The 5 Best Handheld Gaming Consoles You Can Buy in 2025

MSI Claw: The MSI Claw handhelds are most similar to the ROG Ally consoles in that they are Windows OS devices. I’ve reviewed the Claw 8AI+, and although the eight-inch screen was impressive, I prefer the ROG Ally X for its ergonomics and its UI, which could use improvement but shines compared with what MSI is doing.

Lenovo Legion GO: We’ve been hearing a lot of good things about this handheld but have yet to try one out ourselves. The latest Legion GO S is even equipped with SteamOS in some models—a tempting alternative to the Steam Deck.

PlayStation Portal: This isn’t really a handheld; it’s a remote-play device. That’s why it didn’t make the list. It’s more or less a way to play your PS5 games in handheld mode via WiFi streaming, acquiescing to those who have adopted the Switch lifestyle. I do love mine, and a new router fixed the streaming-delay issues I was once having with it, but it’s not a necessary purchase by any means.

Retroid Pocket: Another retro machine. But if you are focused on emulation, Retroid may be the more appropriate route to go. Hard to recommend to the average person but amazing for the one who knows what they’re doing.

Playdate: I dunno, man, I still think the Playdate was a cool idea. We don’t really live in a world of novelty handhelds, and that’s exactly what this crank-based portable is. Crank-based gameplay isn’t the future, but it’s fun. Shouldn’t that be enough?