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

Because of a refresh late last year, Valve’s Steam Deck continues to supply the very best stability of value, efficiency and value within the gaming handheld market. And the brand new Steam Deck OLED is an intensive improve over the unique. Beginning at $549 for 512GB of storage, this variant contains a 7.4-inch OLED show that’s brighter, quicker, barely larger 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 effectively, which will 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 will help it acquire a pair additional 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 commonplace, remains 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 potential on a Nintendo Change, from Elden Ring to Final Fantasy VII Remake to the Resident Evil 4 remake. Whereas official recreation assist is restricted to a subset of the Steam library, the checklist of officially verified and still-playable titles is huge, various and consistently rising. (There are workarounds to entry different storefronts as effectively.)

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 now and again to get a recreation to run optimally, however the course of is normally simple. That energy, mixed with third-party instruments like EmuDeck, makes the Deck excellent for emulation as effectively. Some PS3 and unique Xbox video games could be difficult, however nearly every little thing else works fantastically. You can even cloud stream Xbox video games with a little setup.

The Steam Deck’s greatest situation is its dimension: At two inches thick and almost a foot lengthy, it stretches the definition of a “handheld” gadget, even when the OLED mannequin is lighter by comparability. The LCD Deck can get heat and noisy pretty rapidly, too, and the d-pad on every gadget 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, clean joysticks and helpful twin touchpads.

Show: 7-inch IPS, 1080p decision, 500 nits brightness, 120Hz, VRR | Processor: AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive or AMD Ryzen Z1 | RAM: 16GB LPDDR5 6400 MT/s | Storage: 512GB SSD | Battery: 40Whr | Dimensions: 11.02 x 4.37 x 0.83-1.28 inches | Weight: 1.34 kilos | Wi-fi: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 | OS: Home windows 11

Should you’re prepared to spend additional for extra energy, you’ll be able to skip the Steam Deck and purchase a Home windows-based handheld as a substitute. The ASUS ROG Ally is the one that ought to work for most individuals, and it’s an honest different when you’re prepared to commerce ease of use for a better efficiency ceiling. Consider it like a extra transportable gaming laptop computer.

Observe that we’re particularly recommending the mannequin with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Excessive APU, which prices $649. ASUS sells one other model with a weaker Ryzen Z1 chip for $150 much less, however the energy drop-off there’s too nice. With the Z1 Excessive, the ROG Ally can play extra demanding video games at larger body charges and resolutions than the Steam Deck. In our review, we noticed fps good points of 15 to 25 % in AAA fare like Cyberpunk 2077 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Whereas the Steam Deck formally tops out at a TDP of 15W, the ROG Ally’s Turbo mode boosts its energy draw to 25W (or 30W when plugged in), letting it eke out extra frames. The recent addition of AMD’s Fluid Movement Frames body era tech will help some video games look smoother, too, although setting that feature up and correctly optimizing it is much from intuitive. Usually, the ROG Ally is not absolutely the quickest handheld, and the Steam Deck can truly outperform it every so often on the similar TDP, decision and graphics settings. However it has extra overhead going ahead, which is necessary when you principally play graphically demanding video games.

The ROG Ally’s 7-inch LCD show isn’t as shiny or color-rich because the Steam Deck OLED, nevertheless it has a sharper 1080p decision and a quicker 120Hz refresh fee. Most significantly, it helps variable refresh charges (VRR), which helps maintain the picture clean whilst a recreation’s body fee fluctuates. Regardless of having a similar-size display screen, the ROG Ally can be shorter, lighter and thinner than the Steam Deck OLED. That stated, it doesn’t include a case. And although the {hardware} isn’t as a lot of a brick because the Steam Deck, Valve’s handheld has extra pronounced grips round its again, which may nonetheless make it simpler to carry for these with giant palms.

The ROG Ally’s upgraded efficiency and sharper show come on the expense of battery life, nevertheless. That normally sits within the two- to four-hour vary, however it may be even much less with sure video games and better efficiency modes, considerably defeating the purpose of a “transportable” gadget.

