FlashFeed

It's pretty tough being a gamer on a budget these days, as evidenced by the Steam Machine's rather exorbitant price tag. RAM prices have massively shot up in recent months, and subsequently, it's almost impossible to find a decent budget gaming machine.Not all is completely lost, however. I've been browsing through Amazon's massive Prime Day sale today, and I've found three Acer Nitro gaming laptops that are actually - dare I say - good value.They start with this RTX 5050-equipped model for £679 (was £849), which is a very decent option indeed if you're really on a budget. The RTX 5050 graphics card in this machine is very much an entry-level component, but it's up-to-date and enough to get you started if you're willing to tweak a few settings on demanding games.For something a little higher-end, you could consider this RTX 5060 configuration for £799 (was £986), which again, is an amazing choice if you're not looking to spend too much. It's essentially the same as the RTX 5050 version above, but you get a slightly better graphics card and a bigger 1TB storage drive, which is a pretty significant upgrade.Finally, if you're really looking to get something powerful, then consider the RTX 5070 configuration for £1,299 (was £1,499). The price jump is significant here, but this machine features a much better graphics card, a Ryzen 9 chipset, and 32GB of RAM, which are all higher-grade components. It's almost overkill having these specs for this machine's native 1080p display, but the RTX 5070 will be great for powering external monitors if you're planning on doing that. Today's best value gaming laptops at AmazonGraphics card: RTX 5050Processor: Intel Core i7-13620HRAM: 16GBStorage: 512GB SSDIt's a rare thing these days to see a gaming laptop for under £700, and better yet, this Acer Nitro V15 actually features a recent RTX 5050 graphics card. If you're looking for the basics, then this machine is definitely going to cover you well for a great price. The RTX 5050, in combination with the Core i7 chipset, is going to play all the latest games - and should do well, granted you're willing to tweak a few settings here and there on the most demanding titles.View DealGraphics card: RTX 5060Processor: Intel Core i7-13620HRAM: 16GBStorage: 1TB SSDThis mid-range RTX 5060 configuration is really hitting that sweet spot in terms of bang for the buck, in my opinion. The chipset is a little on the older side, and you're only getting 16GB of RAM, but I still think this one is a real bargain for £799. If you're just looking to play all the latest games smoothly at 1080p, then this particular listing is definitely worth considering. Getting a more spacious 1TB SSD is also a meaningful upgrade.View DealGraphics card: RTX 5070Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 365RAM: 32GBStorage: 1TBWow, it's been a while since I've seen an RTX 5070 gaming laptop with 32GB of RAM hit this kind of price. The Acer Nitro V15 is still a relatively budget machine, but in terms of specs, this higher-end configuration really ticks all the boxes today. You get a great GPU, an up-to-date chipset, and 32GB of RAM right out of the box. View DealSee more: check out all of today's gaming laptops at AmazonIf you're interested in knowing more about the Acer Nitro V15, you can check out TechRadar's review on this very model. We tested the mid-range RTX 5060 configuration specifically and found it to be a good performer for the money. It's not a high-end machine by any stretch, but it does offer good value.Note, as with most Prime Day deals today, these above listings are exclusive to Amazon Prime members only. If you're not a member, however, don't fret - you can simply use the 30-day free trial that I've linked just below to gain access.Amazon Prime: 30-day free trialIf you've never signed up before, you can get a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime to get access to this year's Prime Day deals. You get the same benefits as paid members, including free delivery, and access to other services such as Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Gaming and more. You can cancel at any time during the trial to avoid paying the regular fee, which is $14.99 / £8.99 per month.More of today's best Amazon Prime Day salesAmazon Prime: get a 30-day free trialAmazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99Amazon Haul: up to 30% offApple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple WatchAppliances: up to 45% off Ninja & TefalBeauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-BEssentials: household goods from £5Fans: from £20Fashion: up to 50% offGaming: £90 off PlayStation 5Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & SonyLaptops: from £149Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99Toys: up to 25% off Lego and ToniesTVs: from £129.99Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & RoborockWearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura

The 84-year-old actor has spent decades bringing Samuel Beckett’s plays to life. Does his recent diagnosis give him new insights into playing ‘sad clown’ Krapp in a drama about age and the battlefield of memory?What a lot of Krapp. Pardon my French but Samuel Beckett’s haunting 1958 masterpiece about regret and isolation is having a moment. Stephen Rea recently took Krapp’s Last Tape on an international tour, Gary Oldman returned to the stage after decades away to deliver the tragicomic one-man show and this summer Stockard Channing will direct it at the Edinburgh fringe, with David Westhead as Krapp. Beckett’s eponymous loner, who sits in his dark den and ritually listens to tapes he made as a younger man, is riding a new wave of popularity.Peter Marinker first played Krapp half a lifetime ago and is preparing to star in a new production, reusing the tapes he recorded in 1983. How does he feel listening back now? “I thought of redoing them – it could have been better,” he says when we meet at the tiny Cockpit theatre in London. That assessment matches the spirit of the self-lacerating Krapp who looks back not just in anger but anguish. Marinker quotes Dennis Potter, who said we should consider our past with “tender contempt”. He adds wryly: “That rang a bell.” Continue reading...