Gaming handhelds: Essential gaming devices for ultimate portability

The gaming handheld recently gained mainstream attention when Nintendo delayed Switch 2 pre-orders in the United States. Seen as a niche product by some, gaming handhelds are appreciated by nerds in the know for their portability, power and connectivity. It’s hard to beat a gaming handheld for on-the-go play. Compared to your mobile phone, you enjoy dedicated controls and in most cases, a bigger screen.

While it will be some time before the Nintendo Switch 2 is widely available, we’ve shortlisted some of the most popular gaming handhelds currently available to help you get your daily dose of gaming goodness, wherever you are.

Nintendo Switch Lite Animal Crossing New Horizon Isabelle Aloha Edition (S$264)

If you don’t need to dock your Nintendo Switch to a TV and only play on the go, this gaming handheld is a more compact, affordable option for Nintendo fans. Players still enjoy Nintendo’s extensive game library and greater portability thanks to the Switch Lite’s smaller size and lighter weight. Tradeoffs? Its 5.5-inch LCD screen may be too small for some and it doesn’t support VRR.

Key Specs:

• Display: 5.5-inch LCD, 1,280x720 resolution
• Storage: 32 GB, expandable via microSD
• Battery Life: 3 - 7 hours
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
• Weight: Approximately 0.61 lbs
• Online Community Features: Nintendo Switch Online, Game-specific communities

Pros: lightweight compact design, affordable entry point to Nintendo ecosystem, decent battery life.

Cons: No docking capability, smaller screen, limited internal storage.

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Nintendo Switch OLED (S$369; Usual Price: S$439; 16% off)

This gaming handheld remains popular thanks to its extensive game library, 7-inch OLED display and detachable controllers. You can connect it to your TV via the dock, which also has a built-in ethernet port. Its speakers and kickstand have been improved over the previous Switch model. It supports variable refresh rate (VRR), ensuring smooth gameplay.

Specs:

• Display: 7-inch OLED, 1,280 x 720
• Storage: 64GB, expandable via microSD
• Battery Life: 4.5 to 9 hours
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
• Weight: 421g
• Online community features: Nintendo Switch Online subscription service

Pros: OLED display, large game library, improved audio, sturdier kickstand than original Switch

Cons: No performance upgrades over original Switch, more expensive than original Switch.

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Valve Steam Deck OLED, 1TB (S$1,149)

The original Steam Deck shifted the goalposts for the gaming handheld. This update on Valve’s original device features a 7.4-inch OLED display, more efficient AMD APU and Wi-Fi 6. This offers improved battery life and potentially faster downloads. Its ergonomic design and intuitive controls ensure comfortable gameplay during long sessions. It also supports VRR for a smoother gaming experience. A 512GB model (S$1,045) is also available, though the 1TB variant offers more value at current prices.

Key Specs:

• Display: 7.4-inch HDR OLED, 1,280 x 800 resolution
• Storage: 512GB/1TB NVMe SSD, expandable via microSD
• Battery Life: 3-12 hours
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
• Weight: Approximately 640g
• Online community features: Steam community, Steam Workshop, Steam Chat

Pros: OLED display with HDR support, more efficient AMD APU for improved battery life, ergonomic design and intuitive controls.

Cons: Heavier than some handhelds, limited game compatibility compared to consoles.

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Asus ROG Ally X (S$1,299)

This gaming handheld features a 7-inch FHD display with a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth gameplay. Powered by the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, it delivers solid performance with AAA games. It has a massive 80WH battery and supports VRR. It runs on Windows, which means navigating the OS can be tricky without a keyboard and mouse.

Key Specs:

• Display: 7-inch FHD, 1,920x1,080 resolution, 120Hz
• Processor: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, up to 5.10 GHz
• Storage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
• Battery: 80WH, 4-cell Li-ion
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
• Weight: 678g
• Online community features: ROG Community, game specific communities

Pros: Massive battery, high refresh rate display for smooth visuals, powerful processor and GPU, large storage capacity.

Cons: Heavier and bulkier than some rivals, Windows UI can be difficult to navigate without keyboard and mouse

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Lenovo Legion Go, 1TB (S$1,249)

Lenovo’s Windows-based gaming handheld has an 8.8-inch, 144Hz display and detachable controllers. Equipped with the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, it offers high performance and versatility. The big screen, high refresh rate and relatively small 49.2WH battery means it will need to be recharged relatively frequently although it thankfully supports rapid charging. The Windows OS can be finicky to navigate using console-style controls. A 512GB variant with 16BG of RAM (S$794; Usual Price: S$1,099.00) is also available.

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Key Specs:

• Display: 8.8-inch WQXGA, 2,560x1,600 resolution, 144Hz
• Storage: Up to 1TB M.2 SSD
• RAM: 32GB LPDDR5x
• Battery: 49.2WHrs, supports Super Rapid Charge
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
• Weight: Approximately 670g
• Online community features: Legion community, game specific communities

Pros: Large high-resolution display, high refresh rate, detachable controllers, powerful processor and GPU, supports rapid charging.

Cons: Bulky design, limited battery life during intensive gaming, Windows OS finicky to navigate without keyboard and mouse

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Prices are accurate as of the time of publication.