is the sheer variety of hardware at our disposal. Whereas with a sealed-box console, or even a laptop PC, you're stuck with the original hardware your device shipped with, you can upgrade your desktop machine ad infinitum.

Upgrading doesn't have to be expensive either. Sure, you can drop £800 on a new top-end graphics card, or £1,500 on an octo-core Intel CPU, but you can get an awful lot of PC grunt for £100 or less.

SSD prices are dropping almost daily, you can pick up a huge amount of RAM for practically nothing, and GPU power is simply incredible at today's 'low-end'. We've put together our pick of the best £100-or-less upgrades for each important category, so sit back and enjoy. Then sit up, get out your screwdriver and upgrade.

PC cooling: a small upgrade makes a big difference

What's the best upgrade if you've only got one hundred of her Majesty's pounds to play with? Well, that's actually a trickier question than it might seem. Realistically, and annoyingly, it's a question that's most likely to be answered with another question. Namely: what do you do most often with your PC and where are its main failings?

The instinctual answer for a PC gamer like me might be to spend the lot on a new graphics card, but realistically we need to know a few more things first. What card are you running in your rig and - almost as importantly - what screen are you plugging it into?

If you're more into your image manipulation or video editing, a bigger screen with more desktop real estate or a good chunk of RAM might be a better investment.The thing is, there's no point in spending the cash in one place if you're still going to be horrifically limited by another part of your setup.

The easy example is someone sitting on a gaming rig running a lowly 19-inch 1,280 x 1,024 monitor. If you've got a graphics card capable of throwing around frame rates in the 40s at that resolution, then chucking in an even faster GPU is only going to make that experience marginally smoother, giving you little impact for your cash.

Dropping the £100 on a 21.5-inch screen running at the full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 would make everything you do with your PC far better. You are, after all, looking at your monitor for practically everything you do with your PC.

Keep the balance

Obviously, your games are going to run slower at that resolution, but you can always drop the graphical settings a little in favour of running at a higher res - or just cope with the slight blurring of running at a non-native res until you can afford to upgrade.

In terms of post-processing effects, you can drop AA settings when running a higher resolution too if you need to boost frame rates without negatively affecting image fidelity. The upgrade blade cuts both ways though, so if you're struggling to hit gaming frame rates with your existing GPU and low-res screen then upping the resolution will just make things even more of a struggle. In that situation a new GPU is the only way to go for the gaming side of things.

Best monitor: 10 top displays reviewed and rated

Less sexy upgrades, like a new SSD or more RAM, are well worth a look if spending the cash in other places is going to wind up giving you an unbalanced rig. You may not get as much of a visual impact from such an upgrade, but the day-to-day benefits can be considerable.

If you're a laptop user, these kinds of upgrades can make a huge difference. Storage and memory are pretty much your only options for upgrading your notebook, but dropping an SSD into your machine can give you the double-whammy of faster boot times and an even longer operating battery life. More RAM will make everything feel a little quicker on a portable device, and might mean you won't have to buy a whole new laptop for a little while longer.

Cooling and clocking

There are other relatively inexpensive options for extending the life of your existing desktop components too - overclocking your CPU can give you the extra bit of performance that might put off that expensive upgrade.

Dropping less than £50 on a closed-loop liquid CPU cooler will give you the thermal headroom you need to indulge in a spot of the ol' chip-cooking. That should give you a performance boost without you spending a huge amount of cash.

The outside counts too

You don't need to simply spend cash on your internal components either. If you've already got a decent GPU, an SSD, a good chunk of RAM and a reasonable HD monitor then you're not going to be gaining anything dropping £100 on your internals.

There are still some effective upgrades that won't require you to wield a screwdriver. A good quality keyboard can be a joy to use. Whether you just use your machine for gaming or you like to indulge in a little light wordplay on the side, a decent keyboard is a worthy investment. I'm a big fan of mechanical switch keyboards, but they are on the pricey side. You can, however, pick them up for less than the £100 mark we've set ourselves in this upgrade session. Personally, I think Gigabyte's latest is one of the finest keyboard I've ever used, and while £100 for a board is a lot of cash, it's something that will probably outlast most of the other upgrade options in this feature.

The keyboard and mouse combo is the hallmark of PC gaming, and spending a decent amount of cash on a quality mouse will deliver its own rewards. I was happy gaming with an old Microsoft Intellimouse for years, but as soon as I laid my twisted claw on a Logitech G9, I was hooked on weighty, accurate gaming mice.

You don't need to go all the way up to £100 for a rodent that will enhance your experience. We've split up the categories over the page, offering our pick of the best £100 or so upgrades for each. What we can't do, however, is tell you which is necessarily right for you and your rig.

The beauty of the PC is that no matter what system you've got now, there is probably an upgrade out there that will improve your system for under a ton.

Graphics card

Pint-sized pixel-pushers for less than a ton

For any PC gamer, the graphics card is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you're thinking about upgrading your machine. We've hit the end of this last generation of graphics cards, and with the new AMD and Nvidia GPUs coming sometime around the tail-end of this year, prices are about as low as they're likely to get.

That said, we could see new silicon filling the gaps in this generation, like the HD 7870XT, but that may still not drive prices down. This generation has seen AMD become a far more aggressive competitor over price than it has in the past, and that means us consumers get far more graphical grunt for our money going for a Radeon card over an equivalently priced GeForce card.

The example in the sub-£100 market is the HD 7770 going up against the GTX 650. That's a complete mismatch in terms of gaming performance, with the Radeon card posting significantly better results in the latest games than the Nvidia GPU. At 1080p resolutions and the graphics settings on full there's at least a 10fps difference between the two GPUs in most titles. Batman: Arkham City is the exception, but in other Nvidia and AMD-sponsored titles, the gap is at least as wide.

When that's around 25fps for the AMD card against the 14fps for the Nvidia, the difference is essentially between being able to play and not being able to play at all.

