Handheld gaming programs are having a second. Whereas gaming on the go has been a factor because the Sport Boy, the success of the Nintendo Change and a string of ever-improving processors have introduced an eruption of gadgets that allow you to play all kinds of video games anyplace you need. As a result of new fashions appear to reach each week, nevertheless, determining the perfect gaming handheld for you may be difficult. You already know that the Change is nice, however relying on what else you need to play, the correct handheld may vary from a $100 emulation machine to a $700 moveable PC. That can assist you slender issues down, we’ve researched the perfect handheld gaming consoles, examined the key contenders and laid out just a few prime picks.
Desk of contents
Greatest gaming handhelds for 2024
Steam Deck OLED – Show: 7.4-inch HDR OLED, 1,280 x 800 decision, 1,000 nits peak HDR brightness, 600 nits SDR brightness, as much as 90Hz | Processor: Customized 6nm AMD APU | RAM: 16GB LPDDR5 6400 MT/s | Storage: 512GB, 1TB SSD | Battery: 50Whr | Dimensions: 11.73 x 4.6 x 1.93 inches | Weight: 1.41 kilos | Wi-fi: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | OS: SteamOS
Steam Deck LCD – Show: 7-inch IPS, 1,280 x 800 decision, 400 nits brightness, 60Hz | Processor: Customized 7nm AMD APU | RAM: 16GB LPDDR5 5500 MT/s | Storage: 256GB SSD | Battery: 40Whr | Dimensions: 11.73 x 4.6 x 1.93 inches | Weight: 1.48 kilos | Wi-fi: Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 | OS: SteamOS
Due to a refresh late last year, Valve’s Steam Deck continues to supply the perfect stability of value, efficiency and usefulness within the gaming handheld market. And the brand new Steam Deck OLED is a radical improve over the unique. Beginning at $549 for 512GB of storage, this variant contains a 7.4-inch OLED show that’s brighter, quicker, barely greater and extra vivid than the 7-inch IPS panel on the now entry-level mannequin. The upper distinction and richer colours of an OLED display screen makes each recreation look higher by default, however this show additionally helps HDR, with considerably brighter highlights at its peak. The utmost refresh fee has jumped from 60Hz to 90Hz as nicely, which will help many video games look smoother.
Because of the much less power-hungry show, a extra environment friendly AMD APU and a bigger battery, the Steam Deck OLED additionally lasts longer than earlier than. No handheld can play resource-intensive “AAA” video games for too lengthy, however Valve says the brand new mannequin can run for 3 to 12 hours relying on the sport, whereas the LCD mannequin lasts between two and eight. A bigger fan retains issues cooler and quieter, and the chassis feels lighter. Efficiency is roughly the identical, although the OLED mannequin’s elevated reminiscence bandwidth will help it acquire a pair further frames in sure video games.
All that mentioned, $549 is an enormous funding. The entry-level Steam Deck, which makes use of a extra fundamental IPS LCD show however now comes with a 256GB SSD as customary, remains to be an unmatched worth at $399. Newer AAA video games are definitely pushing their limits, however each Decks can run tons of video games that simply aren’t potential on a Nintendo Change, from Elden Ring to Final Fantasy VII Remake to the Resident Evil 4 remake. Whereas official recreation assist is proscribed to a subset of the Steam library, the listing of officially verified and still-playable titles is huge, various and always rising. (There are workarounds to entry different storefronts as nicely.)
A near-constant stream of updates has turned Valve’s SteamOS into a versatile but user-friendly platform. You’ll nonetheless have to make tweaks once in a while to get a recreation to run optimally, however the course of is normally simple. That energy, mixed with third-party instruments like EmuDeck, makes the Deck very good for emulation as nicely. Some PS3 and unique Xbox video games may be tough, however nearly every little thing else works superbly. You may also cloud stream Xbox video games with a little setup.
The Steam Deck’s largest subject is its dimension: At two inches thick and practically a foot lengthy, it stretches the definition of a “handheld” system, even when the OLED mannequin is lighter by comparability. The LCD Deck can get heat and noisy pretty shortly, too, and the d-pad on every system is considerably mushy. However the contoured grips on the again assist offset the majority, and each variations really feel sturdy, with responsive face buttons and triggers, easy joysticks and helpful twin touchpads.
