Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Gaming hardware used to get cheaper as it aged, but those days seem to be over. This week, Trev and Stu discuss Valve’s surprise Steam Deck price hike, debate whether gaming is becoming more expensive, and explore how changing buying habits could shape the future of consoles and PC gaming.

Valve shocks gamers with major Steam Deck OLED price increases.

Does the Steam Deck still offer good value, or have rivals overtaken it?

Comparing the Steam Deck against the Lenovo Legion Go S and ROG Ally.

Why modern consoles and handhelds are getting more expensive instead of cheaper.

A look back at the PS2, Nintendo 64 and the era of dramatic hardware price cuts.

Is gaming really more expensive today, or are we getting more value from longer-lasting hardware?

Budget PCs, second-hand components and why more players may be moving away from traditional consoles.

Predictions for the Steam Machine, PS6 and the future cost of gaming hardware.

Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about different episodes of the Star Trek franchise! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Title Theme – Pinball Dreams (1992) – Commodore Amiga – Composer(s): Olof Gustafsson

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! This week we switch things up with a listener Q&A-style episode, tackling a range of topics like the ever-blurring line between PCs and consoles, and debating whether devices like Steam Deck, SteamOS, and Microsoft’s rumoured “Project Helix” represent the future of gaming. Along the way, we revisit the biggest console generation leaps of all time — from the jump to 3D on the PS1 and N64, to the HD revolution of the Xbox 360 era — before diving deep into modern graphics tech like DLSS, FSR, and frame generation.

In this episode:

PC vs console convergence – Why SteamOS has pushed Microsoft and others toward more console-like PC gaming experiences

Project Helix speculation – Will Microsoft’s future Xbox hardware behave more like a console, a PC, or something in between?

The old days of PC gaming – Remembering when installing a PC game could feel like a technical qualification

Biggest console generation leap – Why the jump from 16-bit systems to PS1, Saturn, and N64 still feels unmatched

Mario 64 & open worlds – How Nintendo’s 3D platformer changed the way games were designed forever

Metal Gear Solid & cinematic gaming – The moment games started to feel like interactive movies

The HD gaming revolution – Why the Xbox 360 and PS3 era transformed online gaming and visual clarity

DLSS, FSR & upscaling explained – Breaking down how modern games fake higher resolutions for better performance

Frame generation debate – Smooth visuals vs controller responsiveness, and where the tech works best

Steam Deck & emulator experiments – Using modern PC features to breathe new life into retro and PS3-era games Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about different episodes of the Star Trek franchise! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Title Theme – Pinball Dreams (1992) – Commodore Amiga – Composer(s): Olof Gustafsson

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! It’s another trip to the world of Xbox, as we’re joined by special guest Lee from the EternalLee HD YouTube channel—a prolific Xbox 360 collector who knows the system inside out. Together, we dive into CEX chaos, physical media quirks, and the golden era of the 360, from reprinted covers to rare oddities. It’s a proper enthusiast’s look at what made the generation so special—and so challenging to collect for! In this episode:

CEX cover drama – Why “cover reprinted” games just don’t cut it for collectors (and shouldn’t cost the same)

The CEX lottery – Ordering multiple copies, building one perfect version, and returning the rest—chaotic, but once very real

Postage problems – How CEX’s store-to-store fulfilment model leads to inconsistent shipping costs and customer confusion

Death of the manual – The slow fade from full booklets to flimsy inserts… to nothing at all by the end of the 360 generation

Building the ultimate 360 database – A community-built database documenting every detail of Xbox 360 physical releases, from barcodes to inlays

All-time greats – Fallout: New Vegas takes centre stage, alongside heavy hitters like Modern Warfare 2 and Red Dead Redemption

Hidden gems & variety – From Blur and Split/Second to Enslaved, celebrating the sheer range of the 360 library

Weird & wonderful moments – Rare titles like Handball 16, industry stories, and even a surreal Lips performance tale to round things off Check out Lee’s YouTube channel here:‪@EternalLeeHD‬ Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about different episodes of the Star Trek franchise! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! Not quite March—but close enough… so it’s Marchintosh time! Or maybe Appril? Either way, Trev and Stu return to the annual YouTube tradition of diving into Apple tech. This year, we’re spotlighting the machine that redefined portable computing for decades to come: the iconic Titanium PowerBook G4—the blueprint for modern laptops. Apologies for the audio issues in this episode—there’s some glitchiness on Trev’s side from the original recording.

In this episode:

DLSS 5 & AI visuals – Is NVIDIA heading toward a future of AI-generated, “yassified” game assets?

