The best handheld gaming consoles, from the Nintendo Switch to the Steam Deck

Read our full review of the Valve Steam Deck.

The Steam Deck is unlike any device that has come before it, bringing the traditionally less-accessible PC gaming experience to a streamlined and impressively powerful handheld. If you feel like you have PC gaming FOMO, the Deck might finally fix that.

Using Steam's built-in OS, the Steam Deck gives you access to the entire Steam Store library (including your own account, if it's already attached to a PC rig). Not every game in there is compatible with the Deck, but Steam kindly labels the ones that can run on it within their storefront — and the selection is enough to keep you busy for a while. From there, you can install games directly onto the device and start playing.

The power of the Steam Deck is remarkable. We had multiple "pinch me" moments as we booted up demanding games like Elden Ring, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, and God of War and experienced zero performance issues. Even games that aren't "Deck Verified" ran smoothly after we messed around with some graphics settings. (Playing Red Dead Redemption 2 on a handheld was surreal.) We also appreciated the Deck's desktop mode, which basically turns it into a pint-sized computer that you can use for web browsing and more. If you're patient enough, you can even program it to boot up non-Steam launchers like EA Origin and Ubisoft Connect, but it's a complicated process that requires some Linux know-how. It's a downside for those who want an all-encompassing PC experience with no limitations, but there's still so much here to enjoy that it's not a dealbreaker by any means.

The hardware itself is also great, but not without some minor faults. We really enjoyed the Deck's form factor and the layout of its controls, especially the rear-mounted buttons and dual trackpads on each side of its screen. It's comfortable to hold, and reaching each button is never a struggle. The device is on the heavier side, though, and you start to feel that weight after a few hours into play. That is, if you can get a few hours of play — unfortunately, the battery life of the Steam Deck isn't the best. Its quick drain is understandable when you consider how much power is required to run some of these games on a handheld level, but that doesn't make it any less annoying. Thankfully, you can still play it while it's plugged into the included charger.

PC gaming has traditionally been inaccessible to a large swathe of people because of the steep financial investment and need for constant troubleshooting. The Steam Deck is able to democratize it for all players, and to us, that's a gigantic feat.

Read our full review of the Nintendo Switch OLED.

Post-Switch-2 launch, the Nintendo Swith OLED is definitely the best last-gen version of the console you can get out there. If you can't find a Switch 2 in stock but still want a fantastic handheld experience, go for the OLED — that display is to die for.

The 2021 iteration of Nintendo's bestselling multi-use console doesn't reinvent the handheld experience with any earth-shattering upgrades, but it's still a stellar device for solo or group play and arguably the best Switch to date. Its biggest selling point is right there in its name: The Nintendo Switch OLED has a flashy seven-inch OLED touchscreen display with a minuscule bezel, sharp contrast, and a "vibrant palette of colors," said Mashable's former senior games reporter Adam Rosenberg. It excels in handheld mode, where you play with both Joy-Con controllers attached to its sides, and in tabletop mode, where it gets a boost from a wider, sturdier kickstand with an adjustable hinge. (Compared to the standard, non-OLED Switch, this feels more like a "natural extension" of its hybrid design than a "flimsy accessory," to quote Rosenberg again.) Thanks to some onboard speakers with "enhanced audio," it sounds just as good as it looks.

Nintendo further justifies the OLED Switch's $50 price bump from the standard model ($299.99) with double the onboard storage capacity — you get 64GB of space instead of 32GB. You can also expand that storage with a MicroSD card. This console didn't quite deliver on what players really wanted in a successor to the standard version, which was a next-generation "Switch Pro" with more horsepower and 4K graphics. Its screen's resolution still clocks in at 720p, and it still has an output of 1080p when docked in TV mode. It's powered by the same NVIDIA Custom Tegra processor, so you might still run into frame drops in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's dense Korok Forest. And its battery still lasts 4.5 to nine hours per charge, depending on the game. Functionally, it's the same system we've had for several years — just in a shinier, prettier package.

All of that being said, the OLED Switch remains a fantastic, uniquely versatile console in its own right. You probably don't need it if you bought a standard Switch anytime after 2019 when it got a better battery, but owners of the now-discontinued 2017 launch model could benefit from the upgrade.

The MSI Claw 8 AI+ is the newest handheld PC on the block, and comes packed with cool AI-enhanced features that take the legwork out of optimizing your settings within each game you play. If you want a powerful handheld that's convenient and doesn't require too much PC know-how, you'll probably really like this option.

