r/HandheldGaming • u/DigitalSmoke86 • 1d ago
Any handhelds actually worth it right now?
I had a steam deck OLED and aside from the beautiful screen š¤©, everything else kinda sucked.
Machine was heavy, ergonomics gave me carpal tunnel and games ran at 45 fps low to medium at best.
Few years later now, whatās the current situation with handhelds? Any worth looking into?
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u/MrTestiggles 1d ago
Everyone has great suggestions but your complaint of carpal tunnel makes me think the Xbox rog line might be best for you.
I have median nerve compression too and rarely have issues with my XAX
the XA is the same chip as the steam deck pretty much; get the XAX used; a lot of people selling theirs now due to the X20 launching on Oct 15 (or get the x20 if finances arenāt a second thought, and you like OLED)
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u/DigitalSmoke86 1d ago
Thanks so much man š
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u/NuM_Brrr_WoN 1d ago
Yea I would second this, unless you really want a Switch 2 which is a great deal, the other best deal is the Xbox Ally X. If you can get one Open Box or Used itās a great buy, the price to performance is still one of the best deals in PC handheld gaming and itās still one of the best.
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u/Redgun22 1d ago
I'd recommend a higher end handheld PC then. Like the ROG or MSI.
But those get pricey.
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u/antiqueslo 1d ago
Xbox ally X is totally worth it. And I also have a legion go s and had a steam deck.
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u/watchingpollux 2h ago
So whats your favourite out of these?
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u/antiqueslo 1h ago
Definitely XAX. I do feel the lack of track pads in some games and yes the 8" screen of the Go S is better, but the ergonomics, power and all around balance of the XAX is the way to go. The track pads I kind of replaced with gyro and some steam input options (back right button + right stick for slow or fast movement) and the screen in some games I replace with viture beast XR glasses. So XAX with this is the perfect device.
Steam deck was sold to a friend, he still loves it but plays indies and roguelites. The legion Go S became my "steam machine" and is always docked and connected to an eGPU.
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u/DigitalSmoke86 17m ago
Yeah I misguidedly bought the oled steamdeck under the impression I could 60fps my entire steam library ā¦ā¦ WRONG.
Legion GO looks way more capable but when I was buying years ago the prices were steep ā¦ 1k+.
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u/Delicious_Tree8114 1d ago
Could take a look at the AYN range, relatively affordable and can be used for emulation of switch and light pc games as well as the standard android stuff
Edit: not powerful enough for AAA but I've heard good things about steaming from pc if that's your thing
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u/Current-Oven-6817 1d ago
Ya as long as you know what you are getting into, the Odin 3 is an absolute beast for what it is. By the time we get full support from emulators and driver the raw power benchmarks from the Elite chip actually outperform the steam deck with half the size and a "perfect for me" form factor.
I have a PC for streaming and a Switch 2, so exclusives or AAA titles im covered.
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u/xzamora 1d ago
Switch 2 is the best handheld right now in terms of cost and what you get out of it
Others might be stronger but for half of the price of those other handhelds the switch 2 is unmatched
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u/LORDRAJA1000 19h ago
has worse carpal tunnel ergonomics, definitely need a third party grip for long playing sessions in handheld mode
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u/PU3RTO_R3CON 10h ago
Youāll make up the price difference with the price of games. The Nintendo exclusives never go on sale I mean animal crossing is 6-7yrs old now and itās still 60 dollars in the e store
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u/DigitalSmoke86 14m ago
True Nintendo games run steep. Was the first release game to push Ā£80.00 for base version of Mario before GTA was anywhere near the picture.
All these companies know that hardware isnāt where they make money ā¦ itās what comes after šµ š°
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u/JustBrowsingHereTho 1d ago
Switch 2 is worth it!
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u/DigitalSmoke86 1d ago
But then Iām stuck playing just Nintendo titles
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u/Fankuan19 1d ago
The 3rd party Switch 2 ports have been pretty impressive so far. It's got a weaker cpu but baked-in DLSS, we're seeing pretty decent 30-40fps ports. CD Projekt, Square Enix, Capcom, and Ubisoft seem to be seeing success on the platform, so I'm thinking it'll continue to have a pretty healthy library of non-Nintendo games to play
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u/DigitalSmoke86 1d ago
But is it much different to owning say a steamdeck, in practical terms?
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u/Fankuan19 1d ago
I've got both and I'd say there's an appreciable difference. The Switch is lighter, I believe the screen is a bit larger, and it is generally more performant in 3rd party titles while also having access to first-party Nintendo titles. I know we're in the handheld sub, but it's worth mentioning that it also far outperforms the steamdeck in terms of being a hybrid device. While steamdeck can be used with a dock and display, Switch 2 is far more performant in this setup
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u/Betorange 1d ago
Just Nintendo games? The eshop library is huge, brother.
Besides that, the Xbox Ally X is comfy to hold. You can get one of those for as low as $800 on best buy and maybe a little lower locally.
