u/CtrlShiftAaron

I have spent so long researching handhelds, I have made it so unbelievably convoluted I no longer not what to do. In trying to make my setup simpler, Instead, I've just tangled a complete weave of indecision.

I have a PS5, switch 2, PS3, PS Portal and a Vita. And I play mostly handheld. All I wanted to do was find a way to bring my steam gams to the palm of my hands. I researched a whole bunch of devices, that most went up in price, and that led me to believe I needed a dock for those moments I might want to sit at the TV (I mostly play handheld at least 95% of the time). But that led me to believe I needed a new TV, which I do as I have a very budget 4k TV that kind of sucks. In researching and settling on a TCL C7K (the only thing I HAVE settled on), it made me realise I should really upgrade my PS5 to the PS5 pro, even though I mainly play handheld.

And that led me to sell off a whole bunch of my tech over the last 2 weeks, and I've raised just shy of £1k in private sales. I had sold my PS5 but it was s returned because the usbc cable for the controller didn't work.. sure, fine.

I also have my MacBook Pro which should fetch around £1200. So I have just over £2k to "simplify", closer to £2500 when other sales go through. Now I can't decide whether to get a PS5 pro, and a z1 extreme level handheld to play steam games on, and use GeForce now for what it can't handle and for docked GFN.

OR keep the base ps5 pro, and either get a z1 or z2 level handheld - same purpose. OR get rid the Playstation ecosystem altogether and get x2 level handheld only as my main device as rely on docked experience via Geforce now to get the best experience.

The only certain thing is I have budget £645 of the spend for a TCL C7K tv (would have gone OLED if it wasn't for the lounge having 2 large windows so it's very bright). But as for handhelds, I have zero experience in PC handhelds, but I do like tinkering and have an off and off relationship with PC. I just don't know whether to prioritise comfort, the screen or the raw power.

I love my PS Portal and Switch 2, and there screens, so as long as the screen is similar or better than the Switch 2, but the better display the more Im tempted. I was happy with the performance of Cyberpunk and Resident Evil Requiem on Switch 2, so as long as it feels like a significant step up, I'm happy. and I tend to play the switch 2 with joy cons remove, or at least a controller, very rarely actually handheld, although I love the Portal and the way it fees like a controller. But I'll play mostly via Geforce now except for older titles

I've spent so long looking at tons of handhelds, I have reached the point of total confusion and indecision. So please feel free to give your input. I have done my research - I've just done far far too much of it.

Like a lot of people recently,  I've been thinking about what a digital-only future for PlayStation might actually look like after the bleak and disturbing news surrounding the pending loss of physical media on Playstation.

Initially I was pretty angry, and who am I kidding.. I still am, so much so that I'm probably going to skip the next generation entirely, maybe. However, rather than speculate, I decided to do something a bit different. I went back through every digital purchase I've ever made on PlayStation, right back to the start of the PS3 era, to see if my own purchase history could tell me anything about the future (or at least my future). I appreciate this is personal to me and won't be reflective of everyone.

I have almost 20 years worth of digital purchase history with my first purchase being Pixel Junk racers back in 2006 for £6.29.

In almost 20 years I have spent £394.64 in total. Funnily enough, my most expensive purchase was a GTA V pre-order for the PS4 in November 2014 at £54.99, despite owning it physically on PS3. I got a preorder bonus of 1 million in game GTA $s and have spent precisely zero minutes in GTA online ever!!

My best deal was seven games for £68.38 in 2022: FF7 Remake, The Witcher 3, Control Ultimate Edition, A Plague Tale: Innocence, Shadow of the Colossus, Oxenfree and Donut County. So one purchase made up 17% of a 20 yr spending spree.

I went over four years (2017–2021) without buying a single digital PlayStation game, and almost every single purchase except GTA V was made during a sale, at least 12 months after a games release.

