Technologies
Best Handheld Game Console in 2023
Take your gaming on the go with the best handheld game consoles, from the Nintendo Switch to Valve’s Steam Deck.

The last few years have seen a revival of handheld game consoles thanks to the convenience of on-the-go gaming and streaming technology, no doubt in part due to the success of the Nintendo Switch in 2017. The world of handheld gaming has gained popularity like never before, and last year was no exception. With the release of new consoles such as the Steam Deck and Panic Playdate, as well as the Razer Edge and Logitech G Cloud, more users are looking to handheld consoles for all of their gaming needs. If you’re looking to get back to the days of playing games anywhere you want, we’ve rounded up some of the best handheld game consoles that 2023 has to offer below.
Phones and tablets already do a fine job of playing tons of great portable games, and have been leading the mobile gaming world for years, offering features like game controller cases and game streaming from consoles, PCs and the cloud. Dedicated devices can provide unique features, exclusive games or extra power to do things your phone can’t. It almost feels like a return to the mid-2010s era of the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita.
The Nintendo Switch has been the best and most affordable portable game system for years, and continues to be CNET’s clear top pick: At $300 (or $350 for our favorite model), it can play a huge variety of Nintendo games, indie games, it can dock with a TV and can even play some fitness games. But Valve’s Steam Deck offers a unique proposition for those with deeper pockets: It’s large, and it can double as a full gaming PC.
For those who miss retro game handhelds like the Game Boy, you might consider putting yourself on the waiting list to order the Analogue Pocket or Panic Playdate, too, but both of those systems are more niche, and more indie/retro targeted, than the Switch and Steam Deck.
We’ll explain below.
Scott Stein/CNET
The Nintendo Switch is over five years old now, but Nintendo has indicated that no true successor is coming right now. A Pro model has been rumored for a while, but in the meantime the existing Switch remains extremely capable, full of great games (including lots of indie offerings), and pretty affordable considering its handheld/TV-connected dual function.
The OLED-screened Switch, which released in October 2021, is the best Switch and our recommended pick. The more vivid and larger display looks fantastic, its rear kickstand works better for tabletop gaming, and both of these upgrades are worth the extra $50. The original Switch (or the V2 version), at $300, works similarly and is also still fine, and occasionally comes in special editions and holiday game bundles. The smaller, handheld-only Switch Lite is a great value pick at $200 for anyone who just wants a basic portable game system, but it lacks any ability to connect to a TV, and its controllers don’t detach. This makes it less versatile for families, and means you can’t replace the controllers if they break.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
Valve’s big and powerful Steam Deck is a marvel. It can play a wide variety of PC games surprisingly well, and is the dream portable for any hardcore Steam fan, or anyone who has a big library of PC games. The Steam Deck can get expensive for the larger storage tiers, but for what it’s capable of, it’s not a bad deal. The ability to play PC games or stream cloud-based games, and to connect to a monitor, keyboard or other accessories, puts the Steam Deck in a class of its own.
Scott Stein/CNET
The Pocket looks like a totally remade Game Boy, and it is, in a sense. Analogue’s gorgeous handheld can play original Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges perfectly, and can even play Sega Game Gear games using an adapter (Atari Lynx, Neo Geo Pocket and Turbografx-16 adapters are supposed to be coming soon). It has a high-res color screen and USB-C charging, and there’s a separately sold dock for TV play. One of the most exciting updates to the Pocket is its support for FPGA cores that can replicate classic game hardware, and play ROMs. There’s no game store for buying games: Pocket is a system to play classic cartridges or other games in amazing quality, if you want to tinker around with FPGA. There’s also a growing library of Pocket-compatible software in indie gaming channels like itch.io that can be sideloaded to a microSD card, too.
The tiny, yellow, black-and-white-screened Panic Playdate looks like a weird Game Boy with a mechanical crank sprouting from its side. But this system, made by the indie game company that developed Untitled Goose Game, plays its own tiny season of 24 indie-developed games, which come included with the purchase and appear over time like weekly presents. The Playdate has Wi-Fi and can download games or sideload other indie-developed titles from sites like itch.io, but you’ll have to learn to love the experiences you discover. We’ve loved playing on it so far, but alas, the Playdate doesn’t have any backlighting — you’ll have to find a lamp instead. The Playdate is on backorder until early 2023.


Lori Grunin/CNET
Should I just use my phone or iPad instead?
Tablets and phones are extremely valid game consoles: The iPad has tons of games on the App Store, and hundreds more on Apple’s subscription-based Apple Arcade. The iPad can pair with Bluetooth game controllers, too. iPhones and Android phones have tons of games as well, obviously, and a number of great game controller cases are available, including the Backbone and the Razer Kishi.
Phones and tablets also offer other advantages, including an ability to cloud-stream games on a growing number of services including Microsoft Game Pass Ultimate and PlayStation Plus.