- Sufficient energy play trendy PC video games
- Consumer-friendly interface
- Vivid show on OLED mannequin
- LCD mannequin is unbelievable worth
- Excellent emulation efficiency
- Cumbersome
- Does not assist each Steam recreation or video games from different PC shoppers
Show: 7-inch IPS, 1080p decision, 500 nits brightness, 120Hz, VRR | Processor: AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive or AMD Ryzen Z1 | RAM: 16GB LPDDR5 6400 MT/s | Storage: 512GB SSD | Battery: 40Whr | Dimensions: 11.02 x 4.37 x 0.83-1.28 inches | Weight: 1.34 kilos | Wi-fi: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 | OS: Home windows 11
When you’re keen to spend further for extra energy, you may skip the Steam Deck and purchase a Home windows-based handheld as a substitute. The ASUS ROG Ally is the one that ought to work for most individuals, and it’s an honest different when you’re keen to commerce ease of use for a better efficiency ceiling. Consider it like a extra moveable gaming laptop computer.
Word that we’re particularly recommending the mannequin with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive APU, which prices $649. ASUS sells one other model with a weaker Ryzen Z1 chip for $150 much less, however the energy drop-off there may be too nice. With the Z1 Excessive, the ROG Ally can play extra demanding video games at larger body charges and resolutions than the Steam Deck. In our review, we noticed fps features of 15 to 25 % in AAA fare like Cyberpunk 2077 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Whereas the Steam Deck formally tops out at a TDP of 15W, the ROG Ally’s Turbo mode boosts its energy draw to 25W (or 30W when plugged in), letting it eke out extra frames. The recent addition of AMD’s Fluid Movement Frames body era tech will help some video games look smoother, too, although setting that feature up and correctly optimizing it is way from intuitive. Basically, the ROG Ally is not absolutely the quickest handheld, and the Steam Deck can truly outperform it every so often on the identical TDP, decision and graphics settings. However it has extra overhead going ahead, which is essential when you principally play graphically demanding video games.
The ROG Ally’s 7-inch LCD show isn’t as shiny or color-rich because the Steam Deck OLED, but it surely has a sharper 1080p decision and a quicker 120Hz refresh fee. Most significantly, it helps variable refresh charges (VRR), which helps hold the picture easy at the same time as a recreation’s body fee fluctuates. Regardless of having a similar-size display screen, the ROG Ally can be shorter, lighter and thinner than the Steam Deck OLED. That mentioned, it doesn’t include a case. And although the {hardware} isn’t as a lot of a brick because the Steam Deck, Valve’s handheld has extra pronounced grips round its again, which may nonetheless make it simpler to carry for these with massive arms.
The ROG Ally’s upgraded efficiency and sharper show come on the expense of battery life, nevertheless. That normally sits within the two- to four-hour vary, however it may be even much less with sure video games and better efficiency modes, considerably defeating the purpose of a “moveable” system.
As a result of it runs on Home windows 11, the ROG Ally can play video games from any gaming shopper, not only a choice of Steam video games. When you’ve constructed up libraries on shops like Epic, GOG, Itch.io or the Xbox app, you may entry them right here as you’d on some other Home windows PC, no particular workarounds required. For individuals who need to play Epic exclusives like Alan Wake 2 or Xbox Sport Move titles, this can be a actual benefit.
However the largest subject with all Home windows handhelds is Home windows itself. ASUS has made more strides than most by turning its Armoury Crate software program right into a centralized settings hub and recreation library, but it surely’s nonetheless slapping a bandage on an OS that merely isn’t designed for this system class (for now).
Whether or not a recreation works easily instantly can really feel like a crapshoot on a Home windows handheld. Typically the UI gained’t scale correctly, generally you’ll need to spend a number of minutes fidgeting with graphics settings and key bindings, oftentimes you’ll need to alternate between navigating the OS with buttons and along with your fingers. I as soon as needed to hard-reset the ROG Ally after a driver subject stored the display screen from turning on.
ASUS reveals a useful seven-minute tutorial on easy methods to replace and use the ROG Ally upon first launching Armoury Crate, however the truth that it wants a seven-minute intro video within the first place is telling. No one will confuse the Steam Deck with a Change, but it surely’s a lot easier to simply decide up and use than any Home windows different.
