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Here’s everything you need to know about handhelds and laptops, their price difference, performance delta, and which one to choose.
Gaming Handhelds and laptops are very similar, yet completely different tools. Both of them have a clear objective depending on what you need them to do. As an enthusiast, you may not be convinced by how little a laptop offers for your money, or how mediocre a handheld’s specs may be. All these aspects get in the way when you decide to purchase one. To start, both platforms have one thing in common: they are built on mobile SOC; their naming schemes differ.
You may be someone who just wanted a laptop with a powerful IGP for work and gaming, or someone who wanted to buy a cheap handheld that delivers nearly the same compute performance, pair it with a monitor/keyboard, and set it up as a PC. There are a diverse number of use cases. We have jotted down all of them and compared the essential fundamentals that should help you decide which one to get.
Read More: Xbox Ally X vs GPD Win 4 2025: Specs, Price & Performance Comparison
Gaming Handhelds and Laptops: Price Comparison
| Device | Price |
|---|---|
| Steam Deck LCD 256GB | $399 |
| Steam Deck OLED 512GB | $549 |
| ROG Ally | $499 |
| Xbox Ally X | $999 |
| MSI Claw 8 AI+ | $999 |
| Budget Gaming Laptop (RTX 4050) | $699 |
| Mid-range Gaming Laptop (RTX 5060) | $1,039 |
Handhelds start very cheaply, at around $399, but the premium models hit $800-900. At that price, gaming laptops with 6GB+ of dedicated GPU VRAM become viable. The Xbox Ally X at $999 directly competes with budget – mid-range gaming laptops.
Gaming Handhelds and Laptops: Performance Comparison
| Task | Handhelds | Laptops |
|---|---|---|
| AAA Gaming (Cyberpunk 2077 1080p) | 30 FPS max | 60+ FPS easy |
| Battery (AAA Gaming) | 2-3 hours | 1.5-2 hours |
| Portability | Yes (fits in pocket) | No (desk required) |
| Indie/Old Games | Excellent | Overkill |
We sourced the performance data from publicly available sources, calculated the averages, and then crafted the table. That said, if you take the Xbox Ally X with the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme as a starting point, it hits 45+ FPS at 1080p and 50-55 FPS at 720p in intensive titles. However, you have to keep adjusting the settings until you reach a comfortable frame rate. Laptops also require some adjustments, but not to the level handhelds do. The difference in computing power between a dedicated GPU and an IGPU is astronomical.
One exception is the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, which is found in some handhelds and the ROG Flow Z13. It changes a lot of things with 40 GPU compute units and matches the RTX 4070’s performance. However, the $1500+ cost makes it extremely niche.
Gaming Handhelds and Laptops: Screen Size, Versatility, and Battery
When it comes to gaming, handhelds usually measure 7-11 inches and make playing CRPGs and strategy games very hard. Due to the smaller screen size, text readability is very difficult. On Laptops, which usually start from 14 inches, you can play almost anything. For work, you do not need an external screen on a laptop for content creation. While you can technically do work on a handheld with a 7-inch screen, it’s purely subjective.
As for battery usage, handhelds last about 2-3 hours on AA games, and up to 6 hours on indie titles. Laptops do not have this advantage; they last around 1.5 – 2 hours, or even less, and around 3-3.5 hours on light tasks (gaming ones only). Evo-certified laptops last a lot longer (6-8 hours on light tasks), but they do not have a very capable iGPU for gaming.
Who Should Buy What?
Get a Handheld If:
- You play indie games or older AAA titles
- You already own a desktop or work laptop
- You game in 15-30 minute bursts during commutes
- Budget under $700 (Steam Deck OLED at $549-649 or ROG Ally at $499)
Get a Laptop If:
- You want to play new AAA games at high settings
- You need one device for gaming AND work
- Screen size and performance matter to you
- You don’t already own a gaming PC
The Verdict
Handhelds win fully on convenience. Laptops win on everything else. At $799+, the ROG Ally X and MSI Claw 8 AI+ are highly competitive with premium gaming laptops. With countless updates, both SOCs offer incredible compute performance, which is likely why people buy them and even pair them with an external display for work. The IGPUs in both devices are just enough for e-sports and older AAA titles.
However, if someone wants more performance but is willing to sacrifice a little bit of convenience, a good gaming laptop within the $1000 range wins.
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