Handheld

ETA Prime has compared the Radeon 880M of Ryzen AI 9 365 and the Radeon 780M of Ryzen Z1 in a handheld simulation. At 17W TDP, there is a noticeable difference between the two, which means you can get better gaming performance without putting a toll on the battery.

Retroid has shared more details about the Pocket 5, one of its upcoming retro gaming handhelds. While the company has taken a break from teasing the 3.7-inch Pocket Mini, it has now confirmed its Pocket 4 and Pocket 4 Pro successor will arrive with an AMOLED display that not only spans 5.5-inches across but also offers a 1080p native resolution.

Retroid has revealed yet another retro gaming handheld. Arriving hot on the heels of the Pocket Mini, the Retroid Pocket 5 features a sleek design and appears to run Android out of the box.

Balatro continues its summer of updates with the second of three free updates. The update features its first-ever collaboration with popular titles, including The Witcher 3, Dave the Diver, Vampire Survivors, and Among Us.

Kinhank has released the K36, an oddity among the recent 3.5-inch retro gaming handhelds. Available for under $50 globally, the Kinhank K36 could prove particularly ergonomic in the right hands.

Retroid has switched up the colour options in which the Pocket Mini will shortly be available. Supposedly responding to community feedback, Retroid has also teased that its latest gaming handheld will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset.

The SJGAM M21 is now available through multiple resellers. Unashamedly a copycat of the Game Console R36S and the Powkiddy RGB20S, the SJGAM M21 has a saving grace in the form of a mini HDMI port. Not only that, but the SJGAM M21 is also available for as little as $30 worldwide.

Anbernic has now opened pre-orders for the RG40XX V, a 4-inch gaming handheld that builds on last month's RG40XX H release. Available worldwide for under $60, the Anbernic RG40XX V comes in three colour options and a design that builds on classic Nintendo Game Boy handhelds.

Retroid has now shared more details about the Pocket Mini, its future rival to the likes of the Anbernic RG40XX H. Not only has the company confirmed more device specifications, but it has also revealed that the OLED display-wielding gaming handheld will be available in multiple colour options at launch.

A YouTuber has managed to run Bloodborne on the Steam Deck via an emulator. While the build is far from playable, that should change in the coming weeks once modders and ShadPS4 developers come up with a better version.

Tom Henderson, the person who leaked the PlayStation Portal and PlayStation 5 Pro, says Sony's interest in handheld consoles has been reignited thanks to stellar Portal sales. This suggests a successor could be lined up before the rumoured 2026-bound PS Vita 2 launches.

Anbernic has now confirmed the release date for the RG40XX V, its latest 4-inch and vertical retro gaming handheld. Not only has the company outlined when it will start selling the device, but it has also revealed how much it will cost initially, too.

A paid software called Lossless Scaling has been tested on Steam Deck OLED. At the core, the software can scale resolutions and add frame generation. These two can make games feel a lot smoother on the gaming handheld.

Powkiddy's latest gaming handheld is another vertical effort based around a 3.5-inch display. Also equipped with a Rockchip RK3566 chipset and 1 GB of LPDDR4X RAM, the Powkiddy X35S is billed as being powerful enough to emulate systems like the Nintendo 64, PlayStation 1 and the PlayStation Portable, among others.

Lenovo has not outlined any plans for IFA 2024 yet. Nonetheless, Evan Blass has leaked images of countless new products, including an x86-based version of the ThinkPad T14s 6th Gen. New Legion Go accessories are on the way too, as well as updated IdeaPad, ThinkBook and Yoga options.

Retroid has revealed the Pocket Mini, its first retro gaming handheld since last year's Pocket 4 and Pocket 4 Pro. While the Retroid Pocket Mini resembles the Anbernic RG40XX H, it will feature a 960p OLED display.