HD heroes

The fact though that you can nail playable frame rates at the top settings - and that includes 4x AA as standard in our gaming benchmarks - at the familiar 1,920 x 1,080 resolution is fantastic. And it shows just how much graphical power is available for such a relatively small outlay these days. This is the sort of performance that we were seeing from the £200 to £250 graphics cards found in the previous generation. If that's the jump in performance from the last generation to this, what about the new GPUs that are on their way?

From what we've heard, the new HD 8000 and GTX 700 series of cards - from AMD and Nvidia respectively - are unlikely to herald the sort of performance improvements we've seen in the last round. The new graphics cards are only set to offer incremental improvements, so we wouldn't expect to see much more graphics pace coming out of the £100 segment in six months' time, unless you can find a cheap HD 7850 1GB under the ton mark.

That AMD card is our budget choice if you can stretch to the £125 it currently costs, as it absolutely hoses the competition in all of our benchmarks - it even offers playable frame rates at the crazy-high resolution of 2,560 x 1,600.

With a strict £100 limit on your upgrade, the HD 7770 won't disappoint - it's a proper gaming-capable GPU offering amazing performance for a great price.

Recommendation:

AMD Radeon HD 7770
Price: £89
Manufacturer: AMD
Web: www.amd.com
GPU: Cape Verde XT
Radeon cores: 640
ROPS: 16
Core clock: 1,000MHz
Memory clock: 1,125MHz
Memory capacity: 1,024MB

Processor

Cores for cash - that's the mantra for the budget CPU hunter

When we were considering the various components to include in this feature, we agonised over whether or not to include processors and motherboards. Harsh words were spoken, mugs were thrown and tea and blood were spilt.

They are quite obviously the key upgrades for a PC, but generally when you're upgrading one it makes sense that you upgrade the other. And trying to keep below the £100 budget and pick up a decent mobo/CPU combo would be practically impossible, especially when you consider you're looking to improve the performance of your current rig.

In the end, we decided that including motherboards in the test would be an exercise in futility - if you're not upgrading the processor there's probably very little to be gained by changing motherboard as well.

On the flip side, we've kept in the CPU category for precisely the opposite reason. AMD has kept the same CPU socket for a few generations now, so older boards are still compatible with more modern CPUs, and you can pick up a decent AMD processor for less than £100. In terms of Intel, that's below where the bottom-end starts.

If you're looking to upgrade your CPU, there's probably not a lot of choices for your current Intel board as it's likely not going to be pin-compatible with the latest CPUs from the same company.

Core values

So, as with the graphics card market, AMD gets the value crown. If you've got an AMD AM3 board from the last year or so, there's a good chance that you'll just need a wee BIOS update to allow compatibility with the latest FX chips.

If you're looking to move up from an old Phenom X6, you may not necessarily be gaining a huge amount - the previous generation of AMD processors had superior single threaded performance, which is arguably more influential in gaming. But pick up anything below the top-end of the last AMD CPU generation and you're laughing.

The FX-6300 uses the updated Bulldozer tech - codenamed Piledriver - and is the finest £100 CPU around. It will happily run up to a 5GHz overclock, and at that speed it will post games performance almost rivalling an Intel Core i5-3570K at stock speeds. For such a relatively modest upgrade cost, you're getting an awful lot of CPU technology, and a hell of a lot of multi-threaded performance for your cash too.

That multi-threaded performance will also come in handy if you're looking for your machine to do more things other than gaming. For any multi-threaded application, the Piledriver tech really makes use of those six threads of processing goodness - especially if you start waving that good ol' overclocking stick about in earnest.

The performance boost this budget CPU can give an ageing AMD system is thoroughly impressive and is well worth the cash if you've got a motherboard that is capable of supporting it. AMD has been good in supporting the upgrade path, so it's worth investing in. A little extra processor performance will also always help keep your performance graphics card filled with data too.

Recommendation:

AMD FX-6300
Price: £100
Manufacturer: AMD
Web: www.amd.com
Cores: Six
Threads: Six
Clockspeed: 3.5GHz
Socket: AMD AM3+
Lithography: 32nm
Memory cache: 14MB
TDP: 95W

System memory

More, more, more! Can you ever have too much memory?

Memory is probably one of the least sexy of the upgrades on offer. After all, unless you're foolish enough to be trying to run an APU as fully fledged gaming system, then you're not going to get much benefit from boosting the memory inside your beloved rig. Or are you?

Memory performance is a lot more opaque when it comes to assessing how it affects your computing experience - it's more about what you do with your PC and how you use it. For most of us, 4GB is a perfectly adequate amount of memory to be jamming in your rig, but with prices of DRAM being so low these days - especially for the sort of performance RAM we're talking about here - you're never going to lose out sticking a good chunk more memory in your rig.

Granted, dropping £200 on a 32GB kit is probably going a tad overboard, but when you can pick up an 8GB upgrade for less than £40 it's certainly well worth a gander.

Memory matters

Gaming is probably the least memory intensive thing you do with your PC - after all, most of the games that we're playing these days have been put together with the last generation of consoles very much in mind. Those sealed boxes are so memory limited that developers have worked around the scarcity of DRAM, and so the resulting titles that hit the PC aren't so bothered about system RAM and are more interested in what your GPU is up to. For those sorts of games, 4GB is really all you're going to need.

That said, there are some PC-specific titles that very much benefit from a memory upgrade. Titles like my beloved Football Manager, with its heavy emphasis on computation and data processing, soak up any memory on offer. And if you're doing anything that requires multi-tasking and switching between programs - or anything that requires a lot of computational work - then more RAM is always handy.

Although we're talking up desktop upgrades in this feature, memory is also one of the few upgrades anyone can do to their laptop. Doubling the RAM on offer in your portable machine can really make a difference to how it performs, and again needn't cost the earth to install.

But as I said, this is all about the desktop and in that market Crucial's Ballistix Tactical LP range has really captured our imagination in recent months. As CPU coolers get ever larger and impinge on the DIMM slots of your mobo, a set of low profile RAM modules can really help. It also helps that these low profile modules are so darn good.

