As a PC gamer priced out of gaming laptops and PCs, these are the must-have PC gaming handhelds to get this Christmas

As a PC gamer for over 30 years, I know our hobby can get pretty pricey, and with RAM prices increasing, having a knock-on effect on the cost of the best gaming laptops and gaming PCs, it could get even more expensive. That’s why I’m dropping the advice I’ve been giving for decades and advising people not to buy a gaming laptop or PC at the moment, but instead go for a handheld gaming PC.

Ever since I first got the Steam Deck, which arguably kicked off this new category of gaming device, I’ve fallen in love with gaming handheld PCs. They have a much more convenient and portable design that allows you to easily play your favorite PC games pretty much anywhere, and while they aren’t as powerful as high-end gaming rigs packed with cutting-edge GPUs, they can provide impressive performance in even demanding modern games.

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I’ve been a PC gamer since the early 1990s, and have owned and reviewed loads of gaming PCs, laptops and gaming handhelds. I’m currently playing Hades II on my Asus ROG Ally X.

Essential handheld gaming PCs

Matt is TechRadar’s Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there’s no aspect of technology that Matt isn’t passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. He’s personally reviewed and used most of the laptops in our best laptops guide – and since joining TechRadar in 2014, he’s reviewed over 250 laptops and computing accessories personally.