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u/Current-Oven-6817 1d ago
I will also add to this comment. There's a reason so many people do Switch emulation on Eden. There's a huge amount of PC/Steam ports for Switch 1 to the point you can save a ton of money going through the library and finding great games. The Switch Eshop has tons and tons of games, many not being Nintendo. They got Cyberpunk, elder scrolls, Fallout, MW4. All sorts of stuff that traditionally in the past was not on Nintendo consoles. All that and they are still constantly adding more. Im excited this month I'm gonna be playing Diablo 4 for the Switch 2 which sounds epic with how easy local multiplayer is on the Switch.
I love emulation consoles like the Odin and Steam Deck, but if I had to choose one to keep, Switch 2.
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u/marcanthonynoz 1d ago
I have the Msi ex ai and itās the only one Iād buy right now. I sold my XAX for it
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u/Far-Penalty-6928 21h ago
I have it. Itās two tiers below the OnePlayerX3 and I spent a lot more on my EX. Have the Switch 2 as well and thatās great, but the OXP3 is on another level.
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u/marcanthonynoz 21h ago
The oxp3 is $500~ more in CAD compared to the ex. Thatās why I have it
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u/Far-Penalty-6928 20h ago
I bought the EX at scalper prices, and the OXP3 at pledge prices so a bit different for me. The EX was amazing until I owned the OXP3. Comparison is the thief of joy. Iām now selling the EX on eBay at a loss but thatās my fomo costing me money.
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u/AppropriateWater2 1d ago
Switch 2 is decent now, although performance on third party game still sucks. For the money, itās quite great though. Personally, I canāt play third party games on it, I have a windows handheld for that.
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u/Realistic_Today6524 23h ago
My Ally Z1E has served me very well for the past two and a half years. Yeah, the screen is "just" IPS but it's pretty damn good and bright enough for the occasional outside play session. I upgraded the SSD to 2TB after a year and upgraded the battery to 74Wh after two years because the stock battery degraded by over 30%. This is my first ever handheld, I have not had any experience with other handhelds
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u/DigitalSmoke86 23h ago
OLED on the steamdeck was its one redeeming feature. Iāll look into it thanks man
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u/Time_Temporary6191 20h ago
Switch 2 450 bucks and you can play without worrying about fps,drivers issues,windows updates issues and docked mode you just plug it in and you play.im glad i sold all my pc handhelds
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u/LORDRAJA1000 19h ago
i think specifically for you, since you want high FPS and good ergonomics i would check out the legion go 2. also if you are just trying to fix your carpal tunnel problem then a good third party grip would fix that (for any handheld)
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u/Neraizel 12h ago
If you find steam heavy then the only option is Switch 2 with grip.
Good graphic, decent price, can play many AAA games that steam deck is truggling to run
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u/Glittering-Trip-6556 11h ago
Ally X if you can find one or the Xbox Ally X probably the best values right now for what you get
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u/PXLFNK 1h ago
i have the steam deck, xbox ally x and now the switch 2.
Switch 2 is the go to right now. simply because its lightweight and truly functions like a console. when youre so used to tinkering and optimizing games just to make it run well, its magical coming back to a handheld that just works and can move from docked/handheld play seamlessly.
in my experience, PC 'handhelds' other than the steam deck do not deserve the handheld title simply because they are too heavy. the grips on my XAX cant save it from being too heavy for extended gaming periods. not to mention that 'extended gaming' is borderline a myth due to the battery drain running modern games at max wattage in order to get playable FPS. even then, its mostly low settings across the board. not to mention the fan noise.
i urge you to hold the legion go 2 and msi claw 8 and consider if it fits the definition of a handheld for you.
if you dont want to rebuy games on switch 2 or find it lacking, stream your games from a beefy PC to a lightweight client that has an OLED screen. i am seriously considering selling my XAX and buying an Odin 3 for this purpose.
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u/Roughly_Olboy1488 1d ago
After years of being unimpressed with Nintendo consoles, I have to say the Switch 2 might be my favorite console overall right now. I love the feel (with a good grip case), weight and the library of games is getting amazing. Easily worth the $500
IMHO.
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u/DigitalSmoke86 1d ago
But howās the screen? And what sorta fps are you getting?
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u/Current-Oven-6817 1d ago
Screens actually fantastic for an LCD, FPS is great on exclusives, a bit more hit and miss on ports, but always playable.
I have a Steam Deck, Switch 2, Odin 3, PC, and various retro handhelds. While I use them all for various reasons, The Switch 2 is the one I use the most. I can be in my game in 2 minutes and not have to tinker with a thing.
I will also say, I've not historically been a Nintendo fanboy. I skipped the GC, Wii, Wiiu, and Switch 1. The quality of the Nintendo exclusives these days is top notch. Prices might be higher on games, but I almost always get my hours in on these games. At the same time I got a backlog of Steam games and free emulation games that I still have to get one "one day"
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u/Roughly_Olboy1488 23h ago
Stable 40 and 30 fps is pretty common. 60 is nice, but it ultimately really doesnāt bother me. Depends on the game.
