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Title: The best gaming handhelds for 2025

Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:00:36 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-handheld...

Handheld gaming systems are having a moment. While people have been gaming on
the go since the halcyon days of the Game Boy, recent years have brought an
avalanche of devices that let you play all sorts of games anywhere you want.
But new machines seem to arrive every week, and figuring out which ones are
actually worth buying can be overwhelming. Depending on your tastes, the
right handheld could be a $70 emulator or an $800 portable PC. To help you
narrow things down, weΓÇÖve spent months researching the best handheld gaming
consoles and testing several top contenders. Here are the ones we like the
most right now.

EditorΓÇÖs note (8/19/25): This is a somewhat awkward time to buy a gaming
handheld, as new machines based on AMDΓÇÖs Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip are on the
way, including two new Xbox handhelds developed by Microsoft and ASUS. Those
Xbox devices will bring an overhauled Windows UI that could address many of
our longstanding issues with the OS. Beyond that, the Trump
administrationΓÇÖs tariff policy and proposed repeal of the ΓÇ£de minimisΓÇ¥
exemption continues to loom over the handheld market, potentially hiking the
prices of retro handhelds built by Chinese companies in particular (among
many other goods). Nevertheless, weΓÇÖve updated this guide with a new pick
and stand by our current recommendations for those looking to buy a new
gaming handheld today.

Table of contents

Best handheld gaming devices for 2025

What about the Nintendo Switch 2?

Other gaming handhelds we've tested

What to know about the gaming handheld market

Best handheld gaming devices for 2025

What about the Nintendo Switch 2? Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Read our full Nintendo Switch 2 review

The new Nintendo Switch 2 is already more popular than any of the handhelds
above, but we havenΓÇÖt made it a formal pick in this guide since it exists
in its own world. As one of the newest devices from the big three console
manufacturers, most people arenΓÇÖt choosing between it and the handheld PCs
or emulation devices above. The main reason to buy a Switch 2 is to play new
Nintendo games, and no other device can (legally) offer that. Likewise, the
Switch 2 doesnΓÇÖt even try to offer the flexibility of a Steam Deck, ROG
Ally X or even the Retroid Pocket 5.

That said, the hardware itself is a significant upgrade over its predecessor,
with dramatically improved performance, a sharper, faster and bigger 7.9-inch
display, magnetic Joy-Con controllers and more storage. ItΓÇÖs a wholly more
polished take on the Switch 1ΓÇÖs ideas.

Does that make it a must-buy right now? Unless youΓÇÖre worried about a
tariff-induced price hike ΓÇö which may not be the most outlandish fear ΓÇö
not really. Donkey Kong Bananza is a joy, Mario Kart World is fun enough and
playing Cyberpunk 2077 on a Nintendo console is kind of surreal, but the list
of true must-plays that are exclusive to the Switch 2 is still very limited.
ThatΓÇÖs OK ΓÇö itΓÇÖs only been two months. But donΓÇÖt feel the need to
rush out and splash the cash today unless you have a serious case of Donkey
Kong-induced FOMO.

Other gaming handhelds we've tested The MSI Claw 8 AI+. Sam Rutherford for
Engadget

Note: This is a selection of noteworthy gaming handhelds weΓÇÖve tested, not
a comprehensive list of everything we've ever tried.

MSI Claw 8 AI+

The original MSI Claw was a flop, but the newer Claw 8 AI+ is much more
appealing if youΓÇÖre 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.

The ClawΓÇÖs main issue is its price: At $1,000 after a recent price hike,
itΓÇÖs 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 thatΓÇö though the Claw is thinner ΓÇö and its Armoury
Crate software, while far from perfect, is still a bit more polished than
MSIΓÇÖs Center M hub. There's also a smaller 7-inch version of this handheld
for $900, but we havenΓÇÖt tested that one.

The Lenovo Legion Go. Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget Lenovo Legion Go

The 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.