The ROG Ally has additionally had some troubles with high quality management. Most notably, a number of customers have reported issues with the system ejecting or outright killing their microSD playing cards, a difficulty ASUS has since confirmed. The system’s SSD is replaceable with a little legwork, nevertheless, so we suggest taking that route when you want greater than 512GB of storage. Quite a lot of ASUS system homeowners have famous significantly terrible experiences with the corporate’s guarantee and return service as nicely, although the agency recently pledged to overtake its buyer assist processes.
Since our final replace, ASUS has unveiled a upgraded variant of the Ally known as the ROG Ally X, which is up for pre-order now and will likely be launched on July 22. This mannequin has the identical show and chipset however makes use of a much bigger 80Whr battery, 1TB of storage, 24GB of quicker RAM, an additional USB-C port and a number of other design tweaks, together with extra pronounced grips and a revised d-pad. The trade-offs are that it’s barely thicker and heavier, plus it prices extra at $800. Engadget’s Sam Rutherford was extremely impressed with the upgrades in his hands-on preview, however we’ll replace this information once more as soon as we will totally assessment the brand new mannequin.
- Extra highly effective than Steam Deck
- Works with any Home windows gaming shopper
- 1080p, 120Hz show with VRR
- Effectively-built
- Home windows 11 is not optimized for the shape issue
- Brief battery life
- Defective microSD card reader
- Pricier than Steam Deck
Show: 4.7-inch IPS, 750 x 1,334 decision, 500 nits brightness, 60Hz | Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 1100 | RAM: 8GB LPDDR4x | Storage: 128GB UFS 3.1 | Battery: 5,000mAh | Dimensions: 7.27 x 3.25 x 0.62 inches | Weight: 0.58 kilos | Wi-fi: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 | OS: Android 11
The $199 Retroid Pocket 4 Pro is a good worth for individuals who primarily need a gaming handheld to emulate older consoles. It’s an Android-based system with far much less energy than the Steam Deck or ROG Ally, so it may solely run PC, PS5 and Xbox video games through streaming. However if you’d like one thing extra compact and are keen to go through the rigors of getting emulators to work, it’s essentially the most succesful handheld we’ve examined for lower than $200.
The Pocket 4 Professional runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 1100 chip and 8GB of RAM, and it has a built-in fan with three completely different modes you may activate to realize slightly further efficiency. This gives sufficient energy to play most video games from the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube, two common retro consoles which are typically robust for cell handhelds to emulate. Not each recreation labored — significantly demanding titles like Star Wars Rogue Squadron II and ESPN NFL 2K5 had been too uneven — and getting many others to run optimally required tinkering with decision, rendering and lively cooling settings. With some setup, although, it may play a major chunk of PS2 and GameCube video games at full pace and double their native decision. The very fact it may stably play extra intensive titles like Gran Turismo 4 in any respect, even at decrease settings, is unbelievable for the cash.
Virtually every little thing we examined from programs under the PS2 and GameCube on the efficiency totem pole — PSP, Dreamcast, PS1, N64, and so on. — ran flawlessly at a 2-4x upscale. The one exceptions had been just a few video games for the notoriously thorny Sega Saturn. Choose video games from later consoles just like the 3DS and Wii had been additionally playable, although the expertise was extra touch-and-go. For contemporary video games, Xbox cloud streaming labored simply nice, as did native Android video games with gamepad assist like Diablo Immortal.
The Pocket 4 Professional is constructed like a shorter Nintendo Change Lite. It’s a flat slab that lacks ergonomic grips however remains to be comfy to carry because of its low weight and small profile. (Retroid sells a comfy for one more $15 when you want it, although.) It doesn’t really feel low-cost or creaky regardless of its plastic body, and its textured coating is agreeable to the contact. All of its buttons really feel proper: The face buttons are easy and have a cushty quantity of journey; the analog triggers are conveniently extensive and flared; the bumpers are clicky and straightforward to tell apart; and the d-pad is agency and exact. The joysticks are on the stubby aspect and positioned slightly too low on the system to be really comfy with trendy video games, however they’ve a cushty degree of stress. And since they use magnetic Hall effect sensors, they need to keep away from drifting points over time. Beneath these are helpful begin, choose, residence and again buttons. There’s additionally a micro-HDMI port for connecting to a TV or monitor. The down-firing audio system are completely first rate, although they’re straightforward to cowl along with your fingers accidentally.
