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Top pocket gaming hardware to look out for in 2020

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Top pocket gaming hardware to look out for in 2020

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2019 was a pretty busy year for anyone interested in devices that let you game on the go. Which is everyone reading this feature, presumably.

Towards the end of the year we received the best iPhone line-up we'd seen in ages courtesy of the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. And they were accompanied by a brilliant new dedicated subscription gaming service in the form Apple Arcade.

Over in the Nintendo corner, we got a new model of the Nintendo Switch. The Switch Lite provided a lighter, more compact and cheaper version of the console. If all you wanted to do was play on the go, it was a winner.

Meanwhile Google supplied an all new gaming platform in Google Stadia. The idea with this streaming-focused system was that you could play PC-quality games anywhere - on your computer, on your TV, or indeed on your smartphone.

The reality turned out to be some way short of the promise, thanks to the creaky broadband infrastructure in most corners of the world and a terrible pricing system on Google's part. But there's genuine promise here, and Google certainly wins points for offering up the first comprehensive game streaming platform.

So what does 2020 have in store for us? If anything, there's even more to look forward to than there was at the outset of 2019.

Here are some of the pocket gaming gizmos we're eagerly anticipating for 2020. And we're not even going to touch on the potential streaming services that Sony and Microsoft will unveil towards the end of the year.

Is there a phone or system you feel we've missed? Which Android phone do you think deserves to join this list? Join the discussion in the comments below. In the meantime, Happy New Year to you all, and we'll talk to you in 2020.

Click Here To View The List »

1
Nintendo Switch Pro

Prior to the launch of the Nintendo Switch Lite, there were rumours of a second, more capable Nintendo Switch revision.

Unlike the Lite, the Switch Pro (as we're calling it) would improve on the original Switch whilst retaining its core hybrid console function.

Those rumours may have receded with the eventual release of the Lite, but they haven't gone away. In fact, many think that we'll see this Switch 1.5 in 2020.

Expect a more efficient processor, better battery life, a tidier design, and quite possible an improved display.

2
iPhone 12

As we mentioned in the intro, 2019 saw the best iPhone launch roster in years. But guess what? 2020's offering is going to blow it out of the water.

That's no Apple-style hyperbole either. While the iPhone 11 family is good, it still sticks to the basic design template laid forth by the iPhone X a couple of years back.

Virtually every Apple source out there claims that the iPhone is set for a radical revamp in 2020. We're talking a fresh design, an improved camera, more power, and 5G connectivity.

3
iPhone SE 2

It's a cruel fact that while the iPhone is undoubtedly the best gaming smartphone on the market in any given year, it's also one of the most expensive.

The launch of the iPhone SE and the iPhone 5c represented two occasions where Apple has thought more about value than premium specs, but we haven't seen anything like this since 2016.

Recent rumours suggest that 2020 could see an iPhone SE 2 launched. Apparently, it'll have an iPhone 8-like design, complete with a compact 4.7-inch display, and a single camera - all for a price that's lower than the iPhone 11.

4
Playdate

One of the most unexpectedly exciting pocket gaming announcements of 2019 was the Playdate, and it's set to release in 2020.

Here is a Kickstarted portable gaming system from Panic Inc and Teenage Engineering, which promises to come with its own subscription gaming service and a charmingly fresh design.

This bright, light device boasts a compact square body, a tiddly but sharp monochrome display, and most unusually of all a physical crank control.

Alongside this gorgeous machine, a number of exclusive games are in the works from established figures like Bennett Foddy, Zach Gage, and Keita Takahashi. That's some Grade A indie talent right there.

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Jon Mundy
Jon Mundy
Jon is a consummate expert in adventure, action, and sports games. Which is just as well, as in real life he's timid, lazy, and unfit. It's amazing how these things even themselves out.