The best handheld gaming consoles in 2026 - Tom's Guide

Despite its virtues, the Asus ROG Ally can’t topple the Steam Deck OLED. Yes, it has a sharper display and a faster processor, but the gains from these are arguably negligible — especially when you have to run games at 720p to get nominally better performance. Worst of all is the lack of a dedicated user interface like SteamOS. The Asus Armoury Crate app does a decent enough job of gathering games in one spot, but it’s nowhere near as intuitive or functional as Valve’s operating system.

Read our full Asus ROG Ally review.

The best premium gaming handheld

6. Lenovo Legion Go 2

Our expert review:

Specifications

Size: 11.64 x 5.38 x 1.66 inches (with controllers attached)

Weight: 2.03 pounds (controllers attached)

Battery Life: 2:15 (gaming) [...] ### 2. Nintendo Switch 2

Our expert review:

Specifications

Size: 10.7 × 4.5 × 0.5 inches

Weight: 1.18 pounds

Battery Life: 2 hours (approximately)

Game Store: Nintendo eShop

Reasons to buy

Upgraded performance

Stunning 7.9-inch display

Redesigned Joy-Con 2

Mouse Mode is great

Hybrid play remains fantastic

Reasons to avoid

Poor battery life

Not very ergonomic

The Nintendo Switch 2 is quite an un-Nintendo-like follow-up. Instead of introducing a brand-new form factor, the Japanese gaming titan opted to skip the gimmicks and instead deliver a console that iterates on its predecessor. Giving gamers more of the same but with across-the-board upgrades was a wise move. [...] This handheld/console hybrid feels like the ultimate version of the Switch concept. It takes everything that worked before and buffs it to a fine sheen. This new system has a larger 7.9-inch 1080p 120Hz display and an upgraded custom Nvidia chip with DLSS, which makes it a rival to machines like the Steam Deck OLED and Asus ROG Ally.

As before, you can slip the system into its dock to switch between playing on your TV or on the go in just seconds, effectively giving you two gaming machines in one. No matter which way you play, you'll be treated to sharp visuals and smooth performance. Because of that, the original Switch feels like a proof of concept in comparison.

Source Insight: This report was curated based on original coverage from tomsguide.com.

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