Last-minute sweepstakes, BBQs at the ready, and match day snacks can only mean one thing: the World Cup is back for 2026. And if you're still looking to pick up a shirt before kick off, don't miss our guide on World Cup 2026 jerseys: where to buy and how to save.

Whether you're hosting all your friends and family, or just watching at home, you'll also want to make sure you've got the best possible smart TV when the action starts. In this article, I'm talking everything from screen resolution to sound technology, to help you find the best TV for streaming sport.

Best TV for streaming sport 2026

As an official sponsor of this year's World Cup, the Hisense A6Q 55" LED 4K HDR Smart TV with Freely is the best value you'll get for a smart TV. You get everything you need tech-wise at an amazing value of £299.

How to choose a smart TV: what to look out for

For the optimal sports viewing experience, you're going to want a TV that has the following features:

• 4K resolution: for the best image quality
• HDR: for deeper colours
• Adaptive Sound Technology: to ensure you're getting the most immersive sound experience
• A 43" or bigger screen: whether you're holding a watching party or watching by yourself, a 43" screen is a good middle ground.

Best smart TVs under 50 inches

You know what they say, bigger doesn't always mean better, and it's no difference to when it comes to TVs. It's easy to get caught up in thinking you need a huge screen to enjoy watching the sport, but really, a smarter choice is something that fits your living space. I've looked through all of the amazing deals you can find on a smart TV that's under 50" to help you narrow down your choice.

Best smart TVs under £500

Whether you're treating yourself to a brand new smart TV just to celebrate the start of the world cup, or you're commitment for a lifetime of watching sport, you don't need to spend thousands to get a good return on investment. These are the best smart TVs under £500.

Best smart TVs over 75 inches

Planning on watching the World Cup with friends and family? Check out our handy piece on the best BBQs under £150 for summer, and find out which supermarket offers the best value BBQ food.

If you are looking for a larger screen option to host a World Cup party, here's some options that will be large enough so that everybody can watch, without breaking the bank. You're going to want the game to be seen from all around the room, no matter where you and your mates sit.

Are smart TVs worth it?

Yes, smart TVs come with so many options and technology that it's difficult to go back to a normal TV. You get access to all your favourite streaming apps, music apps, internet browser and more.

When it comes to the World Cup, you can easily stream all of the matches or catch up on the ones you missed through BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport Football YouTube channel.

Most of these TVs also come with built-in Freeview channels. This means it's not necessary to have a subscription to Sky to make the most of your TV. You can watch programmes on a Freeview channel and easily switch over to YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and more!

But, if you're still not convinced about picking up a new TV but like the sound of what a smart TV can offer, I would recommend purchasing a dongle like a Roku HD, Amazon Fire TV Stick or a Chromecast.

These USB devices plug into your TV and essentially turn it into a smart TV, giving you access to the internet and all of your favourite apps. These devices range in price from £25 to £50.

If you're looking for other great tips, we're written an extensive guide on how much you should spend when picking up a new TV.

Which smart TV should I buy?

• Best smart TV on a budget: Coming in at the low price of £179.99, the LG 43Inch 43LR60006LA Smart FHD HDR LED TV is a no-brainer. You get all the functions of a smart TV, fantastic picture quality and a decently sized screen.
• Best smart TV under £500: If you're looking to get the most bang for your buck, the Hisense A6Q 55" LED 4K HDR Smart TV with Freely would be my recommendation. At £299, the Hisense TV is perfect for people on a budget while also providing fantastic tech and image quality.
• Best overall smart TV: While on the higher end price-wise, the Samsung 55 Inch QE55QEF1AU Smart 4K UHD HDR QLED TV is undeniable in its quality. For £399, you'll get one of the highest-quality screens on the market.

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Record Store Day is fast approaching, and all of your favourite independent record stores are ready to celebrate. But Record Store Day can be overwhelming, and you want to make sure you don't miss anything. That's where I come in.

I'm going to break down when Record Store Day is taking place, what exactly it is and what you can expect this year.

What is Record Store Day?

Record Store Day is a celebration of all things music. It's when your favourite artists come together and support independent record stores by releasing exclusive items that you won't be able to find anywhere else.

You can pick up rare vinyl, exclusive CDs and more. For everything on offer, check out the official Record Store Day website.

When is Record Store Day?

Record Store Day lands on the 18th of April across the world. Check the Record Store Day website to find out if your local record store is participating in the event.

Record Store Day Exclusives

Exclusive Vinyl

When it comes to vinyl, there's no better place to come some up at your local independent music store. There's no better feeling than finding a rare variation of your favourite album or an album that's cheaper than what the bigger stores are charging.

Artists are well-known for releasing special editions of albums specifically for Record Store Day - which then increase in value as the years go on as you can only pick these albums up on the day.

What's releasing?

For the full list of releases, there's a compiled list on the Record Store Day website that has all of the information you need, but some of the big hitters include:

Does Record Store Day include CDs?

Yes, Record Store Day isn't just all about vinyl. You can pick up CDs as well, but it's recommended that you contact your nearest independent record store to double-check what stock they'll be carrying on the day.

Does HMV do Record Store Day?

No, big name retailers do not take part in Record Store Day. This event is specifically for independent record stores such as Assai in Scotland, Spillers Records in Cardiff and Rough Trade.

Does Record Store Day have sales?

Yes, some record stores will hold sales the same time as the Record Store Day event. It's worth contacting stores before the event to check stock and to see what sales are currently in place if they don't have a website.

Can I buy Record Store Day releases online?

Generally, Record Store Day works on a first-come first-served basis. Meaning you have to be in one of the stores on the 18th of April to guarantee you pick up the vinyl or CD of your choosing.

Any stock remaining after the event usually gets added to the record stores websites the following Monday.

As someone who's been playing in bands since 2016, I know the importance of high-quality, solid music equipment that won't break on you within a week. But when you're starting, it's tricky to know whether it's better to opt for bargains that are probably too good to be true, or to overspend on equipment that just gathers dust.

Luckily, I've made all the mistakes, so you don't have to. And now, I'm sharing my best tips when it comes to saving on your music gear. Today, we're talking guitars. Read on to find out which pieces of tech are worth your money in 2026 from an actual musician.

Guitars

If you're looking for your first guitar (or second, third, fourth, etc.), it can be easy to go with the most recognisable names. Your Gibsons and your Fenders are undeniably amazing guitars, but they're not the be-all end-all.

If you've got your heart set on a Stratocaster or a Les Paul, I would always recommend looking at Squiers or Epiphones. These brands are owned by Fender and Gibson and act as a cheaper way to get your dream guitar.

Don't rule out Squier or Epiphone guitars

Basically, on visuals alone, a Squier Stratocaster and a Fender Stratocaster look almost identical. The biggest difference comes from the cost of the parts being used and where the guitars are being made.

I was once the proud owner of an Epiphone Dot (ES-335). I loved that guitar and never once thought about getting the 'expensive' version - a Gibson ES-335. It was versatile and sounded great. Noel Gallagher used one for years during the early days of Oasis - even when they were massive.

What guitar amplifier is best for me?

Looking into guitar amps can be a slippery slope. Trust me, I've been there. I've previously watched YouTube videos on budget amps only to find myself looking at Vox AC30s and telling myself that's what I need. But it isn't always the case.

You don't need the biggest amp or the fanciest to get up on stage. You can usually get away with a smaller amp and use a mic to mic the amp up. In fact, world-famous guitarist Carlos Santana has this very setup. Small amp, mics it up.

Boss Katana Amp

For people starting out, I advise you to pick up a smaller amp. Let's say something like a Boss Katana 50w, which is around £250-£300, and then a condenser mic costs start from £30 - that's a huge saving over spending £1000+ on bigger, higher wattage amps.

What about bass amps and acoustic amps?

This is where it gets even better. If you are a bassist or an acoustic guitar player, I would argue you don't necessarily need an amplifier. This may sound like heresy to some, and I get it, but if you're looking to save on equipment and you're playing somewhere that has its own in-house sound system (most venues do), you can just plug straight into their mixing desk.

What guitar pedals should I get?

Guitar pedals are confusing. What's more, they can also be incredibly costly, with many pedals costing £100+. Nearly everything from big-name brands like Boss and Electro Harmonix to boutique brands like JHS pedals and Red Panda will easily cost a minimum of £100.

But there's one brand of pedals that is almost looked down upon by the elitists in the community. A brand that has been providing durable, cheap and good-sounding pedals for years: Behringer.

Behringer pedals

With Behringer, you can get most of your favourite effects, whether it be distortion or delay, for a fraction of the price when compared to the likes of Boss.

As an example, currently on Andertons, you can pick up a Behringer compressor pedal for £24.99, whereas a Boss compressor pedal will cost £99.99.

For anybody starting out, I would recommend picking up a tuner pedal (which costs £17.90 on Thomann), the overdrive/distortion pedal (£22.99 on Andertons) and the compressor/sustainer pedal (£24.99 on Andertons). That's a good little starter pedal setup, and it's only cost you around £65. You'll be lucky to pick up just one Boss pedal for that price.

I was once the proud owner of a Behringer Ultra Octaver to help me through acoustic gigs, as I didn't have a bassist with me. And it served me well through the few months I needed it. I've since sold it; it had nothing to do with the quality of the pedal and everything to do with finally finding a bass player.

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It's no secret that gaming is one of my favourite hobbies. And if you're anything like me, then you'll know that it's not exactly the most affordable pick of the bunch. But over the years, I've learnt tons of handy tips on how to save money on video games, so you can too.

I've researched everything from gaming subscriptions to renowned gaming sale events, and even tested the Nintendo Switch 2 to see if it's worth the upgrade. And now, it's time to talk accessories.

Find out how you can give your console a personal touch without spending an absolute fortune.

Nintendo Switch Controllers

It's no secret that official Nintendo products can be pricey. Even today, a pair of official Joy-Cons can set you back £56, but you can get some third-party models that work just as well, if not better.

HORI Split Pad Pro

HORI are masters when it comes to making top of the line Nintendo products, even so much as becoming an official partner with Nintendo for Switch accessories. So if you're looking to upgrade your controllers, HORI provide a unique solution.

One of the biggest issues with Nintendo's Joy-Cons is that they're small. Like really small. I've always found myself struggling to play any kind of game that includes shooting or aiming in general when using them. I don't know if it's because the sticks are too small or if there's just something uncomfortable with the design.

That's where HORI come in. They've developed their own unique design of controller for the Switch that suits bigger hands and is designed to be far more comfortable.

They also have a range of controllers inspired by your favourite games such as Zelda, Pokémon and Sonic. These controllers are priced around £30 - £50, depending on the model.

Does the Split Pad Pro have rumble or gyro?

No, HORI sacrificed these features to create a nicer weight to the controllers and make the design more ergonomic. Cutting back on these features also increases the battery life on the controllers.

CRKD Nitro Deck Controller

If you're a serious Switch gamer and the Joy-Cons and other controllers just aren't doing it for you, maybe the CRKD Nitro Deck is exactly what you need.

Providing gamers a more serious controller, packed with 4 extra triggers, zero stick drift and lightning fast response rates, the Nitro Deck is an impressive bit of kit.

The biggest comparison in terms of appearance is Valve's Steam Deck. Not just two new controllers to stick on the sides of your Switch, the Nitro Deck is more of a dock that you place your Switch in.

The price of the Nitro Deck starts at £34.99.

Is the Nitro Deck worth it?

Yes, over on our sister-site, GamesRadar+, it was reviewed by Duncan Robertson, who gave the Nitro Deck 4 out of 5 stars and said that it makes the Nintendo Switch feel like "The Switch Pro model that never was".

Joy-Con Grip

If you're happy with your Switch controllers but bored with looking at the dull Joy-Con grip that comes packed with your Switch, maybe it's time for an upgrade?

You can pick up a range of varied Joy-Con grips, all designed around your favourite video games, including The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon and Animal Crossing. So you can finally ditch the boring dark grey of your current Joy-Con grip and choose something a little more 'you'.

These customised Joy-Con grips are priced around £14.99.

Does the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con grip charge?

The grip that comes bundled with the Switch does not charge the Joy-Cons. But you can purchase a grip that charges your Joy-Cons while you're using them! You can pick up a charging grip for £24.99 at the My Nintendo Store.

Thumb Grips

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to customise your Switch is to purchase customised thumb grips. Not only will they provide you with extra support on your thumbs while gaming, but they also just look very cute.

Where can I buy Switch thumb grips?

These thumb grips are basically placed on top of the thumb sticks of your controller to add a much more personal touch. And on Etsy, you can find a wide range of adorable grips to add much-needed personality to your Switch.

You'll find thumb grips for essentially any piece of pop culture that you love. From Studio Ghibli to Pokémon, you'll find something to love at Etsy.

These thumb grips range in price from £5 to £20, depending on the size of the pack of grips.

Are thumb grips worth it?

On Etsy, many of the thumb grips have fantastic reviews from verified customers. Many are giving the products 5 stars and saying that they're easy to put on and are a great replacement if your original thumb sticks are starting to wear away.

Switch Carrying Case

If you're a gamer on the go and are worried about damaging your Nintendo Switch, it's definitely worth picking up a carrying case. And you don't have to go with a standard black or grey case; there are many, many different options available to better match your preferences.

What is the best Nintendo Switch case?

It all depends on what you're looking for, but I would always recommend going with a case that's a bit tougher on the outside. Any Switch case that has a hard shell, you're good to go.

Thankfully, GAME has an extensive range of hard shell Switch cases that are designed around video games, including Fortnite, Pokémon, Super Mario and many more. The price of these cases starts at £12.99.

Do Nintendo Switch cases fit the Switch 2?

Unfortunately, no. Due to the increase in size with the Switch 2, no Switch 1 case will fit the Switch 2. If you have a Switch 2, you'll have to look at picking up a new case.

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Calling all fellow gamers - our time has come. With the start of the Lunar New Year comes an astounding opportunity to save on some of the biggest games on the market. So, whether you've been saving up for a new game or been desperate to try an oldie but a goodie, now is the time to do it.

As a lover of gaming, I know how expensive video games are nowadays. That's why I wrote an entire piece dedicated to everything you need to know to save on video games to make your hobby a little more affordable.

