Best Handheld Gaming Consoles

What are the best handheld gaming consoles? With the gaming console industry gaining momentum, prominent manufacturers are continually innovating and introducing upgraded models to cater to a broad consumer base.

Best Handheld Gaming Consoles

While older gaming consoles have left their mark, the latest models are now taking center stage and are highly recommended for gamers seeking the finest options. If you’re a gaming enthusiast searching for the best handheld gaming consoles to buy, this article presents a curated selection of top models for your consideration.

7 Best Recommended Handheld Gaming Consoles

Here are some of the best handheld gaming consoles that you should know about:

Asus ROG Ally

The Asus ROG Ally gaming console is one of the best handheld gaming consoles and is arguably better than many other Steam Deck consoles manufactured. Unlike any similar model, it is a portable computer with many controls attached to it as well as many other specifications.

Furthermore, the Asus gaming console model supports more games on launch, and this is because it is running on Windows 11. Some of its features include:

Display16.9-inch 1080p IPS display at 120 Hz
Operating systemWindows
BatteryNA
GPUAMD Z1/Extreme APU
Hall Joysticks/Hall TriggersYes/No
Storage and RAM512GB, 1TB, NVMe, I6GB LPDDR5 RAM
I/OType-C USB 4 with Asus’s eGPU connector, microSD card slot, and headphone jack
PriceAbout $599-$699

Ayaneo Geek

The Ayaneo Geek gaming consoles have similar features to the previous Ayaneo models. However, differences are noticeably higher.

Also, this gaming console has a full HD screen, its Windows allows you to play non-Steam games from other launchers, and it also has other features like more software tricks. Moreover, it has faster RAM along with eGPU support via USB 4. More of its specifications include:

Operating systemWindows/Ayaneo OS
Display16:9 7-inch 800/1200 IPS display at 60 Hz
GPUAMD Radeon 680M
Storage and RAMPCIe 3.0 512GB, 1TB, 2TB NVMEe; 16/32GB LPDDR5 RAM
Battery50.25Wh
I/O2 x Type-C USB 4, microSD card slot, headphone jack
Hall Triggers/Hall Joysticks (Yes/No)Yes/Yes
Price$949, $1169, $1269, and $1369

OneXPlayer 2 (AMD)

This handheld gaming console is also one of the best and is highly recommended to gamers everywhere. Similar to the Nintendo Switch, the OneXPlayer method allows you to detach the joysticks and use them as laptops after attaching a keyboard to them.

Furthermore, you can easily play all AAA tiles using this gaming console, play non-Streams games from other launchers, enjoy the flexibility of detachable controllers, and much more. More of its specifications include:

ProA bigger 8-inch 2.5k display
GPUAMD Radeon 680M
Battery65.5Wh
I/O1 x Type-C USB4, 1 x USB3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1 x USB-A 3.0, microSD card slot, headphone jack
Operating systemWindows
Hall Triggers/Hall Joysticks (Yes/No)Yes/Yes
Display16:9 88.4-inch 2.5k IPS display @ 60Hz
Storage and RAMPCIe 3.0 512GB, 1TB, 2TB NVMe; 16/32GB LPDDR5 RAM
PriceAbout $1099, $1199, $1299, and $1499

Steam Deck

Manufactured by the popular company Value, the Steam Deck is another great handheld gaming console that I will recommend to many for its varying quality features. Moreover, this gaming console comes with high efficiency, performance, and affordability.

Its unique features include its decent battery life, which allows users to play AAA titles easily and is perfect for handheld use. More of its specifications include:

GPUAMD Z1/Extreme APU
Operating systemWindows
Storage and RAM512GB, 1TBNVMe; 16GB LPDDR5 RAM
Display16:9 7-inch 1080p IPS display @120Hz
Hall Triggers/Hall Joysticks (Yes/No)Yes/No
BatteryNA
I/OType-C USB 4 with ASUS’s proprietary EGPU connector, microSD card slot, and headphone jack
PriceAbout $599-$699

GPD Win Max 2 2023

Another recommendable handheld gaming console is the GPD Win Max 2, and this remodeled version has higher upgrades to its specifications.

Furthermore, this gaming console is available in two variants: one powered by a Ryzen 7 784oU with the Radeon 780M and the other using a Ryzen 5 764ou with the Radeon 760M.

Both have varying upgrades and features, but they all produce the same result with the model being one of the best handheld gaming consoles. Additionally, this Win Max game console is suitably perfect for when you want to play and work. Also, here are more specifications:

GPUAMD Radeon 760M, 780M
Storage and RAMPCIe 4.0 1TB, 2TB NVMe; 16/32/64GB LPDDR5x RAM. 2 x PCIe 4.0 slots
Battery67Wh
I/O1 x Type-C USB 4, 2 x USB-A 3.0, microSD card slot, headphone jack, Oculink slot for eGPU
Hall Triggers/Hall Joysticks (Yes/No)Yes/Yes
Display16:9 10.1-inch 1080p/2.5k IPS display @ 60Hz
Operating  SystemWindows
PriceAbout $799, $1049, and $1199

Nintendo Switch

This list would be incomplete without the famous Nintendo Switch gaming console, also ranked as one of the best. In addition, the Nintendo Switch is recognized as one of the best-selling handheld gaming consoles ever.

With its greater improvements, the Nintendo Switch allows you to run games anywhere, and it also has detachable joy-cons that aid in flexibility. Additionally, more of its specifications include:

GPUNVIDIA Tegra X1
Storage and RAM32GB eMMC; 4GB RAM
Operating systemNintendo Switch OS
Display16:9 7-inch 720 IPS display
I/O1 x Type-C, microSD card slot, headphone jack
Hall Triggers/Hall Joysticks (Yes/No)No/No
Battery16Wh
PriceAbout $350

Retroid Pocket 3

This is not just a recommended handheld gaming console; it is also an Android-based console, and it comes with many top features, including built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Additionally, it runs AAA titles easily, and it also installs big emulators like PPSSPP, Dolphin, etc. Furthermore, some of its top specifications include:

Operating systemAndroid 9.0
GPUUnisoc Tiger T310 SoC
Hall Triggers/Hall Joysticks (Yes/No)No/No
Display16:9 7-inch 720p IPS display @ 60Hz
Battery4000mAh
I/O1 x Type-C
Storage and RAM32GB eMMC; 4GB RAM

 Conclusion

These are some of the best handheld gaming consoles that you must have to get an excellent gaming experience. Along with all that, these best handheld gaming consoles can be found by visiting reliable platforms like Best Buy, Amazon, and so on.