It feels the same It’s a distant memory now, but before the Nintendo Switch launched in 2017, portable gaming seemed to be on its last legs. Mobile gaming was a huge part of the market, and most modern games required a lot of power to run on devices like the Nintendo 3DS. Fast forward to today, and there are more ways to take your games out of the living room than ever before.
This is a bit of a weird category, because let’s be honest, a lot of the devices out there right now aren’t that good. Valve’s Steam Deck has sparked a wave of manufacturers trying to compete with the Nintendo Switch, but many of their products are rushed, buggy, or just not a good way to play games. Some have taken up the challenge, and I can say this: finally There are some great options to choose from. I’ve spent hundreds of hours testing gaming handhelds that I can get my dirty hands on. These are the best.
Be sure to check out our other gaming buying guides, including the best retro gaming consoles, best mobile gaming controllers, best Steam Deck accessories, best Switch accessories, and best gaming laptops.
August 2024 Update: Added new information on how to choose the right gaming handheld for you, and information on the Asus Rog Ally software update. Also added new photos.
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What to Look for in a Gaming Handheld
The Switch may have set a new standard for portable gaming, but the category has become increasingly crowded since then. New platforms, new control schemes, and battery life ranging from a few hours to “never too far from the charger.” With that in mind, here are some factors to keep in mind when deciding which is right for you:
- platform: The Switch runs games designed (or at least adapted) for the Switch. Easy enough. Other handhelds can be a bit more complicated. For example, with the Steam Deck, Valve uses custom software and a Proton compatibility layer to get the game running on the handheld and playing well. Some handhelds run Windows directly (which has its drawbacks). Before you buy, check which platform the game you want to play is available on and how well it runs.
- painting: If you’re going to be staring at your gaming handheld all day, it needs to have a great display. Many devices, like the Switch and Steam Deck, have OLED variants that have incredibly sharp and vivid displays. But better doesn’t always mean better. Higher-resolution, faster-refresh screens can also drain more battery.
- strength: Speaking of battery life, this is one area where gaming handhelds can vary significantly. Some devices, like the Switch and Steam Deck, are optimized for battery life. Still, if you’re running graphics-intensive games, Tears of the Kingdom It always uses more battery than simpler games. Stardew Valley. Handhelds running less optimized operating systems, such as Windows, may drain the battery faster. If you plan on using a lot of battery-intensive features or games, you may want to consider purchasing a portable charger.
- Performance: The Switch is notorious for its underpowered processor compared to its competitors. However, games are optimized for the hardware they run on and take full advantage of it. Games designed for Windows (whether running on a Steam Deck or directly on a Windows handheld) can require significantly more power to achieve the same performance. A faster, more powerful processor means a more fluid gaming experience. But again, faster processors consume more battery power, so you need to balance performance with power consumption.
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