The ever-growing handheld PC scene gets better with each year that passes, and the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is a fantastic example of that trend. The redesigned portable console introduces new AI-enhanced features that take the guesswork out of settings optimization within the games you play, and it actually works really well in practice. We booted up Cyberpunk 2077 using the MSI AI Engine and didn't have to tweak any settings after launching the game. We experienced only a bit of stuttering during gameplay, but overall, we got smooth framerates and high visual fidelity for a handheld. Less demanding games like Hades II and Blue Prince performed even better, with no noticeable frame drops or sacrifices in quality. The handheld ran nice and cool while playing all three of those titles.

The UX/UI is also great. The Claw has full Windows 11 support, and paired with the MSI Center M interface that houses all of your games and launchers, you have a super convenient duo that covers all the bases. We had the occasional hiccup within Center M, but overall, it was a nice upgrade from the other portable PCs we've tried, which required more work on the backend to get you where you want to go. Other highlights include the impressive three-hour-and-some-change battery life and the massive eight-inch FHD display.

While the display is big and looks decent, we can't help but think it should've included an OLED display at the very least at this price point ($999.99). For reference, the most upgraded Steam Deck OLED is priced at $649, while the version with slightly less space is only $549. It's not a dealbreaker, but it certainly hurts the overall value of the MSI Claw 8 AI+. Also, we're hoping that the next iteration is just a bit more ergonomic — the Claw feels pretty good to hold at first, but once you reach for those macro buttons on the back, you might feel strained (unless you have big hands).

The MSI Claw 8 AI+ is a bit expensive for what you get, but if you're looking for power, convenience, and a long battery life — which many of us are when it comes to portable PCs — it's worth the investment if you can afford it.

Read our full review of the Nintendo Switch Lite.

If you want to get the Nintendo Switch experience in a smaller package, the Nintendo Switch Lite was made just for you. It has many of the same capabilities as the regular Switch, but it's way easier to take on the go with you.

Nintendo's smallest, slimmest, and cheapest system is the Switch Lite, a handheld-only console from 2019 that ditches the detachable Joy-Cons for built-in controls. It can't be used for TV or tabletop play, and it lacks any sort of revolutionary specs, but that's not the point here: Its chief purpose is to offer a friendly, approachable portable gaming experience, and it totally delivers.

Our testing included several fun sessions with Hades and Breath of the Wild, and it really is incredible that you can get titles of that caliber on a device that's the size of a small clutch. Plus, you're technically not missing out on any power: It runs on the same NVIDIA CPU as Nintendo's other Switches, and its LCD touchscreen (while not OLED-pretty) is plenty bright and colorful. You won't have access to the entire Nintendo library from the get-go, mind you. Some games are incompatible with the Switch Lite out of the box because it doesn't natively support HD Rumble and IR motion controls. The good news is that it's only a handful of titles, and the problem is easily remedied by pairing the console with a separate Joy-Con.

The other thing about the Switch Lite that blew us away in our testing was its feather-light build: This thing weighs just over half a pound. (For comparison's sake, the standard Switch weighs 0.88 pounds — it doesn't seem like much, but it makes Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel's hands get cramped and numb after an hour or so.) It's extremely comfortable to hold for long periods of time, with a familiar layout that features a traditional D-pad instead of a four-button setup like the other Switches. We'd play the Switch Lite all day if it let us — its battery sadly maxed out around four to five hours in our testing. If you're going to take it with you on an extended bus ride or flight, make sure you juice it up beforehand. Finally, the Switch Lite's onboard storage is capped at 32GB, just like the standard model, so you'll definitely need to buy a separate microSD card if you want to load it with more than a couple of games. But as with all of its shortcomings, the Switch Lite's exceedingly reasonable $200 price point makes this easy to swallow.

If you're turned off by the Steam Deck's limited access to different game launchers, the Asus ROG Ally addresses that issue by being a fully functional, portable PC that can work seamlessly with your app(s) of choice. No Linux know-how needed.

The Steam Deck is no longer the only one of its kind on the market. Enter the Asus ROG Ally, the first true competitor to Valve's flagship handheld gaming PC.

