5 greatest handheld consoles of all time

Handheld consoles have been popular in the gaming industry for the last two decades. These devices allow portable gaming and can be carried anywhere, provided users have the means to charge them.

This made things convenient for gamers, and thus, these devices exploded in popularity. However, handheld consoles are no longer at the center of the gaming industry as they used to be. This downfall can be credited to the rise of smartphones as they double up as great gaming consoles these days.

However, console manufacturers like Nintendo and other companies like Valve are still investing in portable gaming devices and have achieved success with their innovative consoles. Thus, the era of portable gaming is far from over.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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Valve Steam Deck, PlayStation Portable, and 3 other best handheld consoles the gaming industry has ever seen

1) Nintendo Switch OLED

The Nintendo Switch OLED (Image via Nintendo)

Nintendo, an industry veteran, recently introduced a refresher to their eighth-generation hybrid video game console. This update upgrades the LCD screen on the switch for a better OLED display. This heightens the gaming experience when users are playing on the Switch's in-built output panel.

Considering the falling popularity of video game consoles that were dedicated to portable gaming, Nintendo introduced a unique and innovative hybrid design in 2017. The Switch gets its name from its dual nature.

When plugged into a dock, it acts as a home video game console, and players can game with the Switch controller on their TVs. However, when the device is taken out of the dock, it transforms into a capable handheld video gaming console.

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2) Valve Steam Deck

The Valve Steam Deck (Image via Valve)

Valve is largely known as a video game publisher and owner of the extremely popular desktop video game store and client, Steam. However, the company recently ventured into the handheld video game console segment with Steam Deck.

The Steam Deck is an innovative piece of technology. It lets users play full-quality PC video games on a compact device that is a tad bigger than a normal smartphone.

Thus, users can enjoy full customization and unlocked framerates in games like Doom: Eternal and more, a feature unheard of in portable gaming consoles.

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3) Game boy Advance SP

The Game boy Advance SP (Image via Amazon)

The Game boy Advance SP dates back to the Gamecube days. However, it was one of the best-selling portable gaming devices of its time.

Advance SP comes with a flip-up screen and a rechargeable battery. This makes it incredibly portable as it can fit inside a pocket. The special edition console also comes with a lit-up screen as compared to the classic design.

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4) PlayStation Portable

The PlayStation Portable (Image via Sony)

The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is one of the most beloved and commercially successful consoles that was ever created. The PSP was Sony's first shot at creating a handheld device.

The console was quite ahead of its time. It came with the most powerful hardware ever seen on a handheld device, a web browser, support to remotely control the PS3 console, and hit titles that further drove its sales.

The PSP sold over 75 million units worldwide before it was formally discontinued in 2014.

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5) Nintendo 3DS

The Nintendo 3DS (Image via Nintendo)

The Nintendo 3DS was initially launched in 2010 as a successor to the highly popular DS handheld console.

The device comes with powerful hardware alongside other modernizations to bring it on par with its competitors. Nintendo also put in backwards compatibility to ensure older games were playable on the new device.

The 3DS was as successful as its predecessors, clocking in over 75.5 million sales worldwide. However, Nintendo discontinued the device back in 2020. The company will completely stop all services in early 2023, 13 years since it was released.