So, you are going to travel, either far away or close by. You are going to be away from your home for a while, and you are going to get bored in wherever strange place you find yourself.
You considered bringing entertainment, your gaming console, but it´s too much of a hassle. It doesn´t fit neatly on your backpack and it might get damaged on the way. If only there was a way to easily carry your PlayStation, Xbox or even the Switch with you...
But there is such a way, or several, to be more precise. There is a whole range of cases, bags, and backpacks specifically designed to carry gaming consoles.
Sure, it may sound silly to spend money on a case that only carries videogames, but there are several benefits to using these bags instead of tucking your console in your luggage or getting bored out of your mind because you left it at home.
What are the Benefits?
Protection and ease of mind:
Gaming consoles are notoriously expensive pieces of hardware. The Switch Lite is the cheapest current-gen console and it still costs around two hundred dollars.
Now, imagine tossing five hundred dollars’ worth of electronics into your travel case for an international flight. You know that the poor bag is going to get tossed and turned in at least three different countries. How can you make sure that nothing happens to your precious games? That nothing breaks? By buying a padded travel case, that’s how.
This benefit applies even for shorter rides, like taking the train or bus. People will push you as you get in, the ride will swerve around, you will accidentally shove your backpack against the wall.
Your bag is constantly taking small hits that keep adding up. Eventually, something may give in, and if that something is a gaming console or PC worth hundreds of dollars, why take the risk at all?
Easy to store and setup:
Are you someone who fills their suitcases to the brim? Does your luggage look somewhat like this?
Imagine having to fit a PlayStation 4, two Dualshocks, a bunch of cables, a headset and some games into that mess. Assuming that you somehow make it fit, you still have another problem. If you want to play, you are going to have to find everything and put it back together again .
That is not a problem if you carry it all on a travel case. These little bags have special compartments for each cable, controller, and whichever game you want to bring along. Finding and assembling all the pieces again will take you less than a minute. Even if you bring along other miscellaneous accessories that help you game more comfortably.
Water and dust protection:
One of the big advantages of the Nintendo Switch is its portability. You can carry it and play pretty much wherever you want. This is assuming, of course, that you live in a place where the weather allows you to.
But, if you live in a rainy city, even your daily commute carries the danger of irremediably flooding your console. This might be reason enough to leave your Switch at home.
With a waterproof travel case, however, that´s not a problem. You won´t even have to worry about mud or dirt either.
This is not an exclusive benefit to the Switch. While the Xbox and PlayStation don´t have the portability of Nintendo´s hybrid console, they do share their vulnerability to water, the bane of all electronic equipment.
If you live in a tropical area, or if you are vacationing in one, a waterproof travel case will let you keep doing so without worries.
They make it easier to bring games to friends and family:
Not everyone has videogames on their home, or they might not have the ones that you want to play.
For a lot of people, the only reason they don´t bring their console when they visit friends or family is that they don´t have an easy way to carry it. It´s too much of a bother.
It doesn’t have to be.
You can unplug your console and put it inside a travel case in less than two minutes. This is a surefire way to make Christmas, New Years, and any other holiday with the extended family more entertaining.
However, keep in mind that ignoring your family to play videogames might not be a popular move. Taking your console to a friend’s house, on the other hand, is sure to be a fun experience for everyone involved.
Bonus: Some cases let you play anywhere you want.
There is a small subsection of travel cases that aren´t backpacks or bags per se. They are gaming stations, with integrated monitors and speakers that let you play with your Xbox or PlayStation anywhere. They are ideal if you travel a lot or spend most of your time away from the TV.
Best Gaming Travel Cases
Hopefully, the aforementioned benefits convinced you that owning a travel case is a good investment. The question now is, which one is the best? Which one should you get?
As a disclaimer, all the links from here on out will take you to the Amazon store for each page. Clicking the images of each travel case will do it as well.
Let’s break it down by console.
Best Travel Case for the Xbox One:
USA Gear´s Xbox One Travel Case: This travel case looks like a completely normal suitcase, but has compartments to fit your Xbox and other add-ons.
It´s big enough to hold your console, accessories, controllers, games and even the Kinect (should you have one), while avoiding the bulky look of some of its peers.
A padded interior and weather-resistant exterior mean that you have a product that not only looks good, but it ticks all the boxes on what a good travel case should be.
Best Travel Case for the PlayStation 4:
USA Gear´s PlayStation 4 Travel Case: Pretty much the same travel case for the Xbox, but made for the PS4.
It comes on top for the same reasons: It´s big enough to hold your console, accessories, and games while avoiding the bulky look of its competitors.
The travel case is weather-resistant and protects your console against external collisions. Overall, it does all that a travel case ought to do.
Best Travel Case for the Nintendo Switch:
Smatree´s N600S carrying case: This carrying case comes with a tough shell and foam interior to protect your Switch against collisions.
It’s modular and has compartments for every accessory and controller that you might need.
It also comes with a second, smaller case for the Switch itself. You can use this additional case to safely take your Switch on your commute or other short trips.
Best Multi-Console Bag:
For those of you that have more than one console in your household, Enhance´s universal gaming backpack is for you.
This backpack is capable of carrying either the Xbox One, PS4, or a Laptop. It has compartments for each extra accessory that you might need, like headsets or controllers, and a padded interior to prevent damage from collisions.
Best Portable Gaming System:
Gaems´ Vanguard: More of a portable gaming station than a travel case, the Vanguard will still carry your console to where you take it.
Thanks to a built-in monitor and speakers, the main appeal of the Vanguard is that it allows you to play with your Xbox or PlayStation wherever you want (as long as it has an electrical outlet). It is useful if you end up in the countryside or if you travel frequently.
Bonus: More Original travel case:
Funlab´s Messenger Bag and Travel Case. They might not be the best bag to carry your Switch from a technical standpoint, but they certainly are one of the most originals.
Just look at them! They are made to match Mario´s and Luigi´s overalls.
They are showy and it will take some bravery to wear them. But, if you want to tell everyone on your commute that you like Nintendo games, there is no better way to do it.
Conclusion
And there you have it. Travel cases are useful accessories that allow you to easily carry your games without worrying about the well-being of your console. They give you the freedom to bring gaming wherever you want.
Hopefully, you found one that caught your eye. If you want to take a look at even more cases, or other assorted accessories for each console, check out our list for the Xbox One here, for the Switch here, and the PS4 here.
What do you think? If you have another travel case which you think ought to be the best, let me know in the comments!