The Best Handheld Game Consoles
If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
It feels like a distant memory by now, but right before the Nintendo Switch launched in 2017, it seemed like portable gaming was on its last life. Mobile games had gobbled up huge portions 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 outside the living room than ever.
This is a bit of an odd category because, to be quite frank, many of the devices on the market aren't very good. Valve's Steam Deck kicked off a wave of manufacturers looking to compete with the Nintendo Switch, but many of their offerings are rushed, buggy, or just not a great way to play games. A few have risen to the challenge, and I'm comfortable saying that there are finally some good options. I've spent hundreds of hours testing as many gaming handhelds as I could get my grubby hands on—these are the best.
Be sure to check out our other gaming buying guides, including the Best Retro Gaming Consoles, Best Mobile Game Controllers, Best Steam Deck Accessories, Best Switch Accessories, and Best Gaming Laptops.
Updated November 2024: We've added the Analogue Pocket and info about the Logitech G Cloud.
Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.
What to Look for in a Gaming Handheld
The Nintendo Switch may have set a new standard for portable gaming, but in the time since, the category has gotten increasingly complex. New platforms, new control schemes, and a range of battery life that runs the gamut from several hours to “don't stray too far from a charger.” With that in mind, here are a few factors to keep in mind when deciding which one is right for you:
- Platform: The Switch runs games that were designed (or at least adapted) for the Switch. Easy enough. Other handhelds can be a bit more complicated. On the Steam Deck, for example, Valve uses custom software and the Proton compatibility layer to make games run and play well on a handheld. Some handhelds just run Windows directly (which has its drawbacks). Make sure to see what games you want to play are available on which platform and how well they run before you buy.
- Display: If you're gonna stare at your gaming handheld all day, it may as well have a great display. Many devices, like the Switch and the Steam Deck, have OLED variants with incredibly crisp, vibrant displays. However, better doesn't always mean, er, better. Screens with higher resolutions and faster refresh rates can also drain more battery.
- Power: Speaking of battery life, that's one area where gaming handhelds can vary wildly. Some devices, like the Switch and the Steam Deck, are optimized as much as they can be for battery consumption. Still, running graphics-heavy games like Tears of the Kingdom will always use more battery than simpler games like Stardew Valley. On handhelds that run less optimized operating systems like Windows, battery can drain even faster. If you plan to use a lot of heavy battery-draining features or games, then you might want to pick up a portable charger.
- Performance: The Switch notoriously runs on an underpowered processor compared to its competitors. Yet, its games make the most of it by being optimized for the hardware they run on. When it comes to games that were designed for Windows (whether they run on the Steam Deck, or Windows handhelds directly), they can require a lot more power to get the same kind of performance. Faster, more powerful processors can mean you'll get a more fluid gaming experience. But, once again, keep in mind that faster processors use up more battery, so be sure to balance performance with power drain.
- Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
The Undisputed King
Nintendo Switch OLEDThe Switch puts Nintendo's first-party titles into a handheld that gets great battery life (most of the time). Pop off the Joy-Con controllers to play with the screen propped up on the kickstand, or put the screen into a dock to play on your TV. It should go without saying that Nintendo takes the top spot in the category it more or less reinvented. The original Switch is great, but I think anyone in the market should get the upgraded Nintendo Switch OLED instead (8/10, WIRED Recommends), especially when we're so close to a Switch successor (frankly, it might be more prudent to wait).
The original Switch has minor flaws, like how the screen isn't the best quality, and its flimsy kickstand isn't super sturdy and can break easily. Both of these are fixed with the Switch OLED. It sports a bigger 7-inch screen (while only making the handheld slightly bigger), plus a reliable kickstand that spans the console's entire width. It also has 64 GB of built-in storage instead of the 32 GB on the original. You probably don't need to upgrade if you already have a Switch, but if you're looking to get one for the first time, OLED is the way to go.
Check out our Best Switch Accessories and Best Switch Games to make the most of your handheld.
- Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft
Best for PC Gamers
Valve Steam DeckThe original Steam Deck (5/10, WIRED Review) had some issues when it first came out, but after a barrage of updates, I'm comfortable saying it's the second-best way to take your games outside the house, behind the Switch. It has all the buttons and control sticks you'd expect from a typical controller (making it compatible with most games with controller support), plus a pair of touchpads that help approximate a mouse when you need finer control than thumb sticks can typically provide. Every button is customizable, so if a game wasn't designed to run in handheld mode, you can still make most of them work.
Despite using a compatibility layer to play Windows games on a custom Linux build, the vast majority of games in your Steam library run exceptionally well on the Steam Deck. (We have a guide on how to find compatible games.) That includes a lot of AAA titles you wouldn't expect to work on the relatively low-powered processor. Don't get me wrong, you probably won't be playing Starfield on this thing, and most high-end games will need to use the lowest graphics settings, but nearly all of my 200+ hours in Hades II were spent on a Steam Deck. I can't come up with a better endorsement than that.
- Photograph: Brendan Nystedt
Best Upgrade for PC Gamers
Valve Steam Deck OLEDThe Steam Deck OLED (7/10, WIRED Recommends) improves on the original Steam Deck in almost every way. It has a minor spec bump and, as you might guess, an OLED screen. Most notably–beyond the much better display–it comes with a 50-watthour battery, instead of the 40-Wh capacity on the original. While the Steam Deck gets surprisingly good battery life for lower-power games, heavy AAA games can drain it quickly, so this is a nice improvement. The OLED model also supports Wi-Fi 6E, which is more future-proof and helpful for downloading all those huge games. If you want to play the games in your Steam library anywhere without lugging around a laptop, this is the nicest portable experience you can get.
- Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft
For PS5 Streaming
Sony PlayStation PortalThe PlayStation Portal (7/10, WIRED Review) comes with some caveats. It doesn't let you install games and play them on a handheld. Instead, it's a device dedicated to streaming games from your PlayStation 5 onto its 8-inch LCD screen. That means to use it you need a PS5 console and a solid Wi-Fi connection in your home. (You can play it remotely away from home, but the quality will vary based on your internet connection.)
That might be worthwhile for some people. I played Spider-Man 2 at my partner's place despite the PS5 sitting back at home, and the experience was surprisingly comfortable. At $200, the Portal is considerably cheaper than other handhelds on this list (if you ignore having to own a PS5 for it to work). It's not for everyone, but for the people it's for, it's great at its job.
- Photograph: Analogue
Best Retro Handheld
Analogue PocketIf the Game Boy had been invented in the 2020s, it would probably look like the Analogue Pocket (8/10, WIRED Recommends). This slick, modern handheld invokes the classic Game Boy design. It supports all the cartridges you may have lying around, from the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance eras. It can also accept cartridges from the Sega Game Gear, Atari Lynx, or Neo Geo Pocket via adapters (sold separately). It's a remarkably capable device that can keep the legacy of all your favorite portable game consoles alive.
Read our Best Retro Consoles guide for more nostalgic fun.
- Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft
Best Windows-Based Gaming Handheld
Lenovo Legion GoI've put off the Windows-based handhelds as long as I can, but it's finally time to address the elephant in the room. A lot of manufacturers have tried to build a Steam Deck competitor that runs Windows. The main flaw is … well, they run Windows. That means extra bloat that gamers don't need, a battery that drains way faster than it would on a purpose-built gaming device, and a ton of user interface jank that makes it a nightmare to navigate your games.
With all that in mind, the Lenovo Legion Go (5/10, WIRED Review) is the best attempt I've seen at this so far. It has two detachable controllers, similar to the Switch. Its innovative “FPS mode” bridges the gap between controller and mouse input, and it even has the same wide, sturdy kickstand as the Switch OLED. There are two USB-C ports—one on the top and one on the bottom—so you can plug it in no matter how you're playing. Since it runs Windows, it can technically run any PC game, not just the ones on Steam.
- Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft
Another Solid Windows Handheld
Asus ROG Ally XThe Asus ROG Ally X (6/10, WIRED Review) still can't entirely overcome the jank that comes with Windows. It also doesn't have as many unique and interesting features as the Lenovo Legion Go. But it does have one thing that the other Windows handhelds don't have: a massive battery. With an 80-Wh battery, this thing can store more juice than many gaming laptops. That's not just a nice-to-have—it's essential since Windows tends to burn through battery faster than other platforms.
It's still not enough to reach good battery life, per se, but it's what I would consider acceptable. I got nearly three hours out of Doom Eternal and a little longer playing Hades II. No other Windows handheld I've tested (including the Legion Go) lasts that long, which is a bit sad, but it still makes this the best option for longer gaming sessions.
Other Gaming Handhelds
There are other gaming handhelds on the market, and many are older, streaming-only devices, or Windows-based handhelds. These aren't our top picks, but are still handheld options we'd recommend over others.
- Nintendo Switch for $300: The original Switch (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is completely fine to buy if you can find it on sale for $250 or less. Anything more and you may as well pay for the Switch OLED.
- Nintendo Switch Lite for $200: The Switch Lite (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is the cheapest version of the Switch, but not by a ton. It lacks detachable controllers, and you can't dock it to play on your TV. This is for portable gaming exclusively. If you're fine with that, then you can save a little money with this version, but if you want to play with separate controllers or on your TV–or if you're just unsure–then it's probably worth spending a little extra on the Switch OLED.
- Mobile game controllers can be a good option for folks who want to game on their phone, and one of our favorites is the Backbone One.
Avoid These Gaming Handhelds
This space has been flooded with handhelds and not all of them are great. Some of them are so bad I would argue no one should buy them at all. Or, at the very least, don't buy them unless they go on such a significant sale that they're essentially in the bargain bin. Windows handhelds, in particular, are so finicky that if you buy one of these, you should expect some headaches to get it working if you decide to take that plunge.
- Asus ROG Ally: I was pretty harsh to the Rog Ally in my review and for good reason. It has the same jank as other Windows-based handhelds, and unreasonably low battery life, even by gaming handheld standards. Updates, since it came out, improved it enough to merit including this one in our Honorable Mentions in the past, but now that the ROG Ally X is out—and often for not much more money than the original—it's hard to recommend this one anymore.
- MSI Claw: I'd say the MSI Claw (2/10, WIRED Review) is the Pepsi to the Asus ROG Ally's Coke, but it's more like it's the Big K Cola to the Ally's Great Value Cola. Both handhelds are already trying to follow in the footsteps of better devices, but the Claw performed so poorly that MSI announced its upcoming replacement a mere three months later. There's no real reason to buy this unless you're a collector or a masochist.
- Logitech G Cloud: For this handheld, Logitech took a page out of the PlayStation Portal's playbook, focusing on streaming first. Unfortunately, it doesn't do it as well. For starters, it's considerably more expensive at $300, plus it requires a subscription to streaming services like GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming. It struggles more than other devices I've tested at streaming games, and its ability to run games locally via Android is similarly not very robust.
Wired Coupons
10% Off Wayfair Promo Code with sign-up
20% off Dyson Promo Code
$50 Off In-Person Tax Prep When You Switch From Your Tax Current Provider
Up to $500 off cameras at Canon
Save extra 10% Off TurboTax
Exclusive: Up To 50% Off 6 Boxes With Factor Promo Code