The most effective 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 value 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 encompasses 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 properly, which may also help many video games look smoother.

As a result of 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 may also help it acquire a pair further frames in sure video games.

All that stated, $549 is an enormous funding. The entry-level Steam Deck, which makes use of a extra primary IPS LCD show however now comes with a 256GB SSD as normal, continues 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 doable on a Nintendo Change, from Elden Ring to Final Fantasy VII Remake to the Resident Evil 4 remake. Whereas official recreation help is restricted to a subset of the Steam library, the checklist of officially verified and still-playable titles is very large, various and always rising. (There are workarounds to entry different storefronts as properly.)

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 every so often to get a recreation to run optimally, however the course of is often simple. That energy, mixed with third-party instruments like EmuDeck, makes the Deck excellent for emulation as properly. Some PS3 and authentic Xbox video games might be difficult, however nearly all the pieces else works fantastically. It’s also possible to cloud stream Xbox video games with a little setup.

The Steam Deck’s largest problem is its dimension: At two inches thick and almost 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.

Show: 7-inch IPS, 1080p decision, 500 nits brightness, 120Hz, VRR | Processor: AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive | RAM: 24GB LPDDR5 7500 MT/s | Storage: 1TB SSD | Battery: 80Whr | Dimensions: 11.02 x 4.37 x 0.97-1.45 inches | Weight: 1.49 kilos | Wi-fi: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 | OS: Home windows 11

If you happen to’re keen to spend further for extra energy, you’ll be able to skip the Steam Deck and purchase a Home windows-based handheld as an alternative. The ASUS ROG Ally X is the perfect of these proper now, and it’s a good different to Valve’s system for those who’re keen to commerce some ease of use for the next efficiency ceiling. Consider it like a extra transportable gaming laptop computer.

The ROG Ally X is an upgraded model of final yr’s ROG Ally, our earlier advice on this spot. This newer mannequin runs on the identical chip (AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Excessive) and has the identical show however comes with extra RAM, double the storage, a battery that’s twice as massive, improved ergonomics and a further USB-C port. It prices $150 extra, so it’s dear, but it surely’s a superior piece of {hardware} in almost each approach.

There are three essential causes to think about the ROG Ally X over the Steam Deck. The primary is energy: The unique ROG Ally was already a bit extra constant at enjoying graphically intense video games at increased body charges, thanks largely to a “Turbo mode” that reinforces the system’s energy draw to 25W, or 30W when plugged in. (The Steam Deck formally tops out at 15W.) In our ROG Ally X review, we discovered the additional RAM and improved reminiscence bandwidth right here helped additional this benefit by 5 to 10 % relying on the title. It’s nonetheless not a night-and-day improve in sure video games when all settings are equal, but it surely’s often higher, and it has rather more overhead each for now and the longer term. If you happen to primarily need to play demanding “AAA” video games, the Ally X is extra prone to run them properly.

On that notice, the Ally X’s second main promoting level is its variable refresh fee. The 7-inch LCD show right here is clearly not as vibrant or color-rich as that of the Steam Deck OLED, but it surely’s each sharper (1080p) and quicker (120Hz), and VRR help does wonders to maintain video games wanting easy even when their body fee fluctuates. It’s an enormous deal.

The third key benefit is the truth that Home windows helps you to play video games from any PC shopper, not only a number of Steam video games. If you happen to’ve constructed up libraries on shops like Epic, GOG or the Xbox app, you’ll be able to entry them right here as you’d on another Home windows PC, no workarounds required. For Xbox Sport Move video games, Epic Video games Retailer exclusives or finicky always-online titles like Future 2 that require anti-cheat software program, it’s nice.

Alas, for all its flexibility, Home windows can be the most important detriment to any Home windows handheld. ASUS has made real strides over the previous yr by turning its Armoury Crate app into a superbly usable recreation launcher and settings hub, but it surely’s nonetheless slapping a bandage onto an OS that isn’t designed for this way issue (a sentiment Microsoft itself has acknowledged).

Navigating Home windows together with your fingers and a controller continues to be frustratingly inconsistent. Sleep mode doesn’t all the time keep asleep. Whether or not a recreation works easily from the leap could be a crapshoot; typically the UI gained’t scale correctly, different instances you’ll have to spend minutes twiddling with graphics settings and key bindings. These points pop up with any gaming PC, in fact, however they’re extra annoying to take care of on a small display screen with no mouse helpful. Then there’s the bloat: You don’t want printer drivers, Copilot or adverts for Workplace 365 in your gaming handheld. No one will confuse a Steam Deck with a Change, however SteamOS is way simpler to simply decide up and use — even whether it is extra closed-off in consequence.

