Best Handheld Game Console in 2022
Handheld gaming consoles have seen a bit of revival over the past few years. And 2022 has been a big one, with the release of the Steam Deck and Panic Playdate, as well as the Razer Edge and Logitech G Cloud. And if you’re looking to get back to the days of playing games while on the go, we’ve rounded up some of the best handheld game consoles that 2022 has to offer below.
Phones and tablets already do a fine job of playing tons of great portable games, and have been leading the mobile gaming world for years, offering features like game controller cases and game streaming from consoles, PCs and the cloud.
Dedicated devices can provide unique features, exclusive games or extra power to do things your phone can’t. It almost feels like a return to the mid-2010s era of the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita. The Nintendo Switch has been the best and most affordable portable game system for years, and continues to be CNET’s clear top pick: At £300 (or £350 for our favorite model), it can play a huge variety of Nintendo games, indie games, it can dock with a TV and can even play some fitness games.
But Valve’s Steam Deck offers a unique proposition for those with deeper pockets: It’s large, and it can double as a full gaming PC. For those who miss retro game handhelds like the Game Boy, you might consider putting yourself on the waiting list to order the Analogue Pocket or Panic Playdate, too, but both of those systems are more niche, and more indie/retro targeted, than the Switch and Steam Deck. We’ll explain below.