Gaming handhelds burst onto the scene a few years back, and every year since, there have been newer, more powerful products to choose from. But to think you always need the latest and greatest to enjoy PC gaming on the go would be a mistake. You absolutely don’t. I’ve tested many handheld gaming PCs over the years, and most of my favorite picks right now are budget options, made even more affordable by Black Friday deals.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve used high-end handhelds and had a good time with them. The power you can pack into a handheld device is pretty astounding these days. But the real value is around the $300–$500 mark, in my opinion. That’s affordable enough that you’re not just spending desktop PC sorta money but still reap the benefits of bringing your Steam library with you in your backpack.
You’ll notice a lack of the ROG Xbox Ally in this list, despite what might appear at first to be a decent discount. The chip inside it is nothing more than a glorified Steam Deck APU attached to a screen that’s surely too tough to handle. The ROG Xbox Ally X is better but still super expensive.
Then there are deals like this Legion Go S with 32 GB of RAM and a 4 TB SSD, but only a Z2 Go, for $950. What? No. The names attached to some of the chips used in handhelds sound like they’re brand new, but they aren’t (thanks, AMD), or they’re just a weird mishmash of parts that don’t make sense together. It’s a minefield—I’ll do my best to navigate it for you.
Handheld gaming PC deals
Accessory deals
Best handheld PC 2025