The Ally X’s battery life can’t match the Steam Deck both, although the drop-off is way much less obtrusive than it was with the primary Ally. You’ll be able to anticipate someplace round 2-2.5 hours with heavier fare, however properly past that with much less demanding stuff. The larger battery does make the chassis barely heavier, however its extra pronounced grips, tighter joysticks, meatier triggers and barely taller face buttons make it simply that further bit comfier than earlier than. It’ll nonetheless match finest in greater fingers, but it surely’s a few half-inch thinner than Valve’s machine. The overheating issues that plagued the prior mannequin’s microSD card reader ought to be mounted, too, and the corporate has a minimum of pledged to improve its RMA course of after a raft of complaints.

Finally, whether or not the ROG Ally X is best for you comes all the way down to your tolerance for software program jank. If you happen to’re keen to courageous some UX sloppiness to be able to play high-end video games from any shopper, wherever you need, it ought to be definitely worth the value premium.

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 superb 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 X, so it will probably solely run PC, PS5 and Xbox video games by way of streaming. However in order for you one thing extra compact and are keen to go through the rigors of getting emulators to work, it’s probably 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’ll be able to activate to realize slightly further efficiency. This gives sufficient energy to play most video games from the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube, two fashionable retro consoles which might be usually robust for cell handhelds to emulate. Not each recreation labored — notably 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 will probably play a major chunk of PS2 and GameCube video games at full pace and double their native decision. The very fact it will probably stably play extra intensive titles like Gran Turismo 4 in any respect, even at decrease settings, is incredible for the cash.

Nearly all the pieces we examined from techniques under the PS2 and GameCube on the efficiency totem pole — PSP, Dreamcast, PS1, N64, and many others. — ran flawlessly at a 2-4x upscale. The one exceptions had been a couple of 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 fantastic, as did native Android video games with gamepad help 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 continues to be comfy to carry because of its low weight and small profile. (Retroid sells a comfy grip add-on for one more $15 for those who want it, although.) It doesn’t really feel low-cost or creaky regardless of its plastic body, and its textured coating is enjoyable to the contact. All of its buttons really feel proper: The face buttons are easy and have a snug quantity of journey; the analog triggers are conveniently broad 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 fashionable video games, however they’ve a snug stage of rigidity. And since they use magnetic Hall effect sensors, they need to keep away from drifting points over time. Beneath these are helpful begin, choose, house 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 simple to cowl together with your fingers by chance.

The 4.7-inch IPS show isn’t probably the most correct we’ve examined even after updates, but it surely’s sufficiently vibrant, sharp and vivid, and any colour temperature points are laborious to note except you’re white background. It’s cramped for streaming fashionable video games, nonetheless, 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 bought 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 will probably 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 in a position to take a look at it, however for those who 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 of play many video games from these two techniques, and all the pieces under that ought to be rock strong. However the Pocket 4 Professional casts a wider security internet performance-wise, so it ought to be value the additional $50 for individuals who need to emulate higher-power consoles extra reliably.

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

In case you have additional cash to burn on an emulation-focused machine, the AYN Odin 2 is the very best retro gaming handheld you should purchase proper now. This Android system can play all the pieces the Retroid Pocket 4 Professional can plus slightly further, with smoother and extra dependable efficiency. That is primarily on account of its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which is similar chip utilized by a lot of final yr’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 helps 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 properly on this value vary. It performed all PS2 and GameCube video games we examined at two to 3 instances their native decision, whereas techniques just like the PS1, N64 and Dreamcast had been sometimes 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 will probably play a wider vary of Change video games than the Pocket 4 Professional (although you must simply purchase a Change if that is a serious concern). Tougher techniques will nonetheless require some settings tweaks, however you gained’t should 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 transportable PC and the curved grips on its again make it simple to carry, notably 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 will probably keep a bit too vibrant in darker settings. Battery life is excellent: We bought greater than eight hours of juice emulating techniques just like the PS2, however that jumped over 20 hours with lighter duties. The system helps 65W quick charging as properly. Cloud streaming and native Android video games work as they need to, and since the entire thing runs on a frivolously 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 continues to be a step up in efficiency and total consolation for individuals who can afford it. If you wish to play the classics or stream fashionable video games with no hitch, it’s the Android handheld to get.

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 will probably 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 might be set to seem like an outdated Sport Boy panel with completely different filter modes. The system may output to a TV with an optionally available dock.

Not like the retro handhelds talked about above, the Pocket is designed to play precise cartridges, not simply ROM recordsdata. It really works with Sport Boy, Sport Boy Coloration and Sport Boy Advance video games by its cartridge slot, whereas video games from the Sega Sport Gear, TurboGrafx-16, Neo Geo Pocket and Atari Lynx are playable by optionally available adapters.

Like previous Analogue gadgets, the Pocket makes use of field-programmable gate array (FPGA) motherboards to imitate its goal techniques on a {hardware} stage. In follow, this implies the Pocket’s “emulation” of older titles is near-perfect, with a stage 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 stated, because of a big post-launch update and an lively consumer group, the Pocket may run ROMs off a microSD card and thus play techniques 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’ve got a group of Sport Boy, Sport Gear or GBA video games, the Pocket is probably the most elegant strategy 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 a couple of weeks for brand new orders to ship, if not longer.