Phil Hayton

Phil Hayton

Hardware Editor

I’ve been messing around with PCs, video game consoles, and tech since before I could speak. Don’t get me wrong, I kickstarted my relationship with technology by jamming a Hot Wheels double-decker bus into my parent’s VCR, but we all have to start somewhere. I even somehow managed to become a walking, talking buyer’s guide at my teenage supermarket job, which helped me accept my career fate. So, rather than try to realise my musician dreams, or see out my University degree, I started running my own retro pop culture site and writing about video games and tech for the likes of TechRadar, The Daily Star, and the BBC before eventually ending up with a job covering graphics card shenanigans at PCGamesN. Now, I’m your friendly neighbourhood Hardware Editor at GamesRadar, and it’s my job to make sure you can kick butt in all your favourite games using the best gaming hardware, whether you’re a sucker for handhelds like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch or a hardcore gaming PC enthusiast.

Articles by: Phil Hayton

White RTX 4080 Super standing vertically on woodgrain table

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super review: “the 4K GPU most players should opt for”

By Phil Hayton published

Review The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super makes up for the high MSRP of its predecessor, even if it's almost the same graphics card as the original.

Ayaneo 2S with Xbox Game Pass art on screen

Microsoft needs to optimize Windows before making an Xbox handheld

By Phil Hayton published

News Phil Spencer says an Xbox handheld is being considered, but optimising Windows for existing Steam Deck rivals is probably the best approach.

THE400 Mini sitting on cartridges

THE400 Mini review: "your dad's first Atari PC is back"

By Phil Hayton published

Review The THE400 Mini is an exceptional homage to Atari's classic microcomputer, and it'll provide convenient access to multiple 8-bit retro game libraries.

Gamer with curly hair using Samsung Odyssey Ark monitor at desk

Samsung’s big silly 55-inch Odyssey Ark monitor has $1,000 off right now, but it’s got more than size on its side

By Phil Hayton published

Deals The newest Samsung Odyssey Ark has 33% off, and the 55-inch monitor could be worth investing in if you're building an immersive gaming setup.

AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics card with Ratchet and Clank key Rift Apart art in backdrop

AMD FSR 3.1 is in the works, and the Radeon GPU tech will play nice with other upscalers

By Phil Hayton published

News AMD has announced that FSR 3.1 is in development, and it could enable its Frame Generation GPU tech to work with rival upscalers like Nvidia DLSS.

Intel Core i5-12400F CPU resting on Snorlax figure

My favorite 12th Gen Intel CPU is down to a record-low price, and it's not the one you'd think

By Phil Hayton published

News The Intel Core i5-12400F has dropped to its lowest price thanks to Amazon's Spring Sale, and it'll provide most players with more than enough CPU power.

Nvidia employee next to AI robot in lab

Nvidia has officially revealed its next GPU, but the company wants to chat AI robots first before the RTX 5090

By Phil Hayton published

News Nvidia just unveiled its next gen Blackwell GPU architecture, but the focus is firmly on AI right now rather than what the RTX 5090 might look like.

Glowing PS5 with God Of War promotional screenshot in backdrop

PS5 Pro leak reveals specs that sound more like PS6 alongside AI upscaling tech

By Phil Hayton published

News Fresh PS5 Pro leaks have landed, and the revamped console will allegedly boast almost three times more GPU power and new AI upscaling abilities.

MSI Claw with Out of Stock label attached and MSI blue and white wallpaper in backdrop

The MSI Claw is seemingly in high demand, and I’m already seeing out of stock signs

By Phil Hayton published

News You might need to wait a while before buying the MSI Claw, as Newegg now has the Steam Deck rival on backorder.

Eon XBHD next to original Xbox on woodgrain table

This OG Xbox HDMI adapter just got a $40 price cut, and its biggest issue has been fixed

By Phil Hayton published

deal The EON XBHD original Xbox HDMI adapter is now $40 cheaper over at Amazon, and the retro console accessory maker has fixed its biggest flaw.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 mock-up with navy mirrored backdrop

Everything we know about the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090

By Phil Hayton last updated

News We're rounding up everything we know about the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, including rumors surrounding the next gen graphics card's release date and specs.