But itΓÇÖs still a Windows handheld, and LenovoΓÇÖs software tweaks arenΓÇÖt
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, which looks promising and should arrive in the coming
months.

The Lenovo Legion Go S. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Lenovo Legion Go S
(Windows, Z2 Go chip)

The Windows 11 version of the Lenovo Legion Go S has the same relatively
comfortable design and commendable 8-inch 120Hz display as the SteamOS model
we highlight above. With the Z2 Go model we tested, though, its performance
lags too far behind the ROG Ally X, Claw 8 AI+ and original Legion Go for
something priced at $730. Windows is still clunky, too.

The Ayaneo Flip DS. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Ayaneo Flip DS

The 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 youΓÇÖre playing.

Unfortunately, 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 now starting above $1,000, the Flip DS
is hard to recommend unless youΓÇÖre (oddly) desperate for a handheld Wii U
emulator. We're always happy to see more weird hardware, though.

The Ayaneo Kun. Photo by James Trew / Engadget Ayaneo Kun

The Ayaneo Kun is among the most decadent Windows handhelds weΓÇÖve 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 75Whr battery and a 54W max TDP, itΓÇÖs both a
capable gaming device and a feasible replacement for a desktop PC. But it now
starts at a pricey $999, itΓÇÖs huge and it suffers from the usual Windows-
related issues. It also lacks VRR. ItΓÇÖs still a fine device if money is
truly no object, but itΓÇÖs 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.

Ayaneo 2S

The 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 itΓÇÖs 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 in the
future.

The Retroid Pocket Mini (bottom) and Retroid Pocket 5. Jeff Dunn for Engadget
Retroid Pocket Mini

The 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 3.92-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. This makes it
a more natural fit for older retro consoles, as you wonΓÇÖt get the black
boxes youΓÇÖd 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 donΓÇÖt mind paying extra for a rich OLED display, itΓÇÖs 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.

This device had also generated some controversy within the retro gaming
community for having persistent issues with inaccurate shaders (and for the
slapdash way Retroid handled the matter). The company replaced the original
model with a "V2" iteration that addresses those concerns, however.

Retroid Pocket 4 Pro and Retroid Pocket 4

The 4.7-inch Retroid Pocket 4 Pro is the predecessor to the Pocket 5. Its
performance isnΓÇÖt significantly far off the newer model, so it remains a
nice value if youΓÇÖre 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.

The Anbernic RG35XX Plus. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Miyoo Mini Plus

The 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. Like many
cheapo handhelds, it also lacks fast charging. Still, of the many Game Boy-
like emulation devices floating around the budget end of the market, itΓÇÖs
the one weΓÇÖd recommend first. Since itΓÇÖs from a smaller Chinese firm and
isnΓÇÖt available at major retailers, however, it can be difficult to
actually buy.

Anbernic RG35XX Plus

The Anbernic RG35XX Plus is another wallet-friendly vertical handheld ΓÇö or
at least, it was before Anbernic paused shipments to the US. 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
overly sloppy and cheap-looking, however, and while the stronger processor is
nice, the small screen and lack of analog sticks means you wonΓÇÖt want to
emulate much beyond the PS1 anyway.

The Anbernic RG35XXSP. Jeff Dunn for Engadget Anbernic RG35XXSP

The 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. ThatΓÇÖs a great design to rip off if you must pick one, and the hardware
doesnΓÇÖt feel nearly as cheap as its (pre-tariff) price tag of $60 or so
would suggest. But the software issues noted above still apply (both here and
with the many other devices in the same RGXX family). WeΓÇÖve also seen
several user reports of quality control issues with the RG35XXSPΓÇÖs battery,
which is automatically disqualifying.

Anbernic RG405M

The Anbernic RG405M is another 4:3 handheld with a 4-inch display and a
pleasing metal frame. It's an OK alternative to the Retroid Pocket Mini if
you want a little more screen space for less cash, but itΓÇÖs slower, and it
lacks the MiniΓÇÖs OLED display. We find the RetroidΓÇÖs grooved back to be
comfier to hold over time as well. And again, Anbernic has paused handheld
shipments to America as of this writing.

