Portable Handheld Gaming Windows PC
Ideation #8
I’m bored with today’s mobile games, most of them that requires you to log in everyday to get perks. Getting a PS Vita now? Is totally out of the question. There are games that has port from PC to tablet and phone. Well, that I would have to make the decision whether should I purchase it on Steam or the App store?
Looking at Microsoft Oct 2015 keynote, where they released the new Surface Book and Lumia 950 that could scale up with a device called Windows Continuum giving you a PC-like experience. This gets me thinking, what if there is a small phablet touch-screen device, running Windows 10, with physical gaming controls device? In another words, PS Vita like device that runs on Windows 10. Nope, I’m not talking about Xbox Portable or Portable Xbox. 🤔
Here are some of my brief ideal features for a dream device, which of course requires more thought process but this will do for now.
- PS Vita physical form factor, which means the screen in the center and controls on both sides. And not a clamshell, if your screen is touch-enabled. Just like most laptops that has touch screen, the interaction just doesn’t feel right. While on Nintendo DS, the touch-screen is where the controls are, not the flip side.
- Xbox One Elite Controller or Razer Wildcat built quality.
- 5.6 inch touch-screen size, which is about the size of iPhone 6 Plus.
- Windows 10 Tablet interface (Not phone), not sure how this will look like when squeeze into the physical screen size I mentioned above.
- Able to use as a controller for PC and Xbox One that comes with a touch screen keyboard which might not be comfortable to type but it does the job.
- As it is using Windows 10, I guess being able to stream Xbox One games on it is a no brainer.
- Enough to play games at least 2 to 3 hours on a single charge. (Enough just for commuting, that’s the purpose right?)
- The most important feature: Software/API for game developers which automatically optimise graphics for this device which doesn’t require gamers to do anything. Instead of pushing it’s limit that drains the battery.
- Bonus: Plug to a Windows Continuum like device that connects to a keyboard, mouse and desktop graphics card + monitor. Then again, it’s a very niche market (referring to gaming laptop that connects to an external graphics card).
Recently, I saw Smach Z on Kickstarter and I was quite excited that someone is building such device based on Valve’s Steam controller. One of the coolest feature I find is their Magic Z-Pad, where you could configure additional buttons or D-pad on the device. Say you wanted to play Street Fighter IV on it, throw in a six buttons Z-pad. But there is one downside to this device, it’s running on SteamOS (linux). Which means you can’t play Blizzard’s games on it. Nope, no Hearthstone for you. Unless you use other methods. 😎
