Handheld

Nintendo is utilising the mouse sensor to potentially add new accessories to the Joy-Con 2, but it's hard not to draw similarities to the Playdate.

Boosted Switch 2 specs enable publishers like EA to offer feature parity with other consoles. Despite the added power, some EA Sports FC 26 beta testers are reporting disappointing performance. The two most frequent complaints are with its 30 fps graphics and missing crossplay.

Stardew Valley is on sale on Steam for 30% off, bringing it to $10.49 — just shy of its best-ever sale price of $7.49. The cozy RPG offers you an open-ended adventure in a quaint town quietly facing off against an outside enemy threatening the lifestyle and livelihood of the town.

The Steam Deck OLED comes with 16 GB of RAM, the same as the regular Steam Deck, but it’s faster memory. A modder has managed to upgrade the RAM to 32 GB but the process comes with a few caveats.

Caves of Qud is one of those rare indie titles that has seen near-weekly updates for most of the last two decades, even as it received a 1.0 launch after a mammoth 17 years of development.

Despite impressive PS5 sales, Sony may place less emphasis on consoles going forward. Comments from a Sony Senior Vice President have some gamers proclaiming the death of PlayStation exclusive games. The brand will instead focus on creating entertainment properties on multiple platforms.

MagicX has revealed initial details about a new gaming handheld. Following on from this year's Zero 40 and Mini Zero 28, the Retro 45 adopts a six-button layout for those who like to emulate Dreamcast, Genesis, Nintendo 64 and Sega Saturn games.

A new leak reveals when the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X will be available for purchase in the open market. It won't hit shelves until about two months after its rumoured Gamescom 2025 reveal.

If you're waiting for the Xbox ROG Ally X, then you might be surprised to know that other handhelds already available on the market can perform just as well, if not better. A well-known YouTuber recently demonstrated this by pitting the AMD Ryzen Z1 and Z2 Extreme against the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, essentially comparing three of the most popular handheld chips currently available at the time of writing.

The launch of the OneXPlayer X1 Air is almost upon us. Despite only debuting a month ago, the company behind the device has confirmed that the OneXPlayer X1 Air will be orderable later this month with four advantages over the existing OneXPlayer X1 and OneXPlayer X1 Pro.

Nintendo’s latest console provides access to 150+ retro gaming classics. The iMP Mini Arcade Pro is a compact arcade cabinet designed to make gameplay more authentic. Fighting game fans hunting for a Switch controller will appreciate the ball-top joystick and micro-switch buttons.

If you have always wanted the Retroid Pocket Classic in a timeless but classy black color, your dream has come true. The six-button version of the vertical handheld is now available to buy in black.

A week after the Partner Showcase, Nintendo will present an Indie World broadcast on August 7th. A YouTuber who leaked the show expects a general Nintendo Direct to follow shortly. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Kirby Air Riders are upcoming first-party Switch 2 games without firm release dates.

A new DIY mod by YouTuber Yu from Better Gaming explores whether the Nintendo Switch 2’s microSD Express slot can support a full-sized 1 TB NVMe SSD using an open-source adapter by NV&T Labs. The results offer valuable insights, and a few unexpected challenges, for those eyeing affordable storage upgrades.

Nintendo has tacitly reconfirmed that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is expected to release on its handheld platforms some time in 2025 by featuring the title as one of the playable demos at Fan Expo Canada.

A reprieve could be on the way for buyers who despise Switch 2 Game-Key Cards. The company that manufactures cartridges for Nintendo is embracing a new type of flash memory. As a result, publishers would have cheaper options than the 64 GB cartridges currently available.

A former Nintendo employee is ringing alarm bells over several upcoming Switch 2 games. Buyers expect Metroid Prime 4: Beyond to arrive in 2025, but the company has yet to provide a specific release date. Kit Ellis also notes that the latest Nintendo Direct didn’t feature anticipated third-party titles.

Golden Pig Upgrade, a China-based reviewer, has put the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme version of the new MSI Claw against the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V variant of the gaming handheld. The former appears to be the winner in terms of performance at 17 W and 30 W TDPs.

A YouTube channel Macho Nacho Productions went a considerable way to retrofitting the SEGA Game Gear with modern tech to see how it would hold up in 2025 with a few 'upgrades' under the hood.

YouTuber What Obie Plays has published a full teardown and modding guide for the Ayaneo Pocket Ace handheld, targeting button noise and thermal performance. The video includes sound dampening tweaks, thermal paste replacement, and a GPU undervolt that significantly improves consistency in benchmarks.

8BitDo has completed the compatibility update for its controllers that work with the Nintendo Switch 2. It has now released a list of supported controllers, adapters, and mod kits that work with the handheld.

Retroid has acknowledged recent reports of damaged hinges on the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 clamshell handheld and is offering affected users free replacements at no added cost. It is also providing the option of switching to the Retroid Pocket 5 for those who want.

Nintendo in Japan is urging gamers not to expose the Switch 2 to the searing summer heat. Many areas are suffering from temperatures above 35°C, putting the system in danger. With the enhanced Switch 2 specs, there have been cases of the console overheating in docked and handheld modes.

Mario Kart continues to dominate sales for Nintendo Switch 2 software with officially published numbers indicating over 5.63 million units have been sold as of 30th June 2025.

Anbernic has now started selling its latest gaming handheld globally after posting numerous teasers online. Sporting a 120 Hz display and a powerful chipset, the Anbernic RG477M also has a CNC metal shell unlike many of its peers.

