The Handheld Database

The benchmark PC handheld: a stunning OLED screen, the entire Steam library, and outstanding emulation, all at a price that undercuts rivals.

Nintendo's current-gen hybrid: a big 1080p 120Hz HDR screen, a major power jump with 4K docked output, and full Switch backward compatibility.

The 1989 original that created the handheld market — monochrome, indestructible, and home to some of gaming's most iconic titles.

The clamshell GBA revision that fixed the original's biggest flaws — a lit screen and a rechargeable battery in a pocketable folding shell.

The benchmark for Android emulation handhelds: flagship power, a huge battery, and superb controls that handle everything up to Switch.

The definitive original-era DS: dramatically slimmer and brighter than the launch model, and still backward compatible with GBA carts.

A big-screen Odin 2 with a stunning 7-inch 120Hz OLED and an enormous 8000mAh battery, powered by the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

A luxurious FPGA handheld that plays original Game Boy, GBC, and GBA cartridges with hardware accuracy on a jaw-dropping high-res screen.

The definitive 3DS: bigger brighter screens, a faster quad-core CPU, rock-steady 3D, extra controls, and amiibo support.

Nintendo's boundary-breaking dual-screen handheld with touch and a vast, inventive library — and it still plays your GBA cartridges.

The 32-bit Game Boy Advance brought near-SNES-quality 2D gaming to the palm, with a stellar library — held back only by its notoriously dim screen.

Nintendo's hybrid console with a beautiful 7-inch OLED — the best way to play Switch exclusives and a curated library of official retro classics.

A premium-feeling Android handheld with a beautiful AMOLED screen that demolishes PS2, PSP and GameCube libraries for a remarkably low price.

The original Switch that defined the hybrid console — detachable Joy-Con, TV docking, and a generational library, now succeeded by the OLED and Switch 2.

A light, folding New-3DS-class handheld minus the 3D effect — arguably the best-value way to play the 3DS library, with C-stick and amiibo.

A more pocketable Odin 2 with the same flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a bright Mini LED screen, and superb controls.

The original Steam Deck, still sold as the budget entry point — the full SteamOS experience and PC library for $399.

Nintendo's glasses-free 3D handheld, backward compatible with the DS and home to a superb library and a rich eShop of classics.

Nintendo's colour upgrade to the Game Boy — smaller, lighter, and backward compatible, bridging the gap to the Advance era.

A truly pocketable Android handheld whose square 1:1 AMOLED is perfect for retro and vertical games, with the Snapdragon 865 to back it up.

The larger original 3DS: bigger screens and better battery for the same glasses-free 3D library and DS backward compatibility.

AYANEO's modular flagship: a 7-inch handheld with an optional 144Hz OLED, top-end Ryzen power, swappable controllers and OCuLink eGPU support.

Sony's slick widescreen handheld brought near-console 3D gaming and multimedia to the palm, and remains a homebrew favourite.

The most powerful mainstream Windows handheld, with a huge battery and a fast 120Hz screen — for players who want maximum compatibility and power.

The most refined original PSP: slimmer, with a better screen and a built-in mic, and the definitive way to enjoy the PSP library.

A foldable Game Boy Advance SP-style Android handheld with a gorgeous 5.5-inch AMOLED that handles PS2, PSP and DS with ease.

Sony's technically brilliant handheld — OLED, dual sticks, real power — that was let down by support but adored by its community.

The cheaper, handheld-only Switch with a built-in d-pad — the most affordable way into Nintendo's enormous Switch library.

A slim, premium Android handheld whose razor-sharp 144Hz 1440p screen is one of the best in any portable, backed by capable emulation power.

Anbernic's most powerful Android handheld yet: a Dimensity 8300 with a vivid 1080p AMOLED that handles PS2, PSP and GameCube.

A slimmer, camera-equipped DS revision with a download store — at the cost of the original's GBA backward compatibility.

MSI's Intel-powered flagship pairs a big 8-inch 120Hz screen and an 80Wh battery with Lunar Lake efficiency for long PC-gaming sessions on the go.

A $75 retro powerhouse that nails everything up to PS1 and N64, with fantastic custom-firmware support and all-day battery life.

A super-sized DSi with big, easy-to-read screens and long battery life — the most comfortable way to play the DS library.

Nintendo's slim redesign of the Game Boy — lighter, more pocketable, with a clearer black-and-white screen and the full GB library.

A big-screen, big-battery Windows handheld: an 8.4-inch 2.5K display and a massive 75Wh cell wrapped around the Ryzen 7 7840U.

A tiny, stylish 4:3 handheld with a remarkably sharp 1024x768 laminated screen — a pocketable favourite for classic systems.

The horizontal RG35XX with dual analogue sticks — the same H700 value in a comfortable landscape grip, ideal for systems that need sticks.

The vertical Game Boy-style budget icon: a lovely 3.5-inch screen, superb custom firmware, and everything up to PS1 for around $60.

A pocket-sized vertical handheld with a stunning 5:4 AMOLED screen that nails 8/16-bit, PS1 and handheld classics for just $129.

The 2025 Win Mini packs GPD's flagship Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, a 120Hz screen, and a slide-out keyboard into a genuinely pocketable PC.

A big-screen Windows powerhouse with a gorgeous 144Hz QHD+ display and detachable Switch-style controllers for desktop-class versatility on the go.

A luxurious, Game Boy DMG-inspired Android handheld with a striking near-square screen and the power to handle PS2, PSP and GameCube.

The lighter, longer-lasting Vita revision — it swaps OLED for LCD but adds onboard storage and micro-USB charging.