As a result of it runs on Home windows 11, the ROG Ally can play video games from any gaming shopper, not only a number of Steam video games. Should you’ve constructed up libraries on shops like Epic, GOG, Itch.io or the Xbox app, you’ll be able to entry them right here as you’d on another Home windows PC, no particular workarounds required. For many who need to play Epic exclusives like Alan Wake 2 or Xbox Sport Go titles, it is a actual benefit.

However the greatest situation with all Home windows handhelds is Home windows itself. ASUS has made more strides than most by turning its Armoury Crate software program right into a centralized settings hub and recreation library, nevertheless it’s nonetheless slapping a bandage on an OS that merely isn’t designed for this gadget class (for now).

Whether or not a recreation works easily immediately can really feel like a crapshoot on a Home windows handheld. Typically the UI received’t scale correctly, typically you’ll should spend a number of minutes fidgeting with graphics settings and key bindings, oftentimes you’ll should alternate between navigating the OS with buttons and along with your fingers. I as soon as needed to hard-reset the ROG Ally after a driver situation stored the display screen from turning on.

ASUS reveals a useful seven-minute tutorial on easy methods to replace and use the ROG Ally upon first launching Armoury Crate, however the truth that it wants a seven-minute intro video within the first place is telling. No one will confuse the Steam Deck with a Change, nevertheless it’s a lot less complicated to only decide up and use than any Home windows different.

The ROG Ally has additionally had some troubles with high quality management. Most notably, a number of customers have reported issues with the gadget ejecting or outright killing their microSD playing cards, a difficulty ASUS has since confirmed. The gadget’s SSD is replaceable with a little legwork, nevertheless, so we advocate taking that route when you want greater than 512GB of storage. A variety of ASUS gadget homeowners have famous significantly terrible experiences with the corporate’s guarantee and return service as effectively, although the agency recently pledged to overtake its buyer assist processes.

Since our final replace, ASUS has unveiled a upgraded variant of the Ally referred to as the ROG Ally X, which is up for pre-order now and can be launched on July 22. This mannequin has the identical show and chipset however makes use of an even bigger 80Whr battery, 1TB of storage, 24GB of quicker RAM, an additional USB-C port and a number of other design tweaks, together with extra pronounced grips and a revised d-pad. The trade-offs are that it’s barely thicker and heavier, plus it prices extra at $800. Engadget’s Sam Rutherford was extremely impressed with the upgrades in his hands-on preview, however we’ll replace this information once more as soon as we are able to absolutely overview the brand new mannequin.

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 good worth for individuals who primarily desire a gaming handheld to emulate older consoles. It’s an Android-based gadget with far much less energy than the Steam Deck or ROG Ally, so it may possibly solely run PC, PS5 and Xbox video games through streaming. However if you would like one thing extra compact and are prepared 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 totally different modes you’ll be able to activate to realize a little bit additional efficiency. This offers sufficient energy to play most video games from the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube, two fashionable retro consoles which are usually powerful for cell handhelds to emulate. Not each recreation labored — significantly 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 energetic cooling settings. With some setup, although, it may possibly play a big chunk of PS2 and GameCube video games at full velocity and double their native decision. The very fact it may possibly stably play extra intensive titles like Gran Turismo 4 in any respect, even at decrease settings, is implausible for the cash.

Nearly every little thing we examined from methods under the PS2 and GameCube on the efficiency totem pole — PSP, Dreamcast, PS1, N64, and so on. — ran flawlessly at a 2-4x upscale. The one exceptions had been a number 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 tremendous, as did native Android video games with gamepad assist 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 remains to be snug to carry because of its low weight and small profile. (Retroid sells a comfortable for one more $15 when you want it, although.) It doesn’t really feel low-cost or creaky regardless of its plastic body, and its textured coating is agreeable to the contact. All of its buttons really feel proper: The face buttons are clean and have a snug quantity of journey; the analog triggers are conveniently huge and flared; the bumpers are clicky and simple to tell apart; and the d-pad is agency and exact. The joysticks are on the stubby aspect and positioned a little bit too low on the gadget to be really snug with fashionable video games, however they’ve a snug degree of rigidity. And since they use magnetic Hall effect sensors, they need to keep away from drifting points over time. Beneath these are useful begin, choose, dwelling 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 straightforward to cowl along with your fingers accidentally.

