Granted, portable game systems have seen their thunder stolen by modern smartphones and tablets of late, but at least in the case of Nintendo, they’ve also adapted. Ultimately, there are more options than ever for gaming on the go, with the best smartphones able to tap into incredible libraries of mobile games and tablets doing much the same with larger screens. If you’re looking for the best handheld game systems, read on. It’s a smart approach that makes the Switch the best of both worlds, rather than a pale shadow of each. Granted, the Switch’s graphics aren’t as strong as the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, but it has Nintendo’s own fantastic first-party games and more than 1,000 others between downloadable releases and plug-in cartridges. The Switch is the gold standard for handheld gaming right now, and our reviewer called it the best handheld gaming console for good reason. But at a significant savings compared to the standard Switch, this is a great deal for a system that has an incredible library of games. The sleeker build is ideal for those who are often on the go, and the battery life is even a smidge better than the Switch at 3-7 hours—depending on what you’re playing. It also comes in vibrant colors, too. Released in early 2020, the current iPad Pro is a beast, packing a speedier A12Z Bionic chip custom-enhanced for the tablet, and that huge screen is a stunning OLED panel with a silky-smooth 120Hz ProMotion feature. It has added perks like a LIDAR depth camera that improved augmented reality apps, plus like all other current iPads, it supports the Apple Pencil stylus. But for games, just know this: the screen is incredible and it has the power to match. What’s new this time around? Well, the Note 20 Ultra 5G has a massive 6.9-inch screen at a very crisp QHD+ resolution, plus a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ processor and a beefy 4,500mAh battery pack inside. While Android doesn’t have the exclusive games found on Apple Arcade, it has the vast majority of other top mobile games on the market today, and they look and play beautifully on his big (but very expensive) handset. It’s a compact handheld with a small 2.8-inch screen, but the simple graphics of the era look just fine here, with games like Pac-Man, Frogger, Pitfall, and Adventure ready for your attention. You can even plug in an SD memory card to install further games, or use a cable (not included) to hook it up to a TV to recreate the retro sensation all over again. This set is based on the tiny and affordable Raspberry Pi Zero W single-board computer, which you’ll mount within the Game Boy-mimicking case. You also get a 2.8-inch screen, a 32GB microSD card, and all of the other pieces needed to assemble a working device. This takes some technical know-how, but comes with instructions—plus there are loads of Raspberry Pi tutorials out there. You’ll feel all the more satisfied playing something that you built yourself. Zach Sweat is an experienced tech reviewer and editor who’s previously been published in IGN, Void Media, and others. He reviewed many of the top handheld devices on this list, particularly the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite which he praised for being nearly unbeatable in the handheld gaming space. Jordan Oloman is a tech reviewer and writer who’s covered games and products for Kotaku, Eurogamer, IGN, GamesRadar, and RockPaperShotgun. He put the Fire HD 8 to the test and liked its budget price and reasonable gaming performance, especially for kids. Emily Isaacs has been writing for Lifewire since 2019. As an avid gamer and tech enthusiast, she’s covered several games and mobile devices.
What to Look for in an Handheld Game System:
Game Selection - Hardware isn’t very useful without great games to play on it, so consider which games you’re most interested in—and how much you’re willing to spend on them. The Switch has the best selection of immersive, in-depth games, but they sell for as much as $60. Just want some fun diversions? Your smartphone or a tablet might do the trick. Battery Life - If you’re planning on playing for long sessions away from home, such as while traveling, then you’ll need to be mindful of how long a portable game system can last for. The Switch and Switch Lite will typically give you 4-5 hours of uptime, for example, so you might want to pack a battery pack if you have a long flight ahead. Connectivity - Most of the devices on this list have Wi-Fi capabilities for downloading digital games, but not all of them. They may also offer online connectivity for multiplayer games, whether they’re active matches or asynchronous, turn-based skirmishes.
