Gaming on a PC is surely the way when it comes to a fully immersive experience but gaming on handheld consoles is far more convenient than anything there could be. While gaming handhelds have existed for decades, it’s only now that they have become so powerful that they can let you play regular PC games without owning a full-fledged PC.
With the arrival of various gaming handhelds from the top hardware manufacturers, it’s the best time to own a gaming handheld. From budget handheld consoles, offering exclusive titles to premium handhelds with the ability to run intensive modern titles, there are plenty of them to choose from. However, with different hardware, controls, compatibility, and connectivity, it can be a challenging task to choose the best one.
From a plethora of gaming handhelds, we have chosen the best ones to ensure you get the best bang for the buck. Whether you have a budget of less than $200 or over $500, here is the list of the best gaming handhelds to buy in 2024.
Top Picks for the Best Gaming Handhelds in 2024
Best Overall
ASUS ROG Ally X
A powerful and versatile handheld with exceptional performance and long battery life for users who would like to feel desktop-like performance. The ROG Ally was already good but the Ally X improves the specifications even further, offering superior connectivity, controls, and optimizations
ASUS ROG Ally X at $799.99 from Best Buy
CPU: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, RAM: 32GB LPDDR5X 7500, Storage: 1TB 2280 PCI-E 4.0 SSD, Battery: 80Wh, Display: 7-inch 1080p 120Hz LCD, OS: Windows 11
| PROS | CONS |
| + Increased storage and RAM | – Annoying Windows interface |
| + Excellent battery life | – Expensive |
| + A bright 120Hz display | – No OLED |
| + Better ergonomics and grip |
When it comes to handheld gaming, the ROG Ally vs Steam Deck debate always follows. Even though the Steam Deck is still on our recommendation list, the reason why we recommend getting the ROG Ally X the most is because of its powerful hardware, connectivity, and versatile functionality. Though its Windows OS interface can be annoying at times, you can do a lot more than just gaming. While this isn’t entirely the reason why we think the ROG Ally X is great, it’s more convenient in a lot of scenarios than Steam Deck.
The ROG Ally X is the successor to the 2023 ROG Ally edition and was released in July 2024. The original gaming handheld had some issue(or call them flaws), which were fixed in the Ally X for an improved gaming experience. Although the ROG Ally X runs on the same AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, it now boasts better configuration, including double the storage capacity(512GB vs 1TB) and a faster and more RAM(16GB LPDDR5 6400 vs 24GB LPDDRX 7500). Now you can use a regular 2280 form-factor SSD, making upgrades even easier than before.
The ROG Ally X has improved grips than before and slightly better ergonomics for longer gameplay. The controls feel pleasant and have a better lifespan than before. There are some minor changes in the controls but overall, the console looks pretty much similar to the ROG Ally. What seems to be the best upgrade is its battery life, which is now twice as long as before. 80Wh is rare on handheld consoles and this makes the ROG Ally run for several hours. Still, an OLED display upgrade would have been great, considering the handheld costs $800.
Best Alternate Overall
Nintendo Switch OLED
CPU: NVIDIA Custom Tegra CPU, RAM: 4GB, Storage: 64GB, Battery: 4310mAh, Display: 7-inch OLED 720p, OS: Proprietary
| PROS | CONS |
| + Cheap | – Cannot play PC games |
| + Bigger and better OLED display | – Not the best hardware |
| + Classic Nintendo titles | – Same resolution as non-OLED edition |
| + Good battery life | – No enhancements in TV mode |
Not every handheld needs to play PC games. Even though most triple-A graphically appealing titles are available for PC, Nintendo’s Switch OLED has access to some of the most iconic titles that give us the nostalgia of our childhood games. From Mario games to The Legend of Zelda, there are some excellent games you can play on the go on the beautiful OLED display the Switch OLED brings. Unlike the original Switch, the OLED edition provides a 0.8-inch bigger screen with incredibly high contrast for beautiful visuals.
The increase in screen size didn’t affect the overall size of the Switch OLED. The 0.1-inch increase is almost unnoticeable but now gaming is more immersive. The Switch OLED is also enhanced in various areas, including a bigger 64GB storage compared to 32GB on the non-OLED version and a redesigned kickstand. The console, however, carried some flaws or one can say didn’t improve in some areas where it should have.
It’s great that the Switch OLED allows you to dock to the TV but the output resolution is the same as before. Nonetheless, if you care about portability and want to have some fun while you are outside or while you rest on a couch, the Switch OLED offers mostly hassle-free operation and excellent games.
