The portable console is an integral part of the video game world. Since the 1970s, electronic games have moved away from the living room to become portable, but the real turning point came in the late 1980s and early 1990s. With the Game Boy, Nintendo definitively popularized this type of console and several manufacturers have since tried their luck (Game Gear, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PSP, PlayStation Vita). The arrival of the Nintendo Switch marked the market's entry into the era of hybrid consoles, while the Switch Lite remains entirely portable.
For several months, the trend has been moving towards portable PC consoles. As the battle intensifies, we have selected five different machines to offer, or to treat yourself.
The best portable PC console
Unveiled at the beginning of the month, the new version of the Steam Deck with an OLED screen is worth a look. After making a splash with the Steam Deck, Valve is back to everyone's surprise with an update to its console-sized gaming PC. With no Steam Deck 2 on the horizon, this model follows the main lines of the previous model while bringing several improvements. The most notable is obviously the appearance of an OLED screen rather than LCD. An expected evolution for the Steam Deck which does not change its design, but benefits from a slightly larger screen than before of 7.4 inches.
With an improved screen, better battery life, less noise and faster downloads, the Steam Deck OLED becomes the best portable gaming PC on the market. The other advantage of Valve's machine is its software environment, with the presence of SteamOS.
The interface is perfectly adapted and remains customizable, enough to make the user experience pleasant. In return, the Steam Deck is logically adapted to players on Steam.
The Steam Deck OLED is available from 569 euros on the manufacturer's website.
The best cheap portable PC console
As a matter of course, the Steam Deck stands out in this category. Now called the Steam Deck LCD, in reference to the technology by its screen, it does not benefit from all the new features brought by Valve on the OLED variant. Regardless, the Steam Deck LCD remains a competitor and has the advantage of being more affordable than its big brother.
An argument that can obviously make the difference if you decide to opt for the Steam environment, but your budget is a little more limited. Note that there are also reconditioned versions certified by Valve.
The Steam Deck LCD is available from 369 euros on the manufacturer's website.
The best portable PC console under Windows
Passed by our editorial staff at the beginning of the month, the Lenovo Legion Go beats the ASUS Rog Ally to the post. The last major player in this segment, Lenovo's PC console impresses technically with its PC console. Massive (854 g with controllers) and imposing (299 x 131 x 41 mm), it imposes itself and this is confirmed by the choice of components. Equipped with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU, 16 GB of RAM (7500 Hz LPDDR5x) and 512 GB to 1 TB of storage (PCIe Gen4 NVME M.2), the Legion Go impresses technically.
The manufacturer does not stop there and adds an 8.8-inch IPS screen displaying in QHD+. The other particularity of this machine is to offer TrueStrike controllers "à la Nintendo Switch". A relevant choice that brings a certain versatility to a product running under Windows. The presence of Microsoft's OS is both an asset allowing most games to run on PC, but also a weakness. Windows is not (yet) really adapted and manufacturers still have work to do before offering a sufficiently complete interface.
The Lenovo Legion Go is available from 799 euros on the manufacturer's website.
The best portable console
At almost seven years old, the Nintendo Switch remains the best portable console on the market. Nintendo's console has inevitably inspired the new portable PC consoles in terms of format, but the similarity ends there. Valve, Lenovo and Asus machines are PCs in portable console bodies, the Switch is a real console.
The OLED model is not only portable and retains the hybrid aspect that made the success of the original console. More than ever essential and still popular, it can count on strong licenses and a great game library that will appeal to young and old alike. Far from the performance of PC consoles, the Nintendo Switch is designed to be easily transportable and focuses on simplicity.
The OLED model takes the advantage of better contrast and more vivid colors. An element that makes the difference for playing essential exclusives in portable mode, such as Zelda or Mario. This version also brings some advantages, such as the more solid rear stand, the ability to connect via an Ethernet cable and double the internal storage space.
If you are on a tight budget or mainly use the console in living room mode, consider the classic Nintendo Switch.
The best cheap portable console
Unlike the Nintendo Switch and the Switch OLED, the Switch Lite loses the charm of the hybrid to be only portable. A "real" portable console therefore that it will not be possible to dock or connect to a television. It is also impossible to detach the famous Joy-Con.
Dedicated to portable gaming, it also loses some features that require the functions of the Joy-Con (HD vibrations, infrared camera, movements, etc.). The Lite version is compatible with all Nintendo games and software available in portable mode. These restrictions make the Switch Lite the least expensive of the Switch consoles and of our comparison, with a price around 200 euros. It is also the most colorful: blue, coral, yellow, gray or turquoise.
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