This kit is rated at 1,600MHz, but is capable of running at much higher frequencies - we had the 8GB modules running at 2,133MHz without trying. Because they're low-voltage they can be pushed when it comes to overclocking. They're pretty low latency too, and that's arguably more important than raw speed.

Recommendation:

Crucial Ballistix Tactical LP 8GB
Price: £39
Manufacturer: Crucial
Web: www.crucial.com
Capacity: 8GB (2x 4GB)
Speed: 1,600MHz
Latency: 8-8-8-24
Voltage: 1.35v

Solid state drive

Sub-£100 SSDs are no longer the tiny, slow devices they used to be

The solid state drive market is probably the most vibrant of all sectors of the PC components landscape, and that means it's also the fastest moving. Which can make it both good and bad news for the consumer. More specifically, that's bad news for the early-adopter as new technology is rolling around at a rate of knots.

This makes your latest performance SSD purchase effectively obsolete almost by the time you unwrap it and jam a Windows installation on it. But for the rest of us, it's great news as we can then get the top drives of the last generation - which, let's not forget, are still quality examples of SSD-dom - for a fraction of the price they once retailed at. It also means that where we were once scrabbling around for storage space for both our OS and a handful of games on a 64GB SSD, we can now look to spread out a bit more with 120 to 128GB drives now dropping below the £100 mark.

We've had SandForce drives knocking around the £70 mark for a 120GB drive - something like the Kingston HyperX - for a while now. And though they're definitely decent drives, especially for the money, they don't represent the pinnacle of SSD controller technology any more. For that you've got to be looking towards the likes of Marvell, Samsung and the OCZ-owned Indilinx.

Now that those guys are tossing out new SSD memory controllers that are toppling the SandForce stranglehold, we're seeing prices drop once more. But what's the benefit of an SSD upgrade?

Well, it depends on your starting point. If you've yet to take the plunge then it's a great time to make the upgrade from your existing mechanical hard drive. The difference between booting your PC and your games from an SSD over an HDD is practically night and day, but in general day-to-day use you'll notice your PC is much faster and more responsive too.

The easy example is the classic virus check. Originally, checking for viruses took forever, because the whole system was bottlenecking around the spinning platters of your hard drive. With solid-state storage, the bottleneck has been shifted to how fast your CPU can churn through the data the solid-state drive is throwing at it. Run a check on a rig with a HDD, and the CPU utilisation will hover around 15 per cent - chuck that onto a PC with an SSD, and the CPU will max out if you let it.

Lean on me

If you were worried about taking the plunge because of reliability fears, you can probably relax now. SSD failure rates are now below that of HDDs, and the performance degradation that used to accompany the early drives has more or less been eradicated.

So what do we recommend? Well, right now OCZ's Vector is the finest SSD around, but it's only just ahead of its older Vertex 4 stablemate - and you can pick up that excellent drive for less than £100 in 128GB trim. And because it's running on a Marvell controller with Indilinx firmware, it's a lot more versatile than an equivalent SandForce-based drive.

The Vertex 4 128GB then is a top-performing SSD, with enough storage for your OS and the games your playing right now for a bargain price.

Recommendation:

OCZ Vertex 4 128GB
Price: £96
Manufacturer: OCZ
Web: www.ocztechnology.com
Capacity: 128GB
Controller: Marvell with OCZ/Indilinx firmware
Memory: Synchronous MLC NAND
Interface: SATA 6Gbps
Form factor: 2.5-inch

CPU cooling

Chilling your chips for fun and frosty frolics

There are multiple reasons why you should think about upgrading the cooling in your PC, and considering that effective new solutions are available for less than £50, it's also one of the cheapest upgrades you can make to your machine. So why would you want to upgrade your PC's cooler?

If you've stuck with the stock cooler that arrived with your CPU - or the budget cooler that came with your rig when you first purchased it - then it's probably not giving your CPU a lot of protection when it's getting ragged. A decent performance CPU cooler, by its very definition, will keep your processor running cooler than with a stock option.

If you're getting flaky performance from your rig when you really stress it, a quality cooler could solve all your problems. A decent cooler will also run a lot quieter than a budget or stock chiller. That could be because of an improved fin-stack and heatsink array, or because it ships with a bigger fan. Larger fans don't need to spin as quickly to shift the same amount of air across the heatsink, they therefore run far quieter than fans spinning at maximum speed.

A quieter-running rig may not be your primary requirement for your gaming PC, but it sure can make a difference to your experience when you're actually getting to hear the game and not the turbine roar of your chip cooler every time CPU load rises above 2 per cent.

Performance is going to be your primary concern with a gaming PC, and a decent CPU cooler can really make a difference. The origins of CPU overclocking came from people who couldn't afford to upgrade, trying to squeeze the last drop of performance from their existing rig.

A quality cooler will allow you to get the most out of your processor and extend its life, even if you might be shortening its actual operating life. A processor running at a higher frequency generates far more heat than it does running at its stock speeds, and if your cooler can't cope with this excess heat and shift it away from the CPU, then it will probably fall over. If you can upgrade to a cooler that allows you to keep running your processor at 1GHz over the base clockspeed, then you're going to get a good chunk of extra performance out of it.

Modern air-coolers are excellent at shifting heat around, as well as remaining relatively quiet while they're at it - but a closed-loop liquid chiller will go that extra mile especially in terms of overclocking. Where once liquid-cooling was the realm of the serial tinkerer or the clinically insane, closed-loop systems now require no real maintenance and are no more expensive than their air-cooled brethren.

Last month, we checked out the Cooler Master Seidon 120M, and it's a fantastically effective chiller, despite the single fan, for a bargain price. It's easy to fit and very good at what it does.

Recommendation:

Cooler Master Seidon 120M
Price: £43
Manufacturer: Cooler Master
Web: www.coolermaster.co.uk
CPU compatibility: AMD and Intel
Size: 120mm
Fans: 1x 120mm PWM
Fanspeed: 600-2,400 rpm
Waterblock: Copper

Monitor

The window to your digital world…

Resident technocrat, and all-round monitor-snob, Jeremy Laird, has long been of the opinion that a good monitor is a purchase that will most likely outlast the rest of the PC you're plugging it in to. It's the window to your digital world - and it's also one of the few upgrades you can make to your rig that you will use every single time you come to switch the thing on. So investing in a decent monitor is surely a sound idea.

