For more than four years, the burning desire was in us to write articles about all kinds of handheld devices as an emulation platform. The fact that the game consoles are evolving in a pace does not allow slighting only low and mid output from portable emulators anymore.
Today, let’s start our journey in the space of the coolest handheld gaming PCs. Among us, we pull into a combined experience of checking and testing over 200 personal digital assists; therefore, we want to share our unique views on these hi-tech devices.
The Windows Portable PC sector is becoming more congested with great devices, as well as some that just don’t seem to be cutting it. While in this article our niche topic is the best handheld gaming PCs available in market right now, we just need to mention if you wanna enjoy PC games on the go get one of these.
1. AYANEO 2S
The AYANEO 2S seems to be a matchless handheld gaming PC to-date, which has better performance than the Steam Deck. Its future design belongs to those who are open to others, while inside the engine, the Ryzen 7 7840U CPU, Radeon 780M GPU, and 32GB of DDR5RAM work together perfectly.
One of its highlighted characteristics is its 7″ IPS touchscreen bezel, facilitating a quick response of 500 nits and a pixel resolution of 1920 x 1200. I know what I want for Christmas, my boy you better get this one or it is your last. This game console is a great deal, I can now play AAA titles like God of War and Destiny 2 and get breathtaking performance.
The design is nearly flawless with a curvy beveled edge, the front glass panel that seamlessly flows to the analogue sticks and action buttons, and very grippy back surface for long gaming sessions. AYANEO indeed keeps going the edge of handheld innovative, though at a price point a little bit higher than that of the Steam Deck, if you are that kind of gamers who seek really serious top-level performance of a handheld PC device.
2. Steam Deck
In no way a reference to the handheld gaming industry be complete without including the name of the Steam Deck. The invention by the makers of Steam is this device which starts at $399 that is, during production, it is gradually reaching out to people all over the world. It has the huge catalog of the Steam gaming library, and add some thing fun and functional to the squared-off design.
Beneath it’s hood, Steam Deck has a 4-core AMD Zen 2 CPU, 8-core GPU RDNA AMD with 1 GB of memory, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of disk storage, and 7-inch 60Hz IPS display (1280 x 800). I believe its crowning achievement is the fact that it harmonizes flawlessly with the Steam infrastructure and you get an immersive playing experience for most of all PC games.
Some games may necessitate changes to get the best performance while others allow one to enjoy games with docked mode with a display and a gaming mouse, which thence make Steam Deck a choice that is suitable for gamers.
3. ROG Ally
Latest weekend to being handheld gaming PC with the ROG Ally from ASUS, we have a dedicated Windows gaming device that aims at waging war with the Steam Deck. It is covering £699/$850 range and can brag with efficient specs like the latest generation of Z1 CPUs, a 7″ Full HD touchscreen running at 120Hz, and great battery lifetime.
The ROG Ally takes the comfort and image into today’s techy world. Its ergonomics and comfortable hold for the hands makes it a good choice for long gaming sessions. Even Casey Neistat, a popular YouTube Smart work-and-gaming mandure, loves it as an all-round Windows PC.
Although you’ll pay higher prices for these parts, with the addition of a good quality controller from Windows PCs, you’ll have a gaming rig you can stand on.
4. AYANEO Air
The AYANEO Air boasts an unprecedented handheld capability with an AMD Ryzen 7 5825U processor and easy portability. The Switch OLED is not only the first small-sized gaming laptop in the world but also provides an amazing immersive experience through the OLED screen with its 1080p resolution and the incredible blossom of colours.
And that’s not to mention when it’s at just 400g and approximately 21mm at its thinnest point, it’s super handy. Nevertheless, the battery life is good enough to support a gaming session of about one and a half hours, our vibrant and intense gaming time. The AYANEO Air has a critical weakness, CPU, but still not among the best options to play Halo Reach anywhere.
5. AYN Odin
The AYN Odin is not widely known, yet it is worth notice for its performance defying the odds with a specified power to price ratio. As a $199 priced device, this notebook runs many emulators without any problems including emulation. It also supports older PC games without any issues, making this system a desirable option for nostalgic gaming fans.
