Review: GAEMS Vanguard Personal Gaming Environment

I’ve developed a real love-hate relationship with the GAEMS Vanguard Personal Gaming Environment.

Best described as a portable all-in-one for your gaming console of choice – gaming console not included, obviously – the Vanguard allows you to take your show on the road, providing you have access to power.

The Vanguard is basically a gaming briefcase, with the Premium model sporting a 19” LED screen, super-decent speakers and enough room to house your console of choice, its power brick and a single controller. A short HDMI cable, provided, will connect your console to the screen; from there, you plug the Vanguard and your console into power and you’re good to go. Consoles from the Wii U to the Xbox One will fit in the unit, with securing straps available to keep your rig snug and safe while you’re transporting it.

The Vanguard’s speakers are easily the best part of the unit, delivering great quality sound from a little package. Two headphone jacks also allow for silent-running (well, you know what I mean) if you’re fitting in some game time in an airport lounge. A handy remote control also lets you change volume without having to lean in and interface with the Vanguard itself. Finally, the unit’s screen is high-quality as well, but be warned: it only outputs at a maximum of 720p.

Depending on whom you ask, there are limitless scenarios where the Vanguard will excel. Esports players who are attending a competition. Gamers who want to bring their gear to a friend’s house for a LAN. Children with divorced parents who are travelling between houses, week-to-week. Busy executive types who are constantly travelling but also want to get in some Call of Duty multiplayer. Gamers stuck in the hospital after a surgery. The list goes on.

I accept most of the examples above, but at its $500 AUD price point, I think I could offer up better alternatives than the Vanguard. Children going from Mom’s house to Dad’s house would probably be able to guilt their parents into supplying a console at both locations – after all, for $500, you can buy a PS4 or Xbox One could probably connect it to an existing TV far larger than 19”. Executives will find they can usually use an HDMI cable to connect their console of choice to a hotel TV nowadays. Those in the hospital will find the same is true; even if not, $500 for the privilege of gaming whilst bed-ridden for a week or two seems a bit much.

The briefcase nature of the Vanguard is purpose-built to allow for easy carry-on access on airplanes; while that may work in the United States, it doesn’t in Australia. Size-wise, the unit is fine, but not weight-wise; at over 5KG without a console, slapping a PS4 or Xbox One in the Vanguard easily puts it over the 7KG carry-on limit imposed by most Australian airlines. The other problem with travelling with the Vanguard is that it’ll work inside Australia, but may not abroad. In the United States, the Vanguard’s power supply can handle the US’ 120V standard with an adaptor, but to get your Xbox 360 or Xbox One working, you’ll not only need an adaptor, but an expensive – and potentially warranty-voiding – power transformer.

It seems the best fit for the Vanguard are those into Esports or LAN matches with friends. The unit allows for easily portability and setup, so you can have a bunch of competitors or pals in a room together and get playing with little fuss. Get in, play, get out; easy done. It’s hard to fault that thinking or provide a better – or cheaper – solution.

That brings me back to the love-it-or-hate-it nature of the Vanguard: it’s a great unit, but at a $500 AUD price tag, it’s not an easily-justifiable expense. Know your own situation and purchase accordingly.