The 4.7-inch IPS show isn’t probably the most correct we’ve examined even after updates, nevertheless it’s sufficiently shiny, sharp and vivid, and any coloration temperature points are onerous to note except you’re white background. It’s cramped for streaming fashionable video games, nevertheless, and its 16:9 side ratio means you’ll get hefty black borders with some older consoles by default. Battery life is ok given the gadget’s size-to-performance ratio: We received three to 4 hours with PS2 and GameCube video games, and round eight or 9 hours mixing in older consoles. The energetic cooling system prevents the Pocket 4 Professional from ever feeling too sizzling, although it may possibly 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 capable of take a look at it, however when you 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 to play many video games from these two methods, and every little thing 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

You probably have more money to burn on an emulation-focused machine, the AYN Odin 2 is the best possible retro gaming handheld you should purchase proper now. This Android gadget can play every little thing the Retroid Pocket 4 Professional can plus a little bit additional, with smoother and extra dependable efficiency. That is primarily because of its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which is identical 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 dear when the entry-level Steam Deck permits 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 effectively on this value vary. It performed all PS2 and GameCube video games we examined at two to 3 occasions their native decision, whereas methods just like the PS1, N64 and Dreamcast had been sometimes playable at a 3-4x upscale. Most 3DS and Wii video games could have little to no slowdowns at 2-3x, both. It’s higher than most with the Sega Saturn, and it may possibly play a wider vary of Change video games than the Pocket 4 Professional (although you need to simply purchase a Change if that is a significant concern). Tougher methods will nonetheless require some settings tweaks, however you received’t should tinker on a game-by-game foundation as a lot as you’ll with lower-cost units.

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, nevertheless it’s a lot much less chunky than a transportable PC and the curved grips on its again make it straightforward to carry, significantly 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 may possibly keep a bit too shiny in darker settings. Battery life is excellent: We received greater than eight hours of juice emulating methods just like the PS2, however that jumped over 20 hours with lighter duties. The gadget helps 65W quick charging as effectively. Cloud streaming and native Android video games work as they need to, and since the entire thing runs on a evenly 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 remains 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 may possibly even work with equipment just like the Sport Boy Digicam. In comparison with the unique, although, the Pocket provides two additional 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 stunning 3.5-inch show that’s each backlit and extremely sharp (615 ppi) however could be set to seem like an previous Sport Boy panel with totally different filter modes. The gadget 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 information. It really works with Sport Boy, Sport Boy Shade and Sport Boy Advance video games via its cartridge slot, whereas video games from the Sega Sport Gear, TurboGrafx-16, Neo Geo Pocket and Atari Lynx are playable via optionally available adapters.

Like previous Analogue units, the Pocket makes use of field-programmable gate array (FPGA) motherboards to imitate its goal methods on a {hardware} degree. In observe, this implies the Pocket’s “emulation” of older titles is near-perfect, with a degree of responsiveness and visible faithfulness that software-based emulation can’t match. Pop in a Sport Boy or GBA cartridge and you’ll basically play it as supposed. That stated, because of a big post-launch update and an energetic person group, the Pocket may run ROMs off a microSD card and thus play methods 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 wonderful d-pad or face buttons. Nonetheless, you probably have a group of Sport Boy, Sport Gear or GBA video games, the Pocket is probably the most elegant technique to play them, and it’s solely turn into extra versatile over time. Its greatest flaw is that it can be hard to purchase — count on to attend a number of weeks for brand new orders to ship, if not longer.