As someone who has tested some of the best handheld gaming consoles of the year, I know a thing or two about which one reigns supreme.
From powerful portable PCs to Nintendo’s ever-reliable Switch, 2023 was one of the best years ever for playing games. Here are the best handheld platforms I’ve used in 2023, ranked from my least favorite to the crown champion.
4. Nintendo Switch
Nintendo might not be in first by default anymore, but it’s still very much in the race.
Credit: Adam Rosenberg/Mashable
Obviously, the Nintendo Switch didn’t come out in 2023. Neither did the nicer OLED model, which is already two years old. But this ancient (by gaming standards) console had a hell of a year, in what might be its final full year as Nintendo’s main hardware platform.
One needs only to look at The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Bros. Wonder, two of the best games of 2023 on any console. Both are delightful experiences full of surprises and, uh, wonder. Between new releases and a fantastic library that dates back to 2017, the Switch may be old, but it’s still going strong.
Don’t worry, nobody forgot about you.
Credit: Dustin Drankoski/Mashable
SteamOS is a good way to package games on a handheld device. It’s powerful enough to run most anything that isn’t a super glossy modern AAA release, and its light weight makes it a perfect portable device.
Sure, it’s a tiny bit slower than the OLED model — and the display won’t be quite as pretty. But for $399, the LCD Steam Deck is arguably an even better stepping stone into PC gaming than the OLED model simply because it’s cheaper.
Mashable Light Speed
For hardcore users only.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
This might really be a 1A and 1B situation, but those are for cowards. To demonstrate my conviction, I’m putting the excellent $699 Lenovo Legion Go in second place.
This wasn’t an easy decision, though. Legion Go is, in some ways, better than the Steam Deck, as its processor is more powerful and its display is bigger, sharper, and smoother. It also has detachable controllers à la Nintendo Switch. And if your preferred PC gaming storefront isn’t Steam, this device comes pre-installed with Windows 11, so you can really do whatever you want with it.
That said, the Legion Go is a good deal heavier than Steam Deck — and Windows 11 isn’t nearly as frictionless as SteamOS for people who just want to play games on the biggest PC gaming storefront. More hardcore users might want to opt for the more expensive Legion Go, but for a general audience, it’s just not quite as good as Steam Deck OLED.
Victorious.
Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable
It should come as no surprise to anyone who follows the contemporary portable gaming space that Valve’s Steam Deck revision, launched in November, is atop this list.
But if you don’t follow that particular corner of the gaming world, allow me to explain. The $549 Steam Deck OLED is more than just a Steam Deck with a better display, though it has one of those, of course. Valve upgraded the battery, added a slower fan (so it’s less noisy), and enhanced the memory transfer rate so games actually run ever-so-slightly better than they did on the LCD Steam Deck.
Combine all of that with the excellent SteamOS interface, which removes most of the annoying parts of PC gaming, and the Steam Deck OLED is a near-perfect way to get your foot in the PC door for newcomers. As a bonus, it’s also excellent for people who have been building out a Steam library for nearly 20 years. Everyone wins.
Honorable mention: ASUS ROG Ally
You seem great, too.
Credit: ASUS/Best Buy
I would be remiss not to mention the ASUS ROG Ally, which came out earlier this year with a starting price of $599. I didn’t get to spend enough time with it to fully include it on this list, but like the Legion Go, it’s got a stronger processor and a better display than the Steam Deck alongside a clean Windows 11 install.
If you’re in the market for a portable PC, ROG Ally seems like it’s roughly in line with the Legion Go, so it’s at least worth considering.
