I can't think of a better last minute gift idea for a PC gamer than one of these handheld gaming PCs for under $500
The holidays have a habit of sneaking up on us, don't they? But have no fear, because if you're having a last-minute panic trying to find the perfect gift for the PC gamer (or PC gaming curious) in your life, I can't think of a better gift idea than one of these handheld gaming PCs.
The best handheld gaming PCs make for perfect additions to a PC gamer's life, enabling them to take their hobbies on the go, from long-haul flights to sneaking in the odd indie game session on a lunch break. We happy few on the hardware team love our handhelds and spend all year long testing the very best, so each of these options comes highly recommended as a handheld worth having.
From the still-very-cheap and still-very-brilliant Steam Deck to the big screen bruiser that is the Lenovo Legion Go, there's sure to be something here to suit. So here are three handhelds that I reckon would make any PC gaming enthusiast jump for joy over the holiday season.
Steam Deck (LCD) | 256 GB SSD | SteamOS | $399 at Steam
Okay, the Steam Deck may have had an OLED refresh and there are heaps of more powerful handhelds around, but the original version is still the archetype of what a mobile PC gaming device should be. It's just as powerful as the most recent model so all those Steam Deck compatible games should run well. It's the OG PC gaming handheld, and it still demands respect, although this particular model does have quite a small SSD. Replacing it later with a larger model is no great hassle, however.
The Steam Deck might have been out for a while now, but it's still absolutely worth considering as the best budget handheld extraordinaire. We've regularly seen it on discount over the years, but for $399 straight from Valve, this 256 GB model is definitely worth serious consideration.
256 GB might be a little tight for several large games installed at once, but it's still a decent dose of storage to get started with—particularly if your beloved likes an indie game or 12. One of the nice things
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