The best gaming handheld for you in 2026
Five handhelds, five clear use cases. For Nintendo games, Switch 2 The only way to play Mario, Zelda and Pokémon, now with a great screen and 4K docked output. For the best PC handheld experience, Steam Deck OLED SteamOS just works, the screen is lovely, the trackpads are unique. The one to buy if you want to play, not manage. For raw power and every storefront, ROG Ally X or MSI Claw 8 AI+ Full Windows, Game Pass, Epic, emulators. More setup, but nothing is off-limits. The Claw 8 leads on battery; the Ally X is lighter. For the biggest screen, Lenovo Legion Go 8.8 inches, detachable controllers, a mouse mode. Heavy, but nothing else offers this. The verdict: Switch 2 for Nintendo, Steam Deck OLED for polish, Ally X or Claw 8 for power, Legion Go for screen size.