CBS News
The best handheld gaming PCs of 2024 let you ditch your laptop
Best Buy/Asus
Like the Nintendo Switch, handheld gaming systems are having a moment. One of the most popular iterations is the handheld gaming PC. These devices are small PCs packed into smaller housings that let you play your favorite PC games like “Starfield” anywhere you can connect to Wi-Fi. They make it simple to kick back, relax in your favorite gaming chair, bed, or spot on the couch, and play your favorite game without having to sit at a computer. Needless to say, that’s a major step forward from the days where you had to have a desk.
If you’re looking to get your own handheld gaming PC to replace your desktop or laptop, you’ve got a few choices. But if you can’t decide which one is best for you based on your use case or price range, you can check out our picks below. From the ubiquitous Steam Deck to the upcoming MSI Claw, there’s a little something for everyone on every budget. Below, check out our picks for the best handheld gaming PCs of 2024.
The best handheld gaming PCs of 2024
Best Steam-based handheld gaming PC: Valve Steam Deck
Amazon
Valve’s Steam Deck is by far the best gaming handheld PC for most, due to both its price and performance. It also looks great and feels good in your hands.
With a base model of 512GB for storage, a 7.4-inch display (or OLED display when available), a powerful AMD APU, and a long-lasting battery, this is a device you can count on to handle most of your favorite PC games, including blockbuster titles that you’d never be able to play comfortably on something like the Nintendo Switch. That means titles like “Elden Ring” and “Resident Evil” are in your future.
The handheld runs on SteamOS from Valve, however, so you’ll have to stick to games that are available on that platform. It doesn’t afford you the same versatility as some handheld gaming PCs, but with the sheer number of games on Valve’s Steam platform, you won’t be running out of things to play anytime soon.
If you want the best handheld gaming PC experience right now, and don’t mind limiting your game catalogue to Steam, this is the device that’s right for you by a long shot.
Best premium handheld gaming PC: Lenovo Legion Go
Best Buy
This Windows handheld is a great alternative to the Steam Deck, especially because it’s a portable gaming PC that doesn’t rely on SteamOS.
It runs on the Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip and features a large, crisp, 8.8-inch panel with a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution as well as a 144Hz refresh rate. It also boasts several interesting features it seems to have borrowed from the Switch, including a kickstand. It also comes with detachable controllers for multiple players to jump in and enjoy games together on the same console.
You can connect the Legion Go to an external display and use it as a handheld PC as well. You can also use it as a standalone gaming controller.
One more perk: You also can use this handy gadget as a vanilla PC for other functionality, since it’s Windows-based. It’s super versatile that way, and well worth its premium price tag.
Best budget handheld gaming PC: Asus ROG Ally
Best Buy
This portable gaming PC offers a 7-inch touchscreen and some pretty impressive presentation. It takes inspiration from the many gaming PCs people have built with RGB decoration, featuring RGB light rings around each joystick. That’s flashy enough to get anyone’s attention.
The Ally runs on Windows like the Lenovo Legion, and on an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor with AM Radeon GPU. Its 1,920 x 1,080 resolution as well as 120Hz refresh rate make it a stellar option for gaming, but you can also use it as a portable PC for getting work done on the go. Though it isn’t designed for work per se, you can definitely do some on it.
It has great audio, comes with a fingerprint sensor that locks and unlock the device, and comfortable buttons that feel just like using a regular game controller.
Out of all of the handheld gaming PCs, this one looks the most like a miniature desktop with all its flash and razzle-dazzle. It’s also consistently on sale and usually more affordable. Check it out for its gamer-centric branding, performance, and reliability.
Most anticipated handheld gaming PC: MSI Claw Portable Gaming Console
Best Buy
The upcoming MSI Claw may not be out yet, but it’s going to be one of the best handheld gaming PC options you’ll be able to choose from when it ships in April.
Powered by Intel’s new Meteor Lake Core Ultra procesor, it can be upgraded to an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H if you prefer — and it’ll be available in three models, with the base version featuring a Core Ultra 5 processor and 512GB of storage.
It runs on Windows 11, much like other handheld gaming PCs aside from the Steam Deck. It’ll also include RGB lighting, which we typically also see on MSI’s laptop range. Choose from configurations with 16GB of RAM with 512GB of storage as a base edition with options for more RAM and more storage space as we near the release date.
You can preorder the ultra-powerful handheld gaming PC now, but don’t expect to start receiving yours until next month.
How to choose a handheld gaming PC
Think about the types of games you want to play. More demanding, graphically intensive titles mean you’ll need more powerful processing components like a strong GPU and CPU for smooth performance. However, if you plan to play more casual indie games or less resource-heavy titles, this won’t be nearly as important.
