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Gaming on the go has never been better, thanks to the best handheld gaming consoles. The sheer variety of devices now available, along with the continuous improvements being introduced, means there’s a device that’s just right for you.
We’re far beyond the halcyon days of the Game Boy and PSP, as current-generation handhelds deliver those same thrills, only with graphics and performance on par with modern game consoles and PCs. You won’t sacrifice much to get a full modern-day gaming experience while you’re out and about.
If you’re looking for the best of the best, I recommend the Steam Deck OLED, which masterfully blends PC gaming with a console-like feel, all showcased on a stunning OLED display. Another top pick is the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, which we consider one of the premier Windows 11 handhelds. If you’re on a budget, the Nintendo Switch OLED remains an excellent option thanks to its enormous library of games.
Below, you’ll find the best handheld gaming consoles available today. We promise you won’t be disappointed!
Jason brings a decade of tech and gaming journalism experience to his role as a Managing Editor of Computing at Tom's Guide. He has previously written for Laptop Mag, Tom's Hardware, Kotaku, Stuff and BBC Science Focus. In his spare time, you'll find Jason looking for good dogs to pet or thinking about eating pizza (if he isn't already).
The best handheld gaming consoles you can buy today
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.
Here are the best handheld gaming consoles you can buy right now based on our testing and reviews.
The best handheld console overall
The Steam Deck OLED is the real deal. Actually, it’s more than that: it’s the best handheld gaming PC ever made. And it’s not all that close. While it’s not a revolutionary upgrade over the original Steam Deck, new features like an OLED HDR-capable display, Wi-Fi 6, and improved cooling make a huge difference. Like its predecessor, this handheld is an engineering marvel.
If you already own a Steam Deck, I still recommend upgrading in the strongest terms… providing you can afford it, of course. Let me be clear about the Deck OLED’s HDR screen: it’s the definition of a “game-changer”. It’s a night-and-day improvement over the subpar LCD panel that often made the best Steam games look washed out on the OG system. Play classics like the Resident Evil 2 remake or Batman: Arkham Knight on the upgraded Deck’s mesmerizing screen and those games now look so much easier on the eyes thanks to the infinite black levels Valve’s revised handheld is now capable of delivering.
If you’ve got a bulging Steam library on either a gaming PC or laptop, Steam Deck OLED gives you a terrific new way to experience your library. SteamOS is a dream to navigate, with Valve creating a console-like interface that works with zero hassle, while the developer also does a marvelous job of telling you what games run well on its handheld PC thanks to its “Deck Verified” ratings.
If you’re into PC gaming, the Steam Deck OLED is a no-brainer purchase. The quality of that incredible HDR display, which can hit peak screen brightness of 600 nits, paired with the strength of SteamOS means no Windows handheld can currently match Valve’s marvelous machine.
Read our full Steam Deck OLED review.
The best handheld for console gamers
The Nintendo Switch 2 is quite an un-Nintendo-like follow-up. Instead of introducing a brand-new form factor, the Japanese gaming titan opted to skip the gimmicks and instead deliver a console that iterates on its predecessor. Giving gamers more of the same but with across-the-board upgrades was a wise move.
This handheld/console hybrid feels like the ultimate version of the Switch concept. It takes everything that worked before and buffs it to a fine sheen. This new system has a larger 7.9-inch 1080p 120Hz display and an upgraded custom Nvidia chip with DLSS, which makes it a rival to machines like the Steam Deck OLED and Asus ROG Ally.
As before, you can slip the system into its dock to switch between playing on your TV or on the go in just seconds, effectively giving you two gaming machines in one. No matter which way you play, you'll be treated to sharp visuals and smooth performance. Because of that, the original Switch feels like a proof of concept in comparison.
These upgrades don't come without some caveats. Due to the extra power under the hood, battery life takes a big hit. Don't expect the Switch 2 to last more than two hours in handheld mode. The Switch 2's larger size can also highlight issues with the console’s flat design that lacks built-in ergonomic grips.
Priced at $449, the Nintendo Switch 2 is squarely in the "premium" category. The hybrid is a more substantial investment and less attractive as a second console for those looking to play exclusive games like Mario, Zelda and Kirby. However, given the admittedly impressive improvements, the price is justified. Right now, this is the ultimate Nintendo Switch console available.
Read our full Nintendo Switch 2 review.
The best Steam Deck alternative
The Lenovo Legion Go S with SteamOS is the gaming handheld many have been waiting for. While Windows 11 works well on the best gaming PCs and best gaming laptops, Microsoft’s operating system hasn’t really benefited the best handheld gaming consoles. We now finally have a non-Steam Deck handheld running on SteamOS, and it’s better than we could have imagined.
The main difference between this and the Lenovo Legion Go S is their respective operating systems. Besides that, this model has the same design but in a different color. It also has an 8-inch (1,920 x 1,200) 120Hz LCD, trigger locks for the L2 and R2 buttons, and a rounded D-pad.
This handheld crushes its Windows 11 counterparts on usability alone. But thanks to the improved performance provided by the lean operating system and our review unit’s AMD Z1 Extreme chip, we now have the first true Steam Deck rival.
While the Legion Go S with SteamOS might not offer the freedom of Windows 11 or the wallet-friendly price of a Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch, it’s a phenomenal gaming handheld.
Read our full Lenovo Legion Go S review.
