Valve may have revolutionized mobile PC gaming with the Steam Deck, but more and more handheld gaming PCs are coming to market, giving it some stiff competition. Formerly, the Asus ROG Ally X knocked Steam’s offering from our top spot thanks to its impressive performance, fast memory, and long-lasting battery, but we've got a brand-new favorite: the Lenovo Legion Go S (Z1 Extreme, SteamOS). With the Xbox Ally X announced at the Xbox Games Showcase, you'll have plenty of options for gaming on the go in the future. Whether you’re after the Steam Deck itself or one of the best Steam Deck alternatives, we’ve selected excellent handheld gaming PCs ready to chew through the top PC games – as long as you don't try to run Doom: The Dark Ages.
TL;DR – These Are the Best Handheld Gaming PCs:
Rather than dealing with the bulk a gaming laptop, handheld gaming PCs keep far more compact dimensions, making it easier to play from just about anywhere. Even though these devices are obviously significantly smaller than a gaming PC, it doesn’t mean they’re underpowered. Many handheld gaming PCs are packing the performance prowess to cruise through AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077. If you get sick of playing on a smaller screen, a great Steam Deck dock works seamlessly with most handheld gaming PCs so you can hook up to your gaming TV.
While we’re on the cusp of a handheld gaming PC revolution, we've gotten our hands on a good chunk of these highly-capable devices. Below are the current four we deem worthy of consideration.
1. Lenovo Legion Go S (Z1 Extreme, SteamOS)
The Best Handheld Gaming PC
When the Lenovo Legion Go S first came out back in February 2025, it was a hot mess. The configuration Lenovo initially released was bogged down by the weak Z2 Go processor, which didn't pair well with Windows. And because it was both running Windows 11 and had 32GB of memory, this weaker handheld was just as expensive – if not moreso – than the original Legion Go that preceded it. But Lenovo has righted the ship by launching the Go S with the Z1 Extreme and SteamOS built-in.
This system is still expensive. You're looking at $829 to get this model, but that's only a bit more than the Asus ROG Ally X, which ended up being slower, if only by a bit, in my tests. When I reviewed this new Lenovo Legion Go S, I found that the SteamOS-powered handheld beat out the Ally X in synthetic benchmarks by as much as 9%. That's not bad, considering that handheld had the performance crown before this system came out.
The elephant in the room is the Steam Deck. Even three years after its release, it's still an incredible and popular handheld, and it's not hard to see why. It's easy to use, and it's literally half the price of the Go S. But not only do you get a higher resolution display with this Legion Go S, you also get as much as double the performance. I was able to get a solid 60fps playing Baldur's Gate 3, and that's something I straight up couldn't do on the Steam Deck. Whether or not that's worth the higher price tag depends entirely on what you're looking for.
A great handheld gaming system is about more than just raw performance, though. It also needs to be comfortable to use, and despite the sytem being one of the largest I've used – and I've used a lot of them – it's extremely comfortable. The Lenovo Legion Go S has rounded edges that give you something to hold on to, and the textured finish makes it harder to slip out of your hands.
The Go S also has one of the most beautiful LCD displays I've seen in a while and proves that OLED isn't the only way to get a great picture in 2025. It's not quite as colorful as the Steam Deck OLED, to be fair, but it still made any game I played on it look awesome. Now that we're waiting for Microsoft and Asus to launch the ROG Xbox Ally X later this year, the Legion Go S is the PC gaming handheld to beat.
2. Asus ROG Ally X
The Best Windows Handheld Gaming PC
The Asus ROG Ally X we reviewed last year might use the same AMD Z1 Extreme processor as the original ROG Ally, but Asus has made enough little changes to the handheld that firmly make it the best gaming handheld running Windows on the market right now. The Z1 Extreme is accompanied by 24GB of LPDDR5 memory, clocked at 7,400MHz, a massive increase over the 16GB of RAM on the original model. Bcause the RAM is faster this time around, it results in a surprising performance lift that averaged around 12-15% in my testing.
Asus also made the chassis a little thicker and heavier. It's not enough to notice most of the time, but there's a reason behind the madness. The Asus ROG Ally X has an improved cooler and a battery that's twice as large as the original model. This means you can play games for multiple hours before you have to start running for the charger. The improved cooler also helps long gaming sessions by wicking hot air away from the touch display, avoiding the hot touch screen issue that plagued the original model. Plus, if you pair it with a gaming pillow like I did, you won't even notice the increased heft.
The Asus Mobile XG port on the original model has been removed, and has been replaced by a second USB-C port, which is compatible with Thunderbolt 4. Asus has also replaced the controversial MicroSD card slot with one that will hopefully be a little more resistant to damage. (After all, Asus got into some hot water with the original ROG Ally thanks to some lackluster customer support that was documented by YouTuber Gamers Nexus.)