Portability and ergonomic design are, though. The size, weight and layout of the handheld you’re thinking about buying should support comfortable extended handheld use. The device should fit nicely in your hands, and the controls should feel good and work great, without causing strain in your hands and fingers.
Battery life is a key factor, too. Gaming drains batteries, so look for several hours of runtime per charge to avoid constantly tethering yourself to an outlet. Balance power and battery life, as more capable components may consume energy faster.
The display hugely impacts gaming experience, too. Higher resolution, color accuracy and size make games more immersive but they also mean your battery will drain more quickly. Try something with a balance of all these factors to find the best gaming handheld PC that works for you.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
President-elect Donald Trump fired another salvo in his long-running effort to have his New York criminal conviction tossed, with his attorneys alleging earlier this month that there was juror misconduct during his trial.
In a previously undisclosed Dec. 3 letter to Justice Juan Merchan that was made public Tuesday, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove wrote that there was “grave juror misconduct” in the proceedings in a Manhattan courtroom earlier this year.
However, heavy redactions in the letter and subsequent exchanges with prosecutors obscured almost all information about the accusations themselves.
“The jury in this case was not anywhere near fair and impartial,” they wrote.
Merchan on Tuesday directed Trump to make the redacted letter public, and instructed prosecutors to publish their own redacted responses. The judge also criticized Trump’s lawyers for making such serious allegations without sworn statements.
Prosecutors called the allegations “vague accusations of juror misconduct” in one of their responses. They claimed Trump’s attorneys did not want to have the allegations subject to investigation or a public hearing.
“Notwithstanding the import of their allegations, counsel do not request and in fact oppose a hearing at which their allegations could be fully examined, referring to such a hearing as ‘invasive fact-finding,'” wrote a prosecutor for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Still, they argued such an investigation wasn’t yet appropriate.
“Counsel’s allegations fall far short of the standard required to request such a hearing in any event,” they wrote.
It is unclear if the allegations relate to a June 7 letter from Merchan that alerted prosecutors and Trump’s attorneys to a comment left on the court’s Facebook page the night before Trump’s conviction.
“My cousin is a juror and says Trump is getting convicted,” the user wrote. “Thank you folks for all your hard work!!!!”
The person who made the comment had previously described themselves as a “professional s**tposter.”
Trump was found guilty in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records, connected with a scheme to cover up a “hush money” payment to an adult film star. He pleaded not guilty and is contesting the conviction on multiple fronts.
Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan Motor are reportedly entering merger talks to help them compete against Tesla and other electric vehicle makers, according to the Nikkei financial newspaper.
The two firms are considering operating under a single holding company, and are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding for the new entity, according to the Tokyo-based Nikkei.
The paper also reports that Honda and Nissan are considering bringing in Mitsubishi Motors, of which Nissan is the top shareholder, under the holding company to create one of the world’s largest auto groups.
In a statement to CBS MoneyWatch, Nissan said it has not announced the details in the report, but that the two companies “are exploring various possibilities for future collaboration, leveraging each other’s strengths,” which it announced in March.
Honda did not immediately respond to CBS MoneyWatch’s request for comment.
In March, Japan’s number two and three automakers, after rival Toyota, deepened ties when they agreed to explore a strategic partnership on electric vehicles.
Analysts characterized the move as one that is aimed at helping the automakers catch up with Chinese competitors, including BYD, which have captured more market share, while Japanese firms have lost ground by focusing more on hybrid vehicles.
China overtook Japan as the world’s biggest vehicle exporter in 2023, aided in part by its dominance in the electric car space.
Honda announced plans in May to double its investment in electric vehicles to $65 billion by 2030, as part of a target set three years ago of achieving 100% EV sales by 2040.
Similarly, Nissan in March announced that 16 of the 30 new models it plans to launch over the next three years would be “electrified.”
Climate concerns drive demand
The world’s auto giants are increasingly prioritizing electric and hybrid vehicles, with demand growing for less polluting models as concern about climate change grows.
At the same time, however, consumer demand for EVs has slowed amid high prices, range anxiety and developing infrastructure around charging points.
Hybrids that combine battery power and internal combustion engines have remained popular in Japan, accounting for 40% of sales in 2022.
But Japanese firms’ focus on hybrids has left them in the slow lane in meeting the growing appetite for purely electric vehicles. Just 1.7% of cars sold in Japan in 2022 were electric, compared to 15% in western Europe and 5.3% in the United States.