The handhelds listed above have other advantages: unique game libraries, a chance to connect to a TV and play with others, and the capability to play higher-end PC games or classic game cartridges.
Should I wait for something else?
The Nintendo Switch Pro, a long-rumored upgrade to the Switch, could eventually offer 4K gaming and perhaps upgraded controllers, although the existence of such a device is entirely speculative. Odds are that Nintendo will instead just keep slightly improving the Switch via new models every couple of years, similar to how it kept upgrading its Nintendo DS and 3DS line over time.
The Steam Deck just arrived earlier this year, but it’s unclear when and if Valve will ever choose to upgrade it with better processors or newer features. And right now, Microsoft and Sony have stayed out of the handheld gaming picture.
Razer’s Android-based gaming tablet, the Razer Edge, shows where a wave of new gaming tablets could emerge to become the Steam Decks of the mobile world. Right now we don’t have any opinions on whether you should wait for it, because we haven’t played it yet.
Logitech’s streaming-only G Cloud handheld shows where more console/PC accessories could pop up as home handhelds to stream games away from a TV, but right now you’re probably better off using your phone or tablet and a game controller to do pretty much the same thing.
What’s best for kids?
My kids alternate between iPad gaming and the Nintendo Switch. The Switch is without a doubt the best kid console, with the most family-friendly game library and best parental control settings. Still, be prepared to get annoyed at buying multiple copies of games and trudging through the process of creating multiple Switch family accounts.
Game console reviews
Technologies
Meta Wants AI to Handle Every Part of Ad Creation. Here’s What That Means
This move can impact all Instagram and Facebook subscribers and the future of the global advertising industry.

Meta is diving even deeper into artificial intelligence. According to an exclusive Wall Street Journal report released Monday, the company behind Facebook and Instagram is developing AI systems that could eventually fully automate the process of creating and buying ads on those popular sites. This means no human copywriters, designers or media buyers will be involved.
It’s a controversial move that could shake up the $600 billion global ad industry. The announcement also raises fresh questions about creativity, accuracy and the future of marketing jobs.
A representative for Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Read more: What Is Meta AI? Everything to Know About the Tech Giant’s AI Tools
How would this work?
Seemingly, Meta’s end goal is to create a system that lets businesses simply explain their product or marketing ideas, alongside a budgeting goal, to the AI-driven ad tools and then the machine takes over from there. That means AI generates ad copy, visuals, targeting strategies and even media placement decisions, all without human intervention.
In the short term, this would start with AI making suggestions or streamlining parts of the ad process. But over time, Meta reportedly wants AI to be capable of managing entire campaigns on its own, from start to finish.
Meta’s spokesperson told the Journal that advertisers would remain «in control» of their campaigns, but the broader vision paints a future where AI is the creative director, media planner and performance analyst all in one.
Meta is all in on AI
AI is central to Meta’s long-term strategy. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has called AI the company’s «single largest investment area,» and with competitors like Google and Amazon also building AI-powered ad systems, Meta is racing to claim its stake in the game.
This also aligns with Meta’s broader ambitions to weave AI across its platforms. Meta has already integrated its Meta AI chatbot across Instagram, Facebook, Messenger and WhatsApp, explored creating AI avatars on Instagram, and worked generative AI tools into its apps, so automating advertising is just one more piece of a much larger puzzle.
Read more: How to Opt Out of Instagram and Facebook Using Your Posts for AI
Can anyone benefit from this move?
The effort builds on Meta’s existing suite of AI-powered ad tools, like Advantage+ and generative tools introduced in 2023. Those features already allow marketers to automatically create image backgrounds, write copy variations and test ad formats. What’s coming next could push those tools into full autonomy.
According to Meta, this isn’t just about improving efficiency, it’s about scale. Meta claims small businesses would be the key beneficiary of this AI approach, especially those lacking the time or resources to hire marketing teams. The idea is that AI can level the playing field between small businesses and multi-million dollar companies.
«In the not-too-distant future, we want to get to a world where any business will be able to just tell us what objective they’re trying to achieve, like selling something or getting a new customer, how much they’re willing to pay for each result, and connect their bank account and then we just do the rest for them,» Zuckerberg said during Meta’s annual shareholder meeting last week.
While Zuckerberg is calling this «a redefinition of the category of advertising,» critics are already raising concerns.
Mainly, media and ethics experts warn that fully automating ad creation could open the door to misinformation, biased targeting and further erosion of accountability in digital advertising. AI isn’t immune to mistakes or manipulation, and can be used to spread harmful messaging, such as AI-generated deepfakes.
Read more: Trump Signs Bill Banning Deepfakes, Nonconsensual Images
What can this mean for advertising agencies and jobs?
Critics are not just concerned with the accuracy for AI-driven ads, they’re also worried about the future of traditional ad agencies and marketing jobs.
