As a PC gamer for over 30 years, I know our hobby can get pretty pricey, and with RAM prices increasing, having a knock-on effect on the cost of the best gaming laptops and gaming PCs, it could get even more expensive. That’s why I’m dropping the advice I’ve been giving for decades and advising people not to buy a gaming laptop or PC at the moment, but instead go for a handheld gaming PC.
Ever since I first got the Steam Deck, which arguably kicked off this new category of gaming device, I’ve fallen in love with gaming handheld PCs. They have a much more convenient and portable design that allows you to easily play your favorite PC games pretty much anywhere, and while they aren’t as powerful as high-end gaming rigs packed with cutting-edge GPUs, they can provide impressive performance in even demanding modern games.
Certain games, such as the brilliant Hades II, which I am currently obsessed with, actually feel better to play on handheld gaming PCs and their built-in controllers, rather than with a mouse and keyboard (again, as a PC gamer this is something I rarely say).
Even better, handheld gaming PCs offer superior value to gaming laptops if you’re on a budget. The entry-level model of the Steam Deck goes for $399, and you simply wouldn’t find a gaming laptop at that kind of price. Meanwhile, the more recent Steam Deck OLED adds a stunning screen, while remaining relatively affordable, and its SteamOS operating system offers a fantastic console-like experience where browsing and playing games is incredibly easy.
If you like the idea of SteamOS but fancy a more powerful handheld, then the Lenovo Legion Go S is an ideal choice, as it comes in two versions, one running SteamOS, the other Windows 11.
There are also more powerful handheld gaming PCs like the Asus ROG Xbox Ally, which are a bit more expensive, but offer increasingly impressive gaming performance. This Xbox-branded handheld is particularly good for people who own one of Microsoft‘s home consoles.
If you already have a healthy library of PC games, then these handheld gaming PCs let you access your games without having to re-buy them, which again adds to their value compared to consoles, especially the Nintendo Switch 2. While the Steam Deck works best with games bought through the Steam store, there are ways to get games from other retailers, such as Epic Games Store, to play. Meanwhile, handhelds like the MSI Claw A1M, and Lenovo Legion Go run Windows 11, which gives you greater flexibility as you’re able to easily install most PC games as you would with a gaming laptop.
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The MSI Claw A1M is a brilliant affordable Windows 11 gaming handheld, but if you have the budget and want to go all-out, then the MSI Claw 8 is a fantastic premium handheld with a large 8-inch screen.
With a growing number of handheld gaming PCs on the market, all at different price points and offering different levels of performance, it might be tricky, so I’m here to help with my picks below.
Chosen by
Chosen by
Matt Hanson
I’ve been a PC gamer since the early 1990s, and have owned and reviewed loads of gaming PCs, laptops and gaming handhelds. I’m currently playing Hades II on my Asus ROG Ally X.
