Brands & Manufacturers

A major PC hardware brand whose ROG Ally line popularised high-performance Windows handhelds. ASUS devices emphasise raw power, high refresh-rate screens, and full Windows compatibility at the cost of battery life and price.

A premium, design-led brand producing both high-end Windows handhelds and stylish Android retro devices. AYANEO emphasises industrial design, build quality, and nostalgia-driven aesthetics, typically at a premium price.

Maker of the Odin line of Android handhelds. AYN is known for pairing flagship Snapdragon chipsets with large batteries and excellent controls, producing some of the most powerful dedicated emulation devices available.

A premium hardware company that recreates classic consoles using FPGA chips rather than software emulation. The Analogue Pocket is a luxurious, highly accurate handheld that plays original Game Boy, GBC, and GBA cartridges.

The most prolific retro-handheld brand, releasing dozens of affordable Linux and Android models each year. Anbernic targets classic-console emulation with a huge range of form factors and aggressive pricing.

A founding name of the video game industry. Atari's Lynx was the world's first handheld with a colour backlit LCD, technically ahead of its time but ultimately overshadowed by the Game Boy.

A major Japanese toy and game company. Its WonderSwan handhelds, designed with Game Boy creator Gunpei Yokoi, were popular in Japan for their low price and long battery life on a single AA cell.

The British company behind Evercade, a cartridge-based retro platform built around officially-licensed multi-game collections. Evercade champions physical media and curated, legal retro libraries.

A pioneer of pocketable Windows handhelds. GPD's Win series packs full PC power and, on some models, a slide-out physical keyboard into a compact shell, appealing to road warriors and PC gamers who value portability.

A global PC giant whose Legion Go brought a large, high-resolution screen and detachable controllers to the Windows handheld space. Lenovo targets power users who want desktop-class versatility in a portable form.

A major gaming hardware brand whose Claw handhelds are notable for using Intel processors rather than AMD. MSI focuses on large high-refresh screens, big batteries, and full Windows compatibility for PC gaming on the go.

Known for tiny, ultra-affordable retro handhelds like the Miyoo Mini. Miyoo devices are beloved by the custom-firmware community for their pocketable size, charming design, and excellent value for retro gaming.

The Japanese electronics company behind the PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16. Its TurboExpress was a remarkable handheld that played the same HuCards as the home console on a colour LCD, years ahead of its rivals in raw power.

The legendary Japanese platform holder behind the Game Boy, DS, and Switch. Nintendo devices are first-party consoles with exclusive games and a polished, plug-and-play experience rather than open emulation machines.

The Finnish mobile-phone giant whose N-Gage tried to merge a phone and a handheld console. Awkward but ambitious, it is a fascinating footnote in the history of mobile gaming.

An indie software studio turned hardware maker. The Playdate is a tiny, charming yellow handheld with a black-and-white screen and a hand crank, delivering a steady stream of inventive indie games.

A budget retro-handheld brand known for experimenting with unusual screen shapes and form factors, including square 1:1 displays. Powkiddy devices are inexpensive and popular with the custom-firmware community.

Maker of the popular Retroid Pocket series. Retroid specialises in Android-based emulation handhelds that punch far above their price, blending modern chipsets, premium build, and broad emulator support.

The Japanese arcade and fighting-game specialist behind the Neo Geo. Its Neo Geo Pocket Color was a cult-classic handheld beloved for its clicky microswitched stick and excellent fighting games.

A legendary Japanese gaming company whose Game Gear was the colour rival to Nintendo's Game Boy, and whose Nomad let players take the Genesis on the go. Sega exited the hardware business but remains iconic in handheld history.

The electronics giant behind PlayStation. Sony's PSP and PS Vita were the most powerful handhelds of their eras, and the PlayStation Portal continues the line as a dedicated remote-play device for the PS5.

A retro-handheld maker known for slim, stylish, affordable devices with good battery life. TrimUI products favour clean industrial design and are well supported by the custom-firmware scene.

The company behind Steam and the Steam Deck. Valve focuses on an open, PC-first handheld experience running its Linux-based SteamOS, prioritising a huge game library, repairability, and value over raw specifications.