Handheld

CheckMag The market for gaming handhelds is booming. New devices are springing up everywhere and more and more manufacturers are venturing into the segment. Too much choice can be paralyzing, so knowing what makes a good handheld is certainly worthwhile.

The GPD Win Mini 2025 can now be purchased via a popular third party within the gaming handheld community. Available with up to 64 GB of RAM, the new Win Mini 2025 also packs superior cooling and AMD's latest Ryzen AI HX 370 APU.

Powkiddy has opened pre-orders for the V20 globally. Priced at under $55, the Powkiddy V20 combines a 3.5-inch IPS display and a 5,000 mAh battery with an Allwinner A133P chipset found across the TrimUI Smart Pro, TrimUI Brick and MagicX Mini Zero 28.

Retroid has introduced a new gaming system, which sports a foldable display and offers the usual control layout. The company has also announced a second upcoming handheld console.

A new gaming handheld has been announced. The GameMT E6 Max is based on Android and has adequate controls for more demanding video games. It supports games for many different systems, which can be run from an SD card.

Xbox Cloud Gaming allows gamers to play anywhere, but not necessarily to play everything. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers who purchased the Avowed Premium Edition have to wait until its release date to stream the title. Why is the game not available on Microsoft's cloud gaming service?

Third-party Switch 2 accessories could appear for sale even before the console launches. The infamous leaker of Switch 2 CAD photos is now selling a physical version of the console on the black market. How much accessory manufacturers are willing to pay for early access may shock gamers.

Sliding gaming handhelds are nothing new, but the Sugar Cubes N97 Elite offers a dash of nostalgia. It features a Nokia N97-like design, but the handheld doesn't really come with the most powerful mobile hardware.

Not every Switch gamer is anxious to upgrade to a new system. A February Nintendo Direct could introduce titles to breathe new life into the existing Switch console. Sadly, famous leaker Nate the Hate is no longer confident that the event will happen.

The Nintendo Switch 2 price tag may have been leaked via retailer placeholder. Whereas other similar leaks have come from some sketchy sources, this latest one has an air of credibility to it thanks to the addition of a couple of supporting images. Of course, only an official post from Nintendo itself will resolve what the final Switch 2 price will be.

Huawei remains the pioneer of the tri-fold smartphone. While recent rumours suggested that it could be dipping its toes into the world of gaming handhelds, these appear to have been wide of the mark.

The launch of the Switch 2 won't automatically mean the end of the road for the Switch as Nintendo says it will continue to sell the old handheld console. This will be different from what happened in the case of the Wii U which was discontinued few months before the release of the Nintendo Switch.

Lenovo has only just started shipping the Legion Go S in the US running Windows. While a SteamOS variant is coming later this year, Bazzite is already showing itself to be a viable and more powerful alternative for those who have picked up the Windows version.

Nintendo is gearing up for the launch of its highly anticipated Switch 2 console, scheduled for release in Q2 2025. The company’s president recently stated that Nintendo will do its best to be ready for the start of sales, avoid the shortages that buyers of the original Switch faced in 2017.

For those wondering how Marvel's Spider-Man 2 performs on gaming handhelds, specifically the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, a recent analysis appears to paint a somewhat gloomy picture. The experience is far from pleasing on the Steam Deck, and although the ROG Ally manages decent performance, it is not without its Windows-specific downsides - for now.

Could the Switch 2 emulate PC gaming better than the PS5 or Xbox Series X? A joy-con mouse mode would make controlling complex strategy games less stressful. A recent IGN interview asked a Civilization 7 executive producer about the improved joy-con controller.

More than five months after it was announced, Lenovo has begun selling the charging connector for the Legion Go handheld PC. The accessory, which is available to buy on Amazon, attaches to the controllers of the Legion Go, turning them into a single controller while providing extra battery life.

Nintendo is yet to announce a release date for the Switch 2, and that has led to a lot of speculations and guesses. Now, a theory has surfaced, speculating what date the console will be released, and it is a delight to read.

It seems that Anbernic is not done with the RG34XX just yet. In fact, a new leak suggests that two new versions of the Anbernic RG34XX are on the way, likely before the rumoured RG34XX SP.

The Switch 2 joy-con controller may exceed expectations for innovation. If a new Nintendo patent is implemented, the joy-con could compete with the most advanced controllers. What are the other benefits of a controller learning a gamer's habits?

The screen may not be the only aspect of the Nintendo Switch 2 that's larger. A French retailer revealed an image of a surprisingly substantial Switch 2 game case. Should gamers expect larger cartridges with the new handheld console?

The R36 Max is a new retro gaming handheld from Game Console. Based around a 4-inch and 1:1 display, the device also contains a pair of joysticks and some rather strange design decisions.

Miyoo has just released its clamshell gaming handheld. The Anbernic RG34XX SP is rumoured to be in development too, as is the long-awaited Retroid Pocket Flip 2 according to a reliable source.

Miyoo has only just started selling the Flip as a smaller alternative to the established Anbernic RG35XX SP. Nonetheless, a Miyoo Flip V2 has already been outlined by a reliable source, which could arrive much sooner than expected.