The GPD Win 5 has been shown at ChinaJoy 2025 in Shanghai following its initial showcase last month. While over 30 minutes of footage detailing the GPD Win 5 and its external battery pack now exist, plenty of fans seem unimpressed with some of GPD's design choices at this stage.

The R36 Ultra is a new gaming handheld, but it definitely doesn't reinvent this growing category of devices. It comes with an IPS screen, two joysticks and WiFi connectivity. The price is relatively affordable.

Another gaming handheld has hit the market. This is a very affordable device and comes with a Linux-based operating system, and the L35 can supposedly run and emulate games from various platforms.

The upcoming RPG title, which has a dedicated fanbase on multiple other platforms, is now making its way to the Switch 2. It is now slated to see the light of day this October.

It seems inevitable that popular Xbox games will appear on the Switch 2. Even so, multiple events have passed without Nintendo and Microsoft flexing their partnership. Gamescom 2025 is the next opportunity to learn which Xbox cross-platform games may come to the handheld.

Anbernic has finally confirmed when it will start selling its RG477M gaming handheld and for how much. Starting for less than $250, the Anbernic RG477M combines a CNC body with a 120 Hz display and a powerful MediaTek Dimensity chipset, among other features.

The XU20 V32 is one of several gaming handhelds that XU Retro is expected to release this year. Essentially a TrimUI Brick running Android, the XU20 V32 will be available for under $50 in several colours with a 3.2-inch and 768p display, a 3,200 mAh battery and an Allwinner A133P chipset.

The full spec sheet along with other details of the Konkr Pocket Fit have been revealed by Ayaneo. The upcoming handheld still doesn't have a specific release date but it should be cheaper than the new Pocket S2 handheld.

Switch and Switch 2 owners may influence how companies distribute their games. The latest Nintendo survey focuses on whether buyers are more likely to purchase physical or digital titles. Third-party publishers have struggled to sell Switch 2 games that rely on network connectivity.

A new video showcasing a different Lenovo Legion Go 2 prototype has surfaced online. Surprisingly, Lenovo's long-awaited OLED gaming handheld outperforms the comparably equipped MSI Claw A8 in early benchmarks, even with a prototype version of the Legion Go 2 being tested.

Anbernic will not be releasing the RG477M this month after all. Instead, early Anbernic RG447M reviewers have clarified that the device will not land until August. Final pricing information has now been confirmed, too.

Ayaneo has revealed that its latest dual display gaming handheld will soon be available globally. Not only has the company confirmed that the Ayaneo Pocket DS will be coming to Indiegogo soon, but it is already offering an early launch discount for those willing to put up a small reservation fee.

The next Nintendo Direct will air on July 31st, starting at 9:00 AM EST/6:00 AM PST. However, first-party Switch 2 games like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond apparently aren't invited. Instead, over the course of 25 minutes, viewers will learn more about projects from Nintendo's partners.

Documents cited by Moore’s Law is Dead indicate that Microsoft’s next‑generation Xbox, codenamed Magnus, is in final development stages. The console is expected to deliver up to double the performance of the PS5 Pro, targeting native 4K120 gameplay and improved ray tracing all in 2026

Moore’s Law is Dead has confirmed that Sony’s next-generation PlayStation 6 will ship with two APUs, codenamed Orion and Canis, with the latter powering a new handheld console. A recently confirmed PS5 power-saving mode aligns with earlier reports, suggesting Sony is preparing its ecosystem for the PS6 era.

Ayaneo will soon follow the Pocket DMG with another vertical gaming handheld. Revealed to be called the Pocket Vert, Ayaneo says it will have a super sharp display, feature an exquisite design, and be made from premium materials.

Moore’s Law Is Dead podcast reveals AMD’s April 2027 GPU roadmap, Strix Halo expansion, N1X delays to 2026, and deep Intel layoffs under Lip-Bu Tan. It also teases Nintendo’s Switch 2 OLED prototype and a major shift in Intel’s server strategy with Diamond Rapids potentially dropping Hyper-Threading.

Ayaneo has revealed new details about its latest Android gaming handheld before its full debut early next month. Sporting a 165 Hz OLED display and an 8,000 mAh battery, the Ayaneo Pocket DS will also be powered by a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset among other impressive hardware.

Ayaneo has just revealed its first AMD Strix Halo-powered gaming handheld. In response, GPD has provided a first look at the GPD Win 5 in two colours and its unusual external battery pack. The GPD Win 5 will weigh about as much as the Nintendo Switch 2 too but only when discounting its 80 Wh battery pack.

The Ayaneo Next 2 is confirmed to launch with AMD's Ryzen AI Max+ 395 Strix Halo CPU. At the time of writing, it does not have a release date and it is expected to surface by the end of this year.

Ayaneo has shared initial details about its budget subsidiary called Konkr. Seemingly designed to rival the Ayn Odin2 and Retroid Pocket 5 with its first release among others, the new brand will start with a 6-inch and 144 Hz option powered by a high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset before moving on to a larger 7-inch alternative.

Ayaneo has now revealed initial information about its next dual-display gaming handheld after releasing the Flip 1S DS earlier this month. Apparently already in mass production, the Ayaneo Pocket DS will rival the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 with a more powerful chipset, a second display and a CNC housing.

Since its 2019 announcement, Hollow Knight: Silksong news has leaked at a slow pace. Microsoft just revealed it will host a playable demo of the title at Gamescom 2025. The company previously claimed that the Silksong release date would coincide with the ROG Xbox Ally handheld launch.

Anbernic has posted a full unboxing and gameplay showcase video for its next gaming handheld. While the company remains quiet about pricing and availability, a prominent YouTuber in the retro gaming handheld space has confirmed both details ahead of time.