With that said then you could argue that the £100 limit is a bit tight in this instance - you should really be spending as much as you can afford to pick up the best monitor you can. Prices of monitors though are at a point where you can grab a 22-inch screen for a ton - and we're not talking the VGA-only, 1,680 x 1,050 screens here either. You can pick up a full HD panel with all the inputs your heart could desire. Okay, maybe not if your twisted heart desires the newness of DisplayPort or Thunderbolt, that is.

The only difficulty is that graphics performance is inextricably linked to monitor resolution, and with flatscreens you really want to be gaming at the native res of your screen for the best results. If you've been gaming on a lowly 1,280 x 1,024 screen, then there's a good possibility that your GPU won't be able to keep pace with a full HD panel. If you've been running at 1,680 x 1,050, then there's not a lot more strain being placed on your graphics card moving up to a 1080p resolution.

And a larger resolution isn't just great for gaming, that extra screen real estate is incredibly liberating when it comes to regular desktop use too. Having more displayed on screen is always a bonus, and with the widescreen setup having multiple windows sat side-by-side, it makes things easier too.

Which tech?

If you're not bound by a tight £100 limit though there are alternatives out there too. At the moment there's a glut of affordable IPS screens around, offering response times around the same speed as the budget TN panels, but with far better viewing angles and colour reproduction.

There's no denying IPS screens give better visual fidelity than a budget TN screen, and Viewsonic's excellent VX2370Smh is available for just around £136. It's quite incredible how cheap IPS screens have become.

But if £100 is your limit, the Iiyama E2278HD is a great budget screen too and wont leave you too far behind, it's a full HD monitor with a decent display. It may be a lowly TN, but with a full HD panel and an LED backlight it's still a very crisp, reliable monitor. And if you're making the step up from something smaller with a low resolution, the 22-inch Iiyama will definitely satisfy those big screen cravings.

It may not have the top-end tech of an IPS screen, or the styling of an expensive bezel-less panel, but for £100 it's a bargain. There's also the fact that multi-screen desktop set ups are far more useful than having just a single screen.

Being able to pick up a 22-inch, full-HD monitor for just £100 is incredible and will help any and all kinds of multi-tasking you care to throw your PC's way. So whether it's a main screen upgrade or the addition of a second screen to your desktop set up, £100 is all you need to spend.

Recommendation:

Iiyama E2278HD
Price: £100
Manufacturer: Iiyama
Web: www.iiyama.com
Size: 21.5-inch
Panel tech: TN
Native resolution: 1,920 x 1,080
Backlight: LED
Response time: 5ms
Input: 1x DVI-D, 1x VGA

Chassis

Bargain armour for your gaming gear

Buying a new chassis for your PC is less of an upgrade and more of a full body transplant, but a new case can make it feel like an entirely new machine. And while you can spend an absolute fortune on a new chassis, it can also be one of the most inexpensive upgrades for your PC.

It need not just be a cosmetic change either, a new chassis can be upgraded for entirely functional reasons. When you're putting together a machine yourself, chances are you've allocated more of your budgetary resources to the internal components. You know, the ones that make all your games look awesome like your graphics card - so you may well end up with a bit of a dog of a chassis once you've assembled your new machine.

That's not such a problem when you first build a rig, and hell, most of us are going to be more interested in what's happening on screen than what our PC looks like to the naked eye. But aside from being less appealing than a dose of gonorrhea, a budget chassis will come without a lot of the improvements we've come to expect from a quality case.

A lot of budget chassis will ship without adequate cooling, and some may even ship without any exhaust fans either. When it comes to getting the most out of your components, decent airflow is vital for keeping everything chilled inside. Even with the best CPU air-cooler around, you need somewhere for all that heat to be vented out safely, and externally.

High air flow

But combine a new chassis with a new cooler for your CPU and you'll be getting really close to accessing the full potential of your processor. The added thermal headroom you'll gain from having effective cooling in your machine will really allow for some serious overclocking. Good airflow is always going to be beneficial for the other components too, especially if you can get a good flow going across the GPU too.

There's also the matter of PSU placement. As the heaviest part of your PC, it's become general practice to place the power supply at the base of the rig to improve stability. A lot of budget chassis - even new ones like the Cooler Master Force that's just been launched - still jam the PSU right up into the roof of the case.

So what's our budget recommendation then? You can easily spend up to the £100 budget on a new performance chassis, and there are plenty to choose from. Bitfenix does an excellent range of cases, including our favourite wobbly mini ITX chassis - the Prodigy. Corsair has also put together a brilliant range of affordable and downright desirable cases too, though sadly, the amazingly beautiful Graphite 600T is a little over our budget at £135, beautiful though it is.

Cooler Master has the classic High AirFlow (HAF) series of cases, and at just £63, the HAF 912 Plus is an absolute bargain of a chassis, and will comfortably house all but the most awkward of PC configurations. The HAF 912 Plus comes with a chunky 200mm fan on the front and a 120mm fan exhausting from the rear, as well as space for a large top-mounted fan or liquid-cooling radiator. The looks may still be a little polarising, but it's striking at the very least.

Recommendation:

Cooler Master HAF 912 Plus
Price: £63
Manufacturer: Cooler Master
Web: www.coolermaster.com
Motherboard support: mATX, ATX
Drive bays: 4x 5.25-inch, 6x3.5-inch
I/O panel: 2x USB 2.0, 1x eSATA, audio and mic
Fans: 1x 200mm front, 1x 120mm rear
Dimensions: 230 x 480 x 496mm

Gaming mouse

Making the difference between fragging and being fragged…

For some PC folk, dropping a chunk of cash on something that isn't going to affect the performance of your PC might seem like a waste of time and money and not a real upgrade at all. But as the primary input device for most of us, a good mouse can a huge difference to your overall experience.

