Handheld gaming systems are having a moment. While people have been gaming on the go since the days of the Game Boy, the last few years have brought a tidal wave of devices that let you play all sorts of games wherever you want. Because new handhelds seem to launch every week, though, figuring out which ones are actually worth your attention can be overwhelming. You don’t need us to tell you the Nintendo Switch is great, but depending on your tastes, the right handheld could be a $70 emulation machine or an $800 portable PC. To help you cut through the noise, we\u2019ve researched the best handheld gaming consoles, tested several top contenders and laid out the ones we like the most right now.
\nTable of contents <\/p>\n
Best gaming handhelds for 2025
\n Other gaming handhelds we’ve tested
\n What to know about the gaming handheld market <\/p>\n
Best gaming handhelds for 2025 <\/p>\n
Other gaming handhelds we’ve tested <\/p>\n
The MSI Claw 8 AI+. <\/p>\n
Sam Rutherford for Engadget <\/p>\n
Note: This is a selection of noteworthy gaming handhelds we\u2019ve tested, not a comprehensive list of everything we’ve ever tried.
\nMSI Claw 8 AI+
\nThe original MSI Claw was a flop, but the newer Claw 8 AI+ is much more appealing if you\u2019re willing to pay for a larger and slightly more powerful alternative to the ASUS ROG Ally X. With its Intel Core Ultra 7-258V chip and 32GB of RAM, it typically pumped out 10 to 15 percent higher frame rates than other high-end models like the Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go in our testing. Battery life is relatively strong, while its 8-inch 120Hz IPS display is plenty bright and supports VRR. There are smooth Hall effect thumbsticks and triggers, two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a built-in fingerprint sensor beyond that.
\nThe Claw\u2019s main issue is its price: At $900, it\u2019s hard to justify over the ROG Ally X, which is already too expensive for most people. ASUS’ handheld is smaller, lighter and generally more portable on top of that\u2014 though the Claw is thinner \u2014 and its Armoury Crate software, while far from perfect, is still a bit more polished than MSI\u2019s Center M hub.
\nIt\u2019s worth noting that MSI has a smaller 7-inch version of this handheld for $800, the same price as the ROG Ally X, but we haven\u2019t tested that one yet. <\/p>\n
The Lenovo Legion Go. <\/p>\n
Photo by Sam Rutherford\/Engadget <\/p>\n
Lenovo Legion Go
\nThe Lenovo Legion Go is another capable alternative to the ASUS ROG Ally X with an even larger display. It runs on the same Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and offers a similar set of performance modes, but it has a mondo-sized 8.8-inch panel with a sharper 2,560 x 1,600 resolution and a higher 144Hz refresh rate. It also borrows some ideas from the Switch, including detachable controllers and a built-in kickstand for playing games in a tabletop mode. Those controllers have touchpads to make navigating Windows a little easier, something the ROG Ally X lacks.