The 4.7-inch IPS show isn’t essentially the most correct we’ve examined even after updates, but it surely’s sufficiently shiny, sharp and vivid, and any coloration temperature points are arduous to note except you’re taking a look at white background. It’s cramped for streaming trendy video games, nevertheless, and its 16:9 facet ratio means you’ll get hefty black borders with some older consoles by default. Battery life is okay given the system’s size-to-performance ratio: We obtained three to 4 hours with PS2 and GameCube video games, and round eight or 9 hours mixing in older consoles. The lively cooling system prevents the Pocket 4 Professional from ever feeling too sizzling, although it may get noticeably loud at its highest efficiency setting.
Retroid additionally sells a non-Professional model of the Pocket 4 with a slower Dimensity 900 chip and 4GB of RAM for $149. We haven’t been capable of check it, however when you like this design and don’t care as a lot about emulating video games from the PS2, GameCube and up, it could be a greater worth. It will nonetheless be capable to play many video games from these two programs, and every little thing under that needs to be rock strong. However the Pocket 4 Professional casts a wider security web performance-wise, so it needs to be price the additional $50 for individuals who need to emulate higher-power consoles extra reliably.
- Sturdy emulation efficiency for the worth
- Extremely moveable
- Controls really feel nice
- Android is easy to navigate
- Requires a ton of tinkering to get emulation working optimally
- Measurement and controls aren’t best for streaming trendy video games
- Battery life is not lengthy with demanding duties
Show: 6-inch IPS, 1080p decision | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | RAM: 8GB, 12GB or 16GB LPDDR5x | Storage: 128GB, 256GB or 512GB UFS 4.0 | Battery: 8,000mAh | Dimensions: 8.86 x 3.86 x 0.67 inches | Weight: 0.93 kilos | Wi-fi: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 | OS: Android 13
If in case you have more money to burn on an emulation-focused machine, the AYN Odin 2 is the best possible retro gaming handheld you should purchase proper now. This Android system can play every little thing the Retroid Pocket 4 Professional can plus slightly further, with smoother and extra dependable efficiency. That is primarily as a result of its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which is identical chip utilized by lots of final 12 months’s flagship phones.
The Odin 2 begins at $299 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which is pricey when the entry-level Steam Deck permits you to play PC video games for simply $100 extra. Nonetheless, amongst extra compact cell handhelds, there is not a lot else that runs this nicely on this value vary. It performed all PS2 and GameCube video games we examined at two to a few instances their native decision, whereas programs just like the PS1, N64 and Dreamcast had been usually playable at a 3-4x upscale. Most 3DS and Wii video games can have little to no slowdowns at 2-3x, both. It’s higher than most with the Sega Saturn, and it may play a wider vary of Change video games than the Pocket 4 Professional (although it is best to simply purchase a Change if that is a significant concern). Tougher programs will nonetheless require some settings tweaks, however you gained’t need to tinker on a game-by-game foundation as a lot as you’ll with lower-cost gadgets.
It’s not simply uncooked efficiency, although: The Odin 2 can be a refined piece of {hardware}. It’s not as compact because the Pocket 4 Professional, but it surely’s a lot much less chunky than a conveyable PC and the curved grips on its again make it straightforward to carry, significantly with newer video games. Its d-pad, face buttons, analog triggers and Corridor impact joysticks all really feel nice. Different touches like a fingerprint scanner, a devoted return button, a micro-HDMI out port and two customizable again buttons are all good perks, and the front-facing audio system are a transparent improve over the Pocket 4 Professional.
The 6-inch, 1080p touchscreen is strong and well-sized, although it may keep a bit too shiny in darker settings. Battery life is great: We obtained greater than eight hours of juice emulating programs just like the PS2, however that jumped over 20 hours with lighter duties. The system helps 65W quick charging as nicely. Cloud streaming and native Android video games work as they need to, and since the entire thing runs on a evenly modded model of Google’s OS, its inventory interface ought to really feel acquainted to most.
The bottom Odin 2 has been out and in of inventory, and the Pocket 4 Professional is a genuinely compelling different for $100 much less. However the Odin 2 remains to be a step up in efficiency and general consolation for individuals who can afford it. If you wish to play the classics or stream trendy video games and not using a hitch, it’s the Android handheld to get.
