Extend Handheld Console Battery Life During Loadshedding

The lights go out. That familiar loadshedding darkness descends, but you’re not worried. You’ve got your handheld gaming console, ready to conquer virtual worlds. But then you see it… the dreaded low battery warning. For South African gamers, this is the final boss. Don’t let Eskom win. Here’s how you can extend your handheld console's battery life during loadshedding and keep the game going when the power is out. 🕹️

Optimise Your Device Settings

Before you even launch a game, a few simple tweaks in your console’s main settings can dramatically improve battery life. Think of it as prepping your gear for the mission ahead. These adjustments are your first line of defence against a premature shutdown, helping you get the most out of your gaming during a power cut.

Dial Down the Display

Your handheld's beautiful, vibrant screen is one of its biggest power consumers.

• Brightness: Lower the screen brightness to a comfortable level. You rarely need it at 100%, especially in a dimly lit room during loadshedding.
• Refresh Rate: Does your device have a 120Hz or 144Hz screen? Dropping it to 60Hz for less demanding games can almost double your playtime. Most built-in control centres, like the one on the powerful ASUS ROG Ally, make this a two-click process.

Manage Your Power Profile (TDP)

Thermal Design Power (TDP) is the maximum heat a processor can generate, which directly relates to power consumption. Lowering the TDP limits the power your device can draw, extending battery life at the cost of some top-end performance. For many indie games or older titles, you won't even notice the difference... except for the extra hour of gameplay you just unlocked.

Fine-Tune Your In-Game Experience

Once you're in the game, you have even more control. Sacrificing a little bit of visual flair can pay huge dividends in battery longevity. Optimising these settings is crucial for any serious loadshedding gamer.

• Resolution: Playing at native 1080p or 1440p is great when you're plugged in, but 720p is often perfectly sharp on a 7-inch screen and uses significantly less power.
• Graphics Settings: Turn down or switch off demanding features like shadows, anti-aliasing, and ambient occlusion.
• Frame Rate Cap: Lock your frame rate to 30 or 40 FPS. A stable 30 FPS feels much better than a frame rate that jumps between 45 and 60, and it’s a massive power saver.
• Upscaling: Use technologies like AMD FSR or Intel XeSS on the "Performance" or "Ultra Performance" setting. They render the game at a lower resolution and use AI to intelligently upscale it, giving you a huge performance and battery boost with minimal visual impact.

Smart Habits for Surviving Loadshedding

Beyond technical tweaks, how you use your device matters. Some simple changes to your gaming habits can make all the difference. For instance, the detachable controllers on a Lenovo Legion Go allow for more comfortable, relaxed sessions, which might encourage you to play less demanding titles that are kinder on the battery.

Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if you’re playing an offline, single-player game. Those radios are constantly searching for signals, sipping away at your precious battery percentage. Also, make sure to close any applications running in the background. That Discord client or web browser you forgot about could be costing you valuable minutes.

The Ultimate Weapon: External Power 🔋

Sometimes, tweaks aren't enough. For guaranteed, long-lasting sessions through Stage 4 and beyond, a powerful external battery is your best friend. Look for a high-capacity power bank with USB-C Power Delivery (PD) that can output at least 45W, though 65W is ideal for most modern handheld gaming consoles. This allows you to charge your device even while playing demanding games. Newer models like the MSI Claw boast impressive battery capacity out of the box, but a power bank makes you truly unstoppable.

By combining these software optimisations, smart habits, and the right gear, you can turn loadshedding from a gaming catastrophe into an uninterrupted session. Game on!