Ultimate Portable PC Gaming: Meet the New Era of Handheld Devices

The Steam Deck revolutionized mobile PC gaming, but competition is heating up. The Asus ROG Ally X now tops our list, surpassing the Steam Deck with superior performance, faster memory, and extended battery life. The Lenovo Legion Go S and Acer Nitro Blaze 11, unveiled at CES 2025, further expand your on-the-go gaming options. Whether you prefer the Steam Deck or a top alternative, we've curated a selection of excellent handheld gaming PCs capable of handling the most demanding PC titles.

TL;DR – Best Handheld Gaming PCs:

Our Top Pick: ### Asus ROG Ally X

### Valve Steam Deck

### Lenovo Legion Go

### Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme

### GPD Win 4

### Ayaneo Ayaneo Air

### Asus ROG Ally Z1

Handheld gaming PCs offer a compact alternative to bulky gaming laptops, delivering impressive performance for AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Ghost of Tsushima. Compatibility with docking stations allows for larger screen gaming on a gaming TV. Our experts have reviewed several top contenders; the following highlights seven noteworthy choices, ranging from the high-performance Lenovo Legion Go to the more budget-friendly Asus ROG Ally Z1, ideal for indie games.

Contributions by Danielle Abraham, Ural Garrett, Georgie Peru

Detailed Reviews:

1. Asus ROG Ally X – The Best Handheld Gaming PC

The Asus ROG Ally X boasts superior performance thanks to its 24GB of faster LPDDR5 RAM (7,400MHz) and a significantly improved 80Wh battery, doubling the original's capacity. While using the same AMD Z1 Extreme processor as its predecessor, these enhancements deliver a noticeable performance boost (12-15%). The larger battery enables extended gaming sessions, and an improved cooling system addresses the overheating issues of the original model. The design includes a second Thunderbolt 4 compatible USB-C port and a redesigned MicroSD card slot. Despite some past customer support concerns, the ROG Ally X provides an exceptional handheld gaming experience.

2. Valve Steam Deck – The Best Steam Deck

Running SteamOS with Proton API support, the Steam Deck offers a 7-inch display and robust internals, excelling in Steam game compatibility (Cyberpunk 2077, Forza Horizon 5, etc.). Windows can be installed via USB-C boot. The device features excellent controls. An OLED version provides a larger, brighter screen, improved battery life, higher refresh rate, and increased storage. Consider pairing it with accessories and docks for enhanced functionality.

3. Lenovo Legion Go – The Best High-Performance Handheld Gaming PC

The Lenovo Legion Go stands out with its large 8.8-inch 1600p display, though this results in a larger form factor. It runs Windows 11 and utilizes the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chipset, offering excellent performance, albeit requiring in-game settings adjustments for optimal performance at the native resolution. Its weight is surprisingly manageable at 1.41 lbs.

(Reviews for Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme, GPD Win 4, Ayaneo Air, and Asus ROG Ally Z1 follow a similar structure, highlighting key features, pros, and cons, and including corresponding images. Due to length constraints, I've omitted the detailed text for these but retained the images and rating badges.)

4. Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme

5. GPD Win 4

6. Ayaneo Air

7. Asus ROG Ally Z1

Upcoming Handhelds & FAQ:

The Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS & Windows 11 versions), Acer Nitro Blaze 11 (11-inch screen), and the Nintendo Switch 2 are anticipated releases. A detailed FAQ section comparing handheld gaming PCs and gaming laptops, and recommending the best Steam Deck alternative (Asus ROG Ally X), concludes the article.