Playing demanding games on the go is easier than ever. Among the many handheld gaming consoles you can buy, these are affordable models worth your investment.

Console yourself with gaming having moved on from 1985 with these 5 nostalgia-fuelled retro handhelds

The AYANEO Pocket S Mini is a handheld game console with a 4.2 inch, 1280 x 960 pixel LCD display featuring a 4:3 aspect ratio that could make it a good fit for classic games that were designed to be played on old-school television sets or other devices with 4:3 screens.

The Steam Deck changed the landscape for gamers with its new take on handheld gaming, but now there are much more powerful alternatives available.

The other readily accessible option would be to get a used model. Best Buy offers open box units starting at $889.99. Mind you these are pre-owned, but they are Geek Squad verified and the better graded units sometimes still have all or some of their original warranty.

On a rival handheld gaming PC like the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, Borderlands 4 runs decently but it does require a lot of tinkering in the menus to keep the action flowing at a stable rate. The game is also available for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and Gearbox recently outlined what fans can expect in 2026.

PlayStation is reportedly planning to launch a brand-new handheld console this year, though it's not the same console fans may have expected.

I’ve loved gaming, and particularly gaming handhelds, all of my life. I grew up with every variation of the Game Boy and Sega Game Gear, and more. At CNET, I’ve reviewed mobile gaming and handhelds going back to the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita ...

In 2026, the lines between “console” and “PC” have finally dissolved. We’ve moved past the era of clunky, loud gaming laptops and entered the age of the “Anywhere PC.” These handhelds have matured from enthusiast prototypes into polished daily drivers that let you play Cyberpunk 2077 on the train and then instantly dock to a

Portable gaming consoles have exploded in popularity, offering console-quality experiences in the palm of your hand. But what many gamers may not realize is that these devices aren’t just for solo play on the go — they can easily transform into home ...