Forget waiting for the big seasonal sales like Black Friday - these Lunar sales are going ahead right now across multiple platforms, and they're only running until the end of February.

Which platforms are taking part in the Lunar sales?

We've spotted Lunar New Year sales across some of the top gaming platforms, including Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam, too.

Xbox is offering savings of up to 95%, with a whopping 85% off Middle-Earth: Shadow of War Definitive Edition, which is priced at £5.99. This game is priced at £39.99 on Steam. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (a personal favourite) is now priced at £8.99, which is a £50 saving. If you're a fan of the movies or Mass Effect, you'll find a lot to love with this game.

If you're hyped for Resident Evil Requiem (as you should be), you'll be thrilled to know that the fantastic remake of Resident Evil 2 is on sale right now for as little as £7.99 (that's 75% off!) in the Lunar sales. You'll see the start of Leon S. Kennedy's story and then get ready for his next (and hopefully not final - Capcom, don't you even dare) with Requiem.

Oh boy, does Valve know how to put on a good sale. In fact, anybody familiar with Steam knows that the best time of the year to shop is the summer and winter sales. And now, the Lunar New Year sale has a lot to offer too.

At Steam, they're offering as much as 90% off some of the most-anticipated games in their Lunar sale. It's worth mentioning that the sale event is scheduled to end on February 26th, so act fast.

One of the best horror games of recent years was the remake of Silent Hill 2 (please don't watch the recent movie). And if you missed out on The Medium - the game made before Silent Hill 2, then now is your chance. The Medium is on sale for £11.99, which is 70% off its full price of £39.99.

You can find soul-inspired game Wuchang: Fallen Feathers on sale for £31.49 from £44.99 (30% off), as well as a personal favourite of mine, which is Balatro on sale with 20% off. Speaking from experience, this one is absolutely worth the money, and you'll get more than your money's worth.

While PlayStation doesn't currently have a Lunar New Year sale, they do have a Critics' Choice sale running. So you'll still be able to pick up some amazing games at discounted prices of up to 75% off!

If you're a football fan, then good news because EA Sports FC 26 is currently on sale for just £27.99. That means you're looking at an impressive 30% discount on one of the most popular games of the year.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is one of the greatest Spider-Man games to ever be created, and unfortunately, it's been highly priced ever since it came out in 2023. But luckily for you, you can now nab it for £34.99 (a massive 50% off its usual price of £69.99) in this sale event.

And finally, if you fancy a weekend of tearing up at jaw-dropping visuals and emotional storytelling, look no further than last year's game of the year winner, Expedition 33. This game is currently on sale for £35.99 from £44.99, and it's certainly a gem.

It's 2026, and it's looking like an exciting time to be a Nintendo Switch gamer. With new games in the Pokémon series, Professor Layton and The New World of Steam and Resident Evil Requiem, I'm pretty stoked.

Gaming is one of the best hobbies, and I've shared my best tips on how to save on video games to make it even better. Now, since the much-anticipated release of the Nintendo Switch 2 in June last year, I've been wondering whether it was time for an upgrade.

As a huge fan of the original Switch, I bit the bullet and bought the Nintendo Switch 2. I've played it for almost 5 months now, so here are my thoughts. I'll be diving into the current line-up of games, hardware prices, and more to help you make your own decision.

What is the difference between the Switch and Switch 2?

The biggest difference between the two is that the Switch 2 is a vastly more powerful system, which is able to run games at 4K resolution and up to 120fps.

While most games are available on both Switch 1 and 2, they will run better on the Switch 2. With the upgrade, you'll experience a better framerate, quicker loading screens and more gameplay features (if they're labelled as a 'Switch 2 Edition' like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom).

How much does the Nintendo Switch 2 cost?

Right now, the Nintendo Switch 2 costs £395.99. Alternatively, you can purchase the Switch 2 bundled with Mario Kart World for £429.99.

It's worth noting that if you planned on purchasing Mario Kart World, you'll be saving yourself at least £40 if you opt for the bundle instead of purchasing it separately.

Nintendo Switch screen

The Nintendo Switch 2 is 7.9 inches, while the original Switch is 6.2 inches, so you'll be getting a big upgrade.

In terms of quality, both screens are LCD, but the Switch 2's screen supports up to 120fps and HDR, providing smoother gameplay and deeper colours.

Can you play any Nintendo games on the Switch 2?

Yes, you can expect to be able to play most games on the Switch 2. On top of that, the Switch 2 has around 6 exclusive games that you can't play anywhere else.

Here are some of the best:

• Mario Kart World
• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
• Kirby Air Rides
• Mario Tennis Fever
• Cyberpunk 2077

For those who own a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox, you might be wondering whether it's time to make the switch. But if the games mentioned previously don't do it for you, then maybe it's better to try the original Switch instead.

A lot of games are still coming to the first Switch, and if you own other consoles, there's a chance you've already played (and loved) the games available.

In terms of upcoming games for the Switch 2, right now we don't know too much, but we expect to be hearing news from future Nintendo Direct Showcases around the summer time.

Nintendo Switch 1 vs 2

Nintendo Switch 2: would I recommend it?

For those who currently own the original Switch and are looking for an upgrade, yes, I would recommend the Nintendo Switch 2. It does pretty much everything that the original Switch does, except better. The screen is bigger, it feels better to hold, and it even looks and feels like a more impressive piece of tech.

However, if you already own one of the newer consoles like the Xbox Series X or the PlayStation 5, I'd stick with the original Switch for now. You'll still get a few of the much-anticipated games, as Nintendo is releasing them on both consoles.

Are there any Switch 2 alternatives?

Yes, I previously created an extensive guide to all of the Switch 2 alternatives if you're interested in finding out which of the best Switch 2 alternatives suits you.

If you value handheld gaming, the cheapest option would be Valve's Steam Deck, which will set you back by £349.

If you're just looking for a new console, the PlayStation 5 currently costs £479.99, the Xbox Series X costs £499.99, and the Xbox Series S costs £299.99. In fact, the Xbox Series S is cheaper and slightly more powerful than the Switch 2.

Nintendo Switch 2 verdict: Should you buy one in 2026?

Reasons to buy: If you've got the cash and have only had an original Switch for the last few years, I would recommend picking one up. You'll be able to catch up on a few third-party games that couldn't run on the original Switch.

Reasons to hold off: Right now, it's not offering that much in terms of exclusive games. While games like Donkey Kong Bananza are fantastic, they're not worth shelling out £400.

If you're solely looking for a portable gaming console to take with you when you're on the go, I would look at the Steam Deck. You'll have access to a much larger library of games and a more powerful piece of tech.

When is the best time to buy a Nintendo Switch 2?

I would hold off until Summer or around November of this year. Nintendo usually puts out games either during the Summer (last year we saw Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza in the Summer), and all other big triple-A games tend to release around October/November, so hopefully some of those come to Switch 2.

Nintendo Switch 2 discount code

Here at MyVoucherCodes, we have an entire page dedicated to only the best gaming discount codes. These are updated regularly to ensure that you’re getting the best possible deals.

If you decided to go ahead and purchase the Nintendo Switch 2, be sure to use our verified discount code below to help you save.

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Valentine’s Day can be an expensive evening, whether you’re eating out, going to the cinema or booking a round of mini golf. And if you don't know how to celebrate without overspending, it can be hard to feel the love.

That’s where I come in. Over the last few years, my fiancé and I have tried and tested the best co-op games - and thankfully, we've found some new ways to spend time together that don't break the bank.

From We Were Here Forever to It Takes Two, these are my top 5 game recommendations for couples.

Split Fiction

Split Fiction is a fairly new game that was only released last year and has been subject to multiple Game Award nominations. It's one of the best games I've played in the last year.

When you play, you'll get the choice to play as Mio, a sci-fi author with a hard edge and grim outlook on life, or Zoe, a fantasy writer who likes to look at the world through a happier, brighter lens. As soon as the game starts, you both get trapped in each other's stories, fighting for a way out - and it's a game that you can only play cooperatively, so you've got to work together.

Whether it's riding a dragon or transforming into a pig, the unique gameplay mechanics keep things super interesting. Each level is only 30-60 minutes long, so it's almost impossible to get bored.

Split Fiction also comes with a 'Friend Pass', which means you only need to pay for the game once and can share it with your partner. This is ideal for couples who are long-distance and want to play together.

Available on all platforms.

Purchase from £27.99 at Argos.

It Takes Two

Brought to you by the same team that gave us Split Fiction and the winner of Game of the Year in 2021, It Takes Two is the game that put the studio on the map. And it does not disappoint.

It Takes Two follows a couple on the verge of divorce (happy Valentine's day) who transform into two little dolls thanks to their daughter (don't ask). They navigate through treacherous terrains in an effort to restore themselves to their human forms, all while rediscovering their love for each other.

At first glance, it's dark and intense, but trust me, the longer you stay with it, the better it gets. You'll slowly start to see our two main characters fall back in love with each other, so it's the perfect vibe for feeling the love.

If you're a subscriber to EA Play or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, then you're in luck. It Takes Two is currently available in the EA Play Subscription, meaning you won't have to fork out extra cash to play.

If you're not currently a subscriber, taking out a subscription for a month can end up being cheaper than buying the game at full price. The game takes around 14 hours on average to beat, so if you can complete it within the month, an EA Play membership will set you back £5.99, and Game Pass Ultimate will cost you £22.99.

Available on Xbox, PlayStation 4 & 5, PC, and Switch.

Purchase from Argos for £29.99

Portal 2

Portal 2 might be over 10 years old, but it makes the list because it truly is that good. Not only is it one of the best co-op experiences out there, but it'll put your puzzle-solving abilities to the ultimate test.

In Portal 2, you and your companion will have to venture through multiple rooms by solving complex puzzles. While some of the puzzles can feel a little too tricky, the game is just as fun when you stop taking it seriously. Whether you're completing challenges or deliberately trapping your partner in a never-ending loop of portals, the choice is yours.

Unfortunately, due to its age and PlayStation's lack of ability to do any worthwhile backwards compatibility, Portal 2 is only available on PC, Switch and Xbox. But if you still have a PS3 lying around, then you're in luck! Portal 2 currently costs £14.99 on the Xbox Store, £13.49 on the Nintendo eShop (this also comes packed with the first game) and £8.50 on Steam.

Available on PC, Switch, and Xbox.

Any LEGO Game

Who doesn't love a good LEGO game? And the best part is, there are so many of them. Literally think of your favourite IP, and there's probably a LEGO game for it.

Love Pirates of the Caribbean? LEGO's got you. Are you a Batman fanboy and foolishly believe he can take anyone down with enough prep time? You've got about 4 games to choose from. Love dinosaurs and still think about that scene in Jurassic Park where Alan Grant and Ellie see the dino's for the first time? You probably get the point.

LEGO games are ideal for cosy gaming - they're fun, low-energy, and they're a nice little reminder of simpler times. The best perk is that you can play them split-screen, so you and your loved one can reminisce together.

The most recent entry was LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, which lets you play through every single Star Wars movie. I'm not kidding. All the movies are there, Episode 1 through to Episode 9.

The Skywalker Saga is available to purchase from £11.99 at Argos and is available on Game Pass Premium, which costs £10.99/per month.

Available on Xbox, PlayStation 4 & 5, Switch and PC.

We Were Here Forever

This one goes out to the couples who can't be together in the same room this Valentine's Day, and it's one of my absolute favourites. We Were Here Forever is a tough-as-nails, first-person puzzle game, and it's one of the most fun gaming experiences my fiancée and I have had together.

The basic premise is that you and your partner are explorers who stumble across an old town and castle with an evil Jester running rampant. Discover the history while you work together to finally defeat the Jester.

Now, the story is fun, but it's the gameplay where this game really shines. At each level, you'll be thrown into an escape room scenario, and you'll be separated. So, you'll need to use your best communication skills to tell your partner what you're seeing, and vice versa.

Sound easy? Well, you'll be communicating via a walkie-talkie in-game, and if you both use them at the same time, you simply won't hear each other. This game really tests your patience (good luck), but the satisfaction you get from solving a tricky puzzle after working together is comparable to nothing else.

The game can't be played split-screen, making it ideal for couples who are long-distance or game in separate rooms. It's an online-only experience, so if you and your partner have your own consoles or PCs, then I couldn't recommend a better game to play together.

Available on Xbox, PlayStation 4 & 5, and PC.

Purchase from Steam for £14.99.

My verdict: Best games for couples in 2026

Best value for money: We Were Here Forever - one of the cheaper games on the list and lasts around 12 hours (if you know what you're doing. We spent considerably longer on it).

Most fun to play together: Split Fiction - constantly changing environments with new gameplay mechanics added.

Best for beginners: LEGO games - any LEGO would work here, they're all very accessible and easy to pick up.

Best for long-term play: Portal 2 - co-op campaign can last upwards of 8 hours, and once completed, you'll have a solo campaign too.

Best if you can only buy one: It Takes Two - Access to Friend Pass means you can share the game digitally with someone else.

When you click on one of our links to our discount code pages or a retailer page, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Here's how it works. Prices mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing. All prices were correct at time of writing this article.

Valve's highly anticipated new Steam Machine, which was revealed to the world back in November 2025, has now seemingly had its price revealed by Czech retailer, Smarty.

The gaming and tech world has been ablaze with speculation and rumours surrounding the new shiny Steam Machine. What will it cost? How will it compare to the current console generation? And will it come with a GameCube-like handle? (I can dream).

But it appears we can put some of the speculation to rest as the Czech retailer, Smarty, may have accidentally given us a sneak peak at the price.

Smarty is an authorised seller of Valve's products in the Czech Republic and has preliminarily listed both editions of the Steam Machine: 512GB and 2TB.

The internet sleuths over at Clawsome Gamer discovered these listings and have reported that the 512GB model will be around £708 and the 2TB model will be around £796.

Valve's other piece of hardware, the Steam Deck (512GB), is priced at £479 - that's quite the jump in price. Though, Valve states that the Steam Machine will have "6 times the horsepower" of the Steam Deck, so perhaps the price increase doesn't seem so bad.

You can read all about the differences between the Steam Machine and Steam Deck over at our sister site, TechRadar.

