What is the best handheld gaming console of all time?

From the original Game Boy that launched a revolution to the Steam Deck's PC-powered portability, handheld gaming has produced some of the most beloved devices in tech history. Vote for the greatest handheld gaming console ever made.

1

Nintendo Game Boy

The 1989 original that launched mainstream portable gaming, selling 118 million units with a legendary four-AA-battery battery life.

2

Game Boy Advance

Nintendo's 2001 ARM-powered powerhouse with a landscape form and an incredible library of RPGs, platformers, and ports.

3

Nintendo DS

The dual-screen revolutionary handheld that sold 154 million units and introduced touch controls to mainstream gaming.

4

Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo's 2011 glasses-free 3D clamshell with a massive first-party library spanning Pokemon, Mario, and Zelda.

5

Nintendo Switch

The hybrid home-and-portable console that redefined the category, becoming Nintendo's best-selling system ever.

6

PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Sony's 2004 sleek widescreen powerhouse that brought console-quality graphics and media playback to portable gaming.

7

PlayStation Vita

Sony's underrated 2011 powerhouse with dual analog sticks and an OLED screen that built a devoted cult following.

8

Steam Deck

Valve's 2022 PC gaming handheld that runs the full Steam library, bringing desktop game performance to a portable form.

9

Game Boy Color

The 1998 vibrant color upgrade that bridged the original Game Boy and GBA eras with backward compatibility.

10

Sega Game Gear

Sega's 1990 backlit full-color rival to the Game Boy, offering a rich library at the cost of legendary battery drain.

11

Atari Lynx

The 1989 first color backlit handheld console, technically impressive for its era though hampered by battery life.

12

Neo Geo Pocket Color

SNK's underrated 1999 gem featuring a tactile clicky joystick and an excellent library centered on fighting games.

13

Nintendo Switch Lite

Nintendo's 2019 streamlined handheld-only Switch variant offering a lighter, cheaper dedicated portable experience.

14

TurboExpress

NEC's 1990 impressive portable that could play HuCards from the TurboGrafx-16 home console on the go.