A 10-inch handheld mini-laptop: a full keyboard, touchpad and game controls around the flagship Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, with OCuLink eGPU support.

A Game Boy Advance-inspired wide-screen handheld with a 3:2 display, ideal for GBA and 16-bit systems on the proven H700 platform.

The 7-inch Intel-powered Claw: efficient Lunar Lake performance and a 120Hz screen in a lighter, cheaper body than the 8" model.

A cult-classic handheld beloved for its clicky microswitch stick and superb SNK fighting games, with phenomenal battery life.

A nostalgic Game Boy Advance SP-style clamshell that folds shut to protect its screen, nailing everything up to PS1 with superb custom-firmware support.

A genuinely pocketable Windows PC with a slide-out physical keyboard and full Ryzen power — a do-everything portable for PC gamers on the move.

A tiny, premium, backlit GBA-only handheld — the most beautiful Game Boy Nintendo ever made, if also the least practical.

A premium metal-bodied Android handheld with a beautiful 4-inch 4:3 AMOLED that excels at PSP, N64 and DS emulation.

A pocket-sized cube with a striking square 1:1 screen — a near-perfect canvas for 4:3 and vertical systems, with dual sticks and a touchscreen.

A more conventional, comfortable Legion Go with a big 8-inch 120Hz screen, Hall sticks, and an official SteamOS option.

ASUS's original Windows handheld: a fast 120Hz screen and full PC compatibility, now a value pick beneath the Ally X.

The pocket-sized icon of budget retro gaming: a charming, sub-$60 handheld with a superb 4:3 screen and the beloved OnionOS firmware.

Miyoo's clamshell follow-up to the Mini: a pocketable folding handheld with dual sticks and gyro that nails 16-bit, PS1 and handheld classics.

A tiny, ultra-pocketable horizontal handheld with the proven H700 platform — classic gaming up to PS1 that slips into any pocket.

The budget, slate-shaped 3DS that drops the 3D effect — a cheap, durable, kid-friendly way to play the entire 3DS and DS library.

A jewel-like, pocket-sized Android handheld in premium CNC aluminium, with a lovely 3:2 screen ideal for 8/16-bit, PS1 and PSP.

Nintendo's 1980 single-game LCD handhelds — the very beginning of portable gaming, designed by Game Boy creator Gunpei Yokoi.

A slim, stylish budget handheld with a big 16:9 screen and superb battery life that handles everything up to PSP and Dreamcast.

An affordable Android handheld with a vivid AMOLED screen and Hall effect sticks that comfortably handles PS1, N64 and PSP libraries.

The final WonderSwan, with the line's best display — a low-blur colour TFT — and full backward compatibility with every WonderSwan game.

AYN's first Windows handheld: a 6-inch 1080p PC powered by the Ryzen 7 6800U and Radeon 680M at a competitive price.

Sony's compact, download-only sliding PSP — ahead of its time as an all-digital handheld, but undone by dropping UMD support.

A tiny, delightful yellow handheld with a 1-bit screen and a hand crank, delivering a curated drip-feed of inventive indie games.

The premium Evercade with 18 built-in Capcom arcade classics, a sharper screen, and a rotation sensor for vertical shooters.

Bandai's Japan-only handheld, designed by Gunpei Yokoi, ran ~20 hours on a single AA and hosted excellent RPGs and Final Fantasy ports.

Sega's colour, backlit answer to the Game Boy — technically superior, but undone by an enormous appetite for AA batteries.

A budget retro handheld whose unusual 1:1 720x720 screen is a near-perfect canvas for classic 4:3 systems, with dual sticks and great CFW support.

Bandai's original monochrome handheld, designed by Gunpei Yokoi, ran ~30 hours on one AA and built a loyal Japanese following.

A big 5.5-inch budget retro handheld with dual sticks and HDMI out, comfortably handling everything up to PSP and Dreamcast.

A pocketable, affordable cartridge handheld (by Evercade's maker) that plays the full licensed Evercade library plus a built-in publisher collection.

A more affordable current Evercade with the same screen and cartridge library as the EXP, minus the built-in games and rotation sensor.

A 1990 marvel that ran full TurboGrafx-16 HuCards on a crisp backlit screen — the most powerful handheld of its time, at a steep price.

SNK's original monochrome pocket handheld, famous for its clicky microswitch stick and 40-hour battery — soon eclipsed by the Colour.

The cartridge-based retro handheld that champions legal, officially-licensed game collections on physical media, with HDMI out.

A dedicated remote-play handheld that streams your PS5 to a big 8-inch screen, complete with full DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers.

A portable Sega Genesis that plays the entire cartridge library on real hardware — gloriously impractical, with battery life to match.

The redesigned Lynx: smaller, lighter, with stereo sound and a power-saving backlight — the better way to enjoy Atari's colour handheld.

Atari's technically ambitious 1989 handheld was the first with a colour backlit screen and hardware scaling — years ahead, but a commercial also-ran.

A lavish laptop-style PC Engine with a flip-up screen, TV output and CD-ROM expandability — a 1991 luxury object and ultra-rare collectible.

Nokia's redesign of the N-Gage that fixed the 'taco' phone's worst quirks — side-loading game cards and normal calling — but arrived too late.

Nokia's bold attempt to fuse a phone and a games console — awkward and commercially doomed, but a fascinating chapter in mobile gaming.

A palm-of-your-hand miniature Game Gear released for Sega's 60th anniversary — adorable and collectible, if barely playable.

Nintendo's infamous stereoscopic-3D tabletop machine — a fascinating, eye-straining failure that is now a prized collector's curiosity.