\nBut it\u2019s still a Windows handheld, and Lenovo\u2019s software tweaks aren\u2019t as intuitive as what ASUS has done with Armoury Crate, so the UX can feel half-baked by comparison. The jumbo design is bulkier and heavier than the ROG Ally X, so some will find it too fatiguing to hold. Its fans are louder as well, plus the display lacks VRR. Lenovo teased a Legion Go 2 at CES earlier this year, though it hasn’t shared a release date or pricing details as of our latest update. <\/p>\n
The Lenovo Legion Go S. <\/p>\n
Sam Rutherford for Engadget <\/p>\n
Lenovo Legion Go S (Windows version)
\nThe Lenovo Legion Go S has a relatively comfortable design and a commendable 8-inch 120Hz display, but its performance lags too far behind the ROG Ally X, Claw 8 AI+ and original Legion Go for a device priced at $730. Windows is still as clunky as ever, too. We\u2019re more excited to test the SteamOS version that\u2019s scheduled to arrive in May, as that should be one of the first non-Valve devices to utilize the Steam Deck\u2019s software. <\/p>\n
The Ayaneo Flip DS. <\/p>\n
Photo by Jeff Dunn \/ Engadget <\/p>\n
Ayaneo Flip DS
\nThe Ayaneo Flip DS is a cool concept: a powerful Windows machine with a clamshell design and dual displays, sort of like a supercharged Nintendo DS. It feels sturdy, it performs roughly on par with the other Ryzen 7 7840U (or 8840U) handhelds in this guide, and its 7-inch top display is sharp, fast and bright. The second screen makes it a natural fit for emulating Wii U or 3DS games, but you could also, say, look up a guide or play a YouTube video without having to close whatever you\u2019re playing.\u00a0
\nUnfortunately, this is more of a neat idea than a fully thought-out product. The folding design means that the joysticks have to be short and recessed, while the face buttons and d-pad are uncomfortably flat. The whole thing is overly thick and heavy, plus it runs very hot. Battery life tops out around two hours, and actually managing two displays on a Windows handheld is about as clunky as you’d expect. With prices starting above $800, the Flip DS is hard to recommend unless you\u2019re (oddly) desperate for a handheld Wii U emulator. We’re always happy to see more weird hardware, though. <\/p>\n
The Ayaneo Kun. <\/p>\n
Photo by James Trew \/ Engadget <\/p>\n
Ayaneo Kun
\nThe Ayaneo Kun is among the most decadent Windows handhelds we\u2019ve tested. With a sharp 8.4-inch display, a Ryzen 7 8840U chip, up to 64GB of RAM, up to 4TB of storage, a sizable 75Wh battery and a 54W max TDP, it\u2019s both a capable gaming device and a feasible replacement for a desktop PC. But it costs well over $1,000, it\u2019s huge and it suffers from the usual Windows-related issues. It also lacks VRR. It\u2019s still a fine device if money is truly no object, but it\u2019s more handheld than most need. The ROG Ally X is a much better value. This is technically an older model for Ayaneo, too, as the company seems to launch a new handheld every other hour these days.
\nAyaneo 2S
\nThe Ayaneo 2S is another high-power Windows handheld with a sharper display and higher configuration options than the ROG Ally X. It also uses the same chip as the Kun above. But it\u2019s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and costs a few hundred dollars extra. Ayaneo announced a decked-out successor called the Ayaneo 3 toward the end of 2024; we’ll try to test that one out when it becomes available.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
The Retroid Pocket Mini (bottom) and Retroid Pocket 5. <\/p>\n
Jeff Dunn for Engadget <\/p>\n
Retroid Pocket Mini
\nThe Retroid Pocket Mini is essentially a smaller version of the Retroid Pocket 5. It runs on the same Snapdragon 865 chip and feels just as sturdy, but it has a smaller 3.7-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. This makes it a more natural fit for older retro consoles, as you won\u2019t get the black boxes you\u2019d see on a 16:9 display like the one on the Pocket 5. If you mainly want to emulate systems like the SNES, Sega Genesis or Game Boy Color and don\u2019t mind paying extra for a rich OLED display, it\u2019s a good little device. But the tiny screen is limiting if you ever want to play newer games, and we wish there wasn’t so much empty space around the display.\u00a0
\nThis device has also generated some controversy within the retro gaming community for having persistent issues with inaccurate shaders (and for the slapdash way Retroid has handled the matter). That shouldn’t be a dealbreaker for most people, but those who prefer to use effects like those may want to look elsewhere.\u00a0
\nRetroid Pocket 4 Pro and Retroid Pocket 4
\nThe 4.7-inch Retroid Pocket 4 Pro is the predecessor to the Pocket 5. Its performance isn\u2019t significantly far off the newer model, so it remains a nice value if you\u2019re determined to spend less than $200 on an emulation device. It misses out on the larger OLED display and more ergonomically-friendly design of its follow-up, however. The base Pocket 4 may also be worth a look if you want to stay under $150, but its weaker chip makes it less adept at emulating games from the PS2, GameCube and up. <\/p>\n
The Anbernic RG35XX Plus. <\/p>\n
Photo by Jeff Dunn \/ Engadget <\/p>\n
Miyoo Mini Plus
\nThe Miyoo Mini Plus is a highly affordable handheld with a well-built, Game Boy-style form factor that fits nicely with older games. Its 3.5-inch display really pops for something in the $60 to $80 range, its battery lasts as long as it needs to and it can emulate consoles up to the original PlayStation without much issue. Its Linux-based software is extensively customizable, though it requires some tinkering to get it working optimally. Still, of the many Game Boy-like emulation handhelds floating around the budget end of the market, it\u2019s the one we\u2019d recommend first. Since it\u2019s from a smaller Chinese firm and isn\u2019t available at major retailers, however, it can be difficult to actually buy.
