Alternatives
These are not our top picks, but are still handheld options we recommend to others.
MSI Claw 8 AI+ for $1,000: MSI’s handheld gaming consoles have been roller coasters for a few years, but all the severely broken and flawed hardware finally led to the Claw 8 AI+, which is a powerful entry. The hardware is beautiful, despite its large size, the button layout is good and ergonomic, and the performance is great. I like failure Sekiro And collected too many acorns Squirrels use gun. The 1080p screen has a refresh rate of 120 Hz and is sharp and smooth. Unfortunately, the biggest problem is that it runs Windows. MSI’s central M software is not intuitive to use either, and I’m running into some errors where the controls stop working. Worse, the console is hard to find in stock. This is a pity, as this is finally a good MSI handheld, but its high price and usability issues just make it inaccessible to most people.
ASUS ROG ALLY X priced at $900: The Asus Rog Ally X (6/10, wired review) still can’t completely overcome the Jank that comes with Windows. It also doesn’t have as many unique and interesting features as Lenovo Legion GO. But it does have another thing that other Windows handheld doesn’t have: a lot of battery. With an 80w battery, this thing can store more juice than many gaming laptops. That’s not just a good person. This is essential because windows tend to burn through the battery faster than other platforms. Not enough to arrive OK Battery life itself, but that’s what I think is acceptable. I’ve been nearly three hours Eternal bad luck There is a longer performance Hudders II. Other Windows handhelds I’ve tested (including Legion GO) lasted that long, which is a bit sad, but that still makes it the best choice for longer gaming courses.
Nintendo Switch Lite costs $197: Switch Lite (8/10, wired recommendation) is the cheapest version of the switch, but not a ton. It lacks a removable controller that you can’t dock on your TV. This is for portable gaming. If you’re happy with this, you can save some money on this version, but if you want to use a separate controller or TV playback (or just not sure), it might be worth spending some extra money on the Switch OLED. I don’t think I need to buy the original switch anymore.
Try cloud streaming
You can use your phone in your pocket to buy new devices for gaming only. The latest phones feature high resolution and high speed OLED panels, good battery life, and fast data connections required for multiplayer gaming or streaming. For all these options, a proper controller will help with the experience. We have a guide with fixtures and a standalone controller that works with iPhone and Android, so be sure to check if you decide to use the streaming route.
Photo: Simon Hill
Steam Link (iOS, Google Play): If you have a gaming PC and a fast internet connection, you can run the games locally and stream them to any device that can run the Steam Link app. This option is very easy to get up and running, and even has built-in customizable touch controls so you can start it without any other hardware. Assuming I’m not just crushing my hands, this is my preferred choice for gaming on my phone Balatro.
Nvidia Geforce now: NVIDIA is one of the early choices for cloud gaming, and Geforce Now (8/10, wired recommendation) is still a great choice for PC gamers without the latest hardware. It uses the game libraries you have on various existing platforms, but run them on NVIDIA servers for more consistent performance. There is also a free version that includes an hour of session cap, among other limitations, but premium membership allows you to skip queues and play for longer while getting more performance.
Xbox Cloud Games: Although technically still in Beta, Microsoft has been slowly expanding the Xbox Wall to include PC gamers, now streaming. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can stream featured gameplays to their mobile devices. This option has a subscription fee and limited gaming compared to other options, but if you’re already in the game pass, it’s worth a try.
Avoid using these games handheld
This space is full of handheld styles and not all are great. Some of them are so bad that I don’t think anyone should buy them.
Asus Roger Allies: Roger’s allies have great potential, but they are not eliminated. It has the same Jank as other Windows-based handheld computers, and even through the gaming handheld standard, battery life is unreasonable. Since it was released, the update is enough to improve its past mentions, including our honorary mentions, but now that the ROG Ally X is out and usually no longer making more money, it’s hard to recommend this one.
Logitech G Cloud: For this handheld, Logitech took a page from the PlayStation Portal script, with the focus on streaming first. Unfortunately, it didn’t do it either. It’s much higher for beginners, 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 in streaming games, and it’s not very robust to run games locally via Android.
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