Investing in one of the top portable gaming consoles is the greatest option if you want to play games on the go. Even though we adore some of the best gaming consoles—such as the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S—they are all incredibly bulky, making them unsuitable for any sort of portable play.
Fortunately, there are now a ton of amazing portable substitutes available on the market, ranging from completely functional handheld PCs that let you play some of the greatest PC games while you’re out and about to ones designed for die-hard retro gamers. Regrettably, having so many options might make selecting a new system extremely difficult, so we’ve developed this list of our top picks for the best handheld games consoles in order to to simplify the process.
Every product on our list has undergone comprehensive testing, and we have carefully examined a number of factors, such as providing solutions for PC gamers who wish to maximize the value of their current libraries and more affordable options that would be ideal for people on a budget. Not only do we offer professional purchasing guidance, but we also keep a close eye on new product launches to make sure this list is kept current.
1.Nintendo Switch OLED
The greatest console model available from the company right now is the Nintendo Switch OLED. Although it has the same internal specifications as the Nintendo Switch, it features a much improved screen. The top Nintendo Switch games now have a larger 7-inch OLED panel that makes them truly stand out.
The Nintendo Switch OLED bills itself as being far less expensive than many full home consoles However, I discovered that many recently transferred titles, such as Mortal Kombat 1 or Biomutant, can really struggle to sustain a consistent framerate. This decreased pricing does have a noticeable impact on performance. This was most obvious while the video was playing on a docked TV, which makes it much simpler to suggest if you’re really worried.
Additionally, this version comes with updated speakers and a much better kickstand, making it an even better handheld gaming experience. The Nintendo Switch OLED is compatible with the whole catalog of the original Nintendo Switch, and I’ve had a great time playing through the many amazing exclusive games like Splatoon 3, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Though it isn’t a major improvement over the ordinary Nintendo Switch, the Nintendo Switch OLED is still, over three years after its release, maybe the best console in the Switch family. Upon examining all the minor enhancements, a more comprehensive picture emerges, demonstrating why the OLED is a worthwhile consideration if you want one of the best handheld games consoles – even with a potential Nintendo Switch 2 on the horizon.
Perfect blacks and vibrant colors characterize the 7-inch display, which offers a significant visual improvement over previous panels’ LCDs. However, the Nintendo Switch OLED also features improved speakers outside the display, which greatly enhances the gaming experience while playing without headphones. Compared to its 2017 equivalent, the console sounds noticeably less tinny overall. The greatest Nintendo Switch games sound better than ever just because of this.
Furthermore, the system boasts 64GB of overall storage, which is twice as much as the Nintendo Switch Lite and original Switch. Compared to the PS5 and Xbox Series X, which provide more speedier storage at noticeably larger capacities, that is still a far cry. But Nintendo Switch games are often much smaller, and the system has a Micro SD slot, so you can always expand if needed at an affordable rate.
2.Steam Deck OLED
In the over two years following the Steam Deck’s release, a lot has changed. Countless software upgrades, a growing library of Deck-verified titles, and a plethora of practical add-ons have made Valve’s portable, Linux-powered PC more than just a passing fad. We can now add hardware updates to that list as well. Valve has precisely addressed nearly every complaint made in our 2022 review for the 2023 OLED version, which replaces the LCD original without raising the price.
The new Steam Deck OLED is an upgrade across the board, but let’s make one thing clear right off the bat: This is not “Steam Deck 2.” Valve has been very clear that, while it does plan to make a second-generation Steam Deck at some point in the future, that device won’t see the light of day until there have been enough advancements in mobile processing power to produce a true “generational upgrade.” As such, you can expect the Steam Deck OLED to have the exact same gaming performance as the original. That may not be much of an exciting selling point for gamers, but it means that developers don’t need to worry about a moving performance target when optimizing their games.
The Steam Deck OLED doesn’t fundamentally change the experience of playing games, but it makes that experience better in a number of significant ways. The clearest and most obvious is the new OLED screen which, though still displaying 1200×800 resolution, is bright and vibrant and makes games look even better than before. It’s actually slightly larger, measuring 7.4 inches diagonally, up from a flat 7. It’s HDR certified, capable of 1000 nits of peak brightness with wide color gamut (110% of the DCI-P3 color spectrum), and has a refresh rate of 90Hz, up from 60Hz on the original.
