If there was any period where gamers could be spoilt for choice with gaming hardware, it’s looking like 2025 could be it. And that’s because CES 2025 included reveals and previews of PC gaming hardware with Nvidia’s new RTX 5000 series GPU lineup stealing the spotlight. However, I’d argue that handheld gaming PCs have been the biggest highlight of the event.
It’s undeniable that Valve sparked new life into the handheld gaming scene when it launched the Steam Deck in 2022, with competition growing rapidly each year – we’ve seen mid-generation upgrades from Asus with the ROG Ally and Valve’s Steam Deck with an OLED variant.
While we await news on successors to the Asus ROG Ally X and Steam Deck OLED, the announcements from the likes of Lenovo, MSI, and Acer have been enough to leave me very excited for handheld gaming PCs this year. So, here’s my pick of the best handheld gaming PCs at CES 2025.
1. MSI Claw 8 AI+
While this was technically announced last December, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ had a significant presence at CES 2025 – and rightly so, because from what I’ve seen so far, this is shaping up to be one of (if not the) best handheld gaming PC of recent times.
MSI’s first attempt with the Claw A1M used Intel’s Core Ultra 7 155H processor, which wasn’t received well. This time around, MSI is using the more efficient Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (which uses the Intel Arc 140V integrated GPU), providing both stronger battery life and performance in games based on MSI’s claims at 17W and multiple previews.
ETAPrime showcased the Claw AI 8+ running CD Projekt Red’s graphically demanding Cyberpunk 2077 with the ray tracing ultra preset enabled using Intel’s XeSS upscaling method – and the frame rate remained around 40fps consistently.
It’s available for pre-order on MSI’s storefront in the US for $899.99, while there is unfortunately no news on UK and Australia availability or pricing.
2. Lenovo Legion Go S
The original Lenovo Legion Go is another example of a new handheld gaming PC not quite getting it right the first time. It originally boasted a 1600p display and used AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor. While that hardware is certainly powerful (the Z1 Extreme is also used in the Asus ROG Ally), it wasn’t enough to handle the 2560×1600 resolution, forcing gamers to knock the resolution down in-game.
In comes the Lenovo Legion Go S, which is a mid-generation upgrade, and it now uses a 1920×1200 120Hz VRR 8-inch display, plus 32GB of RAM. It will have multiple configurations, allowing you to choose between SteamOS or Windows 11 – and it comes with either the Ryzen Z2 Go or Z1 Extreme chip.
While the lower display resolution and screen size might seem like a negative, it will serve players well with both processors likely capable of handling the 1200p resolution with relative ease.
The Windows 11 Z2 Go models (16GB or 32GB) are now available for pre-order at Best Buy starting at $729.99 shipping this month, with the SteamOS models launching in May. Meanwhile, the Legion Go 2 is slated to release sometime this year using the new Z2 Extreme, but it’s still just a prototype for now.
3. Acer Nitro Blaze 8
I’d love to have put the Acer Nitro Blaze 11 here, as I think it will be the bigger hit for Acer, but it’s just way too big for a handheld gaming PC. It’s also priced at $1,099 which is absurd for a handheld gaming PC. Fortunately, the alternative to this is the Acer Nitro Blaze 8, which may still end up having the same performance issues as the original Lenovo Legion Go due to its ambitious (for a handheld) 1600p display, but it’s far more portable and comfortable to hold.
Using the same specifications as its larger counterpart, it will utilize AMD’s Ryzen 7 8840HS processor which has the same Radeon 780M iGPU seen in the Z1 Extreme, an 8.8-inch 144Hz display, and 16GB of RAM. This appears to be Acer’s attempt to catch up with current handhelds, but it may lose out to the likes of the Legion Go S and MSI Claw 8 AI+ with their more recent components.
Either way, this is set to be an impressive handheld option for gamers, available in Q2 this year starting at $899, in the midst of what looks like a great year for all handheld PC enthusiasts.