- Glorious emulation efficiency
- Snug
- Nice battery life
- Android is easy to navigate
- Steam Deck is extra succesful for $100 further
- Organising emulators nonetheless may be laborious
- Docked expertise is not seamless
- Inventory points
Show: 3.5-inch LCD, 1,600 x 1,440 decision, VRR 30Hz-62Hz | Chipset: Altera Cyclone V FPGA, Altera Cyclone 10 FPGA | RAM: 3.4MB BRAM, 2x 16MB 16-bit mobile RAM, 64MB 16-bit SDRAM, 256KB 16-bit asynchronous SRAM | Battery: 4,300mAh | Dimensions: 5.86 x 3.46 x 0.86 inches | Weight: 0.61 kilos | OS: Analogue OS
The Analogue Pocket is the ultimate Game Boy. Its vertical design is constructed like a modernized, premium model of Nintendo’s traditional handheld, and it may even work with equipment just like the Sport Boy Digicam. In comparison with the unique, although, the Pocket provides two further face buttons, a pair of rear triggers, a microSD slot, a USB-C port and a chargeable battery rated for six to 10 hours of playtime. Most importantly, it has a beautiful 3.5-inch show that’s each backlit and extremely sharp (615 ppi) however may be set to appear like an outdated Sport Boy panel with completely different filter modes. The system may output to a TV with an non-compulsory dock.
Not like the retro handhelds talked about above, the Pocket is designed to play precise cartridges, not simply ROM information. It really works with Sport Boy, Sport Boy Colour and Sport Boy Advance video games via its cartridge slot, whereas video games from the Sega Sport Gear, TurboGrafx-16, Neo Geo Pocket and Atari Lynx are playable via non-compulsory adapters.
Like previous Analogue gadgets, the Pocket makes use of field-programmable gate array (FPGA) motherboards to imitate its goal programs on a {hardware} degree. In apply, this implies the Pocket’s “emulation” of older titles is near-perfect, with a degree of responsiveness and visible faithfulness that software-based emulation can’t match. Pop in a Sport Boy or GBA cartridge and you’ll primarily play it as meant. That mentioned, because of a big post-launch update and an lively person neighborhood, the Pocket may run ROMs off a microSD card and thus play programs just like the SNES and Sega Genesis.
The Pocket isn’t low-cost at $220, and its shoulder buttons aren’t as crisp to press as the superb d-pad or face buttons. Nonetheless, when you have a set of Sport Boy, Sport Gear or GBA video games, the Pocket is essentially the most elegant approach to play them, and it’s solely change into extra versatile over time. Its largest flaw is that it can be hard to purchase — anticipate to attend just a few weeks for brand new orders to ship, if not longer.
- Performs Sport Boy, Sport Boy Colour, and GBA cartridges with near-perfect emulation
- Attractive show
- Spectacular construct high quality
- Expandable through adapters
- Software program emulation obtainable
- Inventory points and transport delays are frequent
- Shoulder buttons really feel slightly spongy
- Tiny quantity buttons
Gaming handheld honorable mentions
The Lenovo Legion Go is a capable alternative to the ASUS ROG Ally if you’d like a Home windows handheld with a bigger show. It prices $700, runs on the identical Ryzen Z1 Excessive chip and gives an identical set of efficiency modes, but it surely has a mondo-sized 8.8-inch panel with a sharper 2,560 x 1,600 decision and a better 144Hz refresh fee. It additionally borrows some concepts from the Change, together with removable controllers and a built-in kickstand for enjoying video games in a “tabletop” mode. These controllers have touchpads to make navigating Home windows slightly simpler, one thing the ROG Ally lacks. Battery life is slightly higher than ASUS’ machine as nicely.
However it’s nonetheless a Home windows handheld, and Lenovo’s software program tweaks aren’t as mature (but) as what ASUS has carried out with Armoury Crate, so the UX typically feels half-baked. The jumbo design is bulkier and a half-pound heavier than the ROG Ally, so some will discover it too fatiguing to carry. Its followers are louder, too, and the show lacks VRR. Nonetheless, it is not a bad choice when you’re dead-set on Home windows.
