Products included in this article
Today’s smartphones easily double up as highly capable handheld gaming devices. The graphics quality in certain games are nearly as good as dedicated game consoles, and some even boast of advanced lighting effects like ray tracing. But phones are usually limited to titles made for that platform, and do not include console or PC games. There are some exceptions like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which has been ported to Android and iOS, but only years after its original release.
List of Best Selling Products
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If you’re not in a hurry, it might be worth waiting for the 2024 model called the ROG Ally X. Showcased at Computex 2024, this refreshed model doubles the battery capacity, has 24GB RAM, reworked grips, 8-way D-pad, louder speakers, faster charging, better cooling, and a second USB-C (USB 4.0) port. Asus hasn’t launched it in India yet, but you can bet it will be pricier than the 2023 model.
Lenovo Legion Go
Price: Starts at Rs. 89,990
Specs: OS: Windows 11; CPU: AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme; RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X; Storage: 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD; Display: 8.8-inch IPS LCD, QHD+, 144Hz, 500 nits brightness; Battery: 49.2WHr; Weight: 854g
The Lenovo Legion Go is the latest handheld console to hit the Indian gaming scene. Priced quite a bit more than the ROG Ally, at Rs. 89,990, this steep premium gets you unique features for a Windows handheld like detachable controllers, and a larger, higher resolution screen. Think of it as a cross between a Steam Deck and the Nintendo Switch. It only comes in one configuration which includes the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme SoC, 16GB RAM, and 512GB storage.
Lenovo’s Legion Space program organises all your games from various platforms, in one place. The controls on the left and right side of the display can be detached from the main console, thereby giving you more freedom to play, based on the genre of the game. The controller includes an FPS mode, which when docked with the optional base gives you a sense of using a keyboard and mouse.
Steam Deck OLED by Valve
Price: Around Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 80,000
Specs: OS: SteamOS 3; CPU: Custom AMD APU; RAM: 16GB LPDDR5; Storage: 512GB, 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD; Display: 7.4-inch OLED, 720p, 90Hz, 600 nits brightness; Battery: 50WHr; Weight: 640g
The launch of the Steam Deck ignited interest in a handheld gaming PC, and made others like Asus, MSI, and Lenovo sit up and take notice. Valve, the company behind the Steam Deck and the widely popular online game store known as Steam, launched an updated, OLED version of the Steam Deck in late 2023, which brought design and performance improvements. The Steam Deck never officially launched in India, but you can easily find it on Amazon or other trusted parallel import stores. Remember that while the product may still carry a warranty, you won’t be able to claim it in India due to the lack of any official presence.
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The Steam Deck runs on SteamOS, which is a custom Linux distribution. By default, you’ll be able to access only Steam games through the software, but a quick Google search will show you simple workarounds for running games from other platforms like Epic, EA, or Xbox Game Pass.
The Steam Deck OLED uses a more power-efficient 6nm custom AMD APU versus the LCD model (which is still on sale). Other specs include 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of SSD storage, and a 7.4-inch 720p OLED display. It features ergonomic controls, including two touchpads on either side of the display for ease of use. The OLED model is also 30g lighter than the old one, and the larger fans are said to offer better cooling.
One of the biggest advantages of this model is the OLED display. The resolution is not as high as its Windows counterparts, but it shouldn’t be an issue with a screen of this size. Plus, you get all the advantages of an OLED screen like richer colours, HDR capabilities, deeper blacks, and an infinite contrast ratio.
Nintendo Switch OLED
Price: Around Rs. 29,000
Specs: OS: Custom; CPU: Nvidia Tegra X1; Storage: 64GB; Display: 7-inch OLED, 720p, 60Hz; Battery: 4,310mAh; Weight: 422g
If you’re a fan of Nintendo classics like Super Mario and Legend of Zelda, or simply need an affordable handheld console to keep the kids entertained at home or on a road trip, the Nintendo Switch is what you should get. It’s not officially sold in India, but you should easily find one on Amazon or your local electronics store. Prices keep fluctuating, but you should expect it to cost around or little under Rs. 30,000 for the OLED model. This is the most recent addition and is the one to get due to the more vibrant display. The beauty of the Switch is that it can be used as a handheld console, or you can detach the Joy-Con controllers and use the console on a table or connect it to a TV and play.
The type of games available for the Switch set it apart from the other handhelds on this list. You have the full roster of Nintendo originals like Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda series, and many more. Given the popularity of the Switch, many game studios have released ports of AAA PC and console games too like Diablo 3, Doom, Dying Light, and plenty more.
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You can buy Switch games digitally through your Nintendo account, or you can get physical game cards. Keep in mind that unlike the other handheld devices, you’ll need to invest in games built for the Switch even if you may have the same title on Steam or other platforms, as those are not compatible.
Nintendo Switch Lite
Price: Around Rs. 18,000
Specs: OS: Custom; CPU: Nvidia Tegra X1; Storage: 32GB; Display: 5.5-inch LCD, 720p, 60Hz; Battery: 3,570mAh; Weight: 275g
The Nintendo Switch Lite is exactly what it sounds like – a smaller and lighter version of the Switch. There is one big difference though, and that is the Lite model is a handheld-only gaming console as the controls are not detachable. This means you can only play Switch games that have a handheld mode, while others that require Joy-Cons will not work (unless you buy them separately to use with the Lite).
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The Switch Lite comes in vibrant colours and uses the same processor in the main Switch. There’s only 32GB of storage but you can expand this with a microSD card. The display is also smaller and it’s an LCD panel, instead of OLED. It’s still a good option for casual gamers or younger kids who are just starting out in the Nintendo ecosystem. You can always upgrade to the bigger Switch later on and reuse all your games.
Special mention
MSI Claw (A1M)
Price: Starts at Rs. 69,990
Specs: OS: Windows 11; CPU: Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 155H; RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X; Storage: 512GB, 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD; Display: 7-inch IPS LCD, 1080p, 120Hz, 500 nits brightness; Battery: 53WHr; Weight: 675g
MSI decided to jump on the portable gaming bandwagon with the Claw earlier this year. The console has launched in India with a starting price of Rs. 69,990, and goes up to Rs. 79,990 for the top-spec variant. MSI has stuck to the basic ingredients like ergonomic grips, dual joysticks, and a large display in the middle. It runs Windows 11, which means you can access multiple game platforms on it, and MSI even has custom software to help organise all of them in one place.
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There’s one key difference though that sets it apart from the other handheld consoles. The Claw A1M is based on Intel’s Core Ultra series CPUs, which is found in 2024 Copilot laptops. While system performance shouldn’t be an issue, many professional reviews on the web state that gaming performance is simply not great. Intel has never been known for its integrated graphics chops, even though the Intel Arc GPU in the Core Ultra chips are more powerful than the Iris Xe graphics that came before it.
As far as gaming is concerned, it’s not as capable as AMD’s Ryzen Z1 chipset, which has been specifically designed for such devices. This also makes the Claw quite expensive for what it offers. Also, the base variant comes with a Core Ultra 5 135H CPU, which has lower performance than the Ultra 7 in the top model. I feel it’s best to avoid the Claw A1M, especially when there are better Windows alternatives in the market.
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