Quality handheld gaming doesn't require a massive budget. Our curated selection features the best gaming handhelds under $100, from clamshell to vertical retro gaming devices from brands like Miyoo, Anbernic and Trimui. 

Find the best budget handheld gaming consoles under $100. We review and compare the top devices for retro gaming on a budget.

Best Gaming  Handhelds Under $100

Best Gaming Handhelds Under $100

The $200 price range offers the sweet spot for handheld gaming, delivering serious performance without premium pricing. These carefully selected devices handle everything from retro classics to demanding PS2 and GameCube emulation with impressive capabilities.

Find powerful handheld gaming consoles under $200. Compare top devices for PS2, GameCube emulation and modern gaming performance.

Best Gaming Handhelds Under $200

The $300 price range represents the sweet spot for a lot of handheld gaming, offering premium emulation and light PC gaming performance without the steep cost of flagship devices. Whether you're seeking modern AAA gaming, comprehensive retro or Nintendo Switch emulation this price tier delivers exceptional value across multiple gaming categories.

Discover the $300 handheld gaming sweet spot with premium performance and retro emulation up to Nintendo Switch for gaming flexibility at great value

Best Gaming Handhelds Under $300

Relive the golden age of 8- and 16-bit gaming with these ten retro handhelds. Each pick balances authentic controls, crisp modern screens, robust community firmware and batteries that last a whole nostalgia-hit commute. Whether you grew up with Game Boy or Neo Geo Pocket, you’ll find a high-quality throwback that still feels great in 2025.

Compare specs, screen quality and battery life on the 10 highest-rated retro handheld consoles you can still buy in 2025.

Best Retro Handheld Consoles 2025

Top 10 Retro Handheld Gaming Consoles (2025)

Need desktop-class frame-rates in your backpack? We’ve rounded up the fastest x86 portable PCs, from SteamOS handhelds to Windows portable gaming machines. Per device you can check out the specs and performance, with the focus on emulating retro gaming systems.

See the top portable PC-class handhelds for AAA gaming away from your desk.

Best Portable Gaming PCs 2025

Best Portable PCs for Gaming on the Go

Looking for flawless 240 × 160 action? Every device here runs GBA titles at full speed with zero frame-drops—often at 3× native resolution. We have an array of very different devices with each one their different strength and weaknesses. From pockatable GBA handhelds, to big-screen systems.

Discover pocket systems that run Game Boy Advance ROMs flawlessly.

Best Handhelds for GBA Emulation

10 Best GBA-Emulator Handhelds to Relive Game Boy Advance Classics

If you love the Switch concept but want more flexibility in terms of gaming, then these ten handhelds deliver better graphics for retro gaming, custom launchers and ergonomic grips—without Nintendo’s pricing or drift issues. Dock them via USB-C for couch co-op or enjoy gaming yourself.

Find the best non-Nintendo handhelds that match or beat the Switch for performance, comfort and price.

Best Nintendo Switch Alternatives 2025

10 Best Nintendo Switch Alternatives for Portable Fun

OLED panels make sprites pop and HDR cut-scenes sing. We have ranked and listed different kinds of retro and pc gaming handhelds, so you can decide which one is your favorite. They all have a strength: each offers infinite black levels for much better contrast.

Our picks for handhelds with vivid OLED panels.

Best OLED Screen Handhelds 2025

Top 10 OLED Handhelds with Stunning Mobile Displays

Emulators are only as good as the hardware driving them. Our picks chew through everything from NES to Wii thanks to big-little CPUs, Vulkan-ready GPUs and good cooling. Each unit ships with enough RAM and storage to house an entire retro library and a front-end like ArkOS or Knulli.

Ten handhelds that can emulate everything from NES to Wii.

Best Multi-System Emulation Handhelds

10 Best Emulation Handhelds with Support for Many Gaming Systems

Dreaming of Shadow of the Colossus on the subway? Each handheld here hits or exceeds 30 fps, with precise analog triggers and enough cooling to survive long boss fights. Want to play any retro system below PS2? That is possible and most devices will have the ability to easily add games from other generations of gaming.

Portable handheld systems that play PlayStation 2 titles.