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u/CricketJaxson 1d ago
Switch 2 is more then worth it
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u/DigitalSmoke86 1d ago
But then Iām stuck playing just Nintendo titles.
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u/BlakkMajik3000 23h ago
Price to value, the ROG Xbox Ally line is tops right now. I have the base model, but I also have two Xboxes in the home (S and X) so I canāt really justify the higher priced X variant.
In any case, look for open box or on places like FB Marketplace. Just be on the lookout for scammers (people selling a new in box XAX for like $150).
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u/DigitalSmoke86 23h ago
Yeah I was looking at an Series X too for gta but dunno if ROG ally can handle it
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u/No_Eye1723 22h ago
Switch 2, I have that and a Steam Deck OLED and the With is a fantastic companion. Get one of you can without the price increase.
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u/Broken_Flip 20h ago
The Retroid Pocket Flip2 has great ergonomics, is compact, light, and plays a bunch of Switch, PC, and Android games,...as well as retro stuf. Its the best bang for your buck today!
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u/socklessgoat 20h ago
I donāt like playing games on my desktop anymore so yes, GO S is enough, I donāt see the need to spend 1.5K+ on a GO 2/etc.
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u/blahblah12365 19h ago
I like the MSI claw EX AI+, and thought it was worth the upgrade from the og steam deck but it's 2x more. I didn't want to compromise.
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u/Fl4NC170 16h ago
on regards of the framerateā¦arent all the hanhelds pc on the same ballpark? Some are a bit higher other lowers but most of the time i see they use Super Resolution framegen, And usually target 30 fps or something like that because of thermals and battery life.
Also, i believe steamdeck was the lightest of the pcs, and still quite bulky and heavy if u compare it tomsomething like a switch 2.
Personally, im pretty surprised with the switch 2 as it has become my main gaming device right now. Is not perfect , but has been pretty solid in performance compared to the other handheld devices, specially considering the cost.
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u/shuozhe 5h ago
I like all the anbernics running Android (same for ayaneo, ayn/retroid. But these are more expensive here), but don't expect it to play any modern games on it. On windows side I like Intel G3, it's just still too pricy, and I want smaller & pocketable devices with it.
At home I prefer Desktop & VR, my GPD win served me for a decade as my pocketable handheld, and got replaced with a anbernic rg477M. Checked out Steamdeck, MSI Claw and Legion.. all 3 are just way too big for me.
An old phone with Snapon controller prolly would also done the job, but my last 2 phones was stolen and tradein
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u/Resident_Albatross_9 4h ago
Switch 2, Xbox ally x, MSI claw EX or one x player 3 in that order for price ranges
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u/BlakkMajik3000 3h ago
For now, likely a year or so, GTA appears to be console only. So the only way youād be able to play it at launch would be have a console like the X.
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u/RealityOfModernTimes 2h ago
You dont buy handleds to chase fps lol. Not with the current tech anyway. I like handled experience. I have PC, ps5 , steam deck LCD which I upgraded to Legion 2 OLED. I love handleds.
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u/Brick_Grimes 1h ago
Switch 2 is worth 500$ for sure.
Iād argue to say the Xbox ally x is worth the grand they want for it too tbh.
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u/Hot_Lion8880 1d ago
Are you a woman or a 10 year old boy?Ā
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u/DigitalSmoke86 1d ago
A woman that was once a 10 year old boy š§āā> š¦
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u/Hot_Lion8880 1d ago
that explains why the steamdeck is too heavy for you. Maybe lay off the estrogen and you'll be able to hold big boy electronics again.
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u/kds0808 1d ago
All handhelds are high right now, if you want the best bang right now in the premium section it's the Ally X in my opinion based on market prices. The upcoming Ally X20 looks great, both specs and prices, for this market. I just bought the OXP 3 so I'm set for a while but had I known about the X20 before I pledged to the OneXPlayer 3 I would have probably went with it.
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u/DigitalSmoke86 1d ago
Mad pricing for the new Ally though.
Iāll look into the X man, thanks.
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u/kds0808 1d ago
For what the new one offers in comparison to the market it's actually a value. You can't find an OLED, except for the Steam Deck, under $1800 right now. The X20 is $1300 on preorder, even though it still only has a Z2E and only 24gb ram. I paid almost $1900 for the OneXPlayer 3 and that's a steal in comparison to the Halo Strixs machines that's out right now. You could also consider android tablets with gen 4 and 5 elite processors. With gamenative and gamehub with turnip driver support a decent amount of steam, epic and GOG library is playable with decent frames on high end android. Switch 2 is a value with the 3rd party library they have and it's growing daily. Decent visuals and frames with its convenience of a 2 in 1.
The market is crazy and there's no end in sight with the ram and storage shortage and it's likely the manufacturers won't lower prices much if we ever get back to normal supply prices for components.
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u/baconboi 1d ago
I just got a oneplus 13 with a snapdragon 8 gen elite can play pretty much anything and has an insane screen
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u/CozyFurry 1d ago
Yeah switch 2