Sharge touts its next-gen Disk Plus as the thinnest SSD enclosure about to go on a crowdfunding campaign to date. It is also designed to go anywhere else thanks to the ability to stay on to the back of the user's iPhone, laptop or handheld console in a MagSafe-style manner. It connects via USB-C and is compatible with multiple NVMe form-factors.

ZOTAC has prepared an official docking station for the ZONE, its first gaming handheld. Also compatible with pretty much every other powerful gaming handheld around, the ZOTAC GAMING Docking Station has a stylish aluminium finish and is packed full of features.

A YouTuber named Ksrnate has uploaded a walkthrough on installing a 67 Wh battery on Asus ROG Ally, almost doubling the energy capacity from the original 40 Wh battery. Unlike the 88 Wh DIY mod by iFixit, this one doesn’t leave anything exposed, making it a more polished option to get more runtime from the gaming handheld.

In recent months, various companies have released 2.8-inch gaming handhelds. Now, it seems that MagicX will return to the segment again with the XU Mini M Plus, an upgraded XU Mini M that should better compete against the Anbernic RG28XX and others.

Announced at Computex 2024, Zotac Gaming Zone is now available to pre-order. The gaming handheld launched as a competitor to ROG Ally X, with an AMOLED display, Hall effect sensors, AMD Ryzen 7 8840U, and 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM. Its launch price is $799.

While Steam Deck OLED ships with SteamOS, there have been ways to install Windows on the gaming handheld. But now that Valve has released official drivers, running Microsoft's OS on the device has become a little easier.

A paid software called Lossless Scaling on Steam has just been updated, and it now can offer up to 4x FPS boost with frame generation tech. It can also upscale games from a lower resolution, making it stand as a good option to get a bit extra performance out of gaming handhelds and relatively low-end systems.

An analyst reporting on Nintendo's recent financial results has speculated that the Switch 2 will launch in the first half of 2025 with a rather hefty price of "$499 or less". This could make Nintendo's upcoming handheld console a tough sell, given its proximity to the $399 Steam Deck and devices like the Asus ROG Ally.

The Asus ROG Ally gaming handheld has been discounted by $150 in a Best Buy deal, returning it to its record-low price of just $499.99. The 7-inch Windows-powered gaming handheld packs plenty of CPU and GPU power with the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, and we praised it in our review for its fast 120 Hz display and AMD FreeSync support.

The Antec Core HS made its official debut in May of this year, and now the company has made the gaming handheld available to purchase. Essential, it's a rebadged Ayaneo Slide, but with cheaper price tags, with the 16/512 GB variant currently at $499.

According to new reports, Anbernic is a mere few days away from officially releasing its latest vertical retro gaming handheld. Not only has the release date for the Anbernic RG40XX V surfaced online, but so has its launch pricing and key specifications.

With a retro starship inspired design, a "romantic" RGB light strip, toolless M.2 SSD slot and the promise of 100 and 120 watt TGP options, the AYANEO AG01 gets ready to join the likes of GPD and OneXPlayer in the mobile eGPU space.

A recent SteamOS beta update mentions support for the extra keys of the Asus ROG Ally. This hinted that third-party handhelds could get official support for the operating system that runs on Steam Deck. Valve has now said that the team is "making steady progress" on adding official support for other gaming handhelds.

The Xbox Game Bar is getting a new Compact Mode that aims to make the overlay Windows gaming handheld-friendly. Microsoft is currently testing the mode in the Xbox Insider Program, and it is currently available to the members of the program.

Past reports claimed the Nintendo Switch 2 would launch in March 2025, but Chris Dring from Games Industry claims that none of the developers he spoke to are expecting the new handheld to launch in this financial year. That suggests the console may launch later than initially anticipated.

CheckMag A Lenovo representative recently clarified rumours about the possibility of the company releasing new Legion Go gaming handhelds. While the company has sought to dampen rumours, its statement still leaves space for the arrival of a smaller Legion Go 'Lite' later this year.

