Handheld gaming PCs let you play your Steam, Xbox and Epic library on the sofa, on the train or in bed. The category has matured fast: you can now choose between Valve’s Steam Deck with its polished SteamOS, Windows handhelds with Microsoft’s Xbox full-screen interface, and premium devices with large screens and desktop-class performance.
2026 has also been expensive. The global memory shortage hit handhelds hard: Valve raised Steam Deck OLED prices in May, and Lenovo’s Legion Go 2 now starts at €1,649 in its own store, according to PC Games Hardware. Below are the handhelds that PC Gamer and Tom’s Guide rate highest, with the latest euro prices we could find.
Our picks at a glance
- Best handheldValve Steam Deck OLED
- Most powerful handheldASUS ROG Xbox Ally X
- Cheaper Windows handheldASUS ROG Xbox Ally
- Fastest handheldMSI Claw 8 EX AI+
- Biggest screenLenovo Legion Go 2
- Best Steam Deck alternativeLenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS)
Prices are approximate and change often. Ad
1. Steam Deck OLED — best for most people
Tom’s Guide still names the Steam Deck OLED its best handheld overall. The 7.4-inch HDR OLED screen looks fantastic, and SteamOS is the most console-like experience of any handheld: suspend and resume, a huge library of verified games and easy controls. Its AMD chip is older than its rivals’, so demanding new games need lower settings.
After Valve’s May 2026 price rise, the 512 GB model costs €779 and the 1 TB model €919. That’s much more than at launch, but it’s still the best balance of screen, software and price.
Valve Steam Deck OLED
Tom's Guide's best overall handheld: the best screen and software in its class, running your Steam library anywhere.
Pros
- Gorgeous HDR OLED screen
- Polished SteamOS software
Cons
- Ageing chip
- Price rose €210–240 in May 2026
2. Asus ROG Xbox Ally X — best Windows handheld
PC Gamer’s best handheld overall is the ROG Xbox Ally X. Its Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip, 24 GB of fast memory and 1 TB SSD deliver strong performance, and the comfortable, controller-like grips and quiet fans make long sessions pleasant. The Xbox full-screen experience hides most of Windows’ rough edges.
PC Gamer’s complaints: it’s expensive, only modestly faster than rivals, and the 7-inch IPS screen is dull next to the Steam Deck’s OLED. It launched at €899 in Germany in October 2025; check the current price, as handheld prices moved in 2026.
ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X
Excellent ergonomics and top-tier handheld performance, with Windows 11's Xbox mode for PC Game Pass and every PC store.
Pros
- Comfortable ergonomics
- Strong performance
- Large 80 Wh battery
Cons
- LCD rather than OLED
- Expensive
3. Asus ROG Xbox Ally — best-value Windows handheld
The non-X Ally is PC Gamer’s budget pick: the same comfortable chassis and Xbox interface with a less powerful Ryzen Z2 A chip, 16 GB of memory and 512 GB of storage. It’s a little faster than the Steam Deck in PC Gamer’s view, but not built for demanding games, and its screen is decent rather than great. It launched at €599 in Germany.
ASUS ROG Xbox Ally
The same comfortable design as the Ally X for less money, but with a weaker chip.
- Chip
- Ryzen Z2A
- OS
- Windows 11 (Xbox mode)
- Best for
- Lighter and older games
Pros
- Comfortable design
- Much cheaper than the Ally X
Cons
- Ryzen Z2A struggles with demanding games
4. MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ — fastest handheld
PC Gamer calls the Claw 8 EX AI+ the fastest handheld it has tested. Intel’s new Arc G3 Extreme chip with Arc B390 graphics runs games smoothly at 1080p medium settings, and the 77.8 Wh battery gave excellent results in PC Gamer’s tests. The 8-inch screen is roomy.
The catch is price: retailers listed it at around €1,599 in Europe at launch in June 2026, which is desktop-PC money. PC Gamer doesn’t expect it to get cheaper soon because of memory costs.
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+
PC Gamer's high-performance pick: Intel's Arc G3 Extreme makes it the fastest handheld the reviewer tested, with excellent battery life.
- Chip
- Intel Arc G3 Extreme (Panther Lake)
- GPU
- Arc B390 (12 Xe3 cores)
- RAM
- 32 GB LPDDR5X
- Screen
- 8-inch 1920×1200
- Battery
- 77.8 Wh
Pros
- Fastest handheld PC Gamer has tested
- Excellent battery life
- Smooth 1080p medium performance
Cons
- Very expensive
- Windows, not SteamOS
- Unlikely to get cheaper soon
5. Lenovo Legion Go 2 — biggest screen
The Legion Go 2 has a big 8.8-inch screen, 32 GB of memory in every configuration and Ryzen Z2 or Z2 Extreme chips. It’s a strong performer for people who want the largest display. Unfortunately, PC Games Hardware reported in April 2026 that Lenovo raised prices sharply because of the memory shortage — from €1,649 up to €2,499 — and now sells it only through its own store. At these prices it’s hard to recommend over the Ally X or Steam Deck unless you really want the screen size.