3. Valve Steam Deck
The Best Budget Handheld Gaming PC
Responsible for popularizing the handheld gaming PC revolution, the Valve Steam Deck doesn’t actually come with Windows installed. Instead, it uses Valve’s custom SteamOS, and thanks to the API Proton, the Steam Deck supports dozens of games optimized for the portable, from Cyberpunk 2077 to Forza Horizon 5.
There are ways to get Windows running on the 7-inch display portable by booting directly from the USB-C port. Beyond that is one of the best input controls available for any portable gaming handheld. See our full comparison between the Steam Deck and ROG Ally here.
There’s also the OLED version of the Steam Deck to consider for users who prefer a larger, brighter, and more vibrant screen. While still displaying at 1200x800, the Steam Deck OLED offers a noticeable difference, providing more clarity for a better visual experience. You'll also get improved battery life, a higher refresh rate, and more storage than the 256GB offered in the tradtional LCD model.
4. Lenovo Legion Go 2
If You Want OLED
The Lenovo Legion Go was one of the first Windows-based handhelds to hit the market from a major manufacturer, and it was only a matter of time before a sequel hit the market. And now that the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is here, it's clear that Lenovo is taking things in a more premium direction.
Perhaps the most striking thing about the Legion Go 2 is its price. This thing starts at $1,099, which will get you the base AMD Z2 APU, along with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. However, if you really want this thing to shine with its OLED display, you're going to want to pair it with the AMD Z2 Extreme and 32GB of RAM, and that configuration is going to set you back at least $1,349. That's a lot to ask for a handheld gaming PC, especially when you consider you can get a pretty solid gaming laptop for the same amount of money, and it will perform much better.
Not that the Legion Go 2 is a slouch, though. When I reviewed the Legion Go 2, I found that it was between 10-20% faster than the Z1 Extreme in a similar configuration. Combine that with the gorgeous OLED display, and it provides a much better gaming experience than its predecessor. That display is a bit complicated, though, as while it's been upgraded to an OLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate and VRR, the resolution has been lowered from 2560 x 1600 to 1920 x 1200. In a way, though, this configuration makes a bit more sense, as the 1600p display in the original Legion Go was quite hard to drive with its hardware.
The Go 2 keeps the removable controllers from the original, but rearranges the buttons a little bit to make them way more user-friendly. Now, the 'start' and 'select' buttons are similar to where you would find them on a normal controller, and now the handheld has dedicated buttons to bring up the desktop and enter Task View to swap between apps. Whether or not these buttons will stay useful once the Xbox Full Screen Experience becomes available sometime next year remains to be seen. For the time being, though, it makes Windows much easier to navigate.
Upcoming Handheld Gaming PCs
Now that the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is here, we have a first glimpse of the next generation of handheld gaming PCs. It had a rough start with the AMD Z2 Go, but now that the Z2 Extreme is here in the Legion Go 2, new high-performance gaming handhelds are starting to hit the market.
One of the handhelds that'll be using this updated chip is the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X. We've seen it a couple times, including at Gamescom 2025, and we finally know they'll be available on October 16 for $999. What's really cool about that one is that because it's made in collaboration with Microsoft, it's going to have a level of software optimizations that might put it on the same level as the Steam Deck.
I've found a way to install the new Xbox Full Screen Experience that's being featured on the Xbox Ally X on its predecessor, and I found that it vastly improved gaming performance, thanks to Windows not loading some of the heavier parts of its operating system. I am definitely looking forward to getting the Xbox Ally X in the lab, because its Z2 Extreme processor combined with the better software should really give Steam-based handhelds like the Legion Go S a run for their money.
Handheld Gaming PC FAQ
Should I buy a handheld gaming PC or a gaming laptop?
Depending on how you want to game and what games you want to play will determine whether you should grab a gaming laptop or handheld PC. Handhelds score higher points in longevity, battery life, optimization, portability, and thermals. But handhelds are only designed to play games up to a certain specification. Gaming laptops cram in the latest GPU, CPU, and RAM, likely sacrificing battery life, thermals, and price. However, some are absolute beasts ready to take on even the most graphically intensive games. Laptops offer more functionality when it comes to editing and other work.
Check out our guide on the Steam Deck vs. gaming laptops for more information.
What’s the best Steam Deck alternative?
The Asus ROG Ally X is one of the best Steam Deck alternatives. This gaming handheld offers an easy-to-use interface, speedy performance, and stunning design. Most importantly, the Windows 11 gaming handheld lets you access your entire PC gaming library.
How does the Switch 2 compare to the Steam Deck?
On spec, the Switch 2 is delivers better performance than the Steam Deck. Check out our in-depth comparison to find out more.
Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra