5 Cheap Handheld Gaming Consoles That Are Actually Worth The Price

Cheap handheld gaming consoles are one of the best options for gamers who think that building a desktop or purchasing a more traditional console may be expensive. Truth be told, that's not incorrect at all, since artificial intelligence is leading to higher prices for hardware like RAM or GPUs, making new PCs even less affordable. The prices of regular consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S aren't attractive for those searching for budget options, either.

Luckily, players have many handheld consoles to choose from, including budget options. While some choices may also mean that you'll give up playing some modern AAA games, their lower price is sufficient to justify some trade-offs. Most of these budget handhelds tend to focus on indies, emulation, and some older PC titles, which can be more than enough for those searching for a way to play without needing expensive hardware.

However, not every cheap handheld gaming console is worth its price, and some devices, despite their price tag, don't offer good value for the money. Some are equipped with poor or outdated hardware while others with the same price can deliver a better experience. So, even among all the options, knowing what to look for before buying is one of the best things to do.

This Anbernic RG40XXV model is one of the cheapest handheld gaming consoles available. It offers a good experience for its $63 price tag, which may vary depending on the color and storage capacity you pick. However, this model is only worth the investment if you are interested in playing older and retro games, since its hardware isn't as strong as the other options available.

That doesn't mean the library of games you can play on Anbernic is smaller — it's quite the opposite. While it can't emulate the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 2, everything released along with the first PlayStation console or earlier can run pretty well, which means you'll have access to a powerful retro handheld console. Also, the design of Anbernic RG40XXV is nostalgic for some, as its vertical design, instead of a horizontal grip, makes it look like Nintendo's Game Boy.

If you prefer an OLED display instead of an LCD one, the Retroid Pocket 5 is the best option that you have on a budget, as it can be purchased for $219.00 from their official store. Additionally, this screen can make some older titles look amazing, especially those made with pixel art, where the colors are sharper and more vibrant with some shaders.

To include an OLED screen while maintaining a low price, Retroid utilizes the Snapdragon 865, a 2020 flagship chip that may struggle to play newer games. Still, this handheld exceeds expectations despite its outdated hardware, especially with Nintendo Switch emulation, where it's capable of running demanding games, provided the user is willing to take some time and adjust settings to get better performance.

While it may not run the entire Switch game library, the Retroid Pocket 5 really shines when it comes to retro emulation, as it can easily run games from all consoles before the sixth generation, including the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. Another major pro of this handheld is its dual-boot function, which allows users to switch between Linux and Android, which is especially useful if you want better performance in some games.

Both the Base and Pro versions of Ayn Odin 2 are good choices for your purchase, but the most basic version of the handheld console offers the best value for its cost. It can run the same games as its upgraded version, with mostly similar performance for $339.00. Like many other gadgets in this category, Ayn Odin 2 was made with emulation in mind and lets you play games from many retro consoles.

At the same time, this model comes with Android as its native OS, which means you can also run titles ported to mobile, like "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," "Stardew Valley," and many others, without the need to rely on emulation. At the same time, this handheld does a good job with emulation and can run games from Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 2, which are known for being more demanding titles.

Besides the Steam Deck, the Nintendo Switch Lite may be one of the best options for those searching for a handheld console and willing to pay more for a better experience. However, keep in mind that this model is a cheaper version of the original Nintendo Switch with some trade-offs, such as a lack of dock support and Joy-Cons that can't be detached.

What makes this console worth its $229, even after the Nintendo Switch price hikes, is its great game library. When acquiring this handheld, you will be able to play Game of the Year contenders like "The Legend of Zelda" and "Super Mario Odyssey" natively, as well as other games developed by Nintendo that are exclusive to the Switch family. So, purchasing a Switch Lite is a good way to play them without spending on other consoles.

The Switch family of consoles even received ports of major titles, like "The Witcher 3," which you can play on your Switch Lite. The downside is that they don't share the same texture details and frame rate stability you'll find when playing these games on a PC or other major consoles, but it's a trade-off for playing them with portability.

A new Steam Deck may be an expensive option for users, as the 512 GB OLED is available for $549.00 on Steam, and the entry-level 256 GB LCD model is no longer available. That's why buying a refurbished Steam Deck can be a good alternative. The good part is that Valve offers this kind of service, selling used consoles at a discount from their original price and a one-year warranty for users.

While the price is good, users also need to pay attention to availability, since it's common for every model to be sold out when you open the Steam Deck Refurbished page. However, if you get lucky and find one for less than $500.00, it will be one of the best cheap handheld gaming consoles that you can get, especially after doing some upgrades to your Steam Deck storage, something that old models may need.

This console, despite having older hardware, can run a lot of indie games while also handling AAA titles like "Elden Ring," "Hogwarts Legacy," "Baldur's Gate 3," and even "Cyberpunk 2077." Steam offers a page where you can see games that are certified to run on the handheld. However, just like on the Nintendo Switch, the Steam Deck may not offer the smoothest experience when compared to a gaming PC. Even so, it's one of the best options to play your games without spending too much.

The main criteria for a console featured in this list were the balance between price, which should be lower than $500, and performance. We also looked for variety among the options presented here. Instead of focusing only on raw power, our goal was to highlight devices that deliver strong value within different price ranges. Some handhelds were excluded even though they are priced close to our cap, especially if their performance was similar to that of consoles already chosen. In these cases, priority was given to more affordable devices that excel within a clear niche rather than offering wider performance.

That's why models like the Anbernic RG40XXV were included despite limited support for some games. The same applies to the Steam Deck, as despite a brand-new unit exceeding the intended budget range, Valve's refurbished program makes the device more accessible.