Borderlands 4 is worth a look if you play for fast gunfights, a steady stream of loot and the freedom to experiment with character builds. Its open-world structure gives that familiar loop room to breathe, and reviewers praised the variety of Vault Hunter skills. The trade-off is friction: September 2025 PC reviews reported choppy performance and an awkward interface, while optional activities could feel stingy with rewards. Those PC observations describe the launch-review builds, not necessarily the game after later patches.
Is Borderlands 4 worth playing?
For players who enjoy the series’ shoot-and-loot rhythm, the answer is broadly yes. Borderlands 4 was developed by Gearbox and published by 2K, and released on September 12, 2025. It takes the series to Kairos, a world ruled by the Timekeeper, where a new Vault Hunter is drawn into a conflict after a catastrophe disrupts his Order. The strongest case for the game is not a universally acclaimed story; it is the combination of gunplay, loot and build experimentation that keeps giving you reasons to take on another fight.
TechRadar’s September 2025 PC review praised the open-world format, loot chase, varied Vault Hunter skills, soundtrack and writing, while finding optional side-objective rewards underwhelming at times. PC Gamer’s September 18, 2025 PC review highlighted build variety and progression, but criticized the interface and clunky presentation. These are individual reviews, not objective measurements or a guarantee that every player will respond the same way.
It is a better fit if…
- You enjoy trying new guns and changing your build as you level.
- You want an open world that feeds into a steady combat-and-loot loop.
- You can tolerate some interface friction and occasional activities that may not reward the time they take.
Think twice if…
- You are buying primarily for a smooth PC experience and cannot accept performance variability.
- You expect every optional mission to provide a compelling reward.
- You want a story verdict backed by broad critical consensus; the available reviews offer different emphases rather than a single conclusive judgment.
What the gameplay loop and world are like
Gearbox’s official description emphasizes Action Skills, deep skill trees and movement abilities. TechRadar describes four playable Vault Hunters, three major biomes, and dedicated instances for vaults and end-of-chapter fortresses. The connected world areas can reduce loading screens, though TechRadar also reported performance hitches in its reviewed PC version.
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- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
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- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
The appeal is the interaction between combat and progression: fights produce new gear, gear invites experimentation, and skills give you multiple ways to shape a character. PC Gamer’s reviewer reported 47 hours played on a PC with an RTX 3060, Ryzen 7 5800, 16 GB of RAM and an SSD. That disclosure gives context to the review’s assessment of build depth; it is not an independent benchmark or a promise about how the game will run on similar hardware.
TechRadar’s reviewer reported spending 40 hours on the PC review, including a main-campaign playthrough and optional content. The reviewer found the writing stronger than Borderlands 3 and thought the cast had charm. That is one critic’s assessment, rather than a guarantee that the story will land for every player.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
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- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Performance and PC requirements
PC performance needs to be judged in two separate ways: what reviewers experienced at launch and what Gearbox now lists as expected hardware targets. TechRadar and PC Gamer both reported PC performance caveats in reviews published in September 2025. Those reports do not establish how the current build performs after later patches.
Gearbox Support’s requirements page, published June 17, 2025 and updated May 29, 2026, labels the following as expected outcomes. They are vendor targets, not a guarantee that every PC meeting a tier will achieve the stated result in all situations.
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Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
| Tier | Gearbox’s expected target | Listed hardware |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 1080p at 30 FPS on Low settings | 64-bit Windows 10/11; Intel Core i7-9700 or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X; 16 GB RAM; NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT or Intel Arc A580; DirectX 12; 100 GB of SSD storage; 8 GB minimum graphics memory. |
| Recommended | 1440p at 60 FPS on Medium settings | Gearbox specifies a CPU with 8+ cores and a graphics card with 12+ GB VRAM at this tier. See Gearbox’s requirements page for the complete current listing. |
There is no independent benchmark in the reviewed material. If performance is a purchase-critical concern, compare your exact components with Gearbox’s current PC specifications and consult recent testing for your hardware before buying. Meeting the listed target should be treated as a compatibility reference, not proof of a particular frame rate in every area.
Platforms, co-op and ongoing play
2K’s current game page lists PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store. A previous official roadmap announced a Nintendo Switch 2 release date, but Switch 2 is not listed on the current game page reviewed here; check 2K’s current listing before treating that version as available.
Rank #4
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- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
2K’s launch announcement describes instanced loot, level scaling and individual difficulty settings for cooperative play. Its post-launch roadmap also outlines post-campaign progression, including weekly challenge missions, Specializations and five unlockable Ultimate Vault Hunter difficulty levels. The roadmap says release timing could change, so it is not a dependable calendar of what is currently live.
The 2025 announcement says online play requires an internet connection and a SHiFT account, and that console online play requires a separate paid subscription. Because those terms can change, check the current platform and publisher requirements before relying on them.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
What to know about DLC
2K’s roadmap distinguishes paid Story Packs and Bounty Packs from free seasonal mini-events and Invincible Bosses. It says Story Packs are included in the Vault Hunter Pack and Super Deluxe Edition, or can be purchased separately with the base game required. Bounty Packs are included in the Bounty Pack Bundle and Deluxe or Super Deluxe editions, or can be bought separately with the base game required.
Those are the roadmap’s edition-inclusion statements, not confirmation that every planned item has released or that current storefront bundles retain the same contents. Check the publisher’s latest information and the listing for your platform before paying extra for an edition. GameSpot lists DLC entries dated through September 10, 2026, including Story Pack 2: FL4K and the Last Resort; treat that as a secondary listing and confirm release details with the publisher.
Who should buy Borderlands 4?
Borderlands 4 makes the clearest sense for players who value combat, loot variety and build tinkering more than a frictionless interface or uniformly rewarding side content. Console players avoid the PC-specific performance concerns raised by the cited reviews, though that does not by itself establish how the game performs on console. PC players should compare their setup with Gearbox’s current targets and weigh the fact that the available performance complaints are launch-review observations from 2025.
If your main draw is story, co-op conditions or the latest endgame and DLC lineup, verify those details for your platform and edition rather than assuming that every announced feature or roadmap item is currently available.
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