Meta claims that its focus on AI-driven ads is not intended to wipe out ad companies and their employees. Alex Schultz, the chief marketing officer and vice-president of analytics at Meta, has said these AI systems are meant to assist ad agencies and he doubled down on the claim that this will be an asset to small and medium-sized businesses.
«We believe in the future of agencies,» Schultz wrote in a recent LinkedIn post. «We believe AI will enable agencies and advertisers to focus precious time and resources on the creativity that matters. While we think there will ultimately be more automation in marketing, the role that agencies play is going to become ever more important through their ability to plan, execute and measure across platforms.»
What can this mean for Instagram and Facebook users?
If you’re a business owner, marketer or even just a regular social media user, you’re going to feel the ripple effects. You can expect to see more ads that were built by AI machines and possibly tailored to your interests in ways that feel more personal, even if no human ever touched them.
Technologies
I Live in the City Where Netflix’s Thrilling New Crime Drama Is Set. I Barely Recognize It
Commentary: This bingeworthy detective show cast my hometown in a noirish light.

Any well-reviewed crime drama that draws numerous comparisons to Apple TV’s brilliant Slow Horses will easily earn a place on my to-watch list, but as soon as Dept. Q hit Netflix last week, I hit play without hesitation. The reason I was in such a hurry to dive in is that I live in Edinburgh — the city where the new detective show is set.
Edinburgh is often used as a filming location, but most of the time it simply provides a picturesque and/or historical backdrop for a TV show or film — it’s more about the aesthetic effect rather than playing a pivotal role in the plot.
Dept. Q is different. Jaded detective Carl Morck, played by a grizzled Matthew Goode, who is recovering from a shooting that killed one police officer, nearly killed him and paralysed his partner on a call-out, has been tasked with running a new department delving into Edinburgh’s cold cases. The case that Goode picks out, along with the circumstances surrounding his shooting, has complex, knotty links to Edinburgh’s justice system and criminal underworld.
Here, the city provides more than just a pretty skyline — it’s pulled into the foreground, with the key players moving between the grand courts on Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile and the grimier parts of the city that tourists never see. As someone who calls Edinburgh home, I’m more than familiar with the landmarks, but I don’t recognize the side of the city I see in the show at all. That’s not to say it’s not accurate.
Sure, Edinburgh isn’t exactly a hotbed of violent crime compared with other cities in the UK and definitely compared with cities in the US. In the five years I’ve lived here, I can remember only one fatal shooting making the news. But I also fully acknowledge that the majority of organized crime is often hidden from the view of those not immersed in that world.
Occasionally, violent incidents, police raids or trials spill over, sending ripples of anxiety through neighborhoods and cropping up in headlines. But artistic portrayals, while often exaggerated for dramatic effect, can expose us to versions of places that otherwise might remain hidden from view.
As a city famed for its beauty, often thought of as genteel and rather sedate, it’s interesting to see Edinburgh portrayed as a place that is so much more than the tourist ideal. Not since the 1996 film Trainspotting has a less romanticized vision of the city been seen on screen.
Dept. Q even wasn’t originally set in Edinburgh — it’s actually adapted from a Danish novel of the same name — but as a resident, I appreciated the way it provided a different perspective on the place that I know and love. It was also fun to spot parts of town I’m intimately familiar with appear in a relatively high-production show — the castle view from outside my favorite indie record store, for example.
There are many flaws with Dept Q, from little niggles (what local journalist can afford to drive a Porsche?) to pacing issues — especially in the first episode. The plot is so meaty that at times it becomes convoluted. But in spite of all of this, I found myself staying up past my bedtime to watch «just one more episode» — as my husband and I would tell each other with a sideways glance, fully aware that we were succumbing to a full-on binge.
Is it perfect? No. Am I already hankering after season 2? Absolutely. Am I hoping Edinburgh will loom even larger in future episodes? I’m asking nicely — yes, please.
Technologies
Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for June 3, #1445
Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle, No. 1,445, for June 3.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Wordle puzzle could be tricky. I think of it as an abbreviation and I didn’t know Wordle allowed those as answers. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.
Today’s Wordle hints
Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.
Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats
Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.
Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels
There are two vowels in today’s Wordle answer.
Wordle hint No. 3: First letter
Today’s Wordle answer begins with the letter A.
Wordle hint No. 4: Short for something
Today’s Wordle answer is an abbreviation that is used for a job title.
Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning
Today’s Wordle answer can refer to an employee who is in charge of the technical aspects of a business.
TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER
Today’s Wordle answer is ADMIN.
Yesterday’s Wordle answer
Yesterday’s Wordle answer, June 2, No. 1444 was PREEN.
Recent Wordle answers
May 29, No. 1440: QUASH.
May 30, No. 1441: IDIOM
May 31, No. 1442: HABIT
June 1, No. 1443: ROUGH
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