Handheld gaming PCs are redefining the way we experience PC gaming by offering compact dimensions without compromising on power. These devices, despite their smaller size compared to traditional gaming PCs, are capable of running AAA games like
The Best Handheld Gaming PCs
1. Valve Steam Deck
The Valve Steam Deck is hailed as the best handheld gaming PC, running on Steam OS with a seven-inch display and robust internals designed for optimized gaming.
- CPU: 4-core, 8-thread AMD Zen 2
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
- GPU: 8-core AMD RDNA 2
- Weight: 1.47 lb
- Dimensions: 11.7 × 4.6 × 1.9 inches
The Steam Deck is mighty powerful and perfect for running Steam games, although it suffers from poor battery life. It doesn’t come with Windows installed but uses Valve’s custom SteamOS. The OLED version offers a larger, brighter screen with improved battery life and more storage.
2. Lenovo Legion Go
The Lenovo Legion Go is the best high-performance handheld gaming PC, running Windows 11 with a massive QHD display.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X
- GPU: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
- SSD: 512GB SSD
- Weight: 1.41 lb
- Dimensions: 1.6 x 11.76 x 5.16 inches
The Legion Go offers excellent performance and boasts the best display in a handheld gaming PC, but its large size may not be suitable for all users.
3. Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme
The Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme is considered the best Windows handheld gaming PC, featuring an AMD Zen 4 CPU and AMD RDNA GPU for solid performance.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
- GPU: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
- SSD: 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe
- Weight: 1.24 lb
- Dimensions: 11.02 x 4.37 x 0.83 inches
This device features a seven-inch Full HD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and speedy performance, though its Armoury Crate software could use some improvement.
Upcoming Handheld Gaming PCs
The handheld gaming PC market is buzzing with anticipation for new releases. While we await the mysterious successor to the Steam Deck or the follow-up to the Lenovo Legion Go, Asus has announced the ROG Ally X—a mid-generation refresh of the original ROG Ally. Our hands-on experience with the Asus ROG Ally X reveals significant improvements in cooling and a much larger SSD. However, before we add it to our guide, we want to ensure its quality, so stay tuned for our full review later this summer.
Handheld Gaming PC FAQ
Should I buy a handheld gaming PC or a gaming laptop?
The decision between a handheld gaming PC and a gaming laptop depends on your gaming preferences and the types of games you want to play. Handhelds excel in longevity, battery life, optimization, portability, and thermals but are designed to play games up to a certain specification. Gaming laptops, on the other hand, offer more versatility but may not match the portability and specialized optimization of handheld gaming PCs.