Philips Evnia 42M2N8900 monitor with PS5 menu on screen and Spyro the Dragon Reignited Trilogy art

Philips Evnia 42M2N8900 review: "likely to put a smile on your face"

By Phil Hayton published

Review The Philips Evnia 42M2N8900 is a superb 42-inch OLED monitor that'll serve both PC and console players with fantastic visuals and immersive lighting.

MSI Claw handheld with mascot on screen and blue and pink backdrop

Where to buy the MSI Claw: stock updates for the Steam Deck rival

By Phil Hayton last updated

Stock Here's where to buy the MSI Claw, including a list of retailers with stock and pricing information for the Steam Deck rival.

Mock up of Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 with green light backdrop

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 GPU could feature faster GDDR7 memory, but other details are up for debate

By Phil Hayton published

News Fresh Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 rumors suggest the next gen graphics card will use faster GDDR7 VRAM, accompanied by a 512GB bus that would allow for more memory.

Bittboy retro handheld on top of old Game Boy cartridges

The Game Boy inspired Bittboy sparked a handheld revolution in 2019 - here’s how it holds up five years later

By Phil Hayton published

feature The Bittboy set a new standard for retro handheld emulation devices in 2019 - here's how it holds up against newer portable solutions available today.

BenQ Mobiuz gaming monitor with Starfield AMD FreeSync on and off demo on screen and navy backdrop with orange plus symbols

AMD FreeSync now want your new 1080p monitor to support at least 144Hz

By Phil Hayton published

News AMD has announced that FreeSync will now require over 144Hz when used with new 1080p gaming monitors and TVs with support for the GPU feature.

Steam Deck next to Anker Prime Power Bank with teal backdrop and 'best deal' badge in centre

This Anker power bank will charge the chonkiest of handheld setups, and it’s down a new record low price

By Phil Hayton published

deals The Anker Prime 200W power bank has dropped to a record low price at Amazon, and it's perfect for anyone with a demanding Steam Deck setup.

Nitro Deck+ with purple and orange backdrop

The Nitro Deck+ wants your Switch to look even more like a Steam Deck

By Phil Hayton published

News You can now pre-order the Nitro Deck+ for $69.99 / £69.99, and the new Switch controller wields Steam Deck-style thumb sticks and a built-in dock.

Gravestone with Nvidia GeForce GTX logo on front

Pour one out for Nvidia GeForce GTX, as the old graphics card line-up has been discontinued

By Phil Hayton published

News Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics cards like the GTX 1660 have reportedly been discontinued, and the remaining stock has now been sent to GPU makers.

Crucial Gen 4 SSD with blurred Steam backdrop

Steam survey suggests more players are using gaming PCs with over 1TB storage

By Phil Hayton published

News Valve's Steam hardware survey for February 2024 suggests more players are using SSD and hard drive options over 1TB to run PC games.

Jsaux 20000mah 65w power bank next to Steam Deck OLED on woodgrain table

Jsaux 20000mAh 65w power bank review: “a juice box specifically for your Steam Deck”

By Phil Hayton published

Review The Jsaux 20000mAh 65w power bank is a great Steam Deck accessory that will keep Valve's handheld charged even when running power-hungry PC games.

MSI Claw next to docking station with green and black backdrop

MSI Claw finally has a US release date, and it’s set to have its own Steam Deck dock

By Phil Hayton published

News A Newegg listing for the MSI Claw states that the handheld gaming PC will be available from March 8 alongside accessories like a docking station.

Steam Deck being held with crossed out Nvidia GeForce Now logo on screen

Nvidia might be making its own Steam Deck rival, but I’m praying the handheld isn’t powered by GeForce Now

By Phil Hayton published

News Rumors suggest that a "premium" Nvidia gaming handheld could be on the cards, but I'm hoping it isn't a GeForce Now device that relies on the cloud.

Valve Steam Deck dock next to Steam Deck

Dear Valve, here’s what I want from your next Steam Deck dock

By Phil Hayton published

Feature Here's what I think Valve should include in its next Steam Deck dock, including thoughts on design and features like build-in SSD support.

HDMI cable with sad text face

AMD’s efforts to fix HDMI 2.1 have been shot down - here’s why I think PC gamers should stick with DisplayPort

By Phil Hayton published

News The HDMI Forum has said no to proposals to fix HDMI 2.1 for Linux users by making it open source, following months of work on GPU driver support.