Lenovo Legion Go 2
A large 8.8-inch Windows handheld with 32 GB RAM and Ryzen Z2 Extreme options — but memory-shortage price rises made it very expensive.
- Screen
- 8.8-inch
- Chip
- AMD Ryzen Z2 / Z2 Extreme
- RAM
- 32 GB LPDDR5X
- Storage
- 512 GB – 2 TB
Pros
- Big screen
- 32 GB RAM on every model
- Powerful Z2 Extreme option
Cons
- €1,649–2,499 after 2026 price rise
- Sold only via Lenovo's own store
- Large and heavy
6. Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) — Steam Deck alternative
Tom’s Guide picks the SteamOS version of the Legion Go S as the best Steam Deck alternative: an 8-inch 1920×1200 120 Hz screen running Valve’s SteamOS. Its fans are loud and battery life in Tom’s Guide’s test was short, so it suits plugged-in or short sessions best.
Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS)
Tom's Guide's Steam Deck alternative: a larger, sharper 8-inch screen with SteamOS — at the cost of fan noise and battery life.
Pros
- Big, sharp 120 Hz screen
- SteamOS out of the box
Cons
- Loud fans
- Poor battery life
Compare the key specs
| Model | Valve Steam Deck OLEDBest handheld | ASUS ROG Xbox Ally XMost powerful handheld | ASUS ROG Xbox AllyCheaper Windows handheld | MSI Claw 8 EX AI+Fastest handheld | Lenovo Legion Go 2Biggest screen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TechHive score | 8.9/10 | 8.6/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.3/10 | 8.0/10 |
| Approx. price | €779 | Varies | Varies | Varies | €1,649 |
| Chip | — | — | Ryzen Z2A | Intel Arc G3 Extreme (Panther Lake) | AMD Ryzen Z2 / Z2 Extreme |
| OS | — | — | Windows 11 (Xbox mode) | — | — |
| Best for | — | — | Lighter and older games | — | — |
| GPU | — | — | — | Arc B390 (12 Xe3 cores) | — |
| RAM | — | — | — | 32 GB LPDDR5X | 32 GB LPDDR5X |
| Screen | — | — | — | 8-inch 1920×1200 | 8.8-inch |
| Battery | — | — | — | 77.8 Wh | — |
| Storage | — | — | — | — | 512 GB – 2 TB |
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How to choose a handheld gaming PC
SteamOS or Windows?
SteamOS (Steam Deck, Legion Go S SteamOS) is simpler and more console-like, with excellent sleep/resume. Windows handhelds (ROG Xbox Ally, MSI Claw, Legion Go 2) run every PC launcher and Xbox Game Pass natively, but need more tinkering — though the new Xbox full-screen experience helps.
Screen and battery
An OLED screen makes a big difference to image quality. Battery life with demanding games is often only 1.5–3 hours on every handheld, so check reviewers’ battery figures and consider a power bank for travel.
Performance
Newer chips like the Ryzen Z2 Extreme and Intel Arc G3 Extreme run modern games better, but even they need lowered settings. If you mainly play indies and older titles, the Steam Deck is more than enough.
Storage
Games are large; 512 GB fills fast. Most handhelds take a microSD card for extra space — see our portable SSDs guide for fast external storage, and our controllers guide if you also want to play docked.
Buying in Europe in 2026
Prices rose repeatedly this year because of the memory shortage, so compare carefully and check whether retailer stock is still at older prices. EU purchases include a two-year legal guarantee and usually 14-day returns online.
How we choose
We don’t test handhelds ourselves. Our picks combine PC Gamer’s and Tom’s Guide’s reviews with European prices from PC Games Hardware and other German outlets, and we list each device’s drawbacks. More on how we research. For Nintendo and PlayStation options, see our consoles and handhelds guide and PS5 vs Switch 2.
FAQ
Is the Steam Deck still worth buying in 2026?
Yes. Despite the price rise, the Steam Deck OLED’s screen and software make it the best all-rounder for most people.
Can handheld PCs play Xbox Game Pass?
Windows handhelds like the ROG Xbox Ally run the Xbox app and Game Pass natively. On a Steam Deck, Game Pass is only available via cloud streaming in a browser.
Why did handheld prices go up?
A global shortage of memory chips raised component costs, and several makers, including Valve and Lenovo, raised European prices in 2026.
Which handheld has the best battery life?
Among our picks, PC Gamer found the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ excellent for battery life, but it’s also the most expensive.
