The last couple of years have been great for gaming with several devices grabbing our attention.
Whether you’ve wanted a powerful console, something handheld and portable or to dive into the world of virtual reality, there’s been something for everyone.
Assuming, that is, that you could get hold of one. Because many of the devices we’ve considered as the best gaming or VR device have been in very high demand and for good reason too.
For this year’s EE Pocket-lint Awards we’ve selected what we deemed to be the real winners for 2022.
Best gaming device: Sony PlayStation 5
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The PlayStation 5’s popularity is undeniable, so much so that it’s been a real struggle to buy one since it launched.
It’s far from tiny, but what it lacks in compact form factor it makes up for in gaming capabilities. It’s an excellent piece of home entertainment kit and something to truly covet. With next-gen performance that includes ultra-fast game load times, ray tracing and HDR10 and much more.
Highly Commended: Nintendo Switch OLED
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The original Nintendo Switch was a real game changer and the Switch OLED model just made it even more appealing.
With many recent and modern games making their way to the Switch, there are plenty of reasons to want one, besides access to classic Nintendo adventures on a powerful portable handheld.
The Nintendo Switch OLED is a magnificently good handheld console that provides one of the best experiences around.
Read our Nintendo Switch OLED review
The best of the rest
There’s no denying that there have been some great gaming devices launched recently. We’ve seen and thoroughly enjoyed a number of them that we’d highly recommend considering.
These include the Meta Quest 2 which is a fantastically popular stand-alone VR headset that’s loved by the masses as well as us. It has an ever-growing catalog of games and even works with PCVR games too. With multiplayer experiences and even the ability to watch Netflix on a personal big screen, it has plenty of reasons to buy.
The Pico 4 is an interesting alternative to the Meta Quest 2 which we found to be full of plenty of potential. It’s affordable yet packed full of power to make for a beautiful and immersive VR experience.
The Steam Deck is another handheld well worth your money. It’s more powerful than the Switch, though might not last as long before it needs a charge. It’s easy to game with and has the power to run all manner of games with no fuss. It’s also much easier to buy now than it used to be. which means it is appealing too.
Xbox Series X is another gaming beast and a great alternative to the PlayStation 5. It’s also so close to being a mini-gaming PC that it’s barely a console anymore.
What are the Pocket-lint Awards?
The EE Pocket-lint Awards take place annually to celebrate the best of tech from the previous 12 months. Products need to be fully reviewed by the Pocket-lint team to be considered for the Awards, with judging taking place towards the end of the year. Through a process of longlisting and shortlisting, the panel of expert judges scores the devices to result in the overall winner and a Highly Commended runner-up.
The Pocket-lint Awards was run for 19th time in 2022.