Personally speaking, I used to be more interested in my machine's innards and stuck with the same mouse and keyboard combination for years without really considering upgrading them. I used the same grubby Microsoft Intellimouse for maybe a decade, without ever feeling the need to make a change. It wasn't until I was testing the Logitech G9 that my world shifted and I realised what a difference a quality, weighty mouse could make to my gaming world.

For the laptop crowd, a new mouse can really help too. Most trackpads, let's be honest, are far from responsive, so a mouse can really change things up. Decent little wireless mice - like the excellent Roccat Pyra optical mouse - can be found for around £30.

For serious gaming though, a laser mouse is where it's at. An accurate, sensitive laser sensor on a gaming rodent isn't just about sending the mouse pointer flying across the screen at the slightest twitch - a better sensor will make all mouse movements smoother and easier to judge. It's not just about looking for the highest DPI setting a mouse is capable of either, as some of those can be incredibly twitchy and not at all that smooth.

Recently, we have seen a range of 8,200 DPI mice arrive - possibly using the same Avago LaserStream sensor - with exceptional tracking performance. Given that the likes of Razer are throwing out mice for £110, you might reasonably expect something with such a high DPI capability to be hitting the same sort of sky-high price tag - but the best mice are easily within our budget.

Corsair has really started to make a name for itself in the peripheral market over the last year or so, and the update to the M60 mouse - smartly named the M65 - comes with the Avago sensor and that incredible tracking capability. So how come the Corsair isn't our recommendation then?

Well, newcomer to the UK market Shogun Bros is also looking like it's using the same sensor in its Ballista MK-1 gaming mouse - and while it will retail for around the same price as the Corsair, it has just a little more functionality and style about it.

Primary among the extra functions is the addition of a pair of programmable buttons positioned along the side of the right mouse button. They're easy to get at and provide more control for your mouse hand.

To be perfectly honest, either the Corsair or the Ballista mice will give you a fantastic experience, so if you can't find the one, the other will still impress. Though it's worth noting that the Corsair one is available in stormtrooper white. Yes, we know.

Recommendation:

Shogun Bros Ballista MK-1
Price: £50
Manufacturer: Shogun Bros
Web: www.shogunbros.com
DPI: Up to 8,200
Sensor: Laser
Customisable buttons: 10
Polling rate: 1,000Hz
Connection: Wired

Gaming keyboard

Still the primary input device of choice, so make it a good one

The humble keyboard is probably one of the last things you'd really considering upgrading. After all, that grint-stained, crumb-infested beige board you've been using since you bought your first PC is still functioning.

But after the mouse, it's the secondary input device for your rig, and in-game is on an equal footing with the rodent for priority. The mouse/keyboard combination has come to be a talisman for PC gaming community, but if you just spend the cash on a good gaming mouse and neglect its keyboard companion, you're doing all of PC gaming a disservice. Okay, that might be a tad emotive, but a good quality keyboard can really enhance your gaming experience, as well as improve any work you happen to do on the side too.

As we've seen over the last few months you can now spend an absolute fortune on a gaming keyboard should you so wish. The Razer DeathStalker Ultimate, despite its overly hyperbolic name, is a decent keyboard with a few light teething problems - but it comes with a ridiculous £250 price tag.

There's also the Mad Catz STRIKE range, with the 5 and 7 in the series hitting £150 and £250 respectively. But neither of those boards come with the one thing I look for when I'm spending cold, hard cash on a gaming keyboard, and that's mechanical switch keys. If you're upgrading your board then you want to make sure it's got the finest keyboard tech.

Insane membrane

Membrane switch keys are the standard tech used in most keyboards for the simple reason that they are cheaper to produce and can be used to make the fashionable chiclet key style of low-profile boards. Unfortunately, they're not particularly durable or responsive, something that you'd really want your keyboard to be, especially if you're spending a ton on one.

Mechanical switch boards come with that familiar clickety-clack sound when you strike them, making you feel like you're typing along with Stephen J Cannell at the start of The A-Team. They're also incredibly durable, lasting long after the membrane switches have perished, and are far more responsive. That's also what makes them such good candidates for gaming keyboards - we love them.

Of all the keyboards I've tested recently, somewhat bizarrely, it's Gigabyte's Aivia Osmium keyboard that I've fallen in love with. In fact, this entire article has been lovingly typed on my chunky Osmium board. It may be rather plain-looking - despite the bright LED backlighting - but its one of the most responsive, sturdy and functional boards I've ever used.

It's got simple macro functionality for the casual MMO enthusiast, media controls, independent wheel controls for the lighting and system volume and it's also the only board that manages to jam in a USB 3.0 pass-through for good measure.

I genuinely wasn't expecting to fall so convincingly for the Osmium, but its simple aesthetic and rock-solid build quality - coupled with its overall responsiveness - makes it my favourite gaming keyboard out there. It may not have a fl ashy LED display, but I would wager it'll outlast many a pricier board.

Recommendation:

Gigabyte Aivia Osmium
Price: £100
Manufacturer: Gigabyte
Web: http://uk.gigabyte.com
Layout: Europe 105-key
Keyboard tech: Mechanical switch
Interface: Wired USB 2.0
Macro keys: Five
Extras: USB 3.0 pass-through

Blip: EA calls quits on Online Pass system

Hugh Langley — Thu, 16 May 2013 09:13:00 GMT

EA's controversial Online Pass is a pain, required to play many of a game's online features, and preventing you from accessing online content on second-hand games without purchasing a new code.

But EA is calling it a day, according to Gamesbeat: "Yes, we're discontinuing Online Pass," EA's senior director of corporate communications, John Reseburg, said. "None of our new EA titles will include that feature."

Why the decision? EA says it "listened to the feedback" but it could be a sign that it's changing its online play model significantly. Let's just hope it's not going down the route of SimCity. We think it learned its lesson there.

More blips!

We bet that the rest of our blips look good on the dancefloor.

Google IO: Google Chrome 'races' to bridge the gap between mobile devices

Matt Swider — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:41:00 GMT

Android and Chrome OS aren't coming together just yet, but the Google IO conference proved that the gap between Google-powered mobile devices and hardware with Google Chrome has been unified.

