The Nintendo Switch changed what portable gaming could be, but the Steam Deck, the best handheld gaming PC, brought it to a new level, leading to an influx of portables with more continuing to be developed. Jump to a detailed look at the best handheld gaming PCs, or check the list below:
TL;DR – These are the Best Handheld Gaming PCs
- Valve Steam Deck
- Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme
- GPD Win 4
- AYANEO Air PRO
- GPD Win Max 2
- AYANEO Geek
- Asus ROG Ally Z1
The ability to play the best PC games from anywhere is huge. You’ll enjoy a compact build, brilliant screen, and easy-to-use controls at your fingertips. But when looking for your ideal handheld gaming PC, what’s on the inside decides whether the device sinks or swims. Processors powerful enough to run the latest action-packed games make a world of difference. Ample speedy storage ensures quick saves on the go, while RAM and proper thermals keep everything up to snuff. You can’t forget the software or battery life, either. It’s a lot, so we’re here to help your search, bringing you seven top options.
Best Handheld Gaming PCs
1. Valve Steam Deck
The best handheld gaming PC
Pros:
- Mighty powerful
- Perfect for running Steam games
Cons:
- Terrible battery life
Popularizing the handheld gaming PC revolution, the Valve Steam Deck doesn’t actually come with Windows installed. Instead, it uses Valve’s custom SteamOS, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have games that work on it. Thanks to the API Proton, the Steam Deck supports dozens of games optimized for the portable from Cyberpunk 2077 to Forza Horizon 5.
There are ways to get Windows running on the seven-inch display portable by booting directly from the USB-C port. Beyond that is one of the best input controls available for any portable gaming handheld. See our full comparison between the Steam Deck and Rog Ally here.
There’s also the OLED version of the Steam Deck to consider, for users who prefer a larger, brighter, and more vibrant screen. While still displaying at 1200×800, the Steam Deck OLED offers a noticeable difference, providing more clarity for a better visual experience. You also see improved battery life, a higher refresh rate, and more storage than the 256GB offered in the tradtional LCD model.
Be sure to check out the best Steam Deck accessories and Steam Deck docks to pair with the powerful portable.
2. Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme
The best Windows handheld gaming PC
Pros:
- Seven inch Full HD screen with 120Hz refresh rate
- Speedy performance
Cons:
- Struggles with battery life
The Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. When it comes to visual specs, the portable Windows 11 gaming handheld has a 7-inch FHD LCD touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate. At the base $699 price, you get a 6-core AMD Zen 4 matched alongside an AMD RDNA 3 with 6 compute units. For $100 more, users can get the Z1 Extreme edition featuring an 8-core AMD Zen 4 and AMD RDNA 3 with 12 compute units. For added security, the handheld also features a fingerprint scanner on the power button.
3. GPD Win 4
The best handheld gaming PC with a keyboard
Pros:
- Handy keyboard built-in
- Compact design
Cons:
- High price tag
More like a mini laptop than gaming handheld, the GPD Win 4 looks almost like Sony’s PSVita until you look beneath the surface. The portable has a AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and AMD Radeon 680m GPU. All of that is hiding behind a 6-inch 1080p screen. One of the highlight features of the GPD Win 4 is a sliding Windows keyboard, which makes using the desktop operating system a breeze on the go.
There are three versions available including a base configuration with 16GB RAM and 1TB of SSD storage going up as high as $1,599 for 32GB and 2TB of SSD storage.
4. Ayaneo Air
The most portable handheld gaming PC
Pros:
- Powerful performance
- Storage expansion via Micro SD slot
Cons:
- Lower FPS
One of the smallest handheld gaming PCs available, the AYANEO Air has a 5.5-inch OLED FHD screen. Performance-wise, you should be able to get quite a bit of horsepower of the 6-core AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and AMD Radeon GPU. A little under two inches thin, the AYANEO Air also weighs 2.6lbs. With 512GB SSD storage, there’s also room to expand via Micro SD slot. Though it may lack the sheer power of many portable Windows handhelds on the list, the formfactor alone may be worth the price of admission.
5. GPD Win Max 2
The best convertible handheld gaming PC
Pros:
- Impressive components for a compact device
- Includes built-in keyboard and game controls
Cons:
- Bulkier than other PC handhelds
Taking a different approach to the GPD Win 4, the GPD Win Max 2 has a large 10-inch screen and full keyboard that feels more like a significantly smaller netbook. On top of the keyboard are traditional gaming controls including dual analog sticks, D-pad and face buttons. When it comes to specs, the Win Max 2 comes packed with an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, AMD Radeon 780M, 32GB RAM and 2TB of SSD storage. Perfect for creators and graphic designers, the touchscreen also supports active pens too.
6. Ayaneo Geek
The best handheld gaming PC for media
Pros:
- Healthy amount of SSD storage
- Haptic feedback and gyroscope controls
Cons:
- Expensive
If you want the sleek form factor of the AYANEO Air but with slightly more power and functionality, you should consider the Geek. It has a 8-core AMD Zen 3 CPU, an AMD RDNA 2 GPU, and 16GB RAM. There are also two SSD storage versions available: 512GB and 1TB, and all configurations feature a 7-inch display with a 1280X800 resolution, haptic feedback and gyroscope controls.
7. Asus ROG Ally Z1
The best handheld gaming PC for indie games
Pros:
- Budget-friendly
- Easy-to-use interface
Cons:
- Graphics at the highest setting struggle in AAA games
If you like the looks of the Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme but want something cheaper and almost as powerful, grab the Asus ROG Ally Z1. Running the show is Windows 11 and a 30W AMD APU featuria Zen 4 processor paired with GPU that features four RDNA 3 CUs. Admittedly, those graphics will struggle to keep up with AAA games at their highest settings on this 120Hz FHD handheld offering a seven-inch display. Turning down the settings does help make games more playable, but the device truly shines in indie games.
Handheld Gaming PC FAQ
Should I buy a handheld gaming PC or a gaming laptop?
Depending on how you want to game and what games you want to play will determine whether you should grab the best gaming laptop or a handheld PC. Handhelds score higher points in longevity, battery life, optimization, portability, and thermals. But handhelds are only designed to play games up to a certain specification. Gaming laptops cram in the latest GPU, CPU, and RAM, likely sacrificing battery life, thermals, and price. However, some are absolute beasts ready to take on even the most graphically intensive games. Laptops offer more functionality when it comes to editing and other work.
Check out our guide on the Steam Deck vs. gaming laptops for more information.
Are there any upcoming gaming handhelds?
More gaming handhelds are expected to be announced or released soon. The Nintendo Switch 2 may launch towards the end of 2024–7 years after the original Nintendo Switch was released. According to Valve, you shouldn’t expect a new Steam Deck for “a couple of years.” The MSI Claw has recently been released, while Lenovo is already planning on creating a successor to the Legion Go released late last year. An Xbox handheld is even rumored to be on the horizon.
What’s the best Steam Deck alternative?
The Steam Deck takes the top spot in this guide, but the Asus ROG Ally is the best Steam Deck alternative. This gaming handheld offers an easy-to-use interface, speedy performance, and stunning design. It still struggles with battery life, similar to the Steam Deck. However, you’ll have a harder time using Windows 11 with the ROG Ally than Linux on Steam Deck.
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