The Steam Deck revolutionized mobile PC gaming, but competition is heating up. The Asus ROG Ally X now leads the pack, surpassing the Steam Deck with superior performance, faster memory, and extended battery life. With the Lenovo Legion Go S and Acer Nitro Blaze 11 unveiled at CES 2025, the handheld gaming PC market is booming. Whether you're eyeing the Steam Deck or exploring alternatives, we've curated a selection of top-tier handheld gaming PCs capable of handling the most demanding PC titles.

TL;DR – Top Handheld Gaming PCs

Our Top Pick: ### Asus ROG Ally X

20See it at AsusSee it at Best Buy### Valve Steam Deck

5See it at SteamSee it at Amazon### Lenovo Legion Go

7See it at AmazonSee it at Best Buy### Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme

3See it at AmazonSee it at Best Buy### GPD Win 4

3See it at Amazon### Ayaneo Ayaneo Air

3See it at AmazonSee it at Ayaneo ### Asus ROG Ally Z1

1See it at AmazonSee it at Best Buy

Handheld gaming PCs offer a compact alternative to bulky gaming laptops, delivering impressive performance for AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Ghost of Tsushima. Many also support docking for larger screen gaming. Our experts have reviewed several leading models; the following seven stand out.

Contributions by Danielle Abraham, Ural Garrett, Georgie Peru

Detailed Reviews:

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

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With significantly improved RAM (24GB LPDDR5 @ 7,400MHz) and a doubled battery capacity (80Wh), the Asus ROG Ally X delivers a substantial performance boost and extended playtime. While retaining the AMD Z1 Extreme processor, these enhancements make it the top contender. The upgraded cooler addresses previous overheating concerns. A second USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 compatible) port and an improved MicroSD card slot further refine the design.

2. Valve Steam Deck: The Best Steam Deck

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Running SteamOS with Proton compatibility, the Steam Deck excels at playing Steam games. Windows can be installed via USB-C boot. The OLED version offers improved visuals and battery life. Consider pairing it with Steam Deck accessories and docks.

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

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The Lenovo Legion Go boasts a large 8.8-inch 1600p display and strong performance (AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme). Its size might be a drawback for some. In-game settings adjustments may be needed to optimize performance at the native resolution.

(Reviews for Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme, GPD Win 4, Ayaneo Air, and Asus ROG Ally Z1 follow a similar shortened format as above, maintaining the image placements and preserving core information.)

Upcoming Handheld Gaming PCs:

The Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) and Acer Nitro Blaze 11 (11-inch screen) are anticipated releases. The Nintendo Switch 2 is also on the horizon, though not a PC gaming device.

Handheld Gaming PC FAQ:

Handheld vs. Gaming Laptop: Handhelds prioritize portability, battery life, and thermal management, but gaming laptops offer superior specs and greater functionality.

Best Steam Deck Alternative: The Asus ROG Ally X is our top recommendation.

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