Best buys · The fun stuff

The best handheld gaming PC worth buying

Our pick is the ASUS ROG Ally. Below: why, what actually matters when buying one, what to get for less, the step up, and whether today's price is a good one.

The handheld

ASUS ROG Ally

A handheld gaming PC running Windows, so it plays games from Steam, Xbox Game Pass and every other launcher rather than one store. Plug it into a TV and it is a small gaming PC.

Buy it for
PC gamers who want to play on the couch, in bed or on a plane.
Skip it if
You only play Steam games and want the simplest setup. Valve's Steam Deck, sold on Steam, is easier.

What actually matters when buying a handheld gaming PC

  1. Whether your games run well on it. Demanding new games need lower settings on any handheld.
  2. Screen quality, which you look at for every minute you play.
  3. Battery life. Two hours of a demanding game is typical; lighter games last much longer.
  4. Storage. Games are large; a fast microSD card or a bigger internal drive is the easy upgrade.

Either side of the pick