The biggest surprise wasn't what I'd bought—it was what I hadn't. Sorry, that sentence sounds AI generated lol - I promise it's not. It's obvious to me that I've always preferred buying physical games whenever I had the choice, but didn't pass up when a digital sale proved good value. The digital purchases I did make were usually because the deals were simply too good to ignore:

For example: Red Dead Redemption 2 + Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition for £19.49, Dead Space Remake + Alien: Isolation for £21.98, Bloodborne: The Old Hunters for £7.99

Which got me thinking... now corporate greed has got the better of Sony, and we all face a digital only world, the thing that concerns me isn't the lack of physical discs necessarily. It's whether these kinds of sales we've seen in the past continue to exist. Because if the ONLY place we can buy digital games from is the Playstation store itself, what incentive do Sony have to offer any kind of discounts at all? Steam isn't comparable really, as on PC, you can choose to buy from places other than Steam, GOG, Epic Games etc.. but who is keeping Sony in check?

Looking at my own purchase history, I'd probably quite easily adapt to a digital-only future IF we got the kind of sales we have been offered in the past. As I rarely buy a game anywhere near full price.

If they don't offer aggressive sales though from time to time.. I'm not so sure.

Curious what everyone else thinks. Have any of you ever looked back through your PlayStation purchase history? Did it tell you anything about your own buying habits?

So I made a post recently about how I’m trying to simplify my setup. As part of that I’m looking for a PC handheld to access my steam games, and potentially use an emulator to access my ps3 and vita games, and maybe even replace my PS Portal with PXPlay or Chiaki (maybe).

The games I’m looking to play:

Most of my steam library is pre 2020. Think

Fallout 3, New Vegas, 4
Dragon age origins, 2 and Inquisition
Witcher 3

More modern Steam games

Resident Evil 2, 3 and 4 remakes
Cyberpunk 2077
Baldurs Gate 3

The other 2000 games are a mix of horror games, obscure indie games and strategy games Now I do have a subscription to GeForce Now Ultimate, and I do have a PS5 pro (or at least will in the next couple of weeks)

What I’m looking for:

Handheld - it doesn’t have to play at the very best resolution at the very best frame rates.. I’d be happy with a general 1080p 40-60fps. But what I would like it to be able to play GeForce Now on my handheld and have a good experience, an I want to be able to dock it to a 4k tv to use GeForce now at 4k 120fps. Any games not playable natively due to performance id be looking to play on GFN or PS5 pro

What ive researched;

So ive went from thinking about the Steam deck all the way up to the Lenovo Legion go 2. I have up to £1000 I could spend on the device.. but just because I could.. doesn’t mean I want to.

I’ve ruled out the LLG2 because I don’t think it’s necessary, and I’m thinking of opting out of the Steam deck because the price is just too high for what it is (though OLED would be nice). I almost settled on the Rog Xbox Ally X, but again I don’t think it’s necessary perhaps, plus when not docked I’ll be playing in bed probably and buttons are apparently really loud.

I’m thinking about the Rog Ally X and Legion Go z1 extreme. I’ve thought about the Legion Go S but that seems too expensive for what it is? i don’t mind second hand. Ideally I’d prefer to keep it around £500 and keep some budget for other stuff.

Based on the above.. what would be your recommendation? Everything I’ve researched leads me closer to the legion go z1 extreme but what do you guys think?

So I generally say I've been Playstation for 20+ years but the truth is I've platform hopped regularly since the early 80s.

Comodore 64 - > Atari -> Master System - SNES -> Megadrive -> N64 -> PS1 -> Dreamcast -> Gamecube -> PS2 -> PSP -> Xbox -> PS3 -> PS Vita -> Xbox 360 -> PS3 -> PS4 -> PC -> PS5 -> Switch 2

So I've built up quite the collection of games on each platform and I'm currently on PS5 (base), Switch 2, and MacBook for GeForce Now Ultimate (it's all I usedthe MacBook Pro for these days). I also have a PS3, Vita, Switch Lite, PS Portal and 7yr old custom gaming PC.

I mainly play handheld like 90% of the time.

I'm looking to simplify my setup for 2 reasons:

1. I have decided to skip the next generation of gaming as I figure the prices are going to be insane.
2. I have a HUGE library spanning multiple platforms and I'm adopting an ethos of "What should I play next" as opposed to "What should I buy next". My backlog goes back over 30 years!

