Most of you are probably like me. You get a console, you plug it into a big TV, maybe a surround sound system as well and that’s where it stays. Forever.
Some of you, though, are nomads. You’re always on the move. Your consoles will move from the living room to one bedroom to another, or from college dorm room to dorm room to parent’s house.
If that’s you, and you’re like a wave who cannot be tamed, the Gaems G155 might be of interest.
The G155 is what Gaems call a “self-contained mobile gaming environment”. It’s what I call a “plastic suitcase with a TV inside it”.
It serves two purposes. One, it’s a sturdy, solid carry-case for a gaming console, one which will house the hardware and all its cables in something you can stick in the back of a car and not have to worry about. And two, the in-built lCD screen means you can play your console games wherever you can sit down and find at leas two free power outlets.
As a case, it does the job! The outside is constructed of tough, matte plastic, with soft rubber spines running along the bottom of the unit so you don’t scratch a table. It’s unlocked using two large plastic clasps on the side, and once open the interior is a mix of thick padding and bags for your power leads. For a test I put my secondary 360 in it, tossed it in the backseat, let my kid play with it for a bit, drove around with it loose then opened it up. Everything was exactly where it should have been, and everything was working just fine.
It’s not over-flowing with storage options, though, so if you’re after something to just carry your gear, this won’t do the trick. You can fit the console, cables and maybe two controllers in there; you won’t be cramming in a dozen games and two extra pads, there’s just no room.
It’s those looking for an all-in-one mobile gaming solution that will get the most out of the G155. The reason there’s not much room in the case is because the lid is occupied by a 15.5-inch LCD monitor which, being a PC monitor stripped of its frame and dropped in a suitcase, can take any HD configuration your consoles will throw at it.
This screen may be small, but considering the price and compromises involved here to get it inside a suitcase, it’s pretty good! It’s got the full range of adjustments you’d expect from a desktop monitor, plus there’s external volume and brightness buttons. The sound is… not as impressive, but that’s not really a problem, because there’s headphone jacks on the front of the monitor.
The G155 is marketed as being compatible with the Xbox 360 (both old and new models) and the newer PS3 Slim. One reason for the lack of Wii (or older PS3, or any other console!) on the marketing material is the size of the case. The other is the fact it only accepts a HDMI connection, meaning older consoles are out of the question. In a nice touch, the G155 actually includes a short HDMI cable (your console will only be 15cm away from the input at most).
Look, this thing isn’t for everyone. Not many people will have a need to move their consoles much at all, let alone move them in something in which they can also play them. But if you are one of those rare nomads, and can handle the $US300 MSRP, this is a pretty sweet setup, as not only does it keep your gear safe while moving, but it looks pretty good once you start playing as well.
The GAEMS G155 is available now from select online retailers, with a recommended retail price $US300.
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