Best PS2 Emulation Handhelds 2025

10 Best Handhelds for PS2 Emulation (2025)

Retroid Pocket 4 Pro Retro Handheld Game Video Player Console 4.7 Inch Screen 8G+128G Android 13 Bluetooth 512G PSP PS2 3DS Gift

Retroid Pocket 4/4Pro Retro Game Handheld Console, Android Retro Game Console Multiple Emulators Console Handheld 4.7 Inch Display 5000mAh Battery Classic Games Console (RP4 Pro, 16Bit, D1100)

SNES

Modern

Switch

Wii U

Sega Saturn

Pocket 4 Pro

Android 13

MangMi Air X Android Game Console 5.5Inch 1080P IPS Touch Screen 5000mAh Hall-Effect Joystick Trigger Handheld Game Consoles 2

Air X

Android 14

Zero 40 Retro Handheld Game Players Consoles 4.0 Inch IPS Touch Screen Portable Video Game Android System MagicX Mini Zero Gift

Zero 40

Android 10

ANBERNIC RG556 Handheld Game Console 5.48 Inch AMOLED Screen 1080*1920 Android 13 RAM8G+128G PS2Game 5G WIFI 512G 80000Games

RG556

Retroid Pocket Classic Vertical Android Handheld Game Players with G1 Gen2 Chip 3.92" OLED 1080P Active Fan Cooling  500 Nits

Retroid Pocket Classic Retro Handheld Game Console, 3.92" OLED Touchscreen, Portable Android Gaming Handheld with 6+128GB, 5000mah Battery, Android 14, WiFi 5 Classic Games Console (PKM Yellow)

Pocket Classic

ANBERNIC RG557 Handheld Game Console Dimensity 8300 5.48 inch AMOLED RGB Lighting Retro Video Player Support FOTA WIFI Streaming

RG557 Retro Handheld Game Android 14,rg 557 Handheld Game with 5.48 inch Touch OLED Screen,RG557 Supports DP and WiFi Bluetooth has Hall Rocker Battery 5500mAh

RG557

Pocket 4

ANBERNIC RG406V Retro Handheld Game Video Player Console 4-inch IPS screen Android 13 Bluetooth WIFI 8G+128G 512G PSP PS2 Gift

GammaOS

RG406V

ANBERNIC RG406H RG 406H Retro Handheld Game Console Video Game Consoles Android 13 Christmas Gifts 8G+128G PSP PS2 512G Games

RG406H

MIYOO Mini V4 Portable Retro Handheld Game Console 2.8"Inch IPS Screen Small Video Game Consoles Classic Gaming Emulator Players

Miyoo Miyoo Mini V4 Retro Game Console, Portable Handheld Game Console with Storage Case 2.8''HD Screen 2004mah Battery

OnionOS

Mini v4

Linux

Retroid

Compare specs for Retroid Pocket 4 Pro. Pros: Strong Performance, Hall Effect Sticks, Affordable Price. Cons: Short Battery Life, Average Screen, Bland Audio.

Retroid Pocket 4 Pro

Online Retailers

MANGMI

Compare specs for MANGMI Air X. Pros: Great value, 1080p display, Hall-effect controls. Cons: No video out, Slow charging, Plastic build.

MANGMI Air X

MagicX

Compare specs for MagicX Zero 40. Pros: Budget price, Vertical screen, Hall effect joystick. Cons: Low performance and bad system support, Single stick controls, Has no video out.

MagicX Zero 40

Anbernic

Compare specs for Anbernic RG556. Pros: Vibrant AMOLED Screen, Great Performance, Hall Effect Controls. Cons: Limited Battery, Android Clutter, Slightly Bulky.

Anbernic RG556

Compare specs for Retroid Pocket Classic. Pros: Retro vertical shell, Bright 3.5-inch screen, Optional 6-button layout, Budget price. Cons: Entry-level power, Only 4GB RAM, Mono speaker, Small shoulder buttons.

Retroid Pocket Classic

Compare specs for Anbernic RG557. Pros: Beautiful AMOLED screen, Great build quality, Hall effect sticks. Cons: No video out, Middling battery life.

Anbernic RG557

Amazon & AliExpress

Compare specs for Retroid Pocket 4. Pros: Budget Friendly, Wi-Fi 6 Support, Hall Effect Sticks. Cons: Lower Performance, Android 11, Limited Battery Life.

Retroid Pocket 4

Compare specs for Anbernic RG406V. Pros: Nice looking vertical SNES-style shell, Unisoc T820 for Dreamcast/PS2, Nice 960x720 touch screen, Big 5k mAh battery. Cons: Awkward for twin-stick games, Android setup time needed, Heavier, Modest speakers.

Anbernic RG406V

Compare specs for Anbernic RG406H. Pros: Horizontal layout makes is slightly more compact, Dual hall sticks, 4-inch touch screen, Android 13 and Playstore. Cons: Larger than something like Switch Lite, Battery-life is on the lower side, Glossy shell,...

Anbernic RG406H

Miyoo

Compare specs for Miyoo Mini v4. Pros: Pocket-size and light, Crisp 2.8-inch screen, Great starter handheld, Good battery. Cons: Tiny screen, Small buttons, No built-in Wi-Fi, Struggles with PS1.