Gaming On The Go: 5 Tips To Make The Most of Your Gaming Sessions While Traveling
When traveling, packing all the essentials is one of the most important things to ensure a seamless trip. You need to make sure you’re putting everything in the luggage long before you set off, including sunscreen, clothes, a First Aid Kit, money, and obviously, entertainment, which is even more important as a gamer. While you’re spending most of your time doing fun travel activities like sightseeing, you’ll also travel between places, and if the journey takes hours, the best way to pass the time and avoid boredom is to play video games, right? Check out our top 5 ideas to help you make the most of your gaming sessions while on the go.
Get a portable games console
If you know you’ll have a lot of spare hours when traveling, it makes sense to get a portable games console, the handheld gaming device which was all the rage back in the early 2000s when Nintendo DS came out. Portable consoles are back in style these days, and they offer superior screens, console-quality graphics, and enhanced battery life. Some of the options you can choose from include the Nintendo Switch 2, ASUS ROG Ally X, Steam Deck OLED, and Nintendo Switch Lite.
You want to consider performance versus portability when making a choice: for example, ASUS ROG Ally X offers high-end gaming, but it’s heavier, while Nintendo Switch is lighter and easier to carry. However, all of these models allow gaming on the go, even when you’re on a plane for 11 hours flying above the world.
Protect your gaming gear and get accessories
Carrying gaming gear comes with risks because if you don’t plan properly, it could get damaged due to spills, bumps, or sudden weather changes. To protect it, you should invest in a hard-shell carrying case with additional compartments for your console and use the extra space available to place your gaming accessories. This way, you’ll have everything in one place.
Speaking of accessories, airports and buses can get noisy, and if you hate being disrupted during gaming sessions, packing noise-cancelling headphones can be a game-changer, because they will help you stay immersed in your experience. This will also ensure you won’t annoy fellow travelers with the sounds of street racing or combat gunfire. Laptops and modern smartphones give you the option to use wireless or wired headphones, while mobile game consoles allow you to use wired headphones alone(but you can get a wireless headphone adapter to fix this problem). Just keep in mind to check the battery life if you opt for wireless headphones, because cheaper options can run out of juice rapidly.
Stay connected wherever you go
Before you hop on the plane, make sure to get an eSIM, because it will provide affordable, instant, and high-speed data as soon as you arrive, eliminating a physical SIM card swap. It will also deliver fast internet speed, which is necessary for competitive gaming demands, and doesn’t come with contract lock-ins. You can also hotspot its data to various devices, be it your gaming console or smartphone, making it a convenient option.
Choosing the right eSIM plan isn’t very complicated, but it involves a few steps. For instance, you need to first confirm the compatibility of your phone, which can be done in several ways, including checking in settings, where you’ll find a SIM card manager option. If you can see “Add mobile plan”, it means it’s compatible. Another important thing is to identify your destination, of course. When comparing providers, also check network quality, customer support, and user reviews to make an informed decision. For instance, if you get an eSIM from Holafly for Australia, you’ll not only benefit from 5G speed, but you’ll also be able to keep your physical eSIM for calls and texts. If there’s any change of plans for your trip, you have a specific timeframe to request a refund, which is pretty convenient.
Manage battery life effectively
If you want to make sure your device is powered up during gaming sessions on the go, it’s essential to use the right strategies. There are a few tricks that can help to this end, like activating dark mode, lowering screen brightness to 30%-40%, activating dark mode, switching the device to airplane mode when playing games offline, and disabling unnecessary apps that are running in the background.
It can also be useful to use smart charging practices, such as charging up to 80-90% to optimize battery health, optimize the settings of the game, and use wired headphones, which consume less energy. And here’s another trick that not so many people know about: extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold, can drain batteries very quickly, so it’s best to avoid them as much as possible.
Install a VPN
If you’re a digital nomad, you likely take a laptop with you when traveling. You need this device in order to complete your projects, but at the same time, you can also use it to play games as a way to unwind and recharge, which you can download via Epic Games Store or Steam.
One thing to note if you want to play games online while traveling is that some websites can be locked geographically in some countries, so unless you get a VPN, you won’t be able to access them. A VPN allows you to mask your location, so it can look like you’re actually based somewhere else: for example, your VPN will say you’re in the UK even though you could be in Barbados. This means you would get access to all the gaming websites that can only be accessed in the UK, which makes it very straightforward to have a fun time no matter where you are in the world.
Bottom line
As an avid gamer, traveling gives you a great opportunity to turn downtime into prime gaming sessions, and these simple tips can help you do just that. Just remember to aim for balance, and give yourself time to also do sightseeing and other fun travel activities beyond gaming, as this will make your adventures abroad even more memorable.