\nAnbernic RG35XX Plus
\nThe Anbernic RG35XX Plus is another wallet-friendly vertical handheld. For about the same price as the Miyoo Mini Plus, it offers a faster chipset, more RAM and a bigger battery alongside a similarly impressive design. Its stock OS is sloppy and cheap-looking, however, and while the stronger processor is nice, the small screen and lack of analog sticks means you won\u2019t want to emulate much beyond the PS1 anyway. <\/p>\n
The Anbernic RG35XXSP. <\/p>\n
Jeff Dunn for Engadget <\/p>\n
Anbernic RG35XXSP
\nThe Anbernic RG35XXSP is a variant of the RG35XX Plus based on the same internals, only it apes the clamshell form factor of the old Game Boy Advance SP. That\u2019s a great design to rip off if you must pick one, and the hardware doesn\u2019t feel nearly as cheap as its $60-ish price tag would suggest. But the software issues noted above still apply (both here and with the many other devices in the same RGXX family). We\u2019ve also seen several user reports of quality control issues with the RG35XXSP\u2019s battery, which is automatically disqualifying.
\nAnbernic RG405M
\nThe Anbernic RG405M is another 4:3 handheld with a 4-inch display and a pleasing metal frame. It\u2019s an OK alternative to the Retroid Pocket Mini if you want a little more screen space for $50 less, but it\u2019s slower, and it lacks the Mini\u2019s OLED display. We find the Retroid\u2019s grooved back to be comfier to hold over time as well. <\/p>\n
The PlayStation Portal. <\/p>\n
Photo by Devindra Hardawar\/Engadget <\/p>\n
PlayStation Portal
\nThe PlayStation Portal is an odd accessory that\u2019s designed to stream games from a PlayStation 5. It lacks built-in apps, so it doesn\u2019t support traditional emulation. Because it\u2019s entirely dependent on the quality of your home Wi-Fi, we can\u2019t guarantee how well it\u2019ll actually perform. It doesn\u2019t work with Bluetooth earbuds either.\u00a0
\nThe 8-inch display is fine and the DualSense-style controls are great, so PlayStation diehards who want a second screen for local PS5 streaming may see the appeal. Sony recently added the ability to stream a selection of games via the cloud, which is a step in the right direction, but you need an expensive PlayStation Plus Premium subscription to take advantage. In general, there\u2019s little here that you can\u2019t do with a smartphone and mobile game controller, so most people are better off saving their $200.
\nLogitech G Cloud
\nThe Logitech G Cloud would\u2019ve been a great Android pick when it launched if it cost about $150 less. Its 7-inch 1080p display is bright, vibrant and generally more pleasing to look at than the panel on the AYN Odin 2, its battery lasts a good 10 to 12 hours per charge and its design is comfy to hold for hours at a time. Alas, the G Cloud still typically sells between $260 and $300, which is just too much when the Retroid Pocket 5 offers more power at a lower price.
