Handheld gaming PCs are right up there for me when it comes to what’s hot in tech, and while I’ve had some strong opinions on some recently due to obscene pricing, I’ve been lucky enough to give a handful of them a whirl to see which one is up my alley. Simply put, I’ve had the opportunity to test some of the best handheld gaming PCs available, all of which cater to different preferences.
Whether it’s an immersive big screen, a lengthy battery life, or a powerful processor to enhance frame rates across a variety of demanding games, you’ll be able to pick out what’s best for you in this handheld gaming market.
Intel and AMD are both in direct competition in the mobile SoC market, with multiple processors like the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, and now, the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, present in new devices like the MSI Claw A8 and MSI Claw 8 AI+.
In my case, I’ve been in pursuit of a handheld with an 8-inch display that still takes advantage of AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme (or a processor with processing power). Yes, I’m sure you might be aware of which ones those are – and I’m here to showcase my favorites, and explain why you should have them on your radar.
MSI Claw 8 AI+
Right out of the gate, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is the best handheld gaming PC I’ve used, checking all three important boxes: an immersive display, long battery life, and most importantly, a very powerful Core Ultra 7 258V processor. It’s the first handheld I’ve used where I can set a demanding game’s graphics settings to a high preset, and using Intel XeSS, still achieve great average frame rates.
It might not be the king of handhelds, as I still believe that epithet belongs to Valve’s Steam Deck OLED, thanks to its affordable pricing that provides a great gaming experience via its OLED display with a processor still capable of running several demanding triple-A games. However, it shines in almost all regions, except for its MSI Center M software and Windows 11.
To give you an idea of just how good this handheld is, while testing Cyberpunk 2077, one of the most impressive games when it comes to visuals (and very demanding on hardware), I maintained an average of 33fps at max resolution and the ultra graphics preset, when using Intel XeSS on balanced. If you decide to use frame generation or drop the resolution, you’ll see frame rates increase without any major input lag.
Now I know what some of you might be thinking. I’ve criticized MSI for its pricing of the Claw 8 AI+ (and recently the Claw A8), which goes for $999 / £899 / AU$1,799 (and was previously $899 in the US), and I think that’s too much when upgrading from the likes of an Asus ROG Ally or any other Ryzen Z1 Extreme-powered handheld.
While there is a significant leap in performance from the Z1 Extreme to the Core Ultra 7 258V, I felt it was still more reasonable to opt for the Asus ROG Ally or the original Lenovo Legion Go.
However, since the announcement of the Lenovo Legion Go 2’s ridiculous $1,099 / $899 / AU$1,609 starting price, which then goes up to $1,349 / £1,099 / AU$2,199 (if you want the Z2 Extreme model), I’ve changed my stance on the Claw 8 AI+.
I’m sure the Lenovo Legion Go 2’s 8.8-inch OLED screen is great, but in no way should it warrant paying gaming laptop money for a handheld. More importantly, though, the Claw 8 AI+ (besides the display) is the better device on paper with an 80WHr battery instead of the Legion Go 2’s 74WHr battery.
It also features a processor that beats the Z2 Extreme in several games based on benchmarks, and provides very similar performance, so perhaps I was a little too harsh on MSI, considering Lenovo’s ludicrous pricing – because the easier choice is clearly the MSI Claw 8 AI+.
Lenovo Legion Go S SteamOS (Z1 Extreme)
My personal favorite and strongest recommendation here is the Lenovo Legion Go S SteamOS (Z1 Extreme) model. I’ve covered this already in my previous piece, but this ticks the right boxes for me. This was a direct upgrade from my Asus ROG Ally, and the jump to an immersive 8-inch display, 32GB of RAM, and SteamOS pre-installed was everything I could ask for.
Games that would often suffer from stuttering or bad frame times now perform much better, and using this device with the Lossless Scaling Decky Loader plugin is an absolute game-changer.
In my case, I managed to get my hands on it for £699 ($829 / AU$999) in the UK, which is a fairly reasonable price tag for what it has to offer; it still uses the Ryzen Z1 Extreme from the original Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally, but the outstanding upgrades lie within the addition of 32GB of RAM and the ergonomics.
Without a doubt, it’s the most comfortable handheld I’ve used, beating the Steam Deck and MSI Claw 8 AI+, with edges that sit perfectly in your palms, suitable for long playing sessions – and that’s likely due to the omission of detachable controllers.
While its 55.5 WHr battery isn’t as impressive as the MSI Claw 8 AI+’s battery, battery life on handhelds isn’t a dealbreaker for me since I hardly play without my devices plugged in, and I’m sure that will be the case for many others as well.
It’s not all perfect, though; the Legion Go S still needs a few Valve SteamOS updates for better functionality, as there are a few bugs, such as the maximum 40W TDP limit not appearing unless you start the device while plugged in to a power outlet – but it’s not so bothersome it spoils the experience.
If you can find it in stock for £699 in the UK, or lower than $829 in the US, then I doubt you’ll have any regrets opting for this beast.
Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme)
If you’re upgrading from the Steam Deck on a budget or simply looking to get your first handheld gaming PC, the Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) fits the bill. While some may not be satisfied with its 7-inch display and its poor battery life, it’s another device powered by AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme that provides some of the best performance possible without having to overspend.
Right now, you can get your hands on it for $649 / £599 / around AU$980, pricing it in the same ballpark as the Steam Deck OLED, but with much better performance across a plethora of games.
If not for the 7-inch display (which is a personal dealbreaker of mine), I’d have stuck with my Asus ROG Ally as the main handheld, as this device holds up so well after a slightly sloppy launch from Asus in 2023. Drivers, software, and hardware issues were widespread, with a notable overheating SD card expansion slot problem.
Now, it’s well polished using the Armoury Crate software as a tool to get your games up and running. However, I would highly recommend buying this and using Bazzite (a SteamOS clone) to really get the best out of the device. Microsoft is still on a journey to get Windows 11 in good shape for handhelds, with the new full-screen experience on the horizon, but SteamOS is far ahead as it stands.
It all comes down to how much you’re willing to spend and where your priorities lie. If battery life and the best possible performance are on your radar, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ should be your pick, but be ready to spend the big bucks. If battery life isn’t a priority, the battle falls between the ROG Ally and the Legion Go S – but if you ask me, I’ll always pick the latter.
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