Valve has yet to comment on these leaked prices and has not released the official price. So take it with a grain of salt - they may end up being slightly lower or higher than what's being reported. Nevertheless, it's a good starting point for what we can expect when the Steam Machine releases sometime later this year.

While priced higher than the Xbox Series X (£499), the PlayStation 5 (£479), the PlayStation 5 Pro (£689) and the Nintendo Switch 2 (£395), it's worth noting that the Steam Machine is much more than your standard gaming console.

The Steam Machine is also a fully working PC. So all your programs and software will still work. It's essentially a gaming PC that Valve has packed into a small game console-shaped box. The reality is that if we look at other gaming PCs, you'd be digging far deeper into your wallet.

If the rumoured pricing is true, I'll be honest, I'm not mad at it. My gaming laptop is now 6 years old and doesn't work without a charger plugged in, so I'm in the market for an upgrade, and the Steam Machine is looking like a viable option.

PC gamers are all too familiar with the rising cost of parts and hardware, so if Valve can stick to around £700-£800, I think it's more than a fair price.

When you click on one of our links to our discount code pages or a retailer page, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Here's how it works. Prices mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing. All prices were correct at time of writing this article.

If you buy physical games, The Game Collection is probably already on your radar. It's one of the few UK retailers where the loyalty scheme genuinely knocks money off, and unlike most points programmes, you don't even need an account to earn.

But here's the thing nobody tells you. Points schemes love big numbers because big numbers feel generous. Seven hundred points for one game! In reality, the only number that matters is what those points convert to in pounds, and that's the bit the retailer's own FAQ never spells out plainly. So I sat down with a calculator and TGC's terms and worked it out properly, including the recent change that quietly replaced their most famous offer.

Quick heads up before we start: if you're actually looking for the GAME reward card, the one from the high street retailer, that's a completely different scheme and it no longer exists. I've covered what happened to it further down, because a lot of people land on articles like this while searching for it.

And if you're wondering how TGC's points measure up outside gaming, our guide to the best loyalty cards in the UK runs the same pounds-and-pence test on every major scheme.

How to Earn and Redeem The Game Collection Reward Points

The basics take about thirty seconds to explain. You earn 10 reward points for every £1 you spend on thegamecollection.net. When you're ready to spend them, 400 points converts to £1 off your order, and points come off in £1 chunks at checkout.

A few details from TGC's reward points FAQ that most write-ups miss:

You don't need an account. Points track against your email address, so as long as you use the same email every time you order, they build up. An account just makes the balance easier to see.

Points aren't yours the moment you pay. They sit as "awaiting" and only get approved when your order is dispatched. On pre-orders that can mean waiting weeks or months, so don't plan to spend points from a pre-order before it ships.

You can spend points two ways. Either apply them directly at checkout, or convert them into a voucher code, which then has to be used within 28 days. Unless you have a specific reason to generate a code, spending directly at checkout is safer because there's no deadline to forget.

And two things points won't do: they can't pay for shipping upgrades, and they don't work on TGC's separate collectables site. Main site only.

Value Calculation: The Game Collection Points-to-Pounds Conversion

Here's the conversion, done properly. If 400 points equals £1, then one point is worth exactly 0.25p. Earning 10 points per £1 spent means you're getting 2.5p back for every pound. In other words, The Game Collection Rewards is a 2.5% cashback scheme wearing a points costume.

What that looks like on real purchases:

Is 2.5% good? Honestly, it's fine rather than spectacular, and I'd rather tell you that straight than pretend £1.74 back on a £70 game is life-changing. For context, the supermarket schemes most of us carry around pay well under 1% these days, so TGC is comfortably ahead of a Clubcard on the base rate. The real value shows up when you buy regularly. Ten full-price games a year is roughly £17 back, which is a free game from the right shelf (more on that below), on top of prices that are usually already below RRP.

The bigger point is that 2.5% is only the floor, because of what TGC did to its most talked-about promotion.

The Game Collection Triple Points vs Old £10 Pre-Order Offers

For years, TGC's headline perk was £10 in bonus points on selected pre-orders. It was everywhere, including in plenty of articles that still recommend it today. It's gone. TGC scrapped it and admitted, in its own FAQ, that the offer "felt too good to be true" and its finance team agreed.

The replacement is Triple Points, a rotating selection of games that earn 3x the standard rate. On those titles you're getting 30 points per £1, which works out at 7.5% back. A £69.99 game on triple points earns 2,099 points, worth £5.24. Less than the old tenner on a big pre-order, better than the old deal on cheaper games, and available on regular purchases rather than pre-orders only.

TGC has also said it drops bigger multipliers, 4x and 5x, for people on its mailing list. At 5x you'd be at 12.5% back, which starts to look like a genuinely serious discount. If you shop there more than a couple of times a year, the newsletter signup is worth the inbox clutter for those alone.

Maximising Your Rewards: Code Stacking, Expiry Resets, and Budget Shelves

Stack a discount code on top. This is the one that surprises people. TGC confirms that reward points can be used together with promotion codes on the same order, so you can apply a code, pay the reduced price, and still burn points against what's left. Check the latest The Game Collection discount codes before you check out, because a 5% code plus points plus a below-RRP price is where this scheme actually earns its keep.

Aim your points at the £9.95 shelf. TGC runs a permanent budget section called the Home of £9.95, full of older titles at, you guessed it, £9.95. Points come off in £1 chunks, so 3,600 points takes one of those games down to 95p. That's the cheapest route from points to an actual free-ish game, rather than nibbling a few pounds off a £70 release.

Use the expiry reset. This is the detail almost every article gets wrong, including some that have been live for years. Your points don't expire individually. Your entire balance expires 365 days after the last point you earned. That means any purchase resets the clock on everything you've banked. Sitting on 3,000 points that expire next month? One cheap game keeps the whole lot alive for another year. Your expiry date is shown in your account pages, so it's worth a glance if you haven't ordered in a while.

Buy dearer items there when prices match. Because points scale with spend, a console or a bundle is where the scheme pays properly. A £430 bundle earns £10.74 back at the standard rate. If TGC's price already matches the market, the points are a clean tiebreaker.

One caveat to keep things honest: if you return something, the points from that purchase get clawed back, and refunds on part-points orders come back as the same mix of cash and points you paid with. Fair enough, but worth knowing before you spend points on a maybe.

GAME Reward Card Closure: Status of the High Street Scheme

A quick detour, because the names trip everyone up. GAME, the high street retailer now owned by Frasers Group, ran its own points scheme called GAME Reward, along with the paid Elite tier. Both shut down permanently on 31 July 2024, with points earning switched off from 15 July, as TechRadar reported at the time. Any unspent balances were wiped, and the accounts were closed for good. There's no way to register a GAME reward card in 2026, and nothing to reclaim if you missed the deadline.

The odd coincidence is that GAME Reward redeemed at exactly the same rate TGC still uses, 400 points for £1. So if you were a GAME Reward regular, The Game Collection Rewards is the closest living equivalent, and you don't lose anything in translation on the redemption maths. GAME itself still trades online, and you can still save there the ordinary way with GAME discount codes, there's just no loyalty scheme attached any more.

Verdict: Is The Game Collection Loyalty Scheme Worth Using?

Yes, with a clear-eyed view of what it is. On its own, 2.5% back is a nice-to-have, not a reason to choose a retailer. What makes TGC's scheme better than most is everything around it. There's no card, no app and no signup barrier, so the usual excuse for not bothering doesn't exist. Points stack with discount codes. Triple points regularly pushes the return to 7.5% or more. The expiry works in your favour if you know the reset trick. And it's bolted onto a retailer with free UK delivery and an Excellent Trustpilot rating from more than 26,000 reviews, so you're not tolerating a bad shop for the sake of points.

My honest advice is to treat the points as the last layer, not the first. Compare the price, apply a code, then let the points quietly stack up in the background. Do that across a year of normal buying and the scheme funds a game or two without you ever changing how you shop. If you want the full playbook beyond one retailer, our guide on how to save money on video games covers the rest, from timing sales to pre-order price promises.

All rates, terms and offers checked against The Game Collection's published FAQ and terms in July 2026. Loyalty schemes change, so if you're planning a big points spend, it's worth a final glance at TGC's own reward points page first.

Gaming is one of my favourite hobbies, and it's becoming more and more expensive as the years go by. The price of games is constantly rising, and gaming subscriptions are in flux. It can be hard to maintain this hobby while the cost of living is constantly going up.

That's why I've put together this guide to help you save where you can and continue gaming without worry.

How can I set up a gaming budget?

While setting up a budget might sound scary, it's actually easier than ever, thanks to the many options available to buy video games and the many budgeting apps that are currently available.

Thankfully, we've gathered everything you need to know about the very best budgeting apps available. From Plum, MoneyBox, Emma and more, we cover the pros and cons of a handful of budgeting apps to help you make the right choice that suits you.

How to pick up video games on a budget

Shop at different stores

This may sound like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised at the discounts you'll find when you pick up a video game from a store that don't solely sell games. Your go-to store may be sites like GAME but I would suggest looking at sites like Smyths Toys Superstores, Argos and Currys. They generally sell their games at a lower price.

Join a loyalty programme

Some websites will offer fantastic rewards when signing up for their loyalty scheme. As an example, The Game Collection will reward you with points on every purchase you make.

You'll earn 10 points for each £1 you spend, and once you earn 400 points, you'll be able to get a £1 discount. They also offer £10 worth of points when you pre-order a selected handful of games. I've personally used this scheme and nabbed myself a £12 discount on a game.

Sign up for a gaming subscription

The gaming subscription landscape has changed drastically over the last few years, seeing an explosion in just how many are now available to us. It can seem daunting to choose the right one, but luckily, we've done all the hard work for you and put together an extensive piece, breaking down all of the major gaming subscriptions and telling you what to expect from them.

Subscriptions are a great way to gain access to 100s of video games at a relatively low price every month.

Shop second-hand

This one may seem like a no-brainer but it's getting harder to pick up second-hand video games nowadays, with GAME no longer selling pre-owned games (which means you can also no longer sell games back to them). Thankfully, stores like CEX and eBay have picked up the slack, providing you with ways to still purchase games at a lower price than brand-new copies.

Weigh up physical and digital versions

Digital gaming has come a long way since the days of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Back then, it was a miracle when you could download a game that looked and played half decent, but now it's standard, with many consoles only have digital options.

But if you still have a disc tray with your console, you've got more options to save. You're not bound to the digital storefront of your chosen console and patiently waiting for a Summer or Winter sale to make games barely affordable.

It's always worth checking out the price of physical games; sometimes you'll get lucky and find that a physical version is vastly cheaper than digital or vice versa. We've looked into this phenomenon ourselves and researched the pros and cons of both physical and digital games.

Product keys

Product keys have been around for a while, but are still a hot new commodity to many gamers. Product keys can look and sound scary, but you're basically buying a code for a game from third-party sellers.

Many people wonder if these sites, like Loaded (previously known as CDKeys) is legit, but we've found them to be perfectly safe. These games are usually heavily discounted compared to buying new games from Steam, Xbox Marketplace, etc., due to sellers buying keys in bulk.

Wait a month or two

And the winner for the most obvious answer goes to...

In all seriousness, it's surprising how cheap games can get once you leave it a month or two. If you're not in any rush to buy the sparkly new entry in your favourite franchise or the exciting new original IP, I wouldn't bother picking it up day one.

Games can drastically drop in value after those few initial weeks, and with many games launching at £70 now (£80, if you're Nintendo), you'd be burning through your wallet in a matter of no time.

Back in 2024, I picked up Star Wars Outlaws. It launched at a whopping £70. I didn't pick it up until 2 months later, when it was £25 and is still sitting around that price today.

Final thoughts

If there's anything you leave this article with today, I would suggest shopping around. Don't stick with one shop because of convenience. Have a look through shops that aren't really known for selling games, compare the price of digital games to physical and look for reward schemes.

Every little helps when it comes to saving on video games. Let's keep your favourite hobby alive and well in 2026.

For all other offers, we have our own discount code pages to save even more on your video game purchases.

When you click on one of our links to our discount code pages or a retailer page, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Here's how it works. Prices mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing. All prices were correct at time of writing this article.

The Argos Big Red sale is back once again, offering 1000s of exciting items at fantastic discounted prices. Not only that, but Nectar members will earn double points on each purchase.

To earn Nectar points on each purchase, make sure to link your Nectar account to your Argos account. On normal purchases, you will earn 1 Nectar point for every £1 spent.

The sale went live on the 8th of October and is scheduled to end on the 14th of October at 23:59.

Items on sale can be found on the homepage, but if you're looking for a specific product, look for the red banner that states it's on sale.

The sale features tiered discount codes; there will be products you can use the code 'RED10', 'RED20' and 'RED30'. Items labelled with 'RED10' will be 10% off, 'RED20' gets you 20% off and 'RED30' gets you 30% off.

A few examples of what you can pick up on sale right now include 10% off a new Samsung A36 5G phone, 20% off the Shark Anti Hair Wrap & Flexology Cordless Vacuum Cleaner and 30% off the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3.

These aren't the only voucher codes on offer at Argos; we have a range of voucher codes on our discount page, where you'll find offers such as 20% off made-to-order sofas and 10% off laptops.

When you click on one of our links to our discount code page or a retailer page, we may receive a small commission if you purchase something from the retailer's website.

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days run in the UK on 7–8 October. Several retailers have overlapping promotions, with dated pages that span the same window. Amazon confirms the two-day event on its UK newsroom.

• Currys: The homepage flags Epic Deals with an “Ends 21/10/25” banner across tech and appliances, creating a clear overlap with the dates of 7–8 October. Currys’ discount and codes pages carry matching October offers.
• John Lewis: My John Lewis members can receive an e-gift card for selected electrical items. The offer window is from October 1 to 29. They're also running an early Christmas sale.
• eBay UK: A tiered coupon, OCTSAVINGS, runs from 10:00 on October 2 to 23:59 on October 7, overlapping with the first day of Prime Big Deal Days. Terms sit on eBay’s official coupon page.
• Very.co.uk: The Latest Offers hub displays a dated window from October 2 to 9, 2025, featuring offers on fashion, home, and tech. That spans both Amazon sale days.
• Argos has started its Christmas sales early, and its voucher codes and offers page lists multiple live codes, including AUTUMN10 and AUTUMN20, which end on October 7, as well as HOME25, running until October 28.
• AO: AO’s product pages display October-dated promotions for selected products such as Hisense and Haier models. These are item-specific but run across the Amazon window.