"It's something tremendously exciting," said Linus Upson, vice president of of engineering for Google Chrome about where mobile web is headed.

"We want this elegant UI framework that works across all form factors, all devices."

Proving that vision is already getting started, Upson invited some volunteers to play a game called "Racer: A Chrome Experience."

Google Chrome slot car game demo

The slot-car racing game had primitive overheard graphics, but it was running across five different devices using Google Computer Engine.

Web sockets kept all five of the devices in sync and web audio sound transitions kept the sound effects transitions on point.

So, even though the track was broken up across multiple tablets and smartphones, the racing game action was fluid and seamless.

The most amazing part was that this included an Apple iOS device thanks to a volunteer manning an iPhone as part of the racing game.

Unified Google platform in the works

"It's still early and not ready for consumption by regular developers," cautioned Upson at the Google IO conference.

However, he urged interested developers in the audience to participate in the "Web components and action session" at Google IO on Thursday.

Developing...

Google IO: Google presses start on Google Play game services during IO keynote

Michael Rougeau — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:31:00 GMT

Google today announced Google Play game services for iOS and Android at its Google IO conference keynote in San Francisco, a service it helps will serve as the core building block for creating a gaming platform for the next generation of games.

Hugo Barra, Google's vice president of Android product management, took the stage during the Google IO keynote to show off the new set of gaming-specific Google APIs.

"Let's talk about gaming," Barra said.

Google Play game services includes cloud saves that work across devices, achievements, and leaderboards that use Google+ circles.

Stay and play

As with everything in our device-a-day world, Google Play game services is all about increasing social aspects while boosting power.

Achievements are designed to increase engagement and promote different styles of play (whatever that means in application), while leaderboards use Google+ circles to track high scores among networks.

Barra showed off leaderboard functionality in the Android version of the popular indie game World of Goo.

He also revealed that Google Play game services will include matchmaking services to facilitate multiplayer gaming, but failed to actually show it in motion after network difficulties besieged his portion of the keynote.

Players will be able to have up to four simultaneous friends or auto-matched players in one game session, though Google promised support for more players will come soon.

Google Play game services will be available starting today through and Android SDK, while a native iOS SKD for iPhone and iPad is also ready to go.

Microsoft to finally kill Xbox Points ahead of new console

Hugh Langley — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:25:00 GMT

Here's one that we doubt will be bad news to anyone – Microsoft is said to finally be ditching its Points system ahead of the reveal of the new Xbox.

Sources in the know told The Verge that Microsoft is calling it a day on Points, mainly used on the Xbox, and instead letting users carry out transactions using credit and debit cards.

By means of not totally ditching an opportunity to offer birthday/Christmas present ideas, Microsoft will have a new gift card system instead that will function much like iTunes vouchers.

Long time coming

This new system will apply across a bunch of Microsoft platforms, including the Windows Store, Windows Phone Store and Xbox.

We have to say that we're pretty pleased. Microsoft decided not to use Xbox Points on Windows 8 and it would seem absurd for us to continue worrying about the unnecessary exchange rates on the next console.

It's said that Microsoft could be unveiling the new payment system as early as E3, which kicks off next month, and launching it later this year to coincide with the new console release.

Microsoft recruitment further suggests Xbox will pack PC power

Hugh Langley — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:54:00 GMT

Forget the leaks – it seems that Microsoft's careers site is the go-to place for getting the lowdown on the new Xbox.

The team over at OXM have been digging into some of the recent postings, and have found a few things that might (take salt as appropriate) further confirm that Microsoft's new console is heading down the PC architecture route.

One advert for a hardware design verification engineer calls for someone with a "deep understanding of modern PC architecture" who will be involved in the Xbox team.

There are also a few hints at the evolution of Kinect too, with a posting for a new member on the Xbox Israel team who will be "passionate for electronic design of 3D imaging cameras which will serve millions throughout the world". Flap flap, wink wink.

Xbox Ki-next

Further to that, the X86 processing architecture we've been hearing about is given another strong nod with an ad asking for someone with "experience with both X86 and ARM ISAs". Pretty explicit if you ask us.

And as if that wasn't enough to speculate over, there's also an advert for someone to "perform testing on wireless products that use 802.11x and proprietary RF protocols", which could confirm what wireless specs we can expect on the new Xbox.

Sony has described its upcoming console as a "supercharged" PC (despite Nvidia having different words to say about that) and Microsoft will obviously want to ensure its console is at least technologically equal.

However, we're less enthusiastic about the advert for an Xbox Live service engineer, which asks for someone who can "understand the future of networking and how the network interacts with cloud-based applications". It's not a definite hint at an always-online console, but it does make us wonder...

One thing we do know for sure - all will be revealed on May 21.

PS4 potential detailed in Killzone's tech specs

Hugh Langley — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:28:00 GMT

Killzone Shadow Fall was one of the biggies during the PlayStation 4 reveal and we've been eager to hear more ever since. Now Guerilla has released a whopping 100-page document with plenty more juicy details to cast our eyes over.

There's a lot to sift though, but we reckon one of the most interesting thing to take from the new presentation is that the demo we saw back in February was only using 3GB of the system's 8GB RAM potential.

Of course, the other big news is that Killzone Shadow Fall will be a PS4 launch title, so that's one we can firmly put on the list for a 2013 release.

The new specs are pretty impressive when you look at the figures. Characters in the new game are built with some 40,000 polygons – around four times what we saw on Killzone 3.

Zoning in on the specs

For those keen for all the gory tech details, the demo also contained 8,200 physics objects, 500 particle systems, 60 AI characters and 120 sound voices.

Anything else? You betcha - Guerrilla is working on another brand new franchise though there's no further details on what this might be.

Guerrilla also says that the GPU on the PS4 is "really fast" though hearing anything but resounding praise from a first part developer is hardly surprising. More interestingly, it also says that the console is "really easy to program for" which will be music to developers' ears.

We could spend all day discussing the information in Guerilla's hefty document but you can go check it out for yourselves here.

