Portable game consoles have evolved into fully fledged game consoles in their own right too, offering many of the same features and functionality that their non-portable peers do. And with an ever-expanding library of games now appearing in handheld form, there’s never been a better time for gaming on the go!
Here are the best handheld game consoles available right now.
Q: What Are Handheld Games Consoles?
Handheld game consoles are portable video game consoles with built-in screens and game controls and the ability to play multiple and separate video games.
For anyone who may be curious, the ‘O’ in ‘OLED’ stands for organic. And this refers to the panel that is utilized inside of the OLED screen. Anything that is visible through the screen has been overhauled and enhanced courtesy of this panel. Think sharper, brighter visuals across the board.
And the good news is that this will automatically enhance the experience of all of your existing Switch games too.
Sound output is also improved compared to the original Switch, as is internal storage — which gets a boost to 64GB here. Still not great, admittedly; but an improvement nonetheless that may help reduce the need for costly extra SD cards.
In docked mode, you can expect…well, pretty much the exact same performance as you would get from the regular Switch. Where the OLED version really shines is in its handheld mode, and you should only expect to see the benefit of these improvements while your console is undocked.
A bigger and brighter screen, with more vibrant colors and improved sound. The OLED model is just the ticket if you love gaming on your Switch and want to take the experience to the next level.
Thanks to its detachable controllers and supporting kickstand, tabletop gaming is possible with a friend on the Switch. Granted, using what is essentially one-half of a gaming pad does tend to limit the type of games that you can play co-operatively; meaning that this mode of play tends to suit the more simplistic types of games.
However, as with the spit and polished Switch OLED, the original Switch is perhaps the most appealing as a straight-up handheld console. Having been on the market for several years now, the Switch has really hit its stride. In terms of performance and presentation, it remains one of the best handheld game consoles currently available.
Games publishers have also grown wise to the growing appeal to gamers of being able to take some of their favorite titles on the go with them. Re-releases of classic games from the last decade or so have given classic titles a whole new lease of life on the Switch.
Massive (non-Nintendo) titles such as Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy, The Bioshock Collection, Dark Souls, and many of the Assassin’s Creed titles have risen anew thanks to this brand-new portability. And as you would expect from Nintendo, all their exclusive games franchises have had brilliant, fiendishly addictive new titles released during the lifespan of the Switch.
It looks great, it handles like a dream, and it runs for up to nine hours in handheld mode. Online play is supported in handheld mode, so long as you’re in a decent wi-fi zone. The only real negative is the price tag.
For a few dollars more you could stretch to the Switch OLED. And considering the relatively small price difference between them, you may be better off parting with a bit more cash so that you can enjoy the bigger brighter screen and enhanced visuals of the OLED version.
That said, this Nintendo handheld console is still worth making a fuss about. The Switch is not going away anytime soon, and it is still definitely one of the very best handheld consoles out there.
Well, for you dear buyer, there is the Switch Lite. A cheaper version of the Switch that has ditched the docking station, removed the removable controllers (erm…) and crafted itself as a portable only handheld console. And it is brilliant!
It comes in a range of colors so that you can pick whichever shade best suits your aura, and all Switch games are playable on it—provided they do not require the use of the Joy-Con controller. And with the cash you will save from buying a Switch Lite instead of a Switch or Switch OLED, you could easily afford a couple of extra games to play.
Fully integrated controls are built-in and all physical and digital games that are compatible with handheld play are supported. As a one-piece handheld console, there’s also a reduced risk of losing pieces of it while out and about. No more lost Joy-Con halves disappearing into a black hole somewhere.
The Nintendo Switch Lite offers gamers the same great gameplay experience as the original Nintendo Switch. Lighter and more portable, this could be the perfect handheld console for you, so long as you’re not bothered about losing out on the docked mode.
The price is pretty decent too!
This is a 1TB handheld gaming PC from Zestioe. It’s powered by an eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 4800U processor and has 16GB of RAM. It has a 7-inch touch screen and has a native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, and is flicker-free.
Being a Windows-based operating system, you can use the Aya Neo Pro to play any games on Steam, and you can expect a super smooth performance to boot. The design is elegant and ergonomic. High-quality ALPS joysticks are built-in and everything has been positioned on the console face to provide maximum comfort.
On the downside—besides the wallet-crushing price—you might need to take a charger cable with you if you’re heading out with the Aya Neo Pro; as this amount of processing power is likely to tear through the console’s battery life!
However, this is a fantastic steam handheld console, and well worth the consideration of any PC gamer who is looking to enjoy their games remotely.
Older Steam games can be run on the OneX Player at 1080p resolution, although you may find that some of the latest titles will dip to around 800p. You’ll need to experiment a bit to see what you can get from your games. Some will run smoothly at 60fps, but depending on what you want to play, you may have to accept 30fps for some titles.
Improvements can be made to the performance by ensuring that you update Windows of course, and downloading the intel tool to update your drivers and software will also help you to get the most out of this handheld gaming PC.
Battery life will be drained like a thirsty herd of elephants drinking water from a lake however, so fair warning. Expect around two hours or so of gameplay on a full charge, depending on what you’re playing. However, a little bit of due diligence in keeping the battery topped up should help minimise any power down disappointments.
Touch screen functions enhance the gaming experience and the presentation itself is very impressive, with a larger screen to help deepen your immersion. Sound quality is decent, but of course any PC gamer knows that decent can easily be upgraded to excellent with the right pair of headphones.
A shade more expensive than the Aya Neo Pro, but looking at the specs you may feel that the extra expense is worth it. The OneX Player has the largest screen size of other handheld gaming PCs in its class and impressive processing power as well.
Another thing to mention is that the screen size is smaller too. Considerably smaller in fact. With a screen size of only 5.5 inches, this can’t fail to have an effect on your gaming experience. It may even prove prohibitive for some titles. It’s hard to imagine getting engrossed in an RTS game on such a small screen, for instance.
However, size is not everything. And there’s still a fair amount to consider with the GPD Win 3. The screen slide feature is pretty cool, and the added feature of a fully functioning backlit keyboard offers functionality that other handheld PCs don’t have.
Most Steam titles can be run on this handheld console as long as you’re prepared to accept 30fps as a standard. The sound quality is solid and the console works well with Bluetooth. Fingerprint unlock and large turbofan features are neat little touches too.
However, as a handheld gaming PC, the GPD Win 3’s main selling point over its competitors is its price. It’s cheaper, and this may be its main appeal to any would-be portable PC gamers. You’ll just need to decide if the trade-off between price and screen size works for you or not.
They do not include PDAs, smartphones, or tablet computers. While those devices are often capable of playing games, they are not generally classified as video game consoles.
Q: What Is Currently the Bestselling Handheld Games Console?
Nintendo is easily the king of handheld gaming consoles right now and its Switch is by far one of its most popular consoles to date.
It offers users two ways to play, with one being plug-in and play when at home, or simply taking the Switch along with you anywhere you go.
Q: What’s the Difference Between the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch OLED?
There are a few key differences between the Nintendo Switch (OLED model) and the original Switch.
In terms of size and weight, there is little between them, even though the Switch OLED has a larger display. It’s the bezel that has shrunk on the OLED version, allowing for a bigger screen but retaining the same overall console height.
