The 10 Best Handheld Gaming Consoles as of June 2026

How we ranked these handheld gaming consoles

Each pick earns a score out of 10 from weighted criteria:

Performance (35%) — how well each handheld console does its core job.
Value (25%) — quality and features for the price.
Build & reliability (20%) — materials, longevity and warranty.
Features (20%) — meaningful extras that improve the experience.

At a glance: top 10 compared

Swipe across to see all columns, including Amazon links →

#	Handheld Gaming Consoles	Score	Best for	Platform	Approx. Price	Amazon links
1	Steam Deck OLED	9.1	Best overall	SteamOS (PC games)	$480	View Price
2	Asus ROG Ally X	8.9	Best Windows power	Windows (PC games)	$800	View Price
3	Nintendo Switch OLED	8.8	Best for exclusives	Switch	$310	View Price
4	Steam Deck LCD	8.7	Best value PC handheld	SteamOS	$350	View Price
5	Lenovo Legion Go	8.6	Best big screen	Windows	$700	View Price
6	Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme)	8.6	Best Windows value	Windows	$600	View Price
7	Ayaneo 2S	8.5	Best premium Windows	Windows	$900	View Price
8	Nintendo Switch Lite	8.4	Best budget Nintendo	Switch (handheld only)	$200	View Price
9	Retroid Pocket 5	8.4	Best retro value	Android	$200	View Price
10	Anbernic RG556	8.3	Best for emulation	Android (emulation)	$150	View Price

The full ranking

Best overall

Steam Deck OLED

9.1Our number one pick.

The Steam Deck OLED plays your whole Steam library on a gorgeous OLED screen with comfy controls, strong battery and a polished SteamOS, the handheld most PC gamers should buy. Some games need tweaking and Windows-only titles take effort, but the value, screen and experience are exceptional.

Performance: 9.0Screen: 9.4Battery: 8.8Value: 9.4

Pros

Plays your Steam library
Gorgeous OLED screen
Comfortable and great value

Cons

Some games need tweaking
Bulky to pocket

Check price on Amazon≈ $480

Best Windows power

Asus ROG Ally X

8.9A superb runner-up.

The ROG Ally X is a powerful Windows handheld with a bright 120Hz screen, big battery and full access to Game Pass, Steam and any PC store, the most flexible high-power option. Windows on a handheld can be fiddly, but the power and flexibility are excellent.

Performance: 9.4Screen: 9.0Battery: 8.8Value: 8.4

Pros

Strong performance
Runs any PC store
Bright 120Hz screen

Cons

Windows is fiddly handheld
Pricey

Check price on Amazon≈ $800

Best for exclusives

Nintendo Switch OLED

8.8Rounds out our top three.

The Switch OLED pairs Nintendo's unmatched exclusives with a vivid OLED screen and easy TV docking, brilliant for family play and games you can't get elsewhere. It is far less powerful than PC handhelds, but for Nintendo titles and ease it is excellent.

Performance: 8.0Screen: 9.0Battery: 8.6Value: 9.0

Pros

Nintendo exclusives
Vivid OLED screen
Docks to the TV

Cons

Lower power
Ageing hardware

Check price on Amazon≈ $310

Best value PC handheld

Steam Deck LCD

8.7A standout in the upper half.

The original Steam Deck LCD offers the same SteamOS experience and library access at a lower price, the value way into PC handheld gaming. The LCD screen and battery trail the OLED, but the performance and value are excellent.

Performance: 8.8Screen: 8.6Battery: 8.2Value: 9.4

Pros

Affordable PC handheld
Full Steam library
Great value

Cons

LCD not OLED
Shorter battery

Check price on Amazon≈ $350

Best big screen

Lenovo Legion Go

8.6A well-rounded mid-table pick.

The Lenovo Legion Go boasts a large 8.8-inch 144Hz screen and detachable controllers with a mouse-style mode, a versatile big-screen Windows handheld. It is large and heavy, but the screen and flexibility are excellent.

