Key Takeaways
- PC gaming handhelds offer superior performance and display quality, but feature larger footprints and higher price tags as a result.
- You can use a PC gaming handheld more flexibly, since they have more upgrade options and versatility than Android handhelds.
- Android gaming handhelds excel in ease of use, portability, battery life, and emulation capabilities.
If you want to play games on the go, you have a few options. Of course, there are the mainstream choices, like the Nintendo Switch or smartphone gaming with a mobile controller. Then you have PC gaming handhelds, like the Steam Deck or Asus ROG Ally, which offer unmatched performance and flexibility in the handheld form factor. However, most people have forgotten about Android gaming handhelds. They won’t impress you on the spec sheet, and some might think they are obsolete in an era where smartphones are more powerful than ever and PC gaming handhelds are flourishing. When comparing the actual gaming experience, though, PC and Android gaming handhelds are more similar than you might think.
I’ve used an ROG Ally for months and the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro for about two weeks, and both get the job done as a gaming handheld. Somehow, two devices that are so different manage to meet the same need extremely well. People who want a gaming handheld shouldn’t automatically default to one of the best PC gaming handhelds or a console. Android handhelds deserve a fair shot, too. After using a PC gaming handheld and an Android gaming handheld for hours of gameplay, here’s what I learned about how the two device types stack up against each other.
Why PC gaming handheld is better
They have more powerful components and beautiful displays!
When it comes down to performance, PC gaming handhelds are the easy winners. These devices are called PC gaming handhelds because they are essentially gaming laptops crammed into the handheld form factor. They either run Windows, such as the ROG Ally or the Lenovo Legion Go, or Linux, like the Steam Deck. But for all intents and purposes, these handhelds are PCs. The most powerful gaming handheld on the market from a mainstream OEM is the ROG Ally, which uses AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor. This makes the ROG Ally perform superior to other PC gaming handhelds — even other Z1 Extreme handhelds — and means that it absolutely crushes Android gaming handhelds.
However, this doesn’t ensure that a PC gaming handheld will be the better performance pick in every situation. Having laptop-class hardware and desktop-class operating systems brings along a few consequences, like thermal constraints and poor battery life. For people who need to run AAA games on-device, a PC gaming handheld is surely the way to go. Others with lighter performance demands or cloud gaming users might find that an Android handheld better suits their needs.
There is more room for upgrades down the road on a PC handheld
Another benefit to PC gaming handhelds is their upgradeability. The minimum and recommended requirements for gaming are always increasing as new titles come out that push performance boundaries. A well-documented trend in gaming is the increasing file sizes of games, which will inevitably increase in perpetuity. While most PC gaming handhelds come with non-upgradeable processors, GPUs, and memory, there is still room for upgrades. An easy option is an SSD upgrade, since it is a cost-effective way to expand your storage — and thus fit more games on your handheld.
There are more fun ones, too, such as display upgrades and transparent backplate mods. If you like tinkering with your devices’ hardware, get a PC gaming handheld. There are virtually zero ways to upgrade an Android handheld after you’ve bought one, aside from installing a microSD card for extra storage.
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If you picked up a shiny new Asus ROG Ally and you want to install a new SSD in it, it’s a lot easier than you think.
PC gaming handhelds are more versatile, and can do more than just game
As mentioned earlier, PC gaming handhelds are more versatile when you want to use them for more than just handheld gaming. They can be easily connected to an external monitor and a set of peripherals for more immersive and precise gaming. Since PC gaming handhelds have internals capable of higher performance, they’ll fare better when connected to an external monitor or TV than an Android gaming handheld might. I’ve even gone as far as to use my ROG Ally as a productivity device, as a proof-of-concept. It just goes to show how flexible these devices can be when you decide to look beyond their default form factor.
I used a PC gaming handheld on the go, and I didn’t miss my laptop
Compared to other options, like a tablet or folding phone, a gaming handheld is better than you might expect — and you might not need a laptop.
Why an Android gaming handheld is better
Android handhelds are easier to use and are great for emulation
The most commonly-cited problem with PC gaming handhelds is that their software is lacking. Linux-based systems suffer from game compatibility issues, while Windows-powered devices are difficult to use due to the operating system’s poor optimization for the touchscreen. By comparison, Android handhelds will be familiar to just about anyone. It’s basically an Android phone or tablet in a different form factor and with a controller attached, so average users will know how to get started. All told, it took me well under five minutes to get my Retroid Pocket 4 Pro up and running for the first time, and I can’t say the same about my ROG Ally.
Android is also a great operating system for emulation. There are plenty of apps — like Dolphin Emulator, for example — that work right out of the box on an Android gaming handheld. In fact, you can install a handful of emulators on the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro during the initial setup process by just tapping a checkbox. That’s not to say that you can’t emulate games on a PC gaming handheld, because you definitely can. But for most retro games, a PC gaming handheld is a bit overkill and may be a hassle for emulation.
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If you want to emulate on the go using a PC gaming handheld, then EmuDeck is by far the best way.
They’re much more compact, offering greater portability and battery life
My favorite parts of taking an Android gaming handheld for a spin were easily the form factor and battery life. I’m lucky to get an hour or two of battery life on my ROG Ally while playing games because of the device’s power-hungry components. The Retroid Pocket 4 Pro, like most Android handhelds, fares much better in this regard. There are low power mode options to enable if you want to prolong battery life, and you can easily get double the gameplay time on an Android handheld compared to a PC gaming handheld. This is while playing the same caliber of games, as long as you’re willing to use a cloud gaming service.
It’s also tricky to truly grasp the size difference between these kinds of gaming devices until you have them next to each other. You can probably fit about three Retroid Pocket 4 Pro handhelds in the same footprint as the ROG Ally. The former is pocketable, while the latter requires a carrying case. I much prefer the lighter and thinner feel in the hand of Android gaming handhelds, for what it’s worth. However, some games can be tough to play on the small screen, which is an advantage that goes to larger PC gaming handhelds.
Android handhelds can play AAA titles via cloud gaming services
If you have a good Wi-Fi connection, it’s important to keep in mind that cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce Now are a real option on Android gaming handhelds. I played Fortnitea competitive multiplayer game heavily dependent on input lag and latency, on the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro using Xbox Cloud Gaming. It worked flawlessly, and my internet isn’t even that great. I average about 300Mbps speeds on my home Wi-Fi network, which is far from the best of what can be had today. Game streaming is a sneaky use case for an Android gaming handheld. You get supreme portability and battery life, but also get to play the same caliber of games as a PC gaming handheld. It’s like the best of both worlds.
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Which one should you buy?
It all depends on what you want to use a gaming handheld for
For most people, I’d say that a PC gaming handheld is the premier way to play high-quality games on the go. With that being said, the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro impressed me in ways that I didn’t expect. The tiny form factor and superb battery life are massive benefits not to be understated, and it costs as much as $500 less than a PC gaming handheld. If you happen to use cloud gaming services and have good Wi-Fi, an Android gaming handheld can actually play many of the same AAA titles as a PC gaming handheld can, at playable frame rates. These are just a few reasons why an Android gaming handheld is worth a look before you go out and buy a PC gaming handheld or console. There are benefits to both kinds of handhelds, but you’ll miss the appeal of an Android handheld if you aren’t looking for it.