There are many attractive aspects of next-generation game consoles Be it increased resolution and frame rates, ray tracing, or cloud streaming But I have come to enjoy one feature that is usually ignored

The fact that you can stream games from a console to a PC or mobile device is often overlooked This is because it is actually an incredibly useful feature Especially if you want to play games from the comfort of your TV

I've been doing this a lot lately with the Xbox Series X, playing on the console itself and moving to my phone It's like having a Nintendo Switch, albeit one that can play Triple-A next-gen titles If I had purchased a Razer Kishi instead of a controller clip, my phone might look like that

The same can be said for the Game Pass Ultimate subscription The difference here is that you don't have to pay $15 a month as long as you plan to use remote play As long as you have a healthy game collection and your console is connected to the Internet, you can use it at any time

The main advantage of remote play is that you are not tied to your TV, as was the case in the days before remote play became popular The console has to be in one place, but you can move around the house and be where you want to be

Remember when your parents told you to stop playing video games and go outside? Now you can easily do both of those things They can also play in bed, while bathing, or on the couch when there is no TV The kids want to watch Peppa Pig on the big screen, but you want to chainsaw the Martian devil With remote play, you can enjoy both of those things, and at no extra cost

Plus, if you have an Xbox console, whether it's a Series X/S or an older Xbox One, you can access your console from a completely different location You can play from the park, the beach, or the train on your way home from work As long as the console is set to instant-on and both you and the console are connected to the Internet

Xbox gamers are also able to remotely access downloaded Game Pass titles, so they are not limited by the number of games they actually purchase The only limitation is that Xbox 360 and original Xbox backwards compatible games cannot be played, but anything from Xbox One or Series X is fair game

Sony is not so liberal and does not allow remote access to downloaded PS Now games Also, remote access is limited to devices on the same network So PS4 and PS5 owners are more limited in these respects, but the basic principle is the same Remote play allows players to enjoy games without having to settle in front of a TV

However, the only real limitation when it comes to remote play is the number of games that can be stored on the console, and you want to make sure you have the appropriate discs in the tray

Remote play does have some drawbacks The main limitation is the possibility of playing on a fairly small screen, such as my 67-inch OnePlus 7 Pro Titles designed to be played on large TV screens these days don't display that well on mobile, so if you want to play "Watch Dogs: Legion" on a remote, you'll need to get pretty close to the screen to see everything that's happening

Similarly, the quality of remote play is nowhere near as good as play through the console itself The resolution of streaming content is capped, so you won't be able to enjoy the full performance of your smartphone's screen: 720p on Xbox consoles and PS4, but it appears to be limited to 1080p on PS5 Still, 4K HDR quality is not available

Network issues can also come into play, and the situation can become difficult when the system starts to lag Obviously, it depends on a variety of factors on the network, such as whether the console is connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi or Ethernet hardwired If you are playing on the same network, these issues may not be as serious In the real world, however, cellular data can make some games completely unplayable

Of course, remote play depends on having a console to play on It's no secret that shortages are affecting the purchase of next-generation game consoles Shoppers are clamoring for the PS5 to be restocked and the Xbox Series X to be restocked, making it nearly impossible to get the console

Without a console, cloud streaming services that allow you to access next-generation console titles from your phone or PC are much more attractive Plus, you don't have to spend an additional $500

Furthermore, as mentioned above, you cannot change discs without being in the physical vicinity of the console If you prefer to play digital titles, this is not a big problem, but if you value physical media, it is worth keeping in mind

Remote play is far from perfect, and there are issues and limitations that get in the way of a true mobile console gaming experience At the same time, however, it is a great feature that does not get enough credit

In a way, it is understandable Cloud gaming is new and exciting, and it suggests that a future is coming in which we will not have to spend hundreds of dollars on a gaming console just to play the latest and greatest games

But right now, remote play on the PS5 and Xbox Series X gives us the ability to enhance the experience on the consoles we already own For me, I enjoy being able to check my progress elsewhere, whether I'm lying in bed on a lazy weekend morning or trying to enjoy the sunny weather before it rains and spoils it

Some people may not find much use for remote play, while others may find it a valuable tool for adding more gaming time to their schedule But that is exactly what makes remote play so appealing Everyone has different tastes in gaming, and the versatility that remote play offers allows you to find what works for you