Handheld gaming programs are having a second. Whereas individuals have been gaming on the go because the halcyon days of the Sport Boy, current years have introduced an avalanche of gadgets that allow you to play all types of video games wherever you need. However new machines appear to reach each week, and determining which of them are literally value shopping for could be overwhelming. You already know that the Nintendo Change is nice, however relying in your tastes, the fitting handheld might be a $70 emulator or an $800 transportable PC. That can assist you slim issues down, we’ve spent months researching the most effective handheld gaming consoles and testing a number of prime contenders. Listed here are those we like essentially the most proper now.
Editor’s notice (4/24/2025): We now have acquired retail items of the Retroid Pocket Flip 2, Retroid Pocket Classic and TrimUI Brick and begun the testing course of for every. Nevertheless, we’re beginning to see extra concrete results of the Trump administration’s newly imposed tariffs and forthcoming repeal of the “de minimis” exemption for shipments from China. One retro handheld maker, Anbernic, has suspended all shipments from China to the US. Individually, Retroid has cancelled sure SKUs of its Pocket Basic for US consumers, whereas suggesting that US-bound packages from China will cease on April 25. Different unconfirmed reports say that AYN will briefly pause shipments on April 25, too. (We’ve reached out to AYN to confirm this however haven’t acquired a reply.) Hongkong Submit has suspended mail providers to the US past that, whereas DHL has paused shipments valued over $800 to US prospects.
We’re leaving our present picks in place in the meanwhile, because the tensions between the Trump administration and China are nonetheless somewhat fluid. (And since these points largely don’t have an effect on non-US customers.) But when the present insurance policies maintain, it appears inevitable that retro handhelds which can be manufactured and bought from China — such because the Retroid Pocket 5 and AYN Odin 2 we suggest beneath — will both be unpurchasable or drastically dearer for American consumers. If this shift turns into everlasting, we’ll overhaul this information with new shopping for recommendation for individuals who need a system to play retro video games on the go. Different prime picks just like the Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally X are nonetheless out there at their regular costs for now, however we’d anticipate gadgets like these to turn into dearer the longer the elevated tariff charges are intact.
Desk of contents
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Finest gaming handhelds for 2025
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Different gaming handhelds we have examined
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What to know concerning the gaming handheld market
Finest handheld gaming gadgets for 2025
Different gaming handhelds we have examined
Observe: It is a number of noteworthy gaming handhelds we’ve examined, not a complete listing of every little thing we have ever tried.
MSI Claw 8 AI+
The unique MSI Claw was a flop, however the newer Claw 8 AI+ is way more appealing in case you’re prepared to pay for a bigger and barely extra highly effective various to the ASUS ROG Ally X. With its Intel Core Extremely 7-258V chip and 32GB of RAM, it usually pumped out 10 to fifteen % increased body charges than different high-end fashions just like the Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go in our testing. Battery life is comparatively robust, whereas its 8-inch 120Hz IPS show is a lot vivid and helps VRR. There are clean Corridor impact thumbsticks and triggers, two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a built-in fingerprint sensor past that.
The Claw’s essential challenge is its value: At $1,000 after a current value hike, it’s onerous to justify over the ROG Ally X, which is already too costly for most individuals. ASUS’ handheld is smaller, lighter and usually extra transportable on prime of that— although the Claw is thinner — and its Armoury Crate software program, whereas removed from excellent, remains to be a bit extra polished than MSI’s Heart M hub. There’s additionally a smaller 7-inch version of this handheld for $829, however we haven’t examined that one but.
Lenovo Legion Go
The Lenovo Legion Go is one other capable alternative to the ASUS ROG Ally X with a good bigger show. It runs on the identical Ryzen Z1 Excessive chip and presents 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 price. It additionally borrows some concepts from the Change, together with removable controllers and a built-in kickstand for taking part in video games in a tabletop mode. These controllers have touchpads to make navigating Home windows a bit of simpler, one thing the ROG Ally X lacks.
However it’s nonetheless a Home windows handheld, and Lenovo’s software program tweaks aren’t as intuitive as what ASUS has finished with Armoury Crate, so the UX can really feel half-baked by comparability. The jumbo design is bulkier and heavier than the ROG Ally X, so some will discover it too fatiguing to carry. Its followers are louder as properly, plus the show lacks VRR. Lenovo teased a Legion Go 2 at CES earlier this yr, although it hasn’t shared a launch date or pricing particulars as of our newest replace.
Lenovo Legion Go S (Home windows model)
The Lenovo Legion Go S has a comparatively comfy design and a commendable 8-inch 120Hz show, however its efficiency lags too far behind the ROG Ally X, Claw 8 AI+ and unique Legion Go for a tool priced at $730. Home windows remains to be as clunky as ever, too. We’re extra excited to check the SteamOS version that’s scheduled to arrive in Could, as that needs to be one of many first non-Valve gadgets to make the most of the Steam Deck’s software program.