When compared side by side, the difference is easily observed. Cyberpunk 2077’s neon streets shine more vividly and brightly, while gloomy spots are completely covered in deep black hues. OLED clarity is just superb, even in SDR video where the screen reaches its maximum brightness of 600 nits. If you’re not viewing our video review on an OLED screen, you won’t be able to fully see the change, but anyone who has switched from Switch to Switch OLED can vouch for the better visual quality.
Except for a stylish small orange accent on the power button and all-black thumbsticks in place of the gray accents on the LCD model, the new Deck looks exactly the same when held in the hand. You may note that it weighs 30g less even if its dimensions are same. Even though it’s only a 5% difference, it matters when it comes to something you’re holding onto for a long time. Even with its superb ergonomics and plethora of helpful control options, such as its two touchpads, touch-sensitive screen, and customizable back buttons, it’s still a fairly big handheld that’s easy to hold.
3.Asus ROG Ally
The Asus ROG Ally was released a little over two months ago. In theory, the ROG Ally has it all: a crisp 1080p 120Hz display, an AMD mobile processor with a revolutionary Zen architecture, and gaming compatibility with Windows 11. The portable is made even more alluring by the fact that it was built by Asus, a company that produces some of the best gaming computers.
Now that two months have passed since my Asus ROG Ally review, what are my thoughts? It’s a strong handheld that can run the greatest PC games on its own. It is also a winner because of its powerful performance, small and pleasant form factor, and 7-inch LCD display. If you enjoy playing PC games and would want a portable computer to run Windows-based games, the ROG Ally has a lot to offer.
Having said that, the Steam Deck and Asus’ portable are compatible. Despite using an older Zen 2-based APU and sporting a 720p 60Hz display, Valve’s machine offers a better experience overall because of its user-friendly SteamOS interface, which can run the greatest Steam titles. Furthermore, if you’re prepared to put in more work, you can use it to run Windows games.
Despite the fact that Steam Deck may be the superior portable, it’s still not a terrible showing to lose to Valve’s little marvel. For those who enjoy Windows games, the ROG Ally is currently the greatest alternative to Steam Deck available on the market. I’ll discuss my current opinions of the Asus ROG Ally below.
Even at a game’s lowest settings, I’m still unable to get games to run at a frame rate of 120 fps in order to properly utilize the 120Hz refresh rate (we’ll examine performance in a minute). Playing games feels smoother even with a greater overall refresh rate.
Our laboratory tests validate my firsthand observations. We measured the average brightness of the ROG Ally’s display with our Klein-10A colorimeter, and it came out to be 465 nits. Compared to the Steam Deck’s relatively low score of 169.7 nits in the same test, that is significantly brighter.
With a Delta-E score of 0.17 (closer to 0 is preferable), the ROG Ally achieved 108.6% of the sRGB color gamut and 76.9% of the DCI-P3 color space. By contrast, the Steam Deck’s display registered 48% of the DCI-P3 color space and 68.5% of the sRGB color gamut, with a Delta-E of 0.25.
4.AyaNeo 2S
It seems like in just 18 months, the race to arm mobile gaming PCs has progressed from stick-and-stone weapons of the Stone Age to a full-scale nuclear assault. The sector has significantly expanded as a result of the massive popularity of Valve’s Steam Deck, opening the floodgates to competition from rivals like the ASUS Rog Ally, OneXplayer 2, and Ayn Loki Max.
However, AyaNeo was quietly honing its skill with handheld gaming PCs years before the scene’s establishment, and before all those businesses entered the fray. Additionally, the firm is producing consoles at a rate that is nearly frightening: the AyaNeo 2, the company’s last high-end handheld, was only published six months ago, and only a few weeks ago, it released the AyaNeo Air Plus, its entry-level model. Now, the company is producing a souped up model called ayaneo 2s.
\You could be forgiven for believing that the AyaNeo 2S would only see a little spec upgrade as a result of such a brief development window. Even if it has an internal upgrade, this is still a great replacement overall thanks to a few minor tweaks, so long as you can afford the high asking price. This really kills the Steam Deck if you have the money.