Gaming insider Paul Gale recently reported that the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 will launch with major third-party AAA ports. Now, a new report from a reputed leaker claims that the gaming handheld will get ports of Assassin’s Creed Shadows and other entries of the series.

The M21 is a new retro gaming handheld that leans heavily on the designs of both the Game Console R36S and the Powkiddy RGB20S. Reportedly powerful enough to emulate up to PlayStation 1 games, SJGAM also equips the M21 with a pair of joysticks, a 3.5-inch display and an HDMI port for outputting to an external display.

MagicX is preparing to refresh the XU Mini M, its 2.8-inch alternative to the Anbernic RG28XX and Miyoo Mini A30. Available soon as the Crystal Collections Edition, the new MagicX XU Mini M gaming handhelds will all feature translucent finishes with varying colours.

Nextorage has released its new G Series ME M.2 2230 SSDs, targeted towards gaming handhelds such as the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally. The company claims it's the fastest 2230 PCIe 4.0 line in the market, promising speedier game loading times. It is also said to have high stability.

CheckMag UMPCs or Ultra Mobile PCs were an entire category not so long ago. Offering unheard of performance in a package that could literally fit in the palm of your hand. Having dropped off people's radar there are still many that miss the good old UMPC days. Here are 3 of the last few remaining UMPC options in 2024.

The 512 GB Lenovo Legion Go has seen the biggest discount ever. It has dropped to $551.76, the lowest recorded price for this SKU. Without any sale in place, it usually goes for $699.99, so the gaming handheld is currently enjoying a price cut of nearly $150.

The Capcom Summer 2024 Humble Bundle sale has many popular Steam Deck games, including a couple of Street Fighter titles. Altogether, this bundle is worth $349, but you can claim all of them for as low as $30. Note that the offer will be available for a limited time, ending on August 28th.

CheckMag While Windows on Steam Deck might seem counter intuitive, having a dual boot or purely Windows system can offer the ability to play games that aren't compatible with Steam OS. While Valve isn’t known for providing regular driver updates to Windows users, there thankfully are other options.

A recent Nintendo Switch 2 leak claimed Steam Deck-like performance from the upcoming handheld gaming console, and now, a new shipping manifest seems to reinforce that information. The supposed leaked documentation indicates that the Switch 2 will be need to draw nearly twice as much power from the wall as the original Switch.

MagicX has begun testing the XU Mini 2, Touch One, and Touch Two handheld devices. As per a new video, the XU Mini 2 features a vertical layout, while the Touch One and Touch Two have horizontal designs. The handhelds are expected to be released by year-end, with the final specs still under development.

Lenovo has responded to the recent alleged leaks surrounding a supposed upcoming Legion Go Lite, but it shrewdly avoided either confirming or denying the existence of a new Lenovo handheld gaming PC. Lenovo blamed the hype surrounding the alleged Legion Go Lite on incorrect information about the first-generation Legion Go.

ETA Prime on YouTube has recently demonstrated how to turn a broken Steam Deck into a fully functional mini PC on the cheap. You don't even need in-depth knowledge or specialised tools to accomplish the task, and the parts-bin Steam Deck can be found on eBay for as little as $142.

The Thumby Color is the latest effort by TinyCircuits, which has been behind the TinyTV 2 and TinyTV Mini, among other miniature devices. Built around a Raspberry Pi and running open-source software, the Thumby Color is compatible with over 100 games and owes its design to the classic Game Boy Advance.

Anbernic is preparing to launch another 4-inch gaming retro handheld. While the company has focused on horizontal devices recently, its next release will return to a vertical orientation with a design that looks like a Game Boy, as well as the AYANEO Pocket DMG.

The Lenovo Legion Go is a handheld console with detachable joysticks - unfortunately, they can't be linked together to create a single controller out of the box. JSAUX has applied its "advanced engineering" to the problem and come up with a potential solution. A set of the OEM's new Handle Straps can be ordered with or without a silicon bumper for the conjoined joysticks.