Best Budget
Steam Deck
CPU: AMD Zen 2, RAM: 16GB LPDDR5 5500, Storage: 1TB, Battery: 40Wh, Screen-Size: 7-inch LCD 1280x800p, OS: SteamOS
| PROS | CONS |
| + Power-efficient | – Somewhat older hardware |
| + Amazing OS and user interface | – Not the best battery life |
| + Available in different storage capacities | – Not ideal for intensive titles |
| + Good emulation of various consoles |
Steam Deck is the handheld that made many manufacturers start producing their consoles to run the latest titles. While Deck isn’t the most powerful out there since many handhelds are now available with newer hardware, it’s surely one of the best in terms of balancing performance and affordability. Steam Deck has been hugely successful since it was launched in 2022 and even though the OLED edition is out, many consider the original Deck a better choice, simply because it’s cost-effective and brings almost the same configuration.
Deck uses a quad-core Zen 2-based APU with hyperthreading enabled. It uses 16GB LPPDR5 memory and comes in different storage capacities, starting at just $349. We recommend getting the 512GB which costs around $400 and will give you ample space for storing a couple of big titles or several small to medium-sized games. Steam Deck has a 7-inch LCD screen with 800p resolution that also brings a responsive touchscreen feature for gesture control.
One of the major reasons to consider Steam Deck is its almost flawless Linux-based operating system that also allows you to emulate various consoles. It isn’t as versatile as Windows OS but it’s mostly free from annoying issues.
Best High-End
ZOTAC Gaming ZONE(Upcoming)
The Gaming ZONE’s power lies in its Zen 4-based Ryzen 7 8840U that delivers the best performance out of the box. It’s premium design with AMOLED display and hall effect joysticks and triggers make it one of the best handhelds you can buy in 2024.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8840U, RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X 7500, Storage: 512GB 2280 PCI-E 4.0 SSD, Battery: 48.8Wh, Display: 7-inch 1080p 120Hz AMOLED, OS: Windows 11
| PROS | CONS |
| + 120Hz AMOLED display | – Lackluster battery life |
| + Powerful 8-core Hawk Point APU | – Expensive |
| + Versatile functionality | – Lower RAM than competition(Why?) |
| + Excellent connectivity | – Windows OS-related issues |
ZOTAC didn’t just stick with making motherboards or graphics cards, it also went with its handheld console this year. The ZOTAC Gaming ZONE is a very recent gaming handheld, which was showcased at Computex 2024 and was launched in August. The handheld has the attention of a lot of people since it’s the most powerful handheld at the moment. One of the reasons why the Gaming ZONE stands out is because of its unmatched display. While most gaming handhelds end up with OLED panels at max, the ZONE comes with a high refresh rate 7-inch AMOLED display with touchscreen enabled.
However, the touchscreen isn’t the only way you can control things on this handheld, there are radial dials around the thumbsticks too, which allows users to control the settings on the fly. Once again, it’s important to highlight its display as it is incredibly bright with up to 800 nits of brightness with HDR support, and has excellent contrast and fluidity. The hardware is also pretty impressive compared to most handhelds.
There is a Zen 4-based Ryzen 8840U chip inside, which is an 8-core/16-thread APU with the Radeon 780M graphics. It’s a bit faster than the Z1 Extreme available in the ROG Ally X and therefore, can deliver somewhat better performance out of the box. Still, after all the premium design and functionality, one thing remains a flaw, which is its battery life. When ASUS has already upgraded its Ally X with an 80Wh battery, why does the ZONE come with a 48.5Wh battery?
Best Android
AYN Odin 2
CPU: Qualcomm Adrena 8 Gen 2, RAM: 12GB LPDDR5X, Storage: 256GB UFS 4.0, Battery: 8000mAh, Display: 6-inch 1080p IPS, OS: Android 13
| PROS | CONS |
| + Several emulators to choose from | – Occasional issues with some emulators |
| + Compact and lightweight | – 60Hz LCD |
| + Hall Effect joysticks | – Small face buttons |
| + WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity |
Android OS is something that most of us have used and are still using on our phones but it’s underrated when it comes to gaming. Android phones surely do play games but the experience with the AYN Odin 2 is next-level. With dedicated controls for a plethora of games on the PlayStore plus the availability of several emulators, including Switch, PSP, PS2, and more, you can have a library of a variety of games from different genres.
