If there was any interval the place avid gamers may very well be spoilt for alternative with gaming {hardware}, it is wanting like 2025 may very well be it. And that is as a result of CES 2025 included reveals and previews of PC gaming {hardware} with Nvidia‘s new RTX 5000 collection GPU lineup stealing the highlight. Nevertheless, I might argue that handheld gaming PCs have been the largest spotlight of the occasion.
It is plain that Valve sparked new life into the hand held gaming scene when it launched the Steam Deck in 2022, with competitors rising quickly annually – we have seen mid-generation upgrades from Asus with the ROG Ally and Valve’s Steam Deck with an OLED variant.
Whereas we await information on successors to the Asus ROG Ally X and Steam Deck OLED, the bulletins from the likes of Lenovo, MSI, and Acer have been sufficient to go away me very excited for handheld gaming PCs this yr. So, this is my decide of the perfect handheld gaming PCs at CES 2025.
1. MSI Claw 8 AI+
Whereas this was technically introduced final December, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ had a major presence at CES 2025 – and rightly so, as a result of from what I’ve seen to date, that is shaping as much as be certainly one of (if not the) greatest handheld gaming PC of latest instances.
MSI’s first try with the Claw A1M used Intel‘s Core Extremely 7 155H processor, which wasn’t obtained effectively. This time round, MSI is utilizing the extra environment friendly Intel Core Extremely 7 258V (which makes use of the Intel Arc 140V built-in GPU), offering each stronger battery life and efficiency in video games primarily based on MSI’s claims at 17W and a number of previews.
ETAPrime showcased the Claw AI 8+ operating CD Projekt Crimson’s graphically demanding Cyberpunk 2077 with the ray tracing extremely preset enabled utilizing Intel’s XeSS upscaling methodology – and the body charge remained round 40fps constantly.
It is accessible for pre-order on MSI’s storefront within the US for $899.99, whereas there may be sadly no information on UK and Australia availability or pricing.
2. Lenovo Legion Go S
The unique Lenovo Legion Go is one other instance of a brand new handheld gaming PC not fairly getting it proper the primary time. It initially boasted a 1600p show and used AMD‘s Ryzen Z1 Excessive processor. Whereas that {hardware} is definitely highly effective (the Z1 Excessive can be used within the Asus ROG Ally), it wasn’t sufficient to deal with the 2560×1600 decision, forcing avid gamers to knock the decision down in-game.
In comes the Lenovo Legion Go S, which is a mid-generation improve, and it now makes use of a 1920×1200 120Hz VRR 8-inch show, plus 32GB of RAM. It’s going to have a number of configurations, permitting you to decide on between SteamOS or Home windows 11 – and it comes with both the Ryzen Z2 Go or Z1 Excessive chip.
Whereas the decrease show decision and display measurement would possibly appear to be a destructive, it should serve gamers effectively with each processors probably able to dealing with the 1200p decision with relative ease.
The Home windows 11 Z2 Go fashions (16GB or 32GB) are actually accessible for pre-order at Greatest Purchase beginning at $729.99 delivery this month, with the SteamOS fashions launching in Might. In the meantime, the Legion Go 2 is slated to launch someday this yr utilizing the brand new Z2 Excessive, but it surely’s nonetheless only a prototype for now.
3. Acer Nitro Blaze 8
I might like to have put the Acer Nitro Blaze 11 right here, as I feel it is going to be the larger hit for Acer, but it surely’s simply manner too huge for a handheld gaming PC. It is also priced at $1,099 which is absurd for a handheld gaming PC. Fortuitously, the choice to that is the Acer Nitro Blaze 8, which can nonetheless find yourself having the identical efficiency points as the unique Lenovo Legion Go resulting from its bold (for a handheld) 1600p show, but it surely’s much more transportable and comfy to carry.
Utilizing the identical specs as its bigger counterpart, it should make the most of AMD’s Ryzen 7 8840HS processor which has the identical Radeon 780M iGPU seen within the Z1 Excessive, an 8.8-inch 144Hz show, and 16GB of RAM. This seems to be Acer’s try to meet up with present handhelds, however it could lose out to the likes of the Legion Go S and MSI Claw 8 AI+ with their more moderen parts.
Both manner, that is set to be a formidable handheld possibility for avid gamers, accessible in Q2 this yr beginning at $899, within the midst of what appears like a terrific yr for all handheld PC fans.