Amazon positions its event as a Prime member sale ahead of peak season, which usually marks the start of the sale season. Prime Big Deal Days 2025 is returning October 7–8.

Amazon's Autumn Sale, Prime Big Deal Days, runs in the UK on Tuesday, 7th October, and Wednesday, 8th October. The event is limited to Prime members and features millions of deals across home, tech, toys, beauty, and more, ahead of the gifting season.

The sale is scheduled for 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on October 7th, which is 8:01 a.m. BST here in the UK.

Access requires an active Prime membership. In the UK, pricing is £8.99 per month or £95 per year, with discounted plans available for students and the 18-22 age group at £4.49 per month or £47.49 per year after the student trial.

A preview round-up of what is set to be discounted is now live on Amazon's newsroom, and the Prime Big Deals hub on Amazon.co.uk is already showing teaser tiles and early promotions, primarily focused on Amazon-branded products, such as Ring and Alexa.

Today's Deals continues to refresh in the run-up, which is where some early drops typically appear before the main window opens. Please ensure you sign in so that member pricing displays correctly in your basket.

Once deemed as 'the best deal in gaming', Microsoft has once again increased the price of their Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Not only that, but this increase has also arrived with a complete reshuffling of the subscription, offering new tiers and different benefits.

This has resulted in the majority of the existing tiers having undergone name changes, for example: the Core membership is now the Essential membership, and Standard is now Premium.

The Game Pass Ultimate subscription is the tier that has come with a huge price hike. What was once priced at £14.99/month is now £22.99/month. This means Ultimate subscribers have gone from paying £179.88 per year to £275.88.

Xbox claim that the changes they've made comes down to offering more flexibility and options for gamers, with an official statement from Team Xbox saying, "We know not everyone wants the same thing in their Xbox experience, so we’re evolving Game Pass to offer more flexibility, choice, and value to all players, whether you love day one releases, discovering hidden gems, or playing across multiple devices and screens and across Xbox consoles, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud."

These tiers have come with substantial changes alongside the price hike. Essential subscribers will now have access to over 50 games (was 25 before the change) and the ability to cloud stream video games. Premium subscribers will gain access to a list of over 200 video games, access to Xbox-published games within 12 months of release and shorter wait times for cloud streaming. Ultimate subscribers get to play over 400 video games, new games on day one of release, EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics and the best quality for streaming.

Ubisoft+ Classics is a new addition to the Ultimate perk list, as before, only EA Play was available.

This change has put Xbox Game Pass more in line with what PlayStation offers with PS Plus, which has a very similar 3 tier subscription setup.

The change has caused outrage within the gaming community, with gamers crashing the Game Pass membership site from mass cancellations.

With this news following the announcement that Microsoft are raising the price of their Xbox consoles, it has many gamers questioning the viability of Xbox's future and whether or not the Xbox brand is strong enough to handle the amount of backlash it has received this year.

As of the 30th of September 2025, all plans at Disney+ will be facing price increases. See below for all changes.

Customers who have purchased one of the annual plans at Disney+ before the increase took into effect on the 30th of September will not have to pay the increased price until their membership renews the year after.

In comparison, here are how other streaming services are priced.

It's worth noting that with the Prime Video membership, you will also come with an Amazon Prime membership.

Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime have also received price increases over the last two years, showing industry-wide pressure. February 2025 saw Netflix increase the Standard subscription price by £2, from £10.99 to £12.99.

With rising prices, it's worth shopping around for different streamers and having them on rotation, i.e. one month for Disney+, the next month for Netflix, etc. This way, you won't have to pay these prices continuously, and you can pick and choose.

If you're a student looking to save a little cash, then Spotify has you covered. Spotify are currently offering all students 4 months of Premium completely for free. After the 4 months are over, students will be charged £5.99/month.

The price of the subscription for students is significantly cheaper than the Individual subscription, which comes in at £11.99. That's a 50% discount for students. You must act fast to get this offer, as the deadline is at 23:59 on the 30th of September 2025.

All students must be verified via SheerID to gain access to this offer and must be over 18. Students can use their Premium Student subscription for up to 4 years. Students must also be new Premium subscribers; they can't be returning or existing subscribers.

A Student Premium account nets you nearly all of the benefits of the Individual plan, but does exclude 15 hours a month of audiobook listening. Students still get ad-free music listening, offline listening and that premium sound that Spotify users love.

For comparison, Apple is currently offering students 1 month for free and then £5.99 thereafter. The Individual plan at Apple Music comes in at £11.99, once again saving students 50%.

Students at Apple Music also get access to Apple TV+ for free with their student subscription. Apple TV+ doesn't come with the Individual plan.

Amazon has confirmed that its autumn event, Prime Big Deal Days, will take place on October 7th and 8th, 2025. The company describes it as a two-day, Prime-member event with "millions of deals" across categories such as home, toys, apparel and beauty.

This is a member-only sale. If you are eligible for a 30-day Prime trial, Amazon's help page explains how to start it and when it converts to a paid plan. Younger readers should check out the Prime Student discount, which now includes a six-month trial and a half-price membership.

If you're a student, it's definitely worth going the half-price Prime route, which is £4.49 per month or £47.49/year. This includes Prime Video, Music, books, access to the student deals page, a Twitch Prime subscription, and free delivery.

To prepare without overspending, line up products you already plan to buy and use Amazon's tools to track them. You can also use CamelCamelCamel and Keepa to track prices before and after, just in case.

You can also use your Alexa to track items you have saved, so you can see when their prices drop.

If previous years are anything to go by, readers should expect a mix of Lightning Deals and longer promotions. Lightening Deals are strictly time-limited and quantity-limited, and Amazon notes you can join a waitlist for select items. But beware and don't fall prey to FOMO, or you may spend more than you planned.

For our money-saving readers, be sure to do some research before making a purchase. Compare the deal price on the product page with the listed previous price and any voucher that stacks on the page, and confirm whether Amazon sells the item or a third-party seller.

Amazon also suggests consolidating deliveries into a single "Amazon Day", which can reduce multiple deliveries to a single drop.

What is Loaded?

Loaded is an online gaming product key reseller. Previously known as 'CDKeys', they rebranded themselves to 'Loaded' to reintroduce themselves to a new era of gaming. They offer a huge selection of product keys for video games that can be used on Steam, Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox consoles.

With over 10 years of experience, they've garnered the trust of over 20 million customers worldwide with a library of over 15,000 games.

From cult classics to triple-A video games, Loaded has everything you need at discounted prices. Allowing you to pick up your next favourite game for less. Not only that, but they also offer memberships (which allow you to save even more on your purchases) and in-game currency for your favourite games. But if you're looking for how else you can save money on video game purchases, make sure to check out our extensive guide.

Is Loaded the same as CDKeys?

Yes! As of September 2025, CDKeys officially rebranded itself to Loaded. They announced the change on 26 August 2025 in a blog post, deeming the name 'CDKeys' had become outdated due to changes in the industry and how gamers purchase games.

With their new name, Loaded promises to be bolder and stand out more against the competition. With competitors such as G2A and Kinguin rising in popularity, Loaded wanted a name that leaves an impression and covers everything you need in one word.

There are a few key facts that Loaded sent out to existing customers of CDKeys:

• You don't need to make a new account.
• Your purchase history remains unchanged.
• If you have any unredeemed keys, they will still work.
• Any outstanding pre-orders are safe.
• They're the exact same team, just a new name.

My Experience With Loaded

I'll be honest, I've always loved the rivalry between console gamers and PC gamers. I am a console gamer boy, and when we get a leg up on PC gamers, whether it's from a game running ever so slightly better because of poor optimisation on PC, or the launch of Batman: Arkham Knight (I know you remember), it always felt like a huge win. But, I am no fool, and I'm aware that this case is very rare, and sometimes I have to eat my shoe and say that the majority of the time, games just run and look better on PC.

This realisation hit me a couple of years ago, when I swallowed my pride and picked up an Asus gaming laptop. Then I quickly realised that PC gamers were hiding a Garden of Eden, a secret treasure trove of discounted video games that were cheaper than most games, even when they went on sale: Loaded (which was CDKeys at the time).

Doom (2016) was my first purchase, which I picked up for £3.99. An absolute bargain and still is. If you were to pick up Doom (2016) now on the Xbox Store, it would set you back £14.99. It was easy to use; they sent me my product key, which I quickly copied and pasted into Steam, and got to downloading. There was no confusion; it was almost like I just purchased the game directly from Steam.

Then the obsession hit, and I've never looked back. Nine times out of ten, if there's a game I fancy playing on PC rather than a console (because let's be honest, who really enjoys playing The Sims on a console), the first place I check is Loaded to see if I can nab myself a deal.

Is Loaded Trustworthy?

Yes, Loaded has a proven track record of delivering working product keys for over 12 years. To protect your purchases, Loaded has partnered with PayPal, Visa and Mastercard. This means if you purchase via PayPal, for example, you will be protected by their Buyer Protection Program, so you'll be able to claim a refund via PayPal.

Loaded does not store your payment information, so on the off chance there's a data leak, your payment info is completely safe. They also only source their product keys from a small selection of trusted suppliers, meaning that not just anybody can sell on Loaded.

Finally, Loaded has a knowledgeable customer service team that's available to contact 24/7. If you ever run into any issues, they'll be there to help regardless of the time of day.

In my time using Loaded, I've never run into any issues purchasing from the site.

CDKeys Reviews

If you need more evidence that Loaded is legit and trustworthy, take a look at their Trustpilot reviews. They currently hold a score of 4.8 out of 5 based on over 213,000 reviews, with the majority of the reviews being 5 out of 5 stars.

Taking a look at a different review site shows much of the same results. On Reviews.io, Loaded has a 4.4 out 5 rating based on over 1,400 reviews with 86% of the reviewers recommending them.

How Do Loaded Get Their Keys?

Loaded purchase product keys in bulk from a carefully selected group of sellers. Loaded have used the same sellers for years and are trusted by the company to consistently give quality and working product keys.

As Loaded purchase their keys in bulk, they garner better deals and then they're able to pass the savings on to the customer.

How can I get a refund?

Getting a refund at Loaded couldn't be easier. As long as you submit your refund request to the customer service team within 7 days of purchasing your product key and haven't activated or used the product key, you'll be eligible for a full refund.

If you run into any issues with this method, you can always revert to contacting PayPal to issue a chargeback if you used PayPal to purchase the product key.

Is Loaded legit?

Now we're back to the all-important question, 'Is Loaded Legit?' and in my honest opinion, I'd say yes. Given the overwhelming customer reviews on multiple review sites and the safety measures in place, such as not storing your payment information, Loaded is as safe now as it was when it was CDKeys.

All of their keys are acquired through official partners and trusted sources, meaning you're less likely to run into problems like you may run into at sites like Eneba or Kinguin (as they're more of an open marketplace). Plus, with their customer service team available around the clock, you're never far away from a helping hand.

Hopefully, this article has eased your mind about Loaded and cleared any confusion about the rebrand from CDKeys to Loaded. If you're interested in alternative product key reseller sites, we've researched extensively about whether or not G2A, Kinguin and more are legit and safe to use.

When you click on one of our links to our discount code pages or a retailer page, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Here's how it works. Prices mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing.All prices were correct at time of writing this article.

Earlier this Summer, Microsoft raised the prices of their respective Xbox consoles across Europe and the US, with the Xbox Series S seeing a price increase of 27% ($299.99 to $379.99) in the US and an increase of 17% (€299.99 to €349.99) in Europe.

Microsoft released a statement on their website regarding the price increase, saying, "We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development."

Since then, the price increase has finally hit the UK, with the Xbox Series X now priced at £499.99 from £449.99 and the Series S priced at £299.99 from £249.99.

In comparison, the PlayStation 5 is priced at £479.99, and the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is priced at £429.99.

Thankfully, it's not all bad news, as gamers have found ways to still save on their console purchases regardless of the price increase from Microsoft. Via the Xbox website, Microsoft offers certified refurbished consoles at a lower cost. The Xbox Series S is priced at £249.99 and the Xbox Series X is priced at £439.99.

Consumers can also pick up a bundle from most major retailers, where they can nab a discount. As an example, we've seen Smyths Toys offer a 10% discount on an Xbox Series S bundled with a 3-month subscription to Game Pass Ultimate.

With the rising costs of game consoles and video games, it's worth looking into alternative ways to save money wherever you can, such as gaming subscriptions. Services like Game Pass can net gamers massive savings throughout the year. We've conducted in-depth research on the major gaming subscriptions and how they'll save you money, so you don't have to.

All prices were correct at the time of writing this article.

Monzo, the Nation's favourite digital bank and best known for its hot coral bank cards and slick app, could also be your phone network soon.

The challenger bank has confirmed plans, as reported by The Financial Times, to launch a mobile banking service in the UK. It won’t build its own towers; this will be an MVNO model, meaning it runs on another operator’s infrastructure.

Details are scarce, but the move puts Monzo in direct competition with budget providers such as giffgaff, Smarty, and iD Mobile.

No word yet on launch dates. No confirmed tariffs either, as Monzo is still in the "early stages", but that hasn’t stopped speculation. Monzo has built its brand on transparency, transparent fees, and a user-friendly design.

If those benefits carry over to its 13 million customers, it could have a “significant” impact on the UK mobile market, James Robinson, senior analyst at Assembly Research, said.

Mobile bills are one of the most stubborn monthly expenses. “When we heard from our customers that mobile contracts can be a pain point, we set out to explore how we could do this the Monzo way,” a spokesperson from Monzo said.

Ofcom puts the average spend at £20–£25 a month for SIM-only or contract plans. With inflation still biting, cheaper or more flexible options are welcome.

One likely feature is integration with the Monzo app. Imagine your data usage alongside your budget pots and savings goals. That kind of visibility could make it easier to stay on top of spending.