AYN Odin 2 is a compact handheld boasting a 6-inch IPS LCD with a 1080p resolution and touchscreen enabled. Despite being cheap, it doesn’t compromise on the hardware or connectivity. It brings a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU, featuring 8 cores and an Adreno 740 GPU. The Odin 2 is available in three different editions: Base, Pro, and Max featuring different RAM/Storage capacities. The one we recommend is the PRO with 12GB/256GB configuration, which officially costs less than $400.
The battery life is solid and the design is highly ergonomic as well. The good thing is that it has hall effect technology for its joysticks, which make gaming a much more pleasant experience. Plus, there are additional buttons at the back for navigation and a fingerprint module for waking up the device quickly with better security. Since it doesn’t compete with the SteamOS or Windows-based handhelds, you should try the AYN Odin 2 for Android games to have fun in your leisure time.
Best Retro
RG405M Retro
CPU: Unisoc Tiger T618 8-core chipset, RAM: 4GB LPDDR4X, Storage: 128GB eMMC, Battery: 4500mAH, Display: 4-inch 480p IPS, OS: Android 12
| PROS | CONS |
| + Very cheap(sub-$200 price) | – Not very powerful |
| + Can run many emulators | – Less immersion due to small screen |
| + Ultra compact and highly portable | – Low resolution |
| + Pre-loaded with 3172 games | – Most pre-installed games aren’t high quality |
This is another Android gaming handheld but it’s specifically for those who want to go even lighter for better portability. It’s also the cheapest on this list but it boasts decent hardware to run thousands of games from PlayStore as well as emulators if you want to have fun with iconic PS2, Dreamcast, PSVita, and games from older consoles.
The RG405M brings a small yet touchscreen-enabled 4-inch IPS display, boasting a 640x480p resolution. This might not sound too good but for a 4-inch screen size, it won’t be a deal breaker as it won’t be difficult to swipe and take control of the apps installed in the console. The handheld already comes with pre-installed 3000+ games in the 128GB flash memory but you can delete or replace them with better games.
RG405M Retro is best for a casual gaming experience and can be carried inside a small pocket. You can easily connect to WiFi or some other device via Bluetooth 5.0 and can enjoy gaming for several hours, thanks to its 4500mAh battery.
Tips to Choose the Best Gaming Handheld
Hardware: Comparing the hardware and overall configuration of a gaming handheld gives you an idea of how powerful the console is. While it’s not possible to compare two gaming consoles running two different OS or completely different games, the configuration helps you in choosing a better one if two different handhelds use the same OS or can play the same games. Always check for the APU, RAM, and storage to see if they can meet the gaming demands before anything else.
Operating System: Most handhelds use the Windows operating system as it is easier to run multiple applications and game clients like Steam, Epic, Ubisoft, etc. on them. Windows may not be the best in terms of user experience, but it’s the most versatile. On the other hand, SteamOS is a much better OS as it is optimized specifically for playing video games. The same goes for Nintendo’s proprietary OS, which can play some exclusive games. However, they both have their flaws.
Controls: A good D-pad, face buttons, responsive triggers, and analog sticks, all make gaming a good experience. Good placement for better ergonomics and a great grip also help in a pleasant experience. On top of that, if the handheld comes with a touchscreen display, it can become pretty convenient in executing various operations.
Battery Life: You don‘t want to charge your handheld every hour, so it’s better to opt for a handheld that already packs a big battery life. The recent handheld revisions by some manufacturers have doubled the battery life, which makes a great impact on the handheld’s value.
Portability and Screen Size: Gaming handhelds are known for easy portability but they do come in various sizes. Depending on the hardware and screen size, a handheld can be smaller or bigger but most of them can fit a loose pocket. Remember that size shouldn’t be the primary factor for choosing a gaming handheld but if you do care about easy portability, do take a look at the screen size, dimensions, and console weight.
FAQ
Can I play PC games on a handheld?
Definitely! There are several handhelds available today that can play regular PC games either through Steam or any other game client like EA, Epic, or Ubisoft. ASUS ROG Ally X, Steam Deck, and ZOTAC Gaming ZONE are some of the best handhelds to run PC games.
Which handheld has the best specs?
Configuration-wise, the ZOTAC Gaming ZONE takes the lead with the Ryzen 7 8840U APU. It’s also way better than any other handheld in its display. However, handhelds set to release in 2025 will supposedly feature much better specs and battery life.
What handheld gaming device has the biggest screen?
Lenovo Legion Go features the biggest screen at the moment, featuring an ‘8.8-inch touchscreen display with a 144Hz refresh rate. Then we have the AYA Neo Next II with an 8-inch screen size.
VIA: wccftech.com