The PlayStation Portal. Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget PlayStation
Portal

The PlayStation Portal is an odd accessory thatΓÇÖs designed to stream games
from a PlayStation 5. It lacks built-in apps, so it doesnΓÇÖt support
traditional emulation. Because itΓÇÖs entirely dependent on the quality of
your home Wi-Fi, we canΓÇÖt guarantee how well itΓÇÖll actually perform. It
doesnΓÇÖt work with Bluetooth earbuds either.

The 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, thereΓÇÖs little here that you canΓÇÖt do with a smartphone and
mobile game controller, so most people are better off saving their $200.

Logitech G Cloud

The Logitech G Cloud wouldΓÇÖve 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 tends to cost between $260
and $300, which is just too much when the Retroid Pocket 5 offers more power
at a lower price.

What to know about the gaming handheld market Jeff Dunn / Engadget

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 youΓÇÖd get. They can
also emulate the widest range of retro consoles. TheyΓÇÖre typically the
largest and most cumbersome devices to hold, however, and their battery life
can be short. Naturally, theyΓÇÖre also the most expensive, costing anywhere
from $400 to more than $1,000.

Further 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 (before tariffs). They arenΓÇÖt equipped to
play modern console or PC titles, but theyΓÇÖre 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 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 ΓÇö provided you donΓÇÖt want to just use your phone.

WeΓÇÖll call the last tier ΓÇ£handhelds that do their own thing.ΓÇ¥ This is a
catch-all for things like the Switch 2 or Playdate: portable devices that run
heavily customized software and aim to provide a unique gaming experience.
They arenΓÇÖt 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 theyΓÇÖre
often easier for less tech-literate folks to just pick up and use.

Recent updates

August 2025: WeΓÇÖve added the SteamOS version of the Lenovo Legion Go S as a
new recommendation and updated our top Windows pick to reflect the upcoming
release of ASUSΓÇÖ and MicrosoftΓÇÖs ROG Xbox Ally devices, which will
feature an overhauled Windows UI. WeΓÇÖve also added a note on the recently
released Nintendo Switch 2. WeΓÇÖll include testing notes on the Retroid
Pocket Classic, TrimUI Brick and ModRetro Chromatic in the near future.
(Note: Yours truly went on paternity leave after our last update ΓÇö
apologies for the delay!)

May 2025: WeΓÇÖve tested the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 and recommended it as an
alternative to the Retroid Pocket 5. WeΓÇÖre also watching out for the first
third-party devices that run SteamOS, starting with the new Lenovo Legion Go
S, and the next ASUS ROG Ally device, which seems to be arriving soon based
on recent leaks.

March 2025: WeΓÇÖve 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, weΓÇÖre 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 more machines that run
on AMDΓÇÖs Ryzen Z2 chips, among others.

January 2025: We have a new top pick among emulation-focused handhelds: the
Retroid Pocket 5. Beyond that, weΓÇÖve added notes on a few other devices
weΓÇÖve 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 thatΓÇÖve been discontinued. We're also keeping
an eye on new handhelds thatΓÇÖve recently been announced or are strongly
rumored to arrive in the near future, including devices from MSI and Lenovo.

August 2024: WeΓÇÖve replaced the ASUS ROG Ally, our prior pick for the best
Windows gaming handheld, with the new and improved ROG Ally X. WeΓÇÖve also
checked to make sure all availability and pricing details noted throughout
the guide are accurate.

June 2024: WeΓÇÖve updated this guide to ensure all of our recommendations
are up to date, adding a note on ASUSΓÇÖ upcoming ROG Ally X in the process.
WeΓÇÖve also included details on two new handhelds weΓÇÖve tested since our
previous update: the MSI Claw and Ayaneo Flip DS. Staying on top of this
market is a tall task, but weΓÇÖre 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...
140018863.html?src=rss

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