Some analysts suggest Monzo may reward existing customers with discounts or bundles. At this point, though, that’s just talk. Nothing official.

The move is yet another way Monzo and other digital banks are combating the control of the traditional big four lenders, and if the bank delivers on its promise of clarity and fair pricing, it could be a genuine money-saver.

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A grand total of 19 electric vehicles have now been added to the list of cars eligible to receive the government's grant to bring down the price, helping people across the UK make the switch to electric from petrol and diesel. With nearly 50 new electric cars expected to hit the criteria to join this list, it's now easier than ever to go electric.

Simon Williams, the head of policy at the RAC, had this to say about the new range of vehicles to be added to the list: "Another wave of cars qualifying for the government’s revamped Electric Car Grant is yet more welcome news. It’s also very positive to see other manufacturers that don’t meet the grant’s green production targets lowering their prices."

There are two levels of the grant available: the most energy-efficient and eco-friendly cars will be able to qualify for the full £3750 discount, while cars that do not meet the high criteria of eco-efficiency will qualify for the £1500 discount.

This grant is available to electric cars that have an RRP of £37,000 or less. If the electric car that you're looking at is over this amount but has the same size battery as an electric car less than £37,000, you will still qualify for the grant.

Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said, "With discounts on 17 car models announced this week alone, we’re delivering on our promise to make it easier and cheaper for families to go electric…This is about backing drivers, putting money back into people’s pockets and creating the jobs and growth that will drive Britain forward, delivering on our Plan for Change."

A few of the cars available for the grant include the Renault Alpine, Nissan Micra, Vauxhall Corsa Electric and the Citroën ë-C5.

The government has also promised an extra £63 million in support for electric vehicles, making them accessible to everyone, regardless of whether or not you have a driveway. Charging units will be available via charge points that are accessible via a pavement. Cables will run safely underneath the pavement from your home, allowing you to park outside your home and charge your car on the street.

Drivers will be able to save upwards of £1500 a year when making the change to an electric vehicle compared to running a petrol or diesel vehicle.

Samsung has recently launched its 2025 line-up of Neo QLED and OLED TVs, all featuring the company's new Vision AI technology. The range covers screen sizes from 43 inches to 100 inches.

Vision AI utilises built-in artificial intelligence to optimise picture and sound in real-time, recognising over a million different scenarios to fine-tune detail, brightness, and clarity.

Samsung says this delivers "more lifelike" images than ever before, whether you're watching sport, films, or streaming TV.

However, there's no avoiding the high price tag. The flagship NEO QLED 8K model is currently listed at well over £ 4,000, with mid-range 4K models still in the four-figure range.

Comparable premium TVs from rival brands can be found for several hundred pounds less. Luckily, you can recycle your old TV for up to £250 off if you buy through Samsung themselves.

While Samsung's Vision AI sets are the newest on the shelf, early adopters usually pay a premium. The best value often comes a few months after launch or around Black Friday/January sales, when retailers clear stock of current and previous-year models.

Our previous research and 2024 data from Adobe indicate that TVs are among the products that experience some of the deepest seasonal discounts. The best time to purchase a new TV remains when new models are released, typically between February and April, with record highs for televisions at a 24.2% discount.

For those looking to upgrade in time for autumn's big sporting events, the new Vision AI range offers cutting-edge performance. However, if your current TV still works well, holding off could mean huge savings.

Have you ever wondered if Amazon Prime Day is too good to be true? Well, you're not alone. With thousands of "limited-time" offers flooding Amazon every Prime Day, it's easy to get swept up in the excitement and FOMO of it all. And just as easy to end up buying something that's not actually a bargain. But there's good news: With a bit of know-how, you can quickly spot which deals are the real thing and which ones are just clever marketing

Here's how to become a savvy Prime Day shopper in 2025, no regretful purchases, no fake discounts.

Check the Price History (It Only Takes a Minute)

One of the oldest tricks in the book is hiking a product's price a few weeks before Prime Day, then "slashing" it back to normal and calling it a deal, hoping that all customers will see is the big percentage off sign.

What to do: Before you buy, use a free price-tracking tool like CamelCamelCamel or PriceSpy. Just copy the Amazon link, paste it into the tool, and check the price graph. If you see the "deal" price has been normal for months or even higher in the last week, you know you're not really saving.

Pro Tip: Add the browser extension so you can see the price history chart directly on Amazon, with zero effort.

Watch for "Was/Now" Illusions

If a deal says "was £199, Now £99, don't trust it blindly. In the UK, retailers are meant to use the most recent regular price as the "was" price. But not everyone plays fair.

What to do: Scan the small print, or better yet, do a quick Google search for the same product. If it's selling for £99 at three other retailers, that "£100 off" isn't exclusive to Prime Day, it's just the going rate.

Compare Against Other Retailers

Prime Day isn't the only big sale around. Argos, Currys, John Lewis, Very, Ninja and even supermarkets run their own July discounts to compete.

What to do: Before you buy, pop the item into PriceSpy or Google Shopping to see if another retailer has quietly undercut Amazon. You'd be surprised how often this happens, especially on tech and homeware.

Beware of Lightning Deals Hype

"Only 3 left!" "Ends in 10 minutes!" The pressure is real, but don't panic. Buy. These are called "calls to action" and are tried-and-true methods by marketers, sellers, and writers everywhere, including myself.

What to do: Add the product to your wishlist or basket, and take a breath. Amazon's lightning deals often come back around, or the same product is available from another seller for less, minus the countdown clock.

Real Talk: If you're not sure you want it, it's probably not a must-have deal.

Check the Reviews - Especially the Recent Ones

Some brands pump up their products with reviews that are months (or years) old, before quietly downgrading the quality. Or worse, third-party sellers relist items that have nothing to do with the original product.

What to do: Scroll to the most recent reviews. Are people saying the product has changed, or that the deal wasn't as promised? Watch for verified purchase badges, and avoid items with loads of 5-star reviews posted very recently.

There are also websites such as thereviewindex, which aims to provide trusted and objective reviews for Amazon URLs you enter into the box, because some review sites have questionable reliability.

Don't Fall for "Exclusive" Prime Day Labels

Amazon LOVES to badge deals as "Prime Exclusive." But sometimes, those items are actually available to anyone, or the same "exclusive" price has been around for weeks. Some notable examples include Ninja, Shark and Anker.

What to do: If you're curious, try viewing the deal in an incognito tab (not logged into Prime). Sometimes you'll see it's not as exclusive or personalised as it looks. And again, compare elsewhere!

Double Check Amazon's Own Brand Value

Yes, Amazon Basics, Fire, and Echo products often have real discounts on Prime Day. But don't assume every Amazon brand deal is the best out there.

What to do: Still check the price history, and make sure you're getting the newest model, not an old version being cleared out.

Quick Recap: Prime Day Deal Red Flags

• Huge discount with no price history to back it up
• Loads of reviews all on the same day
• "Exclusive" badges that aren't so exclusive
• Countdown timers and "almost gone" stock pushing you to rush

Final Thoughts

Prime Day is a great time to grab real bargains, but only if you're clear-eyed and a bit sceptical. A genuine deal will stand up to a little digging. Trust your gut, do a quick check, and you'll come out of Prime day with only the wins and no buyer's remorse.

Have you spotted a deal that looks dodgy or too good to be true? Tell people! Share it on social media, tell your friends, and share the results with the community so fewer people are ripped off by big companies.

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Looking for a reliable place to buy refurbished tech? Back Market is one of the biggest online marketplace for refurbished electronics and here's a breakdown of whether it's legit, trustworthy and worth using.

What People Say

TrustPilot: Back Market has a whopping 4.2 star rating with over 26,000 reviews at the time of writing. Customers liked the "clear pricing, ease of ordering and how new the products looked upon arrival"

Back Market Site: According to Back Market's own "verified reviews," they have a score of 4.3/5 stars and over 660,000 reviews in the past 24 months.

As you can see from the above ratings, most buyers report positive experiences and many say the devices work like new and that the warranty gives peace of mind.

Real-World Perspectives

Reddit users who've used Back Market offer some candid insights:

"Yeah, it’s legit, and the customer service is great." - Complete-Morning-558

"I bought an iPhone 11 and have been really pleased with it, customer service was quick to respond when I wanted an invoice, they were actually really helpful." - bluetba

"I bought an iPhone 11 back in February 2023, it was all good for the first year, and I was really happy, but ever since that point, I’ve had a lot of weird issues on my phone." - luckynumbertwotwo

"honestly depends on the seller" -idiotwhoneedshelprn

Bottom line according to Reddit is that quality can vary by individual seller, but Back Market themselves cover you with solid policies.

How it works

Marketplace Structure: Back Market isn't refurbishing devices itself, it vets and approves independent refurbish companies through an 80-point quality check.

30-day refund and 1 year warranty: If something is wrong, like battery issues or undisclosed repairs, you can return it within 30 days for a full refund, and you're also covered up to a year later by their warranty.

Quality Assurance: Back Market pulls random checks and requires sellers to meet strict diagnostics, turnaround times, and customer service standards.

Customer Support: Live chat and ticket systems help you resolve issues. According to reviews, typical response time is within 1 business day.

Complaints & Criticisms

Better Business Bureau: Back Market is BBB-accredited (A) with 847 complaints in 3 years, mostly resolved (350 in the past year)

Misgrading: Some sellers may misgrade devices or miss details like previous repairs or battery wear.

Marketplace risks: As with any marketplace, managing expectations around condition and seller trustworthiness is key.

Smart Tips

• Choose "Excellent" grade if you'd like close-to-new condition.
• Check seller ratings because each refurbisher is rated by past buyers.
• Read item descriptions and double-check photos, specifically things like battery health, replaced parts and blemishes.
• Keep documentation such as your order ID, condition grade or minor blemishes.
• Act fast if unhappy start returns within 30 days for the best support.
• Use the warranty if issues appear after 30 days, you're still covered up to one year.

Verdict: Is Back Market Legit?

Yes. Back Market is a legitimate and widely trusted marketplace:

• Strong Ratings across review sites
• Protections such as warranties, returns and quality checks
• Transparent complaints handling through Better Business Bureau and social media

That said, Back Market remains a marketplace, not a direct seller. So take care choosing reputable sellers and checking details. If you do, Back Market can offer significant savings with minimal risk.

Final Takeaway

If you do a bit of seller research and use the return/warranty system wisely, Back Market is a dependable platform for buying refurbished electronics. You'll likely save a bundle and reduce electronic waste.

If you have more burning business legitimacy questions, why not check out our article on whether or not Temu is legit, or perhaps G2A.

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Introduction

2025 is shaping up to be one of the biggest years in Nintendo’s history. We’re getting a brand new console, a new 3D Donkey Kong game (a part of me is still in disbelief) and gimmicks that would make the Nintendo 3DS blush. But this all comes at a price, and a hefty one at that. So today, we’re going to take a look at whether or not the console is worth the asking price, or if you’re better off picking up one of the many Nintendo Switch 2 alternatives.  

The Games

Nintendo Switch 2 Exclusives

Nintendo arguably put out some of the best console-exclusive games in any generation, and with exclusives seemingly becoming a thing of the past with PlayStation and Xbox putting their games elsewhere, it’s nice to see some things are too sacred to Nintendo. Where else would you play Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda or Kirby? 

Thankfully, Nintendo has already announced a wide range of Switch 2 exclusives that are sure to whet any Nintendo fan’s appetite. Here’s a list of what you can expect so far for the Nintendo Switch 2: 

Digital or Physical Exclusives?

Previously, we’ve looked into ways you can save on your Nintendo Switch 2 purchase and found that buying games digitally more often than not is going to be much cheaper than buying new physical games. The same goes for this current list of Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games; buying them digitally will save you a pretty penny if you’re excited by any of them. But of course, this won’t be all that Nintendo has up their sleeves when it comes to exclusives. You can expect somewhere down the road a new 3D and 2D Super Mario game, and the same can be said for The Legend of Zelda. 

I mentioned earlier that Xbox and PlayStation have started porting their exclusives to other systems, whereas Nintendo don’t. Which is part of the reason why their exclusives seem so appealing, you cannot play them anywhere else. So whilst you can look at the massive library of video games available on Steam via the Steam Deck and games available on GOG via the ROG Ally, you’ll never be able to play the new Donkey Kong, the new Mario Kart or the inevitable new 3D Super Mario game. Not to mention, the upgraded Nintendo Switch 2 editions of Switch 1 games.  

Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Games

If you missed out on the first Nintendo Switch, I have good news for you. All of those classics (I said what I said) that were released for the console are coming back in a big, bad way onto the Nintendo Switch 2.  These Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of games promise to come with a slew of improvements, including higher framerates, better resolution and more surprisingly, new content. Here are a few of the games you can expect to see back on the Nintendo Switch 2, bigger and better than ever:  

These are just a few of the many Nintendo Switch 2 Edition video games set to be released on the console. If you already own these games for the original Nintendo Switch, you’ll save a lot of money just by purchasing the upgrade packs via the Nintendo eShop. If you’re playing these games for the first time, I would recommend picking them up for the original Switch (whether second-hand or new) and then purchasing the upgrade pack, as these games are generally cheaper to buy for the Switch 1.

It’s not just amazing exclusives that the Nintendo Switch 2 has on offer. We’re also getting some pretty heavy hitters when it comes to third-party support.  

Third-Party Games

Nintendo consoles have never really been the “go-to” for third-party games, and it seems like Nintendo has noticed. The Nintendo Switch 2 comes with a long list of tech-heavy third-party games. Games that would’ve made the original Switch catch on fire. You can look at picking up the following on the Nintendo Switch 2.  

The Tech

The Console

We’ve previously compared this tech with Nintendo Switch 2 competitors, and it does stack up fairly well. The battery life promises to be better than other devices like the Steam Deck and the ROG Ally. 256GB of internal storage is also nothing to sneeze at when considering the original Switch only had 32GB, and with the ability to hold an extra 2TB of storage, it makes the package seem a lot better.  

Joy-Con 2

The new version of the Switch Joy-Cons is seeing several updates over the original version. The biggest edition that Nintendo seem to be pushing is the mouse sensors. Much like how Nintendo innovated with motion controls (Nintendo Wii) and controllers with screens (Nintendo Wii U), Nintendo seem to be putting the same pressure on mouse sensors to be the new big thing with games already announcing how they’ll support the tech. 