Sony announces exciting prices for 4K TVs in the UK

James Rivington — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:30:00 GMT

Sony has finally announced UK prices for its Bravia X9 range of 4K TVs and it's good news. The 55-inch X9000A Ultra HD telly is set to cost just £4,000, while the 65-inch model is 50 per cent more expensive at £6,000.

While these prices are clearly not cheap, they are still the first full-blown 4K TVs to hit the UK market in sizes under 84-inches and at prices below £20,000. The prices compare relatively favourably to the US prices which were announced last month - $5,000 and $7,000.

While Sony is calling these TVs 4K, they're actually Ultra HD which has a resolution just under the 4K res of 4096 x 2160. This is to allow for the traditional 16:9 aspect ratio of livingroom screens.

Ultra HD TVs have a resolution of 3840 x 2160, four times higher than full HD 1080p, allowing you to sit closer to the TV and gawp at the super-detailed picture. While there's no 4K content currently available, the TVs upscale HD beautifully, streaming services are literally in the pipeline, 4K broadcasts are on the way and a Blu-ray disc ratification is imminent.

Pre-order today

The X9 TVs will hit UK shops from mid-June, but if you're committed to getting one of these things in your house as soon as possible, you can pre-order from today.

The X9 TVs are exciting for more than just the ultra high definition, too. Firstly, both models come with Sony's fantastic magnetic fluid speakers which means that not only does the picture look stunning, the sound is brilliant too.

The speakers use magnetic fluid instead of traditional dampers, which improves sound quality by eliminating distortion, cuts energy consumption by 35 per cent and also allows the speakers to be squeezed into much tighter spaces. We've tested them out and can confirm they're probably the best flatscreen TV speakers we've ever encountered.

The TVs also come with Sony's Triluminos colour tech which we've already seen in the impressive new W9 range. And the remote control is NFC-enabled too, which makes it easier than ever to pair your TV with a mobile device and use that as your remote.

Right then, get saving and stay tuned for a review on TechRadar because these TVs have us very excited indeed.

Bungie moons over next-gen Xbox, PS4 graphics with new Destiny screens

Michael Rougeau — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:41:00 GMT

Bungie this week released some new images from its upcoming next-gen game, Destiny, showing off a futuristic vision of Earth's moon.

Destiny will be released on a variety of game platforms, including Sony's PlayStation 4 (and very likely Microsoft's next Xbox console), so poring over these gorgeous screenshots may provide a hint at the new systems' next-gen graphics capabilities.

Released on Bungie.net, the images show man-made structures and a massive pit lined with machinery on the surface of the moon in Bungie's upcoming space-faring shooter game.

"Early exploration attempts have proven too dangerous," a caption reads. "The City has since classified Earth's Moon as a Forbidden Zone."

Next-gen possibilities

Sony unveiled its next-gen PlayStation 4 console in February, and while we thought the company was playing it a little too safe, the system clearly showed potential as well.

Microsoft, meanwhile, is scheduled to lift the curtain from the new Xbox console next week.

Bungie staff were present on-stage during the PS4 announcement to talk about Destiny, and the same may be true at Microsoft's conference, as Bungie has promised that the upcoming game will be a multi-platform title.

Bungie's Halo series was exclusive to Microsoft's Xbox, but the studio amicably parted ways with Microsoft and has since partnered with Call of Duty publisher Activision to ensure Destiny has a wider reach.

A dangling space carrot

Destiny will be Bungie's first game since the Seattle studio handed development of Halo off to Microsoft-owned developer 343 Industries.

The game has been described as a sci-fi shooter with innovative online multiplayer capabilities that will allow players to jump seamlessly in and out of one another's games.

Bungie has a history of releasing new assets and information from its projects piecemeal to keep fans interested, and Destiny is no exception. Images of other environments and characters are strewn around the studio's website, and art from Mars and Venus is expected be revealed at some point in the future.

In Depth: Microsoft Build 2013: what to expect from this year's conference

Michelle Fitzsimmons — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:46:00 GMT

The annual Microsoft Build developer's conference has a bit of Google IO glow surrounding it this year, thanks in no small part to the Windows 8 conundrum.

Is it a failure? Is it the beginning of a software revolution? What about apps? How many Surfaces have been sold? When will we see new devices? And what the heck is going on with Windows RT?

Microsoft has already given us more than a taste of what to expect between June 26 - June 28 in the form of Windows Blue news, but plenty of possible announcements on new devices, services and updates remain distinct possibilities.

We've gathered what we know about Build into one handy guide for you (right here, of course) plus added some well-informed hypotheses on what you can expect from the conference, taking place in the halls of San Francisco's Moscone Center late next month.

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voAU88qC-jw&feature=player_embedded

1. Welcome, Windows 8.1

This is the big, no brainer announcement as Microsoft has already confirmed Windows 8.1 will be released via public preview during Build.

We've heard plenty about this Windows 8 update, known until recently as Windows Blue, but Windows 8.1 still has plenty of mystery surrounding it.

Microsoft will officially release the update "later this year," providing "more options to businesses, and give consumers more options to work and play," but Build will be our first chance to see specifically what the Softies are planning for the Windows 8 refresh.

This isn't simply an operating system update: We'll see more for apps (more on that below), a likely Windows Phone 8 update, and some new stuff for Windows server.

Blue a.k.a Windows 8.1 a.k.a the free Windows 8 update could spell feast or famine for Microsoft's new take on the OS, so we'll keep a close eye on how well it functions and how well it's received, which may be a given if Microsoft decides to bring back the Start button.

2. Splitting up and coming together - apps, that is

Word is Microsoft is building some new, built-in Windows 8 apps as part of this whole Blue revamp, including ways to run apps side-by-side on devices home to smaller-sized screens. The hope is to do so without a massive internal work over, which if Microsoft can achieve would make for more expedient delivery to awaiting Windows 8 customers.

Blue will apparently bring something called "Snap Views" that will split a screen 50/50 between two apps, including across different monitors.

