Sony PlayStation TV Review

The Good PlayStation TV has an affordable starting price point, works with existing DualShock 3 and 4 controllers and can play hundreds of games. It also offers game streaming from a networked PS4 or via PlayStation Now, and a handful of video services.

The Bad A surprising amount of content for PSTV is not available in HD, and the Vita's interface doesn't make a graceful jump to the big screen. Remote play is laggy in Wi-Fi mode and PSTV still relies on an expensive flash storage medium. Major streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu Plus are noticeably absent.

The Bottom Line The PlayStation TV sounds great on paper, but out of the gate, it underwhelms as both a gaming and an entertainment box.

With the PlayStation 4, Sony already has a credible claim to conquering your living room with its do-it-all gaming and streaming entertainment box. Now the company is going after the other rooms in your home with the PlayStation TV.

It's a tiny box -- smaller than a deck of cards -- that has Roku and Apple TV comparisons written all over it. It connects to your home network over Wi-Fi or Ethernet and sports an HDMI port (there's also a cable in the box) for easy plug-and-play with your TV.

Nintendo 3DS XL Review

The $200 3DS XL is a very good gaming machine, possibly the best portable gaming device ever, which, yeah, maybe we said about February's PlayStation Vita, but back then we'd have only been talking about a piece of hardware and its gaming potential. The 3DS XL isn't just full of potential. It's a well-designed machine that plays an absurdly rich array of excellent video games.

The 3DS XL, set for release on August 19 in North America, is Nintendo's latest incremental upgrade. The company has been doing this kind of thing since before the iPod upgraded from the model with with the select wheel that moved to the one that didn't. Nintendo put out a Game Boy and then squeezed it down as a Game Boy Pocket (Game Boy Color, too, of course). They released a Game Boy Advance that was so ridiculously dim that, at gaming conventions, they'd put these silly miniature desk lamps over each one so you actually see the games on their screen. Then, a couple of years later, there were like, "oh, yeah, now we'll sell you a GBA that doesn't suck. It's called the GBA SP." They'd put out a hunk of plastic and call it a Nintendo DS and then, a couple of years later, kind of say, "whoops, here's a DS Lite that isn't hideous" and then, a couple of years after that put out a DSi (now with cameras and some storage so you can download games to it!) and then make a DSi XL because, hey, maybe someone wants their portable gaming system super-sized.

There is a 3DS in my left pocket; a 3DS XL in my right pocket. This really is the best way to show you this comparison, I think. Bonus fact: I sat down with a 3DS XL in my back pocket on a New York City subway and the console didn't break. In fact, I forgot it was there, much as I might forget that I have a wallet in my back pocket. But this is not ideal and I tend to carry the 3DS XL in a pouch in my bag.

Alienware 17 - Best gaming laptop

Overview

The Alienware 17 is mostly unchanged since last year which isn’t a bad thing; it keeps the stealthy design, great build quality, AlienFX customizable lighting system and excellent gaming performance we praised it for previously. This iteration adds AMD’s flagship Radeon R9 M290X graphics card to the stable, which goes head to head with Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 860M and 870M offerings. The GTX 880M still rules the roost in raw graphics muscle, but AMD’s offering comes at a significantly lower price point.
Build and Design
Alienware notebooks make a strong statement when it comes to design; this is a package deal. Its stealth-like exterior has subtle but noticeable angles that create a futuristic appearance. There’s no hiding this notebook’s bulk, however; the Alienware 17 is nearly 10 pounds and just under two inches thick; a typical non-performance oriented 17.3″ notebook is about two-thirds the weight and thickness.
The AlienFX LED lighting system is user-customizable with multiple different lighting zones; the lid has two, the keyboard has four, the touchpad is one, the Alienware logo below is another the display and the final one is the strip around the chassis. Each zone can be set to a different color, to morph between two colors or be turned completely off. The AlienFX system can be completely turned off by pressing the [Fn] and [F12] keys simultaneously, a good idea while on battery to preserve power. Alienware debuted the AlienFX system in 2009 with the original Alienware m17x and we’ve been a fan of it ever since; it’s truly unique and keeps the ownership experience exciting.

Nintendo Wii Review

The Nintendo Wii changed the world of gaming with its motion controls, but since the launch of the Wii U, Nintendo has stopped supporting its aged console by shutting down the Wii's online servers. However, if you want a chance to play some of the best motion games, Nintendo launched the Wii Mini, an affordable video game console with all the features you need to play the best Wii games. While the console doesn't need the Wii's internet connection, the Wii Mini lacks backwards compatibility with GameCube discs, an odd removal. The Nintendo Wii Mini comes with all the equipment you need to play, including a Wii Remote, Nunchuk Controller and "Mario Kart Wii" game. In comparison to other consoles on the market, the Wii Mini is the least powerful device. Even at the Wii's prime, it was barely more powerful than the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, so if you're looking for a graphical wonder, you should look elsewhere. However, the Wii Mini utilizes Nintendo's revolutionary motion controls. Since Nintendo shut down the Wii's online servers, it should come as no surprise that the Wii Mini lacks any kind of internet connectivity. However, it is odd that Nintendo removed the GameCube compatibility. The original Wii allowed players to use their GameCube discs and controllers, but the Wii Mini only plays Wii games. Although it is much more expensive, the Nintendo Wii U also plays Wii games, but it also offers online multiplayer, digital games and a new generation of exciting games. Like the Wii before it, the Wii Mini does not play DVDs, CDs or video files, and because the console cannot connect to the internet, you cannot stream video and television through Netflix or Hulu Plus. Also, you can't exchange Friend Codes and connect with people online. You can download music onto an SD card and listen to music, but without any of the other multimedia or social capabilities, it's unlikely that you'll use the Wii Mini for anything but playing Wii games.