A Xbox One controller and accompanying phone clip will get the job done for under $100.Īndroid is definitely the preferred platform for this approach. You can solve that problem without too much money, though. Even with the push toward bezel-less displays on mobile devices, too much screen real estate is eaten out by your thumbs when using touch controls. Touch controls aren't the best when playing online, though. They look pretty great, too, especially if you have a phone with a high refresh rate like the OnePlus 8 Pro. From Call of Duty Mobile to Hearthstone to Fortnite, there is an increasing number of high-quality, online games available for mobile devices.

The purest way to play games online without a console is on your phone. Play on your phone Rich Shibley/Digital Trends Latency is still an issue, and it likely will be for a few years, but services like Shadow and GeForce Now show that the technology has legs. Now, though, it's the best way to play console or even PC quality games without owning dedicated hardware. Still, if Stadia sounds like your bag, check out our best Google Stadia games guide.Ī few years ago, cloud gaming was simply a pipe dream, forcing hopeful gamers without a console to play on their phone. Those services support PC games through platforms like Steam, and given how frequently Steam games are discounted, that means you can buy a full library for the cost of a few games with Stadia. For that, you could easily pick up a Switch Lite.Īs Digital Trends Senior Editor Matthew Smith points out, though, 'Stadia is way, way behind.' Services like GeForce Now and Shadow are not only cheaper - all things considered - but offer a better experience overall. With Google Stadia, that means $130 for the controller and a Chromecast Ultra, as well as the price of games. Unlike playing on your phone, though, you'll need to dump some sizable money into a cloud gaming platform to get up and running.

Still, you can play games online, on your TV, without a console. Although very close to consoles in terms of performance, cloud gaming still suffers from input lag and streaming issues (read our Google Stadia review for an in-depth look at that). If you're looking for the full, fat console experience, cloud gaming is the way to go. That's why we decided to put together a guide on how to play games online without a console. However, if you can't flip the bill for a PS4 or Xbox One, you can't get in on the action. With games like Fortnite and Apex Legends leading the charge, online gaming is more popular than it's ever been. How to play games online without a console Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

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