Mac portable evolution – The journey of Apple laptops leading up to 2001

Design legacy – How the Titanium G4 stacks up against modern laptops

Ahead of its time – Why it was such a leap in both performance and industrial design

First impressions – Trev’s memories of encountering the Titanium G4 in early-2000s UK, when Macs were still a rarity

Design contrast – The sleek, pro titanium look vs the playful “jellybean” iMac era Best of both worlds

– Why it’s still a perfect machine for classic Mac OS and early Mac OS X software Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! At GDC 2026, Microsoft gave us our first taste of Project Helix, the next-generation Xbox. It looks set to be an extremely powerful, PC-like console — but what does that actually mean in the living room? Will we be staring at a Windows desktop with a controller in hand on the sofa? Trev and Stu speculate…

Stu is blown away to discover there are actually three games in the Wave Race series!

Grand Theft Auto IV is getting incredible mods, and Stu gives them a try.

Project Helix: Can Microsoft finally unite Xbox and PC gaming?

Helix can play PC games — but what does that really mean? Can you install Steam on it?

Could Microsoft lock Helix down, with Game Pass as the only route to PC titles?

Will Helix be a better Steam Machine than the Steam Machine?

Our thoughts on Sony (allegedly) stepping back from the PC market.

Is a PS6 worth buying just for exclusives when Helix could offer so much variety? Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about everything Star Trek! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! On this week’s shockcast it’s all about rediscovering classics, fan-made passion projects, and the chaos of retro tech. We dive into free arena shooters, questionable dial-up online experiences, modern throwbacks to 90s racers, and surprisingly great movie-to-game adaptations. There’s plenty of CRT-era nostalgia, exciting preservation breakthroughs, and one painful battle with outdated PC gaming services thrown in for good measure.

Rayman Reborn? Trev discovers Rayman Redemption, the fan-made remake of the PS1 classic — but is it actually better than the official 30th Anniversary effort?

Arena Shooter Resurrection – The legendary Unreal Tournament 2004 is now free, and Stu wastes no time jumping back into the frag-fest. Does it still slap?

Dial-Up Dreamcast – Online console gaming on a 33k modem… revolutionary at the time, but was it secretly a laggy nightmare?

Sideways in the 90s – Old School Rally powerslides onto the scene as a modern tribute to the golden era of rally games. Pure nostalgia or style over substance? Busting Still Feels Good – Revisiting Ghostbusters: The Video Game and its remaster — one of the greatest movie-to-game adaptations ever?

Chunky Scanline Memories – Those thick black CRT lines from the 90s… did we all see them, or is nostalgia playing tricks on us?

N64 Recomp Revolution – Trev explores the magic of N64 decompilation projects, including Banjo-Kazooie and Mario Kart 64 — preservation at its finest.

Legacy of GFWL – Stu goes toe-to-toe with Games for Windows Live to resurrect the original PC port of Gears of War. Victory or technical heartbreak? Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! PC gaming handhelds have evolved fast since Valve shook things up by revealing the Steam Deck in 2021—but what should a true second-generation Valve handheld look like? Trev and Stu break down what would actually make a Steam Deck 2 a meaningful upgrade, drawing on features from newer PC handhelds and asking which ones Valve should steal, refine, or ignore entirely. In this episode:

We kick things off with EA FC 26 somehow running on a 12-year-old laptop

Valve nailed the original form factor—but is it time for a higher-resolution display?

Modern handhelds are pushing higher TDPs for extra performance—should Valve move beyond the 15-watt limit?

A more modular design, including easily user-replaceable SSDs, for better long-term upgrades

Is a 5× performance jump over the original Steam Deck the bare minimum expectation?

Bigger batteries for longer, truly untethered gaming sessions

Hall-effect joysticks to finally put stick drift in the bin

A next-gen dock with Switch-style performance boosts when docked

If that’s still not enough power… is it time for external GPU support? Whether you’re all-in on Valve’s handheld future or just curious where PC portables are heading next, this one’s for you. Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo

Retro and current gen gaming chat, with Trev and Stu, its the Console Shockcast! We’re back for 2026! After a festive break, the crew return to kick off the new year with a big look back at 2025 and an even bigger look ahead to what gaming has in store for us next. From bargain-bin hauls to future tech, predictions, and surprises — it’s our first deep dive into gaming in 2026.

We unpack our Steam Winter Sale pick-ups

Our favourite games of 2025

Trev puts Lossless Scaling on the Steam Deck through its paces

What’s coming in 2026?

Are next-gen consoles about to be revealed?

Will the Steam Machine price make us cheer… or choke? Check out Trev and Al’s other podcast where they reminisce about a different episode of Star Trek every month! : https://longrangesensors.com/episodes Intro/Outro Music – Turn The Page (Tutorial Theme) – Ridge Racer Type 4 (1998) – Sony Playstation – Composer(s): Hiroshi Okubo