The Miyoo Mini Plus is rather more reasonably priced than the Retroid Pocket 4 and comes with a well-built, Sport Boy-style type issue that matches properly with older video games. Its 3.5-inch show actually pops for one thing within the $60 to $80 vary, its battery lasts so long as it must and it may emulate consoles as much as the unique PlayStation with out a lot subject. It runs Linux, so it’s extensively customizable, although it may require a little bit of tinkering to get it working optimally. Because it’s from a smaller Chinese language agency and isn’t obtainable at main retailers, nevertheless, it may be troublesome to truly purchase.
The Playdate, from app developer and Untitled Goose Game writer Panic, is a tiny yellow field with a 2.7-inch monochrome show, two face buttons, a d-pad and a bodily crank constructed into its aspect. We known as it a “cross between a Sport Boy and a enterprise card” in our review, and it’s certainly extremely small at roughly three inches tall and 0.18 kilos. It has a devoted recreation library that largely consists of oddball indies, most of which concentrate on one or two core concepts as a substitute of attempting to stuff in as many mechanics as potential. A pair dozen of these video games are bundled with the system, whereas others can be found through a built-in store or sideloading from outlets like Itch.io. It’s usually well-built, and its battery life is first rate at six to eight hours per cost.
At $200, it’s arduous to name the Playdate a terrific worth when it’s solely designed to play a choice of area of interest video games. Its show isn’t backlit, both. However in a sea of gadgets that attempt to be every little thing for everybody, the Playdate is admirably centered and low-key. When you’re into smaller-scale fare and have some cash to play with, it’ll be a enjoyable toy.
The Anbernic RG405M is an efficient Android handheld when you like the thought of the Retroid Pocket 4 however need one thing extra compact. This system has a 4-inch show with a 4:3 facet ratio, which suggests you gained’t need to cope with black bars as a lot for retro video games (although it may really feel crunched with newer programs and cloud streaming). It additionally has a extra substantial steel body. However it’s normally slightly costlier than the Pocket 4, and its chipset is weaker for PS2 or GameCube emulation.
We’ll additionally be aware the Retroid Pocket 2S, one other 4:3 handheld that is obtainable for $90. It’s a pleasant compromise when you’re on a tighter finances, however that decrease price brings a smaller 3.5-inch show, a barely slower chip and fewer premium construct high quality than the RG405M.
Different gaming handhelds we examined
The is among the solely Home windows handhelds to run on an Intel chip. It’s constructed nicely sufficient and has an honest 7-inch 120Hz show, however its efficiency can’t hold with AMD-based handhelds just like the ROG Ally and Legion Go. Its central software program hub, MSI Heart M, wants work, too. At $700 to $800 relying on the configuration, there simply isn’t a lot cause to think about it. You’ll be able to for extra particulars.
The is a cool idea: a robust Home windows machine with a clamshell design and twin shows, type of like a supercharged Nintendo DS. It feels sturdy, it performs roughly on par with the opposite Ryzen 7 7840U (or 8840U) handhelds on this information, and its 7-inch prime show is sharp, quick and shiny. The second display screen makes it a pure match for emulating Wii U or 3DS video games, however you would additionally, say, search for a information or play a YouTube video with out having to shut no matter you’re enjoying. Sadly, that is extra of a neat thought than a totally thought-out product. The folding design signifies that the joysticks need to be brief and recessed, whereas the face buttons and d-pad are uncomfortably flat. The entire thing is overly thick and heavy, plus it runs extremely popular. Battery life tops out round two hours, and really managing two shows on a Home windows handheld is about as clunky as you’d anticipate. With above $800, the Flip DS is tough to suggest except you’re (oddly) determined for a handheld Wii U emulator. We’re all the time blissful to see extra bizarre {hardware}, although.
The Ayaneo Kun is among the many most decadent Home windows handhelds we’ve examined. With a pointy 8.4-inch show, a robust Ryzen 7 7840U chip, as much as 64GB of RAM, as much as 4TB of storage, an enormous 75Wh battery and a whopping 54W max TDP, it’s each a gaming beast and a possible alternative for a desktop PC. However it starts at nicely over $1,000, with a top-end config priced at an eye-watering $1,800. It’s additionally large, and it suffers from the standard Home windows-related points. It’s a brilliant system if cash is really no object, but it surely’s extra handheld than most want.
The Ayaneo 2S is one other high-power Home windows handheld with a sharper show, bigger battery and extra configuration choices than the ROG Ally. It makes use of the identical chip because the Kun as nicely. However it’s restricted to a 60Hz refresh fee and prices just a few hundred {dollars} extra.
The Anbernic RG35XX Plus is one other wallet-friendly vertical handheld. For about the identical value because the Miyoo Mini Plus, it gives a quicker chipset, extra RAM and a much bigger battery alongside a equally spectacular design. Its inventory OS is sloppy, nevertheless, and the third-party you may flash to it aren’t as user-friendly or straightforward to arrange as for Miyoo’s handheld. Additionally, whereas its stronger processor is sweet, its small display screen and lack of analog sticks means you gained’t need to emulate a lot past the PS1 anyway. Our reservations over the software program additionally apply to the RG35XX H, a brand new variant of the Plus that places the identical chip in a extra conventional design.
The Logitech G Cloud can be a terrific Android decide if it price about $150 much less. Its 7-inch 1080p show is shiny, vibrant and customarily extra pleasing to take a look at than the panels on the Retroid Pocket 4 Professional or AYN Odin 2, its battery lasts a great 10 to 12 hours per cost and its design is cozy to carry for hours at a time. Alas, the G Cloud sells for $300, which is simply an excessive amount of when the Odin 2 gives much more energy for a similar value.
The PlayStation Portal is a baffling system that may solely stream video games from a PlayStation 5. It lacks built-in apps, so emulation isn’t potential, and it may’t faucet into the cloud streaming service obtainable with a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription. As a result of it’s totally depending on the standard of your private home Wi-Fi, we will’t assure how nicely it’ll truly carry out for you. It doesn’t work with Bluetooth earbuds, both. Its 8-inch show is okay and the DualSense-style controls are nice, so Sony diehards who need a second display screen for native PS5 streaming might even see the attraction. However there’s nothing right here that you would be able to’t do with a smartphone and a mobile game controller, so most individuals are higher off saving their $200.
What to know concerning the gaming handheld market
You’ll be able to break down the gaming handheld market into three broad tiers. On the prime, you could have x86-based moveable gaming PCs just like the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally. These are essentially the most highly effective handhelds you should purchase, as they search to copy the expertise of a reasonably specced gaming desktop. The Steam Deck runs on the Linux working system, however most others use Home windows. If you wish to play trendy, just lately launched PC video games on the go (and want one thing stronger than a Change), that is the kind of system you’d get. They will additionally emulate the widest vary of retro consoles. They’re usually the biggest and most cumbersome gadgets to carry, nevertheless, and their battery life may be brief. Naturally, they’re additionally the costliest, costing anyplace from $400 to greater than $1,000.
Additional down on the worth spectrum are “cell handhelds” just like the Logitech G Cloud or Retroid Pocket. These gadgets typically run Android or Linux and might vary from beneath $50 to $400-ish. They aren’t geared up to play trendy console or PC titles, however they’re normally extra compact than a conveyable PC, and you’ll nonetheless use them for cell video games and cloud streaming. Whereas most are marketed towards these ends, many avid gamers truly purchase them to emulate traditional video games via software program like RetroArch. Getting emulators to work can be complicated, and accessing the BIOS and ROM information required to play video games this manner is legally murky. One lawsuit from Nintendo just lately led to the shutdown of the , as an illustration. (Engadget doesn’t condone piracy.) Backing up information of video games you already personal for private use solely is taken into account extra defensible, although, so for {that a} cell handheld generally is a extra user- and wallet-friendly approach to play the classics — supplied you don’t need to .
We’ll name the final tier “handhelds that do their very own factor.” This can be a catch-all for issues just like the Switch or Playdate: moveable gadgets that run closely personalized software program and purpose to supply a novel gaming expertise. They aren’t essentially best for emulation or enjoying the newest multiplatform titles; as a substitute, they typically have distinct recreation libraries. They won’t have the widest attraction consequently (Change excluded), however they’re typically simpler for much less tech-literate people to simply decide up and use.
Latest updates
June 2024: We’ve up to date this information to make sure all of our suggestions are updated, including a be aware on ASUS’ upcoming within the course of. We’ve additionally included particulars on two new handhelds we’ve examined since our earlier replace: the and . Staying on prime of this market is a tall activity, however we’re at the moment taking a look at current noteworthy releases just like the PSP-esque , the GBA-style and the as nicely.