What does this mean for consumers? Easier operability and greater personal choice. A revamp of first-party apps is certainly something Microsoft fans would like to see, and we can't imagine the company letting Build slip by without a decent overhaul on the individual app front.

3. Smaller Windows 8 devices

There's a space Microsoft hasn't extended its Windows 8 reach to yet, but that could change before year's end.

That space is of course smaller devices, namely ones developed by the company's OEM partners and sized in the 7- to 8-inch range.

"As part of [new device offerings], we are also working closely with OEMs on a new suite of small touch devices powered by Windows," former Microsoft CFO Peter Klein said during the company's April earnings call.

The timing seems right for Microsoft to introduce a tablet or hybrid meeting the smaller size requirements: In March, the company revised its display resolution requirements for OEMs down to 1024 x 769, meaning the producers are now free to play with daintier displays.

We've seen leaks for an 8-inch Acer device called the Iconia W3, which actually made a hasty appearance on Amazon before getting the hook. Asus seems to be on board with whittled-down Windows 8 products, and that's nothing to say about Microsoft's potential Surface Mini musings.

Will we see an OEM-made 7- to 8-inch device burrow out of Build? We certainly think it's possible.

4. Windows Phone Store strategy 101

Let's be frank: Windows Phone lacks hard in the app department. At last count, the Windows Phone Store counted 145,000 apps - compare that to the bajillion-plus in the iOS and Android app stores, and Windows Phone is doing a fine job of holding up the rear.

Granted, the Store's app count is growing, and the Microsoft team is "talking to a lot of folks" about various apps, something the company told us in a March interview, all the while staying focused on developing a "vibrant, differentiated third ecosystem."

The big question for Microsoft is how to get that message to developers while simultaneously courting the big name apps that are embarrassingly hard to come by on the platform.

Yes, Windows Phone 8 is a new platform, and every week the company seems to add at least one high-profile app (recently it was a full-fledged YouTube app) but if Microsoft wants its mobile OS to be around for the long term, it's got to figure out its app situation quick. Build seems like the place to lay all its apps on the line.

5. Xbox ties us all together

On May 21, Microsoft will introduce the world to a new generation of games, TV and entertainment through the Xbox 720, the long-awaited follow-up to the Xbox 360.

Microsoft has promised a multi-part introduction to the new Xbox, including some going-ons at E3 2013 and yet more at Gamescom 2013, but by the time Build rolls around, the new Xbox will be out of the bag in all its green-glow glory.

Developers will clamour to learn more about the console and how it fits into the larger Microsoft ecosystem. To be honest, we'll wonder the same things, and can't imagine Microsoft passing on the chance to talk about and introduce new features related to its flagship console.

While we don't know specifically what Microsoft has planned for the new Xbox, all signs point to not just a gaming console, but a completely different way to be entertained and connected. Build will build on the announcements of May 21 and E3, no pun intended.

Turtle Beach and Twitch put a ring on it as audio meets streaming

Michelle Fitzsimmons — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Streaming video games without proper sound is like eating pizza without cheese: you can stomach it, but why bother taking a bite?

Turtle Beach, maker of gaming headsets, and Twitch, a video platform and community for gamers with more than 34 million visitors a month, announced an exclusive partnership today to merge the spheres of audio and streamed play into one hunk of gaming goodness.

"This is mostly an affirmation of support for a particular community and a particular thing - streaming - that's growing in gaming," Jeff Burchett, community marketing manager at Turtle Beach told TechRadar about the deal.

"We're both forerunners in our separate spaces, and we're coming together and saying to gamers, 'We're here for you and what you do matters to us, and we're committed to help you do what you love.'"

Speak up

The multifaceted collaboration, which Burchett said was an organic, "put a ring on it" decision between the two, sees the integration of Turtle Beach products at Twitch's eSports and gaming events.

Twitch will use the Ear Force XP Seven and Z Seven gaming headsets along with the TM1 multi-channel tournament mixer at its gaming gatherings, while Turtle Beach also plans to stream Twitch broadcasts on its site for the community to tune into.

Burchett couldn't go into future product or service specifics, but said the companies will take a community-first approach for features down the road.

"It is very safe to say that any place that we can help support this streaming community, by evangelizing great audio and the integration of great audio in games, we'll be looking to do that," he said.

"I'm sure Twitch sees that as a value proposition as well."

Twitch streaming is built into the Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, and Burchett referred to the cross-over between the service, the game, Major League Gaming and now Turtle Beach's audio as a "partnership polygon...a love quad-rangle."

"It's the next step" for Turtle Beach, he explained, especially as the social side of gaming continues to grow in systems like the PS4 and (probably) the new Xbox.

"Streaming has been around for a while but it has definitely reached a critical mass in the last 12 months to 18 months," he said. "I can't speak to upcoming consoles, but I think the numbers show that people are really interested in it.

"As the technology that drives entertainment improves, it's safe to say you'll see a lot more of this and we look forward to facilitating communication, helping people hear games the way they're meant to be heard, making them fully immersive and having an incredible gaming experience."

Nintendo and Sony be warned - Nvidia Shield will officially ship in June

Hugh Langley — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:49:00 GMT

Nvidia's Shield will officially launch in early June - note that the "project" part of the name is no more - with pre-orders going live on Nvidia's site on May 20, priced at exactly $349 (around £230/AUS$350).

For those unaware of what the Shield actually is, this isn't some sort of military-grade GPU - it's Nvidia's first ever game system, announced at CES 2013.

The Tegra 4/Geforce powered device can play high-powered Android games as well as PC and Steam titles, all of which will be streamed to the device's dinky 720p controller screen.

Shields up

It's good to see Nvidia making good on its release-window promise. We did wonder, however, if it might give the handheld a whole new moniker entirely, rather than just chopping off the "project".

It also looks the like the design we've all become accustomed to has become concrete, with no signs of any last-second tweaks.

The console will go up against the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita - though it doesn't really offer the same portability - but also hopes to shake up the way PC gamers play.

Of course, we're very much expecting a full global rollout to take place and have asked Nvidia what its plans are. We'll let you know as soon as we hear back.