Image via Complex Original
With the holidays here, travelling becomes that much more stressful and arduous. Longer lines, cancelled flights and crazier people all come with the holiday travel experience. It's a good thing that video gaming has become portable or else gamers would have to add withdrawl to the list as well.
Gaming on the go presents its own set of challenges though. Handheld systems require charging which means more cables, tablets need protection and depending on the length of the the trip, back-up power is a must. These Video Game Accessories and Portable Consoles for Traveling span the category of everything needed to satisfy the hungriest gaming appetites. From portable consoles like the NVIDIA Shield to iPhone and iPod game controllers like the new Logitech Powershell, if there's a need, it's covered. Most of all, everything listed is under $1000.
With these awesome finds, no trip will ever suck again, even with a cursed middle seat.
MOGA Pro Power controller for Android
Price: $80
Where To Get It: mogaanywhere.com
MOGA has gone through a few versions of their Android-based controller and has finally arrived at the ceiling of how far they can go with the current level of platform's gaming threshold. The Pro Power controller takes everything that made the previous one great and added a longer battery life and the ability to charge a device while playing. There's really nothing else that can be down with the MOGA Pro series outside of including rumble vibration but that wouldn't happen until developers started to program it into their games. You're move Android.
Mophie Juice Pack
Price: $80-$150
Where To Get It: mophie.com
Running out of battery power in the middle of playing a video game is about as fun as pizza burn but most of the combination battery pack phone cases either triple the size of an otherwise sexily-slim phone or looks plain ugly. Mophie has found a way to charge and protect smartphones without sacrificing aesthetics. Enter the Juice Pack cases that are available for every popular smartphone out now. Instead of fiddling around with cables and a separate battery pack, Mophie cases stay attached and are activated with the flip of a switch. Best part of all is that there are a number of options to fit any gamer's style.
Logitech Powershell controller for iOS 7
Price: $100
Where To Get It: logitech.com
For the longest mobile gamers have been waiting for a real-deal controller for iOS. With the amount of games coming out on the platform, it only makes sense right? There were a few attempts like the Duo Gamer but play was limited to only a handful of compatible games. Logitech has jumped in with the Powershell controller for iOS 7 that finally removes the need for thumbing around the screen. The good is that it's a beautiful device and works great. Holding it feels natural and there's no hand fatigue. The bad is that it's only for iPod and iPhone 5 and 5s. Owners of older models are out of luck as those don't have the power to support gaming on that level. If there's any reason to upgrade, the Powershell is it.
Privates BT headphones
Price: $100
Where To Get It: outdoortech.com
Gamers looking for a geekless look but don't want to sacrifice quality in a bluetooth headset should take a look at Outdoor Tech's Privates. These headphones are smaller in size but pack a solid sound for the price. Of course a statement like that is equal to saying an unattractive person has a nice personality but in this case, it all true. The Privates are a well built set that's light and folds up for easy storage. Padding on the ear cuffs don't get uncomfortable after wearing for a long time and for a pair bluetooth connected cans, it'll be hard to find a competitor for the same price.
Nintendo 2DS
Price: $130
Where To Get It: gamestop.com
As it turned out, the video game community wasn't as ready for the great 3D push last year as expected. The closest success for the platform was the Nintendo 3DS but even then, it left a few owners of the device unsatisfied. For players looking for the same access to the endless supply of games for the 3DS without the visual trickery, Nintendo released the 2DS. It's the same great portable console that can run the same games, just no gimmicks.
LSTN Troubadors headphones
Price: $150
Where To Get It: lstnheadphones.com
The folks over at LSTN credit the sound of their Troubador headphones to the wooden housing, but whatever it is, the sound quality is mindblowing. It wouldn't be inaccurate to say they're on par with gaming headsets for double the price. The LSTN Troubador headphones also come with a warm fuzzy feeling as proceeds from sales go to the Starkey Hearing Foundation that helps to restore hearing to the deaf and spread awareness of hearing loss and impairment.
Ogio Renegade RSS 17 backpack
Price: $150
Where To Get It: ogio.com
It's tough to find a bag that's functional, sturdy and doesn't look like it came from outer space. The Renegade RSS from Ogio has compartments and pockets for everything from cables to devices with delicate screens. Some of the pockets are lined with with a soft cotton fabric to keep screens from getting scratched and reinforced shells to protect the contents from hard bumps and drops.
