There’s more than one way to play away from your telly…
Logitech G Cloud
£330 / logitechg.com
BEST FOR PHONE GAMERS
What’s the story?
This Android-powered handheld for cloud gaming doesn’t care which console you have –or even if you have a console at all. It’s got Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now apps built in, plus Play Store access for downloading third-party PS5 streaming apps. The internals are on a par with a mid-range smartphone, so there’s enough grunt to run native Android games at a reasonable lick.
Is it any good? The sticks and buttons are almost as big as those of a console gamepad, so are a lot comfier to use than the miniaturised ones found on most mobile controllers. The LCD screen can’t match an OLED panel for colour impact or contrast, but is way bigger than the average phone’s. The 1080p resolution and 60Hz refresh rate are well suited to cloud streaming, and don’t tax the hardware too hard when playing locally. Stick to the cloud and you’ll manage 12hrs of play per charge.
KEY SPECS Screen 7in 1920x1080 LCD Dimensions 257x117x33mm, 463g
Stuff says A long-lasting cloud handheld that can also handle local play
Backbone One (2nd Gen)
£100 / playbackbone.com
What’s the story?
The phone in your pocket is perfectly capable of streaming games –you just need something other than a touchscreen to control it with. Enter the second-gen Backbone One, which has been updated to accommodate larger Android phones with giant camera bumps. It’ll also play nicely with the iPhone 15, now that Apple has seen sense and swapped out the Lightning port for USB-C.
Is it any good?
Pull the two halves apart, drop in your handset and you’re good to go. The controller draws power from the phone and has USB-C passthrough charging, so it won’t run out of juice in mid-game. The 3.5mm port lets you plug in wired headphones for lag-free listening, even if your phone doesn’t have one itself, and clo
