Gaming handhelds: Essential gaming devices for ultimate portability
Buyers' Guide
These gaming handhelds from the likes of Nintendo, Asus, Valve and Lenovo will help you get your game on wherever you are.
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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) Photo: Nintendo
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
: 5.5-inch LCD, 1,280x720 resolution Storage : 32 GB, expandable via microSD
: 32 GB, expandable via microSD Battery Life : 3 - 7 hours
: 3 - 7 hours Connectivity : Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1 Weight : Approximately 0.61 lbs
: 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) Photo: Nintendo
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
: 7-inch OLED, 1,280 x 720 Storage : 64GB, expandable via microSD
: 64GB, expandable via microSD Battery Life : 4.5 to 9 hours
: 4.5 to 9 hours Connectivity : Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1 Weight : 421g
: 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) Photo: Valve
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
: 7.4-inch HDR OLED, 1,280 x 800 resolution Storage : 512GB/1TB NVMe SSD, expandable via microSD
: 512GB/1TB NVMe SSD, expandable via microSD Battery Life : 3-12 hours
: 3-12 hours Connectivity : Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 Weight : Approximately 640g
: 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) Photo: Asus
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
: 7-inch FHD, 1,920x1,080 resolution, 120Hz Processor : AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, up to 5.10 GHz
: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, up to 5.10 GHz Storage : 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
: 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD Battery : 80WH, 4-cell Li-ion
: 80WH, 4-cell Li-ion Connectivity : Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 Weight : 678g
: 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) Photo: Lenovo
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
: 8.8-inch WQXGA, 2,560x1,600 resolution, 144Hz Storage : Up to 1TB M.2 SSD
: Up to 1TB M.2 SSD RAM : 32GB LPDDR5x
: 32GB LPDDR5x Battery : 49.2WHrs, supports Super Rapid Charge
: 49.2WHrs, supports Super Rapid Charge Connectivity : Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 Weight : Approximately 670g
: 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
Variable refresh rate (VRR) automatically matches a display's refresh rate with the frame rate of the content being displayed. This helps ensure that high-framerate action sequences, most commonly seen in games, remain smooth and glitch-free.
When refresh rates and frame rates aren't synchronised, the monitor may try to display a new frame before the previous one is fully rendered. This creates a visual 'tear', which can be seen as a horizontal line or split across the screen or different parts of an image being displayed in different frames.
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Prices are accurate as of the time of publication. Buyers' Guide Affiliate mobile gaming
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