The world of gaming handhelds has been firmly in the hands of PC gaming since the release of the Steam Deck in 2022 at the latest. For a long time, the handheld market was dominated by console manufacturers such as Nintendo and Sony, but PC gaming handhelds have now been almost completely left behind. With the Steam Deck OLED (our test), Valve recently launched a powerful upgrade. But the competition never sleeps: we present the best Steam Deck alternatives.
- Read more: Steam Deck SSD: Everything you need to know about handheld storage
The best gaming handhelds and Steam Deck alternatives
ASUS ROG Ally X
The Asus ROG Ally X impresses with its powerful hardware, which is specially optimized for mobile gaming. Powered by an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor combined with RDNA 3 graphics, the console delivers exceptional performance that allows even the latest AAA titles to be played smoothly in high resolution. The 7-inch Full HD display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a peak brightness of 500 nits offers razor-sharp images and a vivid color display, which takes the gaming experience to a new level.
Thanks to the optimized ergonomics and a weight of only 608 grams, the ROG Ally X is comfortable to hold even during longer sessions. The integrated cooling with a dual-fan design ensures efficient heat dissipation so that the console stays cool even under intensive loads. In addition, the device supports advanced features such as Xbox Game Pass and Steam, making it easier to access a wide library of games.
With 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD and expandable storage via microSD, the ROG Ally X offers ample capacity for large game files. The integrated USB-C port with support for eGPU docks makes the device particularly versatile, as it can be transformed into a powerful desktop computer in no time at all. This combination of performance, mobility and flexibility makes the Asus ROG Ally X the ideal choice for gamers who don’t want to compromise.
ASUS ROG Ally
The ASUS ROG Ally has the edge over the Steam Deck, especially in terms of hardware power. Under the hood is the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, a powerful chip that combines 8 Zen 4 computing cores with clock speeds of up to 5.10 GHz with an AMD Radeon graphics unit including 8.6 teraflops and 16 GB LPDDR5 memory.
As a result, the gaming handheld achieves console-level quality, which is shown to its best advantage on the 7-inch IPS display with a Full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hertz.
The powerful hardware ensures outstanding performance in the Steam Deck alternative. Depending on the game, up to 10 frames per second (fps) more are possible than with the Valve handheld. However, the ASUS ROG Ally also runs out of breath much faster in the required Turbo mode. Depending on the game, the battery is drained in around an hour.
Another advantage of the handheld: The ROG Ally relies on a normal Windows 11 interface and can therefore access all stores such as Epic Games, Microsoft and others, while the Steam Deck relies exclusively on its own platform.
However, this advantage is also a disadvantage. While the Steam Deck provides a clear interface at console level, navigation under Windows on the small screen of the ASUS ROG Ally can be somewhat difficult.
MSI Claw
The MSI Claw A1M impresses as a powerful gaming handheld with a balanced mix of performance, mobility and versatility. With an Intel Core Ultra processor and a dedicated GPU, the device delivers first-class gaming performance that also displays graphically demanding titles in high quality. The 7-inch display with Full HD resolution and 120 Hz ensures razor-sharp and smooth images that take the gaming experience to a new level. Thanks to its robust workmanship and compact design, the Claw A1M is a reliable companion on the go.
Another highlight is the innovative cooling technology, which ensures consistent performance even during intensive gaming sessions. MSI relies on an advanced dual cooling system that effectively dissipates heat and thus ensures stability. The ergonomic controls, including Hall effect triggers and a precise D-pad, enable intuitive and comfortable control – ideal for long gaming sessions without fatigue.
The Claw A1M also impresses with versatile connectivity options, including Thunderbolt 4, and Windows 11 integration, allowing access to a wide range of games. With its high-quality audio output, robust battery performance and lightweight, portable design, the Claw A1M is aimed at gamers who don’t want to compromise on quality and functionality while on the move.
The price of the first version has already fallen sharply, but the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ are already on the horizon.
