Smartphone & handheld console hybrid PGS wants to bring PC gaming to your pocket
If the Xperia Play and the Nintendo DS had a child that ran on both Windows and Android, that child would be the PGS (short for portable gaming system). Not the catchiest name out there, that's for sure, but the PGS promises a lot – to be the device that finally brings a handheld console smartphone 2-in-1 device that's worth our time and money. Let's take a closer look at what the PGS offers.
Similarly to the Xperia Play and PSP Go, the PGS has a slider form factor, but unlike them, it features two screens – a bigger top screen and a smaller bottom screen – much like the Nintendo 3DS. The PGS will ship in two variants with different specs, which we'll take a closer look at in a moment. As far as controls go, the 2-in-1 offers the standard set of buttons, but promises something a bit different with its telescopic control sticks. That's right, they won't be the sliders we've seen with the PSP Go and 3DS, but rather real analog sticks that will supposedly pop up on a press. We don't know much about that yet, but the developer promises they are non-motorized, mechanical and one of the “key challenges of the project.”
Dual-boot is probably one of the best features of the PGS, as it allows it to provide the best of both worlds. As you've probably already guessed, we're not talking about Windows Mobile here – nope – it comes with both Windows 10 X64 and Android 6.0 Marshmallow on board. Yes, this means PC gaming on the go, and yes, it also means no calls or texting while using Windows. Should the Kickstarter campaign reach its highest goal of $400,000 however, the developers are promising to add phone calling and texting to Windows via a proprietary software utility.
The PGS Hardcore version sports a 5.7-inch 1440p AMOLED display, while the Lite version features a 5.5-inch 720p IPS display. The more expensive Hardcore version is powered by an Intel Atom X7 quad core CPU clocked at 2.56 GHz, and backed with 8 GB of RAM, a 128 GB SSD and a 6120 mAh battery. No word on battery life yet, but the developers are promising 0 to 70% charges in around 40 minutes. This version also features an 8MP and 5MP rear and front cameras, as well as support for USB 3.0, microSD cards of up to 512 GB and a microHDMI port.
The Lite version takes down those specs a notch, as can be expected, and apart from the smaller and lower-res display, it has a 5MP and 1MP rear and front shooters, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, a 4080 mAh battery, and the same Intel Atom X7 CPU and Cherry Trail chipset featured in its more expensive sibling. Both versions will also feature a fanless passive cooling system, which should keep the unit from becoming uncomfortably hot under normal circumstances.
What the PGS is trying to do is undeniably ambitious and unique, as it aims to bring PC and Android gaming to your pocket in a single device. Granted, the specs won't send any serious PC gamers in a state of feverish excitement, but they are great for a mobile device and good enough – or so the developers claim – to run games such as Batman: Arkham City, Dark Souls 2, Mirror's Edge, Metal Gear: Revengeance and DmC: Devil May Cry on low settings in HD at between 25 to 30 FPS, which doesn't really seem promising enough.
Dual-boot is probably one of the best features of the PGS, as it allows it to provide the best of both worlds. As you've probably already guessed, we're not talking about Windows Mobile here – nope – it comes with both Windows 10 X64 and Android 6.0 Marshmallow on board. Yes, this means PC gaming on the go, and yes, it also means no calls or texting while using Windows. Should the Kickstarter campaign reach its highest goal of $400,000 however, the developers are promising to add phone calling and texting to Windows via a proprietary software utility.
The PGS Hardcore version sports a 5.7-inch 1440p AMOLED display, while the Lite version features a 5.5-inch 720p IPS display. The more expensive Hardcore version is powered by an Intel Atom X7 quad core CPU clocked at 2.56 GHz, and backed with 8 GB of RAM, a 128 GB SSD and a 6120 mAh battery. No word on battery life yet, but the developers are promising 0 to 70% charges in around 40 minutes. This version also features an 8MP and 5MP rear and front cameras, as well as support for USB 3.0, microSD cards of up to 512 GB and a microHDMI port.
What the PGS is trying to do is undeniably ambitious and unique, as it aims to bring PC and Android gaming to your pocket in a single device. Granted, the specs won't send any serious PC gamers in a state of feverish excitement, but they are great for a mobile device and good enough – or so the developers claim – to run games such as Batman: Arkham City, Dark Souls 2, Mirror's Edge, Metal Gear: Revengeance and DmC: Devil May Cry on low settings in HD at between 25 to 30 FPS, which doesn't really seem promising enough.
The PGS also supports Dinput and Xinput which basically means that you're settled in the controls department, not to mention that you can connect external controllers, a mouse and a keyboard. Speaking of that, the various supported control schemes coupled with the microHDMI port, basically turn the PGS into a full-fledged, albeit limited in power, PC.
The PGS has garnered a lot of support on Kickstarter, with 753 backers who've pledged more than $200,000 of the initial $100,000 goal. The PGS is certainly an ambitious project that could achieve a lot, but it could fail miserably as well, if not executed correctly. To see more of the curious 2-in-1, head over to its Kickstarter campaign (linked below), where you can snag a Hardcore unit by pledging $280 or more, or the Lite version for $230. The device is expected to begin shipping in March 2017.
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