At a glance
1. Best overall
2. Best value
3. Best budget
4. Best vertical
5. Best cloud gaming
6. Best premium
7. Best on-the-go gaming
8. Best flip design
9. Best for retro games
How to choose
It's no secret that mobile gaming has exploded, and in many ways, surpassed "traditional" gaming. Being able to take out your phone and play your favorite mobile games while you're waiting in line offers an unparalleled level of convenience. However, the market started to see a bit of a shift following the release of the Steam Deck.
At a glance
Best overall
When you look at everything that the AYN Odin 2 Portal has to offer, and what it's capable of, you'll quickly understand why it's currently our favorite Android handheld, but the Odin 3 is coming.
Best value
Retroid knows how to make a solid Android handheld, even if it's running custom software. But the Pocket G2 offers incredible value compared to much of the competition.
Best budget
MagicX isn't a household name, but if you're looking for a compact and portable handheld on a budget, the Mini Zero 28 should be your first stop.
Best vertical
If you're looking for just the right amount of nostalgia, while playing much more than just Game Boy games, then you won't be disappointed with AYANEO's Pocket DMG.
Best for cloud gaming
MANGMI is one of the newest companies to enter the Android gaming handheld scene, and it hopes to make a splash with the Air X. This is a sub-$100 handheld that is more capable than you might think, but is fantastic for cloud gaming.
Best premium handheld
AYANEO may not have the greatest track record when it comes to being timely with shipping. However, there's little denying that it makes some of the most premium handhelds on the market, like the high-end Pocket S2.
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Best for gaming on the go
If you miss the days of carrying around a Game Boy in your pocket, you'll want to check out the XU20 V32 from XU Retro. It doesn't pack a big punch in performance, but with a device this small, does it really need to?
Best flip design
Unfortunately, gaming handhelds styled like the Nintendo DS lineup are few and far between. Thankfully, the AYN Thor picks up the slack, bringing with it enough power to play 3DS, Switch, and even Windows games.
Best for retro games
Anbernic's RG476H is equipped with a 4.7-inch LTPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate and, more importantly, a 4:3 aspect ratio. This makes it perfect for playing many of your favorite classic retro games without dealing with stretched pixels or black bars.
Best overall
This one is kind of tough, considering that the Odin 3 and KONKR Pocket FIT are both slated to arrive by the end of the year. However, until those Snapdragon 8 Elite handhelds actually begin shipping, we have to give the nod of best Android gaming handheld overall to the AYN Odin 2 Portal.
It mostly features the same spec-sheet as the original Odin 2, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 at the helm, along with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of expandable storage. However, there's one key factor as to why the Portal is now our top pick: display and design.
After experimenting with Mini LED on the Odin 2 Mini, AYN finally made the leap to AMOLED with the Odin 2 Portal. It sports a beautiful 7-inch panel, complete with a 120Hz refresh rate, making it an inch larger with a refresh rate that's twice as fast as the original Odin 2.
Best value
At the time of this writing, this is one of a few handhelds on this list that were just recently released. But in reality, the Retroid Pocket G2 is practically indistinguishable from the Retroid Pocket 5 that was released in 2024. In fact, the only real difference in terms of the design is that the Pocket G2 now comes in two new colors, Yellow and Turquoise.
This also means that Retroid's latest handheld features a 5.5-inch AMOLED display, along with a 5,000mAh battery, and Android 15 onboard. In terms of power, this marks the first device to be released with the all-new Qualcomm Snapdragon G2 Gen 2. This chip was introduced at GDC 2025, along with Retroid being confirmed as a partner for Qualcomm's latest gaming chips.
From there, we have 8GB of RAM, 128GB of expandable storage, and compatibility with Retroid Pocket 5 accessories. The real kicker of it all is that the Pocket G2 retails for $219, but could be had for under $200 for the first two weeks following its launch. That's just an insane value, and nothing else really comes close.
Best budget
You might not think that you would be able to get an Android gaming handheld for under $50, and while that used to be the case, it's no longer an issue. There's been an influx of such devices, with the MagicX Mini Zero 28 being one of the first.
Given its price, it shouldn't be a surprise that this isn't really going to be much more than a stocking stuffer. But that's also kind of the appeal with a handheld that sports a 2.8-inch display, while still featuring dual Hall Effect joysticks. Emulation performance is going to top out around the N64, and you might be able to squeeze a bit more out of it, but temper your expectations.
The biggest potential annoyance is going to be that the Mini Zero 28 lacks a touchscreen display. So instead, you're left to navigate the interface using the built-in controls. Thankfully, MagicX baked in a few features to make this easier, such as easily enabling "Mouse Mode."
Best vertical handheld
There are so many Game Boy clones out there that it's enough to make your head spin. But if you want the absolute best that money can buy, it doesn't get any better than the AYANEO Pocket DMG.
It's powered by the Snapdragon G3x Gen 2, which is the same chip found in the upcoming AYANEO Pocket DS, in addition to a few other handhelds. With that, you're able to enjoy Switch emulation, and if you're feeling particularly froggy, you can even get Winlator up and running.