\nWhat to know about the gaming handheld market <\/p>\n
Jeff Dunn \/ Engadget <\/p>\n
You can break down the gaming handheld market into three broad tiers. At the top, you have x86-based portable gaming PCs like the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally X. These are the most powerful handhelds you can buy, as they seek to replicate the experience of a moderately specced gaming desktop. The Steam Deck runs on the Linux operating system, but most others use Windows. If you want to play modern, recently released PC games on the go (and need something stronger than a Switch), this is the type of device you\u2019d get. They can also emulate the widest range of retro consoles. They\u2019re typically the largest and most cumbersome devices to hold, however, and their battery life can be short. Naturally, they\u2019re also the most expensive, costing anywhere from $400 to more than $1,000.
\nFurther down on the price spectrum are “mobile handhelds” like the Logitech G Cloud or Retroid Pocket. These devices often run Android or Linux and can range from under $50 to $400-ish. They aren\u2019t equipped to play modern console or PC titles, but they\u2019re usually more compact than a portable PC, and you can still use them for mobile games and cloud streaming. While most are marketed toward those ends, many gamers actually buy them to emulate classic games through software like RetroArch. Getting emulators to work can be complicated, and accessing the BIOS and ROM files required to play games this way is legally murky. One lawsuit from Nintendo recently led to the shutdown of the most prominent Switch and 3DS emulators, for instance. (Engadget does not condone piracy.) Backing up files of games you already own for personal use only is considered more defensible, though, so for that a mobile handheld can be a more user- and wallet-friendly way to play the classics \u2014 provided you don\u2019t want to just use your phone.
\nWe\u2019ll call the last tier \u201chandhelds that do their own thing.\u201d This is a catch-all for things like the Switch or Playdate: portable devices that run heavily customized software and aim to provide a unique gaming experience. They aren\u2019t necessarily ideal for emulation or playing the latest multiplatform titles; instead, they often have distinct game libraries. They might not have the widest appeal as a result (Switch excluded), but they\u2019re often easier for less tech-literate folks to just pick up and use.
\nRecent updates
\nMarch 2025: We\u2019ve edited this guide for clarity and added testing notes for the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and Lenovo Legion Go S (Windows version). Our main picks are unchanged. Looking ahead, we\u2019re keeping an eye on upcoming Windows handhelds from Acer and Ayaneo, a pair of new emulation devices from Retroid, the first third-party devices to ship with SteamOS and the first machines to run on AMD\u2019s Ryzen Z2 chips, among other releases. Oh, and we\u2019ll also learn more about the Nintendo Switch 2 in a few weeks.
\nJanuary 2025: We have a new top pick among emulation-focused handhelds: the Retroid Pocket 5. Beyond that, we\u2019ve added notes on a few other devices we\u2019ve tested, including the Retroid Pocket Mini and Anbernic RG35XXSP; lightly edited other blurbs to reflect changes in the market; and removed a couple write-ups for products that\u2019ve been discontinued. We’re also keeping an eye on new handhelds that\u2019ve recently been announced or are strongly rumored to arrive in the near future, including devices from MSI and Lenovo.
\nAugust 2024: We\u2019ve replaced the ASUS ROG Ally, our prior pick for the best Windows gaming handheld, with the new and improved ROG Ally X. We\u2019ve also checked to make sure all availability and pricing details noted throughout the guide are accurate.
\nJune 2024: We\u2019ve updated this guide to ensure all of our recommendations are up to date, adding a note on ASUS\u2019 upcoming ROG Ally X in the process. We\u2019ve also included details on two new handhelds we\u2019ve tested since our previous update: the MSI Claw and Ayaneo Flip DS. Staying on top of this market is a tall task, but we\u2019re currently looking at recent noteworthy releases like the PSP-esque AYN Odin 2 Mini and the GBA-style Anbernic RG35XXSP as well.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/gaming\/best-handheld-gaming-system-140018863.html?src=rss<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Handheld gaming systems are having a moment. While people have been gaming on the go since the days of the Game Boy, the last few years have brought a tidal wave of devices that let you play all sorts of … Continue reading