The best handheld console for Windows gaming
Despite what Microsoft says, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is not an Xbox! That said, it's still an impressive leap forward for handheld gaming. From the simplification of Windows 11 to boot straight into an easy-to-use Xbox UI, to the ergonomic design and the power under the hood, it’s almost like Microsoft has seen our complaints about Windows gaming handhelds and meticulously addressed each one.
The Xbox controller-inspired body is oh-so comfortable for playing for hours on end, the Ryzen Z2 AI Extreme chip delivers solid performance (further enhanced by a streamlined version of Windows 11), and the 80 Wh battery easily gave me around three hours of playtime on one charge. This is certainly one of the best gaming handhelds you can buy.
But at $999? This is a pricey purchase — one that only serious gamers with dense PC libraries should pay for. And notice that I said “PC,” because the “Xbox Play Anywhere” branding is sure to create some confusion amongst long-time Xbox players looking to dig up their entire library.
Though it's not perfect, the ROG Xbox Ally X is certainly a phenomenal handheld, whether you're an Xbox or PC player.
Read our full Asus ROG Ally X review.
The best value handheld console for Windows
The Asus ROG Ally might not be the Steam Deck killer we expected, but it's currently the best value Windows handheld on the market. This 7-inch handheld boasts a 120Hz display and a powerful new Zen 4-based AMD APU. Toss in official support from Xbox and the ability to play any Windows-compatible game out of the box, and the ROG Ally should theoretically decimate Valve’s portable gaming device. Yet that’s simply not the case when you have my beloved Steam Deck OLED out there.
Better specs on paper don’t always make for a better gaming experience, though I appreciate the ROG Ally’s 1080p display that delivers sharp visuals at a smooth refresh rate. Games can also run at 60 frames per second and above, thanks to the new Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor. On top of that, the handheld’s ergonomic design makes it a pleasure to hold, from my experience — not to mention how comfortable it proves to use for long stretches of time. There’s a lot I like about the ROG Ally.
Despite its virtues, the Asus ROG Ally can’t topple the Steam Deck OLED. Yes, it has a sharper display and a faster processor, but the gains from these are arguably negligible — especially when you have to run games at 720p to get nominally better performance. Worst of all is the lack of a dedicated user interface like SteamOS. The Asus Armoury Crate app does a decent enough job of gathering games in one spot, but it’s nowhere near as intuitive or functional as Valve’s operating system.
Read our full Asus ROG Ally review.
The best premium gaming handheld
The Lenovo Legion Go 2 updates the original Legion Go in meaningful ways thanks to its vibrant OLED panel, ergonomic design and new AMD Ryzen Z2 chip. Like before, Lenovo’s device also has Nintendo Switch 2-like detachable controllers and runs on Windows 11. While the Legion Go 2 is certainly impressive, all those updates come at a steep cost.
The large 8.8-inch OLED touch display is a marvel to behold, and makes the 7- or 8-inch panels on rival handhelds appear tiny in comparison. It’s hard to properly convey how great the OLED appears in person, but suffice it to say it’s arguably the best-looking screen on a handheld.
As one of the few gaming handhelds to feature the latest AMD Ryzen Z2 or Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip, the Legion Go 2 is capable of delivering impressive performance. We say it’s “capable” since you’ll need to tinker with the in-game graphics and display settings—not to mention turn on the frame-boosting FSR in games that support it—to get the best results. While you might not see radically better performance in comparison to other handhelds, the extra 5-10 frames can make a big difference.
The Legion Go 2 is the largest gaming handheld from a major manufacturer. While it’s more comfortable to hold thanks to its rounded edges, it can still get heavy after prolonged use. Thankfully, you can use the built-in kickstand and set the device on a desk while you play. You can also detach the controllers while the handheld is in “tabletop” mode, if you want.
While we like what the Legion Go 2 has to offer, it won't be one of the best handheld gaming consoles for everyone, and not just because of the steep asking price that can climb as high as $1,479. As always, Windows 11 is still clunky to use on a handheld. We also wish the battery life were longer.
Faults aside, the Lenovo Legion Go 2’s amazing OLED display, unique design and strong gaming performance might make the system worth the high asking price for some.
Read our full Lenovo Legion Go 2 review.
How to choose the best handheld gaming console for you
The best handheld gaming console for your needs depends on where you want to use it. If you value performance above all, then you'll want handhelds packing an AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip, such as the Legion Go 2 and ROG Xbox Ally X. Conversely, if you want a simple-to-use machine that you can hook up to a TV, the Nintendo Switch 2 is the best option.
Price is also a consideration. The original ROG Ally and Switch 2 are the most budget-friendly handhelds we've listed above. Conversely, if you want your handheld to double as your PC, any of the Windows machines will fit that task. The latter devices are also good if you want more versatility than SteamOS offers.
How we test handheld gaming consoles
Windows handhelds are the easiest to test since our benchmark tools are compatible with Microsoft's operating system. However, we don't have a standardized procedure for testing Nintendo devices or machines running on SteamOS.
Instead, we draw from our experiences with these devices after we give them full reviews. A Nintendo Switch and a Legion Go S, for example, fill very different roles, so devising apples-to-apples tests for them is nearly impossible.
Instead, we evaluate each system’s game library, as well as how well it plays games relative to its hardware. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is more powerful than the Switch 2, but the latter is tailor-made for console gamers, whereas the former is for hardcore PC players.
To earn a spot on this list, a system simply has to play excellent games and be (relatively) small enough to transport easily. For anything beyond that, we rely on our qualitative judgment.
