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
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Sunday, Aug. 10
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Aug. 10
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Woo, my last name is in today’s Mini Crossword! «Cooper» is part of the clue for 3-Down. Did I get that answer? Nope! I had to let the other clues fill it in. But that said, today’s puzzle isn’t too tough, even if your last name isn’t featured. Need answers? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Try to tag
Answer: CHASE
6A clue: Fictional sports icon with a statue by the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Answer: ROCKY
7A clue: Loosen, as laces
Answer: UNTIE
8A clue: Trigger for a werewolf’s transformation
Answer: MOON
9A clue: «It’s freezing!»
Answer: BRR
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Table tidbit
Answer: CRUMB
2D clue: Pay homage to
Answer: HONOR
3D clue: Driver, Cooper or Butler
Answer: ACTOR
4D clue: Poisonous part of a poison dart frog
Answer: SKIN
5D clue: Needle opening
Answer: EYE
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Aug. 10, #321
Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Aug. 10, No. 321
Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition counts on you knowing a little bit about European soccer venues, so that could help or hurt some puzzle-solvers. Read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Strength
Green group hint: Start cooking those dogs!
Blue group hint: Anfield is another one.
Purple group hint: They miss their teams.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Fortitude.
Green group: Tailgating needs.
Blue group: Famous soccer venues.
Purple group: Former NFL cities.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is fortitude. The four answers are grit, guts, mettle and moxie.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is tailgating needs. The four answers are chairs, cooler, grill and tent.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is famous soccer venues. The four answers are Camp Nou, Old Trafford, San Siro and Stamford Bridge.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is former NFL cities. The four answers are Canton, Oakland, San Diego and St. Louis.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Aug. 10, #791
Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle No. 791, for Sunday, Aug. 10.
Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
Today’s NYT Connections puzzle features a fun blue category, especially for bookworms like me. That purple category, though — no one does those random «look for a word inside of a word» categories like the Times. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.
The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.
Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time
Hints for today’s Connections groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group, to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: To have an effect on something.
Green group hint: Gather together.
Blue group hint: Not nonfiction.
Purple group hint: Look at a high-school or college schedule for hints.
Answers for today’s Connections groups
Yellow group: Influence.
Green group: Amass.
Blue group: Kinds of fiction.
Purple group: Starting with math and science classes, for short.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is influence. The four answers are juice, pull, sway and weight.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is amass. The four answers are cluster, collect, concentrate and group.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is kinds of fiction. The four answers are fan, historical, pulp and science.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is starting with math and science classes, for short. The four answers are biopic, calcium, chemise and triglyceride. (Biology, calculus, chemistry and trigonometry.)
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