PC Gamer's Hardware Awards have named the best gaming handheld of 2025, with three finalists set to be crowned on New Year’s Eve. The year proved unusual for portable gaming: AMD unveiled the Strix Halo chip at CES, but its power hunger and heat kept it from fitting into current devices. The Z Extreme family persisted, with the Z1 Extreme delivering solid mid-range performance and the Z2 Extreme powering the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X in a surprisingly capable package. Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V showed strong performance in MSI’s Claw 8 AI+, underscoring that silicon alone does not define handheld quality. Valve did not roll out new hardware this year, but SteamOS-enabled devices arrived in more form factors, expanding Windows-less options for makers and players. Lenovo’s Legion Go S demonstrated what SteamOS-based hardware can look like on the older Z1 Extreme, while Ayaneo’s Strix Point Ayaneo 3 offered a modular control system that drew attention, if not universal praise. Nintendo’s Switch 2 introduced a DLSS-style technology to narrow the gap, reminding the market that software optimization still matters even when hardware gets faster.
Against that backdrop, PC Gamer has narrowed the field to three nominees that illustrate 2025’s opportunities and constraints. The trio spans premium performance, mid-range value, and inventive design. One device leans into top-tier silicon and aggressive cooling to push handheld performance to new heights; another emphasizes efficiency and price without sacrificing core capabilities; the third experiments with form and controls to rethink how a handheld should feel. In the hardware that defined the year, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X runs on the Z2 Extreme, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ relies on the Core Ultra 7 258V, and Lenovo’s Legion Go S showcases what SteamOS-based hardware can achieve with the older Z1 Extreme. Ayaneo’s Strix Point Ayaneo 3 introduces a modular control approach that sparked healthy debate among enthusiasts. The year’s software optimization punch comes from Nintendo’s Switch 2, which embeds DLSS-like tech to keep a non-PC handheld relevant in a more demanding library. The three nominees will be decided on New Year’s Eve.
Chasing heat, battery life, and ergonomics dominates the field. AMD’s Strix Halo, unveiled at CES, demonstrated raw capability but immediately highlighted the limits of cooling and power on portable form factors. In contrast, the Z2 Extreme in the Ally X finds a more balanced path, trading some peak throughput for lower thermal load and longer runtimes. The Core Ultra 7 258V, seen in MSI’s Claw 8 AI+, shows that a well-turned mobile processor can sustain competitive framerates in handheld form when paired with thoughtful system design. Valve’s hardware cadence remained quiet, but the ongoing expansion of SteamOS devices shows that PC-gaming libraries can travel beyond Windows. Lenovo’s Legion Go S, still anchored by the older Z1 Extreme, proves that SteamOS devices can slot into existing ecosystems without forcing a custom OS. Ayaneo’s Strix Point Ayaneo 3 embodies the desire to mix modular controls with a portable chassis, a direction many designers are watching closely. And Nintendo’s Switch 2, by integrating DLSS-like improvements, continues to shape the risk-reward calculus for handheld developers and players alike.
PC Gamer notes that the three nominees represent distinct segments of the market: true top-end, mid-range value, and hardware that experiments with input and form. The emphasis on power efficiency and thermal management is the through line across 2025’s best handhelds, as designers seek longer battery life without sacrificing playability. The absence of Valve hardware updates kept the focus on alternative Windows-less platforms, while SteamOS devices expanded the options for makers who want to ship compact PCs without Windows licensing overhead. The Switch 2 remains a unique case study in software-first handhelds, where DLSS-like tech can deliver punch without demanding desktop-grade GPUs. The awards program will reveal the winner on New Year’s Eve, closing out a year that tested the limits and opportunities of portable gaming.
Looking ahead, the year-ending awards emphasize that handhelds are not just about raw speed but about how they feel in hand, how long they last on a charge, and how much they can do without leaning on desktop-class GPUs. The three nominees aim to balance those attributes across price points: the premium-class design (ROG Ally X), mid-range practicality (Legion Go S), and a modular approach (Ayaneo Strix Point Ayaneo 3). The consumer market remains hungry for both compact form and library breadth, as Nintendo's Switch 2 demonstrates with its DLSS integration bridging the gap between portability and performance. The final results will be revealed on New Year’s Eve as the PC Gamer team tallies votes.
As the year draws to a close, industry observers will be watching how the three nominees balance power, efficiency, and form. The landscape suggests that hardware decisions increasingly hinge on smarter software, better thermal design, and pragmatic battery life as much as on peak frame rates. Nintendo’s Switch 2 remains a reminder that the living room-plus-pocket market is no longer a simple race to the fastest chip; it is a continuous negotiation between software ecosystems, battery endurance, and clever on-device features. The three nominees will be crowned on New Year’s Eve, and PC Gamer will continue covering how portable gaming evolves in 2026.