According to various sources, Anbernic is actively developing a successor to last year's RG35XX SP. While the so-called RG34XX SP may borrow a 3:2 display from the RG34XX for 2x integer scaling of GBA games, it is reputed to do away with the Allwinner H700 chipset for a healthy performance boost.

The R36S Plus is a rather strange gaming handheld all things considered. With a 360-degree d-pad and 4 GB of RAM, the device is quite unlike other retro options. A mere 1,200 mAh battery capacity holds it back, though.

The R36H is a new budget gaming handheld equipped with two analogue sticks and designed to run a wide variety of games. It supports up to two memory cards, making it easier to install a large number of titles.

The SU-10 is another unconventional gaming handheld produced by Game Console. Rather than ripping off its rivals, Game Console has opted for a strange form factor that resembles a racing wheel.

The Steam Deck supports AMD FSR 3.1, but many games lack native support. However, with the Decky Framegen plugin, the gaming handheld can run many of such titles with AMD's frame generation tech in place.

The Valve Steam Deck remains the go-to device for those who want to play triple-A games in a portable form factor. While a new project takes this to extremes, it also effectively creates a home console in the process.

Aokzoe has shared more information about its next gaming handheld. The Aokzoe A1 X will line up as an alternative to the OneXPlayer F1 Pro and Ayaneo 3 thanks to its Ryzen 9 AI HX 370 APU, albeit with an 8-inch native landscape display.

Phil Spencer, Microsoft's gaming CEO, has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will get support for first-party Xbox games. This corroborates some of the recent rumors about the handheld getting multiple AAA game ports.

While the Nintendo Switch 2 was fully showcased, its official price still remains a mystery. Ahead of any official words from the company, a lesser-known European retailer has revealed the pre-order price of the gaming handheld.

Ayaneo has finally released its next-generation gaming handheld. Available to order now in multiple variants, the Ayaneo 3 can be configured with a 120 Hz OLED display, up to 64 GB of RAM and an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU. The new gaming handheld also supports both USB4 and OCuLink eGPU solutions unlike many of its contemporaries.

Ayaneo has finally revealed when it will begin selling the Ayaneo 3, its next premium Windows gaming handheld. The company has also dropped a few hints about pricing and availability before its full unveiling later this week.

Retroid has now published an Android 13 update for the Pocket Mini. Although the device theoretically now runs the same software as the larger Pocket 5, early reports point to a myriad of issues.

Lenovo will not begin shipping the SteamOS version of the Legion Go S for a few months yet. In the meantime, a well-regarded SteamOS alternative has added support for the Windows version of the device to provide a Steam Deck-like experience ahead of schedule.

Various details about a new Powkiddy gaming handheld have surfaced online. Allegedly set for release soon, the so-called Powkiddy V20 slots into the company's line-up with an Allwinner A133P chipset, a 480p display and a comparatively large 5,000 mAh battery.

The 2025 Game Developers Conference (GDC) State of the Gaming Industry report has been released, and it contains some positive details for both PC gamers and those keenly awaiting the Nintendo Switch 2. The results of a survey of game developers seem to imply that the Valve Steam Deck will certainly not struggle in terms of support despite the upcoming release from the Big N.

Sharge has brought its latest type of fashionable power brick to the global market. The Retractable 65 packs its own pull-out cable as well as the "advanced" gallium nitride (GaN) rated to keep it cool while charging at up to 65W. The accessory is compatible with a range of devices, smartphones and portable consoles included.

The Asus ROG Ally powered by a Z1 Extreme SoC, 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage is enjoying a big 31% discount on the list price at Best Buy. The console comes with a free ROG Ally carrying case which makes the offer even sweeter.

The Nintendo Switch 2 comes with lots of design changes, but one change believed to be new input buttons on the Joy-Con controllers is actually not what many thought it is. New official info has now revealed what the buttons actually do.

Nintendo finally gave us a first official look at the Switch 2 on January 16, but the company didn't reveal the launch date. A third-party accessory maker and game publisher has now shared when it expects the gaming handheld to launch.

Ayaneo has teased a new version of its upcoming high-end gaming handheld. The Ayaneo 3 will now be sold in three finishes, including a Retro Power Edition that should be configurable with a 144 Hz OLED display and up to an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU.

The Sjgam M20 Pro is a new retro gaming handheld with a 7-inch IPS display, Rockchip RK3566 processor, and EmuELEC OS. It supports 30+ emulators and will ship with light guns, gamepads, and a dock - though its resemblance to the Nintendo Switch is hard to overlook.

While Nintendo has fully showcased the Switch 2, there is a ton of information that the company hasn't confirmed yet. New leaks fill some of the gaps by offering some possible details about the gaming handheld.

MagicX has released a new compact gaming handheld for less than $60. Built around a 2.8-inch display, the Mini Zero 28 utilises the Allwinner chipset from the TrimUI Brick and TrimUI Smart Pro with 2 GB of RAM and a 2,800 mAh battery, among other features.