Ayaneo Flip DS
The Ayaneo Flip DS 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 vivid. The second display makes it a pure match for emulating Wii U or 3DS video games, however you might additionally, say, search for a information or play a YouTube video with out having to shut no matter you’re taking part in.
Sadly, that is extra of a neat thought than a totally thought-out product. The folding design implies 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 prices starting above $800, the Flip DS is tough to suggest until you’re (oddly) determined for a handheld Wii U emulator. We’re at all times completely happy to see extra bizarre {hardware}, although.
Ayaneo Kun
The Ayaneo Kun is among the many most decadent Home windows handhelds we’ve examined. With a pointy 8.4-inch show, a Ryzen 7 8840U chip, as much as 64GB of RAM, as much as 4TB of storage, a large 75Wh battery and a 54W max TDP, it’s each a succesful gaming system and a possible substitute for a desktop PC. However it prices properly over $1,000, it’s enormous and it suffers from the same old Home windows-related points. It additionally lacks VRR. It’s nonetheless a positive system if cash is really no object, but it surely’s extra handheld than most want. The ROG Ally X is a a lot better worth. That is technically an older mannequin for Ayaneo, too, as the corporate appears to launch a new handheld each different hour today.
Ayaneo 2S
The Ayaneo 2S is one other high-power Home windows handheld with a sharper show and better configuration choices than the ROG Ally X. It additionally makes use of the identical chip because the Kun above. However it’s restricted to a 60Hz refresh price and prices a couple of hundred {dollars} additional. Ayaneo introduced a decked-out successor referred to as the Ayaneo 3 towards the top of 2024; we’ll attempt to check that one out when it turns into broadly out there.
Retroid Pocket Mini
The Retroid Pocket Mini is actually a smaller model of the Retroid Pocket 5. It runs on the identical Snapdragon 865 chip and feels simply as sturdy, but it surely has a smaller 3.7-inch show with a 4:3 facet ratio. This makes it a extra pure match for older retro consoles, as you gained’t get the black bins you’d see on a 16:9 show just like the one on the Pocket 5. Should you primarily need to emulate programs just like the SNES, Sega Genesis or Sport Boy Colour and don’t thoughts paying additional for a wealthy OLED show, it’s an excellent little system. However the tiny display is limiting in case you ever need to play newer video games, and we want there wasn’t a lot empty house across the show.
This system has additionally generated some controversy throughout the retro gaming group for having persistent issues with inaccurate shaders (and for the slapdash way Retroid has dealt with the matter). That should not be a dealbreaker for most individuals, however those that choose to make use of results like these ought to look elsewhere.
Retroid Pocket 4 Professional and Retroid Pocket 4
The 4.7-inch Retroid Pocket 4 Pro is the predecessor to the Pocket 5. Its efficiency isn’t considerably far off the newer mannequin, so it stays a pleasant worth in case you’re decided to spend lower than $200 on an emulation system. It misses out on the bigger OLED show and extra ergonomically-friendly design of its follow-up, nonetheless. The bottom Pocket 4 may be value a glance if you wish to keep beneath $150, however its weaker chip makes it much less adept at emulating video games from the PS2, GameCube and up.
Miyoo Mini Plus
The Miyoo Mini Plus is a extremely inexpensive handheld 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 might emulate consoles as much as the unique PlayStation with out a lot challenge. Its Linux-based software program is extensively customizable, although it requires some tinkering to get it working optimally. Like many cheapo handhelds, it additionally lacks quick charging. Nonetheless, of the various Sport Boy-like emulation gadgets floating across the price range finish of the market, it’s the one we’d suggest first. Because it’s from a smaller Chinese language agency and isn’t out there at main retailers, nonetheless, it may be tough to truly purchase.
Anbernic RG35XX Plus
The Anbernic RG35XX Plus is one other wallet-friendly vertical handheld — or not less than, it was earlier than Anbernic paused shipments to the US. For about the identical value because the Miyoo Mini Plus, it presents a sooner chipset, extra RAM and a much bigger battery alongside a equally spectacular design. Its inventory OS is overly sloppy and cheap-looking, nonetheless, and whereas the stronger processor is good, the small display and lack of analog sticks means you gained’t need to emulate a lot past the PS1 anyway.
Anbernic RG35XXSP
The Anbernic RG35XXSP is a variant of the RG35XX Plus primarily based on the identical internals, solely it apes the clamshell type issue of the outdated Game Boy Advance SP. That’s a fantastic design to tear off in case you should decide one, and the {hardware} doesn’t really feel almost as low cost as its (pre-tariff) price ticket of $60 or so would recommend. However the software program points famous above nonetheless apply (each right here and with the various other devices in the identical RGXX household). We’ve additionally seen several user reports of high quality management points with the RG35XXSP’s battery, which is robotically disqualifying.