Performance: 9.0Screen: 9.2Battery: 8.2Value: 8.4

Pros

Big 144Hz screen
Detachable controllers
Powerful

Cons

Large and heavy
Battery drains fast

Check price on Amazon≈ $700

Best Windows value

Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme)

8.6Great value in the middle of the pack.

The standard ROG Ally with the Z1 Extreme chip delivers strong Windows handheld performance and a bright 120Hz screen for less than the Ally X, good value power. The battery is smaller than the X, but the performance and value are excellent.

Performance: 9.2Screen: 9.0Battery: 8.0Value: 8.8

Pros

Strong performance
Bright 120Hz screen
Cheaper than Ally X

Cons

Smaller battery
Windows handheld quirks

Check price on Amazon≈ $600

Best premium Windows

Ayaneo 2S

8.5A dependable pick if the price is right.

The Ayaneo 2S is a premium, well-built Windows handheld with strong performance and a quality screen for enthusiasts who want a more refined device. It is expensive, but the build and performance are excellent.

Performance: 9.2Screen: 9.0Battery: 8.0Value: 8.0

Pros

Premium build
Strong performance
Quality screen

Cons

Expensive
Windows quirks

Check price on Amazon≈ $900

Best budget Nintendo

Nintendo Switch Lite

8.4Solid, if outshone by pricier rivals.

The Switch Lite is a smaller, cheaper handheld-only Switch that's great for taking Nintendo games out and about. It can't dock to a TV and uses an LCD, but for portable Nintendo and value it is excellent.

Performance: 8.0Screen: 8.2Battery: 8.4Value: 9.2

Pros

Affordable Nintendo
Compact and light
Long-supported library

Cons

No TV docking
LCD screen

Check price on Amazon≈ $200

Best retro value

Retroid Pocket 5

8.4A budget-friendly option worth a look.

The Retroid Pocket 5 pairs a lovely OLED screen with enough power to emulate consoles up to fairly demanding systems, plus Android games, superb value for retro fans. Setup and ROMs are your responsibility, but the screen and value are excellent.

Performance: 8.4Screen: 9.0Battery: 8.4Value: 9.0

Pros

Great OLED screen
Strong emulation
Plays Android games

Cons

Emulation setup needed
Android, not PC games

Check price on Amazon≈ $200

Best for emulation

Anbernic RG556

8.3Rounds out our top ten.

The Anbernic RG556 is an affordable Android handheld with a bright AMOLED screen built for emulating retro consoles, a great-value entry into handheld retro gaming. Performance tops out below the most demanding systems, but for retro and value it is good.

Performance: 8.2Screen: 8.8Battery: 8.4Value: 9.0

Pros

Bright AMOLED screen
Affordable
Great for retro

Cons

Limited on demanding emulators
Setup required

Check price on Amazon≈ $150

Frequently asked questions

What's the best of the handheld gaming consoles in 2026?

Our top overall pick is the Steam Deck OLED, which leads on our combined score for performance, value and features. The Asus ROG Ally X and Nintendo Switch OLED are excellent alternatives depending on budget and needs.

How did we choose these?

We weight performance, value, build quality and features, drawing on hands-on use and independent testing. See the methodology box above for the full breakdown.

Are these prices accurate?

Prices are approximate UK figures at the time of writing and change frequently. Click through to Amazon for the current price.

The bottom line

If you just want the best handheld gaming consoles without overthinking it, the Steam Deck OLED is our top recommendation — it earns the highest overall score for performance, value and features. Have a look at the current price and see what you think.

Check price on Amazon ≈ $480

Our top picks at a glance

Steam Deck OLED

Steam Deck LCD

Nintendo Switch OLED

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How we ranked these handheld gaming consoles

At a glance: top 10 compared

The full ranking

Steam Deck OLED

Pros

Cons

Asus ROG Ally X

Pros

Cons

Nintendo Switch OLED

Pros

Cons

Steam Deck LCD

Pros

Cons

Lenovo Legion Go

Pros

Cons

Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme)

Pros

Cons

Ayaneo 2S

Pros

Cons

Nintendo Switch Lite

Pros

Cons

Retroid Pocket 5

Pros

Cons

Anbernic RG556

Pros

Cons

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

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