If the size of the Steam Deck made you cringe, the AyaNeo 2S is thankfully much more proportionately designed. With dimensions of 10.4 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches (264.5 x 105.5 x 21.5 mm), it is more sized like an OLED Nintendo Switch, but with a significant thickness difference. Although it weighs 23 ounces (667 grams), it feels more in line with the idea of “portable” than the bulky Steam Deck does.
Additionally, the AyaNeo 2S looks far better than the Steam Deck. With its sticks and face buttons on either side of a sizable 7-inch touchscreen display, the AyaNeo 2S resembles a classic handheld more than the Deck, which has trackpads. The oblong form of the device is elegantly completed with curved edges. With cutouts for its buttons, the device’s entire front is made of glass, and it comes in both black and white. This beautiful bezel-less edge-to-edge screen is made possible.
5.Evercade EXP
If the Evercade EXP is successful in one area, it will be in closing an intriguing but still huge gap in the portable console industry. The majority of the EXP’s retro-focused library is stored on actual cartridges that are sold separately from the portable hardware, much like other Evercade devices.
But despite its gimmick, the Evercade EXP is much more than that. Although its target market and library are specialized, its hardware is so good that it has to be considered among the top handheld consoles available today.
Right out of the box, the first experience is a great way to get started with the EXP. The system comes with 18 Capcom titles pre-installed and a cartridge containing an additional six games from developer Irem. This implies that you get 24 titles—most of them excellent—right away. Even if there are a few significant omissions that I hope will be fixed in later releases, the Evercade EXP offers a lot of benefits even before you have to purchase any more cartridges.
The magnificent 800 x 480 IPS screen of the Evercade EXP is its main feature. Granted, on paper that doesn’t seem as amazing as the 720p LCD in the Nintendo Switch. Actually, the 480p screen on the EXP is more than enough to render the kinds of games the handheld device plays properly and accurately. Many of the games that the Evercade EXP supports seem better than ever thanks to its incredibly sharp screen, so don’t be fooled by its sub-HD pixel count.
On the Evercade EXP, you’ll play a lot of arcade games, most of which are vertical shoot-em-ups. The big screen of the EXP might not seem to be a suitable fit for that.
Fortunately, Evercade foresaw this situation and added a button for a toggleable “TATE” mode. This is a fantastic feature that turns the on-screen display 90 degrees to better accommodate vertical shooters’ small resolution.
Given that you are now holding the EXP in a portrait orientation, it may be a touch top-heavy. It is also not as comfortable to hold this way as it is when held vertically. However, there is a trade-off: games like Capcom’s 1943, which were created with a vertical resolution in mind, appear far better.
Additionally, the EXP has a set of display settings that allow you to customize the visual presets. Original, pixel-perfect, and fullscreen resolutions are available for selection. If you’d like, you may even add a scanline filter. I would recommend leaving scanlines off as I found them to be more of an intrusive overlay rather than a convincing effect.
How to choose a gaming handheld
The simplest method to select a portable gaming device is to consider the kind of games you intend to play on it. Choose the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch OLED, or Nintendo Switch Lite if you want to play Nintendo published games on the go, such as Super Mario Odyssey or Mario Kart 8. These are the only systems that have these games accessible.
Similarly, the PlayStation Portal is going to be your best option if you currently own a PS5 with a sizable library and want access to the newest PlayStation titles. However, keep in mind that the PlayStation Portal is a streaming-only device that needs a continuous connection to the internet. Should you require a gadget constant internet connection. If you need a device that can be played offline, consider the other options on this list.
Portable PCs like the Steam Deck or Steam Deck OLED are the ideal option if you want to play more PC-oriented games like Valheim or Baldur’s Gate 3. If performance is your first priority, you should also take into account the Steam Deck or Steam Deck OLED, which has far better specifications than the Nintendo Switch while yet having a similar compact physical factor.
Even though every device on this list has some sort of retro gaming capability, if you’re more interested in playing older games and don’t want to spend a fortune, a specialized retro handheld like the Super Pocket might be the best choice. Playing is made incredibly portable with the Super Pocket.