Anbernic RG405M
The Anbernic RG405M is one other 4:3 handheld with a 4-inch show and a lovely metallic body. It is an OK various to the Retroid Pocket Mini in order for you a bit of extra display house for much less money, but it surely’s slower, and it lacks the Mini’s OLED show. We discover the Retroid’s grooved again to be comfier to carry over time as properly. And once more, Anbernic has paused handheld shipments to America as of this writing.
PlayStation Portal
The PlayStation Portal is an odd accessory that’s designed to stream video games from a PlayStation 5. It lacks built-in apps, so it doesn’t assist conventional emulation. As a result of it’s totally depending on the standard of your house Wi-Fi, we will’t assure how properly it’ll truly carry out. It doesn’t work with Bluetooth earbuds both.
The 8-inch show is ok and the DualSense-style controls are nice, so PlayStation diehards who need a second display for native PS5 streaming may even see the attraction. Sony not too long ago added the flexibility to stream a number of video games via the cloud, which is a step in the fitting route, however you want an costly PlayStation Plus Premium subscription to take benefit. Usually, there’s little right here you could’t do with a smartphone and mobile game controller, so most individuals are higher off saving their $200.
Logitech G Cloud
The Logitech G Cloud would’ve been a fantastic Android decide when it launched if it price about $150 much less. Its 7-inch 1080p show is vivid, vibrant and usually extra pleasing to have a look at than the panel on the AYN Odin 2, its battery lasts an excellent 10 to 12 hours per cost and its design is cozy to carry for hours at a time. Alas, the G Cloud nonetheless tends to price between $260 and $300, which is simply an excessive amount of when the Retroid Pocket 5 presents extra energy at a cheaper price.
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 transportable gaming PCs just like the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally X. These are essentially the most highly effective handhelds you should buy, as they search to duplicate 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, not too long ago 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, nonetheless, and their battery life could be brief. Naturally, they’re additionally the most costly, costing wherever from $400 to greater than $1,000.
Additional down on the value spectrum are “cellular handhelds” just like the Logitech G Cloud or Retroid Pocket. These gadgets usually run Android or Linux and might vary from beneath $50 to $400-ish. They aren’t outfitted to play trendy console or PC titles, however they’re normally extra compact than a transportable PC, and you may nonetheless use them for cellular video games and cloud streaming. Whereas most are marketed towards these ends, many avid gamers truly purchase them to emulate traditional video games by way of 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 not too long ago led to the shutdown of the most prominent Switch and 3DS emulators, 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} cellular handheld generally is a extra user- and wallet-friendly method to play the classics — supplied you don’t need to just use your phone.
We’ll name the final tier “handhelds that do their very own factor.” It is a catch-all for issues just like the Switch or Playdate: transportable gadgets that run closely personalized software program and goal to supply a novel gaming expertise. They aren’t essentially excellent for emulation or taking part in the most recent multiplatform titles; as a substitute, they usually have distinct recreation libraries. They won’t have the widest attraction in consequence (Change excluded), however they’re usually simpler for much less tech-literate people to simply decide up and use.
Current updates
March 2025: We’ve edited this information for readability and added testing notes for the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and Lenovo Legion Go S (Home windows model). Our essential picks are unchanged. Wanting forward, we’re keeping track of upcoming Home windows handhelds from Acer and Ayaneo, a pair of new emulation devices from Retroid, the primary third-party devices to ship with SteamOS and extra machines that run on AMD’s Ryzen Z2 chips, amongst others.
January 2025: We now have a brand new prime decide amongst emulation-focused handhelds: the Retroid Pocket 5. Past that, we’ve added notes on a couple of different gadgets we’ve examined, together with the Retroid Pocket Mini and Anbernic RG35XXSP; frivolously edited different blurbs to replicate adjustments available in the market; and eliminated a pair write-ups for merchandise that’ve been discontinued. We’re additionally keeping track of new handhelds that’ve not too long ago been introduced or are strongly rumored to reach within the close to future, together with gadgets from MSI and Lenovo.
August 2024: We’ve changed the ASUS ROG Ally, our prior decide for the most effective Home windows gaming handheld, with the brand new and improved ROG Ally X. We’ve additionally checked to ensure all availability and pricing particulars famous all through the information are correct.
June 2024: We’ve up to date this information to make sure all of our suggestions are updated, including a notice on ASUS’ upcoming ROG Ally X within the course of. We’ve additionally included particulars on two new handhelds we’ve examined since our earlier replace: the MSI Claw and Ayaneo Flip DS. Staying on prime of this market is a tall job, however we’re presently current noteworthy releases just like the PSP-esque AYN Odin 2 Mini and the GBA-style Anbernic RG35XXSP as properly.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-handheld-gaming-system-140018863.html?src=rss
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