Games such as Metroid Prime 4 offer gamers the ability to play the game almost like a PC game, where you can use a mouse to shoot and Drag x Drive is a game completely centred around using the mouse sensors to play (think of how Wii Sports heavily relied on motion controls).  

With the original Joy-Cons, Nintendo saw success with their HD Rumble feature, bolstering that the vibrations inside the controllers were so realistic that it almost felt like something was inside your controller. Nintendo has since doubled down on this feature and is introducing the HD Rumble 2, promising even more advancements in the technology, which will be tough considering the PS5 DualSense controller’s haptic feedback is one of Sony’s shining achievements in this generation.  

Nintendo are also introducing the C-Button, which will be used for all chat options on the Nintendo Switch 2. Think of it as a dedicated Xbox Live party chat button. It’s believed that gamers won’t be able to access the chat features without this button, but it is hard to know until we really get our hands on it. 

Conclusion

Whether or not the Nintendo Switch 2 is worth your hard-earned money can only really be answered by yourself. If you’re a dedicated Nintendo fan, chances are you’ve already made your mind up, but if you’re on the outside looking in, then you may still be on the fence. When looking at all the facts shown in this article, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a definite massive upgrade over the original. Promising more power, more features and more impressive games than we ever saw on the original Switch. But with that comes the price tag of not just the console but the games as well. Plus, Nintendo aren’t bringing something new to the table anymore. When the original Switch was released, it was the first of its kind. Now we live in a world where the Steam Deck, the ROG Ally, and the Lenovo Legion Go exist.

For me personally, if PC gaming isn’t your thing and you love the exclusives that Nintendo has to offer (I mean, who doesn’t), then the Nintendo Switch 2 is a definite pick up, but I would add maybe to wait for a while. At launch, you won’t be getting anything new or exciting outside of Mario Kart World. So I would wait a few months, maybe look back into picking one up at the end of the year when the selection of games is hopefully much more enticing. 

When you click on one of our links to our discount code pages or a retailer page, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Here's how it works. Prices mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing.

Introduction

The Nintendo Switch 2 is out right now, and there’s a lot to get excited about. Not everybody is sold on the console, however, and the hefty price tag makes it a tough pill to swallow. 

And if you're looking for someone with hands-on experience with the Switch 2, we've written up an extensive article about whether or not the Switch 2 is worth the upgrade from the first Switch.

Fortunately for us, we live in a much different atmosphere than in 2017 when the original Nintendo Switch launched, and there’s much more competition on the market. Now, we’re wondering if the Switch 2 is the best value for your money, or are there more cost-effective alternatives? Can you get a more powerful handheld for the same price? 

The Handheld PCs

Steam Deck

The most obvious competitor to the Nintendo Switch 2 is the ever-growing in popularity Steam Deck. Released back in 2022, Valve’s Steam Deck promised gamers a way to play all of their favourite Steam games portably. And they delivered - mostly. 

Whilst not every game on Steam is playable on the Steam Deck, there is a continuously growing list of games that you can play. Not just old games, but new releases such as Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster, Elden Ring, Baldur’s Gate 3, Split Fiction, and so much more. So why would you choose a Steam Deck over the new Nintendo Switch 2? 

Well, let’s start by looking at the games. There is a massive library of video games to choose from, readily available from the Steam Store page. Games that have yet to be announced (and I’ll be honest, I’ll eat my shoe if they end up on the Switch 2) for Nintendo’s next console, such as The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered and Baldur’s Gate 3. 

Now, you could argue that there are games available for the Switch 2 that won’t be available on the Steam Deck (Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza) – and I agree. But the library of games available on the Steam Deck massively outweighs the games that will be available at launch for the Switch 2. Even video games that will be available on both systems (Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, etc.) will no doubt be better off played on the Steam Deck, outside of power capabilities, price is one of the biggest hurdles. 

It’s no secret that Valve loves a sale on Steam, renowned for its seasonal sales, you’ll easily pick up a game on the cheap. I managed to pick up Left 4 Dead 2 during one of these sales for £2. 

But before I get distracted and start listing all of the amazing deals I’ve secured through Steam, let’s look at Hogwarts Legacy.

Hogwarts Legacy will be available at launch on the Nintendo Switch 2 for £49.99 and promises to come enhanced for the Switch 2, including Joy-Con 2 mouse sensor support. 

On Steam, you’re looking at the same price of £49.99, but with the Steam Deck coming with the benefit of being a portable gaming PC, we have sites like CDKeys, G2A and Kinguin as options to purchase product keys. We’ve written extensively about these sites to figure out if they’re legit and safe to use, with everything we’ve found to suggest they’re good to go. 

A quick look at CDKeys shows us that we can pick up Hogwarts Legacy for the low price of £9.99. That’s a massive 80% discount! You can purchase product keys from CDKeys, enter them on Steam and download. With the game's prices out of the way, let’s take a quick look at the Steam Deck options and specs.

The most comparable option to the Switch 2 would be the lower-end option of the Steam Deck (256GB). The Nintendo Switch 2 comes with 256GB of base storage and a 7.9” LCD screen. It does beat out the Steam Deck in certain aspects, such as a slightly bigger screen and a higher resolution output (the Switch 2 can output 1920x1080), and it’s hard to gauge the CPU, GPU and RAM of the Switch 2 as Nintendo never really indulge us with that information. 

However, the base Nintendo Switch 2 comes in at £395.99, and the lowest Steam Deck option is £349, making it significantly cheaper. Plus, the Steam Deck comes with a better battery life, with the Switch 2 only capable of 2-6.5 hours of gameplay compared to 2-8 hours on the Steam Deck. 

If you were to go for the mid-range Steam Deck, it’s a different ball game entirely. It comes in at £479, but you’re getting a HDR OLED screen which provides deeper, more vivid colours, a longer battery life with 3-12 hours of gameplay, a slightly bigger screen than the LCD Steam Deck and double the storage space. 

ROG Ally

ASUS’s answer to the growing popularity of the handheld PC market, the ROG Ally, has proved a more than capable alternative to the Steam Deck, which comes with benefits that the Steam Deck doesn’t have. Running on Windows rather than SteamOS, the ROG Ally has the massive benefit of having access to Xbox Game Pass, which is highly regarded as the best deal in gaming. 

For the low price of £9.99, you’ll gain access to a massive library of over 300 high-quality games that includes Avowed, Call of Duty Black Ops 6 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, brand new games on day one, an EA Play membership, Riot Games benefits and more discounts than you can count. 

With the ROG Ally not tied to any brand like the Steam Deck, it has more than a few storefronts available to purchase games from. This means you can easily download Steam, Xbox, Epic Games Store and GOG directly onto your ROG Ally and access either your existing library or start one. With so many different options available to purchase your video games, we get a wider range of deals to choose from. Let’s take a quick look at Cyberpunk 2077. 

Much like the Steam Deck, the ROG Ally will allow you to purchase games from product key resellers. We managed to find Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition for £33.17 as opposed to the price of the game on Switch 2, which is £59.99. That’s a saving of 44%. 

With that being said, is the ROG Ally worth picking up over a Steam Deck and a Nintendo Switch 2? Let’s take a look at the specs. 

The ROG Ally is an impressive piece of kit with a much more robust operating system to work with than the Steam Deck and the Nintendo Switch 2. You get the option to use PC Game Pass (£9.99), which is an incredible deal, and if you already have Game Pass Ultimate, you already have access to PC Game Pass. 

The downsides are the price and the battery. It’s much more expensive than the Switch 2 and has a worse battery life. So whilst you can pick up games for much cheaper than games on the Nintendo Switch 2, you are paying almost double the price for the console. 

Lenovo Legion Go S & MSI Claw

These last two options are very similar to the ROG Ally in terms of operating systems and accessibility options (multiple storefronts, for example), so let’s cut straight to the exciting stuff and look at what’s inside these machines. 

Coming in very similar to the ROG Ally with a lower price point, the Lenovo Legion Go S is a solid handheld gaming PC. You can claim all of the benefits of multiple storefronts to purchase games from and have all of the other accessibility options available for a Windows device, provided you don’t purchase the SteamOS version. 

So, if the Nintendo Switch 2 purchase is looking less and less likely, the Steam Deck is too restrictive, and the ROG Ally is a little out of your price range, it’s worth looking into the Legion Go S.

On the opposite side, the MSI Claw is on the higher end of the price range. It features all of the benefits of the ROG Ally and Legion Go S but has much more impressive tech under the hood. That tech comes with a hefty price tag, making the Switch 2 look more appealing (in my opinion). 

The Cloud Streamers

Logitech G Cloud

Leaving the world of handheld gaming PCs for a moment, cloud streaming has become more and more popular over the last few years. There once was a time when we laughed at services like OnLive and systems like the Google Stadia, now we champion the Xbox Cloud Gaming service. One company that has jumped on the cloud streaming trend is Logitech. 

For the price of £329.99, you could get your hands on a system that has access to services like the Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now. These services require a separate subscription charge from £9.99/month. The benefit of streaming means you don’t actually run anything directly from the handheld, meaning no need for storage space, no need to get bogged down with confusing tech specs and a longer battery life. 

The Logitech G Cloud has a battery life of 12+ hours and a screen size of 7”, which is nothing to make fun of. Obviously, the biggest downside of cloud systems is that you need a constant connection to the internet. You won’t be able to play any video game without a strong internet connection. If this is an issue, maybe cloud streaming systems aren’t for you and won’t make a cheaper alternative to the Switch 2. However, if access to a decent internet connection isn’t an issue, they’re definitely worth looking into. 

PlayStation Portal

A new addition to the PlayStation family, the Portal is Sony’s answer to the growing cloud streaming market. Undercutting the price of the Logitech G Cloud and having a slightly bigger screen at 8”, you can pick up the PlayStation Portal for £199. 

However, the downside of the Portal is the fact that, well, it only works with PlayStation (shocker). Whereas the Logitech G Cloud has access to Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now, the PlayStation Portal only has access to PS Plus. For £13.49, you’ll get access to all of the cloud streaming games available on PS Plus Premium, including hundreds of PS5, PS3 and PS2 games. Whilst this system has been the cheapest we’ve looked at so far, we can go cheaper. 

The Phone Controllers

Finally, the last alternative to purchasing a Nintendo Switch 2 is actually sitting in your pocket, you’re holding it in your hand, or you’ve just remembered you’ve left it in a different room. It’s your smartphone. 

Your smartphone is more than capable of streaming video games, you can simply download the required apps and enjoy. I personally stream video games off my iPhone quite regularly via Xbox Cloud Gaming and have been continuously impressed. The first question that may spring to your mind is, “Do you have to use the touch screen?” and the simple answer is no. You can pick up products like the Backbone and the Razer Kishi (both priced at £99.99), which turn your phone into a portable gaming device. 

I’ve been using the Backbone for the past few months and absolutely love it; it’s comfortable to use, and I’ve never run into input delay. It works exactly like you think it would work, just by looking at it. Essentially, your phone becomes a screen with controllers on the side. Much like how the Switch 2 looks in handheld mode. If you’re interested at all in cloud streaming your video games, this would be the option I’d recommend unless you are against playing games on your phone and would prefer a separate device. 

Conclusion

As stated at the beginning of this article, we live in a different world now than when the original Nintendo Switch was released. With so many options available, if you don’t want the Switch 2, whether you’re not happy with the console price or the video game prices, you don’t need to pick it up if you want to experience Switch-style gaming. 

If you’re interested in saving even more money on video games, we’ve written extensively looking into gaming subscriptions and which one is worth the money and whether or not product key resellers like Kinguin are legit. 

When you click on one of our links to our discount code pages or a retailer page, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Here's how it works. Prices mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing.

Introduction

With Nintendo’s new console just over the horizon, releasing on June 5th, it’s easy to get excited. It’s not every day we get a new Nintendo console. Hoping to recapture that Nintendo magic, we have the Switch 2 to look forward to.

With new entries in beloved series such as Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza (amazing title), how could we not start chanting “Nintendo” in unison?

However, the price of the console and the games has gamers around the world worried, but don’t panic! In this article, we’ll give you all the tips and tricks you need to save some money on your Switch 2.

If you want to find out if the Switch 2 is worth the upgrade from the Switch 1, we recently wrote up an extensive article answering that very question after I've spent a few months with the shiny new console.

The Game Price Situation

Physical vs Digital

By now, I’m sure we’ve all seen the headlines and watched videos of people angrily complaining about the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 games, specifically Mario Kart World. If you were to run to your nearest store that still stocks video games, you’d be looking at spending a whopping £74.99 for the latest in the Mario Kart series.

Yes, it’s expensive, Nintendo has justified this price by explaining how this will probably be “the richest Mario Kart experience they’ve ever had”. Still, it’s hard to imagine the game being more expansive than Nintendo’s last big exclusive, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which launched for £59.99. However, the £75 price tag is only attached to the physical copy of the game.

Nintendo has decided to charge less for the digital versions of its iconic video games. So if you’re not too picky about choosing between digital and physical media, you can pick up Mario Kart World digitally for £66.99. That’s an £8 saving and is generally still cheaper than most big triple-A video games released nowadays (Assassin’s Creed: Shadows recently released at £69.99).

For future purchases, it’s worth checking the digital price for these new games before picking up a physical copy, as you could save some cash. Luckily for us, there are now several places where we can purchase digital games. Places like G2A and CDKeys offer alternatives to purchasing digital games, and if you’re unsure about buying games from these sites, we have thoroughly researched whether or not CDKeys and G2A are legit.

We found that these sites are safe and a trusted source for discounted video games.

Nintendo Switch Game Upgrades

Thankfully, the Nintendo Switch 2 is backwards compatible with most Switch 1 games. This isn’t always the case with Nintendo consoles, so it’s always nice to see. Thankfully, some of your Switch 1 games will come with a free update when you play them on Switch 2, such as Super Mario Odyssey, which will improve image resolution, have better frame rates and a few more benefits.

Nintendo are also offering Switch 2 versions of already-existing Switch 1 games. Meaning if you never got around to playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on Switch, you can purchase a brand new Switch 2 version of the game that comes with added features and will overall play better.