However, given that the Pocket DMG is adorned with a 3.92-inch OLED panel, I suspect you won't actually try to play Windows games on this handheld. AYANEO also made the surprising choice to include one joystick paired with a touchpad that doubles as the right stick. Even still, this is one of the coolest handhelds that I've ever owned or used.
Best cloud gaming
The Android gaming handheld space just got a tiny bit more crowded, as MANGMI recently entered the fray. MANGMI is partially comprised of former AYANEO employees, and the inspiration is immediately evident with the Air X.
This handheld isn't going to win any awards for performance, as it's making use of the Snapdragon 662, a chip that was announced in 2020. However, that was never the intention with the Air X, as it's just meant to be a reliable and comfortable handheld to play Android games and a few retro games.
While my pre-order is finally on the way, it seems there's another benefit to the Air X, and that's with cloud streaming. Not just with Xbox Cloud Gaming or NVIDIA GeForce Now, but it's also said to be quite good at streaming games directly from your PC using Artemis/Moonlight.
Oh, and did I mention that it costs less than $100?
Best premium handheld
If there's one thing that AYANEO has become really good at, it's releasing some of the most premium-feeling gaming handhelds. That doesn't just go for the Windows side of things, such as the AYANEO 3 with its interchangeable controller modules.
Just take one look at the Pocket S2, and you'll understand why AYANEO garners the praise. Admittedly, it's just an iterative design over the original Pocket S, but that's actually a good thing. For one, AYANEO solved my biggest complaint, as the handheld is much more comfortable to hold for longer playing sessions.
The company also did something I wasn't expecting, as there are actually two versions of the Pocket S2, with the S2 Pro also being available. While there's no difference in the chip, with both handhelds using the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3, the Pocket S2 Pro has a few other benefits. Notably, we have a 10,000mAh battery (vs. 8,000mAh), in addition to either 12GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage.
If there's one thing that I wish AYANEO could've done differently is to have opted for an OLED display. Or at the very least, stick with the IPS screen, but give us one with a refresh rate faster than 60Hz.
Best on-the-go gaming
Our previous pick for this category was the Razer Edge, and while it's still floating around, it's not really worth the price. So I went back to the drawing board and came up with a handheld that is fantastic for throwing in your pocket before you leave the house.
XU Retro is kind of like a sub-brand of MagicX, and released its first device in 2025 with the XU Retro XU20 V32. It shares most of the same specs as the aforementioned Mini Zero 28, but is a vertical handheld that ditches the joysticks and has a bigger screen.
Not only that, but the 3.2-inch screen being used here is a much higher resolution, coming in at 1024 x 768, versus the 640 x 480 resolution of the Zero 28. XU Retro even tossed in a slightly larger battery, but given the improved display, battery life is still pretty even.
Best flip design
If you had told me that 2025 would be the year of the clamshell, I would've probably laughed and told you that you were crazy. Yet, here we are, and we have so many options to choose from. The most recent of which, to actually be released, is the AYN Thor.
Under the hood, it's powered by basically the same specs as the Odin 2 Portal, but with the benefit of being a clamshell with a second display. As such, you don't have to worry about making sure the buttons are mapped properly to switch between the screens as you would on single-screen handhelds while playing your favorite 3DS games.
Although Android isn't exactly the greatest when it comes to handling dual-screens, just ask Microsoft, things seem to be working pretty good so far. Even more importantly, AYN is receptive to feedback and has already implemented a few key changes to improve the experience, despite only recently being released.
Best for retro games
Last but not least is another recently-released handheld, and it's probably the one that retro game enthusiasts might flock to. The Anbernic RG476H might not look all that special or fancy, but the magic is in the screen.
No, we don't have another handheld with an OLED panel, as the RG476H features a 4.7-inch LTPS display. It's equipped with a fast 120Hz refresh rate to go along with 1280 x 960 resolution. That's particularly important for enthusiasts as it has a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is what many of our childhood consoles offered.
With that, you can "upscale" the resolution of that old NES, N64, or PS2 game so that it perfectly fits the screen of the RG476H. While technically you can do this with practically any retro game, you'll likely end up with either stretched pixels or black bars along the top or the bottom. But not with the RG476H.
How to choose
The gaming handheld market isn't slowing down any time soon, as there are even more options to consider on the horizon. Currently, the Odin 2 Portal from AYN is hands-down the best Android gaming handheld. It's powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, can be configured with up to 16GB of RAM, and is just a joy to use.
What if you're looking for a gaming handheld that you can just toss in a bag or a pocket without breaking the bank? The MagicX Mini Zero 28 is a pretty darn good option, with its 2.8-inch screen, dual Hall Effect joysticks, and sub-$70 price tag.
If you want something more akin to a high-end smartphone, the Ayaneo Pocket S2 is one to check out. With its gorgeous 1440p display and great-looking design, the Pocket S2 will make those retro games really pop, and it's easy to take with you on the go. Just watch out for that price tag.