Lenovo Legion Go
Lenovo also entered the gaming handheld sector in 2023 and launched an exciting device with the Lenovo Legion Go. The device uses the same powerful AMD chip as the ASUS ROG Ally, including 16 GB of RAM, but combines this with an impressive display, which has a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels on a size of 8.8 inches and a refresh rate of a whopping 144 hertz.
Of course, this also makes the Legion Go larger and heavier than the Steam Deck and ROG Ally. Specifically, the Lenovo handheld measures 299 mm x 131 mm x 41 mm and weighs in at 852 grams.
On the other hand, the Legion Go comes with a very special innovation. The two control elements to the left and right of the display are detachable, just like on the Nintendo Switch, and can be used in the hand as a controller. The right-hand controller can even be used as a mouse thanks to the base station – practical for quick shooters or similar.
Since the hardware is at the level of the ROG Ally, you will have to live with a lower frame rate in demanding games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring or Diablo 4 at full 1600p resolution.
Alternatively, the resolution can be reduced to 1,920 x 1,200 pixels or 1,280 x 800 pixels to achieve better performance. The full 2,560 x 1,600 pixels therefore only allow a smooth gaming experience for less demanding games.
In addition, the Lenovo Legion Go also runs a normal Windows 11 interface, which has the same advantages and disadvantages as the Steam Deck alternative from ASUS. The battery life of Lenovo’s handheld is marginally better than that of the ROG Ally, which runs out after around 80 minutes of gaming.
Razer Edge: Gaming handheld as a streaming solution
The Razer Edge gaming handheld goes in a completely different direction, but is also an interesting Steam Deck alternative. It is essentially a compact Android tablet with a 6.8-inch OLED display that becomes a gaming handheld when combined with the Kishi V2 Pro controller.
The Razer Edge combines the advantages of a classic tablet with the ease of use of a console-level handheld. You can use it to surf the web, use normal Android apps and, of course, play games.
- Razer handheld in the test: How the Razer Edge performs
However, there are two sticking points, especially in the gaming area, because on the one hand you are mainly limited to Android mobile games and on the other hand setting up the controller often requires a bit of fiddling.
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One advantage of the Razer Edge: The handheld relies primarily on game streaming from the cloud. Apps such as GeForce Now, Steam Link and Xbox Cloud Gaming are already pre-installed. Thanks to Wi-Fi6E, you can get started straight away. However, this only works if you have a stable internet connection.
In terms of performance, the Razer Edge can’t compete with Steam Deck and the like, but the gaming handheld is certainly suitable for relaxed gaming on the sofa. Especially as the battery life of around 6 hours of continuous gaming is significantly longer than that of more powerful devices.
Nintendo Switch (OLED)
Nintendo’s hybrid of stationary console and handheld has now been around for almost seven years and even if the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch OLED are not direct Steam Deck alternatives, the consoles can still be recommended today.
There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, the price. At a maximum of 329 euros for the OLED model and 210 euros for the Nintendo Switch Lite, which can only be used as a gaming handheld, you can enjoy Switch games at a comparatively low price.
This brings us directly to the second point, because the exclusive titles for Nintendo’s console are unique. Titles such as Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Metroid Prime Remastered and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe are only available from Nintendo.
The fact that the Switch relies on outdated hardware such as the NVIDIA Tegra X1 chip and has just 4 GB of RAM is irrelevant in our eyes. After all, Nintendo (at least at the moment) doesn’t want to play in the big graphics highlights.
Instead, the games should be convincing from a gaming perspective and the exclusive titles in particular certainly do that.
So if you’re primarily looking for gaming fun and don’t necessarily need to play the latest graphics blockbusters, the Nintendo Switch will still be a good choice in 2023. According to rumors, however, a successor could be presented as early as 2024.
The best Steam Deck alternatives: Conclusion
As you can see, there are a whole range of gaming handhelds that are really good Steam Deck alternatives. However, there is no such thing as the ultimate handheld PC. All of the devices we have mentioned have their own personal advantages and disadvantages.
Ultimately, you have to decide for yourself what is most important to you in a PC gaming handheld. The Stream Deck, especially the new OLED model, offers a convincing middle ground of performance, ease of use and additional functions – but it is not necessarily the right choice for you.