My advice - don’t do this! Nintendo are selling these games for £66.99 each, which is a lot for games that are 5+ years old. Instead, purchase the original Switch 1 version of the game. As an example, you can purchase Breath of the Wild for £44.99 for the original Switch, and if you’re a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscriber, the update will be completely free.

Alternatively, you can also pay an upgrade fee of £8 on the Nintendo eShop. So, rather than spending £66.99 for the Switch 2 edition, buy the original Switch 1 version for cheaper and pay for the upgrade through the eStore. In the case of Breath of the Wild, you’ll save £14! For another example, the Switch 2 edition of Kirby and the Forgotten Land is being sold for £64.99.

Whereas if you bought the original Switch version, you’ll pay £37.99 and then £8 for the upgrade on the eShop. You’ll be looking at saving £19!

The Mario Kart World Bundle

As of right now, you can purchase two different editions of the Switch 2: the base console on its own, which is £395.99 and the Mario Kart World bundle, which is the console along with a digital copy of Mario Kart World; this version is £429.99. If you were planning to get Mario Kart World for the console anyway, I would shell out the extra cash to pick it up in the bundle, as you end up paying only £34 for the game.

The digital copy of Mario Kart World will run you £66.99 on its own. This means if you miss out on the bundle and purchase the console and Mario Kart separately, you’ll miss out on a saving of £32.99.

The Accessories

Which Pro Controller Should You Buy?

The Nintendo Switch Pro controller is beloved within the gaming community. It’s always heartbreaking parting with your favourite controller when upgrading to a new console (I’ll never forget you, original Xbox Duke controller).

Thankfully, the Switch Pro controller can be used on the Nintendo Switch 2, but as with any new console launch, Nintendo announced a brand new Pro controller that may tickle your fancy.

There is, however, a pretty steep price difference between the two controllers. If you don’t already own a Pro controller and you're looking solemnly at your wallet, it may be worth getting the Switch 1 Pro controller and saving the extra cash. Let’s take a look at the features of each controller:

There are a few features that slightly edge out the original Switch Pro controller, but when you consider that you can pick up the Switch 1 Pro controller for £49.99 and the Switch 2 controller is priced at £74.99, it all depends on whether you believe the extra features are worth it. The Switch 1 Pro controller will work perfectly on the Switch 2, and you’ll save a cool £25 by purchasing it over the Switch 2 Pro controller.

Do I Need The Switch 2 Camera?

Nintendo dedicated a big chunk of the recent Nintendo Direct to showing off their new ‘Party Chat’ feature. With the Nintendo Switch 2, you’ll be able to plug in a camera so you can video chat with your friends while playing your favourite games.

It’s a nice little feature, and I can imagine it would go down a storm with party games. Nintendo has created its own USB-C camera that you can purchase for £49.99, and for a USB-C camera, that price isn’t awful.

But, it has been confirmed by Nintendo that most USB-C cameras will be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2. So, if you already have a USB-C webcam lying around, you can plug it straight into the Switch 2, and it will work perfectly, saving you £50!

Conclusion

There’s simply no getting around the fact that the Switch 2 is a pricey console with games that are more expensive than what we’ve seen come before from Nintendo. It can be a difficult time for gamers who just want to enjoy the latest and greatest that Nintendo has to offer.

I mean, who doesn’t love a Nintendo exclusive? Donkey Kong Bananza looks fantastic, Mario Kart World promises to be bigger and better than every Mario Kart game that has come before, and we’re even getting a new From Software game exclusively for the Switch 2.

Hopefully, this article will help you save money where you can with the new console, so you can spend less time worrying about money and more time playing games.

If you’re looking for other ways to save money on video games, we’ve written extensive articles about gaming subscription services and researched product key selling sites such as CDKeys and Kinguin to find out if they’re safe to use.

When you click on one of our links to our discount code pages or a retailer page, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Here's how it works. Prices mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing.

What is G2A?

G2A has come a long way since its foundation in 2010, it is now the world’s largest online marketplace for digital entertainment. G2A has also won numerous awards, such as ‘Best Marketplace of the 21st Century’ in the Spanish VII Edition of the 21st Century National Technology Awards 2024. If you’re looking for all things digital, whether it’s a video game, software, subscriptions or gift cards, you will likely find what you need at an amazing price at G2A. With a massive customer base of over 35M and over 1.2M secure transactions every month, it’s also a well-trusted marketplace that has been used by gamers around the world to save money on products. As a few examples of some of the incredible discounts you can find on G2A, you can pick up Elden Ring for (at the time of writing this article) £27.12, whereas currently on Steam, you’ll be looking at spending (at the time of writing this article) £49.99. That’s a discount of 45%!  

My Experience With G2A

I’m a console gamer at heart, I know to some people (PC gamers, I’m looking at you) that’s blasphemous, but with the rise in popularity of PC gaming, sometimes it’s hard to ignore the appeal of the massive library of games available at (more often than not) cheaper than console game prices. And I’m not even talking about the big companies like Steam or Epic. PC gaming offers so many incredible opportunities to purchase games elsewhere. By this point, I’m sure you’re familiar with websites like CDKeys and Kinguin, but have you used G2A? I’ll be honest, I wasn’t aware of this store before this write-up. Having used CDKeys and Kinguin before, I generally understand how key reselling sites work, but was still curious to find out if G2A was one of the safe ones. To subdue my curiosity, I purchased two games. As a big Remedy Entertainment fan, I’m very excited for FBC: Firebreak and wanted to replay some of the very best of what Remedy has to offer. I purchased Control Ultimate Edition through G2A as my first trial by fire, to see if it all went smoothly. I received my product key, entered it on Steam and thankfully, everything worked perfectly. Now, the other reason I purchased this game through G2A rather than directly from Stream was because of the huge price difference. If I were to purchase Control Ultimate Edition from Steam, I’d be looking at spending £34.99, whereas on G2A, I was able to pick it up for £7.07. That’s a whopping 80% discount! By this point, G2A had its hooks in me. I wanted more. Alan Wake is one of my favourite games of all time, but I didn’t own it on PC. I managed to pick it up on G2A for £2.95, and after looking for it on Steam (£11.39), I found that I saved a massive 75%. What’s not to love?  

Is G2A Trustworthy?

G2A has, in the past, officially partnered with multiple big-name organisations (such as Microsoft, MSi, PayPal, Google and Razer) and brands, all of whom have put their trust into G2A as a legitimate marketplace. G2A has worked tirelessly for over 10+ years to build a strong trust with its customers, which is why over 100 employees at G2A monitor the marketplace to ensure every transaction is safe and secure. They also obtain all of their product keys legally, with every key coming from either the publisher or developer, none from third-party companies. G2A also offers numerous ways to pay for your product, including PayPal, which adds even more protection from potential threats. From the number of times I’ve used G2A, I haven’t run into any issues.  

G2A Reviews

Luckily for us, you don’t just have to take my word for it. If we look at Trustpilot, G2A is rated as ‘Great’ with a score of 3.8 stars out of 5 based on over 300,000 reviews.  

How Does G2A Work?

G2A only gets its product keys from official sources such as developers and publishers. They then allow these keys to be bought in bulk by registered sellers on G2A. This means they only sell these keys to sellers who have passed G2A’s security checks. As the keys are bought in bulk, keys can then be sold to customers at a lower price. Everybody wins! Sellers make some money, and the savings get passed on to the consumers.  

Can I Get A Refund?

As G2A is a big marketplace, refunds are solely dependent on the seller, rather than G2A itself. Before you purchase from G2A, it would be worth checking to see if the seller offers refunds or not. To bypass these issues, you can purchase a product key via PayPal, and if any issues occur and the seller isn’t offering refunds or is not replying to messages, you may be able to issue a chargeback through PayPal and get your money back.  

What Is G2A Plus?

G2A Plus is a subscription service offered by G2A to receive a whole slew of benefits. Every month, you’ll get up to 10% off 10 items, a free game key, a discount code boost and priority customer support. You’ll also earn Plus Points on every purchase you make. The more Plus Points you earn, the more of a discount you’ll get, as you can use the Points as currency. G2A Plus members have already saved more than 2.1 million EUR! So if you’re looking to save even more money on games and software, it might be worth looking into G2A Plus.  

Is G2A Legit?

To answer the all-important question, ‘Is G2A legit?’, I’d say yes. Looking into all the efforts they have made to make purchases secure, and all of the official companies that have partnered with G2A, if they put their trust into G2A, then so can we. They acquire all of their product keys officially through developers and publishers, and sellers have to go through G2A’s own security checks. I know it’s always troubling when you may not be able to get a refund on your order, but if you choose the right key seller, you’ll no doubt be able to find one that offers full refunds. 

Hopefully, this has gotten rid of any worries you may have had about purchasing from G2A. If you’re interested in G2A alternatives, we’ve written extensive articles about Kinguin, CDKeys and other ways to save money when buying video games. 

When you click on one of our links to our discount code pages or a retailer page, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Here's how it works. Prices mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing.

What is Kinguin?

If you’ve never heard of Kinguin and are new to the world of product key reselling, we’re here to help. Think of Kinguin almost like eBay or similar sites, where sellers can sell their items through eBay, product key resellers will sell their keys through Kinguin. To make it as simple as possible, Kinguin sells product keys for video games at incredibly competitive prices, connecting gamers all around the world to play more games. With over 16 million fans, Kinguin has come a long way since its beginnings in 2013. As an example of the discounts you could be looking at, Helldivers 2 is available for (at the time of writing this article) £25.12 on Kinguin whereas it’s currently (at the time of writing this article) £34.99 on Steam. Kinguin is truly passionate about video games, so much so that in June of 2024, they released their very own game, ‘Sneak Out’ developed and published by themselves.  

My Experience with Kinguin

I’ll start by saying, PC gaming isn’t really my thing. I like the ease of console gaming, just turn on the console and be comforted in knowing you can play any game without worrying about messing with settings. However, sometimes the price of PC games is too tempting to pass up, especially when you discover product key resellers like Kinguin. I’m a sucker for the nostalgia that Xbox 360 and PS3 games give me, so when I saw Bionic Commando (2009, please don’t judge me) for £0.70 on Kinguin, it was an offer I couldn’t resist. Especially when through other sites, the same game is being sold for £6.49. So I took my chances and to my surprise, it worked perfectly. Then I got the bug, what else could I buy at an incredibly discounted price? My eyes drifted towards Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 (again, please don’t judge me. The nostalgic powers of the Xbox 360 generation are too much for me) which was being sold for £1.91 on Kinguin, on other sites it’s £16.75. That’s an 88% discount! Once again, I was safe in my purchase and everything worked fine. When in the mood to play some games on my PC, Kinguin is one of the first places I look.  

Is Kinguin safe?

From my experience, yes Kinguin is safe to use. There is always a risk when buying from a key reseller with poor reviews but Kinguin will generally only promote trustworthy resellers. Plus, Kinguin has a dedicated Fraud Prevention and Response department that works 24/7, ensuring all transactions are safe. They have also partnered with a company called Ravelin (a world-leading fraud prevention platform) to find potential scammers and take them off the platform. Kinguin won’t share any of your payment details and won’t sell your information to third parties. In the handful of occasions where I’ve used Kinguin, I’ve never had an issue.  Kinguin also accepts PayPal as a payment method, which protects you when making online transactions with their 'Buyer Protection' safeguards. 

Kinguin Reviews

Thankfully, we have third-party websites that you can look at for Kinguin reviews. On Trustpilot, Kinguin is rated as ‘Excellent’ with a score of 4.6 stars out of 5 based on over 85k reviews!  

How Does Kinguin Get Keys?

Kinguin gets its product keys through registered merchants. Merchants can sign up on Kinguin, purchase product keys wholesale in bulk and then resell through Kinguin. Think of Kinguin as one huge marketplace where registered merchants are able to take advantage of Kinguin’s 11+ years of experience in the video game industry and buy product keys in bulk and the customer reaps the benefits of this system by purchasing the product keys from the merchants.  

Do Kinguin Offer Refunds?

As long as you haven’t used the product key, you can refund your purchase. There are two different ways to get a refund; you can choose to receive Kinguin Balance, which is the quickest method to get your money back or you can get a refund via the original payment method which can take up to 5 days.  

Is Kinguin Legit?

To answer the most important question, ‘Is Kinguin legit?’, yes. After all the research, I see no argument for Kinguin being a scam website or a lie. They acquire their product keys legally, they have partnered with organisations to stomp out scammers and as long as you haven’t used a product key, you can get a full refund. Plus, thousands of people seem to agree with the amazing reviews on Trustpilot. 

Hopefully, this has answered any questions you might have had and squashed any of your worries. If you’re interested in saving even more money when shopping at Kinguin, be sure to check out our voucher codes page and if you’re curious about Kinguin alternatives, we’ve written extensive articles about CDKeys and other ways to save money when buying video games. 

When you click on one of our links to our discount code pages or a retailer page, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Prices mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing.

The gaming industry has changed a lot since the days of blowing into a cartridge and hoping that fixes all your problems. We live in a day and age where digital gaming is becoming more and more prominent and physical gaming is slowly becoming irrelevant. This has brought a few restrictions on where we can purchase video games, especially on consoles, limiting us to one storefront. But if you're still holding on to your disc tray, we've looked into the numerous ways you can save on video game purchases - as well as how to do it digitally.

With gaming evolving rapidly, the way we play games has also changed, and gaming subscriptions have been introduced. But what are they?  

Overview of Gaming Subscriptions

Arguably the most well-known gaming subscription is Xbox Game Pass. Launching in 2017, it offers gamers access to a massive library of games by paying a monthly subscription. Think Netflix but for video games. It’s not just Xbox that has seen the potential of gaming subscriptions, in recent years we’ve seen Ubisoft+, EA Play, Nintendo Switch Online, PlayStation Plus and many more throw their hats in the race. With so many gaming subscriptions available, it can be difficult to keep track of everything.  

Criteria for Evaluation

To make sure you’re getting the most value for your money, I’ll be looking at the size of the game libraries, the benefits that come with the services (exclusive sales and discounts) and how they tackle the growing popularity of cloud-based gaming.  

