To the older generation, young people seem preoccupied with video games, but social experts believe video games could teach skills vital in the workplace. We put six options for digital entertainment under the spotlight.
COOL CONSOLE
Microsoft Xbox One S Price to be announced, www.xbox.com/en-ZA
PlayStation is the hardcore gamer’s choice, but the new, much smaller Xbox has a racy, up-todate design, plays 4K video and uses far less electricity. It now runs your old Xbox games, plus you can stream games from your console to your Windows PC.
HIGH-OCTANE HANDHELD
Samsung Galaxy S7 R11 600, www.samsung.co.za
Currently the best phone from the top brand, this device has everything in spades, from the blazing octa-core processor to the much-improved graphics chip and the best-in-class Quad HD 5,1-inch screen. The special gaming mode can cut out distractions like incoming calls and notifications, and record on-screen action.
PLAY TO LEARN
LeapTV R1 499, www.leapfrog.com
This robust and child-friendly console comes at a fraction of the price of a PlayStation, tablet or smartphone. LeapFrog have a proven formula for learning through digital activities, with physical movement, maths, science and problem-solving automatically set for your child’s age. More than 100 games are available, on cartridges or as downloads.
TEENAGE TINKERERS
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B Starter Kit R1 799, www.raspberrypi.org
Built on a palm-sized circuit board, this fully fledged computer has taken the geek world by storm. It’s being used for amateur robotics, homemedia servers and much more. The secret is the kid-friendly programming languages, and the slots and sockets to plug in cameras, data-storage cards and other USB devices.
YOUNG INVENTORS
Lego Mindstorms EV3 R5 999, mindstorms.lego.com
Named after Seymour Papert’s Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas (Basic Books), Lego’s most technical sets have a small PC at their core, which can be programmed using a number of simple languages. These third-generation construction sets include motors and light, sound and colour sensors, and can be controlled from a smartphone.
PORTABLE PERFORMER
Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 R2 900, mia.africa.com/za
If you’re nervous about shelling out top dollar for an electronic toy, this well-priced smartphone has superb specs, a massive 5,5-inch full-HD screen and a big 3 060mAh battery to keep it all going for hours. Xiaomi is the fourth biggest phone maker in the world, but is new to SA.
HOW TO BUY A BASIC GAMING PC
Someone asking for a PC to do their schoolwork, but you know it’s for gaming? Expect to pay at least R8 500. Here are the important parts: Intel Core i3 CPU (±R2 300), 8GB RAM (±R1 000) and the most expensive NVIDIA graphics card you can afford (spend ±R2 500).
Related: 8 best board games
BUYING GUIDE
IN-APP PURCHASES
Younger children might be unaware of so-called in-app purchases, often presented as a way to get ahead in some smartphone games. If you have previously used your credit card on the device, purchases might go through automatically, so take precautions.
PLAYSTATION OR XBOX?
The technology of these video-game consoles is almost identical. Always just get what your friends have because participating in shared online gaming experiences is now the most important aspect of gaming, not the tech.
…OR PC?
Best for mature gamers, PCs require some tech smarts to keep them working well. Expect to upgrade some part of your gaming system almost every year. Laptops are much harder to upgrade than desktop PCs.
ONLINE GAMING
The biggest video games are now played online with other people. Budget for connecting to these paid-for networks each month: PlayStation Plus (±R100), Xbox Live Gold (±R160) or Steam for PCs (no charge). There are often free or discounted downloads for members too.
DISCS OR DOWNLOADS
Store-bought games on optical discs are convenient to share and trade with friends, but they’re easily damaged and lost. Downloaded games have a small additional Internet-data cost, but they load much faster and can’t be lost, stolen or damaged.
POWER-UPS
Older video-game consoles consume up to 200W of power when in use (excluding the TV), but modern consoles use much less. Switch them off when they’re not in use.
PHOTO: iStock/Squaredpixels
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