What is the Best handheld gaming consoles in 2025？

What is the Best handheld gaming consoles in 2025？

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Handheld gaming is having a moment. If you’re looking for the best way to play your games on the go, you’ve come to the right place. From big hitters like the Switch and Steam Deck, to powerful Windows machines, cloud-based creations and curios like the Playdate, we’ve reviewed the best handheld gaming console you can buy right now.

To test the best handheld gaming console contenders, we use them in every situation we think you will. That meant long sessions on the sofa, dealing with our backlogs in bed, killing time during flights and even booting up a game in the park. We monitor battery life, inspect display tech, crank up settings where possible, use every control option, and obsess over grams.

So, whether you’re after something compact and fun or a gaming powerhouse, read on to discover the best handheld console for your needs.

 

It  is worth noting the Nintendo Switch 2 has been announced and will be released later in the year.

Once we’ve reviewed the new model, I’m sure it’ll earn a place on this list.

 

 

 


We have used and reviewed every handheld device on this list, which means they have all been through extensive testing, usually for at least a few weeks and often longer.

We’ve drained the batteries of each featured handheld in single sittings so we know exactly what you should expect, and we’ve played games in every situation you might want a handheld gaming device for. Which means that, yes, we have used them on the toilet. We think size matters with handhelds too, so if something isn’t comfortable to hold for long periods we’ll make sure we mention that in our review.

We also focus a lot on performance, and where possible will track frame rates and power consumption while we play. And we look very closely at displays, no matter the size or screen tech powering them.

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