Gaming Subscriptions That Are Worth It

Xbox Game Pass

If you want the most amount of games, Game Pass Ultimate is the best option. You get access to a massive library of games and also get exclusive (well, I say exclusive but if you read the tea leaves) games from day one! If we quickly did the math, Game Pass Ultimate would cost you around £180 for the year. For comparison, a brand-new video game costs anywhere from £50-£70, so for argument's sake, we’ll say £60. If you were to buy a brand new game every month, it would cost you £720 a year. This is assuming that Xbox puts a brand new game on Game Pass every month, but even if they don’t stay consistent, it’s still an incredible deal. Plus, getting access to EA Play (which costs £5.99/month separately, but we’ll get to that later) means you get to play most of EA’s games, too. And finally, Game Pass Ultimate nets you access to Xbox Cloud Gaming. This means everything becomes an Xbox; your phone, TV, tablet, laptop and desktop. Play anywhere, anytime, provided you have a decent internet service. It’s a no-brainer. 

Nintendo Switch Online

Coming in with the cheapest gaming subscription option is the always reliable Nintendo. Nintendo has always been out of the box with its ideas and has never really followed the path that Sony or Microsoft set. They’re always just happy in their own world and that hasn’t changed with their gaming subscription, Nintendo Switch Online. Rather than focus on bringing gamers the latest and greatest video games, they instead focus on nostalgia and letting gamers relive their childhood or play classics for the very first time. With the cheapest option being £17.99 for 12 months, it’s worth it just to get your hands on some truly classic games that changed the industry.  

Apple Arcade

Throwing in a bit of wildcard with this one but I truly believe Apple Arcade is an amazing deal. Not everybody likes gaming on their phones, and I get that, I am no fan of touch-screen controls. There are ways around this though, I use my Backbone controller to connect to my phone and it almost becomes its own handheld gaming device. At £6.99/month, you get an incredible selection of video games and new ones are added all the time, and not just any old games are getting added either. We’ve seen game of the year contenders added, well-established gaming franchises and new titles in long-running (wait for this pun, I’m so proud) IPs such as Sonic Dream Team (get it?). I’ve also never had to pay for Apple Arcade, they seem to hand out trials like sweets on Halloween. I bought Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion off of Currys, and they gave me 3 free months of Apple Arcade, sometimes just because I bank with Barclays, I’ve received free trials and sometimes Apple emails offering me a free trial. I’ve never had to pay. So if you shop in the right places, chances are you’ll also get a handful of months for free as well. 

PS Plus

I’ll be honest. I was very close to putting PS Plus in the ‘Skip It’ section because, when compared to its competition, it does not stack up. The selection of games pales in comparison to the games available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. You don’t get video games from day one, which means no PlayStation exclusives as soon as they’re released. You do get access to the ‘Classics’ catalogue, which is nice as it’s probably the easiest way to play select PS1, PS2 and PSP games right now, but the library isn’t very big. To compete against Xbox having EA Play, PlayStation has partnered with Ubisoft+, which is a nice bonus, but again, the library isn’t enough to justify the price point. It also doesn’t tackle the growing popularity of cloud gaming, only allowing you to save your files to the cloud. That isn’t to say this won’t change in the future because it no doubt will. The only reason I would say this subscription is worth it is for the ‘Essential’ subscription. It’s their cheapest option, coming in at £6.99 a month, and you get access to online multiplayer and 2 - 3 free games to download per month. Honestly, that’s it. That’s the only reason I’d say to take out this subscription because without it, you wouldn’t be able to game with your friends and at least you get some icing on the cake with the 2 - 3 free games per month.  

Gaming Subscriptions to Skip

EA Play

Considering EA Play is included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, I would say just take out Game Pass. EA Play is not worth it on its own. EA Play Pro is the most expensive option for a gaming subscription and I would argue the benefits don’t match up with the price point. I don’t think EA have enough games to play for that long, and whilst the unlimited access to new releases 10 days before launch is very nice, they don’t release games frequently enough to make the most out of this feature. Also, just one last thing, your EA Play membership only applies to one platform. If you signed up to EA Play on a PC, you can only access your account on a PC, if you tried signing into a console with your login, it wouldn’t work. You would have to create another separate subscription to use EA Play. No thanks.  

Ubisoft+

I’ll start by saying that if you are interested in Ubisoft+, go straight to the premium subscription. The ‘Classics’ subscription doesn’t offer enough for the price it’s asking for whereas at least the premium subscription offers a much larger library of games. That being said, it’s the same price as Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and it offers less. Cloud gaming is a nice feature and should future-proof the subscription a little bit. Ubisoft has partnered with Amazon Luna+ for the cloud gaming side of things. Speaking of which.  

Rising Stars in the Gaming Subscription Scene

Amazon Luna+

A rising star in the gaming subscription universe, Amazon Luna+ has made a promising start. Being completely cloud-based, you can play almost everywhere. The nice feature with Luna+ is that you can link your Ubisoft+ account and GOG account to play all your owned games via cloud streaming through Luna+. So if you were playing Assassin’s Creed using Ubisoft+ at your home but were planning a trip, don’t worry, use any one of the compatible devices with Luna+ and play wherever you are provided you have a good internet connection. Luna+ has great potential but I feel like the current library of games on offer could be bigger, and if they partner with a few more gaming companies (maybe EA for example) to play even more games you already own, this could be a great service. As of right now, it still feels like it’s in its infancy.  

Conclusion

Final Recommendations

Xbox Game Pass is largely known as the best deal in gaming, for very good reason. I will shout from every rooftop, every mountain that Game Pass is worth every penny for what they offer. When I bought an Xbox Series S, I didn’t buy a game from the store for months as everything I was playing was on Game Pass. Plus, if you set up game sharing with a family member or friend, they will also get access to Game Pass completely for free. I bought my partner an Xbox Series S because I loved mine so much, I set up her account to game share with my account and she has access to everything I have access to at no extra cost.  

Future Trends in Gaming Subscriptions

Cloud-based gaming seems to be where the gaming industry is heading. Game Pass has a cloud gaming system that works really well but is in its beta phase and Amazon Luna+ is purely cloud-based. I think this will be something we see more and more of in the future, no doubt PlayStation will be next, especially considering they have their PlayStation Portal handheld right now that is just remote play only. Adding cloud gaming will only enhance the value of the system. 

When you click on one of our links to our discount code pages or a retailer page, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase.

If you like a good bargain, there’s a fair chance you’ve already stumbled upon Temu. It’s a rapidly growing marketplace where you can browse everything from fashion and homeware to tech gadgets, often at surprisingly low prices. But with so many cheap products and deals, is Temu legit? Is it worth your trust? More importantly, is it safe to order from? In this article, we answer Temu and whether you can shop there without issues.

Who are Temu?

Temu is a fast-growing online marketplace run by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, founded by entrepreneur Colin Huang. It specialises in heavily discounted consumer items, most of which are shipped directly from the makers in China and has become popular worldwide for its low price products.

My Experience with Temu

I am a homeowner and a lover of a good deal, so I was pretty early on the Temu bandwagon, and so far, my experience has been good. I buy from Temu monthly and have never had any issues outside of the odd product being low quality, but Temu refunded me, and all was well. So far, I've bought everything from photos and frames to mugs, blankets, pillowcases, a bathroom cabinet and even a small metal shed. However, I have noticed that sellers tend to exaggerate their deals and set the prices high, then discount them 80% to the regular price to make it look like a better deal. The products are usually still a decent deal, but it's a tactic people should be aware of.

Who owns Temu?

Temu was founded by entrepreneur Colin Huang and is owned by PDD Holdings, a legitimate company in Shanghai, China, own Temu.

Is Temu a safe site?

Yes, Temu protects its website with standard security methods. It uses HTTPS on every page and applies TLS and SSL encryption when handling transactions. This offers the same level of security that you would find with popular brands like eBay or Amazon. 

Are Temu products safe?

Yes, generally, though the quality of the items varies widely. It's best to check reviews beforehand to avoid lower-quality products. However, a Channel 4 documentary called “The Truth About Temu: Dispatches” discovered that some Temu products contained dangerous amounts of chemicals like lead and cadmium. In response, Temu said it would continue to enhance consumer protection and quickly take down any product listings under review. 

Does Temu steal your information?

Temu does not steal your information. Instead, Temu’s privacy policy states that they collect your personal information, such as your name, email address and purchase history. It may be shared with advertisers, service providers, and business partners outside the company. This is a widespread online practice as most stores, news outlets, and websites share data with 3rd parties. In my experience, one of the best ways to minimise your online footprint is to use Incogni. This subscription service automatically requests the deletion of your personal information stored by information brokers online, making your personal information safer. There is also no concrete evidence whatsoever that Temu has sold data to the Chinese government.

On the topic of emails, many people have accused Temu of sending out too many unwanted messages, something I can attest to. Reviews on Trustpilot mention that after making a purchase, there are many unwanted emails. I avoided this issue by unsubscribing from all marketing, and so far, I’ve not received any more emails.

Why is Temu so cheap?

Temu sells products directly from manufacturers in China to customers worldwide, eliminating any middlemen. This business model lets Temu sell many products at extremely low prices. This is known as dropshipping and is an increasingly popular method of selling online. TikTok Shop, AliExpress, Wish, and Shein also use it.

Another way Temu is cheaper is that it primarily sells unknown and unbranded items instead of known brands. Only a few tech companies, like Lenovo and Xiaomi, actually sell products on the site. A brand on the Temu website is verified if its listings show a blue checkmark.

Is Temu a scam?

 The official Temu app and website are not scams. However, due to their popularity worldwide, many scammers have pretended to be Temu through phishing emails. In general, when shopping on the internet, it is worth learning how to spot Phishing emails, scam texts, and websites for your safety. 

Are Temu coupons legit?

Their on-site/app coupons do work, and they offer them often enough to get savings. However, some prices are inflated by individual buyers to make the deal seem better, so take prices with a pinch of salt. This sales method is common, and Amazon is known for doing the same thing. 

Temu Reviews

However, despite my positive experiences, you should consider other customer reviews. Temu has mainly received mixed responses to reviews, with most complaints about delivery times and product quality.

As of January 2025, Temu has received a 2.5 on Trustpilot with 30,605 reviews.

On Reviews.io, as of January 2025, they have a considerably lower score, which should be considered. However, it should be noted many of these negative reviews are about delivery times, and Temu has several local warehouses in the UK which speed up delivery for selected products. 

Can I delete my Temu account?

Yes, if for any reason you wish to delete your Temu account, you can, and its relatively easy to do so via Temu’s account deletion page. Your account will take up to 7 days to be removed entirely from the Temu database. 

So, is Temu legit and safe to order from? Yes, it is; they have secure payments and use the same 3rd party data sharing methods as most other companies and I've used Temu many times. However, you may run into some delivery issues and some products may be a lower quality than you expected.

Hopefully, this article has answered your burning questions about Temu. If you're looking for more answers on which sites are legit, why not check out our article answering the question is CDKeys legit? You can also check our Temu coupon codes page to see if there is a good sale or discount live before you buy.

When you click on one of our links to our discount code page or a retailer page, we may receive a small commission if you purchase something from the retailer's website.

In today’s online universe, protecting your gadgets from viruses and cyber-attacks is like locking your front door at night; it's absolutely essential. If you’re unsure where to start, or wondering what is the best affordable antivirus? here’s a quick look at five trusted antivirus options that can keep your digital world safe without giving you a headache or hurting your wallet.

The 5 Best Affordable Antivirus

Bitdefender

TotalAV

 Norton

Avast

ESET

I have used each of the above antivirus software, switching every year or two when my deal ends. Honestly, no matter which option you choose, your digital life will be safer—and you’ll sleep easier knowing your devices have a trusted bodyguard on duty. So, the best advice would be to pick the one that suits your budget best and the one with the best deal at the time. Having any of the above affordable antivirus software is better than none.

When you click on one of our links to our discount code pages or a retailer page, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. All prices were correct at time of writing.

The most important time of the year for football fans is fast approaching: the World Cup. An event that only comes around every 4 years, and you might be worried that you're away and won't have access to watch the games. That's where a VPN comes in handy.

With a VPN, you'll be able to access all your favourite UK streaming services even if you're out of the country. Meaning you won't miss a single kick-off.

Internet security and data privacy are vital in the modern age. In 2022 alone, over 422 million accounts were affected by data breaches. However, internet security programs and packages can be very costly. That’s where affordable VPNs come to the rescue, riding in on their budget-friendly horses (cyber-horses, if you will) to protect your online life without emptying your wallet.

So, if you want to easily upgrade your privacy and security on the internet at a low cost in time for Data Privacy Day, read on to see our list of the Best Affordable VPNs.

What is a VPN?

Before I get to our list of the Best Affordable VPNs, I will quickly explain what a VPN is for those unaware.

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, acts like your personal shield, encrypting your data and making it incredibly difficult for hackers, advertisers, and cookie collectors to snoop around your digital footprint. It’s the modern equivalent of wearing sunglasses and a trench coat to stay incognito. In addition to the added privacy, the right affordable VPN also helps you stream your favourite foreign shows from geo-locked regions, safely use your financial information for banking online, and even avoid those “we-know-you've-been-looking-at-new-shoes” ads.

The Best Affordable VPNs

*In no particular order

How do I get a free VPN?

Some of the best free VPNS that are completely safe and secure to use include Proton VPN, PrivadoVPN and Windscribe. Luckily for us, our friends over at TechRadar have compiled a list of the very best free VPNs that lists even more free, safe and secure VPNs.

So there we have it! Our recommended list of The Best Affordable VPNs. As a quick tip, make sure you switch brands each time your first year or introductory deal runs out so you can keep saving using a VPN and surfing the web securely without spending too much.

When you click on one of our links to our discount code pages or a retailer page, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. All prices were correct at time of writing.

It's the time of year to wrap warm, make a hot drink and watch a Christmas movie. But where are our favourite movies available to stream online this Christmas? Read our list of our favourite Christmas movies, in no particular order, and on which streaming services they are available to watch this Christmas season.

There we have it! Our top 20 Christmas movies and where to watch them. So grab your snacks and loved ones, cuddle up all cosy and have a Merry Christmas from home.

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