Handheld

Intel has officially confirmed the existence of a new MSI Claw 8 gaming handheld. The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is set to launch 'in the coming months' too. In the meantime, multiple pictures showing the new 8-inch gaming handheld have emerged online.

Epic Games boss Tim Sweeney believes Valve could have avoided the Steam Deck price increase. A regular critic of Gabe Newell, he claims that the co-founder should pay the higher component costs. Sweeney has condemned the dominant marketplace for exploiting buyers and developers.

The AYN Thor has gotten a new accessory, one that should be familiar to owners of classic dual-screen handhelds such as the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo 3DS. The accessory is available to buy now from the manufacturer's website.

Valve has raised the prices of the 512 GB and 1 TB Steam Deck OLED handheld gaming consoles. This move has caused quite a bit of uproar online. Serial leaker Moore's Law Is Dead has now ripped Valve for being incompetent and has raised concerns regarding the price of the Steam Machine.

YouTuber James Channel transformed a broken PS2 Slim into the “JamesStation 2,” a duct-taped portable handheld with salvaged controller parts, a GPS screen, rewired ports, and an exposed spinning disc drive. Despite its crude and hazardous construction, the DIY console reportedly runs demanding PS2 games for up to five hours on a 10,000 mAh battery, outlasting the Steam Deck.

Acer has unveiled a new Windows handheld backed by a 120 Hz display and an 80 Wh battery. Featuring up to Intel Arc B390 graphics and 24 GB of RAM, the Predator Atlas 8 is confirmed to be releasing globally in 2026.

OneXPlayer has finally confirmed global launch plans for the OneXPlayer X2 Mini. Now called the X2 Mini Pro, the handheld surpasses the OneXPlayer Apex with detachable controllers and a 144 Hz VRR OLED display.

OneXPlayer has announced a new Windows gaming handheld. Launching globally in June 2026, the OneXPlayer 3 combines the Intel Arc G3 Extreme with a 144 Hz OLED display. The handheld features an 85 Wh built-in battery and Hall effect joysticks, too.

Valve restocked the Steam Deck OLED hours before both the 512GB and 1TB models sold out again. The restock came alongside a significant price increase: the 512GB model rose from $549 to $789, while the 1TB variant climbed $300 to $949.

The Steam Deck price increase was an ominous sign for Valve’s new mini PC. On the Steam Machine release date, an insider believes that buyers will encounter even higher costs. The storage and memory shortage is likely to also inflate the MSRP of the console alternative.

Panic has added Crankboy to the Playdate Catalogue, bringing full-speed Game Boy emulation to the crank-equipped handheld for $10, with four bundled homebrew titles and support for legally imported ROMs.

The Steam Deck OLED is finally back in stock, but the gaming handheld now costs up to $300 more than before, and the cheaper LCD model has been removed from the range altogether. The days when the Steam Deck was a price-performance hit are now over.

Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition for the Switch 2. Gamers will benefit from enhanced performance, but missing upgrade paths are causing controversy. There is no discount for owners of the Switch game or save transfers to the latest console.

Lenovo’s new Game Boy-style handheld, the G02, is apparently genuine – but not part of the company’s global product portfolio. The manufacturer is distancing itself from allegations surrounding illegal ROMs, and its statement has drawn plenty of ridicule from the community.

A new leak says Intel could unveil the Arc G3 and Arc G3 Extreme before the month (May 2026) ends. Both chips are expected to power handheld consoles from MSI and Acer.

Less than a year after releasing the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, a rumor has surfaced that Asus may unveil a new handheld. The device is expected to make an appearance at Computex 2026 which begins in early June.

A modder has transformed an original Game Boy Advance into a functional Nintendo Switch controller using a GBA link cable, a microcontroller adapter, and his open-source Joypad OS firmware.

The Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Xbox version will soon monopolize console hard drives. Gamers can preload the title now, but only after clearing more than 169 GB of space. Larger than Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, Switch 2 owners may also need pricey MicroSD Express cards.

After a small break, You Should Be Modding returns with a showcase of the best Devil May Cry 3 mod of them all: DMC3 Crimson, a complete transformation that gives the game depth akin to 4 and modded 5 by adding Inertia, new moves, a modernized HUD, and more.

Khe-hyun Kyung, former head of Samsung's Device Solutions (DS) division and current Samsung advisor, believes that Chinese investments into DRAM production will tank memory prices by Q3 2027.

Ayaneo has taken the wraps off the Konkr Pocket Block, following a leak a few weeks ago. The new handheld will have AI features and should be more affordable than Ayaneo's premium vertical handhelds.

Ayaneo has announced a new limited edition of the Pocket Air Mini Android handheld. Officially known as the Pocket Air Mini Arcade Home Edition, it comes pre-installed with IGS classic arcade games.

A new OneXPlayer X1 Pro is now available to order globally. Equipped with AMD's Gorgon Point platform, the new release combines a 65 Wh battery with detachable controllers, a Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 APU and OCuLink eGPU support.

Anbernic has released cheaper versions of one of its popular retro handhelds. Now available with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, the Anbernic RG557 is significantly cheaper than it was previously, despite retaining an AMOLED display and a powerful chipset.

After Google declined to repair a Pixel 8 with a persistent pink display line, its owner repurposed the otherwise functional phone into a compact retro gaming console connected to a TV. Using a USB-C hub, wired controllers, active PC-fan cooling, HDMI output, and EmulationStation Desktop Edition, the project turns damaged hardware into a practical emulation setup rather than e-waste.