Unlike the Deck, the Ally is a Windows-11-based handheld, which is already a big advantage over the former option, as it provides a layer of accessibility not found on the Steam Deck. The Deck is beholden to using Steam's proprietary client and storefront to run games (that is, unless you know how to work some Linux magic to get other apps working), while the Ally is compatible with all of your favorite launchers. That means the entirety of your library should be available to you, whether you've purchased your games on Epic, Xbox Game Pass, EA Origin, or someplace else (including Steam) — no fancy workarounds required.

Another aspect that the Ally holds over the Deck is overall processing power. The handheld is equipped with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor and an AMD Radeon graphics card, which is a really impressive combo for a portable console, and renders it capable of running some relatively demanding games with smooth performance. It stayed pretty quiet and never overheated during play, either. While we did run into a few hiccups during testing, we were generally able to run more games on the Ally than we could on the Deck, especially when we adjusted each game's respective settings. Other features we loved about the ROG Ally were the gorgeous, Full HD LCD display and the lightweight construction of the device. The Ally feels much less heavy than the Steam Deck, which allowed us to play longer without our hands getting tired and cramping up.

This doesn't come without its caveats, though. That lightweight construction we spoke of is nice when it comes to length of play, but also comes with (for lack of a better term) a cheaper, more plasticky feeling handheld compared to the premium feel of the Steam Deck. (We also would've liked to see a little more effort put into the tabletop stand — it's very flimsy, and comes off as an afterthought.) And speaking of length of play, we simply cannot gloss over the inferior battery life of the Ally when compared to the Deck. We were only able to get about two hours and some change out of the Ally while in gaming mode, and just around three hours while in desktop mode. This really pales in comparison to the Steam Deck, which still doesn't have the best battery life, but clocked in at about four hours of gameplay for us, and up to eight in desktop mode. Luckily, it charges back up pretty quickly, and you can get yourself back into the game without having to take any long breaks. Honestly, like with the Steam Deck, we recommend playing with the console plugged in if you're able to.

Two other minor hangups we had when it came to the Ally included that lack of included carrying case — at $699.99, it should really come with one, especially when the Steam Deck's cheapest model ships with one at no extra cost — and the positioning of the handheld's back buttons, which felt just a tad too low. Your mileage may vary on that last point, though.

So, which one should you get? The Steam Deck, or the Asus ROG Ally? The answer is (and we promise this isn't a cop-out): It depends. Neither one is objectively better than the other, so we would advise you to pick one based on your top priorities. If accessibility, a larger gaming library, and more processing power matter the most to you, pick up the Ally. If you're looking for a handheld that feels more premium, takes a more streamlined approach to its OS, and is better for taking on the go thanks to the longer battery life and included carrying case, go for the Steam Deck. All in all, you can't go wrong, as both handheld gaming PCs are truly remarkable achievements in their own right.

Preservation and nostalgia are the name of the game when it comes to the Analogue Pocket, a beautiful handheld that breathes new life into old Game Boy cartridges. If you have any interest in retro gaming, this blast from the past will surely resonate with you.

Succumbing to nostalgia sometimes isn't worth it, but that's not the case with 2021's Analogue Pocket. It isn't just a handheld that plays classic Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games — it's a marvel of game preservation and a shining example of how something old can be refreshed in a way that amplifies what made it special in the first place.

To be clear, the Analogue Pocket is not an emulating device. The Pocket actually runs classic Game Boy cartridges, bringing that retro experience to a brand-new console — one with much better build quality, a stunning display, and a bevy of fun extras. The Pocket's screen is extremely sharp, boasting 10 times the resolution of the original Game Boy and rivaling some of today's other handheld gaming devices. It even looks great on a TV when you hook it up with the Analogue Dock (sold separately for $99.99) à la the standard Nintendo Switch, which pleasantly surprised us. The audio quality is immaculate and expertly recreated some of our favorite gaming moments of the past. The hardware itself is also incredibly well-made — it has a true "premium feel," and each of its buttons is super responsive.

The Analogue Pocket features a lot of cool extras, too, like the ability to develop your own games using openFPGA, and even create 8-bit music. We don't have experience with game development ourselves, but knowing that anyone with a Pocket has access to free programming software is an exciting prospect for us as players. You've got the option to apply screen filters that make your games look like they would on original Game Boy consoles, and to pair the device with separate adapters for Game Gear, Neo Geo, Atari Lynx, and TurboGrafx-16 cartridges. We wish the cartridge slot wasn't fully exposed, but it's not a big problem at the end of the day. (Just leave a cartridge in there — easy fix!) Now, the debate can finally be put to rest: The best Game Boy is, in fact, the Analogue Pocket.