Retro hardware manufacturer Analogue is now accepting reservations for a 24-karat gold-plated Nintendo Entertainment System aimed at the collector’s market.
Only the wealthiest fans of Nintendo’s 8-bit output need apply for Analogue’s limited-edition NES model, however. Only 10 of the console are being produced, priced at $5,000 each.
To soften the blow, Analogue will throw in a free cartridge of Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda (valued at upwards of $30) with every order. All units are made-to-order with either RGB or HDMI output, at the buyer’s discretion.
Aside from its gold-plated exterior, the limited edition unit is otherwise identical to the Analogue Nt aluminum model, priced at a comparatively modest $500. Built using refurbished and recovered Nintendo Entertainment System hardware, the Analogue Nt upgrades the 8-bit system’s video output to support modern formats like RGB, component, and s-video, in addition to a standard composite signal.
An optional HDMI upgrade kit allows the Analogue Nt to be plugged directly into modern HDTVs, automatically upscaling output to 720p or 1080p with no noticeable input lag.
Related Offer: See more from Nintendo here
While NES clones are usually dirt-cheap, software compatibility for bootlegged hardware often comes up short. The Analogue Nt is built out of original, Nintendo-developed components, ensuring the highest possible compatibility with the Nintendo Entertainment System’s software library. The unit additionally features two cartridge slots, enabling support for both NES games and Japanese Famicom software.
The Analogue Nt also pitches itself as an ideal solution for audiophiles, promising adjustable mono and stereo sound, free from the noise and interference associated with the stock NES’s RF and composite output. Other bundled features include four controller ports, compatibility with Famicom expansion audio, and support for the Japan-only Famicom Disk System, via an expansion port.
The unit’s $500 model is currently out of stock at Analogue’s website, making the gold-plated edition your only option at the moment if you’re in the market for a high-end NES. Is it worth the asking price?
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.