A new software update for the Anbernic RG Vita Pro has begun rolling out. While the changelog mentions bug fixes and system optimizations, it also mentions the addition of the Google Play Store, which makes it easy for users to install Android apps.

Gamers may have begun to shy away from the now more expensive PS5. U.S. April data highlights a 30% decline in PlayStation console sales compared to the previous year. Before the impending Switch 2 price increase, Nintendo’s handheld extended its lead over the competition.

Powkiddy has released a new retro handheld globally. Available in a choice of three colours, the Powkiddy P36S is comparatively small despite featuring two joysticks, two USB Type-C ports and a pair of microSD card slots.

Ayaneo is preparing to announce new products on May 21. In the meantime, a second budget handheld has appeared bearing Ayaneo Bitwave branding. A horizontal model, the new device may feature a 120 Hz display but lacks any joysticks to speak of.

After comments from a trustworthy insider, a June Nintendo Direct looks more probable. Jeff Grubb has heard that the company will respond to the Summer Game Fest with its own livestream. Fans are anxious to see unannounced first-party Switch 2 games, like the Ocarina of Time remake.

Virtuos, the studio behind the well-received Nintendo Switch port of L.A. Noire, says it is eager to bring Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 to the Nintendo Switch 2. Company executives cite the success of past Rockstar collaborations and advances in Switch porting as evidence that the projects are technically plausible, though approval from Take-Two and Rockstar remains a key hurdle.

Some backers are abandoning the chipmakers profiting from the AI boom. Considered a safer long-term investment, Nintendo stock is enjoying a resurgence. The Switch 2 price increase announcement initially impacted shares, which had already declined since the console’s release date.

The RF40H is a new handheld console that promises plenty of gaming fun at a highly affordable price – multiplayer support included. The device comes with fairly modern input options and runs a custom Linux operating system.

A Japanese YouTuber has exposed a potential weakness with the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller. A part beneath the thumbsticks disintegrates, leading to interrupted movements. Despite the lack of TMR or Hall effect technology, the issue is not related to stick drift.

Asus has partnered with CD Project Red on a custom version of the ROG Xbox Ally based on the hit game, Cyberpunk 2077. Made by AK Mod, the PC builder also made a Johnny Silverhand stand for the Windows handheld gaming PC.

Ayaneo has put a pause on new product announcements for a few months now, but it appears it might have a new product on the horizon. Thanks to a new report, we have a first look at images and the user manual of a new handheld that is expected to launch as the Ayaneo Pocket Block.

Valve is offering affected Steam Controller buyers a free standard-edition Steam game after a GLS shipping error reportedly sent some European orders to the UK instead of their intended destinations. Many customers are opting for Forza Horizon 6 as their title of choice.

Nintendo has added more games to the Virtual Boy library which is available to subscribers to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. The five games include popular titles such as Space Invaders and V-Tetris.

Anbernic has released a Linux-based OS for its RG DS dual-screen handheld which ships with Android. The new OS can be installed on a microSD card, so users don't have to wipe the Android OS.

GuliKit has released a pair of anti-drift joysticks for the Joy-Con 2 controllers. The TMR joysticks are much cheaper than buying replacement Joy-Con 2 controllers which will likely fail again. They are also relatively easy to fix.

A fan-made modular handheld concept for Anbernic is attracting a lot of attention on Reddit, featuring swappable control modules and battery expansion. The community design addresses long-standing trade-offs in retro gaming hardware.

KendyLabs and Raretro Consoles have introduced KLRR, a self-funded project offering the first publicly available functional clear-shell kits for the Nintendo 3DS XL and New 3DS. Designed to work with the handheld’s complex hinge and internal layout, the kits target collectors and modders, though expected high pricing and difficult installation may limit their appeal to experienced enthusiasts.

Playground Games has announced that Forza Horizon 6 is Steam Deck verified. Mobile gamers hoping to explore Japanese roadways have greater confidence in handheld compatibility. The system requirements also suggest it will perform adequately on the ROG Xbox Ally.

FromSoftware still plans to support Nintendo’s latest console. The Elden Ring Switch 2 port with Shadow of the Erdtree DLC may finally arrive in July. After performance concerns led to a delay, a retailer has posted an estimated release date for the Tarnished Edition.

Anbernic's has begun selling the RG Rotate Android gaming handheld on its website. The manufacturer is also offering buyers a discount for a limited time.

The PS5 price hike led to an unusually successful period of console sales. Yet, despite this temporary lift, Sony expects hardware revenue to dwindle as 2026 continues. The Nintendo Switch 2 price increase has also caused panic buying in some regions.

Nintendo Switch 2 users briefly accessed YouTube through a hidden browser triggered by Super Animal Royale, filling the gap left by the console’s continued lack of an official YouTube or streaming app. The workaround was reportedly blocked within hours, underscoring frustration over Nintendo and Google’s slow progress nearly a year after the console’s launch.

The Yoo Y1, a new Android-based retro handheld from Chinese designer Zhang, is drawing early attention for its premium build, minimalist glass front, 3:2 1620 x 1080 display, TMR joysticks, Hall-Effect triggers, metal frame, and 6,000mAh battery. While its processor remains unconfirmed, the device’s final performance and connectivity features could determine whether it becomes a serious rival to established premium handhelds from Retroid and Ayn.

Contrary to popular belief, enabling Switch 2 GameChat may reduce stuttering. Digital Foundry realized that Capcom RE engine games like Pragmata benefit from voice and video chats. Choosing the smallest window size yielded frame rates up to 60 fps.

Anbernic has released a new major update for the RG477V handheld that brings some quality of life improvements. There's a revamped launcher and a new control center that puts important settings at players' fingertips.