I'm looking to simplify while also being able to access all of my games across platforms and have decided on the following:

I've sold my PS5 yesterday and my Switch Lite. Once my iPad Pro sells, that should fund a PS5 Pro and disc drive. I'm selling my MacBook M3 Pro (as its purely a GFN machine now) and that will fund a 4K OLED monitor and an ROG Xbox Ally X (which I can access my xbox games on). I'm trying to do this with next to no out of pocket expense. While I could, I can't justify it with a family of 5.

I will backup my PS3 and Vita game libraries and licences and install emulators on the ROG Xbox Ally X when I get it so I can then sell my PS3 and Vita as I'll have my games on the handheld

So, I will have:

PS5 Pro & PS Portal
Switch 2
ROG Xbox Ally X

and a 4k 27" OLED monitor for the display.

It feels like that is a pretty streamlined approach albeit still being 4 devices.

Does anyone else have a library that spans multiple platforms and how do you manage to engage with them all?

So I generally say I've been Playstation for 20+ years but the truth is I've platform hopped regularly since the early 80s.

Comodore 64 - > Atari -> Master System - SNES -> Megadrive -> N64 -> PS1 -> Dreamcast -> Gamecube -> PS2 -> PSP -> Xbox -> PS3 -> PS Vita -> Xbox 360 -> PS3 -> PS4 -> PC -> PS5 -> Switch 2

So I've built up quite the collection of games on each platform and I'm currently on PS5 (base), Switch 2, and MacBook for GeForce Now Ultimate (it's all I usedthe MacBook Pro for these days). I also have a PS3, Vita, Switch Lite, PS Portal and 7yr old custom gaming PC.

I mainly play handheld like 90% of the time.

I'm looking to simplify my setup for 2 reasons:

1. I have decided to skip the next generation of gaming as I figure the prices are going to be insane.
2. I have a HUGE library spanning multiple platforms and I'm adopting an ethos of "What should I play next" as opposed to "What should I buy next". My backlog goes back over 30 years!

I'm looking to simplify while also being able to access all of my games across platforms and have decided on the following:

I've sold my PS5 yesterday and my Switch Lite. Once my iPad Pro sells, that should fund a PS5 Pro and disc drive. I'm selling my MacBook M3 Pro (as its purely a GFN machine now) and that will fund a 4K OLED monitor and an ROG Xbox Ally X (which I can access my xbox games on). I'm trying to do this with next to no out of pocket expense. While I could, I can't justify it with a family of 5.

I will backup my PS3 and Vita game libraries and licences and install emulators on the ROG Xbox Ally X when I get it so I can then sell my PS3 and Vita as I'll have my games on the handheld

So, I will have:

PS5 Pro & PS Portal
Switch 2
ROG Xbox Ally X

and a 4k 27" OLED monitor for the display.

It feels like that is a pretty streamlined approach albeit still being 4 devices.

Does anyone else have a library that spans multiple platforms and how do you manage to engage with them all?

So last year today, my Mum calls me just before lunch time to wish us congratulations on our anniversary. We’ve been married 5 years today, so last year was our 4th.

I didn’t believe her till I looked at the date. I felt so bad. I approached my wife uncharacteristically sheepish and apologised. She replied “what for?”

Of course I reply “Because it’s our anniversary” to which she replied “Is that today????” With a shocked look on her face 😂

That could have gone so much worse. We ordered a maccies and called it a day

So today is our 5th year anniversary, which some would call a milestone.

My wife is off on maternity and I’m at work doing some critical bugs that is holding back some of the work my team need to accomplish. So we’re both really busy.

My mum shows up unannounced with a card, to which my wife replies “What’s this for?”

Credit to her, she could have pretended and held me accountable for forgetting but she called me downstairs (I work from home) and proceeded to tell me that we both forgot - again!!

None of use are bothered. I said today that we are very happily married, we don’t need a reminder that we’re married

My mum said “Clearly you do Son”

We’re having a Chinese takeaway later and calling it a day.

Does anyone else forget their anniversary and if so, is it one or both that forget, is it a big deal and how much emphasis do you place on it?