Games

Standout gaming handhelds from CES 2013

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Razer Edge on display at CES
Project Shield with the screen open
The Razer Edge gaming tablet
The buzz around Project Shield was impressive
Pro Evolution Soccer on the Archos GamePad
NVIDIA's Project Shield on display at CES
A side view of NVIDIA's Project shield
The top down view of NVIDIA's Project shield from the show floor at CES
Another view of NVIDIA's Porject Shield
A front view of Project Shield
A Diagonal view of the Archos GamePad from the show floor at CES
The front view of the Razer Edge from CES
One of the controllers for the Razer Edge
The other controller for the Razer Edge
The back the Razer Edge
The side view of the Razer Edge gaming tablet
A game running on the Razer Edge
Playing
Pro Evolution Soccer on the Archos GamePad
The top of the Archos GamePad
The Archos GamePad has Android as its OS
The Archos GamePad on the show floor
Razer Edge on display at CES
Project Shield with the screen open
The Razer Edge gaming tablet
The buzz around Project Shield was impressive
Pro Evolution Soccer on the Archos GamePad
NVIDIA's Project Shield on display at CES
A side view of NVIDIA's Project shield
The top down view of NVIDIA's Project shield from the show floor at CES
Another view of NVIDIA's Porject Shield
A front view of Project Shield
A Diagonal view of the Archos GamePad from the show floor at CES
The front view of the Razer Edge from CES
One of the controllers for the Razer Edge
The other controller for the Razer Edge
The back the Razer Edge
The side view of the Razer Edge gaming tablet
A game running on the Razer Edge
Playing
Pro Evolution Soccer on the Archos GamePad
The top of the Archos GamePad
The Archos GamePad has Android as its OS
The Archos GamePad on the show floor
Razer Edge on display at CES
View gallery - 44 images

Portable gaming may not be anything new, as the original GameBoy took the world by storm all the way back in 1989, but there is a new evolution afoot that brings more feature-rich devices designed specifically for gaming to the consumer. Three models in particular stole the attention this year at the Consumer Electronics Show.

NVIDIA Project Shield

The buzz around Project Shield was impressive

Project Shield is without question one of the hottest items at CES this year. Like most of the portable gaming consoles on display, it plays Android games from Google Play. Unlike the rest, it can also stream PC games directly to the tablet through the power of Steam, as long the PC is on the local network.

Project Shield also comes with a smaller form factor, and its folding screen makes it seem like a much more portable device overall. Of all the gaming tablets, this seems to be the one drawing the most attention on the show floor, and with good reason. NVIDIA's appointments for hands on play sessions are booked though the end of the show, giving a solid indicator of the interest level for the device.

Razer Edge

The Razer Edge gaming tablet

The Razer Edge gaming tablet (previously known as Project Fiona) was first shown at CES last year, and it had gamers salivating at the prospect at what it might offer. While not as portable as the other two consoles we saw this year, it packs a lot more punch, and is powered by Windows 8 instead of Android. The Razer Edge has a tablet form factor, but it's really a portable PC, and that's downright awesome.

The device has seen some evolution since last year's prototype. The handle controls are now detachable, which should help in terms of portability. The device can also be used as a full-fledged gaming console, which could have some really interesting implications going forward.

Archos GamePad

Pro Evolution Soccer on the Archos GamePad

Back in August, we heard that Archos was bringing a new gaming focused tablet to market, and at CES, the company had the Archos GamePad on the show floor. It runs Android, and from a design perspective, it looks more like a PS Vita than a tablet. That said, it is small enough to be portable.

The Archos GamePad on display had Pro Evolution Soccer, Dead Trigger, and Trials, and all of them worked fairly well with the device. Fairly is the key word, as it still seems that the control mapping needs a little work. The device certainly has potential, but it still needs a little work before it is ready to go to toe-to-toe with Razer and NVIDIA.

Those who like some gaming on the go are already well catered for but, if the showroom floor at CES 2013 is any indication, they're likely to be even more spoiled for choice in the not too distant future. Is there room for them all? We'll have to wait and see.

View gallery - 44 images
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1 comment
Elijah Sherv
Some interesting concepts here. The Archos was quite a surprise, the controls don't look to shabby though. Razer Edge looks like it's going to have some tough competition with the Nvidia Shield. I'm looking forward to seeing how these consoles play out.