Braven BRV 1 bluetooth speaker
Price: $150
Where To Get It: braven.com
Braven has put out some great bluetooth speakers in the past but with the BRV 1 model, they've hit true portability by making it water and shock resistant. With all of the same features as the TK MODEL reviewed here, the BRV 1 can play audio, charge handhelds and double as a speakerphone to take calls.
PlayStation Vita
Price: $200
Where To Get It: amazon.com
The release of the Sony PlayStation 4 meant good news for the almost forgotten PS Vita portable video game system. The next-gen console brought with it a retooled compatibility with the Vita using its Remote Play function. With the PlayStation network undergoing a huge update to bring every game from the PS One, PS2 and PSP, there is more than enough content to keep a gamer occupied through the longest of trips.
Lenovo Yoga Tablet
Price: $250
Where To Get It: shop.lenovo.com
No one gets excited over tablets anymore so don't expect anything any fancy bells or whistles from Lenovo's new Yoga Tablet. What this particular tablet does that sets is apart is stand on it's own without any third-party accessories. Seems simple but it's a big deal when it comes to real-life scenarios. On airline flights, the Yoga supports itself in every angle and takes up little room. It makes getting the middle seat not so much of a travesty anymore.
NVIDIA Shield portable video game console
Price: $300
Where To Get It: nvidia.com
For those who don't already know, the NVIDIA Sheild is a treasure of a portable device to PC gamers because of its ability to stream video games from a computer to the unit. Instead of a laptop, players can toss the Shield into a pocket and be good. Natively, NVIDIA Shield runs Android games that have come a long way since puzzlers and Pacman. PC quality video games on the go is a digital blessing from the gaming gods.
ECBC Falcon Rolling Duffle Bag
Price: $350 (medium) -$400 (large)
Where To Get It: ec-bc.com
When a backpack or messenger bag isn't enough for all the electronics gear planned for a trip, it's tempting to take a gamble on checking some of it in with the luggage. Then a glance out of an airplane window at the airline staff doing leg-drops like Miguel during a live performance onto to passenger bags becomes a reminder that it's not a great idea after all. ECBC's Falcon Rolling Duffle combines traditional luggage with a functional computer bag with padded compartments for laptops, accessories and cables. There's even a built-in USB charger to keep tablets and smartphones juiced when not in use. The Falcon is also sized for carry-on so there's not need to check it at the ticket counter unless it's to Las Vegas where a gamble is all a part of the experience.
Turtle Beach Earforce i60
Price: $400
Where To Get It: turtlebeach.com
Bluetooth headsets have had a long history of sucking when it came to audio quality. So very not the case with the Turtle Beach Earforce i60 headset. Designed with iOS in mind, the i60s are meant to be dually connected to a computer and mobile device. While paired with a desk or laptop, the headset controls iTunes volume, track navigation and equalizer presets. In real-world practice, they actually can handle much more. Android tablets and the Vita also worked flawlessly. Bouncing back and forth between devices was seamless and sound was crystal clear. These things even performed in the most signal polluted areas with only a tiny bit of choking. Perfect for airports and other places where there are masses of people fiddling with their own gadgets.
Corning Gorilla Glass Stealth Extreme R screen protector
Price: $70 for iPad Mini/$90 for iPad Air
Where To Get It: armorz.com
What owners of mobile devices always tend to take for granted is a healthy screen. That is, until it's shattered and looks like something Spiderman coughed up during flu season. Cheap, flimsy screen protectors found in shopping malls are hard to put on, bubble up and are coverned in lint by the time they're installed. Armorz' Corning Gorilla Stealth Extreme R is a screen protector for the the iPad mini and iPad Air that's made from the same nearly indestructable material as the screens used on a few of the smartphones out in the wild. These things can take more of a pounding
Kickstand portable projector
Price: $800
Where To Get It: bemwireless.com
Projectors are always on the pricier end of the spectrum but the Bern Wireless is worth every penny for its mobility and image quality. The best part of it all is that the Kickstand can throw a video game console's images to a wall in HD up to 720p. Pull up Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll or any of a consoles other video apps and there's a portable theater in the backpack.