This mobile phone comes equipped with a 2.0GHz 3rd generation D1000G CPU, an ARM Mali-G57 GPU, 8GB of non-expandable RAM, and a 1080p IPS screen. Thus, this price point in the market looks fairly good. Without a doubt, it really has a hard time when it comes to newer AAA titles, on the contrary, it really succeeds in 2D platformers and older PC games.
AYN Odin represents to the enthusiasts who look for affordable handheld gaming computers an opportunity to enjoy their favorite games in their hands.
6. AYANeo Next
The AYANeo Next is the next generation of the powerful all-in-one gaming PC, as its neater, thinner version of a smaller Nintendo Switch. It has an AMD Ryzen 7 5825U CPU, an AMD Radeon Vega 8 GPU, 16GB RAM, 2TB storage, and a 7″ IPCC display (1280 x 800).
The fact that this gadget is so small it can be easily forgotten does not mean that it is not a strong contender for the best handheld gaming PC on this appraisal. Many minimalist gamers prefer AYANeo Next due to its extraordinary ergonomics and joystick stability. The AYANeo Next is one of the most desired options for minimalist gamers who are after extreme performance and high quality.
7. ONEXPLAYER Mini
If the ONEXPLAYER too big for your taste, the MINI version made an easy choice. It is running on a 7″ IPS display with 16GB RAM, up to 2TB storage, and a design similar to the Steam Deck at AMD’s advanced Zen 3 technology.
Compared to its bigger one, it has a smaller size, but it saves its distinct comfort and button-layout features. The ONEXPLAYER Mini is a good alternative for gaming enthusiasts as it offers rich features in a smaller and more handheld sphere.
8. AYANEO 1
AYA Neo aims to be the “Apple” of handheld gaming PCs – and the AYA Neo Initium is one of their top products. The pocket pc was unleashed in 2021 and it reached crowdfunding success. It has an AMD 2.3GHz 4500U CPU, 1.5GHz AMD Radeon GPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, and 7″ IPS display (1200 x 800).
Being modern by design and its backlit buttons makes it clearly look different than others. While it is in the same league as ONEXPLAYER on performance, AYA Neo looks absolutely unique. It caters to a target group of gamers who are all about style and gaming nerve.
9. ONEXPlayer
The first sensation about ONEXPLAYER is the remarkable quality of its building and impressive specifications which antedate Steam Deck. These include a 4.2GHz Ryzen 4800U, an AMD Radeon 8 Core GPU, a 16GB RAM, a 1TB storage, and IPS Display (2560 x 1600) with an area of 8.4 inches that are ideal for Full HD gaming.
ONEXPLAYER is not all that different from other handheld PCs in terms of comfort and buttons’ positions to make it more accessible for use. It’s on the bulkier side; however, this does not stop it from being a choice for gamers.
10. ANBERNIC Win600
It is true though that ANBERNIC Win600 may not be our top recommendation but if you are looking something affordable and instantly available then you might want to think about this particular one among others. It can run Windows10 with compatibility with SteamOS thus handling PC games in the form of 2D or older developed ones.
But it fails completely on some AAA titles as well as bulky 3D ones. For those who would like to play platformers in two dimensions or old school games without spending too much money on them, ANBERNIC Win600 is here although it has its limitations.
In the end, handheld gaming pcs’ world is a continuously changing one as each device has got its own blend of features, performance and even design. Your selection should match your taste in games, financial capabilities as well as need for mobility.
To sum up, there are handheld gaming PCs that suit your needs whether you prefer the futuristic design of AYANEO 2S or seamless Steam integration of Steam Deck or even style of AYA Neo. It is crucial to remember that battery life varies greatly depending on the device and game played hence one must consider his/her gaming behavior when making a choice.
As technology advances further, more innovations are expected in this field of handheld gaming PCs. These devices are eventually bridging the gap between portable gaming and desktop performance allowing gamers to play their favorite titles wherever they go.
Keep an eye on this exciting niche as future releases are likely to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of handheld gaming. Whether you’re into retro games or latest AAA titles, there’s a handheld gaming PC waiting to offer extraordinary experience while playing games.
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