The best gaming handhelds you can buy

Gaming handhelds are the new hotness and have been since the launch of the Nintendo Switch. When Valve released the Steam Deck in 2022, competitors have been scrambling even harder to mimic the console-like handheld form factor.

If you’re in the market for a gaming handheld, costs start around $200 for a decent cheap retro handheld but can stretch up to thousands of dollars for a handheld PC. Your budget and practical use cases for gaming handhelds should determine the one that’s right for you, whether you’re looking to take the form factor for a spin or spend some serious hours with one.

Nintendo may’ve started the trend with the Switch but Valve cemented the popularity of the gaming handheld with the Steam Deck. While not officially available in Australia, the Steam Deck is still very purchasable and, if your budget allows it, very worthwhile. SteamOS is incredibly user-friendly, granting straightforward access to an ever-growing library of some of the best Steam games. Battery life varies based on the game—a challenge true of all gaming handheld PCs—but lower-spec titles and less-demanding indie games are a real treat to play. Tweakers will appreciate the Steam Deck’s versatility, from basics like installing non-Steam games through to a Windows MicroSD card installation or emulating beloved older games. Basically, the Steam Deck is handheld gaming at its best.

For alternatives, consider any of the category winners on this page. For handheld gaming PCs, specifically, compare the Steam Deck to the Lenovo Legion Go, Asus ROG Ally and Ayaneo Air Plus.

The Evercade EXP is a comparatively affordable way to test the gaming handheld waters. For around $200, you can get a taste of the form factor with some great classic games. The Evercade EXP comes with 18 classic Capcom games preinstalled, which includes bangers like Final Fight, Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting and Ghouls ’n’ Ghosts. Sure, the EXP is lacking some of the trappings of its pricier competitors, but it’s lightweight and easy to use, plus it’s built for horizontal and vertical gaming. When you get bored of the preinstalled games, Evercade offers a range of classic game collections on cartridges.

For retro alternatives, consider the Game Boy-like Capcom Super Pocket or unique Playdate.

The real winner of this category is the Steam Deck, but for a silver medallist worthy of attention, consider the Lenovo Legion Go. Compared to the Steam Deck, the Legion Go is a higher-spec gaming handheld PC. The display is larger with a higher refresh rate, the processor is faster, and Lenovo has taken a leaf out of Nintendo’s Switch playbook with detachable side controllers. Practically speaking, Legion Go owners can play a wider range of games, including more demanding PC titles. As long as you know your way around a PC, you have full access to every digital library care of the Windows 11 operating system, too.

Outside of the aforementioned Steam Deck, also consider the Asus ROG Ally, any of Ayaneo’s handhelds or the OneXPlayer range.

Full disclosure: the Nintendo Switch is currently the only full-fledged gaming handheld console. But that shouldn’t detract from its overall value and worthiness for this niche category. Prices start at around $300, which isn’t a whole lot more than the basic retro handhelds. The difference is the Switch has a sprawling library of games to play solo or together. Admittedly, the Switch Lite is designed as a solo experience, but the other two Switch models are built for versatility. Consider the base model for same-screen multiplayer, with or without a TV, or treat your eyes to the gorgeous larger screen of the Switch OLED model. Whichever Switch you choose, you’ll soon understand why it’s one of the best-selling consoles of all time.

If you want a true gaming handheld console experience, dust off a Nintendo 2DS or PlayStation Vita.

Most modern smartphones and tablets can handle mobile games. But not all of them are purpose-built for mobile games. That’s where the Razer Edge steps in. While the price means it's predominantly for passionate mobile gamers, buyer’s remorse quietens as soon as you turn on the gorgeous display. Snap in the included perfect-fit Razer Kishi V2 backbone controller and you’re ready to game. The Edge is effectively an Android tablet, albeit with plenty of preinstalled gaming options. Download the best mobile games from the Google Play Store for starters. Or delve into the ever-improving world of game streaming, from Xbox and PlayStation consoles or via cloud services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce Now or Parsec.

For a more practical alternative (albeit less gaming-focused), use a Bluetooth controller with an existing tablet or invest in a backbone controller for your smartphone to play games without smudges. Alternatively, PlayStation 5 owners may want to consider the PlayStation Portal for streaming PS5 games at home.

Most people already own a gaming handheld. Some people own a gaming handheld that's powerful enough to play games like Resident Evil 4 and Assassin's Creed Mirage natively without knowing it. That's right, I'm talking about your everyday smartphone. Smartphones have come a long way since the days of Doodle Jump. Apple's A17 Pro chip (found in the iPhone 15 Pro) is even powerful enough to play select AAA titles natively and Epic Games has made it easy enough to comfortably play Fortnite on just about any Android phone. 

The problem with smartphone gaming is and always has been touch controls that just don't deliver the tactile feedback required for high-pressure games. Enter the Backbone One. 

The Backbone One is an ergonomic smartphone plug-and-play smartphone controller that hugs your device in landscape mode to give you quick and easy console-quality physical controls that support Xbox, PlayStation, PC and any mobile game that supports a traditional gamepad. It's even got it's own nifty launcher that organises your games from various services in one place (but it does come with its own subscription cost.) 

The 2nd Gen Backbone One isn't a revolutionary upgrade but it's redesigned shell supports even more smartphone shapes and sizes and lets you leave your case of choice on while using it. 

Start your gaming handheld search with budget and platforms in mind. If you’re only interested in dabbling, start with something cheaper like the Evercade EXP for retro gaming or a Nintendo Switch Lite for a wider range of games. For those who have a growing collection of Steam games, the Steam Deck is well worth considering.

The Steam Deck is a gaming handheld PC, which requires patience and tinkering to get the most out of its versatility. For something potentially more familiar in terms of an operating system, consider a Lenovo Legion Go or any other handheld PC that comes with Windows. All of the versatility of Windows software means a more accessible way to play across digital libraries (including Steam) as well as emulation.

Mobile gamers can up their game and limit screen smudges by adding a controller. Any Bluetooth controller will work, including ones you may own for existing consoles. Alternatively, find a better fit with an iOS or Android backbone controller for a smartphone.